Audeze Mm-100 & Sennheiser Hd 660s2 Two Affordable Open-back Headphones!

Audeze
MM-100

The
newest product from the Californian headphone consultants at Audeze is the $399
MM-100, a full-sized, over-ear, open-back planar magnetic headphone designed
each for tune execs and for audiophiles who need a impartial “professional
track” sound signature. With this twin function in thoughts, the headphones have been
given a double debut on the contemporary Axpona high-end audio display and the NAMM
(Nationwide Affiliation of Song Traders) professional audio display, either one of which took
position in mid-April, 2023. The “MM” in MM-100 stands for Manny Marroquin, the 17-time Grammy-winning
engineer/manufacturer who collaborated with Audeze at the headphone’s sonic
efficiency. Audeze prior to now labored with Marroquin at the costlier
MM-500 Skilled Headphones ($1699).

Even if
the MM-100 is considerably more economical than Audeze’s flagship fashions (the
LCD-5 planar magnetic headphones and CRBN electrostatic
headphones each promote for $4500), this new headphone remains to be constructed and examined
within the corporate’s Southern California workshop. Audeze says that regardless of the
cheaper price, the MM-100 is “crafted to get up to the trials of lifestyles, whether or not
it takes you from the studio to the street, from house to college, or from the
place of job to reside efficiency.” The light-weight, top class chassis is reportedly
constructed for each convenience and sturdiness, that includes aluminum yokes, magnesium
grilles, and a spring-steel scarf. The ear pads are created from supple,
gel-filled leather-based, and the adjustable suspension strap feels “feather-light
for hours,” offering “easy convenience for even your longest periods.” The
single-sided cable can connect to both ear cup.

The
MM-100 makes use of all-new planar magnetic drivers designed for “class-leading element
and coffee distortion,” in step with Audeze. The drivers use Neodymium N50 magnets
and a 90mm transducer created from Audeze’s proprietary Extremely-Skinny Uniforce
diaphragm subject matter. The headphones additionally characteristic the corporate’s distinctive Fluxor magnet
array and Fazor segment control device. The MM-100
has an impedance score of 18 ohms and a sensitivity of 98 dB/1mW (at Drum
Reference Level). Audeze recommends a minimum of 250mW of energy, however the headphone may also be
pushed by means of the rest between 100mW
and 5W RMS. 

Sennheiser
HD 660S2

The
Sennheiser HD 660S2 ($599.95) is a follow-up to the HD 660, which introduced in
2017. One in all Sennheiser’s maximum impartial headphones, the HD 660 won recognition
with audiophiles and audio execs alike. The new HD 660S2 goals to retain
the “extraordinarily actual but non-fatiguing sound” of the unique, however with extra
bass have an effect on and a extra prolonged, relatively increased sub-bass. The purpose used to be an
intimate sound with nice timbre, however with low bass that sounds deep and
correct whilst “increasing” all of the sound of the tune. Sennheiser guarantees a
sound this is “herbal and balanced, by no means harsh or brash,” however with
“breathtaking solution and precision to take you nearer than ever to
tools and vocalists.” In comparison to the unique HD 660, the HD 660S2
provides double the sound force on the lowest frequencies, in step with
Sennheiser, however the sound nonetheless sounds balanced “all through the sub-bass,
mid-bass, and past.” The extension on the low finish merely creates “extra space
for the sound,” offering a deeper backdrop towards which the excessive frequencies
really feel “extra sensible.” The HD 660S2 additionally provides a deeper soundstage, in accordance
to Sennheiser. Some audiophiles could also be cautious of an excessive amount of sub-bass (all of us
bear in mind the sound of the ones early Beats by means of Dre headphones), however Sennheiser says
this isn’t the “sloppy or boomy” roughly sub-bass that turns into a distraction from the tune.

The
bass spice up used to be completed by means of a mix of small adjustments. The HD 660S2’s
dynamic driving force makes use of an ultra-light aluminum voice coil with 300-ohm impedance
for superb impulse reaction, and the new encompass is extra compliant than
sooner than, shedding the resonant frequency to 70 Hz (down from 110 Hz within the
authentic). Sennheiser additionally made an effort to raised optimize the airflow round
the transducer — even the mesh grilles at the outsides of the ear cups have been
reportedly tweaked to control airflow on the ultimate impedance. The magnet’s air
hole works extra successfully as smartly, offering better sensitivity over the
complete frequency spectrum. So the HD 660S2 provides extra than simply upper sound
force on the lowest frequencies; it additionally provides “better precision, velocity,
and determination” than its predecessor, in step with Sennheiser.

The
new HD 660S2 provides listeners what they asked maximum from the headphones’ predecessor.
With precision and gear like no different and new sensitivity throughout all
frequencies, listeners will listen main points they’ve by no means heard sooner than, particularly
on the decrease finish of the spectrum.

—
Jermo Koehnke,
Sennheiser Product Supervisor