The studio reference signed by Manny Marroquin
The Audeze MM-500 were created to meet a precise need of the professional world: having a reliable, coherent and portable reference for mixing and audio production. Designed in collaboration with Manny Marroquin, the multi-award-winning producer and mixer and winner of 18 Grammy Awards, these headphones were developed inside the celebrated Larrabee Studios with a clear goal: to offer a sound that can consistently replace a near-field studio monitor system.
Compared with the LCD-X, the MM-500 have a more compact and lighter structure, while maintaining the same technical rigour and a construction designed for everyday use in professional settings. The result is a pair of headphones that delivers transparency, balance and control, allowing reliable mix decisions in any working context.
Audeze planar technology in the service of precision
The heart of the MM-500 is a 90 mm planar magnetic transducer, based on an ultra-thin Uniforce™ diaphragm, a Fluxor magnetic structure and Fazor phase management. This architecture allows an extremely fast response, very low distortion and high tonal coherence across the entire frequency range.
The extended frequency response from 5 Hz to 50 kHz makes it possible to analyse with precision both the fundamentals and the subtlest harmonics, while the distortion level remains below 0.1% at 100 dB SPL. With an impedance of 18 ohm and a sensitivity of 100 dB/1mW, the MM-500 are easily driven by audio interfaces, consoles and headphone amplifiers, with no need for particularly powerful dedicated electronics.
Working comfort and professional construction
Designed for prolonged working sessions, the Audeze MM-500 combine comfort and robustness in exemplary fashion. The weight, kept down to 495 grams, is distributed evenly thanks to the spring steel headband and the well-padded earcups, reducing fatigue even after many hours of continuous use.
The machined aluminium structure and the premium leather earpads guarantee long-lasting durability and a professional-grade tactile feel. The open-back design favours a wide, natural soundstage, making these headphones ideal for critical work on panning, depth and mix balance.
A modern standard for mixing and mobile production
The MM-500 are a practical solution for the modern professional who works in hybrid or acoustically untreated environments. Their tonal coherence allows mix decisions to be transferred to other listening systems without surprises, maintaining balance and dynamics.
Used in high-profile productions – including albums of great international success – these headphones show how it is possible to obtain an authentic studio reference that is portable and reliable. The Audeze MM-500 are not simply professional headphones: they are a working tool designed for those who live for sound and demand absolute precision.
Technical specifications
| Item |
Details |
| Type |
Over-ear, open-back |
| Transducer |
Planar magnetic |
| Magnetic structure |
Fluxor array |
| Phase management |
Fazor |
| Magnet type |
Neodymium N50 |
| Diaphragm |
Ultra-thin Uniforce™ |
| Transducer diameter |
90 mm |
| Frequency response |
5 Hz – 50 kHz |
| Sensitivity |
100 dB / 1 mW |
| Impedance |
18 ohm |
| Maximum SPL |
>130 dB |
| THD |
<0.1% @ 100 dB SPL |
| Maximum power |
5 W RMS |
| Recommended power |
>250 mW |
| Weight |
495 g |