FIGHT THE BEATS HYPE (Ultrasone HFI-580/HFI 580 appreciation thread) - Page 6

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scytus 

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Originally Posted by RaZrReD 

@RPG

 

Have you seen the new line that Audio Technica is releasing? The PRO700MK2 and PRO500BK might just be what you and I are looking for...

 

o.o

..anyone have impressions on those?

I really wanted the limited edition all-white PRO700's..

300 HOURS LATER..

[random snippet: I just totally geeked out about my 580's with a random girl with V-moda's. fun stuff.]

AESTHETICS: I still think they're pretty.

BUILD: I still think they're quite solidly build phones. Plastic, yet good plastic.

COMFORT: These things have CLAMP. I wouldn't quite say "skull crushing," but there's a brutal amount of force initially. However, after a couple days, I either acclimated to them or they loosened; I'm guessing both. As my experience with higher end phones is limited, the Monster Beats (the circumaural ones) and the Bose QC15's are the only comparisons from which I can draw. Quite frankly, I don't think these are as comfortable as the aforementioned two. However, the only copies of the Monster and Bose pairs that I've tried are the worn ones in Apple stores (and my best friend's Monster Solo's), and I DO expect the HFI's to break in and feel more comfortable with time.

I love these phones, but they can be weird. By weird, I mean that one moment I'll just put them on my head and they'll have the perfect seal and clamp. After taking them off, they may not seal and clamp the same way the next time. Random note. Otherwise, with a good seal and clamp, I can wear these for hours (given the room is at a moderate temperature, significantly warm rooms make them a tiiny bit sweaty after awhile. Also, the rumors are true; the clamp loosens with time. Ironically, the clamp also seems to strengthen when the HFI-580's are left to sit for hours at a time. Everytime I pick up these phones for the first time for the day, they lock right onto my head. 

ISOLATION: They isolate pretty well [as long as you get a good seal going]. At median volumes, I hear nothing but the significantly loudest outside sounds. At my normal music levels, I hear nothing outside of my cans.

SOUND: AMAZING. I'll elaborate below.

Again, these are my first pair of really good headphones, but I cannot get over how amazing they sound- and I've only heard them with little to no amplification so far =]. I'm not quite sure how the S-Logic "surround" is supposed to sounds AMAZING,  given the recordings are of high enough quality and a directional recording nature. With gaming, their positioning has been [very] good to me so far (I'm not really an FPS gamer, but I do play shooter RPG's). I'm still trying to understand terms like "PRaT" or "soundstage," but, as a beatmaker, guitarist, ex-marching band trumpeter, here's what I do know.

SOUNDSTAGE: I finally listened to the CD that came packaged with these cans. HOLY CRAP. Some of the stuff on the Ultrasone disc had me tripping out. There was a track that makes me feel JUST like I'm sitting on the beach with water rippling to my left.. then to my right.. then to my faaaar left to RIGHT BEHIND ME. Since I have yet to try open cans, my judgment is built in ignorance. However, with appropriate recordings at optimal quality, the 580's make me feel a certain amount of distance from instruments or sounds.

    LOWS: They have incredible lows. Ridiculously powerful bass. Ridiculously powerful bass. Ridicul- anyways.. However, I don't feel like the bass encroaches on other frequencies. On Messy Marv's "Get on my Hype," more than enough bass shows up to make a basshead salivate. However, the rappers' lines come in clear, as do the synth work, claps, and hats. Although they're gifted in the lower frequencies, the 580's don't seem to be particularly bass heavy unless the song's mix calls for it. For example, these cans REALLY shine with the acoustic work of Dashboard Confessional, HE IS WE, Secondhand Serenade, and stuff along those lines. However, as they are recommended for bass, they do carry an incredible amount. I listen to hip-hop, R&B, dustup, rap, and pop- but where they really carry an image of depth is orchestral stuff for me. Stringed bass, cello, baritones, trombones, and the like have so much OMPH. It's amazing =]

In my experience, the 580's come out of the box with wildly powerful, deep deep rumble. A pair of cans with truly enough bass to square off with - if not outperform - the ever so popular Monsters. Out of the box, the bass is visceral (I would almost say feral) and a little wild. As burn in progressed, the bass seemed to become tighter and punchier. Please note that the low - end rumble is STILL THERE; it simply needs a proper EQ mix to be released =]

    MIDS: I'm not sure how I'd describe mids, but I just feel like the sound out of these cans feels rich and full- not just the lows. Specifically, I would say that a lot of the baritone, French horn, and strings work from the orchestral work of Hans Zimmer, James Dooley, and Steve Jablonsky sound really full and clear. Folk/acoustic work from the artists HeIsWe also sound spectacular.

These cans suffer from recessed mids. Although the mids have come forward through the process of burn-in, I still feel a certain lack of presence in that frequency range. Specifically, music of the rock genre seems to suffer most. Ironically, I think these cans really shine with acoustic/folk work, so I would venture to guess that the upper mids were the particular weakness. EQ adjustments slightly remedy this issue, but I wouldn't say they completely fix the problem.

    HIGHS: I don't know if this relates, but sometimes sibilance shows up. I think they handle highs well. Details at higher frequencies are clearly rendered, but not in a harsh manner.

These cans suffer from slightly prominent sibilance. Please note that the sibilance is also dependent on the recording as well as its quality.

    CLARITY: I feel like some of the hate the Monster's get is for not rendering the lowest lows well. That is not an issue here. As aforementioned, the bass runs very low and powerfully so. However, the deepest frequencies do not muddy the lower mids. An incredible amount of detail is present. Things that I've never heard before show up. IZ  breathing in the ukelele intro in Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Previously unheard audio garnishes in certain tracks- a triangle here or a synth sound there. Even in bass heavy dubstep and hip hop, hi hats and snares come in loud and clear.

BASS. MONSTERS. BASS MONSTERS. Deep rumble with punchiness, yet, details are not lost in the flood of bass. Also, I cannot repeat myself enough that these shine on acoustic folk stuff.

    CONCLUSION: I'm in love, and if you're a basshed that wants something better than the hyped Monster cans for about half the price (of the big ones), you can be too =] 

Spread the love, y'all.

We are the revolution.

We will dethrone the Monsters.

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Originally Posted by wind016 

I love how you're so passionate about the HFI 580. I was raving about them too awhiles ago. Very few headphones can do what the HFI 580 does. It really is a headphone for those energetic music genres. 

Haha thanks wind. Well, these are my gateway cans to the wallet draining audiophile world =] . I can't wait to get a D4 and see what it does with sound. I really wanna push these to their limits before I take a step up. As per the step up, I'm eyeing the PRO 900's..

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Originally Posted by tarbo 

^ You just sold me lol. C'mon Amazon get them in stock faster..

homie, check out bhphotovideo. They're legit, and they sell for about the same as Amazon ($149 I believe)

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Originally Posted by lltfdaniel 

The soundstage compared to akg 701 not as big but there is a soundstage and yes some instruments are further away varying on recording.

I haven't listened to the K701's, but they're open, right?