[jaihel]

I am a little undecided between these 2 headphones. Both get a good review on InnerFidelity and both are on the Wall of Fame.
I can get the Solo2 a bit cheaper (around 100 euros compared to 130 for the Urbanite).
 
My music taste varies, but I really like hip-hop (Dre's new album rocks), Indiepop/rock, Folkpop, R&B, EDM and I also like Grime.
As for artists: Kendrick Lamar, Dr Dre, George the Poet, Arctic Monkeys, Foster the People, The XX, Ultimate Painting, Years & Years etc. etc.
 
Any help would be greatly appreciated, and if more info is needed I can provide it.
 
Thanks! 

 

[cel4145]

Innerfidelity has both listed on their wall of fame page, with links to extensive reviews: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-wall-fame-ear-pad-sealed. Same reviewer for both, so good way to compare.

 

[jaihel]

Innerfidelity has both listed on their wall of fame page, with links to extensive reviews: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-wall-fame-ear-pad-sealed. Same reviewer for both, so good way to compare.

I know, I did so but I'm still undecided. I have this feeling that Beats = Hiphop and Sennheiser = everything else. Hence why I'm asking if someone has ever listened indie on a Solo2

 

[cel4145]

You did notice thr title Tyll gave for the Urbanite review?

 

[jaihel]

You did notice thr title Tyll gave for the Urbanite review?

A great headphone for the kids. Not sure how i would have to interpret that. Care to explain?

 

[cel4145]

A great headphone for the kids. Not sure how i would have to interpret that. Care to explain?

It's quite interesting to compare the Urbanite to the Beats Solo2; both have warm responses, but they're somewhat different in nature. The Beats Solo2 does a better job proportioning the upper-mids to treble transition, but the bass accentuation reaches too far into the mid-range giving it a thick sound. The Urbanite with it's really good bass and mid-range response but rolled-off treble sounds overly polite or veiled.

I think it's important to think about the intended use of both these headphones when considering their sound quality. Being headphones for the broader consuming public and focussed primarily on the younger generation, both these cans will very often be used to reproduce really crappy files. For example, much of my 18 year old daughter's music is ripped from YouTube videos. (Don't ask me what program she uses...kids are pretty adept with computers these days.) Cranking up the volume with high dynamic range compressed tracks and low bit-rate streams with result in harsh, annoying sound. The warm and somewhat rolled-off nature of both the Sennheiser Urbanite and Solo2 will yield a more listenable result for these listeners.

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/great-headphone-kids-sennheiser-urbanite-page-2

Even though I haven't heard these, the measurements confirm what he says. I wouldn't want either pair, especially for indie rock with their rolled of treble and overly bassy signature. But if that's what you are looking for, probably have to hear both to decide which one would better suit you.

 

[jaihel]

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/great-headphone-kids-sennheiser-urbanite-page-2

Even though I haven't heard these, the measurements confirm what he says. I wouldn't want either pair, especially for indie rock with their rolled of treble and overly bassy signature. But if that's what you are looking for, probably have to hear both to decide which one would better suit you.

Thanks! So, if you were to suggest an onear headphone with a neutral sound, in the same pricerange as the urbanite and solo2, what would it be?

 

[cel4145]

I have no idea what prices are like in the Netherlands for headphones, and I don't have a ton of experience with headphones that could be used for portable. But I'd take the ATH-M50 or M50X before one of those. Innerfidelity has reviews for both. They are not neutral, though.

 

[jaihel]

I have no idea what prices are like in the Netherlands for headphones, and I don't have a ton of experience with headphones that could be used for portable. But I'd take the ATH-M50 or M50X before one of those. Innerfidelity has reviews for both. They are not neutral, though.

The M50 sits around the same price. I should have added i will use the headphone 95% on-the-go. Also, i consider myself a casual listener, i wouldnt know if i even heard the difference between a neutral and warm headphone.

 

[cel4145]

i wouldnt know if i even heard the difference between a neutral and warm headphone.

Is there nowhere you can demo any headphones roughly in that price range? Or even more expensive ones? If you can try a few models that are well known to head-fiers--even if they aren't exactly what you want--and then describe how the amount of bass, mids, and treble suits you (or not), then people have good points of reference to make recommendations. Maybe a friend has some good headphones?

Or, if there is a musician type store somewhere nearby that has studio monitors, listen to them a bit with no EQ (and no subwoofer) to see if you like a more neutral kind of sound. On average, studio monitors will tend toward being fairly neutral.

 

[jaihel]

I could listen to some models, but would have no idea what to look for. Problem is that with a wide array of music taste, no headphone will fullfill are your needs, I think. I will go listen to some things and make a decision based upon it.

 

[cel4145]

Problem is that with a wide array of music taste, no headphone will fullfill are your needs, I think.

That's not necessarily true. Some research with listeners by Harman Kardon determined that a majority of people tend to like a similar sound signature across genres when people didn't know what kind of speakers/headphones they were using.

That being said, it can be more fun on occasion to have a bassy headphone for listening to EDM, or a headphone with aggressive mids to bring out guitar.

 

[jaihel]

That's not necessarily true. Some research with listeners by Harman Kardon determined that a majority of people tend to like a similar sound signature across genres when people didn't know what kind of speakers/headphones they were using.

That being said, it can be more fun on occasion to have a bassy headphone for listening to EDM, or a headphone with aggressive mids to bring out guitar.

I see, okay thanks! I'm going to head down the city in a bit and look if i give the headphones a listen.

 

[jaihel]

Update: I've listened to both the Urbanite and Solo2. I prefer the Solo2, I thought vocals came out better, it had a somewhat warmer sound than the Urbanite, it also felt more comfortable than the Urbanite.
 
Still, I'm not sure. Not about the sound quality, but more about the comfort. I never had a headphone (only IEM), so I'm hoping it's somewhat I really need to get used to. The earpads feel good, it's more about the headband. It feels.. Odd.
 
Is this normal?
 
Edit: I find my IEM's (Sennheiser Momentum's) to sound as good if not better than the Solo2.

 

[cel4145]

Glad you were able to try them. That makes all the difference