audeze mm100 review Audeze MM-100 Review - Affordable Headphones That Offer Premium Performance and Sound Quality

Audeze MM-100 Review – Affordable Headphones That Offer Premium Performance and Sound Quality

Today, we are writing our Audeze MM-100 Review to discuss everything you need about the headphones. It is the second pair of headphones joining the MM Series with the MM-500. 

The difference between the two is that the MM-100 is available at a more affordable price. Despite this, Audeze ensures its latest offering is on par with its sibling performance and quality. 

This review will discuss its design, functions, features, specifications, and how it performs in specific tasks. So sit, relax, and read on, but first, let us see what Audeze included in the package. 

Audeze MM-100 Packaging

When the product arrived for this Audeze MM-100 Review, it shipped in a sturdy, durable box. Nothing special about how it looks: just a plain cardboard package with a minimalist approach. 

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Inside, the MM-100 ships with the following items:

  • A TRS Cable
  • Carrying Pouch
  • User Guide
  • Authenticity Card

Audeze MM-100 Review – Design and Functionality

These open, over-ear headphones only sport several design similarities with their bigger sibling, the MM-500. We observed it while inspecting the product for this Audeze MM-100 Review.

The MM-100 has a lightweight, solid-looking case that sports magnesium yokes, grilles, and a headband made from spring steel. You can easily adjust it to the size of your head by repositioning the leather strap. It is held securely in place by screws underneath the headband. 

These open, over-ear headphones only sport several design similarities with their bigger sibling, the MM-500. We observed it while inspecting the product for this Audeze MM-100 Review.

audeze mm100 review1 Audeze MM-100 Review - Affordable Headphones That Offer Premium Performance and Sound Quality
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audeze mm100 review8 Audeze MM-100 Review - Affordable Headphones That Offer Premium Performance and Sound Quality

The MM-100 has a lightweight, solid-looking case that sports magnesium yokes, grilles, and a headband made from spring steel. You can easily adjust it to the size of your head by repositioning the leather strap. It is held securely in place by screws underneath the headband. 

Audeze MM-100 Elements and Comfort

Five size settings are available, plus asymmetrical combinations, which can cover most head sizes. However, this size adjustment likely has limitations for larger or smaller-sized heads. 

To save space and for storage, you can rotate its ear cups to 90°. Moreover, its pleather earpads are gentle to the ears yet have a snug fit. Its clamping force is also adequate to keep the MM-100 in place.  

The headphones have an adjustable suspension strap that feels weightless even during hours of use. Overall, the MM-100 has superior comfort compared to similar products. 

When we tested the headphones for this Audeze MM-100 Review, its single-sided cable let us link to it. It allows you to connect to either side of the MM-100, which is convenient when used in studio/desktop settings. 

Additionally, the product is ideal for on-the-go use since it folds flat for better storage. 

The MM-100 has planar magnetic drivers for optimised accuracy and lesser distortion. Audeze also integrated aspects of its flagship LCD-5 and patented waveguides, diaphragms, and magnet arrays into the MM-100.

Cable Connection

The product comes with a ¼-inch TRS to ⅛-inch TRS cable. It allows you to plug into the left or right earcup. This feature can be handy if you want the cable to avoid coming into contact with your moving dominant hand. 

Latency is extremely low when using this analogue connection. It means you will have no issues with audio and video going out of sync. 

Lastly, the MM-100 is ideal for on-the-go activities. You can easily take them since they are foldable, making them flat for travel or storage. 

Key Features of the Audeze MM-100

Here are several elements that make the MM-100 worth considering. These details will help determine if the product suits your audio needs.

Need Your Studio? Take it Everywhere

While writing our Audeze MM-100 Review and learning more about the product, we realised how reliable the company is. Audio pros and enthusiasts have relied on the MM-500, LCD-X, and other Audeze headphones for years. Of course, the MM-100 is nothing different.

The MM-100 transforms your space into a studio. These industry-grade headphones deliver the sound and emotions intended by musicians. 

Audeze Technology to Enhance Your Craft

The industry-leading driver technology used on the MM-100 allows you to hear into every mix. As a result, you will not miss details and nuances.

The new planar magnetic drivers maintain ultra-low distortion while delivering pinpoint precision. These also have patented waveguides, diaphragms, and magnet arrays from Audeze. With these features, the MM-100 raises the bar on audio quality.

Optimal Comfort of the Audeze MM-100 

Audeze designed the MM-100 with premium materials to provide optimal comfort, even during hours of listening sessions. It has soft gel-filled ear pads that rest gently on your ears. Plus, the adjustable suspension strap offers a feather-light feel.

Compact, Flexible, and User-friendly

The MM-100 has a single-sided cable that you can connect to either side of the headphones. It is an excellent feature that makes working around your computer, instrument, or console easier. You can fold the MM-100 flat and store it inside the soft-cover gig bag when travelling.

Built for Durability

When we inspected the headphones for our Audeze MM-100 Review, we instantly noticed their durability. Its build quality shows it can withstand the rigours of daily use, from the office to live performances and travel. The MM-100 has a lightweight, premium chassis with a spring steel headband, plus magnesium yokes and grilles.

Audeze hand-assembled and tested each pair of headphones in the South California workshop of the company. As a result, these products fit and sound right.

Specifications

  • Style: Over-ear, open-back
  • Magnetic Structure: Fluxor Magnet Array
  • Phase Management: Fazor
  • Diaphragm Type: Ultra-Thin Uniforce
  • Magnet Type: Neodymium N50
  • Transducer Type: Planar Magnetic
  • Transducer Size: 90 mm
  • Maximum SPL: more than 120dB
  • Frequency Response: 20Hz – 25kHz
  • Impedance: 18 ohms
  • Sensitivity: 98 dB/1mW (at Drum Reference Point)
  • THD: less than 0.1% @ 100 dB SPL, 1kHz
  • Maximum Power Handling: 5W RMS
  • Minimum Recommended Power: over 100mW
  • Recommended Power Level: over 250mW
  • Cable Length: 2.5m
  • Cable Type: Single-ended 3.5mm TRS to 6.35mm TRS
  • Weight: 475g
  • Warranty: 1 year

Hands-on with the Audeze MM-100 

When we started testing it for our Audeze MM-100 Review, we noticed the headphones reproduced the presence range of voices. What we loved is it reproduced everything in a finely differentiated manner. 

Reproduction in this area almost sounded piercing, but there was an advantage instead of a disadvantage. We tried using the MM-100 for mixing. It worked effectively for deciding how loud the upper mids of instruments and voices would turn out in the mix. 

Moreover, it was also practical when mixing guitar sounds. 

Bass

The MM-100 headphones showcased a bass profile characterized by its clarity, robustness, and wide-ranging sound. This was achieved even though it didn’t quite match the intensity found in high-end planar magnetic headphones.

A standout feature of the MM-100 was its exceptional clarity in the lower frequencies. The headphones reproduced acoustic instruments with a natural and detailed sound, offering an immersive listening experience. Additionally, the slight coloration in the tone served to enrich the overall sound quality, making for an outstanding auditory experience.

The low bass was precisely controlled, ensuring accuracy without overemphasizing the bass. At the same time, the MM-100 kept a consistent profile in the higher bass regions, lending a subtle warmth to audio productions.

The headphones’ ability to deliver a clear low-end was pivotal in achieving a balanced sound. While the sub-bass frequencies extended well, they maintained a natural tone with sufficient depth. The warmth in the low-end added a powerful bass presence, leading to full-bodied and comprehensive mixes.

Midrange

The MM-100 boasts a midrange that’s both prominent and nuanced, with its presence delivering a realistic feel, albeit with some distinctive characteristics in its delivery. It has a tendency to emphasize the more breathy and vibrant aspects, often veering towards a more energetic presentation. This characteristic aligns well with expectations for equipment designed with professionals in mind.

The mid frequencies of the MM-100 are dynamic, bringing to life the crack of snares and offering vocals that are both close and full of energy. The emphasis on the upper midrange was unexpected, considering the professional orientation of the MM-100, which typically suggests a more balanced midrange response.

This emphasis on the upper mids, however, finds its place in mixing scenarios, particularly beneficial for vocal tracks.

The MM-100’s unique handling of the upper midrange adds a distinctive timbre and dynamism to percussions and stringed instruments, a feature less pronounced in more expensive planar magnetic models.

Audeze MM-100 Treble

The high-frequency range of the MM-100 shines with clear delineation, maintaining a crispness throughout without noticeable loss at the highest frequencies. Yet, in certain tracks, some notes may come across as overly sharp.

Despite its clarity, the treble region seems to miss out on the ethereal, shimmering characteristics often sought after in high frequencies.

A purposeful reduction around 6kHz is designed to minimize listening fatigue, but this adjustment can also lessen the vividness and detail in the sounds of cymbals, pianos, and other instruments rich in upper harmonics. This smoothing of the treble helps to avoid any potential abrasiveness, resulting in a somewhat darker sound profile for the audio mix.

While there’s a hint of openness in the treble, the overall ambiance remains more subdued than lively. The high tones have a gentle presence, devoid of any oversaturated effects.

The sound profile remains balanced, with just enough brightness to add a subtle sparkle, avoiding any overpowering brightness or sharpness. This leads to a treble that’s elegantly restrained, offering a clear and genuine listening experience that remains comfortable even over extended periods.

Soundstage of the Audeze MM-100

The MM-100 headphones stand out for their exceptional soundstage performance, which can be attributed to their open-back design. This specific construction choice facilitates a more natural and expansive interaction with the ambient environment, distinguishing the listening experience from that of closed-back models.

The open-back design allows sound waves to spread out and mix with the external environment, mirroring the acoustics you might expect in a well-arranged living room or a professional studio. This characteristic leads to a soundstage that feels broad and deeply immersive, effectively transporting the listener to a space that feels much larger than the confines of the headphones themselves.

The auditory experience with the MM-100 transcends the typical sensation of music being played directly into your ears. Instead, it creates an illusion of sound emanating from a set of high-quality speakers strategically placed around you in a room. This effect not only enhances the depth and dimensionality of the music but also contributes to a more engaging and lifelike listening session.

Listeners can expect to perceive instruments and vocals as if they’re placed at distinct points in space around them, rather than being squeezed into a narrow field between their ears. This spaciousness and the sense of being enveloped in sound can significantly elevate the enjoyment of a wide range of music genres, from classical orchestras that benefit from a grand soundstage to live recordings where the ambiance and energy of the performance are palpable.

Audeze MM-100 Review Summary

The MM-100 is a new pair of impressive headphones from Audeze. It has a premium design that delivers optimal comfort and uses planar magnetic drivers, delivering high-quality audio.

These headphones delivered an enjoyable listening experience when we tested them for our Audeze MM-100 Review. It offered an expansive soundstage with adequate intimacy and dynamic midrange, making audio recordings highly immersive. Plus, the veiled treble prevented fatigue and had an entertaining holographic soundstage.

Like other Audeze headphones, the MM-100 was not boring despite being designed for reference use. Its frequencies add sufficient flavour to produce a balanced pair of headphones.

We highly recommend the MM-100 to anyone who wants compelling headphones for musical enjoyment and studio use. Its high-quality audio and comfortable, durable build make it trustworthy and reliable. 

Visit the official product page of Audeze for more details about the MM-100.