Tag Archives: supraaural headphones

SoundMAGIC Vento P55 Closed Back Headphones – Review

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SoundMAGIC Vento P55 On Ear Headphones – Review

SoundMAGIC Vento P55

 

Intro:

SoundMAGIC has been on the scene for 10 years now, and it’s remarkable how much the headphones market has changed in that time; possibly pushed along by SoundMAGIC’s esteemed offerings. The way that headphones are used (and their popularity) has really come on, and they are often seen in pretty much everywhere now, when both indoors and out.

SoundMAGIC’s new Vento P55 is designed to address the need for a good looking, versatile and sturdy on-ear model for any scenario, so how does it measure up?

Design and appearance:

At first glances, the Vento P55 has a certain prosaic chic about it; attention is not demanded and so the wearer may not feel as self-conscious as with other, more showy models. The Vento P55 is a nice functional piece of design and has a well-heeled and restrained look about it. There are two 1.2m cables; these are removable and the socket of the Vento P55 will accept any 3.5mm jack – there is no special recessed socket which requires a specific cable replacement.

 

Durability & build quality (e.g. cabling, connectors, materials):

The Vento P55 headphones are certainly sturdy, with a stainless steel headband and aluminium earcups which lend an air of something military grade, but without the weight! Cables are what might be expected for a portable design; thick enough to bear the stresses and strains of an itinerant life on the road but thin and supple enough to not get cumbersome. SoundMAGIC’s new angled jack design (which its recent earphones have adopted) has been included, to reduce any stress on the jack when players or phones are placed in pockets when users are on the move.

Comfort:

Despite being an on-ear portable, the gentle grip of the Vento P55 puts them on the right side of tight, but they have a firm hold and they are quite comfortable during longer periods of use. The earpads are soft and yielding and offer no problems, even when worn over glasses.

Suitability for intended application:

As alluded to above, the demure and reserved character of the Vento P55’s design allows it to fit in anywhere without drawing any undue attention. Along with the comfortable fit, the Vento P55 is a perfect tool for commuting or casual use when out and about.

Sound isolation (if applicable):

Isolation is fair but the wearer is not rendered incommunicado; it is still possible to aware of your surroundings which may be no bad thing if the Vento P55 is put to more portable uses. Of course, with music playing the effect of isolation is more marked.

Portability:

Included is a light but rigid carry case which will protect the Vento well if taken with you unused, and the headphones can be worn around the neck without restricting movement too much.

 

Sound characteristics:

Overall the Vento P55 has a detailed yet warm sound, with plenty of room between bass and treble for harmonics and vocal performances to make a good impression. These headphones were tested with a Fiio X3 using a Chord Hugo as DAC/amp.

Bass (e.g. punch, low extension):

Bass is reserved and restrained in contrast to many similar models on the market. The Vento P55 is not bass light however; it starts low and provides authority to a track without taking over, allowing the midrange to make its mark.

Mids (e.g. vocals, acoustic instruments):

Midrange is very present for a non-neutral headphone; it makes a sense of space more pronounced, and harmonics stand out. This has a good effect on imaging and the attention is easily grabbed by certain instruments.

Treble (e.g. high hats):

Treble is rolled off slightly but still stands up to be counted; it’s there just enough to give details and add definition but backs off well before there’s any danger of sibilance.

Soundstage & Separation:

Soundstage is fair for a closed-back portable; the head is well enveloped within the sound. Separation is helped along by the clear and distinct midrange, and is very good. Again, the midrange helps this along and brings out most instruments and voices in clear relief.

Music genres good for and why:

The SoundMAGIC Vento P55 excels at dance music, funk and Hip Hop, while its strong midrange suits genres such as classical and jazz particularly well.

Pros:

Strong, light metal construction
Removable cables, one with mic/controls
Sturdy carry case
Adaptor for greater compaitiblity with handsets
Adaptor for use with computers

Cons:

Some may prefer more recessed midrange

Summary:

The SoundMAGIC Vento P55 is a good strong design for taking out and about, with decent isolation once music is playing. The removable stereo cable can be swapped for a control/microphone cable for skipping tracks and taking calls on the go. Its steely good looks will not draw attention from anyone but the user, who will be treated to some great comfort and engaging sounds.

In-ear vs On-ear Headphones

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It is tempting to think nowadays that smaller is better, cheaper and easier to carry around; but when it comes to headphones there are differences between large and small which are not all that obvious.

One of the relatively new developments in portable audio is the in-ear headphone, as opposed to the ‘earbud’ which goes back 25 years or so. The earbud sits in the ear’s concha and rests up against the ear canal (sort of), whereas the in-ear headphone sits in the ear canal itself and ideally creates a seal, for far better isolation and bass response when compared to the earbud.

In-ear (Intraaural)

This coupling method between speaker and ear gives a much more intimate presentation – indeed, more intimate than the producer or mastering engineer perhaps intended. This brings a danger of fatigue with certain recordings, and the soundstage is typically narrower making any spatial effects less pronounced.

One of the important parts of getting the most out of the in-ear headphone is the seal created when the right eartips are used. Everybody’s ears differ, and it is likely that some experimentation is necessary with the tips before the right effect is achieved.

Not everyone can comfortably wear in-ear headphones; some also prefer to keep the presentation as close to the intended ‘2 speakers in a room’ sound as possible. Full-size headphones replicate this better.

On-ear (Circumaural and Supraaural)

This is the style everyone surely thinks of when they hear the word ‘headphone’ – speakers sitting on or over the ears, connected by a headband.

The Circum-aural style encloses the ear and is the most likely to give the ‘2 speakers in a room’ effect; the entire ear is subject to sound coming from the headphone driver, and this gives the outside ear or ‘pinna’ a chance to bounce the sound around a bit before it enters, much like natural environmental sounds.

Also, headphone designers have much better opportunity to treat the headphones, or make minor adjustments to ensure that they have the required frequency response. For example, holes or ‘ports’ can be created to reduce bass frequencies, and bumps in any frequency response graph can be dealt with by membranes which block certain frequencies and allow others to penetrate. There are fewer opportunities to tinker with in-ears before the design has to go back to the drawing board.

To a lesser extent, there’s a better chance of the left ear picking up sounds from the right speaker and vice-versa; mirroring what happens in real life. Sound passes through the head and is also filtered by it; the resulting sound is therefore attenuated and with a lot of high-mid frequency detail lost. Together with a slight delay (the time taken for sound to cross from one ear to another is around 3 thousandths of a second), the brain converts these subtle details into information on sound placement.

This is why binaural recordings are so lifelike; given that the technique involves small microphones placed in the ears of a real human head or dummy, any recorded audio has the artefacts lent to it by the head on which it is recorded.

The circumaural style is considered to be the most comfortable generally; the intended use for circumaural headphones is that the wearer stays relatively still, perhaps seated, and so the headphones rest gently on the head and ears.

Supraaural headphones are a little smaller and are designed to sit on the ears, against the pinna. This often makes them more practical for the purpose of portability, but often at the expense of comfort when it comes to extended listening sessions. This design tends to press harder on the ears, both to increase the chances of a good seal and to prevent the headphones’ headband from slipping as the head moves. Supraaural headphones are generally designed for outdoors with more active uses in mind, and so tend to be closed-back to offer better isolation.

It is perhaps easy to choose between circumaural and supraaural headphones; do you wish to remain at home and listen, or go out, for instance? In-ear headphones are less clear-cut. They are being designed now for all scenarios it seems. Our habits may have yet to catch up, but in-ear headphones such as the sumptuous Final Audio Piano Forte range are now being designed for the armchair listener, so the choice from now on may be less clear, but it will have increased, which is no bad thing.