[Graphicism]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudioDwebe /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think most any other headphones' bass output will appear anemic using the 900s as a basis of comparison. My personal preference seems to lean more toward the bass(lite) versions of many cans/IEMs so I'm hoping the Sony's won't seem so lacking in the nether regions.

Any headphone that doesn't create a seal between the driver and your ear will loose bass definition. You could take the most bass heavy headphone, pull it a few millimeters from your head and the bass will vanish.

 

[AudioDwebe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graphicism /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any headphone that doesn't create a seal between the driver and your ear will loose bass definition. You could take the most bass heavy headphone, pull it a few millimeters from your head and the bass will vanish.

I agree that if you take any headphone designed to be worn in a sealed fashion and you pull them away you'll lose some bass output. But if you're listening to cans designed to be off the ears, then I don't necessarily feel that bass definition is reduced. Certainly, the amount of bass will not be near a closed, bass-heavy can but could be sufficient to be closer to a more neutral presentation.

 

[Graphicism]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudioDwebe /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree that if you take any headphone designed to be worn in a sealed fashion and you pull them away you'll lose some bass output. But if you're listening to cans designed to be off the ears, then I don't necessarily feel that bass definition is reduced. Certainly, the amount of bass will not be near a closed, bass-heavy can but could be sufficient to be closer to a more neutral presentation.

I'm speculating as I haven't heard them but I really don't see how a relatively small driver without a seal could produce low frequencies to even neutral standards. Neutral cans should produce accurate bass, the PFR V1 will likely loose 1 or 2 octaves of low frequency.

 

[haloxt]

I am also comparing the pfr-v1 to my rf 62's and Zino headphones. I think the bass is fine for most types of music but if you listen to heavy electronic music or songs utilizing a lot of bass ambience you will likely be disappointed by the pfr-v1. The pfr-v1 does do quick bass attack well and clearly though, it channels bass through these ducts that are pressing against your inner ear.

 

[leeperry]

there's some mods to increase the bass response: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/son...v1-mod-354523/

 

[AudioDwebe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graphicism /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm speculating as I haven't heard them but I really don't see how a relatively small driver without a seal could produce low frequencies to even neutral standards. Neutral cans should produce accurate bass, the PFR V1 will likely loose 1 or 2 octaves of low frequency.

If a headphone loses one to two octaves in the low end, about what frequency range would that cover?

 

[haloxt]

I've been looking for modded pfr-v1 pictures to see what that grommet mod looks like and wow I just found the motherload, internal pictures! I feel very confident about recabling to balanced now, will probably go with 4ESC canare cable for each driver, with rubber stripped and sheathed in cotton or silk to reduce thickness. Or I could try L-2B2AT but it is only 16 strands per conductor and the foil shielding will keep ripping from use.

SONY PFR-V1　ã®å¿«é©æ”¹é€* レビュー：凹凸人生ï¼Don`t Worry .Be Happy：So-net blog

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[MrGreen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudioDwebe /img/forum/go_quote.gif If a headphone loses one to two octaves in the low end, about what frequency range would that cover?

20-80hz. (an octave is x2 the frequency so 20x2 = 40. 40x2 = 80)

That's about 19 keys on your 88 key piano. (A0-D#2)

 

[AudioDwebe]

Hey, Thanks MrGreen.

I certainly hope the PFR's don't cut off two octaves, as that would cut into the music too much. If it doesn't reproduce anything below 40hz, that's okay, as most of my music doesn't really extend that low anyways.

 

[MrGreen]

I expect it will still produce the sound, but with significant roll-off, similar to what you may experience with a K1000 or headphone of that nature.

 

[haloxt]

I reterminated the stock cable into 4-pin mini-xlr, and using different extension cables to my balanced amp to get an idea of what cable I should use. Right now I'm leaning towards double helix nucleotide wire, 24 awg 40 strand 6N OCC, because I'm liking the warmth and bass of blue dragon extension cable atm, but think highs are less airy, hopefully nucleotide doesn't do that. Will be about 2-3 weeks before I do a real recable and get rid of the stock cable. My multimeter read a difference of .5 ohm between the drivers, I don't know if that's bad or not, but you should measure yours too if you think this is bad before voiding the warranty by modding. And if you mod, just throw out the old wire, it's like 30 strand per conductor and each strand individually insulated, not fun to work with, very thin stock wire, maybe 2-3x thinner than stock ultrasone pro 900 cable.

 

[haloxt]

Did you get the headphones yet AudioDwebe? This forum could use more opinions on these ugly phones .
 
Now at 175 hours
 
things I like about the sound: separation, natural articulation, speed, and soundstage of mids and highs, especially with multiple voices. Very stereo speaker-like.
things i don't like: doesn't go very low or do good continuous or complex bass when you try to push it with heavy electronic music, not bad if you don't mind a mid-high focus.
 
I wrote an amazon review and gave it 5 stars, but on head-fi I would give it a 4 because I think head-fiers should see more flaws with the pfr-v1 than general consumers, especially if there's no recabling done on the pfr-v1 but they still use mid-fi hi-fi source and amp imo.
 
http://www.amazon.com/review/R2WLZZHM1VYEOO/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

 

[haloxt]

Sorry, this is starting to be like a one man circus. Just wanted to let people know that you can do an easy no ear poke fix by shifting the weight from your ear canal entrance to your cheek bone with some sort of cushion, right now I'm using one thick felt pad with two smaller felt pads in the center, but will eventually choose a softer material, cut to prevent additional reflections. This, or a shirt clip, would be recommended if you decide to add weight to the cable, or do not like to feel the duct at the entrance of your ear.
 

 
http://img193.imageshack.us/g/cimg0420g.jpg/

 

[haloxt]

Maybe my last post about this headphone since no one is interested. I just finished recabling everything, 1.5 ft headphone cable with 4-pin mini-xlr, 3 ft extension cable with mini-stereo, and 10 ft extension cable with 4-pin xlr. I must say, it is very difficult to recable the pfr-v1. You can do a max of about ~26 awg (probably need 28 or 29) per conductor if you want to fully insert insulated wires into the driver housing. Instead of my original plan of 24 awg doublehelix nucleotide, I decided to do 2x 25 awg canare L-2B2AT per driver. If anyone ever plans to recable it, feel free to pm or email me for advice and I'll walk you through it step by step to avoid damaging anything. The main effect from recabling to thicker cables is big bass soundstage and highs become less fatiguing. Not essential, but if the bass bothers you, recabling (by an expert if you aren't good at soldering) is a possible solution. An even more important mod is putting padding on the outside of the balls so they rest on your upper cheekbone, taking pressure off of your ear canal. Will make it much much more comfortable, and less time-consuming than a shirtclip to remove/put on.
 
One last comment on sound quality, I think the pfr-v1's strongest point is the nice vocals, which are very detailed and clear. And for some upper mids region (I think) soundstaging, it trounces the pro 900, but its a relatively small region, and pro 900 still is, overall, to a good degree more detailed.

 

[Graphicism]

Maybe the weight of the speaker on the ear canal attributed to some of the bass, as in vibrations felt through the bone. I'm not sure I believe the cable can change the sound properties of the headphone, back in the day Sony used oxygen-free copper litz cables that have now not only been scrapped by the company (AFAIK) but adapted by the cable manufactures and come with a price.
 
I think theres little interest in these because people simply haven't heard them, theres really no reviews and so they're never suggested. ~ Maybe you could write up a review comparing them to other popular headphones for comparison. What do they excel in, how do they excel. Perhaps even lower the bass EQ on the pro 900s until you match that of the PFRV1; just some sort of general idea of sound really.