SoundMAGIC Vento P55 V3 (On Ear Headphone)
Everyday Companion
Everyday Companion
Introduction
This is my review of the Vento P55 V3 - a portable on ear headphone from SoundMAGIC and their Vento series. They are a brand that has been around head-fi since my earliest days in this hobby. They make a range of headphones for different applications and formats. Their name has been synonymous with quality offerings at reasonable prices such as the E80 and the HP150 or HP200.
The official product page can be found here
As you might be able to tell from the official site, this model has undergone a number of revisions and has had a lot of time in it's development. Spoiler alert: It paid off!
Disclaimer
Before I begin this review, I want to thank SoundMAGIC for giving me the opportunity to review the Vento P55 V3 and in providing a review sample in exchange for my honest opinion. These thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone and I reserve the right to change my opinion as time goes on. These are my personal findings and should be taken as such.
About me
Before I get into the nitty gritty of things, I want to provide a little background information in the hopes that it can help put my views in perspective and provide some context for the content of this review.
"Music has always been a huge part of my life, whether it was performing music on stage with my band or more recently, involving myself in this masochistic wonderful hobby of ours. I have always enjoyed listening to music but I haven’t always paid attention to the quality of headphones because I was perfectly content with included cellphone earphones or cheap earbuds from department stores. Ignorance is bliss right? This however all changed when I came across head-fi one day, and that’s when things started to go downhill (for my wallet that is ). It is all too easy to underestimate how large an impact a good pair of headphones can have in the enjoyment of your favorite songs.
After getting my first pair of good headphones, I had felt as if an entirely new world has opened up to me musically and I found myself rediscovering music that I have listened to for many years.
When it comes to musical taste, I can’t say that I have any specific genre that is my absolute favorite, as I like a little bit of everything. But if I had to be specify, I would say that I love mainstream and Pop music and I consider myself to be an average joe in that regard. That is the approach I will be taking in reviewing gear, for people like me who aren’t all that technical and are not audiophiles in the classical sense.
I mostly stream music from the Internet using services such as Spotify and Youtube and like millions of other people, my laptop and cellphone serves as my main media players."
Specifications
Packaging and Accessories
The P55 V3 comes packaged in a stylish box that encloses a soft shell carrying case. The headphone comes packaged inside said carrying case, along with a whole host of accessories. These include two headphone cables, one is a single 3.5 mm single ended cable and the other with microphone and remote control for mobile devices.
It also comes with two short adapter cables, one for switching between different smartphones (in case inline features are not supported) and the other for computer use with separate connections for both audio and microphone.
What is it like to use?
When I try to analyze a headphone I try to take into account why it exists. That is to say what did the creators have in mind. The Vento was designed to be a portable/travel friendly and everyday life friendly headphone.
The headphone is comfortable to wear for long periods of time and I did not experience any discomfort after long listening sessions. There is ample padding in both the headbands and the earcups. Though it is branded an on ear headphone, I feel that it sits somewhere between a true on ear headphone and an over ear headphone. I used it throughout the winter and even when it was pressed against my skin it didn't irritate me. The included case will ensure longevity and easy storage when not in use. While I do wish that the P55 folded into a more compact form, it is still easy to package inside the case when the cups are folded flat.
[The microphone is great for use during phone calls. The people on the other side of the phone call had no trouble hearing me, even while travelling outside and the quality of the voice calls were great overall, no complaints in that regard.
It provides great passive isolation when music is playing and you won't find yourself turning up music volume to drown out surrounding noise. Noise leakage was minimal to non-existent at normal listening volumes.
Sound
First and foremost, the Vento P55 V3 was designed to be a portable headphone and it has been tuned as such. It sports a refined and tastefully done V-shaped sound that flies in the face of it's contemporaries bass heavy and muddy tunings *cough*beats*cough* Oh boy, I guess my allergies are acting up again lol.
I would like to start off by saying that the vento is detailed and energetic headphone. It has energy in the upper registers and lies on the brighter side of neutral, relatively speaking. While this is no grado, if you are used to warm and bass monsters, you might be in for a surprise, as well as, a treat! Allow me to elaborate on why I think this to be the case!
The bass is plentiful in quantity and quality. It also has the added benefit of drowning out ambient noise when listening to music outside. The bass is of high quality and texture is easily discerned. It is controlled and slams hard when called for. I am happy to report that the bass did not bleed into the midrange.
The midrange, though recessed in comparison to treble and bass, is still detailed enough to make vocals standout and not get lost in the mix. Speaking of which, the layering and spacious representation is impressive for an on-ear portable headphone. Not too detailed and overbearing, but dynamic enough to keep you engaged during listening sessions.
All of these attributes make the Vento a wonderful match for metal (or any guitar centric genres) and contemporary pop music. In fact, I tend to use the Vento for listening to my favorite heavy metal and EDM tracks.
Conclusion
Since getting the SoundMAGIC Vento P55 V3, I have used it as my main portable headphone over a period of several months and so I feel I have a good grasp on what it’s about.
From its sleek all business look, to its durable construction, inline mic controls and removable cable, it offers a convenient package that people from all walks of life can use
What’s more, the sound is great for what a portable on-ear headphone should be - energetic and dynamic and the passive isolation means that you can enjoy your music at lower volumes. It pairs well with any portable audio source but does sound better when paired with a good source. It is easy enough to drive that it will sound great out of any portable device.
All of this makes for a wonderful portable package that is sure to make long commutes more bearable and a wonderful daily driver. It is easy to use and sturdy enough to survive the rigors of daily travel and being stuffed into bags. If you are in the market for a sleek and well built headphone that looks great and sounds even better, while not breaking the bank, I urge you to check out the Vento P55 V3.