Audeze (prounounced “odyssey”) has announced the MM-520 studio headphones, a special version of the company’s existing open back MM-500 monitors that promise to boost lows without sacrificing mid-range neutrality.

Designed in conjunction with 18-time Grammy-winning mix engineer Manny Marroquin, the MM-520 is meant to give listeners a somewhat unique experience among ultra high-end, open-back studio monitors. Typically, open back headphones are beloved for their excellent mid- and high-end sound reproduction and generous sound stage.

Closed-back headphones are better able to hold in sound, so the bass response tends to be better, but that can also result in what can be described as a “tight” audio profile that doesn’t sound quite like listening to music in person.

When backs are opened up, that tightness is relieved, but the bass response tends to go with it. Audeze claims it has figured out how to mitigate this loss with what it is calling a Symmetric Linear Acoustic Modulator, or SLAM. The technology claims to be able to optimize air pressure within the earcup which “enhances low-frequency impact and sounstange transparency without sacrificing mid-range neutrality.” Open back headphones are also not ideal for shared workspaces, as sound very much bleeds out of them because they are, well, open.

“The MM-520 represents the latest entry in our mission to provide creators and professionals with the ultimate monitoring tool,” Sankar Thiagasamudram, Audeze CEO, says. “By adding SLAM technology to Manny’s signature series, we’ve created a headphone that delivers even more truth in the low-end while maintaining the signature clarity Audeze is known for.”

Reading how audiophiles describe sound can absolutely come across as pretentious, but it’s difficult to express in words how something sounds. Audeze is just saying that these headphones are going to sound a lot better for those who prefer a stronger bass response than they can typically get with open backed cans without tossing away the clarity of the mid range that open backs are usually prized for.

In addition to the SLAM technology integration, the MM-520 headphones feature upgraded memory foam earpads to ease fatigue during long sessions. These two changes have also resulted in a slightly heavier headset than the original MM-500, which now weighs 555 grams versus the MM-520’s 495 grams.

Sound engineers may appreciate what Audeze is doing here, but video editors are probably better served considering Audeze’s more affordable MM-100 headphones, which are more than $1,000 less expensive but will still provide access to the company’s highly regarded neutral sound profile.

Speaking of price, the MM-520 headphones are available for $1,699 starting today.

About PetaPixel Headphone Coverage: Wait, headphone news? On PetaPixel? You bet. PetaPixel is expanding coverage into headphones specifically through the lens of what best serves video editors. Whether they work in a studio, on a plane, or at home on the couch, video editors all use headphones at some point. With our coverage, we intend to keep those editors informed of what’s new and, over time and as we test them ourselves, recommend the best options when your favorite cans finally need replacing.

Image credits: Audeze