Pro-Ject Audio - Hear it One - Audiophile stereo headphone - Black

Disclaimer
 
1. I was part of the Pro-Ject's Hear it One tour review. I had the chance to evaluate the headphones for 14 days.
2. I have no affiliation with Pro-Ject Audio in any way.
3. The following words are my personal opinion, I wasn’t forced or leaded to give a favorable review in any way.
 
Big thanks to Felix (WayneWoondirts here in Head-Fi) and Pro-Ject Audio for giving me the chance to review this headphones.
 
 
 
About me
 
I'm an avid music lover. I'm all about listening music on the go, I have tried several Apple product but never own one. To carry a brick has never been an option for me. Used many Creative players for years. The X3 was my first hi-definition portable player.
 
I don’t consider myself an audiophile, but certainly can appreciate quality and I drive myself to find it with the better value possible. My music taste goes from Jazz, to Industrial, to Rap. My digital library is now mostly flac files but also a lot of lossy mp3 files (224 kbps or more), and some 24bit flac files.
 
I’m a web developer and app developer for smartphones, technology is part of my life.
 
 
 
About this review
 
This review comes after evaluating the headphones for 14 days.
Many files type were used in the evaluation, FLAC, mp3, m4a, wav at different bit rates.
 

 
 
 
Specifications
 
http://www.box-designs.com/main.php?tech=hearitone&cat=headphones&lang=en
 

 
 
 
Packing and Built
 
The headphones come in a nice box that give you all the information you need. Inside, the first impression is very good, neat presentation. Getting the headphones out of the box wasn't easy, cable was secured to the box in multiple points, more effort than needed to get the product out of the box.
 
The headphones have a 3.5mm plug, included is a 6.3mm jack adaptor and carrying bag.
 
Cable is non detachable, the cable feel reminds me of the Klipsch Custom 3 cable, which after some months of use it becomes awful to handle. I couldn't test this given the duration of the evaluation period so take it with a grain of salt. Length is 1.25 meters long, suitable for portable use.
 
Overall, build quality is OK for the price, the included carrying bag is certainly a plus.
 
 
 
 
 
Comfort
 
Not suited for long listening sessions, found the clamp force a bit too much, making them not comfy. Maybe I'm being a bit unfair here since I'm used to the comfort of the Sennheiser HD600. After a bit more than an hour I would have to remove the headphones and take a break, my ears would be warm and -tired-. The materials on the Hear It One pads seem good quality and soft, this is why I put the emphasis on the clamping force, probably this will vary depending on the head size.
 
 
 
Sound
 
In short, these headphones sound good but nothing more than that. Fun sound was my first impression, warn but enjoyable, even when this is not my preference in sound signature.
 
Highs, mids and bass all make presence, the later taking a main role. Unsurprisingly the bass was enjoyable on genres like Hip-Hop, Rap, not so much on others. When listening to a broad range of genres is where the main sound issue with these headphones becomes clear, bass can be overwhelming on a lot of genres, more specifically it seems like there is something out of place with the mid-bass. Songs like Jesus, Etc. by Wilco or Atonement by The Roots resulted in a dark touch to the songs, overtaking the mid, making them opaque.
 
This doesn't mean the mid-range is bad, there is a big "it depends" here, if the song doesn't has a mid-bass that would basically eat the mids, is possible to appreciate the best sound of this cans.
 
Micro details are above average, this was a surprise since in my experience fun sounding headphones doesn't provide much micro detail. On rock music or similar genres is easy to spot congestion.
 

 
 
 
Other considerations
  
Isolation is very good. Definitely the best I have found for an on-ear headphone.
 
Using as main source the Fiio X5, but as well tested with smartphones HTC One m8 and Moto G 1st gen. As expected with the Fiio X5 and the HTC One the results were more pleasant, especially the bass with the X5 as source.
 
 
 
Conclusion
 
Hear It One headphone is a difficult recommendation to make, not because the product itself, which offers a fun enjoyable sound, but because, depending on the genres and songs its user plays on it, this might not be the case.
 
As for value, the options on the price range of the Hear It One are abundant, sound, style are factors here, and the first attempt from Pro-Ject Audio doesn't shine on any.

First of all, I would like to say I am no sound expert and just a basic consumer. I have never written a review for anything before. Pro-Ject Audio was nice enough to send me a pair to review and I have to say, I appreciate them taking their time and money, to send them to me. Anyways, onto the review! When I first put these on, they felt amazing on my ears. The ear pads are made from memory foam, they are way too small to fit around my ear and I would consider them more of on-ear headphones, but they are still wearable for at least 2 hours. The ear cups are made of metal. Head band is made of leather. The railing adjustment is very easy to use and I have had no problems with it.

I really do not like the short cable, I mainly used these at my desktop and I kept accidentally yanking my speaker off the desk every time I moved. They sounded just fine on my ipod classic also. I compared these to my koss porta pros and the Hear it Ones have that deeper bass but considering the koss headphones are on-ear, that's no surprise. I used them with my games and had long sessions with my music, they would make a great headset. The sound is neutral with a bit of bass, that's the best I can describe it. Here are some pictures that I took of them. It comes with an extra pair of ear pads, a pouch, and a 3.5mm to 6.3mm adapter.   


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 thanks to @WayneWoondirts I was able to participate in this tour, I appreciate it and it has been a fun experience!
 
 
 

I would like to start with saying thank you to Pro-Ject Europe for giving me the chance to check out the Pro-Ject Hear It One.
 
I’d also like to than my friend Felix (@WayneWoondirts) for making the tour happening and including me on it.
 
The Pro-Ject Hear It One is available on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pro-Ject-Hear-One-Headphones-Black/dp/B008VR9IN4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1445253787&sr=8-3&keywords=pro-ject+hear+it
 
http://www.amazon.de/Pro-Ject-13148-Pro-Ject-Kopfh%C3%B6rer/dp/B008VR9IN4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445254067&sr=8-1&keywords=pro-ject+hear+it
 
http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Ject-Audio-Audiophile-stereo-headphone/dp/B008VR9IN4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1445254105&sr=8-2&keywords=pro-ject+hear+it
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with Pro-Ject.
 
Short about Pro-Ject:
Pro-Ject is an Austria based company that’s been around for quite some time (founded in 1990).
 
For people interested in listening to vinyl Pro-Ject is a well regarded and serious brand in turntables and accessories but they do also offer micro stereo components and headphones.
 

 

 
About me:
I’m a 43 year old music and sound lover that changed my focus from speakers to headphones and IEM’s about five years ago. At that time I realized that it wasn’t realistic for me to have all the different setups that I wanted and still house a family of four children and a wife so my focus turned first to full sized headphones and later also IEM’s.
 
My preferences are towards full sized open headphones and I believe that also says something about what kind of sound signature I prefer (large soundstage in all directions, balanced and organic sound).
 
My music preferences are pretty much all over the place (only excluding classical music, jazz and really heavy metal). My all-time favorite band is Depeche Mode although I also listen to a lot of grunge/indie, singer/songwriter/acoustical stuff as well as the typical top 40 music.
 
I do not use EQ, ever.
 
I’m a sucker for value for money on most things in life Head-Fi related stuff is no exception.
 
Built and accessories:
The Pro-Ject Hear It One is an on-ear dynamic headphone featuring a 38 mm driver.
 
It comes in only one version without a microphone.  
 
The cable has a straight 3.5 mm connector. Although I personally prefer L-shaped (45 or 90 degrees) connectors this one seems very well built and should hold up for a long time. The cable is clothed and seems to be of good quality. It’s connected to the headphones through the left ear cup. Unfortunately the cable is not detachable. I would’ve really liked for Pro-Ject to have used a detachable cable solution to give the customer the option to use a cable with microphone if they want.
 
The build in general seems very solid. The housings are plastic with back plates in aluminum. The headband is made of metal and covered with leather. There’s no denying that the design of the Hear It One is more or less identical to offerings from Fischer Audio, Maxell and Brainwavz. I was lucky to get a hold of a pair of the Brainwavz HM3 for comparison and I can confirm that although the physical design is more or less identical the drivers are not.
 
The retail package is pretty basic for a product at this price point.
 
The accessories pack is pretty spare and includes the following:
 
A 3.5 to 6.5 mm adapter
 
A pouch to store them in when not in use
 
Pro-Ject also offers a second option in ear pads but unfortunately these are not included in the package but have to be bought separately.
 
The Hear It One is average hard to drive but still works fine even with my weak (in power) Sony Z3Compact phone.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
The specs:
 
 
Fit and ergonomics:
I find the Hear It One’s to be very comfortable. The stock pads are plush and soft and even with third party pads the comfort is very high. I usually don’t like on ear headphones because they make my ears hurt pretty quickly but that’s not the case with the Hear It One. I’ve got a very small head and use the Hear It One in their smallest setting and they fit me will this way. Headband adjustment is very simple you just drag the cups to the position that suits you best.
 
As already mentioned the head band is made of leather but it’s also stuffed with memory form for higher comfort and this works very well.
 
Isolation is also quite good, I’d say about average for a closed can and above average for an on ear.  
 
Sound:
I’ve used these as my main Headphones for the last week and they’ve played for well over 100 hours. I’ve used them both around the house and when out and about and I haven’t really found any significant weaknesses in the way they’re designed.
 
I’ve used them with my Sony Xperia Z3 Compact phone (with and without the Elecom LBT-PAR500) as well as the the CEntrance DACport Slim. Although they work well with all of these combinations my favorite is that with the PAR500 due to it being the most lean on the bass out of these sources.
 
Demo list:
Mark Knopfler – Sailing to Philadelphia
Røyksopp (Feat.Susanne Sundfør) – Save Me
Ane Brun – These Days
Michael Jackson – Dirty Diana
Metallica – Die Die My Darling
The Peter Malick Group – Immigrant
Eva Cassidy – Songbird
Thomas Dybdahl – A Lovestory
Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why
Celldweller – Unshakeable
Jack Johnson – Better Together
Seinabo Sey – Younger (Kygo remix)
Dire Straits- So Far Away
Passenger – Let Her Go
Lupe Fiasco - Deliver
Morrissey – Earth Is the Loneliest Planet
 
 
The overall sound signature of the Hear It One’s is intimate, mid-bass focused and on the warm side.
 
The sub-bass’s not the most prominent but it’s still there when called for. The texture of the sub-bass is slightly loose. Mid-bass on the other hand is pretty much ever present. If there’s one thing that can make or break and headphone or IEM for me it’s the quality and quantity of the mid-bass. Unfortunately this is where the Hear It One falls short. The mid-bass are too overwhelming for my taste and the texture of it is also on the loose and boomy side.  
 
The midrange, as long as it’s not interrupted by the mid-bass, is actually quite nice with good texture and liquid presentation. Vocal (especially male) comes out as clear and full and doesn’t feel recessed.
 
Treble is also soft, full and smooth but rolls of too early for my preference and also lack some sparkle to be engaging enough. On the other hand this means that there’s no sibilance at all with them. 
 
Clarity and micro details are also pretty good, especially for a headphone this warm and bassy sounding. Soundstage width is nothing special and the presentation is quite intimate but soundstage depth is good.
 
I’d also like to add some extra information regarding sound and the possibility to tweak it with the use of different pads.
 
Since Pro-Ject actually offers a second design of pads for the Hear It One’s (although I’ve not been able to find any place that sells them) I’d thought that it’d be relevant to include this section.
 
By changing the stock pads with their very small opening to pads with a larger opening the sound changes quite dramatically. The mid bass presence are heavily reduced (albeit still slightly too much for my preference), soundstage is larger and details comes across better. Given the kind of customers already familiar with Pro-Ject through their other products it’s unbelievable to me why they didn’t include the pads with the bigger opening in the package (or at least shipped them with those instead) if  they had I’m pretty sure that the Hear It One would’ve been a much more popular headphone. This reviewer would most likely have rewarded them with one star higher rating if this had been the case.
 

Alternative pads with large opening.

Stock pads with small opening.
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
  
Don Scorpio Dolphin’s vs Pro-Ject Hear It One:
Compared to the Hear It One the Dolphin’s is slightly brighter sounding with a bigger soundstage width and depth. Although the Dolphin’s has a lift in the mid-bass they never cross the border for what I’m comfortable with and they’ve got quite a bit less mid-bass compared to the Hear It One. Sub-bass is pretty similar in quantity but the Dolphin’s got better layering and tighter bass. The Dolphin’s also has better micro details, separation and clarity.
 
Although both of these are well built and very comfortable I’d give the edge on both accounts to the Dolphin’s.
 
They’re both equally easy to drive.
 
Isolation is slightly better on the Dolphin’s.
 
Takstar Pro80 vs Pro-Ject Hear It One:
Compared to the Hear It One’s the Pro80’s has a much bigger soundstage width while depth is pretty similar. Sub-bass impact is quite similar but the Pro80’s got better quality bass. Mid-bass has less quantity but is tighter on the Pro80’s. The overall signature on the Pro80’s is also brighter and the treble is thinner but has better extension. The Pro80’s also has better micro details, separation and clarity.
 
 
I find the Pro80’s to be more comfortable and both are very well built.
 
The Pro80’s are harder to drive.
 
Being around ear design the Pro80’s offers better isolation.
 
Brainnwavz HM3 vs Pro-Ject Hear It One:
Despite their extremely similar looks the HM3 and Hear It one does not sound the same (although similar). Compared to the Hear It One the HM3 has a more airy presentation with significant less mid-bass presence. Overall presentation is also slightly brighter and more air while details are similar.
 
Although the design is very similar I still find the Hear It One to be the more comfortable of the two due to its better materials used in the headband.
 
These two are equally easy to drive.
 
Isolation is similar on both.
 

Similar looks, different internals.
 
Summary:
To sum things up I must honestly say that I’m struggling to see the red thread with this offering from Pro-Ject. I would’ve thought that with their position in the audiophile world they’d like to offer something in the same line when they turned to headphones. Instead they offer a bass dominated sound signature suited for young people listening to music on YouTube combined with a design that’s certainly more appealing to older people (like me).  Also the on ear design sends a pretty clear message that this is a headphone to be used when on the move but still there’s no choice for a microphone with them.
 
Despite of this the Hear It One offers a quite enjoyable listening (with other pads than the stock ones), good isolation and very good comfort. In all this has been a very interesting and fun first encounter for me with Pro-Ject.
 
In the future I really hope that Pro-Ject comes out with a full sized bigger brother to the Hear It One that’s more oriented towards the audiophile public.

First thing's first lads, I was sent these headphones to review by Pro-Ject Audio (their manufacturers), as a part of their head-fi review tour. Special thanks to @WayneWoondirts and Simon from Henley Designs for being timely, polite, and generally great guys.
 
About me:
I'm a rural Irish university student, adamant music lover, tech enthusiast, and gamer. I listen to a wide range of music, from classical to EDM, and almost everything in-between. The few times when I'm not listening to music, I'm either with friends, in a lecture, or gaming.
 
Introduction:
 
So, who exactly are Pro-Ject audio? I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t know, these headphones were the first I’ve seen of them! They’re an Austrian manufacturer of analogue audiophile equipment, and now, headphones. Today we’ll be taking a look at their first offering, the Hear-it Ones.
 
Use Case:
 
The Hear-it Ones have received 3 weeks of intermittent usage, as well as several heavy listening sessions, they would have been most frequently compared with my Zensor 3 bookshelf speakers (which I use as my reference), my OSTRY KC06As (which I use for portable listening daily), and my Audio Technica A900Xs (which I use as my main gaming cans). The Hear-it Ones have been used portably, for gaming, and for both casual and intensive listening.
 
Packaging and Accessories:
 
The unboxing experience of the Hear-it Ones was relatively painless, I would go as far as to say enjoyable. They came contained in a strangely appealing box of yellow and white, and sat fairly well protected on a fine fabric covered cardboardy pulp, moulded to hold the cans nicely with some wiggle room. I’d say that you can have confidence in these headphones arriving undamaged through international shipping.
 
Inside the box sat a 3.5mm to 6.3mm jack for studio equipment, and a silky carry bag with ‘Project Audio Systems’ plastered on the front. I’d say that the accessory range was entirely average, if not a little better owing to the generally high quality feel of the accessories provided.
 
Score: 7.5/10 – Better than adequate, well executed.
 
Build:
 
Taking the headphones from their cradle the first thing I noticed was their reasonably light and high quality construction. Some of the headphones’ chassis and headband was plastic, and an icky glossy kind to boot, but aside from this they’re pretty well constructed. The back of the driver is secured by a piece of metal with the Pro-Ject logo etched onto it, and the headband is wrapped in a soft leather. The craftsmanship one can find on these cans is worth noting, the headband has a fairly pleasant stitching all along it’s sides, and I’d be confident that those details would stand the test of time, as they felt substantial and durable. The earcups could be extended and retracted on little metal stints, they felt pretty sturdy, but I wouldn’t be comfortable putting them under strain. Moving down to the cable, it’s 1.25 meters long, which indicates that they’re intended for portable use, which troubles me because they don’t seem to try to fit into portable use aside from that one detail (said cable, for example, is totally non-removable – not great for durability outside).
 
Sure, the cans are light, and fairly well built, but the cups don’t fold in, the cable doesn't detatch, and the headphones are intended to be over the ear! They still can be used as portable cans easily enough, but the 1.25m cable is a serious restraint for home usage, and one that has frustrated me greatly during their use – I find myself tethered to my desk to an uncomfortable degree. Outside of this quibble, the cable is made of a woven, Kevlar like material, and is satisfying to both the touch and the eye (although appears to be incredibly kink-prone). Don’t abuse these headphones and they should hold up just fine.
 
Score: 7/10 – Once again, better than average due to some attention to detail, but not flawless.
 
Comfort:
 
One of the most important factors in the construction of any headphones is how comfortable they are, and these cans don’t shine here. Certainly not for me, and reportedly multiple other users. The issue we all seem to be running into is that, these cans aren’t big enough to be over-ears. The cups simply don’t, and won’t fit over my ears, they sit on-ear and squeeze. This is an important issue for a number of reasons. Not only does this render them prone to over-heating ears, rubbing, and compressing ear cartilage over-time, it also changes what they sound like. I’ll elaborate on this point in the sound section of the review. This failing is a massive shame, as the pads included with the Hear-it Ones are remarkably soft and comfortable feeling, but they do nothing to mitigate the pressure applied to the ears when worn as on-ears. They headband is of a nice material, and while not amazingly comfy, is well padded and isn’t uncomfortable by any means, it could do with being a bit wider methinks.
 
For the average user, perhaps these cans will end up being perfectly comfortable, but for me and many others (I should note that I really don’t have very large ears) they’re not, and I unfortunately that can’t be excused. Over long listening sessions my ears got very sore, and very hot, while I’ve had worse *cough* Sony… They still make themselves a poor choice for most potential customers.
 
Score: 4.5/10 – Comfort issues make long-term usage an impossibility.
 
Style:
 
Often overlooked, the looks of a pair of cans is something definitely worth noting, pride in a product owned is a good thing, and companies that can instil beauty in their products are also worth noting. The Hear-it Ones have a very retro feel about them (probably because they’re using an old AKG chassis), and they neither oversell nor sully this point, they look generally respectable. The colour-scheme is coherent and sensible; black, and white, with red accents and some metal. They’re nice enough looking to behold, and similarly decent looking when worn. They’re not winning any awards, but I’m pleased with their adequacy.
 
Score: 7/10 – Sensible and conservative, but soft enough on the eye.
 
Portability:
 
As said previously these are somewhat awkwardly placed for portability, having a short braided cable, and a lightweight design, however being over-ears with non-folding cups, and a non-removable cable – but this is a personal quibble, as a user who uses IEMs for out and about listening, I find that to wear headphones for out and about use necessitates portability centric design. However, these cans are light, have a short cable, and hang around the neck nicely. I’d say as a pair of do-all cans they’d be portable enough, but this is a matter of opinion, and personally I’ll stay with IEMs or folding cup on/over ears (for backpack storage).
 
Score: 7.5/10 – Not quite what I’d call portable, but they’re usable on the go.
 
Sound Quality:
 
This is where this review becomes interesting. Pro-Ject Audio’s CEO set out a clear message on camera (https://youtu.be/XF8Cp13uOPA), the Hear-It line will bring audiophile sound, cheap. Here I’ll explore the many areas in which Pro-Ject have succeeded, and why they have failed.
On the offset I’d like to say that these cans have many of the qualities I would desire in a pair of headphones, many of the qualities that would make me want to go out and purchase a pair for my personal use. Pro-Ject have managed to stay away from committing all but one cardinal sin with these cans, the cardinal sins being:
 

• The total absence of a range of frequencies
• The overpowering abundance of a range of frequencies
• A lack of control in a range of frequencies

          and,

• A total lack of tonal balance

 
The Hear-it Ones offer a reasonable tonal balance, presence of high, mid, and lower frequencies, and solid control in all fields. If you wander into a highstreet store and browse 100 euro headphones you’re sure to find most high-brand cans fail to provide what Pro-Ject have here. Now that is no excuse, Pro-Ject have experience in the audiophile sphere and aim at a separate market than the popular brand-names of today – but considering it’s their first jab at headphone design, I’d like to praise them for continuing their audiophilic tradition. Well done. Furthermore, they’ve actually achieved in creating an offering with some absolutely shining strengths. But I don’t think they’re for me, or for most of their audience.
 
The Hear-it Ones offer a wonderfully crafted mid-range, warm and intimate, controlled and extraordinarily well detailed. Vocals both male and female fit into place nicely, instrumentation hold their ground nicely, with solid separation and a pleasing timbre. Listening to rock, indie, and metal can be a very pleasing experience with these headphones.
 
Moving on with my praise, highs are fairly well extended (although they do still drop off too quickly for my taste, I’d like more sparkle and extension with cymbal crashes, etc.), they never even border on fatiguing, regardless of what source or file quality I use.

Soundstage is definitely present and accurate; not mind-blowing, but actually considerably more developed than I would have expected (I was perfectly able to play Counter Strike: Global Offensive on the Hear-It Ones). The Hear-it Ones manage considerable transparency for their price range, and liveliness isn’t lacking (any Hear-it One owners should try ‘The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!)’ by ‘The Decemberists’ on the album ‘The Hazards of Love’, the instrumental intro I found particularly pleasing on these cans). They’re truly awesome cans! I’d have no issue giving them my total approval, but alas, they’re held back by a rather unfortunate flaw.
 
Here my praise has to stop, because I have to acknowledge the elephant in the room, the scuff on the Lambo, the utter party-pooper. That upper/mid-bass section needs to go. ASAP. You know that one classmate from back in secondary school? That’s right, the one who followed you around eating powdery food and loudly licking his fingers, proceeding to try and touch everyone?
 
That’s what the upper/mid-bass manifests itself as. Undesirable. To my untrained ears its sounds like Project-Audio have raised 400Hz to 1kHz considerably. A quick google returned similar criticisms, soundandvision.com declared that the Hear-it Ones had “a lot more energy between about 600 Hz and 2 kHz than most headphones”¹. To be clear, the bass response on these cans isn’t as awful as it could be. They exhibit decent control, and the umph factor hasn’t gone anywhere from where I would expect it to be, the problem is that this umph sits atop of the satisfying midrange and pleasant highs, strangling them, challenging them. This quoted 600 Hz to 2 kHz range forces the midrange and high end of these cans to fight through a cloak of darkness, and bass-heavy tracks can become a muddy mishmash of umph, with the occasional cymbal or lyric popping through, stumbling along with the over-enthusiastic bottom-end of these otherwise tremendous cans.
 
This is such a massive shame. Even with this bassy exaggeration, some parts of some tracks succeed in being entertaining, fun, and enjoyable – but they’re the minority, and often won’t last a full song.
 
I figure that at this point I’m starting to sound very critical and perhaps a tad unfair, I have, after all, praised almost all other properties of these cans. Well I have to admit that at some point this objectively disagreeable bass boost criticism slipped into my disagreeability towards bass humps. But that’s what I signed on to do with this review, give my subjective opinion. Honestly, I’m sure to some buyers this wouldn’t be quite as much of a problem, and power to those people. But I wonder who they are, and where they’ll be buying from – considering most audiophile buyers find highly bassy cans muddy and unpleasant.
 
And all of this being said, should Pro-Ject offer a mark II of the Hear-it ones, with better extended highs, larger ear cups, and a flatter bass response, I’d gladly throw whatever money I have at them, because these are truly awesome headphones without that bumped up bottom-end. And I do hope they will. Meanwhile, if anybody has a pair of Hear-it Twos, do let me know.
Certainly, I’ll be watching Pro-Ject Audio with keen eyes from here on out.
 
Score: 5/10 – Could’ve so easily gotten an 8, Very solid minus issues with bass response.
 
Conclusion:
 
Pro-Ject Audio have produced a truly promising pair of cans, one I’m honestly a little reluctant to criticise. But sometimes one must be cruel to be kind, and the truth will out, and all that jazz. They’re light, well constructed, nice looking, and could be really rather comfortable if your ears are the right size. They so nearly sound much better than their price might indicate, but they don’t. For me, they weren’t portable enough for outside use, didn’t have the cable length for comfortable home use, and weren’t comfortable enough for long listening sessions at all. Worst of all, they were far too bottom heavy – and spat all over their considerable strengths.
 
A truly admirable attempt, but not good enough to win me over. I wouldn’t recommend them in their current incarnation unless you have the money to spare, and interest to sate.
But do keep your eyes out. And if anybody has a pair of Hear-it Twos, really, do let me know, I’d love to arrange a temporary swap for some cans of my own.
 
 
Overall Score: - 6/10
 
¹http://www.soundandvision.com/content/review-pro-ject-hear-it-one-headphone#5oODSyPtAseFkF3I.97

Introduction
 
            I would like to start this review off by saying thank you to the folks at Pro-Ject Audio systems for lending me a pair of their brand new Hear-it-One headphones. Pro-Ject has made a name for themselves through their highly regarded turntables and accessories. I own a Debut III and I absolutely love it, especially for the price. The Hear-it-One is their first foray into the headphone market. This particular headphone is a closed back, over ear model. These cans retail for an MSRP of $129, which puts them directly into a highly competitive market segment against other mass appeal headphones from the likes of Sennheiser, Skullcandy, Beats, and V-moda. Read on to hear my impressions.
 
Build and Accessories
 
            The Hear-it-One comes in a sturdy, nicely packaged box. Included with the headphones is a ¼ adapter and cloth carrying pouch. The headphones themselves have a retro/timeless look and design to them. While I could see some people being turned off by this design, I think they are sharp looking. The headphones are mostly plastic with metal on the ear cups and headband. The ear cups and headband themselves are covered in leather and very comfortable. Due to their construction these headphones are light on the head and I can see no problem with having them on for long listening sessions. Overall the headphone is well built and looks great. My only complaint would be with the cable. The cable is a cloth wrapped wire which I am still on the fence about. Another issue is that the cable is non replicable and feels a bit too short for any type of listening aside from a phone or player in a pocket.
 

 
 
 
Sound
 
            Now it’s time for the fun part. Most of my listening time for these headphones has been straight from my HTC One M8 and from the headphone out on my MacBook Pro. I have used this headphone with my desktop DAC/Amp combo as well as my Fiio X3. While the Hear-it-One did improve slightly when being fed from these sources I figured the majority of the target market for these headphones would not be using any fancy equipment to listen to these headphones, thus my impressions are with equipment available to everyone.
            Starting with the Bass, I would call the Hear-it-One a bass emphasizing but not bass heavy headphone. The emphasis is most present in the mid bass region, these cans don’t dig into the deep impactful sub bass but there is definitely enough bass to get your toes tapping. The emphasis on mid bass gives this headphone an overall warm and thick character. Sadly the low end likes to leak into the mid range making vocals seem a bit more distant than I like. This isn’t the case with every song but in general I found that the midrange was very laid back to neutral. The best way to describe the mids would be that they are just there, nothing begging to be listened to no matter what you throw at them. This leaves the treble, which comes off as clear and defiantly a bit more emphasized than the midrange but never close to fatiguing. While treble fans might find this headphone to be lacking, for me I thought the treble was largely neutral and accurate. Cymbals and chimes ring with the correct amount of sparkle and decay.
            My favorite thing about this headphone is the soundstage and imaging. In this category the Pro-Ject punches above its weight class. Despite being a closed design, the Hear-it-One has better imaging than even some open headphones that I’ve listened to. With the imaging on this headphone I could pick out nuances of instruments and hear the distinct parts of their attack and decay. I could also hear the instrument placements within the recording. The superb imaging on this headphone constantly surprised me revealing parts of my music that I had never paid attention to before. Because of the Pro-Ject’s imaging qualities, the soundstage, while not huge is also very enjoyable…and remember we’re talking about a closed back headphone here!
            In summary of the sound characteristics, the Hear-it-One has a mid-bass oriented sound with the rest being neutral. The bass hits but doesn’t dig too deep and the mids are neutral but get covered up by the mid bass more times than not. The treble is clear and inoffensive. By far the strongest characteristic of this headphone is the soundstage and imaging which offers a window into rich layered sound.
 
Conclusion
 
            So how does Pro-Ject’s Hear-it-One stack up in a crowded market? As a sum of its parts I think this is a pretty average headphone that will have trouble standing out against other offerings in its price range. For just a few more bucks you can get the ATH-M50 or Sennheiser Momentum both of which sound better. For the same price, you can get the V-Moda Crossfade, which has better construction and a removable cable. I would recommend the Pro-Ject over other options only to somebody who is looking to try something new and places a high priority on soundstage and imaging. Much like its midrange, this headphone is neither a home run or a failure, it just is.
 

Disclaimer (MUST READ):
First of all, I don’t own the headphone. I am a part of Pro-Ject Hearing Tour and I would like to say thank you to Felix for lending me this headphone (Sending it all the way from Europe to Indonesia) I am thrilled to be a part of it.
For the dearest reader, audio reviewing is something which is happen to be very subjective to the sound preference of every each person, so that the experience might be different one to another, and as a reviewer I would highly recommend people to audition headphones (at least once) before make any final decision or opinion. And as I create this review, I am honestly try to express what I have experienced with Hear It One headphone, and for Pro-Ject, hopefully I don’t offend you in any way, and instead using it as a concern for the future product development (perhaps Hear It Two? ;P)
Have fun reading peps!
 


 
Design & Build:
 
Very contrast with the elegant packaging, the headphone itself felt & looked plastic. The plastic that covers the cup and the metal band make the overall cheap impression. I would much prefer the leathery headband to be paired with more subtle material instead of glossy plastic, perhaps matte black or gun metal. The headband itself padded enough for this lightweight headphone.
The headphone was relatively small for over-the ear but it is not foldable, it is not rotating flat, make it very hard companion to travel with. Sit on your neck, the edgy cups doesn’t feel comfortable.
Braided cable, non-detachable, no In-Line mic controls, relatively too short. Braided cable tends to get stiff and curling over time (like my Vmoda M100 does). No In-Line control makes it less hand phone friendly.
 

 
 
Durability:
 
Since it is new, in term of durability I can’t proof it is not durable but my biggest concern would be the cups that sliding up and down. Since there is nothing that will lock it from moving (such as Sennheiser Momentum or Urbanite in a similar design), or any click stopper (which we will found in most headphones) it will loosen by wear & tear.
Another thing to be added is that, none of the headphone parts were user replaceable. None at all. If anything happen to be torn out, you need to DIY yourself. If I look at my Sennheiser HD429 (which is happen to be $20 cheaper, every single thing can be replaced, especially the ear pads and cable)
 

 
Comforts:
 
The headphone sit steady on your ear without that clumsy feeling compared to my HD429. The biggest downside from this headphone nonetheless would be comforts. Even though it is designed as Circum-aural, instead, it sat on top of the ears just like supra-aural. And yes, supra-aural if you familiar, it will give a pressure on your ears instead of around it. But, supra aural headphone designed so the pads sit on your ear, instead of your driver, which happen to be the opposite with Hear It One, the pads are half over the ear, and the driver press the ear. And I would say the clamping force is quite high. Even that I like the sound characteristic, maximum for me using the headphones was no more than 15-20 minutes. It sores a lot. I struggle the same thing with my VModa M100, BUT their pads is replaceable and Vmoda smartly provide a larger and deeper XL Pads which saved my day.
 
Features:
 
Lack of features. With the price, I wish at the lowest point I can change the ear pads. The closest competitor would be the legendary ATH-M50, even have a detachable cables and folding feature. Further away if I compared it with Vmoda M100 which have tons of features.
I am questioning about which direction the design itself try to bring. The cable relatively short so definitely not the type of hi-fi listening where you might need to sit further from the desk setup. When the cable designed short, I assume it is for portability, but the straight angle jack is not that friendly for portable player in your pocket. Even for portable use, the cable still too short.
 
 
Noise isolation is pretty descent due to the clamping pressure and the ear pads design. Noise leaking pretty much less.
 
Player Sony Z1 Compact -->FiiO E17K For comparison with Vmoda M100 & Sennheiser HD429
Hear It One Sit Next to my Vmoda M100
Hear It One Sit Next to my HD429
 
 
Sound Quality:
 
I know I might have sound unhappy with everything that I wrote up there, but now here I come to the part which I love the most!
38mm driver relatively small for over the ear headphones but the sounds was not small at all compared to a far bigger driver (VModa M100) With 32ohm impedance, the headphone will be easily driven by any music players without the need of amplifiers.
 
Bass:
Without amplification the bass was very friendly to my ears. It is exactly in the right portion, not overwhelming, as well as not powerless. Less tubby (edgy bass) is something that I have been looking for from a piece of headphone and it nailed it (not even my Vmoda M100 nailed it). As I amplified the bass (using equalizer and my bass setting in my FiiO E17K), instead of being punchy, it is getting boomy (which I love by the way), but not distorted or bloated muffled bass, it is not overwhelming and still well controlled, but still not as tight as my Vmoda M100 (but as I recall the driver size & price is far different).
 
Mids:
The first thing I notice when I turn it on is the mids, I assume the lower mids (especially where vocal is) was closer/forward/in-front compared to other frequencies, followed by the bass, and laid back trebles. The vocal sound very natural for me (as I come out from my daily use Vmoda M100). Non harsh sibilance from the female vocal, clean & soft. I will say that to my sound preference, Hear It One has nailed the vocal. I can hear a slight detail on the lower guitar string compared to my Vmoda M100.
 
Treble:
Treble is laid back compared to other frequencies. Non textured. Feels like overwhelmed by the forward vocals and sub-bass but I still can see it from far away waving at me (LoL). The treble is soft, not harsh, no annoying sibilance, it just like listening to the waves hitting the shore at the beach. But in exchange for that soft non-aggressive trebles, that guitar string, the tingling cymbal, and all those rattling high frequencies doesn’t sound that fun compared to my Vmoda M100. Definitely not a match with percussion like my Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear where you can hear almost every percussion (but straight outta box, Momentum In Ear sounds terrible, need a EQ tweaks here and there, gladly to say not with Hear it One).
 
Sound staging & Detail:
I would say that Hear It One brings up an intimate performance with less spacial in between the vocals and instruments to instruments (perhaps due to the smaller driver?) at least compared to my Sennheiser HD429 (40mm) and Vmoda M100 (50mm). But I still catch some echo/sound reverb from the vocal which give a bit width. As I listening the music through Hear It One, I see (a.ka heard) the music as a whole picture instead of part per parts. In terms of details, I will say that it won’t be delightful for people who love analytical or reference type of headphone. You will hear what you need to hear. I don’t mean it as a bad thing though, as I recall upgrading my IEM more and more, I began to be more analytical and start to forget to enjoy the music and song as it is.
 
Conclusion:
 
Pro-Ject Hear It One crafting an intimate mellow approach towards its sound signature with a slight emphasize in the vocal producing. It warm sound happens to excel with a very natural sounding vocal to my ears. Although it is not so detailed or analytical vice versa, its non-aggressive sounding with non edgy from the top-to-bottom of frequencies make the music listened as a whole instead of individual parts. The less forward treble and more forward vocal made Hear It One well suited with Pop, Bossa Nova, or Classical, while it might not be as fun as Vmoda M100 for any electrical music, trance or instruments due to its soft trebles, but again, its well controlled bass and mids made it still enjoyable, and definitely not annoying.
I am honestly thrilled with the sound, pretty impressive for the price range, definitely excel with the natural sound and vocal, but as to my sound preference I would much prefer that it have a bit more kick in the higher frequencies. The biggest issue still will be comforts, features, and the plasticky feels, but definitely not the sound quality. 
 
 IMHO

I am not much in headphones but I got opportunity to test these nice looking cans. I mostly use Skullcandy Titan earplugs with iPhone or just listen music with my pair or Genelec M030 active speakers. I have been planning to buy something like these so it was good time to give them a try.

Packaking is not fancy but fancier than it was on my Pro-Ject Maia Pre. Hear it One are nicely built and materials feel good. Few years ago I had about 50 € headphones from Sony and they had really bad plastic feeling. 

I haven't been using closed headphones for a while so first hey did not feel comfortable at all. Ear pads are little bit too small for me but after few days of use they feel almost good. I think Pro-Ject sells different type of earpads.

First impression of the sound was... too much bass. Really too much. But I was in a silent environment. In a bus bass is not bad at all any more. But they are too big to carry around. Except the bass sound is nice and neutral with iPhone 5S, retina MacBook Pro and iMac. I think most of the people with 100 € headphones use equipment like that?

My first idea was to use them with movies and PS4 but even my tv set is not more than 1,5 meters away, cable is too short. And it cannot be changed to longer one. I moved my sofa little bit to play Farcry 4. Heavy bass is not a problem with games. Soundstage is pretty good. Because of the cable I did not compare Maia Pre to other devices with music. If the cable is not problem and you don't need mic these would be good for players. Gaming headphones are usually lousy quality.

I kind of like these headphones, but cable is too short for living room use and they are too big for traveling. They sound better when I'm out in a noisy environment. So they just don't fit to my needs. With lower level of bass and longer or changeable cable it would be different situation.

 
Disclaimer
 
I just want to say an honorary thank you to Felix for arranging this product tour and also a thank you to Pro-Ject for the opportunity to give feedback on these headphones. That being said I have no affiliation with Pro-Ject so all opinions are written purely and as objectively as possible.
 
Background about Pro-Ject
 
Pro-Ject Audio Systems was founded 25 years ago. In 2006 the company also started a venture into micro hi-fi components including DACs, amplifiers etc.
 
Actually one of Pro-Ject’s amplifiers happened to be one of the first audiophile components I got the chance of trying as I was growing into my audio hobby/addiction.  So a little bit of a privilege and nostalgia getting to try out one of their later products. 
 
Here are two links to Pro-Ject’s products page for further product information and specifications: 
 
http://www.box-designs.com/main.php?tech=hearitone&cat=headphones&lang=en
 
http://www.box-designs.com/main.php?prod=hearitone&cat=headphones&lang=en
 
Inside the Box
 
I don’t quite know why but the lime green has a certain alluring appeal, as you can see in the photos the presentation is pleasant, neat and tidy. On the back of the box Pro-Ject have decided to add a little tease for all us audio addicts out there by picturing one of their headphone amplifiers on the back unfortunately, the amp isn’t included. 
 
 

 
So what is? Well of course you get the Hear it One headphones and also a ¼ inch adaptor with a slightly thin but suitable carrying pouch not too shabby for a headphone costing under a 100 Euros. The carry case is ample for travel and I would assume will protect the headphones from scratches and tarnishing. 
 

 
 
 
 
Build Quality and Design
 
Whilst I haven’t had a copious amount of experience with over ear headphones these certainly seem well built in comparison to a few other models which will remain nameless. The design reminds me slightly of the Fostex T50RP’s only a slightly less macho version, a mini me if you will. The housing is made of plastic but doesn’t feel cheap or give off that tacky expression in any sort of way.
 
The cable design is made of a light weight fabric however, doesn’t exactly scream quality but a pragmatic design no less. The cable unfortunately, is somewhat cheap feeling and is also hardwired in, not a deal breaker but something that may be good to see in a later revision unit. Thankfully the internal wiring used is OFC so some thought was put into the sound quality aspect. The cable length is a modest 1.25M long perfect for portable use. 
 
You can also make adjustments to the size and fit by moving the ear cups up and down the metal sliders. The headband is covered in a nicely finished leather and in addition you get Pro-Ject’s logo printed across the headband a subtle touch I quite like.
 

 
 
 
Comfort and Isolation
 
Hehe oh boy one thing I feel I can brag about a little here is certainly the comfort. Pro-Ject have decided on using a memory foam inside the ear pads. This has resulted in wonderful comfort and isolation managing to block out a decent amount of external noise. Due to the design and pads I personally find these one of the more comfortable over ear headphones I’ve tried.
 
I must mention though my ears are fairly small so the ear cups cover my ears perfectly and for those with slightly bigger ears this may not be the case. Still all in all great design not felt any discomfort regarding pressure or that overly warm feeling you can get from over ears.
 
Sound Quality
 
Let us move on to the bit we always find ourselves wanting to skip to. How do these sound! Broken down below is some basic impressions and conclusion on the overall sound quality of these headphones.
 
Treble 
 
The treble is nicely presented with detailed offerings splashed into the music as you listen in. But there isn't anything too special to mention here, it's not particularly airy but the sense of separation is there just enough for you to pick out an instrument or two. Anyone looking for mammoth amounts of detail I'd look elsewhere but for the price there's certainly nothing to be sniffed at.
 
Should you have a whiff though you might find yourself wanting a little more aroma and extension? I didn't find the headphones particularly fatiguing but after a while I found myself a touch exhausted with the presentation wanting just a little more excitement without the added aggression. Treble detail did seem to improve slightly with burn in time becoming less grainy and more refined finding its place within the sound spectrum a little better.
 
All in all it is fairly competent in what it’s trying to accomplish but there are others that do a better job at this price point, combining an extra bit of sparkle with a dash more sophistication.  
 
Midrange
 
Okay well don't let me fool you into believing these are a complete faux par when it comes to sound quality because they’re not. The vocals do take a back seat and try and let the bass and treble drive the sound and chips in its part by pointing out landmarks across the way.
 
Still even with the relaxed presentation there is still plenty of information presented from guitar plucks and subtle breaths in songs. There is a downside to the recession with some female vocal tracks voices can sound a little distant and hazy making you crank up the volume to push them forward a bit. However, with the right recording they do reproduce a warm rich sound that blends in well with the bass.
 
Personally I’d like a more forward presentation and added clarity in the vocal department however, I have heard a lot worse. Furthermore there is a nice sense of warmth that comes across in the vocal range making for a more relaxed listening session, a coffee by the fireplace sort of deal.
 
Bass 
 
Despite some of its shortcoming the Hear it One does do bass and does it quite well I might add. These are by no means bass heavy headphones but there is a certain bias towards it. The mid bass is prominent on any track when it calls for it but does its best to stay out the way of the rest of the sound spectrum.
 
Moving a little lower to the sub bass region is where the poor Hear it One seems to bottom out a bit extension goes down quite well but not quite deep enough to reach those dirty, window rattling levels.
There is a slight lack of texture and bass definition so you don’t always necessarily get the same definition as you would from something like ATH-50s.  Still I can’t find a lot to fault here as nothing messes up the overall sound and I quite like its character in the way it presents itself when called upon.
 
Soundstage and Imaging
 
Remarkably considering the overall darker tone of the headphone and lack of air the soundstage doesn’t seem to suffer from it. In fact it was one of the things that caught my attention the moment I heard them. There is good width and depth with an almost out you head kind of feel. Now here is where I have to take some brownie points away due to half assed attempted imagery, okay that’s a little harsh, no you can place instruments around the place here and there but there’s just no really pin pointing where it’s all coming from it almost feels a little like a blur then a flash of “Oh wait what was that”. But criticism aside there is still that lovely soundstage to take the edge off some of its inadequacies.
 
Concluding thoughts
 
Whilst I can’t hand on heart say this would be my go to recommendation for a set of over ear headphones. I will say for the price they actually haven’t gone far wrong. It’s a shame because something such as Sennheiser’s baby Momentum’s are now going for as little as £60 on eBay and to me offer a little more bang for buck. The Hear it one is a good headphone and I would like to see some DIY’ers get their hands on it to see what they can do to pull out some of its hidden potential. Regrettably though as it stands it a good attempt and certainly a comfy headphone but the market has become an even tougher place now to standout with price performance ratios being beaten every day.
 
Please check out some of Pro-Jects other stuff as well though because they're a great company with a lot of solid offerings, whom I’m sure we will get to see a lot more from in the future.
 
Thanks for reading and if there are any questions please comment below and I will do my best to respond. 

Disclaimer:

I received these headphones for the purpose of this review directly from Pro-Ject.
 
Introduction:

After a series of lucky coincidences I found myself on the phone with Pro-Ject's founder and CEO, who was willing to send me a pair of his first headphones, the Hear it One.
I was always fond of Pro-Ject since I walk past their turntables every day and I have not heard a single bad word about them. So I was very interested in testing these.
 
My main source for this review was the AK100 II
 

 
About Pro-Ject:
 
Pro-Ject Audio Systems, founded 25 years ago, is best known for their turntables which are often used as reference entry level models. Since 2006 they also manufacture some micro hi-fi components, such as DACs, amplifiers or speakers, under the name of Box Design.
In 2012 Pro-Ject launched their first over ear headphone, the Hear it One.
Their Xtension 9 Evolution Superpack was voted best analogue source product of 2014/2015.
The RPM3 Carbon was voted best turntable of 2015/1016 by EISA (European Imaging and Sound Association)
 
Specifications:
 
 
 
Build:
 
The biggest part of the headphones, the housing, is made of plastic. The small earcups slide on a metal wire up and down for adjustment.
 

 
The headband is covered in leather and the ear pads are made out of wonderful memory foam, which ensures a very comfortable seating.
 

 
The textile coated oxygen free copper cable feels very tight and unfortunately is not detachable, which is one of the first things I look for in new headphones. The cable itself is 1.25m long, so these cans are mainly build for portable use, yet an 6.3mm adapter is included, so that they can be used with hifi gear.
 


 
You might have seen other models with the same design, that's because, according to Pro-Ject's CEO, they did take an existing one and put their 38mm drivers in it, so customers pay for sound quality not for designers. Also the ear pads were added to the existing build.
 
 
Fit, comfort and isolation:
 
Over ear headphones are my preferred kind of build, for me that's the most comfortable to use, since I have bigger ears than the average user.
Unfortunately the ear cups of the Hear it One are a bit smaller than I'm used to, so even if they count as over ear for most people, they do not for me. But with the soft ear pads these have been the most comfortable on ears I have ever worn. I easily can wear them for longer listening sessions without them getting warm or uncomfortable.
 

 
The Hear it One sit pretty firm but not too much.
Pro-Ject also sells round ear pads, which will not sit as tight and change the soundsignature in the highs section.
As said, these are very cozy and their light weight also won't be too much for you on the go.
They don't really do anything special for isolation, so if an airplane passes by you'll notice. I have used them in different environments. In traffic (on a bike), in the park and inside. The Hear it One does a good job isolating, since they sit close to your ears. If the volume isn't set too high, there will be sound coming through.
 
Package and Accessories:
 
The phones come in a big light green and white box. Inside there's the Hear it One with the 6.3mm jack adapter and a transport bag.
There's not a lot of additions to the headphone. All the needed information can be found on the back of the package. And, honestly, the most important part is the headphone itself.
 




 
The soft bag for transport safes the cans from scratches.
 
Sound:
 
Having heard and owned a few Sennheisers, AKGs and Sonys in this price segment, I've been very surprised with how the Pro-Ject compared to them.
For a closed back headphone they have a good sound stage.
The highs are sharp and well defined. Sometimes they were a little to sharp for my taste.
Mids are very well balanced and smooth.
Bass is strong and very present, still this is not a bass-heavy headphone. So bass is still in the enjoyable area.
After burning in, the signature changed remarkably. Highs got better, less aggressive. Bass lost a bit in punch and aggression. They gained some detail and body and came along more balanced.
Overall the sound can be described as warm, with a hint to higher frequencies, precise, clean and detailed.
I think this headphone is most suitable for Jazz records, I really enjoyed listening to Dave Brubeck's Time Out in DSD quality. The trumpets and bass sounded really natural and amazing.
 

 
Conclusion:

Pro-Ject made a great sounding, budget friendly and comfortable over ear headphone, who does not have to fear any of the bigger companies in this segment. This is a headphone with huge price performance ratio and value. For € 99,90 you get wonderful sound, great comfort and a touch of what else Pro-Ject is making.
Only the non-detachable cable is taking the Hear it One points away.

Final words:
 
I'd like to thank Pro-Ject and Mr. Lichtenegger for the opportunity to review the Hear it One, and for all the support I got through the last couple of weeks.