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Some Notes
Rapid Development --- HiFiMAN has taken some heat in the forums for coming out with new versions of these cans in rapid fire succession. I appreciate folks feeling distressed after just spending hard earned dosh on a pair of expensive headphones only to find them superseded shortly thereafter. I hope HiFiMAN takes this to heart. But it’s also important to understand the problem from a product developer’s point of view --- I’ve been a manufacturer before, and I can tell you that it’s very difficult.

Almost every product development I’ve ever been a part of has…

After start up and running this business for nearly 6 years, I really appreciate all my friends in headphone community. I've gotten help and good suggestion from time to time from this great community, especially on my sponsor's forum at Head-Fi.org.

I hope to add my 2 cents about HE-500 and HE-6 headphones: HE-6 is a headphone who has reached the planar magnetic driver's limit. Low efficiency is what HE-6 paid to get to this level. HE-500 is a more "friendly version" of HE-6. While the HE-500 lacks the HE-6's ultra clarity, its sonic signature…

I’ve heard so many conflicting opinions on the Ultrasone Edition 10 that I just had to get my hands on a pair. At $2,749, you’d reckon the praise ought to be a little more consistent. So I gave my buddy Todd (the Vinyl Junkie) a call to see if he had a pair I could play with, and sure enough, he had a slightly used pair for me to audition.

Wow! What an experience!

The Ultrasone Edition 10 ($2,749!)
The Edition 10 is truly a beautiful headphone. The Ethiopian goatskin on the ear and headband pad is soft and luxuriant.…

All looks fairly normal up to about 1250Hz, then it takes a 15dB nose dive, followed by a weird humpty-bump frequency response curve, and quite a bit of energy above 10kHz. No wonder I hear them as confused and bright.

Distortion

Fig. 2 shows the Total Harmonic Distortion plus noise curve for the Edition 10.

The upward trending curves in the low frequencies is typical of headphones unable to contain and control the low notes. Escaping pressure from the earcups…

According to a February 2011 NPD Group study, celebrity endorsements are extremely/very important to nearly 30 percent of consumers when deciding what headphones to buy. Moreover, there was a 75% increase in sales of headphones over $100 from 2009 to 2010 ... in a bad economy, no less. Headphones are a hopping commodity.

So sure, why not nab a big name like Quincy Jones and extend the life into an aging, but still very good headphone.

The AKG Quincy Jones Q701 (MSRP $479.99, $299 street)
In late-2010 AKG decided to go…

The Sound
It's pretty easy to take for granted a headphone that's been around for six years, so I'm very glad the folks at AKG sent me the Quincy Jones Q701 to re-experience. The sound of these cans is very good, and I'd forgotten just how good. No, these are not headphones for bass lovers; though the bass is well extended, it is not emphatic in the least. I'd say the Q701 is well balanced with a slightly less present bass than perfect. The low notes are, however, tight and nicely textured, and well integrated into the whole.

The treble has been the troublesome spot with…

I was rummaging around amongst HeadRoom's demo cans the other day, and stumbled upon a Beyerdynamic DJX-1.

"Hmm..." I sez to myself, "I don't remember ever seeing these before. I wonder what they sound like."

Once home, I pulled them out of the box and had a listen ... wow, these aren't bad at all. I wonder why I've never heard them before?

The Beyerdynamic DJX-1 (About $129 street -- may be going down over the next few months during discontinuance.)
I did a little research on Head-Fi, and found very little…

Simply put, I'm stunned.

It's hard to make a good sounding sealed headphone, and much more so a small, supra-aural (on-ear) type. They all seem to falter sonically somewhere. In-ear headphones were the only way to get really good portable sound ...

... until now.

The Beyerdynamic DT 1350 ($299 Street)
Man, I'm in love. It's hard to know where to start when it's all so good. I suppose the place to start is with the manufacturer's intent. From Beyerdynamic's website, the DT 1350 are:

"Closed supraaural…

The Sound and Measurements
I can tell you that the world of headphone geeks is all abuzz with praise for the sonics of this spectacular little headphone.

I've been listening my way through a bunch of sealed headphones, both full-size and on-ear, preparing to do a buyers guide. I started with sealed headphones because, as a rule, they suck. All that trapped air inside the closed earcups, both between the headphone and ear and behind the driver, makes for a great opportunity for resonances and whatnot to muddle up…

When the stewardess asks me if I'd like to buy a pair of headphones for two dollars, I usually say no thanks and smile. She has no idea how good a pair of custom in-ear monitors sound.

And then I thought, "Well, I really have no idea how good her headphones sound either." So, I bought a pair, and brought them home to test.

Oh my!

United Airlines Flight 962
I have been stranded on a plane once or twice before without the proper adapters, and had to use the headphones they have. It's an abominable experience.…