beyerdynamic T5p: Photos and first impressions. - Page 34

I agree with statement this headphone is sound fantastic straight from my ipod. Especially mids dan soundstage is so good beyond my expectation. I pair my t5p mostly with centrance dacport lx with graham slee srgii. The result is AMAZINGLY GOOD. Everything is become more powerfull. The mids has more bodied to it and solid sound. The bass has more impact but very tight and clean. Soundstage even better and more engaging. I just love this combination so much. Btw...paired with gs voyager and fostex hp p1 also beatifull. But not as powerful as srgii.

I'd be very much interested in a comparison of the T5p to the DT1350, which I really like, especially the never overwhelming but bottomless bass.

Maybe unusual for someone considering the T5p I mainly listen to EDM when using headphones (i.e. at a cafe or the office) but dislike bass-heavy and warm headphones (while not into hot treble). So what I'm looking for is a sound signature somewhat similar to the DT1350 but over-ear with decent isolation.

 

Did anyone try these with a Leckerton UHA-6S MKII, a Meier Corda PCStep or a Musical Fidelity M1 HPA?

I think the T5p is the Tesla-Beyerdynamic headphone which comes closest in sound signature to the DT-1350. The T70/T70p/T90/T1 are brighter than DT-1350. T5p comes close but the bass is not as boomy/impactful as in DT-1350. Listening to T5p with its clarity and soundstage makes it difficult to change to DT-1350 because the soundstage is smaller and the lower resolution immediately shows the big difference between the technical differences between the two. After a while you will forget and just enjoy the musicality of DT-1350 again. I like both of them and they compliment each other very well as a portable and transportable headphone. 

 

I use the T5p with my Meier Quickstep and it is a great combination. Also the Meier 3Move sounds great with both DT-1350 and T5p so I would not hesitate to recommend a Meier amp in combination with T5p and DT-1350.

Thank you for your reply, that sounds promising -- I'm really looking forward to try them out :-)

Update: my local trusted equipment supplier did not have them on display as these are considered hifi-equipment and they only carry studio- and live-related headphones... had to order them online.

 

After just around an hour of listening I'm stunned... I've read numerous reviews stating that these have no bass or are not usable for electronics. Yes, they lack the bloated bass of many (especially EDM-oriented) headphones but they do what I like most about electronic bass: clear defined, present but not overwhelming and going deep. Very deep. E.g. the intro to The Breakfastaz - The Pressure, Thorsten Kanzler - Craze Sites, Oxia - Housewife

They show different layers within a song very clear (e.g. Austin Leeds - I Can't Get Away) and reveal lots of detail, keeping different parts separate and in perfect relation to each other (Jürgen Paape - Come Into My Life, Shantel - Disco Partizani, Chemical Brothers - Galvanize)

 

The midrange/highs are lively and engaging, voices don't wander around, sound natural with fine detail (e.g. Hot Pants Road Club - I'm a Man, Falco - Zuviel Hitze)

 

I did not check my classical collection so far -- enough has been said about that genre on the T5p. They are definitely not basshead-cans -- but nobody would expect that anyway I guess. If good resolution deep down is your thing... they deliver that in near perfection.

They sound light and airy, with fine resolution but not clinical to my ears, revealing detail where you would not have started looking for more. Very nice so far.

 

Only tested out of a Leckerton UHA-6S MKII connected via USB, titles either purchased 256kBit AAC or Apple Lossless rips of my own CDs.

Agree about the bass extension, very good - I really like how tight and controlled it is.

 

I actually got my Jaben removable cable/balanced T5p today, can't wait to have a good long A/B listening session between these and my regular T5p (I got the modded version since I'd much rather have removable cables for my portable use, but if there is any improvement in the sound signature to my ears that'll be gravy). The fit and finish is just superb, the mod looks like that's how it came from Beyerdynamic. It's that good.

Edited by NZtechfreak - 12/6/12 at 2:13am

Soooo, after a brief bit of A/B from an RSA Intruder listening to the modded T5p in balanced mode, and the regular T5p via a single-ended connection, I have a few preliminary thoughts.

 

Firstly, the Jaben mod isn't just to the cable and cable termination at the headphone end - they've also changed the pads. The Jaben pads are much firmer and heavier, and between them and a much heavier cable I find them slightly less comfortable than the regular T5p with its super-cushy pads (took me a little while to work out why I was finding the comfort factor different). They may soften with a bit of use though, so I'm rushing to make final conclusions there. Because I can easily tell which is on my head by the fit I can't really see how I can do a blind and volume-matched comparison between the two, which is a shame. Will have to see whether they isolate any better as a result, I suspect they will actually. Will try and have an external listener to let me know whether there is any material difference in leakage. Then will try in an environment with more outside noise too.

 

As for the sound - the bass quantity and impact is very much increased, I think at the expense of a little tightness. The difference is honestly a bit startling. Stuff like Teardrop by Massive Attack, with the really low sub-bass that kicks in at about 40s is much improved, as were tracks like Super Massive Black Whole by Muse, where the kick drum in the intro should have more body and impact than it does out of the regular T5p. I need more time to listen, but I there is a subtle difference to the mids too, perhaps slightly less forward sounding now that the bottom end is filled in a bit more. I really like the forward mids of the regular T5p, as they suit my listening preferences, really helping guitars to "sound right" in rock and metal (to my ear as a guitarist at any rate), but I think overall the slight concession is worth it. Imaging also benefits a bit I think, listening to some Pantera and Tool, where both drummers do a lot of fine detail stuff with splash cymbals and bells, that's slightly easier to pick out on the modded ones.

 

Rather curious as to how much the extra power per-channel in balanced mode is contributing to the difference in bass, since the bass is one aspect that noticeably scales with better amplification, and how much is the pads alone. Will have a listen to the modded T5p single-ended at some point to try and separate out the contribution each is making to the whole. Offers the intriguing possibility of a simple modification to the pads for people who'd like a little more bass.

 

How much for the mod, if you do not mind me asking?

Did you change the cable - or did you only change the plugs to balanced?

 

I am considering a silver cable for my T5p at the moment.... to hopefully brighten it up a bit and maybe bring it closer to T70.

 

Adds about $280 to the usual cost of the T5p. Given the quality of the workmanship and high quality balanced cable it seems pretty reasonable to me, not uncommon to pay that kind of money just for a balanced cable upgrade to headphones that already have removable cables.

 

I listened only in balanced with the custom balanced cable from the modded T5p, obviously only able to listen to the regular T5p single-ended.

 

I do intend to listen to the modded ones via the single-ended terminated adapter too.

Edited by NZtechfreak - 12/6/12 at 12:23pm

I have noticed (after i bought mine) jaben singapore is selling them with mod housing comes with detachable balance cable. They say the cup housing they made is very good like the original. I wonder how this baby will sound when used in balance mode. Though i really enjoy mine now with stok cable.

 

 

Try looking up a few posts, I compare the Jaben modded one to the regular T5p (I have both).

It seems that given the T1 and T5p are driven properly, everyone puts the T1 in a class above the T5p. However it is pretty clear that Beyerdynamic put these headphone in the same class in every aspect of their product. 

 

Do people here, after much listening, still believe the T1 is a superior headphone? Disregarding the drive requirements.

After much listening, I confirm that T1 is a superior headphone to T5p in a silent, ideal environment. There are quite some constrain on the T1 however, in noise isolation, power requirement, etc. If you are listening it with an amp in your own room, then T1 is superior. But if you are at the library, at the living room with others, on train and other situation, T5p is much more applicable. Both are top notch.

 

I still think T1 is superior, but T5p is very tempting itself. It's like a one or two step level below T1 but with a much better portabliity factor ( Closed, Amp requirements etc )