Audeze LCD-1 headphones - £399

The high-end headphone brand dips under the £500 barrier for the first time. Si Truss takes a listen

CONTACT WHO: Audeze WEB: audeze.com KEY FEATURES Open backed, foldable headphones making use of planar magnetic drivers

Californian brand Audeze are known for their high-end headphones built to appeal to both pro audio and audiophile users. With a sub-£400 price, the LCD-1s – part of the company’s Reference Series – are by some margin the most affordable Audeze cans to date (for reference, their original LCD-2 design retails at just under £800, while their flagship LCD-4s go for a whopping $4k). Despite the drop in price though, these open back headphones still boast the company’s signature planar magnetic technology and such sci-fisounding features as Uniforce Diaphragms, Fluxor Magnet and Fazor Waveguides.