Audeze MM500 Review: Reference-Grade Studio Headphones with Exceptional Detail

Audeze’s MM500 headphones — the MM100’s beefier sibling - are a tour-de-force when it comes to studio monitor headphones. They may carry a relatively premium price tag compared to the MM100s, but that cost is reflected in quality across the board; not only in terms of sound quality.

As with the MM100s, the “MM” in the moniker refers to producer/mix maestro, Manny Marroquin, who has endorsed this series of studio cans. They’re about $1200 more expensive than the MM100s, so let's look at how Audeze is justifying the price hike with the flagship MM500s.

A Stellar Start

First impressions somehow manage to exceed those of the MM100s. The MM500s are geared towards those who are seeking reference level sound, and these have the potential to produce a more honest reproduction than the MM100s; I’ll explain why further on in this review.

As with the the MM100s, the MM500s are among the comfiest cans ever to have adorned my rapidly balding crown. Where the 500s differ, though, is in the inclusion of the antenna style adjustment rods I mentioned as lacking in my MM100 review.

These allow more vertical adjustment, enabling the headphones to accommodate a wider range of head sizes and ear positions. This is important, as studio time can often stretch on longer than you would expect. Nobody wants poorly fitting headphones on their head the entire session.

The MM500s also forego the two 3.5mm headphone jacks of their less expensive cousin, this time incorporating some rather lovely mini XLR jacks into the earcups. This also has its advantages and again we’ll look at those shortly.

In terms of initial listening impressions, we have an incredible soundstage with plenty of space for the sound to move around in. The MM500s sound better than the MM100s and that is likely down to the wider frequency range they boast.

If you want the full spec list so you can check out the impedance, THD, and sensitivity, then you can check out the MM500s specifications on the Audeze landing page.

Hybrid Use-Case

Audeze markets the MM500s as both a studio headphone and a listening headphone. This certainly rings true; as someone who listens to music literally all day, I can attest to their chops when it comes to enjoying other people’s music rather than producing it.

The headphones incorporate the classic in-house planar transducers that Audeze has become renowned for. Indeed, Headliner’s own Darkwood Studios has several pairs of the MM500s which are in regular use for recording, thanks to their incredibly faithful sound reproduction and supersonic response.

Grace McGuigan - Headliner’s Head of AR and a very talented independent artist who has amassed over 600m views on TikTok - has the following to say about her use of the MM500s in the studio:

“Due to their overall sound quality but also that all-important headroom, the MM500s have improved my vocal performances greatly. I use them direct into a personal monitoring system and therefore create my mix at the mic, and that combo helps me take even scratch vocal takes more seriously, because my performance is more consistent.”

Paul Watson, Headliner Group’s CEO and chief engineer at Darkwood, also extols the virtues of the MM500s:

“We don’t have any bleed issues which frankly astounds me, with the MM500s being open back. They are excellent for tracking, and having multiple pairs in the studio allows for consistency from engineer to artists and from musician to musician.”

As is evident, then, consistency is the key when it comes to studio monitoring via headphones, and the Audeze MM500 cans clearly deliver on this front.

To quickly mention the inclusion of the mini-XLR jacks. Why do these matter or make a difference? If you are in a studio environment, then these lock into place, making them a more secure connection than the MM100's 3.5mm connections. Mini XLR are more hard-wearing and allow for you to move around a bit more vigorously without the fear of damaging your 3.5mm jack with a sudden jerk in the wrong direction.

For listening, I decided to eschew my usual Bladerunner soundtrack and went with Max Richter’s 2025 album Sleep Circle (Faded). I played the album via ROON using my Tidal subscription, and was able to enjoy it in 96kHz, 24bit FLAC quality.

The bottom end swells Richter’s synthesizers produce certainly benefited from the extended low-end frequency range (5Hz), giving it more power as it reaches for those frequencies we feel rather than hear.

Before I was able to yearn for the silken vocals of Mary Hopkins (referencing the Bladerunner soundtrack), I was hit in the ears by Grace Davidson’s stunning soprano tones. The MM500s replicated her voice with perfection.

I was lost in the entirety of Path 3 / Whose Name is Written on the Water (Pt.1 / Faded). Grace’s beautiful voice dominated the upper mids, as violins and cellos panned around my head. The mix was given additional airiness around the upper register thanks to the extended top-end frequency range (50kHz).

In general, detail retrieval is stunning—I could hear Grace Davidson’s breaths at several points during my listening, adding to the sonic immersion—and the response time from the planar diaphragms ensure recordings sound tight.

Frequency Fulfilment

I wanted to touch briefly on the reason why the extended frequency range the MM500s boast is important, for those who aren’t totally sure.

As I alluded, we can’t hear anything outside of the 20Hz-20kHz frequency range. And, in fact, as we get older, our ability to hear that entire range dwindles as our hearing naturally deteriorates. This is why it is important to preserve our hearing and wear ear protection.

Anyway, just because we can’t hear those frequencies doesn’t mean we can’t perceive them. Frequencies below 20Hz can be felt as vibrations. This adds perceivable depth to a recording, even if we can’t physically hear the sounds operating below 20Hz.

Likewise, over 20kHz and again you can’t hear a thing. That vibration is still there, though, and with a top end hitting 50kHz the MM500s offer a shedload of headroom for music, and the clarity of the treble is crystal clear, here, I will add.

Recommending the Audeze MM500

So, do the Audeze MM500s offer value for money? Sure they do. If you're looking to upgrade your first set of studio cans, then the MM500s offer a really promising investment. With exceptional build-quality to match the fantastic audio, they’ll keep your head in your mixes for years to come.

Likewise, for those who simply enjoy listening to faithfully reproduced music, the MM500s make for a compelling choice.

Not only do you have the incredible sound reproduction producers look for in a pair of headphones, but you have the level of detail that audiophiles the world over enjoy. So, if you’ve got $1699/£1699 to throw at your next set of ‘phones, then the Audeze MM500s should be right at the top of your list.