Audeze Headphones for Mixing/Mastering with Justin Gray – LCD-5, CRBN, LCD-4, LCD-4z, LCD-XC & LCD-1

These aren’t just headphones – they’re my critical tools for mixing and mastering, especially in immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos and Sony 360.

The LCD-5s are my finishing headphones. Hyper-detailed with incredible clarity, slightly bright in the upper mids, and incredibly comfortable. When I’m working on immersive content, these let me hear every single transient and nuance. They’re like surgical precision for my ears.

The Carbon electrostatic headphones are glorious. They’re the closest thing to my speaker listening experience I’ve ever encountered. The tonal honesty is uncanny – so comfortable that you could wear them all day. Bob Katz even helped me dial in a perfect EQ for them.

My LCD-4s are like sitting in a world-class bean bag chair for your ears. They’re heavier, but the soundstage is so honest that sometimes I forget I’m even wearing headphones. The low-end representation is unbelievable – closest to a proper LFE experience I’ve heard in headphones.

The LCD-4zs solved my weight issue. They’re lighter, with more clarity in the bottom end and a bit more high-end presence. They’re basically the happy medium of all my headphones.

For closed-back situations, the LCD-XCs are my go-to. Perfect for tracking or situations where I can’t have sound bleeding. They’re bright, have great lows, and still maintain that Audeze transparency. The LCD-1s are my travel champions. Affordable, compact, and still delivering that transparent sound perfect for mix notes on the road.

My entire workflow revolves around translation. I start on my meticulously treated 9.2.4 speaker system, then move to these headphones to ensure whatever I’m creating will sound incredible on consumer playback systems – whether that’s high-end gear or just AirPods.

These days, the Carbons and LCD-5s are my primary tools. They give me the confidence that what I’m hearing will translate perfectly across any listening environment. Whether you’re a producer, mastering engineer, or audiophile, these headphones aren’t just listening devices – they’re precision instruments.

My goal is always the same: create a listening experience so transparent, so honest, that the music speaks for itself. These Audeze headphones? They’re my paintbrushes, and the music is my canvas.