Sennheiser is well known for its superior
audio products and studio level equipment. Imagine my surprise when one of
their high-range headphones came in for a review, specifically its second
highest end model, the HD700. No prizes as to who gets to review such a winning
audio product.
Studio
styling
It is very obvious that the HD700 is
specifically designed for use in studios. The no-nonsense and advance acoustic
design speaks of total professionalism. The guys at PC.com Labs quickly deduced
that this is no ordinary headphones. And how right they are when the sales team
told us of the extraordinary price tag. The futuristic look and feel of the
driver housing comes in hard plastic with a brushed metal scheme finishing,
while the material used for the ear-cups and head-band are soft, velvet like
with hardened foam to ensure maximum comfort. The only thing metal about the
headset is the fine aluminium-like mesh used on the main driver unit frame and
the ventilation zones of the open-aire chambers. The metal parts serve the
purpose of creating a better sound stage for the HD700, specifically in terms
of audio output performance.
True
audio excitement
When it comes to audio performance, the
HD700 delivers in spades! The Patent-Pending open-aire chamber it uses along
with its ultra-wide soundstage and angled transducers produce a soundstage that
is usually found in a sound room with a full accompaniment of high-end speakers
and powered amps. With its specially-tuned high efficient drivers, which had
been designed to deliver high sound pressure levels and a flat frequency
response, the performance of the HD700 is superior bar-none. Never have I heard
music and sound effects on a pair of headphones like those of the Sennheiser.
It completely blew my expectations out of the water.
Monitor-types
If I ever manage to purchase a pair of
headphones like the HD700, I'd never take it out of the house/office. Why you
ask? It is painfully obvious that the HD700 is not meant for outdoor use. The
design and performance screams of being in the studio monitor class, which
means it is solely for audio tuning and studio recording. Or, in my case, for
home/ office use only. While the sound levels of the HD700 are unmatched, it
can also be heard outside of the sealed ear-casings. This is because the design
of the cups and driver housing, which does a wonderful job of preventing
ambient sound from coming in, does not seal in the sounds of whatever you're
playing within. Anyone can listen in on the music you're playing, even if the
audio volumes are on the low settings. So, I have to stress this out again, the
HD700 is not for commuting or library use.
True
heavyweight
Something has got to give if high-end sound
performance is to be had on a headphone set. While the size is not an issue at
all, the weight can be a problem for those who love to rest their headsets on
the neck. Initially not noticeable, the HD700 will start weighing down in a
couple of hours. Also, the drivers will warm up after some hours of use but it
really isn't a problem since it does help with making the sound warmer and
exceptionally fullbodied. Again, this is all for a great sound-performing
headphones!
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Info
·
Price: $999.95
·
Dimensions (H x W x D) : 236.22 x 149.86 x
317.5mm
·
Weight: 1.58kg
·
Frequency response: 10 - 42,000Hz
·
Impedence: 150 Ohms
·
Ear coupling: Around-the-ear
·
Transducer principle: Dynamic, open-aire
·
Sound pressure level: 105 dB (1kHz, 1V)
·
Total harmonic distortion: <0.03%
·
Connector: 1/4-inch jack
·
Cable length: 3m
Verdict
·
Redefined headphone performance that is unmatched!
·
Value: 9/10
·
Features: 10/10
·
Performance: 10/10
·
Design: 10/10
·
Usability: 10/10
·
Score: 9.8/10
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Focal Spirit One - The Spirit within
Focal is a big name when it comes to high
performance sound systems and not exactly something you would associate with
consumer headphones. Well, they've taken the leap into that particular market
with the Spirit One. We had an issue with the first review unit that arrived
due to a faulty cable but once it was replaced, all is good and right with the
world.
Very comfy
The Spirit One features some very
comfortable fake leather earpieces. The amount of pressure on the head is just
enough to create a proper seal to keep music in and environmental sounds out.
Larger pads also prevent it from putting pressure on the ears of people who
wear glasses, which is a very considerate design element. Visually it's also
quite striking with the brushed aluminium parts complementing the matte
plastic. The cable is nice to look at but somehow there's a feeling that it's a
bit on the short side.
The
sound of music
When you listen to a product that is audio
engineers who are responsible for high quality audio systems, there is a slight
shift towards higher expectations. Fortunately Focal doesn't disappoint.
There's no overwhelming bass that people seem to put so much emphasis on these
days. Rather, the sounds are nice and crisp with the thumping complements the
music instead of overpowering it. This might disappoint some music lovers who
prefer the rhythmic thumping found in certain genres but it will appeal to a
wider audience because of the more balanced output. Orchestral music is every
bit as pleasurable to listen to as rock and roll or even the statacco of
gunfire in video games. Either way, it's definitely worth the investment.
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Info
·
Weight: 225g
·
Drivers: 40mm Mylar
·
Frequency response: 6Hz - 22kHz
·
Impedence: 32 Ohms
Verdict
·
Nice pair of headphones, wish they were
cheaper.
·
Value: 9/10
·
Features: 9/10
·
Performance: 9/10
·
Design: 9/10
·
Usability: 9/10
·
Score: 9.0/10
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TDK TH-EC250 - Decent Pair
When presented with this in-ear phones for
review, I had been a bit apprehensive. I am one of those persons who is
uncomfortable with something stuck in my ear, thus I am happier with
open-chamber headphones than anything else. However I opened my mind (and my
ears) and tried on this pair of earphones.
Pretty
looks
The design of the earphone is quite
interesting, and I might say pretty. The earphones itself comes in multiple
colour and what I got this time around is the Black colour option. One other
part of the earphones that I like is the cables itself. TDK managed to design a
cable that is somewhat antitangle. It is the way the copper cable is coiled in
the earphones itself.
We didn't need to do a full on
un-tanglement while we were using it, but it did minimise the problem -
especially when it goes into the storage space of a pocket.
Music
performer
We played back several sample of music
through the earphones, and we (in this case me) had been pleasantly surprised
by the performance. While you can't expect full-room bass performance, we are
glad that it managed to bring out the mid-range and high notes from the songs
we played back nicely. This is, of course, without any breaking or shattering
when the song is played through the earphones.
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Info
·
Speaker type: Dynamic
·
Drivers: 9.2 mm
·
Frequency response: 20
·
Impedence: 16.00
·
Plug: 3.5 mm gold plated
Verdict
·
Not bad for earphones
·
Value: 8/10
·
Features: 8/10
·
Performance: 8/10
·
Design: 8/10
·
Usability: 8/10
·
Score: 8.0/10
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