Yamaha PRO Headphones. - Page 15

 

I can't imagine something with muddy mids/highs n/or bloated bass being "fun" at all. A "fun" headphone for me is one with great attack (PRaT), good bass but still retains clarity. And being colored (as vs balanced) doesn't necessarily mean boosting some range to the extend that it bleeds into other range. IMO, fun headphones can be colored and accurate (presenting all there is in a recording) at the same time, just not studio-monitoring accurate if you know what I mean.

 

Maybe you haven't heard/read about most of the slightly "U-shaped" headphones such as the highly praised Fostex TH900s which can have lots of bass, a bit of a recessed mid-range and provide a lot of detail throughout the whole spectrum... ... I know you want to be informed before you spend your hard earned cash, but saying that a fun headphone cannot be detailed, well it's not right. ;-)

 

BUT, since these are Yamahas and are probably available in a lot of stores, I guess it will be better to try them out yourself and decide if you actually like this type of signature.

I believe this headphone is a real jack of all trades as well as a real value. I don't find the mids recessed or very forward at all actually, I find them nicely in line with the bass and highs. What I love about this headphone is that to my ears, these sound natural, fun, and analytical all at the same time (what I have been looking for for a long time) and IMHO that's what you're paying for. These are worth the price because of the great stereo imaging, separation, detail, tonal balance, and timbre accuracy. Some things are always debatable on HF but I think their great resolution and fun factor is something that can be agreed upon, in a nutshell.  

BTW if you guys do a search for these on eBay and come across a seller named 'soundearphones', that's where I got these for a lot less. They had a best offer option and got them at about an 18% discount.

 

I got 'em for $320 shipped from World Wide Stereo a while back.  Not too bad.

 

Indeed. The 500 is one of the rare headphones that sound full and upfront, yet wide open and spacious at the same time.

 

Agree.

If I didn't have the Sig Pros/Mad Dogs combo, and if these were more comfortable for me (darn head of mine! lol), they would have been great for me!!!

I'm enjoying my Proo 500's as I'm typing, and I'm beginning to feel the pressure at the top oh my head. I wish I had the cahunas to transplant my Pro 500 drivers into my M100's, now that would be interesting. Can we get a volunteer with unlimited resources to give it a try?

 

Really? I found the M100s more uncomfortable due to the crappy weird shapen earpads...

I have small ears, so the shallow cups don't bother me. I really like the look of the matte black and the overall size and design. It grew on me :-)

I mentioned it before, but if ure having some comfort issues I suggest getting some cotton wool/balls and making long strips of cotton and stuffing the around the inside of the headphone. It makes more room within the can for your ear and might also decrease pressure at the top of your head.

Just curious how the ATH-ES10 would fare against the Yamaha Pro 500 being that they're similarly priced?

It's been a while since I've owned the ES10 so take this with a grain of salt. The 500 has the wider soundstage with more balance overall across the spectrum. The ES10 has a different tonality (not as accurate) but is a very fun can to listen to. Bass punch is very impactful and aggressive with good extension, making them punchier than the 500. The ES10 is a warm and crispy can but has the more forward sound sig overall. Genres like heavy metal and electronica especially shine on them. Think of an HD25 on steroids but with a slightly wider soundstage. Mids and highs are nice and detailed although overall its a slightly v-shaped headphone. The 500 is more linear and tonally more correct to my ears, while the ES10 at the time made me think if Grado and Ultrasone had a baby the ES10 would be it. I enjoyed them while I had them but I needed more isolation and I felt the sound sig was a little too aggressive for certain genres. If I could afford them I most likely would have kept them in my collection though. Definitely a great, resolving can with an exciting sound sig.

Thanks for the impressions impressions, very much appreciated.