Audeze has introduced its new closed-back headphones, offering extended and dynamic bass with a lifelike punch that remains clean even at high volumes, thanks to the company’s latest patent-pending innovation, SLAM (Symmetric Linear Acoustic Modulator). Acoustically dampened ear cups block external noise and prevent microphone bleed. The Audeze LCD-S20 closed-back planar headphones represent high-quality equipment for recording, streaming and general audio listening.
Audeze provides a thorough explanation of how its proprietary technology and design function. The company states that SLAM technology redefines the way headphones handle bass. I enjoy songs with low-toned bass frequencies and the prominent impact that comes with club tracks.
Without overwhelming you with audiophile terminology, which I enjoy discussing, the LCD-S20 uses a balance of suction and cupping to enhance bass performance, along with planar magnetic technology. This combination creates an effective harmony of extended bass range and precise sound reproduction with minimal distortion.
“The biggest strength of the Audeze LCD-S20 was its ability to isolate and capture the best vocal recording sounds.”
In terms of design, these headphones are intentionally luxurious. The outer layer of the ear cups is fabric, while the inner headband uses a pseudo-leather material. Combined with the silver steel frame, these features make the headphones feel durable and high-end.
Compared with other closed-back headphones, this is the best I have used in terms of overall comfort and build quality. After several weeks of use, the ear pads showed no signs of wear. They are also magnetically attached, which makes replacement simple and is a feature I have not seen from many other brands.
The $499 price tag may put off casual audiophiles, but these headphones feel worth the premium, offering quality that rivals Sonos, Bang and Olufsen, Bowers and Wilkins and other high-end brands. They do not rely on extra bells and whistles, and it is clear the engineering focus was on sound quality rather than an extensive list of bonus features like RGB lighting. The design is clean and refined, highlighted by its black and silver finish.
As someone who occasionally listens to music at very high volumes, the Audeze LCD-S20 protected me from harming my hearing. I tested the headphones across multiple bass frequency ranges, including 10 to 20 hertz. They were able to balance the different levels cleanly without causing discomfort.
Was this a little extreme? Maybe, but I like to push my ears to the limits sometimes when I am blasting Katseye or the KPop Demon Hunters album. I also tested it with live performances of Portishead, the Tron: Ares album, the Wicked: For Good album, and the like. This pair of headphones was able to pick up a wide array of orchestra instruments in the back, but always kept the vocals at the center stage.
Coming in just over 1 lb, the Audeze LCD-S20 was a little too heavy from extended use at first. Maybe my head eventually adjusted, but the inner leather-like lining comfortably sat on my head. If you are a musician, though, you may not want to rock your head too much with these headphones because they can shift around when you tilt your head back and forth. Maybe making customizable sizing could help fit more weirdly-shaped heads.
“The $499 price tag may put off casual audiophiles, but these headphones feel worth the premium.”
The biggest strength of the Audeze LCD-S20 was its ability to isolate and capture the best vocal recording sounds. When I was playing FPS games like Valorant or Fortnite, the spatial audio quality was insanely clear. Even hearing my teammates on Discord was a lot clearer than the previous headphones I was using.
Friends have constantly commented, ‘you didn’t hear those footsteps behind you?’ I would max out my volume settings, and it still would not help. And now, I felt like I could hear everything around a medium volume level. Watching movies like Mad Max: Fury Road and Interstellar with these headphones put me in a state of audio euphoria. This was like experiencing the best sound quality from Dolby Atmos or an IMAX/DTS experience, but smushed into a pair of headphones.
For most of my testing of the Audeze LCD-S20 headphones, I used them in scenarios they may not have been intended for, such as gaming and watching movies/TV shows. The closest intentional purpose I may have used them for was for listening back to voiceover recordings. Whatever the case, it never hurt to keep wearing them—even after hours of use. If you are looking for a pair of high-quality headphones built seriously for tracking, recording, and playback, this is a great option—even audiophiles will enjoy this one.
