Audeze Mobius
Michael Piskor 2019

Audeze Mobius Review

Michael
Headphones

Mobius Wired Sound Impressions

Bass

Gamers don’t want too much bass when they are playing online competitively. However, they probably do want that in single-player campaign playthroughs. I do. But, then again, I’m a bass enthusiast and want all rumbles of distant explosions in the area to be weighted and deep-reaching. I don’t get that sense with the Mobius.

What I do get is a very clean experience regardless of what I am listening to. The $399 tier is a ‘free for all’ for linear feeling headphones that are aiming for the reference level tonality and physical setup. What I mean by that is equal bass, midrange, and treble. In that case, the Mobius delivers.

The bass quantity doesn’t protrude much and requires more than a +5dB boost to sound plentiful to me. Thankfully, even with that much boosting, the experience stays clean. The response is just okay with bass boosting needs, but in this price tier, I don’t expect an amazing physical response. I have another headphone for that.

The overall fidelity rating for me would be quite high on the purity scale for the price. This is a Planar portable intended for gaming. Your bass and low-end won’t ever sound this good anywhere else for the price. Rest assured on that statement. If you want Bass fidelity, Audeze is still king of the hill.

Midrange

Keeping along with the linear feel of the presentation I’ve mentioned just a bit ago, again, the midrange falls in line with the bass experience. Before going further, I want to just touch on the lower midrange, which meshes immensely well with the bass experience as a whole. Finally, a midtier closed back that seamlessly flowed from bass to midrange without a clear cut drop out.

Voices tend to carry a sense of solidity that I crave and that most Planar headphones portray. This is what I want to hear. I can’t see anyone with headphone experience saying anything negative. Gamers who have no experience in Audiophilia are going to be absolutely blown away by what they are hearing.

Fidelity

The fidelity offered here is so absurdly beyond anything Razer or Logitech has on their side, that it isn’t fair to say more. Audeze completely destroys everything else on the market with this headphone aimed at Gaming. If you are playing through something like the Witcher 3 (a game known for excellent voice quality dialogue) you will immediately gain an appreciation for this headphone’s capabilities.

Usually, online FPS games are too quick and your mind is too focused on not dying to notice sound quality. However, if you play the newer Star Wars Battlefront series, which is a game with perhaps the best mastering of exterior sounds in a modern game that I’ve experienced, you will be shocked by the impact levels and distant detail you will pick up on. Especially so with anything voice-related in-game audio.

The experience is mildly forward, but not overly so. Nor is it recessed. The middle ground is where I would place the vocal experience but on a step closest to the world of “very forward sounding” midrange headphones, such as your pick of a well known Audio Technica series headphone.

Audeze Mobius

Treble

Audeze has played this safely and I am glad for it. The entire top end is clean and flat feeling. I don’t get a sense of sparkle or a lacking sense of quantity. They’ve probably purposely intended that so you can play your shooter games for hours and not wince at bullets and loud tinnish sounds that frequent gaming in general.

The Mobius is not sibilant in the slightest. That goes with audio in-game and also with music. I am able to spot distant cues of shootings with relative detail pertaining to distance.

Swapping to some other headphones intended for gaming results in me not even hearing those gunshots or brutal Hnnnnngggg sounds in the distance from a stab or melee kill. As far as fidelity goes on the top side, the experience is again, clean and clear for the price. When referencing a gaming headphone? Nothing even comes close.

Staging and Imaging

The Mobius is an intimate-sounding headphone and it reminds me, a lot, of the Beyer T1, something with a less than moderately size bubble of sound, but one that is very detailed and delicate.

The sound field that is available doesn’t breathe much to stage left or right, but the depth of field is very, very good for a closed back. Especially so for a mid-tier Planar headphone. To be used as a portable headphone, away from gaming, the Mobius would be in my bag, no doubt.

Beyond bass, imaging is my second most needed trait in a headphone and the Mobius doesn’t deliver there for the most part. The width and separation of instruments are just fine for the price and considering its a closed Planar model. However, again, that depth of field factor is very nice, indeed. Intimately recorded tracks with good depth factor shine here.

What would I compare it to? The Audeze iSine on-ear headphones that came out a few years ago, they seemed to feel the same to me. Although, the Mobius is more like an expanded version of the iSine, sounding bigger and better everywhere, but also scaled exactly the same and feeling the same too.

Sadly, directional accuracy and pinpoint ability in a sound field is just okay. There are a few much cheaper headphones out there that do much better with picking out exactly where sounds are coming from. Ye’ olde’ AD700 still reigns supreme.

Audeze Mobius

Wireless Sound Quality

Again, for the price, the Mobius is probably the best portable Bluetooth headphone on the market. I simply don’t have anything that comes close in the tier. There really isn’t too much of a loss with the physical presentation when switching from wired to wireless mode.

What I do notice is that authority is drastically decreased and the authoritative sound of a Planar is reduced a fair amount in Bluetooth mode. Beyond that, nothing is really lost to my ear. The headphone simply sounds underpowered, but still a Mobius.

The overall fidelity rating in Bluetooth mode is noticeably inferior to wired mode, but as I’ve said, nothing else I’ve heard on the market can beat the Mobius in this price tier. If you want a great Bluetooth headphone, this is a fantastic option for you. It murdered my Phiaton BT460, which is one of the better sounding portable Bluetooth headphones out there.

3D Mode Sound Quality

There is a large decrease in solidity factor and maybe too much of a reverb feeling when activating the Mobius 3D mode. Although, this can be fairly improved further via the app control and manually changed inside of it.

I enjoy listening to podcasts with 3D mode active because I am usually doing other things and hearing the audio piped from X location as I move my head in another direction is awesome. However, for music, this is not something I desire. The sound quality drastically degrades in this mode and I am not fond of it.

I don’t see its use in gaming either unless you want a more spacious feel. It can be extremely detrimental to FPS gaming where pinpoint accuracy is absolutely required. Tilting or moving your head to one side and only hearing audio from that direction is a bad thing for gaming competitively.

But, it was clear this mode was not intended for FPS shooter accuracy and was intended for other things. I don’t take points off for it at all, so just make sure to leave it off when you FPS game in Call of Duty or Battlefield, or else you literally will miss the actual location of the sound if you move your head away from the direction you set the 3D auto mode to broadcast from.

Audeze Mobius

Our Verdict

So the Mobius is probably one of the better wired $399 headphones on the market and also gives you easily the best sounding wireless sound quality out there. Don’t bother with Bose, unless you want noise cancellation. The Mobius is weak in that area, but strong everywhere else. It is comfortable, good looking, and jam-packed with features galore.

What bugs me is the lack of directional accuracy. But, then again, I can’t really complain because Razer, Logitech, Astro, etc have a headphone with great omnidirectional accuracy. And the Mobius still does a better job than they do in that department.

For single players and casual gaming, this is really the only “gaming” branded audiophile choice on the market. You’ll be happy. Very happy, if you are an audiophile and also want to game.

I just need some velour pads so I can enjoy gaming for even longer than I already have been and not experience as much warmth. Beyond that, I’ve not a single gripe. This is one of the most well-rounded headphones before you even look at the gaming needs and the app functions.

I absolutely love this headphone for media usage though, I watch a lot of YouTube and Rooster Teeth podcasts, so 3D mode actually benefits me a lot. Beyond that, having excellent BT audio quality when watching movies or YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video is an absolute godsend to me. Awesome sauce.

Mobius Specifications

  • Style Over-ear, closed-circumaural
  • Transducer type Planar transducer
  • Diaphragm Ultra-thin Uniforce™
  • Phase management FAZOR
  • Magnet type Neodymium N50, Fluxor Magnets
  • Diaphragm type Ultra-thin Uniforce™
  • Transducer size 100 mm
  • DSP Audeze Cipher DSP
  • Amplifier Built-in balanced amplifier (output 1W)
  • Maximum SPL >120dB
  • Frequency response 10Hz – 50kHz
  • THD < 0.1% (1 kHz, 1 mW)
  • Earpads Contoured memory foam: artificial leather
  • Microphone Detachable with separate volume control
  • Battery type Lithium-polymer
  • Wireless Connection Bluetooth (SBC, AAC, LDAC)
  • Wired Connection USB-C, USB-A, 3.5mm analog audio
  • Weight 350g (including battery)

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Michael
Reviewer
Self Proclaimed Musicality Guru, Photographer, Audiophile and part time Ninja. I started my audio journey back in 96' and haven't looked back. My ultimate goal in this life is to experience as many Hifi rigs as possible...because I am an audio addict.

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18 Responses

  1. Hi, I have enjoyed the thorough-ness of this article very much, but the result of it is that I am now intrigued to bother you with a couple of questions if I may!
    So I have been using a AKG K550 MKI pair for over 7 years now in order to listen to (70%) and produce (30%) mostly electronic music. However, at this point I feel I am fed up with cables, many of my sources nowadays feature BT connectivity and making the switch to a BT headset would make my daily listening life much easier, wireless it shall be then.
    Originally, I was set on the Sony WH-1000XM3/4 mainly because I saw WhatHiFi giving them a 5 star rating, but digging deeper in extensive reviews like yours made me realize their sound is mediocre at best for anyone used to/after good fidelity and FR as the K550 offers.
    I then came across the Mobius which seems to strike a great balance of performance/value in my 300-500EUR price range. I am after good quality, I don’t travel often and I don’t need ANC but I do need the BT connectivity so my two questions:

    a) Are there any better sounding BT alternatives for the use I described in this price range?

    b) (optional, lol) Mobius and similar sounding sets at this range, how would they sound against a reference headset like the K550? Will I be utterly disappointed?

    Thank you in advance!

    1. Hi! Never a bother! That’s what I am here for :)

      So, I have a secret. I like the Sony WH series. They are a good balance of everything. However, I think the Mobius is clearly the better option for fidelity, but it is also much larger. The Sony’s are quite small. The Mobius is…not small.

      vs the K550 series, the Mobius is the clear winner there. I can’t see anyone saying the K550 is better in quality than the Mobius. However, I cannot speak for how you’d feel about that. There are plenty of inferior sounding quality sets that I prefer over the audiophile grade ones. Example, the AKG K267, Sony XB1000, RBH HP-2. I’ll use these for my personal setup over expensive ones due to tonality preference and fun factor. So that’s very subjective there, you might love the Sony more despite it not sounding as clean.

      So at $400USD or so, the Mobius is one of the better all around great BT headphones out there. However, I’d not be using them for mobile needs. I’d be buying something like the Fostex Bluetooth adapters and then buying a set of Shuoer Tape IEMs. That would be my preferred portable wireless rig.

      I get no wires, I hate them too. I’d also toss the Beyerdynamic Amiron in there too.

      The Hifiman Deva has a BT module, looks silly, but its also a very nice Bluetooth headphone. Beyond that, there aren’t any other BT full size “Audiophile Grade headphones I have heard that I would recommend.

      1. First of, let me thank you for taking the time to reply. I get your points, and based on your reply as well as other reviews that echo it, it seems like the Mobius might be a great switch from the K550 for going wireless and maintaining (if not improving further) audio quality and fidelity. I don’t like in-ears, I just find their sound inferior to closed backs, probably because I can’t get a perfect fit/seal regularly with most pairs.
        Just a question, when you say you’d not be using them for mobile needs is it criticism against their mobility like weight (I know they are not the lightest pair), comfort and fitment) or maybe autonomy?
        In fact if there’s something I am still thinking over is their rather poor autonomy at roughly 10hr per charge compared to say the Sony’s which even with ANC ON hit 30hrs… Truth be told I don’t travel much and I don’t need ANC, but I can be listening to music even 8hr per day so I might need to be charging them on a daily basis.
        All in all, I am not interested in any of the fancy surround or 3D modes, but I don’t mind them, I just want a great sounding BT headset at around 400EUR with good connectivity and it seems the Mobius is great for that even if gaming and surround are not one’s interests?

  2. Hi Michael,

    First off, I’d like to say I really enjoyed reading your article. I am new to audiophile headphones in general so I appreciate how detailed you discussed things like imaging and soundstage. It really helped when I was researching for my next pair of headphones.

    Sorry if this isn’t the best place to ask but I would really like your advice on an entry level audiophile pair of headphones (and maybe an amp if needed) at about 400$ combined (for amp+headphones). It’s pretty overwhelming but I am currently thinking about getting the Mobius or the DT 177X GO headphones. To my understanding, the Mobius has an amp built in, and the DT 177X GO is low enough ohms that it an amp is not necessary. My primary use would be for gaming (I need good location accuracy for competitive fps), but also for some music, shows/movies, YouTube, etc.

    Would you be able to advise me on the differences between the Mobius and the DT 177x GO? (As well as your recommendation?) I read the reviews for both on this site but since you wrote both, I am interested to hear your thoughts. Also, are there any other headphones around my price range that I should consider? I saw a couple form Sennheiser and AKG that looked very nice too (I believe the AKG 712 Pro and HD 660S)

    Since I am coming from an older wireless gaming headset, I definitely appreciate the convenience of having no wire. Although I love wireless, I feel like if I want to spend 400$ on headphones, a wired one should have vastly superior quality over a wireless one. I recently tried a friend’s Bose 700 Noise Cancelling headphones, and although they are nice, the sound quality did not feel like they were worth the 400$ price tag. (which is why I want to be extra careful with this purchase).

    Thank you!

    1. Ty so much for the kind words! This is always the right place to ask questions ;)

      This is 100% that absolute hardest recommendation to give when someone asks me, because I simply have not found a fantastic audiophile grade headphone that handles pinpointing exceptionally well. I dread this question! haha.

      Not sure if you watch Ninja play FPS on Youtube or Twitch, but he uses the Beyer DT990 and I can tell you straight up that the Beyer DT1770 GO is way better overall at everything the DT990 does.

      The headphone really doesn’t matter to experts though, they are seasoned enough to understand how their headphones react to the sound void and the audio cues around them. So, IMO they would do the same quality work with the DT1770 as they would with the DT990, but my point there was Ninja does very well with the lesser quality DT990.

      Might want to take a look around for a used set of Blon B20’s as well, I am reviewing them soon and they are right on the $400 mark. They offer nice staging and imaging properties, are planar, are musical and also attractive and comfortable, requiring little to no amp to sound nice. That might be an obscure option, but the B20 is a good overall headphone with a driver that was sampled in a bunch of other headphones out there that came out (Clones with the same driver)

      Downside, the top end is a bit hostile and impactful. But, I think it images much better than the Mobius and the DT1770 Go so this would be my $400usd recommendation for gaming: The Blon B20.

      You’ll be great off with a Philips Fidelio L2 or L1 as well. But, I’m afraid that EXCELLENT FPS PINPOINTING doesn’t exist in the headphone overear world until you get to the Beyerdynamic T1. The older earbud Sennheiser MX980s were also shockingly good at pinpointing, but they are super rare to find.

      IMO, the Blon B20 so far is the best overall headphone for imaging properly. Coherency is hard to get, expecially one that has some solid pinpoint ability in that imaging and as nice as the Mobius and DT1770 were, this Blon B20 does it better. Grab a cheap desktop mic and enjoy.

      1. Thank you for the quick reply! Again, I really appreciate all the details you are giving me! I haven’t seen anyone mention the Blon B20s, that looks like a really solid pick.

        However, I am concerned when you mentioned that the top end of the B20 is hostile. When I read comparisons between the GO and the 1770, one thing that people really enjoyed regarding the GO was that it was easier on the ears. I will be wearing them for longer periods of time, so I prefer something that isn’t too tiring or unhealthy for my ears. Could I really go wrong with choosing the GO?

        I understand that you said the B20 has better imaging than the Mobius and the Go. However, how do the three of them compare in regards to sound quality besides imaging? I say that because I am thinking about also using something like Windows Sonic or Dolby Atmos for virtual surround sound. I know that a lot of people think virtual surround sound isn’t good (I might stop using surround once I get a higher quality pair of stereo headphones), but I have been using it for years and it definitely helps me a lot (although I never used a real audiophile headphone before, and I am mainly referring to Razer’s surround sound). Also, when I mentioned testing my friend’s Bose 700, the imaging on those in games weren’t great, but when I tried it with Windows Sonic, I had very good audio positioning.

        Could you also give me your thoughts on the Mobius? I know that they might not sound as good as others in their price range, but considering they’re wireless and that is fairly important to me, how much do you think that changes the score when you compare it to the GO and B20s?

        Side note, no matter which headphone i ultimately choose, I have been looking at getting an amp/dac so I can get the the most out of my headphones. Would you recommend something like the Schiit Fulla 3 or the Magni?

        Sorry for the barrage of questions, and if you are too busy to respond I understand. Nevertheless, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to respond to me, you have been incredibly helpful. Thank you!

        1. Mike here…(sorry no reply button using admin account)

          No, you cannot go wrong with the DT1770 GO at all, it is a lovely experience and definitely more fatigue-free. Any of these options are going to be pretty good overall. If you aren’t a bass head, then GO is a smooth option with a good balanced sound signature that is great for long term usage.

          The Mobius is a more complete generalist of a headphone that responds very nicely to DSP and EQ, also the Microphone is pretty good too that comes with it. The surround sound options with their included free software is also fun to play with for even more customization. I think the GO is the better pinpoint location headphone and smoother sounding. The Mobius is more engaging and impacting in a physical sense of slam. Not harsh, but the GO is very smooth by comparison. I also found it more comfortable. The Mobius Bluetooth option is very nice to have, but I’d rather be using the GO with something like the FiiO BTR portable clip-on Bluetooth dongles, so you can keep a wired connection to your source with any headphone and then connect the BTR to your source.

          I’d actually recommend a Schiit Hel instead, the one dedicated for gaming, and with a microphone option input on it. I found it very fun overall and so easy to use, accessing the knob on the fly is very good when you are sneaking around and can quickly raise the volume, pounce and take someone out if you are playing knives or something stealthy, then go back to lower the volume when you run around, all in a split second.

          I’m never too busy to help! I love helping. If you want a generally fatigue-free experience, the GO is a great option. The Blon B20 is engaging and slamming sometimes. But, the imaging is much better. If the DT1770 GO feels right to you, then follow your gut on that and go from there. Worst case you resell it and start your audio journey as we all have, and that is a great path to be on.

  3. Hi Michael, beautiful review.
    I’m looking for a pair of Bluetooth headphones which can be precise and neutral enough for music production (monitoring/mixing). Of course I’d use them with cable in that case…, to avoid latency.
    Nothing professional, but still, I want my music to sound well, and most BT headphones are not neutral enough.
    Maybe the Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless, but they are way out of my budget (I can get this audeze used for half price), or the Sennheiser PXC 550 ii, which I can also get used.
    I am not aware of anything else.
    You tell me :)

    Why BT?
    I’m used to BT for personal enjoyment. Can’t do cable anymore.
    And I can have only one pair of headphones.
    So they must do all. Entertainment, movies, production.

    Are these ok?
    Are there better options?
    Is the 7.1 or 3D a possibly useful feature to simulate a studio and see how the music would sound with speakers?
    This imaging thing which you say it’s not affecting music listening, would these be able to position instruments well in the space so that I can mix well?

    I’m a bit worried about the fact that even in 3.5 I need them charged. Not cool if they die while I’m recording in perfect inspiration.
    And I’m also concerned of possible conflicts with the Apogee HypeMic, which is basically like an audio interface in the form of a mic. I’ve tried to use the mic while monitoring with headphones plugged in the 3.5 of the notebook. Horrible latency.
    Apparently to have no latency with the Apogee I need to plug the headphones in its 3.5 aux.
    And if you say that they don’t sound as well in 3.5 as in USB, I’m uncertain…
    Maybe by having the Mobius in USB, I’d have no latency with the mic, but can’t be sure…

    Any help?

    I’ve tried the ATH-M50XBT, they have a bump in bass and warmer mids than the wired ones…

    Cheers

    1. Thank you so much. The long detailed question deserves long detailed response :)

      I’d avoid a specific Bluetooth headphone and buy instead something like Xduoo’s Bluetooth amplifier for headphones instead. Grab an HD58x from Drop.com or something of your choosing, and run that through a Bluetooth amplifier that is portable like the XP-2 from Xduoo. I’d much rather keep a BT amp in my pocket as I work that I can bring with me around the studio, than buy a dedicated Bluetooth headphone. The newer BT 5.0 has extremely good latency avoidance and has been adapted to the point where it is almost a non-issue. I would start there first, and if that doesn’t suffice, return it and email me directly from the website contact here and I can help you with more recommendations.

      The HD6xx or the HD58x, or your pick of a great neutrl mid tier headphone + a good BT amplifier is a way better route than buying a dedicated Bluetooth headphone. You have the total freedom that way to move around, plug in to a source directly when you need it and also have a control amp that is not plugged into the source that might introduce some ground noise or hum. You need the source pristine and Gods honest…Bluetooth can interfere with some control decks that let you pair a bluetooth device. I’d avoid that entirely with a great portable bluetooth amplifier.

      If you need a can do all, I have never come across anything that will suffice with a dedicated Bluetooth headphone. You can make a compromise in just getting a portable BT amp in your pocket, that seems the best route. But, if you truly need a bluetooth headphone, I’d be recommending this Mobius. The reason is versatility. It has enough of everything and some ability to stay neutral when needed and to get warmer with EQ if needed. The can do all sadly doesn’t exist, but if you are needing a closed back set that does not need a powerful amp, but also sounds good through BT and wired mode, this is one of the best BT headphones out there.

      The .DSPs and 7.1 are not useful for mixing at all, they are only fun for examination after you mix.

      No, the Mobius position is just good, not great. Again, for a mid tier that is also a BT option? Positioning and imaging is something that simply doesn’t exist yet that has been made EXCELLENT for mixing purposes. This is why I say a great open back mid tier of your choosing + the Xduuo portable BT amp or another like it, is the way to go.

      You’ll get a solid 6-8 hours on normal mp3 usage. DSD and FLAC, higher res files, constant volume and dsp chaging on the dials of the headphone will result in much lower battery life.

      Yep, Mic BT headphone + actual dedicated mic on the control source deck = a world of hurt (potentially, not all products have that issue of course). This is why I say just unplugg entirely from the source and let the source output Bluetooth audio only to a portable BT amp. Latency is not a serious issue with the better 5.0 codecs out now. I suggest you start here and move on if you find it is still an issue. You’ll save A LOT of money this way.

      Usage of the Mobius as a DAC source by itself (IE Plugged into the USB) is the best option for just listening to audio. If you are recording the mic and listening through the mobius, you wont have latency problems. The 3.5mm connection doesn’t sound as good mostly because it relies on the source for quality. However, as you know, the Mobius’s internal DAC has its own .DSP and was setup to well…have rig synergy with itself. You don’t need to find a good amp with it, it already has the source and amp in the headphone if you listen via USB.

      I’ve not heard that ATHM50BT yet, but that makes sense. The reason most BT headphones have that bump, and most do IMO, is because Bluetooth transmission is still nowhere near 3.5mm or direct usb connection in tonal density. Bluetooth always sounds rather thin by comparison so they offset that by raising the bass up so you don’t notice it as much. This is why a BT reference headphone is more rare than a diamond growing inside of a chunk of gold that has your favorite celebrity actresses phone number etched on it and they are specifically waiting for you to call…haha

  4. Hi Michael,

    Great article. Am using it to try and make a decision on a new set of cans. Apologies for blowing the dust off on this old article. I’m looking for a premium pair of headphones for PC gaming and came across your article while doing some research. Currently I have the ATH-M50X. I plug those into a Yamaha MG10XU Mixer and control my volume and highs/lows using the mixer. Like you, I am a 3.5mm guy and was happy to see that they did include a 3.5mm on the headset. Can you tell me if there are any limitations on the headphones themselves when using 3.5 instead of USB? Does 5.1 or 7.1 not come across when using 3.5mm? Considering my setup, should I purchase a set of headphones of this quality, am I loosing any sound quality by going headphones into mixer? Not really initerested in the other features allowed through the software. I’m really looking to upgrade and invest in a premium set and upgrade from my current cans. Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions you provide.

    2. Apologies for the late response, I didn’t see this until just now. As Luke said, the Mobius is setup to rig pair with itself. It is its own source DAC and amplifier when used via USB, so you won’t find a better sound for it out there, its made to match itself and work nicely with itself. USB > 3.5mm for the Mobius.

      You will absolutely lose out if you plug into a mixer. There is no such thing as an audiophile mixer board. They are thousands of dollars and lack the DAC and chipsets that audiophile gear has in midtier dedicated equipment. Studio’s think they have a reference sound just because it cost them 10,000$ and the board mixer is the size of a desk. Doesn’t mean anything. The components inside are not usually setup for audiophile reference tier quality output.

      If you want a premium gaming headphone, I’d be opting for the Beyerdynamic DT177x from Drop. I can’t think of anything else in the $400 ish range that is as good as the 177x GO. Grab a used one if you can, it’s hard to beat.

  5. What bugs me is the lack of directional accuracy. But, then again, I can’t really complain because Razer, Logitech, Astro, etc have a headphone with great omnidirectional accuracy. And the Mobius still does a better job than they do in that department.

    1. Meant to comment there, I find your message confusing. Is it good or bad? I saw your other comment reply saying it only applies to gaming though. I also wonder if this is due to the HRTF adjustment or just being used to gaming with other headphones. I also found your description of imaging unclear.

      1. He means that as good as the Razer’s are, the Mobius is better than they are and that level still isn’t as good as something we audiophiles regard as excellent.

        You can do a great job with Logitech positioning, you can do even better with the Mobius. Swap to a Beyerdynamic T1 or an ATH AD700 and what you just thought was very good in the mobius is absolutely destroyed in positional accuracy and ability to tell exactly where things are.

        Good (razer/logitech) , better (Mobius), absurd accuracy (AD700/T1)

        However, the Mobius the all star there, its the most useful headphone and best overall generalist.

  6. Hi Marcus, great review especially about sound performance. I’d like to ask a couple of questions…
    Considering the poor directional accuracy of the Mobius, would you discourage its purchase to a big fan of binaural recordings like me ?
    In wired mode, will the internal amp be working anyway ?
    Thanks for let me know.

    1. Hi. Marcus didn’t write this review, I did :)

      The poor directional positioning is only in reference to gaming. For musical enjoyment it wont really be a problem, at least not in my opinion.

      Yes, the internal power needs to be charged to be used in wired mode as well.

    2. Hi Marco, please forgive me for the absurd delay. I just did not see this comment until just now. S I will never discourage listening to anything on any device, absolutely not. Listen away! Binaural will sound better on the Mobius than normal music will, so enjoy the hell out of it I say!!! But, it is not the best option in that price range for imaging. For the $300ish closed back range? I’d be going for an RBH HP2, Drop.com Fostex TH6xx, Audeze Mobius, Sony XB1000 used, Sony MDR Z7, Classic Mr. Speakers Alpha Dog.

      Beyond that, I can’t really think of mid tier closed backs that do well with binaural recordings. The Mobius is a great headphone, absolutely top tier in fidelity. The imaging is just good though.

      I think the internal amp only functions when plugged in via the USB cable mode. It receives and requires power via 3.5mm. But, I don’t think the amp does anything for the mobius via driving power in the same way it will use the internal components when plugged into the USB. Id have to go ask and confirm that for you though.

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