[cosie]

  So I've got my pair last night. And I wanna write my first impressions (Tested on a NWZ-A17), 

 
Hi dyavuz,
 
Please help to understand - is it enough power from NWZ-A17/15 for HD10? How is HD10 loud with this source? Because I heard that A17/15 is not powerful players(0.4mV max output) and as we see - HD10s sensivity is just 92 dB/mWt (18Ohm).
I am asking because looking for a proper player for HD10.
Thanks a lot.

 

[dyavuz]

For me the loudness wasn't really a problem, since I don't like to listen to music very loud. Of course I pushed them at certain songs to see how they sound at higher volumes. And I didn't feel like the A17 wasn't powerful enough for them. It was certainly loud enough without hitting the top volume level which is 30 on the A17. At 16-17 they already sounded pretty loud and powerful to me.
But I do have problems with the AKG K240 for example on the A17. I need to push hard to 22-23 to get an enjoyable loudness. 
But the A17 is a great device. Nice interface. Only the output could be better. Everything else is top in my opinion. 
I tried my old Panasonic portable CD Player couple of weeks ago and compared the output of them to the A17. And the Panasonic sounded so much better... I wish the A17 had such good instrument positioning.

 

[cosie]

Did you use EU or HK sony version?

 

[dyavuz]

I bought it in Canada. So I guess it's not the EU version. 

 

[cosie]

I have bought a15 and hd10, i am not expirienced audiophile ( but i have a musical education)but as for me this is fantastic combination for the money. I've spent 120$+130$=250$ and getting a great sound, comfort and portability.

 

[halcyon]

Soon shipping in the US (if not already):
 
http://shop.panasonic.com/audio-and-video/headphones/over-ear-on-ear-headphones/RP-HD10C-K.html

 

[cosie]

halcyon, strange, high price.

 

[menuki]

These sparked my interest and i would love to know if anyone can compare them to the Yamaha MT220? I guess not because the MT220 is kinda rare anyways but hey might as well ask.

My main question is: Are the pads replaceable / removeable?

 

[cosie]

menuki, congratulations!

 

[Silvian]

Hi guys,
 
To answer to the question in the title of this thread: absolutely! IMHO of course.
 
I am basing the answer on my experience (as an owner) with Sony SA5000 (apparently one of the fastest and the most detailed headphones) and IEM Sony XBA3 driven by Nuforce HDP and Centrance Dacport. I also had some Grado 225 a while back
I have been looking for a while for something reasonably portable, easy to put on and take off (than the XBA3), and not too much of a compromise in sound. And because I had the chance I also listened to other headphones, not necessarily qualifying for my criteria, and which I am mentioning here because in some ways I preferred the Panasonic over them too.
And so I have been trying (using a FIIO X5 gen 2, flac) a lot of headphones. I guess I am one of those who makes up his mind rather quickly: I definitely know what I don't like and so I recognize the good thing, to me, when I hear it. I have a few test songs and that helps too. And that means that in most cases it didn't matter that I spent little time with most in various shops. When not sure I went back for more sessions. My comments are not reviews as such, but my impressions - especially what I didn't like, the deal breakers, clearly in comparison with what I am used to and like, and this, for those who don't know SA500, is speed and open-ness or perhaps clarity (some say they are different things). But I also recognize that the SA5000 lack some fullness in the low frequency. So I am only mentioning what I found wrong in case anyone reading through this list had the same impressions. I list so many because I know that for some of us it is really difficult to listen to a range where we live. It is my case as well but I had the chance to travel.
 
- Sony 1A: bad bass: too slow, too much of it and too muffled in general, 
- Sony 7506: OK, but a little too lose in bass and a little "rough" - not sure how to explain it: it appears that, in general, the home version of headphones sound more "polished",
- Audio Technica MSR 7: good but not quite there for me, 
- Beyerdynamic t51p (I am not really sure what the fuss is about), 
- The B&W range inclusive series 2: shockingly bad, muffled, 
- Oppo PM3: not bad, but somehow didn't do it for me, 
- Momentum gen 1 and 2 - on and over ear: again, not sure what the fuss is about, 
- Marshal something with "pro" in it I think: no way pro, mid-range rather dead,
- AKG 141, 171: lovely mids and heights but no bass,
- Samsung, both models (can't remember the numbers): not yet there, but like in many other things I think Samsung will compete soon,
- Sonus Faber Pryma: more expensive than Oppo PM3 but worse sounding, quite bland,
- Audeze EL8: reeeally nice mids and heights, I almost said to myself that it's time for an upgrade, but, as others have said, the bass only "appears" to be there. It's like the diaphragm doesn't move enough air, not enough power or weight in the bass,
- Some Yamaha: not for me,
- PSB M...something: muffled. I was really aware of the many positive reviews on this one, but...
 
I am sure here have been others as well. 
 
It appears that it's quite simple with me: most seem muffled, well, that's why I like the SA5000 I guess.
 
On to the Pannys now: give them some time to break in (yes, I think it helps the mechanics) but I also agree that the brain re-adjusts to the new sound as well. In any case, they now sound better than the SA5000. While not that open, all the details are there, even more because the Pannys cover the entire audible spectrum. The bass is very good (tight, fast and the right weight and texture) and so the voices have gained (compared with the SA5000), I don't know, those extra harmonics maybe. It all sounds just right. Also, it all sounds "easy", it somehow "flows", beautiful. More so, it's all present at low volumes. With all the other headphones I had to listen quite loud to bring everything in the picture. Now I can hear everything at maybe just half the usual volume. The soundstage (width) is amazing, not just for a closed headphone.
 
Anyway, to me, soundwise they are just perfect and for the money simply incredible.

 

[menuki]

The bass is very good (tight, fast and the right weight and texture)

 
It really has by far the best bass i have ever heard on a dynamic headphone and it rivals the planar bass of the HE400s. Additionally i prefer these to the HE400s.

 

[mediabox]

  Soon shipping in the US (if not already):
 
http://shop.panasonic.com/audio-and-video/headphones/over-ear-on-ear-headphones/RP-HD10C-K.html

It looks like a newer version (C not E). Probably, with mic?

 

[nick n]

  I bought it in Canada. So I guess it's not the EU version. 

Where in Canada did you get them?
 
 
Also been eyeing these things forever.
The one review that has held me back is this one, though I'm not usually that fussy. Sad I know...
Can anybody comment on this person's impressions regarding classical sounding "off" ( towards the end of that massive text block )?
http://topnewreview.com/panasonic-rp-hd10/

 

[pholcus1975]

Here in Italy it's only 150 € so I'd like ti give them a try. My source is a dx90, now I use hifiman re600-s, how would you compare the sound of Panasonic?

 

[Silvian]

Hi Nick,
 
Here's another "massive text block" 

 which is probably of not much help in regards to your specific question.
 
Let me say that I feel for you, as for so many others lurking over these forums in search for that qualified advice - I have been there, a few times, and at some point I'll probably start all over again, until someone invents that perfect piece of equipment, although that probably won't be enough as we are all different as well as the recordings and the mastering. Bearing in mind the very little objectivity which (may) exist in this field, you are going to have to deal with everyone's impressions.
One thing we can do to help others is try and "define" what we know, who we are, hoping that one identifies themselves with us and draw some valuable conclusions - at least this is what I've tried to do in my long previous post. And although the person with the review you mention sounded quite a bit more qualified than me, it's not clear to me (based on just that post) who he is.
 
My view, for what it's worth, is that if a piece of hardware is good for something it will be good for everything. If a pair of headphones have flabby bass (like many these days) that will be as flabby for a trombone as it will be for a synthesizer. If it's heights are rolled off or if there are large dips throughout the high frequency range (again, as many are today) you're going to feel that for the cymbals as well as say in the thin soprano voices. Once you come across a decent pair of headphones the differences in playing/recording/mastering/producer intention are a lot more significant. I like Nigel Kennedy. Until I heard him playing Vivaldi's The Four Seasons I always thought that they are not being played fast enough; well Kennedy does it, if the headphones are themselves fast enough to reproduce it and not many are. Not to mention that the genres themselves are so vast: Arvo Part and Tchaikovsky are in the classics, right? But they are a lot more different than any 2 rock bands in the rock genre.
 
As for me, I enjoy the HD10 every day, including for classical. I've been knowing some of the music for many, many years and I thought I know everything about it: well, I was wrong. Are they perfect? To be honest, in my situation which I tried to describe in a few phrases, I don't care: I'm happy being back into my music and not looking for anything else - for a while. But I wouldn't know if they'd do the same for you.
 
As I said, this probably didn't help you much, sorry and good luck.