Status Audio - CB-1, OB-1
Jun 10, 2017 at 11:25 AM Post #61 of 79
Got a pair of CB-1's heading my way for review, I'll keep you all posted :)
 
Jun 12, 2017 at 7:10 AM Post #63 of 79
Got them yesterday, burning them in today.

So far they are very detailed, there is a slight upp mid peak, and lower mid dip, but nothing major.

Mine came with non-angled pads, they fit my small ears very well and are very comfortable.

So far a no-brainer at their current price
 
Jun 24, 2017 at 10:13 PM Post #64 of 79
As luck would have it, the CB-1s were on a lightning deal at amazon for the same price as the massdrop, so I grabbed a pair with the mic cable. These will be perfect for travel. Non-fatiguing, not too expensive and comfortable, with decent isolation and cable options.

Still almost 2 hours left on the deal and only 10% claimed. Go for it!
 
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Jun 28, 2017 at 12:28 AM Post #65 of 79
I picked up a pair as well on the lightening deal. I'm really impressed at the sound. Yes they are largely plastic but seem sturdy and they move well enough not to create a lot of stress. The pads are great for stock pads, even for a lot of upgrade pads.The sound is very enjoyable, lots of bass impact and even give a little sub bass, mids are great and upper end clear with the ability to make you think they could get hot but never get sibilant.I don't think they beat the 598's and definitely not the 1060's but certainly have a better sound signature than the m50's. Great buy worth well more than their price.
 
Jun 28, 2017 at 1:58 AM Post #66 of 79
Yeah, I've been putting my pair through its paces tonight and I like them! My Police albums in particular are loving the CB-1s. I definitely prefer them to their closest competitors, the M50x and 7506. If this is a fair representation of Status' house sound, then consider me a fan. The M50x might extend a bit deeper in the sub-bass but the treble is much better handled on the CB-1. It also wins on comfort and cable options, and I dig the whole no logo vibe. If they can figure out a way to extend the bass deeper and refine the overall presentation (and figure out how to do it with an open-back), they could clean up in the $200-300 range. Or they could be content with slaying the twin giants in their range.
 
Jun 29, 2017 at 3:33 PM Post #67 of 79
Jul 6, 2017 at 4:00 AM Post #68 of 79
I got the CB-1 from Massdrop a while back. I've seen a lot of people comparing them to the 7506, M50X, M40X etc. but my immediate first impression was that they sound like a worse Creative Aurvana Live! (CAL!), and my opinion hasn't changed in that regard. That's a compliment, too; I really, really like the Creative Aurvana Live! and the CB-1 has a very similar frequency response. The CB-1 is just less detailed and refined. The CAL! also straight-up has cleaner, deeper, and more impactful bass - a signature trait of the biocellulose-membrane drivers it sports.

The CB-1 does have the advantage in overall usability, though; it's more comfortable, isolates better, and features a detachable 3.5mm cable. It's also compatible with the V-MODA BoomPro - it doesn't fit super securely, but it fits enough to get proper sound and functionality.
 
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Aug 31, 2017 at 9:33 PM Post #69 of 79
I just received a pair of these on eBay for $44 with Free shipping from Status Audio. They were open box, but they looks like new. Could not find a single scratch on them and they arrived quickly, though they have been selling out quickly as they only had 10 available, though sometimes companies add more inventory.

For the money they are pretty good. I had a pair of AT ATH-M50 and I found them to be a bit dry sounding, so I sold them a week later. The AT pads scratch easily and the pleather tends to peel easily. I prefer the Status Audio pads by a large margin, thicker material (less prone to peeling) and considerably more plush.

The CB-1 sound more pleasant to my ears than the M50's. The M50's do have a more even sound curve but I thought the lacked dynamics and had a small soundstage and fairly dry sounding. I also did not care for the M50 highs. I found the M50's to be decent, just not involving. I have an old pair of Stax electrostatics that are not overly involving, but at least they are super dynamic with lots of micro detail which is why I still have them and they were my first high end headphones I purchased 20+ years ago. The CB-1 does have some dips in the upper mids and in the lower highs which adds to a more laid back sound. Most importantly they do not have that killer spike in the upper highs that fatigue your ears. On some recordings with boosted highs, they can sound sibilant, which can be distracting (though on the same tracks the AKG 701 would kill my ears). They can get a bit muddy on a complicated track, but the mids stay nice and warm. I also prefer the way the CB-1 sounds on most tracks compared to the Philips SHP-9500. The 9500 is a nice budget headphone, but my ears get fatigued rather quickly due to the energy on the upper frequencies. I can listen to my LCD-2 for hours at too high a volume and still be fine without fatigue or ringing. I also find the LCD-2 to have a dip in the upper mids, but I'm ok with it.

Overall, these are a pretty good deal for under $100. At the price I got them, there was no way I could have passed on them.
 
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Sep 1, 2017 at 6:21 AM Post #70 of 79
jksoon said:
I just received a pair of these on eBay for $44 with Free shipping from Status Audio. They were open box, but they looks like new. Could not find a single scratch on them and they arrived quickly, though they have been selling out quickly as they only had 10 available, though sometimes companies add more inventory.

For the money they are pretty good. I had a pair of AT ATH-M50 and I found them to be a bit dry sounding, so I sold them a week later. The AT pads scratch easily and the pleather tends to peel easily. I prefer the Status Audio pads by a large margin, thicker material (less prone to peeling) and considerably more plush.

The CB-1 sound more pleasant to my ears than the M50's. The M50's do have a more even sound curve but I thought the lacked dynamics and had a small soundstage and fairly dry sounding. I also did not care for the M50 highs. I found the M50's to be decent, just not involving. I have an old pair of Stax electrostatics that are not overly involving, but at least they are super dynamic with lots of micro detail which is why I still have them and they were my first high end headphones I purchased 20+ years ago. The CB-1 does have some dips in the upper mids and in the lower highs which adds to a more laid back sound. Most importantly they do not have that killer spike in the upper highs that fatigue your ears. On some recordings with boosted highs, they can sound sibilant, which can be distracting (though on the same tracks the AKG 701 would kill my ears). They can get a bit muddy on a complicated track, but the mids stay nice and warm. I also prefer the way the CB-1 sounds on most tracks compared to the Philips SHP-9500. The 9500 is a nice budget headphone, but my ears get fatigued rather quickly due to the energy on the upper frequencies. I can listen to my LCD-2 for hours at too high a volume and still be fine without fatigue or ringing. I also find the LCD-2 to have a dip in the upper mids, but I'm ok with it.

Overall, these are a pretty good deal for under $100. At the price I got them, there was no way I could have passed on them.
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Cool. I am a hoarder, otherwise my M50 and 9500 would have been out the door a while ago. I have not listened to either one for over a year since I bought the Status Audio. I wear the OB1 at work for long hours and they are supremely comfortable. The sound is very good for the price. Enjoy!
 
Oct 23, 2017 at 5:57 PM Post #72 of 79
Just thought I'd say that Shure 840 pads are a pretty good replacement. I find the mids don't sound as wonky as they used to. Still good bass and highs as well. The headphone is also much, much flatter so you don't look as ridiculous when bringing them out in public, which is the main appeal for me. The felt on the 840 pads are already quite thick so you don't need to move the old foam over.
 
Dec 14, 2017 at 4:31 PM Post #73 of 79
My EQ on them is generally nothing.

They need a good source though. Harder to drive than they say on the tin. I have an XDuoo XD-05 with the Burson op-amp upgrade, and that's how I power them on the go.

On a source with a bad pre-amp (like my phone) they become grainy in the upper mids. I think there's an uneven impedance across the frequency curve on them. Just make sure they get enough juice and they'll sound good.
 
Dec 28, 2018 at 11:06 PM Post #75 of 79
Vatnos said:
It's funny he says you can have these and then shp9500s and have a complete set of closed and open. That's exactly what I did!

Spent a lot more on amps than on the actual headphones.
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I have both as well! It's kind of hard not too at the prices they are priced at! Zeos always trys to show his audience what is best for the money and not get all caught up in the poshy world of Hi-Fi. Even though it's pretty awesome to have super nice things, but it's even better when you get something that sounds amazing and doesn't break the bank.
 
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