The Audeze LCD-X open-back headphones are high-end planar magnetic cans designed with studio professionals and audiophiles in mind. Marketed as one of Audeze's most versatile models, they promise to deliver accurate and detailed sound reproduction that's suitable for mixing and mastering, while still appealing to home listeners who want a refined listening experience at home.
Our Verdict
The Audeze LCD-X aren't suited for workouts. They're large and relatively heavy, which makes them unstable during fast or sudden movements, and the attached audio cable can easily catch on nearby objects while you're on the move. On top of that, there are no onboard controls for skipping tracks or adjusting volume, which limits their practicality for exercise.
Excellent build quality.
Don't block out any noise around you.
Leak a lot of audio.
The Audeze LCD-X aren't designed for use while you're out and about. Their large, open-back design offers almost no noise isolation, so you'll hear sounds around you clearly. They also leak a lot of audio, so anyone nearby will hear a thin version of your audio. These cans are quite heavy, but they're well-built and have a sturdy carrying case, so you can transport them safely between quiet listening spaces.
Excellent build quality.
Don't block out any noise around you.
Leak a lot of audio.
The Audeze LCD-X aren't a great choice for office use. Although heavy, they're comfortable enough for all-day wear at your desk, and their warm sound can reduce ear fatigue over long listening sessions. But their open-back design means they leak a lot of audio, even at moderate listening levels, and they also block out almost no sound, so you'll hear coworkers talking and phones ringing. On that note, they don't come with a built-in mic (though you can purchase one from Audeze separately), so they aren't a good choice if you need to make a lot of calls. That said, if you work in a quiet, private room and have a standalone mic, these headphones aren't a bad companion to a long work day at all.
Excellent build quality.
Impressively comfortable.
Don't block out any noise around you.
Leak a lot of audio.
Don't have a built-in mic, but you can purchase one from Audeze.
The Audeze LCD-X can only be used wired.
The Audeze LCD-X are alright for wired gaming, though they're not specifically designed for it. Their comfortable fit means you can enjoy wearing them for long play sessions, and the wired connection ensures virtually no latency. The excellent matching between left and right drivers helps you accurately locate the sound of enemy fighters precisely in the stereo field, too. Their warm sound suits most kinds of game audio, and in-game dialogue sounds true-to-life. However, there's no built-in microphone, so you'll need a separate mic setup to chat with teammates. Audeze also sells a separate mic cable you can use for this purpose.
Impressively comfortable.
Don't have a built-in mic, but you can purchase one from Audeze.
The Audeze LCD-X have great audio reproduction accuracy. They don't deviate much from their warm sound profile and have amazingly well-matched left and right drivers, ensuring objects are properly placed in the stereo field. Their remarkably flat mid-range keeps vocals and instruments sounding accurate and true-to-life, while the subdued treble can help reduce listening fatigue. They also have remarkably low harmonic distortion, so you won't notice any coloration from it. If there's one notable downside, it's that their spatial presentation isn't quite as expansive as some other open-backs: your audio won't interact with your pinna in the same way as two angled reference monitors, which can make spatial information sound unnatural.
The Audeze LCD-X aren't a good choice if you want to block out background noise. Their open-back design lets in most ambient sound, so you'll still hear your surroundings even while wearing them. This lack of isolation can be distracting and may make it harder to focus on your audio, especially in noisier environments.
The Audeze LCD-X don't have a built-in mic, but you can buy a cable with one from Audeze.
The Audeze LCD-X have very good frequency response consistency. Once you've adjusted them for a proper fit, you'll experience consistent audio with each wear as the frequency response barely varies due to head shape, size, or whether you're wearing glasses.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Mar 12, 2026:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.1, which removes the Group Delay test and rebalances scoring for the Harmonic Distortion test and Audio Reproduction Accuracy performance usage. For more details, consult our full changelog.
- Updated Mar 12, 2026: This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.1, which removes the Group Delay test, and rebalances scoring for the Harmonic Distortion test and Audio Reproduction Accuracy performance usage. For more details, consult our full changelog.
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Updated Feb 05, 2026:
We've updated the Style box to mention the Fostex TH900mk2 Limited Edition.
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Updated Aug 27, 2025:
We edited the Popular Headphones Comparisons section to make it more useful for our readers.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Audeze LCD-X are available in one color: black. However, you can buy either a leather or a leather-free version of this color.
It's important to note that versions of these headphones produced before 2021 had a slightly different frequency response, with a large dip around 4kHz.
We tested the leather version, produced after 2021, and this is its label.
Please let us know in the comments if you encounter another variant of these headphones.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
Audeze is a well-known name in audiophile circles for their LCD-n series of planar-magnetic headphones, which includes models like the Audeze LCD-1 and Audeze LCD 2 Classic/LC2C. The Audeze LCD-X were first released in 2013, marketed as a great choice for studio workers due to their balanced sound and deep low-end extension. And if you've got money to spend and are looking for top-tier open-back headphones, the LCD-X's flat mid-range and warm sound profile make them a good contender.
But the planar magnetic market is much more competitive today than it was even a decade ago. The HiFiMan Arya Stealth Magnet Version go toe-to-toe with the LCD-X at about half the price, while the borderline affordable HiFiMan Edition XS actually beat the LCD-X for bass response, but do so while offering a bright, detailed sound that fans of a more laid-back presentation might not appreciate. And don't discount good old-fashioned dynamic driver headphones like the Sennheiser HD 800 S, which offer a much more spacious sound than any Audeze pair we've tested, even if you'll pay top dollar for the luxury.
Looking for more audiophile-grade headphones? Check out our recommendations for the best studio headphones, the best open-back headphones, and the best closed-back headphones.
The Audeze LCD-X and Audeze MM-500 are similar wired open-back headphones meant for professional use. The LCD-X are heavier, and have a warmer sound profile, which you may prefer. That said, both are comfortable, well-built, and easy to drive with portable devices. Both the MM-500 and LCD-X also come with a hard carrying case and use mini-XLR connectors for the headphones. That said, the LCD-X cable terminates with an XLR connector meant for the source device, while the MM-500's has a 1/4" TRS connector.
The HiFiMan Arya Organic and the Audeze LCD-X are both premium, open-back audiophile headphones equipped with planar magnetic drivers. Choosing between them will likely come down to your preference in sound. The Audeze have a darker treble presentation, which can help prevent ear fatigue over longer sessions. However, they also roll off the bass range compared to the HiFiMan, which might deter those who want a bit more low-end heft. The HiFiMan have a much sharper treble range that's well-suited to identifying clicks and pops during audio editing, but they could be fatiguing over long sessions. Both headphones are similarly comfortable and well-built, with immersive soundstages, though the Audeze do come with an impressive hard case for transportation.
The Audeze LCD-X and Sennheiser HD 800 S are both high-quality, open-back headphones that target the premium end of the headphones market. The Audeze have a warm sound, with a subdued treble and an impressively punchy bass. On the other hand, the Sennheiser have a brighter sound, with an airier top-end that adds shimmer to vocals but can also make sibilants sound a touch piercing at times. They also lack a little low-bass compared to the Audeze; techno fans might wish for a little more thump. Sound profile aside, the Sennheiser are the better cans: their audio sounds more like it's coming from a pair of angled reference monitors, and they're lighter to wear. But they're also quite a bit more expensive than the Audeze cans. The choice is one of taste and budget.
If you like the idea of a pair of Audeze cans but can't quite justify the expense of the Audeze LCD-X, the Audeze MM-100 are a worthy alternative. These headphones offer remarkably similar performance across the board: both have a flat, accurate mid-range and a warm, smooth tonality. The more expensive LCD-X put out noticeably more thump in the low-end, making them a little more genre-agnostic than the MM-100. And the cheaper pair only come with a small carrying pouch to transport them, unlike the superb hard case accompanying the LCD-X. The LCD-X are the better headphones, but whether they're worth multiple times the price of the MM-100 is a question for you and your wallet.
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Test Results
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