RBH - HP-2 ULTRALIGHT BERYLLIUM HEADPHONES
Jun 21, 2016 at 7:44 PM Post #32 of 163
I've had mine for a week now and am really enjoying them. This was my first step into "mid-fi". For perspective, I like a nice rounded sound, preferably more on the warmer side. I listen to everything from Beethoven, Beetles, Bruce Springsteen, Blondie, and Tristam (couldn't think of one of my electronic artists with a "b" darnit).

Primary listening is through a Fulla, they did okay through my LG G3 but in comparison were a bit more loose. My initial impressions were that these were a bit boomy out of the box. However, I was worried that a combination of them being new yet and me coming from a set that was a little anemic would bias a review. I wanted to give it a good long while before giving it a solid "what are they like". After giving them a chance to break in either a) I've gotten accustomed to it or b) they've rolled off a bit during the break-in process. Most likely a combination of both. Very articulate sounding, even on the "bright" fulla the highs are very managed and crisp but not harsh. Mid-range is great and provides a lot of clarity. Bass is definitely there if you're listening to music that's got it. As stated the punctuality of the bass rolled off a bit but still remained very tight. I'd say now it's less "in your face" after break-in.  If i could give a short description of them, I'd say they're like a more "vee'd" PM3 (more base and maybe a scosh more treble). I'd probably come back to the PM3's as they're a bit more relaxed in that regard (bass freq) than the HP-2's but overall I'm very pleased on the purchase especially for the price. While they may lack the detail that a planar set of cans, I thought that for the category they're in ~$200 they did quite well. Certainly not the PM1 killers that Audiholics was claiming them to be that's for sure.

That's the TLDR of it, here's some of the tracks that I listened to over the last week or so that really stood out to me for various reasons:

Classical is quite fantastic. You get a lot of the presence from the rest of the strings and the violin is very pronounced. I was very impressed with this particular recording in the clarity or, maybe rather the detail you can hear in the strings. Its got texture. Piano's no joke either with these. You can't quite hear the plunk of the hammer on the strings but maybe that particular player is a bit more light-handed than I ever was (why i was probably partial to Tchaikovsky :p ). 

Now lets get into something a bit newer (we're going to skip over big band for now....haven't been in the mood for glen this last week). While I've always been a fan of Smokey and motown I think these cans really give it their all when you've got more vocals. Now while this particular track between JT & CK was recorded...well...clear past the 60's and 70's its absolutely fantastic. The same definition (and again, texture) of the guitar can be found with a little help from Steevie. Female vocals are something that really do sound like something else with these. Its like there's just that little bit of sparkle over a really warm base. Susan Tedeshci is no different and this particular track has a pretty wholesome sound in itself.

Moving on a bit, lets get into some rock. For no particular reason that I can name, DSoTM is one of my favs to just plop down and listen to. Time has a great combination of sounds that really emphasize how tight these headphones are. First time listening to "speak to me" i was really impressed with 1) yes that really is a heartbeat now....not a muffled mess and 2) there's a LOT of quieter less imposing sounds in the background that are *suddenly* magically there. Around the same era, you've got John Paul Jones doing his magic with Zeppelin. Seriously, every time I listen to the intro on "Your time i gonna come" i just get chills. Comparing this to say, the pressing I've got on vinyl (so now closed back cans vs a speaker system) the sound stage definitely isn't as large...i mean...i know you're probably going DUH by this point in time but the sound staging with the Zepp tracks is one thing I've always really enjoyed and I think despite being a closed back sub $300 set of cans they do their faithful duty in trying to reproduce that. Bonus Zepp because I've got a giant soft spot for them an all their imperfections.

Fear not you prog-rock fans. Fragile is probably one of my favorite records of the era to begin with but I think that "Roundabout" does a great job with layering the music. You can hear the crispness of the percussion throughout the whole recording. In the beginning the (once more) texture of that guitar is fantastic and as with stuff from james and carole the harmony that they've got between them is great. This one sound just really wraps up everything that is great for me in the cans.

Lastly, for those of you not in favor of electro music turn around now! Tristam has got to be one of my tops in this category, he's got a great production value and overall a very dynamic sound. This track will exercise the bottom end of those drivers a bit more! Shows that even in a more bass-heavy track there's a lot of control and it doesn't lose any quality in sound in the mids and highs along the way. Reinging it back in a bit, one of my favs off RAM was the opening track "give life back to music". It has that funky sound that I really enjoyed with the album and the HP2's do a great job with it.

Great review, t.y.
 
Jul 26, 2016 at 2:21 PM Post #33 of 163
Been a few months now with mine, only a couple additions:
 
There's some plastic stops in the cans that keep them from over-rotating when not on your nogin (as in the actual ear pieces rotating downwards and out. I had one come off and start to rattle around for a bit, so being the person I am I pulled the pads off and took out the offending piece. Looks like it was just lightly glued in place. I'm sure if i contacted RBH they would have remedied it but it only took me ~15 mins at my desk and I was back to listening.
 
I was hoping that over some time the band would start to re-shape a bit...and it doesn't. Which for the NORMAL person is great! For someone with a giant noggin like mine however, it does put a little extra stress on the ears and whanot. I've tried flexing/bending it a bit and it'll be more comfortable for a bit. What I've actually found to be best is when i leave the office I toss them around a kleenex box and that's had great results.
 
Overall thought still a great listener. One of my coworkers has some PM-2's and we've been doing lots of back and forth over the last month. the HP-2's are definitely a more 'bad boy' version of them. Seems like there's a little detail lost in the HP-2 in comparison to the PM-2's but its pretty damn close. My ears have adjusted a bit now and I've got the ports opened up. While some tracks are a bit boomy yet, the compressed sound with the ports closed just wasn't to my liking. For the price these are still a great headphone.
 
Jul 26, 2016 at 4:48 PM Post #34 of 163
  Been a few months now with mine, only a couple additions:
 
There's some plastic stops in the cans that keep them from over-rotating when not on your nogin (as in the actual ear pieces rotating downwards and out. I had one come off and start to rattle around for a bit, so being the person I am I pulled the pads off and took out the offending piece. Looks like it was just lightly glued in place. I'm sure if i contacted RBH they would have remedied it but it only took me ~15 mins at my desk and I was back to listening.
 
I was hoping that over some time the band would start to re-shape a bit...and it doesn't. Which for the NORMAL person is great! For someone with a giant noggin like mine however, it does put a little extra stress on the ears and whanot. I've tried flexing/bending it a bit and it'll be more comfortable for a bit. What I've actually found to be best is when i leave the office I toss them around a kleenex box and that's had great results.
 
Overall thought still a great listener. One of my coworkers has some PM-2's and we've been doing lots of back and forth over the last month. the HP-2's are definitely a more 'bad boy' version of them. Seems like there's a little detail lost in the HP-2 in comparison to the PM-2's but its pretty damn close. My ears have adjusted a bit now and I've got the ports opened up. While some tracks are a bit boomy yet, the compressed sound with the ports closed just wasn't to my liking. For the price these are still a great headphone.

 
How did you open the ports up?
 
Jul 26, 2016 at 4:54 PM Post #35 of 163
   
How did you open the ports up?

 
Open as in "as they come". Vs covering them with a dab of silicone or a piece of tape. The latter brings down the bass but it sounded much more compressed to me. The number of tracks where its like "WHOAH" that's too much bass vs living with a compressed sound just wasn't worth leaving the ports covered up.
 
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:37 AM Post #36 of 163
First post on Head-Fi and hate to open an older thread but wanted to point out that these are on sale on RBH's site and amazon for $150.
 
As for my review I have been using these headphones for about a year now and couldn't be happier with them. I don't have a lot of experience with high end headphones so here is an insight on what I have used so far.
 
Headphones:
  1. AKG K-702 (used these without an amp :frowning2: for about two years before I sold them)
  2. Sony MDRV6 (I've had them for 5 years and they are still running strong)
  3. NuForce HP-800 (these were for my son but I used them as well. Very impressed with their build quality and sound for $50)
  4. Sennheiser HD-595 (currently undergoing some modifications)
  5. Audio Technica ATHPRO500MK2
  6. And a few others I can't think of right now
 
DAC/AMPS:
  1. Fiio E17 Alpen
  2. Older Denon receiver (does this count?)
 
 
Alright...back to the HP-2's.
 
Bass - is very powerful!!! I have noticed that the bass calms down a bit after about 20 hours of burn in, but it doesn't drown out the mids or highs.
Mids - are present but not to forward or bright. I listen to a lot of female vocalists and these do an incredible job at recreating the female voice.
Highs - this is one my favorite parts of these headphones. Highs are articulate but not sibilant. Jazz and Classical come to life on the HP-2's.
 
Build Quality - I agree with a lot of the other reviews. They are light and extremely comfortable but there is a lot of plastic on them which makes them feel on the cheaper end. RBH is kind enough to give a 2 year warranty with these though. My first pair cracked on the part that extends the headphones. They were still usable but RBH replaced them with a new pair anyways.
 
Isolation - these cut out a ton of ambient noise. I use them at work when I need to focus and I tend to irritate some of my coworkers. They have to either throw something at me or tap on my shoulder to get my attention.
 
Side note - the cable is detachable and uses the standard 3.5mm jack. I was able to find and buy a 6' and 8' cable from amazon and they work great.
 
 
Final Verdict: For their price they are a great pair of headphones. They hands down sound better than all of the Bose and Beats headphones I've tested. When you use them with a decent DAC/AMP the bass becomes more focused and the highs become a little bit more present.
 
I hope that was helpful.
 
May 26, 2017 at 8:10 PM Post #38 of 163
HEADFONICS (9.5/10 Tonality)

Damn, I am loosing faith in their scoring system now..

Listening to my friends HP-2, it is quite V-shaped compared to my Aeon which is already slightly elevated in sub-bass to mid-bass downsloping to lower mids.

I would never give HP-2 score of 9.5 for tonality.

Personally more like: 9.2 for Aeon and 8.3 for HP-2. (point of reference: Utopia being: 9.8 and my Magnepan 3.7 with 2 Rel subs in acoustically treated room: 10.0)
 
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Aug 19, 2017 at 1:13 PM Post #39 of 163
Just bought these and tried them.

They sound AMAZING. Sourced from my NFB-11.28, my GOD the bass and sub-bass from the Mass Effect 3 sound track. Two tracks in and I literally cannot stop getting chills down my spine at how majestic it makes these two classical pieces sound. Clarity is top notch, mids and highs are smooth and neither recessed or forward. Sound stage is intimate and imaging is barely there, but I don't even care.

I give up. I'm never pursuing neutral sound again.
 
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Aug 20, 2017 at 1:52 AM Post #40 of 163
Just bought these and tried them.

They sound AMAZING. Sourced from my NFB-11.28, my GOD the bass and sub-bass from the Mass Effect 3 sound track. Two tracks in and I literally cannot stop getting chills down my spine at how majestic it makes these two classical pieces sound. Clarity is top notch, mids and highs are smooth and neither recessed or forward. Sound stage is intimate and imaging is barely there, but I don't even care.

I give up. I'm never pursuing neutral sound again.

Thanks, I just pulled the trigger.
 
Aug 20, 2017 at 6:38 AM Post #41 of 163
Damn, I am loosing faith in their scoring system now..

Listening to my friends HP-2, it is quite V-shaped compared to my Aeon which is already slightly elevated in sub-bass to mid-bass downsloping to lower mids.

I would never give HP-2 score of 9.5 for tonality.

Personally more like: 9.2 for Aeon and 8.3 for HP-2. (point of reference: Utopia being: 9.8 and my Magnepan 3.7 with 2 Rel subs in acoustically treated room: 10.0)

Is it a 100% pure Be driver or did they add some other things in it? If not, how does it sound in comparison to the Utopia?

For a $200 headphone, a V-shaped signature is acceptable to me to be honest and I can probably fix it with an EQ. I will see if I can demo this headphone somewhere, looks quite interesting.
 
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Aug 22, 2017 at 3:36 PM Post #42 of 163
Is it a 100% pure Be driver or did they add some other things in it? If not, how does it sound in comparison to the Utopia?

For a $200 headphone, a V-shaped signature is acceptable to me to be honest and I can probably fix it with an EQ. I will see if I can demo this headphone somewhere, looks quite interesting.

Be drivers are beryllium coated on a substrate. There are a couple of ways this layer of Be can be coated on. HP-2 uses vapor deposition. I have no idea how the HP-2 sounds in comparison to the Utopia, but some reviewers have suggested the HP-2 has a similar tonal signature to the Elear, which have a similar tonal signature to the Utopia.

I don't think some people in this thread (i.e. Tony51) understand what v-shaped means. This headphone is NOT v-shaped. It does NOT have elevated bass, over-brightness in the treble, and a recessed midrange. It has elevated sub bass, controlled bass, its midrange is actually just slightly in front of neutral, and its treble is smooth, clear, and un-fatiguing much like how Sennheisers sound. People who argue the below is a v-shaped tonal signature doesn't know how a V is shaped.

HP-2-graph.jpg


This is why Headfonia gave these headphones a 9.5/10 in tonality. It is, for musicality lovers, a close to perfect tonal signature.

I've owned my pair for a week now, and as time goes on, I find myself preferring it more and more compared to my other cans, even my HD6XX. There's something really special about having such quality and impactful bass response alongside great midrange and smooth treble. The best way I can describe it is it makes... everything just matter more. It sells the emotion behind the sound that no pair of analytical and/or neutral headphone has ever done for me. I feel good / happy / suspenseful / scared / surprised listening with the HP-2, whereas with my HD650, I hardly ever felt anything beyond thinking "this sounds about right."

If you listen with the goal to judge and evaluate what you're listening to, HP-2 has the clarity for you to do that, but you'd be missing the point. If you listen with the goal of being forced to feel emotions you didn't anticipate, then these are a great pair for you.
 
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Aug 22, 2017 at 6:55 PM Post #43 of 163
Be drivers are beryllium coated on a substrate. There are a couple of ways this layer of Be can be coated on. HP-2 uses vapor deposition. I have no idea how the HP-2 sounds in comparison to the Utopia, but some reviewers have suggested the HP-2 has a similar tonal signature to the Elear, which have a similar tonal signature to the Utopia.

I don't think some people in this thread (i.e. Tony51) understand what v-shaped means. This headphone is NOT v-shaped. It does NOT have elevated bass, over-brightness in the treble, and a recessed midrange. It has elevated sub bass, controlled bass, its midrange is actually just slightly in front of neutral, and its treble is smooth, clear, and un-fatiguing much like how Sennheisers sound. People who argue the below is a v-shaped tonal signature doesn't know how a V is shaped.

HP-2-graph.jpg


This is why Headfonia gave these headphones a 9.5/10 in tonality. It is, for musicality lovers, a close to perfect tonal signature.

I've owned my pair for a week now, and as time goes on, I find myself preferring it more and more compared to my other cans, even my HD650. There's something really special about having such quality and impactful bass response alongside great midrange and smooth treble. The best way I can describe it is it makes... everything just matter more. It sells the emotion behind the sound that no pair of analytical and/or neutral headphone has ever done for me. I feel good / happy / suspenseful / scared / surprised listening with the HP-2, whereas with my HD650, I hardly ever felt anything beyond thinking "this sounds about right."

If you listen with the goal to judge and evaluate what you're listening to, HP-2 has the clarity for you to do that, but you'd be missing the point. If you listen with the goal of being forced to feel emotions you didn't anticipate, then these are a great pair for you.

Thank you for the input. I ordered a pair right out of RBH website at 139.00 and should get them this week. Your description sounds like I am going to love them. I'm excited.
Tony
 
Aug 22, 2017 at 7:26 PM Post #44 of 163
These are an under-the-radar gem, although they are a bit bass-heavy for some of my customers. There is a fix however! You'll find three tiny holes in each earcup. If you want to tone down the bass a little, you can fill one hole on each side (or two if you need to) with silicone (get black for aesthetics). To test your preference, cover the holes with electrical tape. For me, one filled hole on each side is the perfect tuning. (Some customers are hesitant with these because they "have never heard of RBH Sound." An audition gets their attention though. These are a real contender at $200. I can't compete with that current sale price of $139. Maybe I should call RBH and see if they'll give me a trailing credit if I do match them.)
 
Aug 23, 2017 at 12:37 AM Post #45 of 163
These are an under-the-radar gem, although they are a bit bass-heavy for some of my customers. There is a fix however! You'll find three tiny holes in each earcup. If you want to tone down the bass a little, you can fill one hole on each side (or two if you need to) with silicone (get black for aesthetics). To test your preference, cover the holes with electrical tape. For me, one filled hole on each side is the perfect tuning. (Some customers are hesitant with these because they "have never heard of RBH Sound." An audition gets their attention though. These are a real contender at $200. I can't compete with that current sale price of $139. Maybe I should call RBH and see if they'll give me a trailing credit if I do match them.)

Gene from Audioholic was supposed to have put out a review on these but I guess he never go around.
 

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