- Audeze LCD-S20 is its cheapest flat magnetic headphones
- Closed back, with slam tech to big bass
- Available from May 2025 for £ 499 / $ 499 (approx. AU $ 1,045)
There are two things I know it’s true: Plane magnetic headphones sound amazing, and flat magnetic headphones are often scary expensive. But the newly announced LCD-S20 headphones from Audeze are a fraction of the price of the same company’s flagship cans, to only £ 499 / $ 499 / around AU $ 1,045.
It’s still expensive among the best wired headphones, but these can be excellent: We’ve reviewed Audeze’s flat magnetic game headphones, Audeze LCD-X, and thought they were phenomenal (and heavy, something of an Audeze tradition: These new headphones are 550 g).
We said that “LCD-X goes toe to toe with some of the best dynamic driver’s headphones on the market without breaking a sweat.” So I’m fascinated by the new LCD-S20 that promises similar Sonics for significantly less cash.
Audeze LCD-S20: Key features
Audeze LCD-S20 headphones are closed models, which means they passively block some outside sound and they are the first flat headphones to get Audeze’s slam technology. It is short for symmetrical linear acoustic modulator and we first saw it in the flagship – and almost $ 6K / £ 4.5K – CRBN2 electrostatic headphones last year.
Slam uses fine -tuned acoustic channels to deliver more linear membrane movement, and according to Audeze, it means significantly improved and more accurate bass as well as better imaging. The promise here is somewhat closer to open-back Sonics with closed insulation.
The drivers are 90 mm and have a trio of Audaze Technologies: Fluxor Magnets, Fazor Waveguides and Uniforce Voice coils that “deliver the exact, ultra-low distortion sound quality for which Audeze is known.”
The chassis is based on it from the Maxwell headset and has a spring steel-headband, forged aluminum objects and high-strength glass-infused nylon parts.
The LCD-S20 is the first Audeze headphone with a new magnetic earpad attachment system that allows you to quickly and easily exchange or replace the earpeds. And the cable is removable and replaced between the left and right to suit your setup.
They are out in May 2025 and we can’t wait to compare them with the best over-ear headphones-we love a plan.
