German Maestro GMP 8.35 D Monitor Headphone

Intro
After trying a bunch of closed headphones like the Beyerdynamic DT770 pro 80 ohm, Sennheiser HD25-1 II, Shure SRH840 and also the Shure SE225 IEMs I was never really satisfied. Either the sound quality wasn't good enough, which was the case with the DT770's and the HD25-1's, or the fit was completely wrong like with the SRH840.

I have the Sennheiser HD650 and a pair of Mackie MR8 mkII studio monitors, and I'm very satisfied with the sound these systems give me.

I love music, and playing the drums is my passion.

Pics or it didn't happen:

Review

The HD25-1 II failed to deliver which is why I started searching for a better headphone. This is when I found the GMP 8.35 D, which took some pretty good internet searching because this headphone is not very well known!

Compared to the Sennheiser HD25-1 II

-The sound is more detailed on the GMP 8.35D, less sibilant and harsh in the highs. It also has a much better soundstage and more musical sound overal. The bass has more detail and also extends lower. I actually don't think of the HD25-1 II as a headphone that should be used for casual music listening. It has a very tight sound, with quite a bit of room between the notes (especially in the bass). This is very important when you're a dj and have to sync beats manually.

The GMP 8.35 D is firstly a monitor, and the sound is much more natural, yet it does isolate quite a bit better than the HD25-1 II. After AB-ing the isolation on both these headphones the GMP 8.35 D seemed to isolate about 5 decibels more around the 1 khz region and up. When I clapped my hands the HD25-1 barely isolated, while the GMP 8.35 D isolated most of the sound.

Compared to the HD650

Soundstage is more lush on the HD650, highs are less extended than on the GMP 8.35 D and the bass is less tight. The hd650 does have this fantastic timbre, and this is the only reason why I'm even considering to keep it.
EDIT: I sold the HD650...

Compared to the Mackie's mr8 mkII

Wow, the sound is so close between these two. It is like German Maestro tried to make the headphones out of the Mackie monitors.

Sound is about equally punchy, detail is maybe a tiny bit better on the Mackies and soundstage has a bit more depth on the mackies.
EDIT: with the oval pads detail and soundstage is atleast as good as the mackies on the gmp 8.35D!

Cable

The cable is coiled, and the coiled bit is pretty heavy, so I did feel the weight pulling on the headphone a little bit. It's not a big problem at all, but there is an easy solution; I attached a clamp unto the cable so I can attach the cable to a piece of clothing (see below).

Ear pads

They are a bit weird aren't they? I do like the provided sound, and the isolation is probably better on these thick ear pads than on the alternative ear pads.

The sound should change quite a bit when changing the ear pads. This particular thread provides a lot of information on this: http://www.head-fi.org/t/406658/the-german-maestro-gmp-8-35-d-monitor-in-the-studio-serious-about-audio-indeed.

Conclusion

Extended detailed crisp highs without sibilance, extended tight bass and full detailed mids. Combined with a very good seperation, a punchy sound (PRaT?) and with a realistic soundstage. This is how I would desribe the sound quality of the GMP 835 Ds.
But the fantastic isolation and lack of leakage shouldn't be forgotten, when I would play along to the drums with the HD25-1 I had to turn the volume up way too loud. I don't want to be deaf when I'm fifty, so isolation is really important.

EDIT: Paired with the oval ear pads (product number 41-6050) the sound changes radically. The soundstage just comes to life and the amount of detail improves.

The German Maestro GMP 8.35 D (and it's higher impedance relation the German Maestro GMP 8.300 D) are without doubt the toughest headphones I have come across.  German Maestro call them "nearly indistructable" and I agree!

Sound quality is very nicely balanced.  Bass response is rich, with accurate and precise trebles.  The GMP 8.35 D and 8.300D are both serious audio monitoring tools that are refined and insightful.

This is a reference quality headphone that is suitable for studio, home Hi-Fi or portable applications.  At a push you could hook up the relatively low impedance GMP 8.35 D to a portable audio player and take them out on the street. If you have a decent headphone amplifier then we would recommend the GMP 8.300 D.

The closed back design keeps you well isolated, ensuring a minimum of sound leakage in or out of the cups - as you would expect from a monitor headphone.  The ear cups fit comfortably and the headband keeps the headphones securely on your head.  As with all closed back designs you will need to vent the earcups every so often to keep your ears cool.

The GMP 8.35 D is sturdily made and will survive the the harshest environments (they look and feel military grade).  The headband is made from a band of steel and the earcups are made from a lightweight PE material that will withstand impact.

Verdict:

Built to a very high specification the 8.35 D and GMP 8.300 D will last forever and sound superb. Not everyone will like the no compromise, utilitarian design, but I rather like it!