German Maestro GMP 240: $173
A relative newcomer to the UK market, this
enigmatic design proves a distinctive performer…
Details
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Origin: Germany
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Type: open-back
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Weight: 220g
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Features: coiled headphone cable
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‘cardamatic suspension’
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3.5/6.3mm jack plug
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Distributor: German Maestro
German
Maestro GMP 240
German Maestro is one of those surprisingly
large companies whose existence was largely unknown in the UK until recently.
As well as headphones, it produces a complete range of headsets, conventional
loudspeakers, car audio and specialized marine audio equipment. The GMP 240
however, is towards the lower end of its range of open-back models.
Unlike any of the other headphones here,
the GMP 240 has the terminal point of the right hand cable covered with a red
surround allowing you to know at a glance which side is which. The cable is
lopped like an old telephone cable, which means that although the length of the
GMP 240 lead is quite short, you don’t have to have a vast coil of it about
your person. Some might think this is a great idea, but the cable itself can
exert some force on the head, which some may find annoying. The amount of
pressure on either side of your head is apparently three Newtons (unit of force)
and in reality this means that the GMP 240 tends to stay where it is, but
doesn’t dig into your skull while it does so. German Maestro is also another
brand that is secretive about the drivers used, but they appear relatively
substantial.
GMP
240 lead is quite short, you don’t have to have a vast coil of it about your
person
Sound quality
This headphone proved to be less sensitive
than some of the other designs, but still didn’t require too much effort from
the Furutech to hit the test level. The GMP 230 has some very distinctive
performance traits and it will be down to whether you like these as to whether
it’s the headphone for you.
Like the Audio-Technica, the large earpads
with relatively well set back drivers gives the GMP 240 a sound that is spacious
and open. The result is that it has a sense of scale and proportion that is
extremely effective. Where the GMP 240 is less assured is the coherence from
top to bottom. The bass is strong and reasonably well defined, but it does tend
to rather dominate the upper registers and the Kings of Leon found themselves
sounding somewhat muffled in comparison to some of the other designs in the
test.
This imbalance persisted across the other
tracks and even with the less bass-heavy McCallum piece, there is still a sense
that the upper registers are somewhat withdrawn from the overall performance. A
shame because recessed or not, tonality is natural and composed and voices are
well handled.
Like
the Audio-Technica, the large earpads with relatively well set back drivers
gives the GMP 240 a sound that is spacious and open
Timing is also slightly inconsistent. It
managed to sound fairly deft with the Tilston and McCallum pieces, but a little
leaden with the more up-tempo Hydrid and Kings of Leon pieces. Putting a finger
on why this is the case is tricky as the bass itself is reasonably agile, but
because it tends to dominate proceedings it is more noticeable if there are any
problems with it.
The GMP 240 is well constructed and has
some welcome design features that makes it comfortable and easy to use. It’s
capable of a consistently open and spacious sound, if not quite the best in the
group. The uneven balance top to bottom and slight lack of assurance in timing
count against it, and you’d never describe it as attractively styled either.
Overall, an interesting design but one that struggles against this competition.
On test
The least sensitive model in the group, the
GMP 240 needs driving harder to achieve a given sound pressure level but will
still be useable with still be useable with most headphone outlets. Capsule
matching was good for a headphone at 
4.8dB from 40Hz to 10kHz but bass extension of 46Hz fell short of
the group average. The impedance variation of 97.9 ohms minimum to 164.9 ohms
maximum, 20Hz-20kHz, results in a below group average response error of 0.34dB
for a source impedance of 10 ohms. At 316g the GMP 240 is lightest of the large
circumaural models here but still 43g above the group average. Diffuse-field
correction of the frequency response shows a rising trend below 1kHz to a peak
of 10.5dB at 100Hz and a shortfall in presence band energy, suggesting that the
tonal balance will by dominate by too much upper bass and that the sound will
lack vitality and detail.
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Results at a
glance
§ Sensitivity:
-45%
§ Impedance
variation: +14%
§ Capsule
matching: +10%
§ LF
extension: -17%
§ Weight:
+5%
Our verdict
§ Sound
quality: 4.5/5
§ Value
money: 4/5
§ Build
quality: 4.5/5
§ Sensitivity:
4/5
§ Like:
Thoughtful design; excellent build; spacious sound
§ Dislike:
Bass tends to dominate the performance…
§ We
say: A rugged and well thought out headphone with some pleasing sonic traits
§ Overall:
4/5
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