Sound QualityThis headphone is not going to overly impress audiophiles, but I'm pretty sure it's going to impress your average casual listener....quite a bit. It's warm, laid back, and surprisingly responsive without a trace of harshness. On the other hand, the bass isn't particularly well extended and has a modest measure of mid-bass bloat. It's also a bit excessively laid back; "veiled" would be a good word for it. The treble, however, was particularly good...very resolving, in fact. Pairing it up with my reference rig (Ayre QB-9 USB DAC, AURALiC Taurus Mk2) didn't deliver a whole lot of improvement on the sound, but when I plugged it into my Galaxy S3 and went for a walk streaming Llorca radio on MOG I was a happy camper. The warmth and resolution without glaring treble issues was simply lovely. I spent some time comparing it to the Creative Aurvana Live! and CAL! 2; Koss Tony Bennett SE (DJ100); Onkyo ES-FC300; Skullcandy Aviator; and Audio Technica ATH-M50. In comparison the Koss DJ100 sounded a bit boxy and hard; the Aviator sounded to weak in the bass; and the CAL!2 over-the-top in the bass and lacked presence. The M50, CAL!, and Onkyo all sounded a bit more even through the mids, and all had better bass extention, but only the M50 delivered bass that resolved as well. The 51st Studio, even with it's mid-bass emphasis, did a very good job of portraying bass texture. Overall, I'd place the 51st Studio a bit behind the CAL! and Onkyo due to the mid-bass hump and somewhat veiled sound. The M50 is a closer call as I tend to dislike it's slightly over emphatic treble, but it's still a more even sounding headphone. Isolation on these headphones was good for a headphone of this type. These will not leak sound too much.
Is the 51st Studio accidentally extraordinary? I talked with Kunal Dalal, Founder of the company, about the product development effort. His is a small outfit with few full time employees, but he had significant help in the design process from a pretty eclectic group of folks who are otherwise gainfully employed, including an acoustician, a U.N. aid worker, and a high school guidance counselor. As evidenced by the sight and sound of these cans, and their passion for style and substance in a headphone told to me by Kunal, they're all well qualified it seems. I won't bore you with the details, but it's clear there was also a hearty helping of serendipity while working with the OEM maker. I guess "Accidentally Extraordinary" is pretty close after all. Summary
It seems to me the Accidentally Extraordinary 51st Studio is a terrific gift headphone. They look cool, they're comfy, they sound groovy, and best of all, they're all that and easy on the wallet too! The average hipster will love the warm, laid-back but resolving Accidentally Extraordinary headphones. DIYers too will have a field day with these cans: they come apart easily; they have good mechanics for modifying; the wood block in the ear capsule begs for a Dremel tool and some damping materials; and, again best of all, they're inexpensive...buy two and keep one for spares.
Yep, you betcha, I'm going to highly recommend these cool little headphones, only their slightly bloated mid-bass is going to keep them off the "Wall of Fame". Otherwise their veiled and comfortable sound with excellent treble and bass resolution make them a great sounding portable headphone. Isolation and efficiency are also good, this headphone will do a dandy job playing your music as you navigate the urban landscape. Love 'em!
VideoResources
Accidentally Extraordinary home page and 51st Studio product page.
