Ultrasone HFI-780 S-Logic Surround Sound Professional Headphones Review

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(More customer reviews)Firstly, I just want to say that I love these headphones and they are indeed 'different' from other headphones in similar price range. The HFI's come with the Ultrasone's demo CD and OMG!!! You will immediately appreciate what S-Logic can do to 'mimic' natural surround sound in a pair of headphones...you can hear musician's gasping for air, breathing, and other nuances that your 'normal' speakers don't pick up.
Okay, here are some headphones that I own or have tried in no particular order: Audio-Technica ath-m50s, Beyerdynamic dt770, Audio-Technica ath-a700, and others...anyhow, the point is, I would like to say that I know my headphones!!!
Some 'high marks' on these headphones are particularly the Highs and Lows. Highs are crisp and clear, drummers may love this aspect of the headphones as the sounds are very bright...
Low frequencies are somewhat boomy!! These are like mini-subwoofers for your ears...so bass lovers may want to try the HFI-780s cause they do deliver!!
IMHO, the midrange is the headphones 'weakpoint.' I mean, they do not sound all that bad, but unlike traditional headphones, the S-Logic tends to make the midrange, especially, vocals, sound very 'forwarding.' You also may not pick up certain sounds as 'clearly' as 'normal headphones' because of the S-logic feature...it's kinda hard to explain, but if you have an extra pair of headphones without s-logic to compare, you will notice that the s-logic does hinder certain sounds in the mix...
Comfort: 2/5...these are dead-right uncomfortable!! Give it about 30 minutes and the headphones will consume your ears as well as your skull! Really I should've rate these phones 4/5. I really wanted to like these headphones, but after long listening sessions, my ears are not only sweating, but also got very sore!Besides comfort issues, these are very 'bright sounding' headphones...I've heard some pro-musicians mixing with them, but I can see how S-logic may throw off your senses when mixing down. That said, these may have some 'coloring' in your sounds, but like everything else, you just gotta learn your equipments to see what works and what does not.
If you desire a different kinda headphone with great sound, then these are great and worth the money!
P.S. I prefer the sounds of my Audio-Technica-ath m50s over the HFI-780s...I feel like I've found the perfect under $200 headphones (M50s)...
but, I decided to keep the HFI's because they really do compliment my M50s and I like the S-Logic for certain things like movies, drums, etc...
the bass on the HFI-780's is just a tad bit 'better' than the m50s...and the highs on the 780's are also slightly brighter than the m50s....take your pick!

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The exclusive design of the closed-back Ultrasone HFI-780 is accentuated by the polar-silver color. The HFI-780 contains all Ultrasone technologies such as S-Logic Plus, ULE and safer hearing. The HFI-780 is developed from the studio sector and is distinguished by a frequency response that is specifically tuned for DVD and gaming. Sophisticated home theater and music enthusiasts are overwhelmed by the impressive sound that makes it appear as though you are listening to speakers placed meters away. Gamers are impressed by the exact sound reproduction, making the gaming world come alive. The low frequency ranges are raised in order to reach the highest possible synergies with DSP-Systems like Dolby Headphone and Yamaha Silent Cinema. Through S-Logic Natural Surround, the sound moves out of your head and into the room around you. Direction and distance are more easily perceived, giving the illusion of being at a live concert. With just a pair of Ultrasones and your favorite audio device, you can have genuine 3-dimensional aural enjoyment. The HFI-780 is equipped with thicker ear and headphone pads, and comes with a new velvet carrying bag.

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Shure SRH840 Professional Monitoring Earphones (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)The SRH840 is a new monitoring headphone from Shure, the company that is prevalent in professional circles for mics, in-ear monitors and other tools used by the sound engineers.
First a disclaimer. I'm NOT a fan of their in-ear monitors, finding them to have a sound that is too treble recessed. Only their top models like the SE530 are any good to my ears, and in my opinion, there are better for the price.
When they announced their line of full sized headphones, I thought they would be overpriced, but surprise....these are $200 which is a lot cheaper than a lot of other high end headphones.
These are clearly meant to be used as tools. They have that studio-use look, no cutting edge style and no exotic materials to give that high end bling. A detachable cable that plugs into and locks into place. It folds easily and neatly into a compact bundle. The cable is a coiled affair, which is kind of annoying for general use as you always feel tethered, but it makes sense for pro use since you usually plug them into your mixing/sound interface at arms reach on your console or desk. All the materials look durable, and you even get an extra set of earpads, and a little carrying bag with drawstring. Of course, a screw in 1/4 adapter is supplied. Top marks for all the things you get, you don't need to buy anything else.
The headband is very flexible design, and you can bend it any way and it springs back. The padding is a soft knitted material, and the headband slider has soft detents. On my big head, the clamping force is slightly tight but I suspect most people will find it quite comfortable. The earpads just go around the ears and I still have a bit of room to spare. The noise isolation is decent, my computer's noise is no longer noticeable. These are good companions for the office.
Sound:
These are definitely monitoring headphones. They have a middle-of-the-road sound presentation in their sound signature. Bass extension is quite deep, and there is still good bass presence below 40Hz. Treble is not overly-sparkly as you would find in other headphones like Denons or Grados but it has just enough treble sparkle that you don't feel like there are cottonballs in your ears (unlike some other Shure In-Ear monitors that I disliked). I would say the treble is just a wee bit shy of neutral. I'd think if you have a treble control, adding a decibel or two would make it just right. Mids are good, there is a tad bit of upper midrange graininess, and is well balanced. Sibilance is well controlled. Detail is above average for their price. While they don't extract the most minute details like some AKGs and Grados, I think they are just being honest. While those other headphones let you hear specific characteristics of certain instruments very well down to the texture of each violin bow stroke, these Shures don't have that deliberate magnifying effect anywhere in its presentation, which is good because you don't really want to hear exaggerated view of any one thing for a studio monitor. These aren't the last word in bass tightness, but the bass is presented with warmth and musicality, you feel and can clearly follow rythymn. This headphone doesn't sound thin nor too thick.
Soundstage is a downfall of closed type headphones, and these are no exception, but they are about average if you compare them to other closed models like the Sennheiser HD280. Don't buy these if you want to experience the grand 3D scale of The Philharmonic. What I like about these headphones is that they basically don't try to niche themselves, they don't go out of their way to call attention to the sound in any way, which is what a good monitoring headphone should be. I find them superior to the inexpensive reference monitor Sony MDR-V6 in overall sweetness and fluidity to the sound, these are just much more preferable for general music listening.
I like these a lot, and I think they don't have any obvious flaws. They are like the goldilocks of headphones, a neutral impartial tool that just presents the sound with no frills. While there are other headphones that will surpass these for certain types of music, and even many others that get your feet tapping more, these Shures seem to take the stance "meh, go ahead with those other headphones, I'm just doing my job"
My previous recommendation the Denon D2000 still stands as the headphone I like for a lively fun listen that gets me involved in the music, but I am finding these Shure quite compelling in that they are honest sounding..they are a good reference for what the sound signature would be like hearing the music that the mastering engineer heard in the studio.
These will be my new go-to recommendation for closed, neutral headphones from now on.

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Featuring 40 mm neodymium dynamic drivers precisely tailored to deliver rich bass, clear mid-range and extended highs needed for critical listening and studio monitoring. The SRH840 also provides an ergonomic fit and collapsible design for total comfort and portability. The SRH840 also provides a collapsible design for total comfort and portability, a second set of ear cushions, a carrying pouch and a threaded ¼-Inch adapter.

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Sennheiser HD 558 Audiophile Headphones with an Internal Surround Reflector Review

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(More customer reviews)Get these headphones if your favorite genre of music is anything other than hip-hop or rap.
These headphones are excellent; very crisp. They rival my Bose Companion 3 speakers. They are definitley a set of headphones for home use, not for daily commuting or anything like that. The cans are open; people near you can hear what you are listening to.
If you listen to hip-hop/rap, then these are not the headphones for you. If you listen to anything else: GET THEM! The bass has pop, but not boom. Every detail and layer of your music is audible. The ten foot cable is kind of annoying, but not a deal breaker. The termination is a quarter inch, but the headphones come with an eighth inch converter that won't fit in your device if it has a case on it.
In conclusion, just buy these headphones if you're looking for a set of headphones with outstanding audio quality that deliver detail from every layer of your music. I hope this review helps with your decision.

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HD 558 audiophile headphones with an internal surround reflector

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Audio Technica ATHM40FS Precision Studio Headphones Review

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(More customer reviews)This review is for:
Audio Technica ATHM40FS Precision StudioPhones
First of all right out of the package they look expensive. They do not look cheaply made and the matte black coloring and shape of these headphones is pleasing to the eye.
From the top down:
The headband is approximately two inches wide and covered even on the top with some type of soft to the touch material. The underside of the headband is very well padded and the padding extends almost down to the hinge where the earpieces are connected to the headpiece. The padding is nice and squishy, but not so much that you can feel the hardness underneath. The thickness of the padding is approximately 3/4 of an inch thick.
These earphones are very light, I've been wearing them all day with no neck fatigue, or headache from too much pressure around the ears.
The tension of the headband is enough to hold the earphones on my head, but they rest comfortably without pressure around my ears.
The hinges where the earpieces meet the body are made from some type of heavy duty, hard plastic(I don't know the technical name for it). The hinges are nice and thick. They look well made and able to take a lot of use.
The earpieces:
The shape is sort of an elongated oval. They are lined all the way around by padding that is approximately 3/4 of an inch thick, and one inch wide, and they're covered by the same velvety soft material as the headband padding. This padding feels wonderful against the skin. The padding that touches the skin is flattened to fit against the head better, giving these headphones excellent sound squelching qualities.
The inside of each earpiece is oval in shape and the inside depth is between 1/2 and inch and 3/4 of an inch. The inside wells that hold the speakers are covered with some type of soft fabric as well.
The holes under the fabric where the speakers are located are shifted slightly toward the back side of the ear pieces.
The outside housing is a some type of matte black high density plastic, and the R and L on each one is molded into the plastic rather than being painted on so that it won't rub off eventually.
The hinges:
Move smoothly and easily. There are two sets of them. One allows the earpieces to be rotated out when they're being worn, so outside noises or conversation can be heard without taking them completely off. They're made of matte black high density plastic also. They're nice and thick, and the part that attaches the earpieces to the headband meets the headband smoothly. If you didn't know the seam was there, you'd probably miss it. Each earpiece can be rotated out to the front approximately 180 degrees, and to the back considerably less.
The other set of hinges are the same color and material, and they fit sleekly against the earpieces in their own grooves, giving the earpieces a smooth appearance when on the head. There is nothing sticking out, and it's very aesthetic. When they're on the head the hinges and earpieces look like they're all one piece. I don't know who designed them, but whoever it is they're smart, LOL.The Cord:
Runs from the left earpiece, and is not reinforced at the point it meets the earpiece. The cord is very long and has a nice thickness to it. It's not flimsy at all. If you don't need the length, I suggest tying it up with a zip it, or something similar, to keep it out of the way. I like the length personally. If you're like me and you forget you're wearing these headphones and get out of your chair to get something it doesn't pull everything off the shelf:D
The cord terminates in a 1/4 stereo plug, and is reinforced at the back end of the plug with a flexible metal spring that's approximately an inch long. The plug itself is textured for easy gripping.
If you're going to use these headphones for your: computer, tv, portable CD player or whatever. You're going to need to buy a 3.5 mm adapter because these headphones don't come with one in the box, like some of the other Audio Tecnica headphones.
But it's easy to find an adpater, and not much hassle. You can buy adapter kits. There is an adapter kit with four different sizes of adapters, right here on Amazon for 5.00 or so. Sound and audio stores should have them as well as electronics stores, I think even Wally World has them. Radio Shack has a kit that's a little different from the one here on Amazon, but it still has four different sized adapters. Just make sure you get a stereo to stereo adapter, not stereo to mono adapter. Isolation:
These really do a good job. When I'm listening to music I don't hear anything else unless the sound is extremely loud.
The sound:
The sound of music through these is excellent. I can hear everything the way it was meant to be heard. Nothing added or taken away. But listening pleasure is subjective. I really enjoy the music I hear through these headphones just playing MP3s on my computer without a fancy sound card on my computer. DVD movies sound very good also. The soundtracks sound great.
The longer I listen the better music sounds through these headphones.
The highs aren't sharp and grating, and the mid range is there, the lows are smooth and present. Nothing is muddy sounding to me. All the sounds are separated and discernible but not so sharply delineated that it picks the music to pieces with one drowning out the other. Everything is nicely balanced and flows together like music should. It sounds like I'm hearing a live performance. The bass is there, but it is NOT very pronounced and isn't the focus.
I don't hear any distortion at a higher volume, but then again I can't stand very loud music, it hurts my ears. You don't have to turn these all the way up to hear decently. I'm listening to Illumination by Hemi- Sync right now and I've got my system volume turned up to 3/4 and Winamp volume is at 9%, and that's quite enough to enjoy the music. I can still hear everything very well with no interference from outside noise.
The music accompanies the singer rather than drowning them out. If you enjoy the lyrics, like me, as much as the music, then these headphones are fantastic. The lyrics are very easy to understand,and the voice of the singer is perfectly presented.
Meatloaf "Life is a Lemon" sounds heavenly through these, and so does Garth Brooks "Friends in Low Places". Pink Floyd sounds divine, and so does John Denver. Mozart sounds great too. PussyCat Dolls "Don'tcha" sounds just as good to me. Rammstein - Blade Theme (Techno Remix) sounds as good as all the rest. Roberta Flack is as close to blues as I've gotten yet, and she sounds amazing. Minnie Ripperton's "Loving You" Sounds good too. I haven't listened to anything jazzier. Pantera sounds good, and so do the Heavy Metal soundtracks( 1 and 2). I hope that gives you some idea about the range of music that sounds great with these headphones. Meditation music sounds great also.Summation:
These are excellent quality headphones for the price. Someone put a lot of thought and effort into designing these. I always look at the details, and if someone paid attention to those I know they care about their product.
These headphones are light and comfortable on the head, and about the ears. They can be worn comfortably for extended periods of time without causing a headache. I believe they provide enough isolation, and outside sound dampening, to satisfy most music afficianados.
If you're looking for very pronounced bass, don't buy these unless you want to adjust the the bass to your satisfaction on your music source.
All in all I'm very pleased with these headphones, and I would buy them again. The price and the quality make this set of headphones an excellent buy.
On a sidenote: The customer service people are very nice. I emailed the customer service department for the amplitude range on another set I was eyeballing which are also made by audio Technica. The frequency response of headphones means nothing if the amplitude is way out of whack. It took about a week for them to answer but he very nice fellow who answered sent me JPGs of the amplitude graphs for the set I asked about, and another set. I'm sure he probably had to hunt the graphs down and then make a file to attach it to the email he sent me. Now that is customer service! Kudos to Audio Technica for their customer service. And that was before the sale!
The two sets were: Audio Technica ATH-A700 Closed-Back Dynamic Headphones With Double Air Damping and Audio Technica ATH-AD700 Open-air Dynamic Headphones.
If you're interested the amplitude range on the ATH-AD700 was much more flat than the ATH-A700, with less variation overall.
Alrighty then, that's all I can think of at the moment.
I'm enjoying my music on these very same headphones while I'm typing away.



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Audio-Technica's premium professional studiophones offer a flat, extended frequency response for professional studio monitoring. Superior components provide very high SPL capabilities while maintaining exceptional clarity of sound. Exterior design features include sturdy strain-relief cable and comfortable circumaural earpieces that can be rotated 180 degrees to permit one-ear monitoring. The studiophones utilize 40-millimeter drives with neodymium magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils for lowest mass. They are equipped with an 11-foot cable terminated in a standard 1/4-inch connector. This field-serviceable model allows elements, cables, and earpads to be replaced in the field if needed.

ATH-M40fs Features
Flat, extended frequency response for mixing/monitoring
Field-replaceable cables, drivers and ear pads
1,600 mW of power handling, high SPL capability
40 mm diameter drivers, neodymium magnets and CCAW voice coils
OFC litz wire cables, convenient one-side exit
Rotating earpieces for easy one-ear monitoring

ATH-M40fs Specifications
Type: Closed-back dynamic
Driver Diameter: 40 mm
Magnet: Neodymium
Voice Coil: Copper-clad aluminum wire
Frequency Response: 5 - 28,000 Hz
Maximum Input Power: 1,600 mW at 1 kHz
Sensitivity: 100 dB
Impedance: 60 ohms
Weight: 8.8 oz (250 g) without cable
Cable: 11-foot (3.4 m) (OFC litz wire, left-side exit)
Connector: 1/4-inch (6.3 mm) phone plug

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Sennheiser HD600 Open Dynamic Hi-Fi Professional Stereo Headphones (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)How can four hundred dollar headphones be a good value?
Consider it this way: Let's call a CD 10 dollars. Let's say you get a certain amount of pleasure from a new CD: new sounds, new music, a new experience to last you a few weeks before it gradually inches its way into the dusty corners of your collection.
Now, let's say you have about 100 CDs.
These headphones are now worth about ... because you have never heard any of those CDs before. These are headphones that revolutionize all the music YOU ALREADY OWN!
But be warned: remember how when CDs first came out there were all those pretentious warnings about how the superior quality of the recording may expose flaws in the master that you could never make out before? I always thought there might be some audiophile somewhere who could hear some "flaw".
But with these headphones you can hear a good studio from a cheap one. I can hear the buzz of unshielded electronics in the second rate studio on some indy cds. Some of my beautiful old classical music suddenly sounds muffled and dead, flattened by an unflattering production job that my speakers could not convey.
The clarity is unreal. Guitar strings are made of gold and they ring clear as crystal; layers of techno pile atop each other in multicolor, multidimensional textures that knock you breathless; the exotic reverberant groan of a cello solo that you have heard a thousand times will bring tears to your cheeks.
And all of this at a fraction of the volume you might play music on your speakers with: these headphones are brilliant and clear and perfect at low volumes. Given their open air construction these things may well preserve your hearing for an additional decade.
I cannot recommend these highly enough.

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Sennheiser Electronic Professional Stereo Headphones

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Denon AHD2000 High Performance Over-Ear Headphones Review

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(More customer reviews)The Denon AH-D2000 is their second best model below the D5000 in this relatively new series of headphones from Denon, which isn't usually the first brand you think of when you mention "best headphones". But I think that is going to change now. This headphone is fantastic. As you may have noted in my other reviews, I'm not a stranger to nice headphones, spending thousands over many years trying different models (my version of my wife collecting shoes). My previous favorite, the AKG K701 (another $300 headphone) was my previous reference quality headphone but this headphone supercedes it. Whereas the AKG sounded more analytical and exacting, this Denon sounds more fluid and dynamic.
This headphone is a sealed design, so it doesn't leak or let in as much sound as open design headphones (which are most common type among the higher quality designs). It is SUPREMELY comfortable due to the well padded earcups and soft headband with a very light clamping pressure. Big-eggheads rejoice! It may feel a bit loose on those with smaller heads though, so you may want to try before you buy.
The sound:
Holy moly. This is the DO-IT-ALL headphone. Bass is deep and punchy, there is no mistaking that the bass is there, but not in a overbearing way. I compared the tonal balance of the bass to my home theater system which is flat (+/-3dB) down to a low bass limit of 23Hz. And these headphones present the bass in an accurate manner down to the lowest frequencies. It beats out the AKG K701 in that respect which always seemed to lack some impact in the bass. The highs are sparkly, clean and present. The crash of the cymbals are present, the sizzle of the high hats are there. As far as tonal balance, these would definitely rank up any of the other headphones short of the multi-thousand dollar sets. To me, this headphones gets the balance better than the Sennheiser HD650, AKG K701, any Grado, Beyerdynamic DT880 or 990, all the other contenders in this price range that are considered the top players. Soundstage (the positioning and sense of space of the sound) is very good too, expansive but with the sense that you are in a mid-sized venue, sitting about mid-way back. It's not as expansive as the AKG K701 in that respect but far better than a lot of other headphones. The mids are still well balanced with the highs and lows and never sounds disjoint. The highs are quite sparkly, but less sparkly and edgy than most Grado headphones, and nice detail without overdoing it. If you have recordings that sound bright, you may find this headphone does nothing to tame those recordings. But on reference audiophile quality recordings, you should find that these headphones are quite revealing. There are other headphones that might be better if you listen primarily to vocals, this headphone does justice to Dido, Diana Krall, the Carpenters very well. It worked well for jazz, trance, electronic, pop, rock, and orchestral music that I've tried. The sound is rich but yet detailed....the old cliche that you will hear things you never heard are applicable....I was literally pulling out my old recordings to hear stuff that I didn't notice in my previous AKG and Sennheiser models. Some people think the bass is a bit too loose and overpresent, but I think this is often a case of the music mastered as such. Heavy bass music such as trance will come across very strong, but this is no different than if you had a very deeply resolving subwoofer in a real speaker system. Compared to many other headphones, this headphone resolves way down to the lowest frequencies, and you are hearing what you can't hear at all with other headphones. The objective graphs show this, there is strong response down to 20Hz.
The only issue I have with the headphone is that the cord has a "TechFlex" type sheath which makes it very stiff, but it does increase its durability. Not a deal breaker in my opinion.
All in all, a solid FIVE star rating, no questions ifs or buts. You might be wondering if the more expensive D5000 at double the price is worth it. If you like the look of the wood cups and a tiny bit of refinement in the sound, and money is no object, you MIGHT want to consider the D5000, but it's a great example of diminishing returns. The D5000 cable isn't as annoyingly unruly as the D2000 cable, and is of higher quality though. If you want the best $300 headphone around, and are even willing to spend more, you should not overlook this choice. It's little brother model, the D1001 also takes top honors so you might want to check that one out if this one is too spendy.
This headphone is really meant for use for a home stereo, and if you use it with an iPod, the volume level is definitely weaker and may lack some punch. So I'd definitely recommend a separate headphone amplifier for that application. But otherwise, I was very happy with the sound of this headphone plugged into anything I could throw at it. If you have a first class system with high quality recordings, this headphone will really let you hear what you put into your system...it's revealing of bad sources, but yet somehow even lower quality MP3 recordings are still enjoyable due to its do-it-all versatility.
Sound quality: 9.5 out of 10
Comfort: 9.5 out of 10 (does get hot as all closed cup headphones do)
Value: 10 out of 10. Can't be beat in its price range
Build quality: 8 out of 10, some people report that the pivot screw comes loose after while....we'll see if this is still an issue. The headphone does look fragile due to the pivots, so I would be afraid to drop these.
These headphones ended my quest for the "one headphone" that I could happily live with for a long long time
Edit: after a couple of years, I ended up selling my D2000. I upgraded to the new D7000 model. You can read my review of that one. As well, I also have a Shure SRH840 which is a better headphone for monitoring because it blocked outside noise better than the Denons


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Denon's AH-D2000 High-Performance Headphones offer two signature sound-enhancing technologies.First is the latest microfiber diaphragm technology.Microfiber's smaller size results in a denser diaphragmatic material which increases transmission rates for better sound and higher detail, affording maximum presence of acoustic sounds with low distortion.In addition, a special acoustic optimizer adjusts sound pressure balance on both sides of the diaphragm to deliver dynamic bass sound.The AH-D2000 includes a lightweight magnesium frame for maximum comfort during extended listening sessions, as well as aluminum connector covers, gold-plated connectors, and high-purity OFC cables.

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