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Review: Philips CitiScape Uptown (Updated Sept 18, 2012) - Page 5

post #61 of 258
8/10/12 at 1:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sygyzy View Post

Or just not have in-line volume control at all. This is totally unnecessary.

+2

I never liked cable volume controllers.
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post #62 of 258
8/10/12 at 10:44pm

Long-time lurker, first time poster.

I purchased these cans from Amazon during their current sale.  On my unit, the volume control definitely causes an imbalance in the output --slightly less output from the left driver -- unless pressure is applied to the volume control itself.  This is mentioned by others in the thread (wj888, manveru).  

My solution is similar to manveru -- tape applied to the bottom of the control unit to keep the volume all the way up and also under slight pressure from the bottom to maintain a good contact.  I use clear tape because I've got the gray-colored version.  It is not noticeable, but the tape will likely need to be replaced over time.  

The reason I don't return the cans is because they are very nice in almost every other way.  Very comfortable for a closed design, light, very useful for phone calls (once you get past not hearing yourself during the calls), very little microphonic noise from the cable, and the remote control button is very nice for pausing/playing both music and videos.  They do seem to have a bit of "sizzle" in their sound which can be fixed using EQ if one feels it is too hot -- perhaps (-2 dB) at 8kHz on an octave equalizer.  

My suggestion to Philips would be to replace the remote control on this headphone with the one from the Citiscape series.  That one is microphone/remote control only and would be perfect on the Uptown as well.  Maybe we'll see a design change on this over time.

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post #63 of 258
8/10/12 at 10:52pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jazzman7 View Post

Long-time lurker, first time poster.

I purchased these cans from Amazon during their current sale.  On my unit, the volume control definitely causes an imbalance in the output --slightly less output from the left driver -- unless pressure is applied to the volume control itself.  This is mentioned by others in the thread (wj888, manveru).  

My solution is similar to manveru -- tape applied to the bottom of the control unit to keep the volume all the way up and also under slight pressure from the bottom to maintain a good contact.  I use clear tape because I've got the gray-colored version.  It is not noticeable, but the tape will likely need to be replaced over time.  

The reason I don't return the cans is because they are very nice in almost every other way.  Very comfortable for a closed design, light, very useful for phone calls (once you get past not hearing yourself during the calls), very little microphonic noise from the cable, and the remote control button is very nice for pausing/playing both music and videos.  They do seem to have a bit of "sizzle" in their sound which can be fixed using EQ if one feels it is too hot -- perhaps (-2 dB) at 8kHz on an octave equalizer.  

My suggestion to Philips would be to replace the remote control on this headphone with the one from the Citiscape series.  That one is microphone/remote control only and would be perfect on the Uptown as well.  Maybe we'll see a design change on this over time.

 

With mine, the ideal position is actually slid all the way up to the top without extra pressure applied. The tape helps. It would be nice if Philips could amend this issue.

 

I feel similarly, everything else about them is very nice indeed. I also EQ down about 2dB at ~9kHz.

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post #64 of 258
8/10/12 at 11:02pm

Yes, I agree on the position of the control -- slid all the way up (wasn't sure if that was clear in my first post).  The pressure I'm talking about is from the tape on the bottom part of the control, which treats the volume control kind of like a rocker switch.  There's way too much play in the volume control which is where the problem lies, I think.

 

Also, about the remote control replacement:  The one they should use is from the Citiscape Downtown series.  (Can't edit posts yet as I'm too new.)

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post #65 of 258
8/10/12 at 11:06pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jazzman7 View Post

Yes, I agree on the position of the control -- slid all the way up (wasn't sure if that was clear in my first post).  The pressure I'm talking about is from the tape on the bottom part of the control, which treats the volume control kind of like a rocker switch.  There's way too much play in the volume control which is where the problem lies, I think.

 

Also, about the remote control replacement:  The one they should use is from the Citiscape Downtown series.  (Can't edit posts yet as I'm too new.)

 

So the Downtown actually has a nicer/functional remote? That makes no sense...

 

There's a little pencil at the bottom left corner of your posts. If you click on it you can make edits. Or do you mean there's some restriction on editing because you have a low post count?

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post #66 of 258
8/11/12 at 1:30am
The Downtown has a one-button remote/mic without any kind of volume adjustment. I know this because I actually tried the Uptown and Downtown a while back. The volume slider on the Uptown is absolutely stupid and it pretty much ruins a pretty good headphone. How hard would it have been for them to use a 3-button remote/mic? Did they use the slider instead because they would have to pay some kind of fee to Apple? They should have just kept the one-button for the Uptown as well.

I say this even though I didn't buy either Cityscape headphones pretty much because of the lack of 3-button remote/mic. I ended up buying 2 V-Moda M80s (one for me and one for my wife). We both have and use 24/7 iPhones (I listen to music with mine almost all day) and the 3-button remote/mic is a must.
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post #67 of 258
8/13/12 at 2:35pm

I Live in Panama, headphones are usually more expensive here but there is a store where the prices are a steal!

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post #68 of 258
8/18/12 at 5:10pm
Wrote my review on the phillips uptown page. I didn't have too amazing of a sound experience with them, but considering I just found out that pronounced mids are very much where my preference lies, I do not wish to condemn them. They are not bad headphones for people who like more bass.
Edited by Lux Nocte - 8/18/12 at 5:20pm
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post #69 of 258
8/18/12 at 5:32pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lux Nocte View Post

Wrote my review on the phillips uptown page. I didn't have too amazing of a sound experience with them, but considering I just found out that pronounced mids are very much where my preference lies, I do not wish to condemn them. They are not bad headphones for people who like more bass.

 

I like forward mids as well, though I'm not impartial to bass at times (still not in exaggerated quantity however).

 

I updated my own review a little bit. Corrected some typos and edited some sentences here and there.

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post #70 of 258
9/1/12 at 7:24am

manveru,

 

can u use your fone n snap some crappy fotos on how to take out the earpads pls...lol.

tongue.gif

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post #71 of 258
9/1/12 at 10:08am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lorspeaker View Post

manveru,

 

can u use your fone n snap some crappy fotos on how to take out the earpads pls...lol.

tongue.gif

 

Unfortunately I don't have the Uptowns anymore. frown.gif

 

Seriously though, they just slip right off. Grab the edge/lip of the pads, and you can simply pull them off. They are not attached by any adhesive or hooks or anything like that.

 

 

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post #72 of 258
9/1/12 at 9:03pm
Seeing that my uptowns don't have those covers on the caps attaching to the cushions as yours do makes me worry if I have a fake, if there even is a fake version. But also leads be to believe you had one considering the stock image doesn't have them either.



I also notice a difference in the texture of the cups in mine that do not match yours.

EDIT: looking at official videos and reviews, they do have the covers on the cups. I am absolutely confused. So. Who feels like doing a legitimacy check?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Philips-SHL5905BK-CitiScape-Collection-UPTOWN-Headband-Headphones-With-Mic-/290743217690?forcev4exp=true
Edited by Lux Nocte - 9/1/12 at 9:07pm
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post #73 of 258
9/1/12 at 9:07pm
Strange...yours looks slightly diff from mine...lol
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post #74 of 258
9/1/12 at 9:12pm
As I said. Instead of a covering, mine has a ring around it with that says "MusicSeal"
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post #75 of 258
9/1/12 at 9:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lux Nocte View Post

As I said. Instead of a covering, mine has a ring around it with that says "MusicSeal"

X2 tongue.gif
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