Audeze Mobius Review: Planar Drivers and Head-Tracked 3D Audio

Manufacturer AudezeModel MobiusType Wired/wireless gaming headsetWeight 350 gPrice at launch $399 USD

Hardware reviews have a problem on a site read by both PC and console players: a motherboard means nothing to someone on a PlayStation, and most console peripherals only work on one platform. A headset that works everywhere avoids that. The Audeze Mobius (pronounced “aww-duh-zee”) is that rare product: little known among gamers in 2018, and very hard to forget after hearing it.

Who Audeze are

Audeze began in a garage, with two founders building headphones in the evenings and at weekends. Through a former NASA scientist they gained access to a flexible circuit material originally developed for spacecraft: extremely thin, strong and flexible. That made it ideal as the diaphragm in a planar magnetic driver, a design that moves a thin film between magnets instead of using the mass-produced dynamic cone found in most headphones.

Audeze grew into a respected high-end audio brand and works with Metropolis Studios in London, whose engineers have mastered records for artists from Queen to Lady Gaga. Its products were never cheap. So when the company launched the Mobius on Indiegogo, with planar drivers derived from its expensive models, at an early-bird price of $249, more than 4,000 backers signed up.

Out of the box

Backers received a stretch-goal bonus: a moulded carry case (otherwise $39) with a mesh pocket for cables and the detachable mic, protective in the same way as the Xbox One Elite controller case.

The manual is unusually good. Titled “The Traveler’s Handbook to the Mobius Universe”, it is funny, illustrated by hand, and opens with: “Don’t be intimidated. Don’t Panic.” It is worth reading even for people who never read manuals.

The headset comes in blue or copper. At 350 g it is lighter than it looks given everything inside, and well under the 400 g and more common among audiophile headphones. The build is sturdy yet flexible enough to twist in ways that would snap most headsets. Memory foam on the cups and headband keeps it comfortable through long sessions, and the range of adjustment fits most head sizes.

The sound

With no cable connected, the Mobius defaults to Bluetooth, and pairing is a double tap of the power button. The first listen is the moment the price makes sense. The clarity and detail are on another level from typical gaming headsets, and people trying it for the first time tend to react with the same surprised expression.

There is a reason gaming headsets have a poor reputation among audio enthusiasts: most sound fine for a consumer product but cannot match proper high-fidelity headphones. Many serious listeners preferred a 5.1 speaker setup for games. The Mobius closes most of that gap.

The headline feature is 3D audio with head tracking. Surround sound is common in headsets. The Mobius goes further: it localises each sound source and keeps it in place as the listener turns their head, using a 6-axis tracker (accelerometer plus gyroscope) sampling 1,000 times a second. Room emulation adds a sense of space and reflection. The result feels much closer to a good speaker system than to headphones. The Audeze HQ app for Windows allows fine-tuning, down to head circumference.

Music

For music the Mobius is excellent across genres. An orchestral score such as the Destiny 2: Forsaken soundtrack comes through with full weight in the drums and real warmth in the brass, and a vinyl copy of AC/DC’s Back in Black played over Bluetooth keeps every crackle. For music and films the soundstage sounds richer with the 3D processing off.

It connects three ways, with all cables included:

• USB-C (with a USB-C to USB-A cable): the best option; a PC sees it as 8-channel headphones
• 3.5 mm analogue: still very good
• Bluetooth with SBC, AAC or LDAC: limited to two channels, but the 3D effect still works well

The headset would be worth buying for music alone.

Games

Games are where the 3D audio shines. Positional audio in games is old news; what is new is that the sound field moves with the player’s real head, not just the character. In a competitive shooter such as Rainbow Six Siege, a slight turn of the head can locate an enemy without moving the camera. It takes some getting used to, and then it is hard to give up.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, which won a BAFTA for audio achievement, is the ideal demonstration. Its binaural sound design is striking on any headphones and remarkable on these. Destiny 2, Forza Motorsport 7, The Division, Euro Truck Simulator 2 and Remothered: Tormented Fathers all reveal small ambient sounds that cheaper drivers simply do not reproduce.

Built-in EQ presets (Flat, Default, Foot Steps, Ballistics, Music, Racing and RPG) are reached by pressing and turning the mic volume wheel, or through the PC software.

The microphone

Gaming headset microphones are often mediocre, even from well-known brands. Not this one. The detachable boom mic has its own volume wheel and mute switch, and in Discord calls listeners rated it clearer than a carefully set up studio condenser microphone. For streamers and anyone recording voice, that saves the cost of a separate mic and boom arm.

Specifications

• Audeze planar magnetic drivers tuned for spatial audio, with a frequency response modelled on the LCD professional series
• 3D audio emulation with 6-axis (quaternion) head tracking: 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope
• Sound field calibrated to head geometry, with adjustable sound field size
• Surround sound modes
• Around 10 hours of battery with 3D audio on; charges over USB
• USB-C, 3.5 mm analogue and Bluetooth (AAC, LDAC)

The verdict

At $399 the Audeze Mobius is expensive for a gaming headset and cheap for planar magnetic headphones, and the second comparison is the honest one. It sounds better than any other gaming headset of its time, the head-tracked 3D audio is useful rather than a gimmick, and the microphone matches dedicated equipment. The only real risk is that, once heard, ordinary headsets are hard to go back to. Anyone who can try one at a convention or expo should.

Questions readers ask

How much does the Audeze Mobius cost?

The Audeze Mobius retails at $399 USD. Early backers of the 2018 Indiegogo campaign paid $249 USD. A carry case is sold separately for $39 USD.

Does the Audeze Mobius work with consoles and phones?

Yes. It connects over USB-C, a 3.5 mm analogue cable or Bluetooth (SBC, AAC and LDAC). USB gives the full 8-channel mode on PC; Bluetooth is limited to two channels, though the 3D processing still works.

What is the battery life of the Audeze Mobius?

Around 10 hours with 3D audio switched on. It charges automatically while connected over USB.

How do you pronounce Audeze?

Aww-duh-zee.