Review topics: ["weight","issues","mixes","listening","dimension","translate","presentation","bass","highs","tools","decisions","headphones"].
Reviews
Truly Impressive
"With every listen, I’m picking up details in my reference tracks that I had never heard before. The sense of depth and vertical dimension is incredible—it genuinely feels like you’re inside the music, completely enveloped by it. My previous pair was the Neumann NDH 30, which is wonderful, but honestly not on this level. Comfort is great too; despite what the spec sheet says, I don’t feel any excessive weight on my head at all. So far, I’ve been driving them directly from an RME Fireface 802 FS, but I plan to test them with a dedicated Violectric amp to see if I can squeeze out even more performance. Highly recommended for mixing, mastering, and pure critical listening."
— Marcky (5/5)
10/10
"They're awesome, super comfortable unless you go over 4 hours of continous use. I am still surprised by the sound quality everytime i use them. 10/10"
— Samuel G. (5/5)
If you don’t have a high-end studio, get these!
"I produce music as a sideline on my DAW in a home environment. I’ve worked in high-end recording studios in the past, but that’s not what I have here. So there’s always a question of whether what I’m hearing is accurate and translating well to other environments. The MM – 520s do a great job of letting me hear exactly what the recording sounds like. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the way these headphones can reveal issues that are not apparent when listening through speakers. That’s why I bought them, and they deliver. I trust these and use them to make sure mixes sound of the way they should. They have an openness and clarity that is refreshing. But more important, there’s an honesty that is really helpful, and that I can trust."
— Douglas J. (5/5)
I'm impressed by how well they hold up against a perfectly calibrated studio and by their ability to reproduce high-quality stereo sound and precise bass.
"I've been using it for two months now (while working as game audio designer and to listen and produce music). I had no trouble switching from the HD650 to this one, because it introduced me to a whole new dimension in terms of depth and precision. I’m blown away by the stereo image it produces, and it feels like this is the first time I’ve had headphones capable of delivering such precision in the bass while also reproducing precise transients. We compared them to a well-calibrated studio equipped with the latest generation of Genelec monitors, and they came very close in terms of precision—at a much lower cost."
— Enzo G. (5/5)
Brand new sense of clarity
"No more going to my car to hear how it actually probably maybe sounds like. No more ear fatigue from having to make some sessions louder to understand details and translation. My last 2 releases were probably my best production wise and it all had to do with how I’m finally able to hear what is actually happening way more accurately than ever before!"
— Gadi V. (5/5)
A matter of trust
"I've tried many headphones and recently bought the MM-100's as my first foray into the world of planar magnetic headphones I generally mix out and about and also have a couple of studios with traditional monitors etc The MM-100's took a bit of getting used but they helped me really hone in on the mids resulting in much better translation, they are great Then I got to try the MM-500's and they were excellent although I felt they were a lil too NS-10ish and since I have a pair of those I didn't feel I could justify the purchase at the time I then compared them to the new MM-520's and immediately noticed a more balanced response particularly in the low and low mid regions I will say I was more accustomed to the signature of the MM-500's but the MM-520's presented a fuller picture so to speak and not as congested as the others I'm still acquainting myself with the MM-520's and they are getting better by the day The translation so far is on par with the MM-100's for the most part but revealing inaccuracies in the low mids and lows better than the others and the tamer hi-mid region is sitting beautifully like never before I mainly mix a lot of heavy rock oriented music and for once I can say that guitars are much easier to gauge and work with over longer periods Also the staging is much better than the others mentioned, not too wife but nicer and not really dependent on any form of cross-feed or the like It's the micro details that really are the star of the show with the MM-520's, when you experience that it makes you realise there's more work to be done but the end result is worth the expense These are a great tool if you're ready to work with your craft and take thing to the next level, anywhere you wanna be I'm running mine with a DX5 MKII and a DX1 MKII on the go These are my trusty new pal moving forward"
— Audio B. (5/5)
Simply the best!
"They sound flat and reproduce every frecuency and transients perfectly, they deliver punch also, and most important…. They translate perfectly, now I’m able to finally mix like my favorite mixing engineer! If you’re starting out in the music production buy these and you’ll save like 10 years in your career, and if you’re a professional don’t think it twice."
— Eduardo P. (5/5)
The MM-520 are not a hype
"An Exceptional Mixing and Reference Headphone The Audeze MM-520 has become one of the most valuable tools in my studio. As a film composer, I use it to check my orchestral, electronic, and hybrid mixes, and the level of clarity is beyond amazing. Every detail is presented with remarkable precision—from subtle reverbs and room ambience to low-level textures, transients, and the separation between instruments. The stereo imaging is exceptionally clear, the midrange is beautifully revealing, and the low end is deep, controlled, and honest without sounding exaggerated. This allows me to make confident decisions regarding EQ, dynamics, balance, panning, and depth. Most importantly, my mixes translate extremely well to studio monitors, speakers, and other listening systems. Despite being highly analytical, the MM-520 remains musical and engaging. It allows me to hear deeply into a mix without taking away the emotion of the music. It exposes problems immediately, yet it also lets me appreciate the full beauty and dimension of a well-recorded performance. The build quality feels premium, the presentation is wonderfully detailed, and the overall experience inspires confidence every time I put it on. For mixing, mastering checks, orchestral work, and critical listening, the Audeze MM-520 is absolutely outstanding. I could not recommend it more highly."
— Amanuel Z. (5/5)
Unbelievable
"The definition and depth that you’re able to experience in the MM-520 is, in a word, UNBELIEVABLE! Whether checking mixes or starting them away from the studio, the MM-520’s make you super confident to be able to push the what is required, over the line…. I own the LCD-X’s but these blow them away for accuracy in my opinion. Well done Audeze and Manny. Straight up ridiculous! 5 Stars all day long."
— Kelvin S. (5/5)
Essential Production Tool
"I’d always just used low to middle of the road industry standard headphones for tracking or maybe listening for small technical problems in a mix. When tracking I’d make an eq or compression move and it would sound drastically different on my monitors. The mm-520’s allow me to make critical decisions whenever they’re being used. Their exceptionally accurate frequency response allows me to utilize them for heavy mission critical mixing duties and reveals dull or uninspired mixes immediately. I baby them but I’m not afraid to break them. They’re hefty but I don’t mind wearing them for a whole session. For those worried about bleed from the open backs, if you’re not blasting them, it’s really pretty negligible. I wouldn’t use them to track vocals but use them often to produce vocals in the same room without any problems. For those who are on the go with mobile recording and mixing these will eliminate guess work and save you precious time. Great life/process-changing product."
— Devin (5/5)
