KEF M200 Premium In-Ear Sound Isolating Clip-On HiFi Earphones. Taking on over 50 years experience in speaker design, KEF have re-created their celebrated full size speaker sound and made it portable with the M200 earphones. With KEF’s unique Dual Dynamic Driver technology the M200 offers detailed and engagingly natural sound with tight and controlled bass.
Two dedicated dynamic drivers cleverly placed in the housing combine in two separate chambers to funnel detailed, engagingly natural sound into the ear canal. With a 5.5mm driver devoted to the mid and high frequencies and a dedicated 10mm driver for the bass region, the M200 captures the natural an integrate sounds of live performances. As the drivers encased in a lightweight aluminium housing the M200 offers a tight and resonance-free bass performance.
KEF’s high performance audio cable incorporates an in-line microphone and remote for iPhone and Apple devices, smartphones, computers and other mobile devices. Included in the package of the M200 is a flight adapter, a protective case for storage and three pairs of silicone eartips.
To ensure the perfect fit, the secure arm of frame folds to the shape of the ear while the ergonomic shell the and soft silicone eartips create a tight acoustical seal for an undiluted and private listening.
Unique Dual Dynamic Driver technology
Detailed and engagingly natural sound across the frequency range
Light aluminium housing for tight, resonance-free bass
Secure Arm folds to shape of ear for secure fit
Ergonomic shell and soft silicone eartips form tight acoustic seal
High performance audio cable (1.2m) with gold plated 3.5mm jack
Compatible with smartphones, computers and other mobile devices
In-line microphone and remote for iPhone and other Apple products
Flight adapter, protective pouch and three pairs of silicone eartips
Taking the celebrated KEF M500 Closed Back Apple Compatible Headphones sound to the streets, the M500 headphones offer balanced and natural sound with intense clarity and detail united with comfortable design and Smartphone compatibility.
KEF M500 headphones incorporate fine-tuned 40mm neodymium drivers that deliver an extended high definition frequency response. Precise driver alignment in the acoustic chamber optimises clarity, dynamics and bass performance. Special acoustic sealing rings in the earcups allows for full isolation from external sounds while minimising sound leakage to the outside maintaining a private listening experience.
With KEF’s unique multi-directional Smart Hinge that make sure the earcups are positioned perfectly. Breathable memory foam earpads, lightweight design and comfortable headband together make the M500 a pleasure to wear, even for extended listening sessions.
KEF’s high performance audio cable incorporates an in-line microphone and remote for iPhone and other Apple devices, smartphones, computers and other mobile devices. To make sure the headphones are protected when not in use, KEF include an elegant storage case that matches the M500 design and build quality.
Neodymium driver tuned to deliver full range high definition response
Acoustic chamber is precisely positioned to optimise clarity, dynamics and bass
Copper-clad aluminium wire voice coil improves response to enhance musical subtleties and detail
Precision engineered in aluminium alloy lightweight frame
Multi-directional Smart Hinge on frame conforms to head shape
Memory foam earpads mould to the shape of the ear
Breathable earpad material maximises bass performance and comfort
Acoustic sealing ring isolates from external noise and minimises sound leakage
In-line microphone and remote for iPhone and other Apple products
The HifiHeadphones team is pleased to announce the new Portable Beyerdynamic T51p Portable Closed-Back Headphones , the T51p is now available to be purchased on our website.
Beyerdynamic Tesla T51p Premium Portable Closed-Back Hi-Fi Headphones. Building on the award winning T50p, the new T51p with improved drivers deliver in an inspiring way. A particularly deep bass response and transparent, clear highs are apparent from the T51p due to the common properties that make all Tesla headphones so special: high efficiency and low distortion.
With its metal fully-adjustable headband and swivelling earcups the T51p fits perfectly on your head and confirms Beyerdynamic’s long-established reputation for producing headphones with excellent wearing comfort. The earpads made of super-soft synthetic leather fit the contour of the outer ear thanks to its memory foam filling.
Thanks to the swivelling earcups the T51p folds up compactly and fits in the included rugged nylon carry case. A high-quality 6.35mm adaptor is included for listening on premium hi-fi equipment or headphone amplifiers, an airplane adaptor is also included so you can enjoy a superior experience of in-flight entertainment.
New and improved version of Award-winning T50p
Clear, powerful sound across the entire frequency range
Tesla technology with high efficiency and low distortion
Closed design isolates external noise very effectively
Fully-adjustable metal headband and swivelling earcups
Earpads made of super-soft synthetic leather and memory foam
High-quality 6.35mm adapter and flight adapter included
The HifiHeadphones team is pleased to announce the new DAC & Portable Headphone Amplifier from Cypher Labs, the Theorem 720 is now available to be purchased on our website.
Cypher Labs latest creation, Theorem 720 DAC combines a fully integrated high-quality headphone amplifier with a high-end digital-to-analogue converter for PC, Apple and Android devices.
Delivering clean, high quality audio from iPod, iPhone, Mac or PC, the Theorem 720 DAC offers asynchronous conversion of the USB output, not only a pass through of the line-out. Two headphone outputs support single ended or balanced set-ups while a line level analogue output caters for connection to amplifiers or powered speakers. Volume gain settings optimised for all headphone types make the Theorem capable of driving even very demanding headphones with ease.
The large capacity replaceable Li-polymer battery charges Apple devices while playing up to 18 hours with a fast re-charge time of 4 hours. The battery features AC switching that is totally isolated for a clean power delivery.
Headphone amplifier and digital-to-analogue converter in one unit
Delivers uncompressed, high quality audio from iPod, iPhone, Mac or PC
High resolution audio up to 24bit / 192kHz
High-end AKM 24 bit DAC model 4396
Automatically detects computers or Apple Devices
Two headphone outputs support single ended and balanced set-ups
Line level analogue output to connect to amplifiers, powered speakers or home audio equipment
Volume gain settings optimised for all headphone types
Large capacity replaceable battery charges Apple devices while playing up to 18 hours
Fast re-charge time of 4 hours
Precision machined all aluminium enclosure for maximum durability
The HifiHeadphones team is pleased to announce the new Digital Audio Player & DAC from FiiO, the X3 is now available to be purchased on our website.
FiiO X3 Portable Digital Audio Player with Lossless Music File Playback and DAC Functionality. One device for all your lossless music, the FiiO X3 plays the five main types of lossless music including APE, FLAC, ALAC, WMA and WAV up to 192kHz/24bit. With incorporated professional DAC chip, inbuilt headphone amplifier, hardware based bass and treble adjustments and 10 hours playback time in a light-weight portable form factor, the X3 is the most versatile high-definition portable music player available.
Different from other consumer music players and smart phones, the X3 does not use the DAC function of its main controller chip; instead, for the best sound effect, it adopts the professional WOLFSON DAC chip WM8740. Instead of using software to achieve bass and treble adjustment, the FiiO X3 uses an adjustable hardware circuit, resulting in more natural sound without influencing other frequencies.
The FiiO X3 is well furnished with multiple output ports which include headphone, lineout and coaxial digital output. Moreover, it also can be regarded as a digital turntable and invites more powerful DAC implementation to improve the sound experience by connecting to audio decode through its coaxial digital output.
Most versatile high-definition portable music player available
Lossless playback for APE/FLAC/ALAC/WMA/WAV music formats
Supports digital master copy source at 192kHz/24bit
Employs high-performance WOLFSON DAC chip
Can be used as standalone digital-to-analogue converter
Main controller amplifier chip achieves A-Class amplification
Adjustable hardware based bass and treble adjustments
Master control committed exclusively to music
8GB internal memory capacity with 64GB memory upgrade capability
Outputs include headphone out, line-out and coaxial digital out
10 hours playback time with standard USB smart charging
Not sure whether to buy a headphone amplifier? This article will inform you of the benefits of adding an amplifier to your existing setup, or buying an amplifier with your new headphones.
When you’re buying some new headphones it’s always good to think about what your source will be; whether it’s an iPhone, Laptop, DAP (Digital Audio Player), your home HiFi or a bit of everything, figure out which has the lowest output and if it can drive your chosen headphone. So if you use a mobile phone as your main source and you’ve decided on some Earsonics SM64 earphones which are very hard to drive, you will need a headphone amp to add some extra power so you can get the most from your new purchase.
There are plenty of headphones designed to be used with mobile phones and other low powered portable devices; these headphones generally have low impedance (up to 32ohm) and high sensitivity (95db and over) so they are very easy to drive. This doesn’t mean that you won’t benefit from an amp; not only do amps add extra power but they can also change the sound by improving sound stage, separation and depending on the amp add warmth or brightness.
Another benefit of getting a headphone amp is that some of them have EQ settings on them, so you can adjust the amount of bass you want depending on what you’re listening to.
If you have decided to go for a headphone amp you now need to decide which one to go for, there are many to choose from and they go for anything between £20 and £1500. Amps can be split into two main groups, portable and desktop. If you are going for a portable amp then you could go for something like the FiiO E11 which is powerful enough to drive most portable headphones, it is a good size and has two EQ settings. If you require more power then you could go for the FiiO E12 or the Just Audio UHA-120. Both of these amps can drive most headphones and they will also improve the sound quality, with the Just Audio being slightly warmer than the E12. For the harder to drive headphones there is the Just Audio AHA-120. This amp has adjustable gain settings and is class A, this provides a less distorted, more accurate sound.
If you only use your headphones at home then you should go for a desktop amplifier as they are generally more powerful. There is a much larger range of desktop amplifiers and you really should know what headphone you will be using before choosing the amp, for example if your headphones have a warm/bassy sound then it’s a good idea to go for a brighter/detailed amplifier. This also works the other way around; a warm sounding amp will compliment bright headphones and balance the sound out.
If you have any questions about choosing the right amplifier then give us a call at Hifi Headphones on 01903 768 910 or you can send an email to support@hifiheadphones.co.uk – we will be more than happy to help.
I was excited about trying the FiiO X3 Digital Audio Player, as the high quality portable music player has become very popular, and until now the other contenders have been quite pricey – I was not disappointed! Out of the box you get a USB cable, coaxial phono to mini jack adapter, a couple of screen protectors and a neat silicone protective cover. The player comes with 8GB internal storage and you can increase that with an extra 64GB micro SD card – that would give you 72GB of storage!!
The player itself is lightweight and very easy to use, the buttons are well placed on the front and the menu is easy to navigate. The X3 has a coaxial output and a line out – this allows you to use an external amplifier. Another great feature of the X3 is that with the new patch, available to download from the FiiO site, you can use the X3 as a stand alone USB DAC for your computer. The X3 can support the main music formats – APE, FLAC, ALAC, WMA, WAV – this includes the Apples lossless codec; so all of you Apple users out there will be able to use your existing library of music. It’s hard to believe that you get all of this for only £159… And we haven’t even got to the sound quality yet!
I decided to test the X3 with the Earsonics SM64 and the HifiMAN HE-400 as they are both hard to drive and I wanted to see just what the player could do, turns out it’s a little beast! With the player set to high gain it drove both the SM64 and HE-400 effortlessly – the volume was just over 50% and it was more than enough. The sound quality you get is clear and crisp, separation is superb and combined with the powerful amp there is no distortion – not surprising as the X3 uses the same Wolfson DAC as the Astell & Kern AK100 which is currently priced at over 3 ½ times the price of the X3! When listening to albums the X3 has the option of gapless payback which can be turned on in the ‘Player Settings’ menu – you will need to select the album through the ‘Category’ menu to achieve this.
It was very easy to set the X3 up as a USB DAC with my PC. Once I followed the online instructions to update the players firmware the next step was to install the driver onto my PC; this was also easy as FiiO supply straight forward instructions to do this. The main screen on the X3 changes once it is plugged into the PC and you have a simple control panel where you can adjust the volume, bass, treble, gain settings and balance.
To sum up, I honestly can’t find any reason not to buy the X3 if you are in the market for a high quality player – at this price it is even worth buying purely as a USB DAC.
Orthodynamic, AKA Planar Magnetic or Isodynamic Transducers
If you think Orthodynamic headphones are for people recovering from ear operations, you might not be alone as the various names for this driver technology are not that well known. Perhaps due to the relative cost of this type of driver, it has not had the exposure of the ubiquitous dynamic version, for instance.
Orthodynamic: Technical term advanced / popularized by Yamaha Headphones in 1976 to describe their line of headphones at the time using a driver type known generically as isodynamic, planar-magnetic, or magnetostatic incorporating characteristics of both dynamic and electrostatic driver design.
Of all transducer methods, perhaps the most sumptuous-sounding is the electrostatic method, where a large thin membrane is suspended within a magnetic field which is affected by an electric impulse passing through it. The advantages of this is a very fast attack since the membrane can be thin and light with little to no inertia. On the down side, the technology is horrendously expensive and difficult to drive; a portable rig will likely require a backpack to power it!
A decent halfway house however is the planar-magnetic (AKA orthodynamic or Isodynamic) transducer type. Rather than the membrane being suspended between two electromagnets as in the electroststic method, it is suspended between two sets of permanent magnets; the audio information is fed through a thin wire on the membrane (the voice coil) which makes it react with the magnetic field it is suspended in. While this extra weight makes the membrane less reactive, this is a much cheaper and more efficient way to get near the electrostatic sound.
Some advantages of orthodynamic headphones over their dynamic counterparts include the flat driver with the voice coil controlling its entire surface. Since the membrane reacts across the whole surface at once, it does not need to be rigid which cuts down on weight and inertia. The result is a very fast driver which is particularly good at replicating a wide soundstage with great separation.
Balanced armatures are fantastic for detail, but find it hard work to replicate the very low, and very high frequencies. Also their relative lack of power keeps them mainly in the in-ear realm, where a good seal is required for decent bass perception.
My favourite? Just now I’m loving my full size orthodynamic HiFiMAN HE-400s but recent experiences with both dynamic and balanced armature-driven in-ears (such as the Sennheiser IE800 and Westone UM3X for example) tell me that it’s anybody’s game. There is no ‘best’, only what suits the listener at that particular point in time.
Watch our video review of the incredible Final Audio Design FI-BA-SS earphones. With a price tag of over £1000 it is easy to be sceptical about the FI-BA-SS from Final Audio, but this is more than your average earphone. See for yourself in the following review:
Crafted by hand from stainless steel and with a truly innovative approach to the controlling the movement of air in the earphone, it is obvious how much care and attention has gone into developing this earphone.
Press Reviews
HiFi+ Magazine Appraises Final Audio Design FI-BA-SS
“A truly impressive degree of you-are-there clarity, plus an uncanny quality of effortless, top-to-bottom coherency.”
On first holding the box containing the Earsonics SM64 Earphones, I picked up on the ‘no-frills’ design of the packaging, which is something I appreciate. Opening the box it’s great that you don’t have to rip anything open or work out a packaging puzzle to get to the good stuff. Inside you get an instruction card, a rigid carry case, a selection of tips (2 x double flanged pairs and 2 x Comply isolation pairs) and a small cleaning tool. The earphones come with a replaceable braided cable that feels very well built and flexible – very similar to the Westone cables. The cable has a tough right-angled jack plug and the yoke is of equal quality, this is very reassuring as they are generally the most fragile parts of an earphone.
Sound Quality
The first thing to mention is that the SM64 needs an amplifier! They are high impedance and they have fairly low sensitivity, this makes them tough to drive so I wouldn’t recommend that they be used straight off a portable player unless you know it has a powerful headphone amplifier. Once you have your amp hooked up you need to pick the right eartips – as with any earphone if the tips are too small you will lose the lower frequencies for a paper thin sound or if the tips are too big then the sound will be muffled. I found that thelarger Comply tips suited me perfectly, and once that was sorted I could really enjoy these amazing earphones. You hear everything so clearly and with punch, also the soundstage is superb – you can really pinpoint where each sound is coming from. I tend to find high end earphones either flat and analytical, too aggressive in the higher frequencies or too smooth. These have great clarity without being analytical or harsh, the upper mids really cut through and the bass is tight but also full (if that even makes sense).
In Use
I listen to quite a mix of music and the SM64 did them all justice – With rock music the snare drum really cuts through and you get a nice wash on the cymbals. The bass is clear and tight, guitars (generally in stereo) are well separated. Softer music like acoustic tracks sound great! The guitar strings sound natural and you hear the reverb trail off till the very end, also the vocals are forward without any harshness. These earphones also work with electronic music but they might not be for everyone. I’m not a fan of big bass, I prefer the bass to be tight and accurate – even on bass heavy music. So if you’re looking for a lot of bass then these may not be for you, but if you appreciate bass quality then you’ll be happy.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for an earphone with a balanced and neutral sound then these are a great choice! The bass is tight, mids cut through without being too harsh and the highs extend very well and naturally. Thereplaceable braided cable is flexible and well built, there is very little to no micro-phonics and the built in ear guides supply extra support and comfort. The supplied carry case is tough and not too big, and the ear tip selection should suit all users. One possible downside to these earphones is the amount of power they require, you will need a dedicated headphone amplifier to get the best out of them – one with plenty of power.
Sennheiser’s top of the range headphone-amplifier combination is as pleasing as expected. John had a closer look at the pairing and gave it a thorough listen – without further ado, enjoy our newest video review!
Sennheiser have created the HDVD800 to excel the current levels of audio quality for audiophile listening. As the perfect match for Sennheiser’s audiophile headphones, the HDVD800 delivers a balanced sound image, maximum precision and impressive tonal spatiality with perfect conversion of digital to analogue signals.
The HDVD800 connects with all digital sources and is equipped with a high-quality Burr-Brown digital to analogue converter that modifies audio signals with superior resolution. Digital sources can be connected to the rear of the unit via an XLR input, optical and coaxial digital inputs or USB. Further to the symmetrical inputs, the asymmetrical input socket of the HDVD800 is able to balance incoming signals before further processing takes place.
Both the housing and potentiometer control, as well as the rotary switch for source selection, are made of anodised aluminium, while the front panel and other controls are machined from solid metal. Visible through the glass panel of the HDVD800 is the cooling element, the audio relay and countless resistors for the amplifier giving the user the feeling of being part of the amplification process.
This high-end amplifier fits in perfectly and delivers superior acoustic performance when paired with any of Sennheiser’s audiophile headphones.
The ultimate in audiophile sound.
Sennheiser have created the HDVD800 to excel the current levels of audio quality for audiophile listening. As the perfect match for Sennheiser’s audiophile headphones, the HDVD800 delivers a balanced sound image, maximum precision and impressive tonal spatiality with perfect conversion of digital to analogue signals.
The HDVD800 connects with all digital sources and is equipped with a high-quality Burr-Brown digital to analogue converter that modifies audio signals with superior resolution. Digital sources can be connected to the rear of the unit via an XLR input, optical and coaxial digital inputs or USB. Further to the symmetrical inputs, the asymmetrical input socket of the HDVD800 is able to balance incoming signals before further processing takes place.
Both the housing and potentiometer control, as well as the rotary switch for source selection, are made of anodised aluminium, while the front panel and other controls are machined from solid metal. Visible through the glass panel of the HDVD800 isthe cooling element, the audio relay and countless resistors for the amplifier giving the user the feeling of being part of the amplification process.
This high-end amplifier fits in perfectly and delivers superior acoustic performance when paired with any of Sennheiser’s audiophile headphones.
The ultimate in audiophile sound.
– See more at: http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/sennheiser-hdvd800-balanced-digital-studio-headphone-amplifier-dac.html#sthash.4FhsdgyQ.dpuf
Sennheiser have created the HDVD800 to excel the current levels of audio quality for audiophile listening. As the perfect match for Sennheiser’s audiophile headphones, the HDVD800 delivers a balanced sound image, maximum precision and impressive tonal spatiality with perfect conversion of digital to analogue signals.
The HDVD800 connects with all digital sources and is equipped with a high-quality Burr-Brown digital to analogue converter that modifies audio signals with superior resolution. Digital sources can be connected to the rear of the unit via an XLR input, optical and coaxial digital inputs or USB. Further to the symmetrical inputs, the asymmetrical input socket of the HDVD800 is able to balance incoming signals before further processing takes place.
Both the housing and potentiometer control, as well as the rotary switch for source selection, are made of anodised aluminium, while the front panel and other controls are machined from solid metal. Visible through the glass panel of the HDVD800 isthe cooling element, the audio relay and countless resistors for the amplifier giving the user the feeling of being part of the amplification process.
This high-end amplifier fits in perfectly and delivers superior acoustic performance when paired with any of Sennheiser’s audiophile headphones.
The ultimate in audiophile sound.
– See more at: http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/sennheiser-hdvd800-balanced-digital-studio-headphone-amplifier-dac.html#sthash.4FhsdgyQ.dpuf
Designed by musicians for music lovers would be one way to describe what Audiofly are doing in the headphone world. Audiofly’s founder Dave Thompson started his career building guitars and now he’s turned his attention to headphones with impressive results.
The AF45 earphone (like the rest of the Audiofly headphone range) exhibits brilliant attention to detail, with a very high quality finish. The earphone housing is a single piece design, making it acoustically stable and mechanically strong. Internally the shape of the sound tube has been made bevelled to reduce internal sound reflections.
The AF45 has a sound signature that is powerful and accurate, something that appears hard to achieve with mid-range in-ears. Many in-ears at this price point have overly bloated bass, or are painfully accurate (mostly the former). Audiofly have done well with the AF45 to get the balance right.
Externally the finish is equally high quality. Cabling is covered in a tough CORDURA outer sheath (as used in outdoor clothing) to keep the cable safe and the jack plug is reinforced for strength. In our experience the cabling is the first component to fail on earphones, so it’s reassuring to see Audiofly designing this to last.
We found that the fit in the ear had a large effect on the sound signature of the AF45 and that the tips do not fit everyone’s ears well, so we highly recommend Comply foam tips to ensure the best sound (either S-500 or T-500 size will fit).
HiFi Headphones Verdict
An earphone with a level of finish that you would expect to pay more for with a sound signature that is well balanced. Bass is powerful, with slightly recessed mids and highs are clear. A quality earphone that is built to last.
So you’ve spent time looking for your your new headphones or you already have a pair that you are very happy with, now it’s time to further improve your audio experience.So,To DAC or not to DAC. The obvious route to go could be to buy or upgrade your headphone amplifier. Whether you are listening through a CD player, mobile phone, portable music player or a computer adding a good headphone amplifier to the chain can do wonders. Something that a lot of people overlook though is using a DAC. With the amount of great quality amplifier/DAC combos out there, most of the time it’s worth going this route.
What a DAC does is to take the digital data, whether it’s an MP3 or movie audio and convert that into an analogue signal so your headphones can pick it up and you can hear the files. The better the DAC, the better the conversion and therefore better sound quality. So if you have a great pair of headphones but a weak DAC, the headphones will only play audio as good as the DAC is putting out – an important part of the chain.
The most common use of a DAC is if you use a computer, all computers have built in DACs (soundcard) but unless you know that you have a particularly good one the quality won’t be great. Even using a cheaper DAC such as the FiiO E17 will greatly improve the sound quality coming from your computer. The reason you would go for a better DAC is if you play high quality audio files (WAV, AIFF, Lossless etc.) and you have a top of the range pair of headphones, this is where the quality of the DAC really shows.
You can either get a stand alone DAC or an amp/DAC combo, which one you get will be based on your intended setup. If you want to use your headphones with a computer and you don’t already have an amplifier then an amp/DAC combo would be ideal, and if you use a laptop then one of the portable sized units are great as you can even use them on the move. If you mainly use your iPhone/iPod then you could get a dedicated amp/DAC combo for iDevices such as the Fostex HP-P1 or the Cypher Labs Theorem 720 this will bypass the devices internal DAC and amplifier so all of the processing will be done by the Fostex. There is a stand alone alternative with the Cypher Labs Algorhythm Solo -dB and -r, but you would also need to have a headphone amplifier for this to work.
Essentially any digital audio device can benefit from upgrading the DAC, now depending on the device you use you will need the right sort of DAC – but there will be something out there for you. If you have any questions about this subject then please feel free to call us, we will be more than happy to help.
Looking for a new pair of headphones can be very confusing, there are so many to choose from – how do you know you are getting the best for your money?
There are lots of things you can look at when deciding, but the main place to start is whether you will benefit from Open or Closed Back. It’s easy for some people to say that one is better then the other, but this isn’t the case – it really depends on how you will use them. If you are looking for a pair of headphones to commute to work with then an open back design won’t be ideal, unless you want the whole carriage to listen to your guilty pleasures. So here is a quick run down on the differences between Open and Closed back headphones.
Closed Back
The main benefit you get from a closed back headphone is sound isolation, this reduces the amount of sound that leaks out for others to hear and it also helps block outside noises so they won’t interfere with your listening. This is something that is very important when using headphones in public e.g. commute to work, travelling or even at home with other people in the room. Generally closed back headphones have a narrower soundstage (compared to open back) but you get a punchier sound with heavier bass. One downside of closed back headphones is that your ears can get warm very easily, especially compared to open backed headphones – Using velour earpads instead of leather can reduce this but this will reduce the amount of sound that is isolated.
Open Back
These headphones certainly don’t isolate sound, being open back the sounds comes out from them like mini speakers – some more than others. They will also allow you to hear what’s going on around you, so this won’t be ideal for noisy environments. The benefit from this is that you get a very natural sound, your ears will keep cool due to the air flow and they give a wide soundstage – this is particularly good for live recordings as you really feel like you’re right there. Being open backed you will notice a loss of bass compared to a closed back alternative, the bass has a more natural feel to it because the driver housing is vented so the sound can breathe.
How To Choose
The best question to ask yourself first is ‘how will I use these headphones?’ and from there you will know whether to go for open or closed back. So if you’re using them at home and there won’t be anyone else around then open back will be a good place to look, but if there is a chance that you will also want to use them on the odd commute to work then overall closed back will be the most suitable.
The HiFiHeadphones team is pleased to announce the new In-Ear Isolating Earphone from Ultrasone, the Ultrasone Pyco In-Ear Headphones is now available to be purchased on our website.
Ultrasone Pyco Aluminium In-Ear Sound Isolating Earphones with Smartphone Mic and Controls. When it comes to the best portable listening experience with true high fidelity you can count on Ultrasone. Immerse yourself in your own personal live concert wherever you go. Fitted with one of the smallest dynamic transducers available, as well as vital power-transfer, Ultrasone’s Pyco is your ticket to a true superior listening experience.
Equipped with a microphone and remote control, the Pyco enables convenient operation for both music and telephone calls. Outstanding insulation against background noise allows you to concentrate completely on the music – providing you with a fantastic audio experience, whether travelling by plane or train or exercising.
