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Initially designed for the record producer and those in the mastering specialty, the MM520 has been upgraded flawlessly to truly include the audiophile. Smaller and more compact than its big brother, the 5S, it is also more efficient and incredibly linear. Having spent quite a few hours with the MM520, I am yet to identify a significant flaw in any sonic parameter. What an amazing achievement by Dr. Drag Colich, who is the chief designer for Audeze. I am very impressed that their linearity, extreme definition, and gorgeous bass are available at an affordable price. 

Specifications

Thoughts With EAR HP4 Tube Headphone Amplifier

Dan Meinwald of EAR USA (portrait by Dr. David W. Robinson. Copyright (c) 2026, all rights reserved.

(Tube rolled with two RCA and two GE NOS Tubes)

You will note that the efficiency of these headphones is very high and they should plug into anything. Also, they are very lightweight and comfortable. The frequency response that I hear is solid down to 20 Hz and up to 20 kHz. The bass response of the MM 520 may be the best bass I have ever heard on an any headphone under $2000, maybe $2500. It is phenomenally tight and detailed. It matches the mid band precisely. 

Because the MM began life as a monitoring headphone, they were designed to bring the sound stage 520 forward just beyond your nose. This technique brings out the tight imaging and precise sound stage that the engineer is looking for. One does not hear the hall ambience as clearly as in other more expensive Audeze designs, but you are very satisfied with the result. I felt like I could dissect jazz instruments from their backgrounds and simple acoustic recordings sounded just like they should. The perspective of the orchestra in major symphonic recordings was produced just a bit back from the conductor in Row A.

Equipment used to review

Zesto Audio Athena tube DAC (I bought the review sample)

Zesto Audio Leto Ultra 2 tube pre amplifier

EAR HP4 tube Headphone amp

UIT Audio interconnects and UIT Audio USB cables throughout 

McIntosh MR80 FM tuner restored w/ Headphone Jack

EAR V12 integrated Tube Amplifier

Manley Absolute Tube headphone amplifier 

Linear tube audio micro Zotl headphone amplifer

Utilizing the EAR HP4 tube Headphone Amp, The high efficiency of the 520 allowed me to use the 12 o’clock sweet spot on the head app. When listening to  Tea for the Tillerman with Cat Stevens, the vocal was superb. I am not sure I’ve heard a better headphone rendition of this album. The DSD album of the Ken Pepklowlski Quartet had a realism and the truthfulness that I found truly amazing and precise. Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon, had an impact on me I will never forget. The amount of overall definition one could hear through the MM520 on this album was staggering. The changes included in the 520 must go beyond the SLAM edition. I understand that the SLAM technique added to reinforcements in the core of the headphones and this may account for the improvements I heard. These improvements are not just heard by seasoned audiophiles but also by everyday people just listening to them for fun. 

Listening to Jung A-Lee playing the organ at the Disney concert hall in a Yarlung recording at 256 DSD is quite an experience. The organ has no emphasis at any frequency and the power and majesty of her playing is thrilling. Though the 5's goes a bit deeper, the 520 is damn close and very precise as well. One hears a wall of sound with extreme definition throughout. 

The DSD of Limehouse Blues on the Jazz at the Pawnshop Album is truly telling. The opening segment with the warmup before the piece begins is see-through and the audience noise is more transparent than I have heard on planar cans previously. The individual instruments just pop out at you and are natural and alive. The performance is closer to you than other cans but the imaging is tighter and more alive. Best clarinet and xylophone sound I have ever heard. You truly feel like you are plugged into the sound board and your feed is direct from the instruments. 

Auditioning with microZOTL Headphone Amplifier by Linear Tube Audio

With the LTA run single-ended to the EAR Acute 3 playing the new 30th Anniversary Jazz At the Pawnshop, I was again stunned by the dramatic power and dynamics of the instruments. The textures of the vibraphone and clarinet were truly spot on. I am glad they are clearly marked MM on the headband so as not to confuse them with Audeze’s more expensive offerings. The highs are smooth and natural. The mids are realistic and extremely well detailed. The bass is dramatic and deep, really deep. If I were an engineer, I could easily run a production board from these headphones. As an audiophile I love them.

Impressions with the Manley headphone amplifier

I let the Jazz at the Pawn Shop recording continue as I hooked up the all tube Manley headphone amplifier. Hooked to the RCA outputs, the sound was equally dramatic and maybe even more detailed than the LTA. I got lost in the recording for a little while before I tried switching the Manley to the single ended outputs from the push pull outputs. Wow! The recording sounded totally non-digital and exactly like a great analog recording should sound like played on a record or tape. The difference was not subtle demonstrating how the new MM520 headphones could easily differentiate nuances. 

Next, I plugged the headphones into the balanced output on the Manley and was greeted with a dramatic improvement in every parameter over single ended. I switched back to push pull on the fly and heard less texture from the instruments, but somewhat more dynamic range overall. If I had to choose between single ended or balanced, I would choose balanced with these headphones, though single ended is fantastic. I heard the same differences with the Audeze 5S headphones. The balanced mode on the Manley unit had more output compared to single ended. That was to be expected. I compensated for that in my listening review. One  tended to concentrate more on the spatial cues and instrument positions in the push pull mode. In the single ended mode, one concentrated more on the instruments themselves and their realism and sense of liveliness. I like both modes very much, particularly using the balanced outputs, which were more detailed and dynamic overall. It was impossible to overload these headphones. Plus, it took very little to drive them to satisfactory levels.

Summary

The Audeze  MM 520 headphones with SLAM are some of the best headphones overall ever created by Dr. Drag Colich. His award winning genius is obvious in this creation as any really discerning Audiophile and Music Lover will truly enjoy these cans. With the addition of slam technology, the MM 520 is superior in every way to the MM 500. All of the precision remains with added abilities. The bass range is superior to any planar headphone except the 5S. The ability to bring real musicality to the listener and strong dynamics overall are greatly enhanced. The Definition of these cans is extraordinary. Though they have a very large driver, they speak coherently and with one voice. This is amazing technology and awesome fun to listen to. 

Ergonomically, they cannot be faulted. Their high efficiency and lightweight design make them a joy to use for long term listening. The ear pads are beautifully molded and just the right shape for a 95% of the ears that will be using them. The included hhigh quality all copper cables are extra long and have the XLR adapter attached. My final thought: these are killer cans at a truly competitive price point!

Audeze MM520 With SLAM Headphones

Retail: $1699

Audeze

3412 S. Susan Street

Santa Ana, CA  92704

714.581.8010

www.audeze.com

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