
Audeze MM520 vs STAX SR-009D: which should you buy?
Specs, scores and condensed review verdicts for the Audeze MM520 vs STAX SR-009D, side by side. Where a product has no HearWiki score yet, not enough reviews have been aggregated to rate it.
Score breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
STAX SR-009D leads on 3 of 4 measures.
- Audeze MM520
- STAX SR-009D
Generation & platform
The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?
The Audeze MM520 is 2 years newer, but it is the same generation of hardware: nothing in the radio, the codecs or the noise cancelling separates them. Nothing separates them on convenience features either, so the choice comes down to tuning and price.
- MM52020262 yr newer
- SR-009D2024
Specifications
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $1,700
- $2,890
- HearWiki score
- Not scored
- 88
- Released
- 2026
- 2024
- Driver
- 90 mm planar magnetic
- 2× electrostatic
- Driver type
- planar
- electrostatic
- Driver size
- 90 mm
- -
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 2
- Frequency response
- 5 Hz - 50 kHz
- 5 Hz - 42 kHz
- Impedance
- 18 Ω
- 145000 Ω
- Sensitivity
- 102 dB/mW
- -
- Active noise cancelling
- -
- No
- ANC type
- -
- none
- Transparency mode
- -
- No
- Companion app
- -
- No
- Custom EQ
- -
- No
- Wear detection
- -
- No
- Weight
- 555 g
- 594 g
- Detachable cable
- -
- Yes
- USB-C
- -
- No
- Pad material
- -
- leather
- Connector
- XLR
- -
What reviewers said
Audeze MM520
No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.
STAX SR-009D
The STAX SR-009D is a premium electrostatic over-ear headphone that pushes the boundaries of high-fidelity audio with an exceptionally wide frequency response and transparent, detailed sound. Its open-back design and push-pull driver technology deliver a refined, airy presentation, but it demands a dedicated amplifier and a significant investment. This is a statement piece for audiophiles seeking the utmost in technical performance, not a casual listening device.
- Pro:Exceptional clarity and detail retrieval
- Pro:Very wide frequency range (5Hz-42kHz)
- Pro:Premium build quality with detachable cable
- Con:Requires specialized electrostatic amplifier
- Con:Very high price point
- Con:Open-back design leaks sound and offers no isolation
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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