If it ain't broke...the Massdrop Sennheiser HD 6XX
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.comOoooooooo baby! If you don't have a Sennheiser HD 600 or HD 650, you need to read this!
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Sennheiser PXC 550 Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
Shots fired!
Sennheiser's new PXC 550 ($399) Bluetooth noise canceling headphone is a direct shot across the bow of Bose's battleship Quiet Comfort 35 ($349) dominance of noise canceling headphones, which I reviewed very positively. Not only do Bose own a big chunk of that market, they consistently, in my opinion, have the best isolation and sound quality performance. Let's see if Sennheiser can put a dent in that armored hull.
Shots fired!
Sennheiser's new PXC 550 ($399) Bluetooth noise canceling headphone is a direct shot across the bow of Bose's battleship Quiet Comfort 35 ($349) dominance of noise canceling headphones, which I reviewed very positively. Not only do Bose own a big chunk of that market, they consistently, in my opinion, have the best isolation and sound quality performance. Let's see if Sennheiser can put a dent in that armored hull.
A Survey of Foster 443742 Variants - Subjective Listening Tests - Denon AH-D5000; Massdrop Fostex TH-X00; E-Mu Teak; and Fostex TH610 and TH900mk2
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.comIn this survey, I'll be walking you through my listening experience of these headphones and making comments with in the context of how these headphones compare with each otherI listened solely to them until I compared a few other headphones at the end of the test.
A Survey of Foster 443742 Variants: Inside Photos
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.comThey're certainly a family of headphones...but like any family, there's lots of differences. Small differences in most of the baffle plates and rear damping...could be lots of stuff going on around the driver that can't be seen.
A Survey of Foster 443742 Variants: Measurements
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.comI'm going to spend the week parsing the differences between a number of the variants of the Foster 443742 (seen on page H-4 of this .pdf). This survey will include: Fostex TH900, TH900mk2, and TH610; Massdrop THX00; Denon ADH-D5000; and the E-Mu Teak stock, and with optionally available Rosewood and Mahogany cups.
The Competent and Low-Cost Noontec Zoro II Wireless
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.comWireless headphones are hot, hot, hot these days. I'm going to make a concerted effort to cover quite a few in coming months. Here's a start...
The Etherial Mr. Speakers Ether Flow
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.comI had only two days with a pre-production Ether Flow before my house was invaded by the French. I was quite enjoying the pre-production Flow, but the Focal Elear and Utopia turned my world upside down. By the time Dan Clark, CEO and Founder of Mr. Speakers, sent the production unit my world was in a bit of an uproar. Though I didn't mention them, the Flow was ever present in my listening tests...it kept whispering to me, "It's not about "The Best" anymore, it's about character."
World's Best Headphone: The Focal Utopia
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.comAnd then, at 21 second in, right after she sings, "When God gave out rhythm...", two chords are gently played on the piano. My goodness, I've never heard such sensitively percussive, harmonically rich, filled with weight and substance sound from a piano. Most astonishing is the interplay of tones, harmonics, and intermodulation making the whole of the chord a rich textured wave of sound. I was transfixed until track's end.
Enter the Next Generation: Focal Elear Headphone
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
THIS is what a $1000 headphone should be. Unapologetically masculine styling...and sexy; confidently strutting exquisite materials and build-quality; and delivering sound of a quality I've not heard before on any headphone. It walked in my office, swept all the headphones off my desk in one grand gesture, and said, "Here I am. Deal with it."
THIS is what a $1000 headphone should be. Unapologetically masculine styling...and sexy; confidently strutting exquisite materials and build-quality; and delivering sound of a quality I've not heard before on any headphone. It walked in my office, swept all the headphones off my desk in one grand gesture, and said, "Here I am. Deal with it."
The Outstanding Bose Quiet Comfort 35 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphone
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com"Value packed" is not a word I typically use to describe a headphone. I really thought the Beyerdynamic DTX 350 m was great for the money; definitely a good value...but not packed with value. Sennheiser's HD 600 is an extraordinary value...but no carry case; doesn't have a mic/remote; isn't useful portably. Still a great headphone and an extraordinary value, but packed with value? Okay, maybe. HD 800 S? Great headphone, but no friggen way anything over $700 is "value packed." The Quiet Comfort 35, on the other hand? Oh yeah, this thing will be a delightful traveling companion with technological, comfort, convenience, and solid sound quality characteristics abundantly.