I'd be interested in looking into these in the future when I have more funds, but comfort is really important to me and it sounds like these are very uncomfortable for many people. At best, they seem just comfortable enough. Has anyone been able to mod them to make them more comfortable? Are the pads replaceable?
I've had mine several months now. I don't find them uncomfortable and can wear them for hours at a time without problem and I've got a reasonably large head.
Loving the sound too. But don't take mine or anyone else's word for it. Try for yourself.
For me, I would have liked them to have been balanced with sockets that were easily accessible so that reference quality cables could be used with them. That's top.
The only other thing is my dislike of the Apple centric mindedness by promising to offer a cable and dac whilst neglecting an alternative option for the rapidly growing number of Android phones with usb micro type c connections.
For me, I would have liked them to have been balanced with sockets that were easily accessible so that reference quality cables could be used with them. That's top.
As far as I am aware and last time I checked a couple of months ago, no and I doubt that will change any time soon. The only way it would is if the P9 sold in mega numbers. Then it might be worth while for the cable manufacturers to make them.
The problem is the bespoke connection that's tucked away under the magnetically attached earpad (left). The plug is molded.
Take a look several pages back. I brought up this issue inviting any tech genius' (aka Tony Stark's) out their to do a tear down and see what is possible. Someone has since done a modification with explanation and pictures. However, they haven't made them balanced. They've just removed the molded plug and, I think, soldered a more traditional plug in its place. He was concerned about destroying the headband if he'd gone balanced.
I've been wondering about that. I'm no tech genius but I'd have thought that you could make them balanced without touching the headband at all. You still have the problem of the RH ear cup to solve. Hopefully it is as easy to open up as the left. You'd need to create a hole in the back plate for cable and socket without doing any damage to the rigidity of the housing which would probably do nasty things sonically. Regarding leaving the headband alone all you'd need to do is sever the existing cable runs on both sides of the band and seal them off.
Unfortunately, I don't have the technical expertise or tools necessary to confidently give this a go otherwise I would. I just don't want to take the risk and damage them.
It does annoy me that a company of the calibre of Bowers and Wilkins for their flagship (and signature/anniversary) headphone decided to not only not go balanced but also to use a hidden socket with their own bespoke molded 2.5mm plug. Can you imagine if they made any of their loudspeakers, let alone a signature anniversary one, supplying them with their own cable plugged in to a hidden socket? Why should head-fi be any different? It actually detracts from their assertion that the P9 is a signature product. I believe this with all my heart and soul.
One of the most important qualities of Hi-Fi and therefore of head-fi is its upgradability and they have made a signature product that can not be upgraded without risking their destruction. It's something you would not expect of a proper Hi-Fi manufacturer.
It doesnt stop me from enjoying the sound of my P9's though. It's just a massive pity that I most likely won't ever hear them sound even better.
As far as I am aware and last time I checked a couple of months ago, no and I doubt that will change any time soon. The only way it would is if the P9 sold in mega numbers. Then it might be worth while for the cable manufacturers to make them.
The problem is the bespoke connection that's tucked away under the magnetically attached earpad (left). The plug is molded.
Take a look several pages back. I brought up this issue inviting any tech genius' (aka Tony Stark's) out their to do a tear down and see what is possible. Someone has since done a modification with explanation and pictures. However, they haven't made them balanced. They've just removed the molded plug and, I think, soldered a more traditional plug in its place. He was concerned about destroying the headband if he'd gone balanced.
I've been wondering about that. I'm no tech genius but I'd have thought that you could make them balanced without touching the headband at all. You still have the problem of the RH ear cup to solve. Hopefully it is as easy to open up as the left. You'd need to create a hole in the back plate for cable and socket without doing any damage to the rigidity of the housing which would probably do nasty things sonically. Regarding leaving the headband alone all you'd need to do is sever the existing cable runs on both sides of the band and seal them off.
Unfortunately, I don't have the technical expertise or tools necessary to confidently give this a go otherwise I would. I just don't want to take the risk and damage them.
It does annoy me that a company of the calibre of Bowers and Wilkins for their flagship (and signature/anniversary) headphone decided to not only not go balanced but also to use a hidden socket with their own bespoke molded 2.5mm plug. Can you imagine if they made any of their loudspeakers, let alone a signature anniversary one, supplying them with their own cable plugged in to a hidden socket? Why should head-fi be any different? It actually detracts from their assertion that the P9 is a signature product. I believe this with all my heart and soul.
One of the most important qualities of Hi-Fi and therefore of head-fi is its upgradability and they have made a signature product that can not be upgraded without risking their destruction. It's something you would not expect of a proper Hi-Fi manufacturer.
It doesnt stop me from enjoying the sound of my P9's though. It's just a massive pity that I most likely won't ever hear them sound even better.
Edited for spelling,readability and added pictures
As far as I am aware and last time I checked a couple of months ago, no and I doubt that will change any time soon. The only way it would is if the P9 sold in mega numbers. Then it might be worth while for the cable manufacturers to make them.
The problem is the bespoke connection that's tucked away under the magnetically attached earpad (left). The plug is molded.
Take a look several pages back. I brought up this issue inviting any tech genius' (aka Tony Stark's) out their to do a tear down and see what is possible. Someone has since done a modification with explanation and pictures. However, they haven't made them balanced. They've just removed the molded plug and, I think, soldered a more traditional plug in its place. He was concerned about destroying the headband if he'd gone balanced.
I've been wondering about that. I'm no tech genius but I'd have thought that you could make them balanced without touching the headband at all. You still have the problem of the RH ear cup to solve. Hopefully it is as easy to open up as the left. You'd need to create a hole in the back plate for cable and socket without doing any damage to the rigidity of the housing which would probably do nasty things sonically. Regarding leaving the headband alone all you'd need to do is sever the existing cable runs on both sides of the band and seal them off.
Unfortunately, I don't have the technical expertise or tools necessary to confidently give this a go otherwise I would. I just don't want to take the risk and damage them.
It does annoy me that a company of the calibre of Bowers and Wilkins for their flagship (and signature/anniversary) headphone decided to not only not go balanced but also to use a hidden socket with their own bespoke molded 2.5mm plug. Can you imagine if they made any of their loudspeakers, let alone a signature anniversary one, supplying them with their own cable plugged in to a hidden socket? Why should head-fi be any different? It actually detracts from their assertion that the P9 is a signature product. I believe this with all my heart and soul.
One of the most important qualities of Hi-Fi and therefore of head-fi is its upgradability and they have made a signature product that can not be upgraded without risking their destruction. It's something you would not expect of a proper Hi-Fi manufacturer.
It doesnt stop me from enjoying the sound of my P9's though. It's just a massive pity that I most likely won't ever hear them sound even better.
I have re wired them to balanced what I meant was I kept it as a single input as opposed to having a left and right input as I didn't want to open up the headband, job is now finished as I received my stock of 4.4mm plugs, just like the P7's i did the 9's are now burnt in nicely and sound superb on balanced from my Sony WM1 player. They do sound good on single end but at this price ( even though I only paid £515 for a new pair ) i had to maximize their potential before making my keep/ sell decision. I decided to wire them straight into the headphone but it's easy enough to make them with a female input inside the cup so you can add any removable after market or custom cable. A worthy upgrade without a doubt.
I have re wired them to balanced what I meant was I kept it as a single input as opposed to having a left and right input as I didn't want to open up the headband, job is now finished as I received my stock of 4.4mm plugs, just like the P7's i did the 9's are now burnt in nicely and sound superb on balanced from my Sony WM1 player. They do sound good on single end but at this price ( even though I only paid £515 for a new pair ) i had to maximize their potential before making my keep/ sell decision. I decided to wire them straight into the headphone but it's easy enough to make them with a female input inside the cup so you can add any removable after market or custom cable. A worthy upgrade without a doubt.
Probably not explaining myself correctly, what i mean is i have a quad core cable going in to the left cup which contains L+ L- / R+ R- balanced no ground from my 4.4mm jack , this then inside the cup splits in to 2 wires going to L+ L- / left driver and the other 2 R+ R- soldered to the cable that you see in the pictures that go inside the headband and travel over to the right driver hence balanced in sound not your standard cable with a Y split and one cable to right cup and one cable to left cup. Yes i did open up the right cup and there are as you would expect the R+ R- wires coming through the headband to the right
driver. Apart from the headband opening issue the left cup has a cable channel to run your 4mm quad cable in where as the right is just flush, so you would have to start making more holes for no other reason apart from looks, also i kept it this way as i might in future sell them so i can easily change them back to stock input etc as they are sold as i dont want to limit my selling to just the " balanced sector ".
Hope i have explained a bit better this time.
Thanks, wasn't really that hard you've just got to be careful around the drivers rest is pretty straight forward. Destroyed my warranty.... but it's worth it for the balanced, just a shame that at this price they didn't wire it like the oppo pm3 so it's balanced already if you just change the single ended cable.
Thanks, wasn't really that hard you've just got to be careful around the drivers rest is pretty straight forward. Destroyed my warranty.... but it's worth it for the balanced, just a shame that at this price they didn't wire it like the oppo pm3 so it's balanced already if you just change the single ended cable.
I've got an interesting comparison for you guys. I've spent the morning going back and forth between my P9's and my HiFiMan 400i's. Prior to buying the P9's, I absolutely LOVED my 400i"s. I still like them, but I'm afraid the P9's have taken a bit of the shine off of the 400i's.
After spending most of the last week listening to the P9, the 400i's sound kinda wimpy....flat, but not in a good way. Before my P9's came along, I'd felt that the 400i's were quite dynamic. Fast, dynamic, and with an excellent and very natural tonality. After modding the cups, I also felt that they were quite airy, if still far from having the widest presentation. Now, they sound a bit anemic. Don't get me wrong, they're still a gret set of cans...and now are probably flat out the best headphone value in the world. Yes, that's you're que to jump on Amazon right now and check the price. $249....that's insane for headphones of their caliber and pedegree. If you don't own them already, buy them. NOTHING below $400 will come close to sounding as good.
Anyhow, though still great, they feel like they lack something fundemental in comparison to the P9's. The P9's give me the impression of being there with the artists and FEELING the music better than anything else I've listened to. I'd rate them a 9.5 out of 10 in that sense. The 400i's have the tonality, the speed, the detail, and the air to give a convincing performance...but they just don't quite make me feel like I'm there...close, but no cigar. I'd rate them an 8 out of 10 in that regard.
All this to point out that this is what really makes the P9's special. Yes, they're VERY detailed...ridiculously so, for a closed set of cans. Oh, and yes, they are closed. Some of you seem to think that they are semi open because they leak a bit. They are not. They are closed, but with pads that intentionally and variably leak depending on the SPL. Anyhow, they are detailed, they're fast, and they have great tonality for a closed set. They also have a wide sounstage for closed cans, and their ability to convey the different layers of sound in a performance is downright brilliant. But, there are other headphones that can do all these things just as well, and some that do them better.
What separates the P9's is the power and dynamism that they covey...the impact of the music that so many other quality headphones just can't reproduce. And what makes them special is the ability to do this, while still remaining detailed and nuanced.
I love them...and I still cant believe that I own a $900 set of portable cans....and that they're actually worth the cost. There is an interesting story behind how I came to own these that involves 8 other headphones and iem's, a very exasperated wife, and a Best Buy that got used like a cheap whore...but I'll save that for later.
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