Audeze LCD-5S Headphones Review: The Flagship with Bass that Hits Back
Read Time: Approx. 12 min.
TL;DR:
- The LCD-5S corrects the original LCD-5's overly bright, analytical tuning by adding warmth, bass authority, and midrange body without sacrificing technical precision.
- Audeze's new SLAM technology is the star of the show — it delivers 6dB+ of bass enhancement while simultaneously reducing distortion and opening up the soundstage.
- Build quality is flagship-tier with carbon fiber, magnesium, genuine leather, and a premium OCC copper cable included out of the box.
- This is a much more versatile headphone than the original, covering more genres and suiting a wider range of listeners.
- It needs real amplification (500mW+ recommended, pair it with a quality amp and DAC), but if you feed it properly, the LCD-5S rewards you with one of the most immersive, full-bodied planar magnetic presentations available.
The LCD-5's Warmer, Wiser Sibling with More Body and Less Bite
Some headphones are beautiful but only sound OK. Other headphones sound phenomenal, but their styling leaves something to be desired. And then there are the headphones that score high in both departments–unique aesthetics with exceptional sonic fidelity. Audeze has mastered the art of both, with its renowned LCD line catering to listeners seeking the pinnacle of high-end planar magnetic headphones. Their longstanding flagship, the Audeze LCD-5 Headphones, were the company's cream of the crop open-back headphone for many years, and its latest iteration, the LCD-5S, expands on that success as the new flagship audiophile-grade headphone.
The LCD-5 was regarded for its transparent, resolute, borderline analytical sound. A tonality that catered to a select group of critical listeners, but left a lot of music lovers out in the cold. The Audeze LCD-5S Open-Back Headphones are Audeze's answer to the question that's been hanging in the air ever since: What if we kept the precision but brought back the soul?
The short answer: they pulled it off.
PROS
- SLAM technology delivers visceral, extended bass response
- Warmer, more musical tuning than OG LCD-5
- Improved comfort for long listening sessions
CONS
- Heavier than the LCD-5
- Analytical listeners who loved the LCD-5 may find it too warm or forgiving
Design
The LCD-5S looks unmistakably like an Audeze Headphone–large, round ear cups, carbon fiber and magnesium construction, that one-of-a-kind grille. If you placed this pair of headphones in a lineup of popular flagship headphones from brands like Focal, Meze, or HiFiMan, chances are you could spot it based on those traits alone. With each new headphone release, Audeze has maintained its strong brand identity while adding subtle design cues that make each model different from the next.
What makes the LCD-5S stand out? The tasteful copper accents for starters. It pays homage to the LCD-5's tortoise shell finish, but takes it to a new level with vivid copper detailing on the ear cups, tension rods, and lining inside the grille. This isn't the first time we've seen Audeze add color to its grille design, most notably done in the LCD-GX, but the design to use copper adds this je ne sais quoi factor to it that pulls you in immediately. At 475g, it's slightly heavier than the LCD-5, but the weight distribution is well-managed thanks to the genuine leather headband and suspension system.
Audeze has redesigned the earpads here with a new sculpted geometry that improves both the seal against your head and long-term comfort. Included with the LCD-5S is a 4-pin XLR balanced cable, a 4-pin XLR to 6.3mm TRS adapter, and an aluminum travel case. The cable deserves a special mention because it has been upgraded too: directional OCC high-purity copper strands terminated in a 4-pin XLR balanced connector. It's a low-capacitance, low-resistance design that maintains sonic precision and accuracy. For those running a single-ended setup, the included 6.3mm adapter ensures compatibility with a wider range of headphone amplifiers.
Sound
Now this is where the LCD-5S makes its case as the new flagship, rightfully taking the place of the LCD-5. The original LCD-5 was a precision instrument: ruthlessly detailed, bright in the treble and upper frequencies, and lean throughout the midrange. It was a headphone that excelled at dissecting recordings but could make long listening sessions fatiguing. The LCD-5S brings musicality and depth into the mix without sacrificing the technical feats that made the original special. To get the most out of them, pair the LCD-5S with a capable amplifier and DAC — desktop units from brands like iFi deliver excellent results, and any dedicated headphone amp pushing 500mW or more into the right impedance will let the planar drivers sing.
But the biggest improvement that has audiophiles losing their marbles and scrambling to own a pair is bass response. And not just any bass response, but a visceral, physical bass response and sub-bass response that makes you step back and question how this could be achieved in an open-back design. We've historically associated bass response with closed-back headphones like the Audeze LCD-XC. When an open-back headphone claimed to have a bass response, it was deduced to something quick and snappy. So when an open-back pair replicates the bass response of a closed-back pair of headphones, you take a step back and wonder how it was achieved.
Audeze went to the drawing board here and developed a breakthrough technology, SLAM (Symmetric Linear Acoustic Modulator), that delivers more lifelike bass and detail retrieval. I'll get into the technical specifics of SLAM in the features section below, so keep reading. There's real weight and extension here–Audeze claims 6dB or more of bass enhancement–and it doesn't come at the cost of control or clarity. The bass hits with authority but stays tight and articulate when it needs to be.
The midrange has more body and warmth as well. Vocals and instruments sound fuller, more fleshed out, with a natural timbre that the original LCD-5 sometimes struggled to convey. The upper midrange is smooth and free of harshness. A revised driver chassis with Audeze’s Nano-Scale Parallel Uniforce Diaphragm contributes to this precise midrange tuning. The LCD-5S isn't as bright as the OG LCD-5 was, which was a sore spot for many listeners. If the LCD-5 was too bright and analytical for your tastes, the 5S will feel like a revelation.
Now, don't get me wrong, the LCD-5S still has the hallmarks of the LCD-5. It's still detailed, natural, and resolute, but it's less clinical-sounding. And I use the word clinical very lightly because it can be easily mistaken for harsh-sounding, and that's not the case with the LCD-5. It was the perfect headphone for that detail-oriented, analytical listener. But it missed the mark for listeners like me who enjoy a slightly warmer, more dynamic, lifelike tonality. If you’ve followed the evolution of the LCD series–from the LCD-2’s lush warmth, to the LCD-3s refinement, and the LCD-5’s surgical precision– the LCD-5S feels like the culmination of lessons learned across every generation. There's a place for analytical-leaning headphones in my collection, depending on what songs I'm listening to or the mood I'm in, but the LCD-5S is a crowd pleaser. It complements more genres than the LCD-5.
Same Person, Old Mistakes
By Tame Impala
(Currents)
E85
By Don Toliver
(Octane)
August
By Taylor Swift
(Folklore)
I've Been In Love
By Jungle
(Volcano)
Features & Technology
- Nano-Scale Parallel Uniforce diaphragm for the most responsive, natural frequency response
- SLAM technology provides powerful bass extension and a strikingly open soundstage
- Revised driver chassis enables the most precise midrange tuning possible
- New curved earpad geometry for hours of effortless comfort and minimal acoustic reflections
- Premium OCC high-purity copper cable with directional strands for unsurpassed signal accuracy
- Handcrafted luxury materials: carbon fiber, magnesium, genuine leather, and polished polymer acetate
- Fluxor magnet array with Fazor waveguides for pinpoint driver control
- 90mm planar magnetic transducers with Neodymium N50 magnets
- Frequency response from 5Hz to 50kHz for full-spectrum audio reproduction
- Lightweight 475g design despite flagship-level construction quality
SLAM: Breakthrough Technology for More Lifelike Bass and Detail
SLAM is worth understanding because it's doing more than just boosting bass. The fundamental challenge with a sealed ear cup is that air pressure between your ears and the driver diaphragm creates asymmetric forces–the driver faces more resistance pushing air toward your ear than pulling away. This introduces distortion, resonances, and compromises linearity.
Audeze's solution involves precisely engineered acoustic channels integrated into the ring connecting the ear pads to the planar drivers. Each channel's dimensions are carefully tuned to relieve pressure buildup and modulate the low-frequency response. The result is twofold: enhanced bass extension and a more linear, symmetric driver behavior that improves clarity and openness across the entire frequency range. It's clever engineering that solves multiple problems at once.
Dragon Cables
[Bronze Dragon Premium Headphone Cable]
There are a lot of reasons why you need to make sure your audio cables are not afterthoughts.
Our HiFi Audio Dragon Cables bring out more of what you love in your music and audio gear. If you love your headphones but wish they had a bit more top-end sparkle - a Silver Dragon Headphone Cable would be a great option. If your USB cables keep dying - as many stock cables do - then check out our quality USB Audio Cables. We say time and time again that materials matter, and our audio cables and custom geometries actually help to bring out those desired properties in your gear and music. We make tons of custom options for our customers so that you can get the right HiFi Audio cable for your exact needs. If you have any questions feel free to Contact Us and we'll be more than happy to help.
Verdict
If the original LCD-5 was a complete departure from Audeze's house sound, the LCD-5S Open-Back Headphone is the perfect middle ground. It's warmer and more forgiving than the original, making it a far more versatile high-end headphone that covers more genres and fits more listeners. But it hasn't gone soft–the technical foundation is still flagship-grade. It's the headphone you can listen to for hours on end without fatigue.
It has enough tonal warmth to make jazz vocals feel intimate, and the bass authority to bring weight and impact to electronic music and hip-hop. You don't have to choose between precision and pleasure. And for cable enthusiasts looking to further tailor the sound, our Bronze Dragon Premium Headphone Cable pairs well here, adding a touch more body in the low end and musicality. For analytical listeners who adored the original LCD-5's clinical precision, the LCD-5S might feel like a step in a different direction. But for everyone else—and that's us warm and musical listeners—this is Audeze's flagship at its best. The LCD-5S doesn't just update the LCD-5. It completes it.
Featured Products
Related Videos
Audeze LCD-5 Headphones Unboxing
Audeze LCD-5 Headphones Review & LCD-4 Comparison
Best Headphone Cables for Audeze Headphones
What's in the Box
- Audeze LCD-5S Headphones
- 4-pin XLR Premium Balanced Cable
- 4-pin XLR to 6.3mm TRS adapter
- Aluminum travel case
Specifications
PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Style: Over-ear (circumaural), open-back
Weight: 475g
Shipping Weight: 9 lbs.
Dimensions: 16 L x 14 H x 8 W in.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Transducer Type: Planar Magnetic
Transducer Size: 90mm
Magnetic Structure: Fluxor™ magnet array
Magnet Type: Neodymium N50
Phase Management: Fazor™
Acoustic Management: SLAM™
Diaphragm Type: Nano-Scale Parallel Uniforce™
AUDIO SPECIFICATIONS
Frequency Response: 5Hz - 50kHz
Impedance: 30 ohms
Sensitivity: 90dB/1mW (@ Drum Reference Point)
Maximum SPL: >130dB
THD: <0.1% @ 100dB SPL
Minimum Power Requirement: >100mW
Recommended Power Level: >500mW
Maximum Power Handling: 5W RMS
