The clarity and resolution really is impressive. That, in combination with the explosive dynamic range makes for a lively, vivid sound experience. All that detail can get fatiguing though as the crystalline (but very pure and refined) treble can easily draw too much attention to itself with anything less than top-notch recordings. It's not a peaky nor harsh treble, but it is a prominent feature of the Utopia.

Bass extension is better than any other non-planar open back I know of. Bass quality is very good, albeit *slightly* lacking in heft with just a touch of mid-bass emphasis/bloom compared to something like an HE-1000 or SR-007. But punch is strong and it's well integrated into the mix.

The mids are superb. Pure and transparent with great presence and body. Male vocals sound great. Imaging is as precise as a german optical instrument.

I love the look and feel of the Utopia. It feels expensive, nice leather and detailing. Nice presentation overall. Only negative is the carbon fiber arc assembly which feels a little fragile (even though it's not really, carbon fiber and all...) and can creak on some pairs I've used. The headphone is a bit heavy but the pads are so supple and the weight so evenly distributed that it doesn't matter in use.

The cable is too looong and too heavy. Not a problem in practice though as it's easily manageable. And it's a great quality cable.

Overall certainly a premium product and a strong offering from Focal. Just be aware that the treble might be too much if you're particularly sensitive and not prepared for such ruthless articulation.

 
Still burning-in, but I can already say they are by far the best sounding IEM's I've ever heard. Fantastically clear/clean through the mids and treble - tremendous detail resolution without things sounding harsh or clinical. Treble is precise, rich, coherent and extended. Never piercing or bordering on overly bright to these ears, unless it's a crap recording of course. 

Midrange is where it's really at. Delicate, full-bodied and airy sounding. Vocals sound crisp, velvety smooth and true in tone. Maybe the best midrange I've heard from any portable audio system, no matter the type and size. 

Bass is a bit pumped-up down very low and, while still very well controlled and never hinting at midrange coloration, leans more towards fun than accurate. The thumping nature of the low-end covers up that last bit of texture definition, but for a portable unit meant to be used in noisy surroundings, I happen to think this is a wise and welcome trade-off. Extension is great and I've found the amount of bass very well adapted to on-the-go usage. 
 
While still an in-ear design and far from capable of the large, realistic imaging/staging of a great full-size headphone, they are certainly as open and expansive sounding as I've ever heard an IEM to be.
 
I'm also surprised how sonically different they are to their full-size TOTL equivalent, the HD 800. To my ears, the IE800's richer tone is far more appealing.
 
Construction-wise they are tiny (smaller than expected) and very lightweight. The minimalistic housings feel rock-solid and the kevlar-coated cable adds some fancy looks to it all. The case is nice and handy too. No issues whatsoever with comfort. 

My one major complaint is how microphonic the cable is. You can reduce this annoyance factor drastically by putting a clip where the cable splits and attaching it to your shirt/jacket. 

Oh, and they're expensive for something so petite. But they sound fantastic, so I'm a happy buyer.  

If performance is based solely on ultimate transparency, then this is the best headphone I've ever owned and/or listened to. That includes the SR-009. Superb clarity and resolution without any hint of treble brightness or fatigue. Its purity of tone is simply astonishing; it's smooth, organic, airy and fast all at the same time. It adds little to nothing of its own, and neither does it subtract anything from the richness of the music. And for an electrostatic headphone, the bass performance is superb. Tight (!), fast and impactful with plenty of warmth and body. It extends all the way down into the lowest octave, albeit not with quite the same weight and force of an Audeze planar. 

The 007 is built to last, with materials being mostly magnesium and premium supple leather. Solid to the touch and highly comfortable for long listening sessions. 

Very demanding of amplification quality and power, especially in terms of getting the bass right. But rewarding in the end. 

"Farts" when moved/pressed on the head but it's a small price to pay for the sound quality on offer here.
 
I love this freakin' thing. You will NOT be disappointed with this headphone. 

 

Just as I thought it couldn't get much better than the KEF M500 as far as headphones to plug in your smartphone goes, Bowers & Wilkins update their range with the P7. 



 
 
Design & build quality
 
When you first unbox the P7 and see it laying there folded in its tilted presentation, you instantly know you are dealing with quality of seldom seen measures. The all leather and metal built P7 smells like a brand new car when you take it out of the box and B&W have paid attention to every little detail. The design is basically a larger and slightly refined version of the P5. The quality of the leather, the precise stitching, the steel accents, the brushed aluminum nameplates with the same flawless edge-cutting you find on the newer Apple iPhones and iPads - everything just screams luxury and quality craftmanship. The hinges feel a tad fragile, but other than that build quality is unquestionably top notch. The headband seems thicker than it needs to be, but hey that's part of the design. 
 
To put it simply, I think the P7 is one of the most beautifully constructed headphones ever. My only real complaint is that it's perhaps too fancy to carry with you outside. B&W have also confirmed for me that the leather is not coated for water and sweat resistance, so I wouldn't wear these outside in more extreme weather conditions.
 
I really like the cables of the P7 too. They are nicely thick (unlike the pathetic cord of the P5) don't tangle and don't feel stiff. The remote on the I-device cable is of very nice quality. Its fit and finish is as good as the rest of the P7 and the buttons are easy to press, unlike with the frustrating remote of the KEF M500.
 
 
Portability
 
The P7 is not a small headphone. It's not huge by any means, but it's a substantial piece for something to transport with you. Unlike the KEF M500, I can't put the P7 in my pocket. But B&W has at least done the best they can with the size and included a very well designed folding mechanism. The pouch in which you store the headphones on the go won't provide a whole lot of protection, but at least the cans are covered from dents and scratches. The pouch is also leather, closes magnetically, and has a very soft interior. Nice! 
 
 
Comfort

In terms of comfort, the P7 is initially a little clampy. But the pads and headband will soon soften up a little bit and the pressure loosen up enough for you to enjoy these headphones for multiple hours with no pain. They are not the most lightweight portable cans in the world, and I wish the headband was just a little bit softer, but I still find the P7 to be a very comfortable headphone. The earpads provide ample space for your ears (unless they are on the really large side) so you'll feel no discomfort on the ears after extended use.

The moderate clamp (which, by the way, makes sure the P7 sits firmly and securely on your head) of the P7 combined with the great seal of the ear cushions provide excellent passive noise isolation. With music playing decently loud, these will shut out your everyday life with no issue. For frequent airplane or subway use, in-ears or noise cancelling headphones like the Bose QC15 are probably better choices, but as far as passive noise isolating over-ears go, the P7 is up there with the best I've used. 


Sound quality 

I was never impressed by the dark and colored sound of the P5 and P3. But with the P7, Bowers & Wilkins prove that they have the skill to compete with the big players! 
 
The P7 is the most naturally resolving portable headphone I've yet heard, while at the same time providing a tremendously musical listen.  
 
The bass is warm, firm, very well extended and wonderfully well defined for a closed headphone. It punches with strength and weight, but does so with excellent control and finesse and a surprisingly low sense of resonance, resulting in clean and pure bass notes. As with most portable headphones, the bass has some extra potency to it - but just the right amount in my opinion. The bass blends marvelously well into the midrange, with no unwanted thickness. The bass is even better than that of the KEF M500, with an added sense of control and refinement. B&W have some special attributes with regards to the handling of airflow from the driver inside the cups, and whatever it is it seems to have worked out. Wonderful. 
 
The midrange is equally fantastic. Voices and instruments are reproduced with beautiful clarity, acuity and no sense of hardness whatsoever. Vocals are brilliantly defined and the midrange tone of the P7 is very open sounding. I hear no strange dips or peaks in the frequency response at all. If I am to nitpick, I think the P7 is just a tad lacking in organic presence. But just a tad. 
 
If you've previously discarded B&W headphones for their recessed treble then the P7 will come as a surprise. Expect no veil or lack of extension here, the treble of the P7 is as excellently defined and refined as the rest of the spectrum. It's lively and rich, with tremendous detail and resolution for a closed headphone. But it's never harsh. It's never shrill, thin or hard sounding. The biggest issue I have with the KEF M500 is the somewhat metallic sounding treble, and the P7 has no such issues. The treble is quite accurate, and reproduces those hard-to-get-right high frequency instruments faithfully. Like the bass, the treble is marvelously well integrated with the midrange, and the coherency of the P7 is as good as any sealed headphone I've listened to. Some will find the treble of the P7 to be a little bright, but this has not proven to be a problem in my case. The treble is in fact livelier than perfectly neutral, but it seems to always stay on the fun side, rather than crossing into strident territory. 
 
And then there is that tremendous soundstage. The P7 images amazingly well for it's size and handicap (meaning the sealed construction). Providing the recording is up to snuff, the P7 paints the soundstage accurately, with a great sense of depth and ambience. Vocals are pushed up front and centered, instruments have proper space and excellent focus. 
 
Now, the P7 is not a reference headphone. I have heard even tighter bass, I have heard even more transparent mids, I have heard even smoother and more refined highs and bigger and more precise soundstage abilites. But not from a portable headphone. Not from a closed-back headphone at this price. And, to my memory, I've not heard another closed-back headphone at any price which does so beautifully in every area and provides such a coherent and natural sound as the P7. At least not at the time of this review. 
 

Summary

How much better can portable headphones get? I mean come on! I know it's a dangerous thing to say, but I think it's gonna take a while until a company releases a new contender that's as uncompromising as this. The P7 looks fantastic, it feels fantastic, it's very comfortable and isolates very well, and it SOUNDS just beautiful. If you seek a high fidelity headphone, value both form and function and have $400 to spend on a portable, I can't think of anything I'd recommend more.  

Introduction 

Until now, my pick for the best sounding portable headphone has been the Sennheiser Momentum. While slightly mellow overall with a noticeably forward bass and laid-back treble, until now the Momentum has provided a naturalness and transparency unrivaled by any competitor I've had the chance to try out. This includes Sony MDR-1R, Focal Spirit One, Logitech UE6000, B&W P5, Denon D600, Bose QC15, Sennheiser HD25, Amperior, Audio technica ATH-M50 and even the expensive Ultrasone Edition 8 (do I even need to include any of the Beats by Dre?). Until now, the Momentum has effortlessly wiped the floor with all else I've heard in it's class. 
 
Until now.

So! In case you forgot what product page you're on, the star of the show for this review, and the contender to throw the Momentum of the throne is the KEF M500. It's the first (!) headphone offering by KEF, a larger British manufacturer that has a long history in making great sounding speakers. They also ship an in-ear monitor called the M200, which I've not yet heard. 
 

 
Let's talk hardware first! 

The KEF M500 unboxes folded into a case that looks like an XL-version of a glasses case. This case is about half the size of that of the Momentum. Inside the box you'll find two cables (one with a remote, one without), two adapters and some instructions. And the headphone itself of course! 

The first impression I got from holding the M500 was that it's solid. It's an all aluminum design which will feel right at home next to an Apple product of your choice and it has a nice, premium heft to it without being heavy to wear. The earpieces and headband are covered in a pleather material and the earpads are wonderfully soft. The cable goes into the back of the left earcup, instead of under it like most headphones. The pleather earpads do get a little warm and sweaty on a hot day.

In terms of comfort, the M500 is very comfortable for an on ear headphone. The earpads are so soft on the ears and the headphone puts a very gentle pressure on your head. I'm usually troubled by the headband pressing down on top, but that's not been an issue here. Take note though that because the headphone presses so gently, the fit is a little loose and I would not recommend it for headbanging. The headband also has a tendency to slide down when I'm lying in my bed listening, but a simple repositioning solves this. 
 
Me personally, I've found the M500 to be a little picky about where you position it for maximum comfort. Sound wise, it's not position sensitive, but if I don't place them "just right", they will hurt a little on my ears after an hour or so. Luckily, I've now gotten used to how to position them and the fit seems to have bettered a little with use. So now, I can have them on for long periods without discomfort. Very nice! 

Time to talk sound!


Bass

The M500 features an excellent bass response. It's impactful, has very good extension (those who worry because it's an on-ear design, don't!), it's very well defined and very well controlled. More so than the Momentum, which is a little less refined in the lows. Quantity wise, it's neutral-ish and offers a tad more than my LCD-2 which is completely flat. Compared to the Momentum, the KEF is a little heftier in the sub-bass, while the Momentum has more of a mid-bass bias which thickens the sound a tad. The bass of the KEF blends close to *perfectly* into the midrange and overall it's very flat for a headphone of this type. Impressive!

I'm actually really surprised at just how good the bass is on this headphone. I can nitpick and say that it's not quite as super-tight and natural as on my Audez'e LCD-2, but I see no point in doing so because the LCD-2 is a $1000 open, planar magnetic design and the M500 is a tiny little closed portable! The bass here has enough extension and impact to satisfy with electronic music, but make no mistake thinking these are bass-oriented like most of the competitors. This is natural, honest bass reproduction and bass-heads should definitely look into something else. 
 
Mids

One area where the Momentum has been especially superior to the others mentioned above has been midrange performance. With a very nice smooth, open, unforced and rich sounding midrange the Momentum has given me many hours of musical enjoyment while on-the-go. Guess what, the M500 is even better! 

The mids here are just wonderfully neutral, natural and open sounding! Not too thick yet not at all thin. Very clean yet not analytical. Very smooth, yet not overly so. Airy, yet full bodied. Neutral and transparent, these are the words that flow through my head when listening to the M500. On mids alone, the M500 is not that much less impressive than my LCD-2 in fact! Guitars, pianos, vocals (be it male or female) - they are all rendered very cleanly and realistically. 

The midrange on the M500 is so good, I almost need to pinch myself every time I think of the price as this headphone doesn't embarrass itself among some well-regarded headphones multiple times the cost! This could be just the portable headphone audiophiles have been searching for. Truly among the best I've heard anywhere near this MSRP, regardless of headphone type! 

Treble

The treble of the M500 is also very good. It's clean and detailed yet not harsh. I'm sensitive to brightness, and I feel the M500 avoids being bright sounding. But it's certainly not dark sounding either, it actually feels very neutral to my ears. Significantly more so than the Momentum. While the Momentum is preferable for poor recordings, the KEF does offer a clearer and more realistic presentation. 

BUT, the one complaint I have with the M500 sonically is that I feel it has a slight edginess to the highs. Again, not bright in balance to my ears, but there is a slight sense of hardness present. For the most part, the M500 is just honest and revealing of flaws in the recording, but I've listened to some great quality audiophile recordings and compared side by side to my LCD-2 and I just find the M500 a bit untamed and forced compared. This slight "hot" nature to the treble also has an impact on certain female vocals, where things can sound a tad shouty. 

To my ears, this is not a huge issue and it doesn't exactly bother me, even though I find myself very sensitive to treble issues. Sure, it's there and I definitely prefer the slightly smoother and more refined treble of the LCD-2, but again the LCD-2 is $1000 and the KEF is $300! I would feel bad about it if I let the overall impression of the M500 collapse just because it has one area where it's slightly less than phenomenal at it's price. 
 
In summary, fans of laid-back treble should perhaps try this out first. Most other people will enjoy how clean, extended and neutral the treble is. 

Soundstage

This headphone is surprisingly open and spacious sounding for an on-ear. It has a larger soundstage than the Momentum, especially in terms of depth. Just enough spaciousness and image specificity to not blur things together or making the singer sound right in your face. That's one thing that has bothered me with the Momentum, it has a fair amount of width but it really pushes things in your face and you feel you could use a little more breathing room. Well thanks KEF, problemo solved! My LCD-2, with it's angled drivers and open design does offer a greater sense of depth and image specificity, but the KEF puts on a surprisingly good show for what it is. 


A word on isolation

This headphone truly doesn't isolate very well. It provides a mild isolation against outside noise (they leak very little though, so people around you will likely not hear much) and if you walk around a lot in traffic or you work in a loud environment, this below-average isolation coupled with the fact that the M500 doesn't overdo the bass much to compensate for it could be an issue.


Summary

So what's the TL;DR? In my humble opinion, the KEF M500 is up there on the top 3-list of best portable headphone I've listened to. Unless you want unnaturally emphasized lows or crave good isolation capabilities the M500 will deliver the goods in spades. I really hope more people get to experience this headphone because it's just that damn good and KEF deserves some serious credit for that accomplishment! 




 

Truly a fine comeback for Sony. The phone is put together with a precision you normally don't find with Android phones and it feels sleek and premium in the hand. It has a very clean, modern look to it and the overall visual impression is as good - if not better - than Apples latest iPhones. The weight feels just perfect; light enough to not feel bulky and hefty enough to not feel cheap. Compared to Samsung's plastic phones, this is miles beyond.  
 
The 5 inch display is a thrill to watch overall. The Full-HD resolution allows for an extremely high PPI and a very crisp image. Watching HD content and reading text is a joy with this screen! Colors are great too, natural and well saturated. Contrast levels are not the best, with blacks lacking a bit compared to the best offerings from HTC and especially Samsung. But it's not bad, and what the display lacks in the very deep blacks it makes up for with it's very high brightness and great sunlight visibility. 

Viewing angles on the other hand, are not good at all. It doesn't bother me in everyday use, but it's something worth noting. 
 
Bravia Engine 2 makes the colors very saturated and vibrant but leaving it off is the way to go if you seek a natural image. 
 
(Removing the factory installed screen protector does make the screen slightly more clear) 

As far as user experience goes, the Xperia Z scores a jackpot. 
 
Not only is Sony's custom UI visually pleasing, it offers just the right balance between features and loyalty towards the vanilla android experience. The add-ons by Sony here are all to the positive, nothing feels gimmicky and everything is well thought-through. Just look at the gallery and walkman apps, Sony sure knows how to design their software. Bravo! 
 
The user experience is quick with very few bugs, but installing Nova launcher does help for a smoother home screen scrolling, without sacrificing Sony's custom apps. 
 
As a multimedia powerhouse, this phone does the trick and does it very well. File support is great, the 5 inch display is excellent for movies and games, the walkman app has all the features you'll ever need (including EQ and tweaking options that actually do quite well) and the audio is great. I noticed zero difference in audio between this and the iPhone 5 in a subjective listening comparison, other than that the iPhone could play louder. But this is a software limit in most android phones these days. 
 
You also have LTE, micro SD slot and all the bells and whistles you would want in a premium, flagship handset.
 
The only major negative aspect about the phone I can find is the camera. At times, in some conditions, it takes really excellent photos (on par or even better than the Galaxy S III) and it's wicked fast but on most occasions it just doesn't impress. Photos are compressed to small file sizes and the results are clearly visible when you zoom in or view the photos on a large display; the little details in photos turn into blurr. 
 
The camera also seems to have issues with white balance and color in some lighting conditions, and in darker environments the results are very noisy. 
 
I think this camera can be improved significantly with a software tweak, if Sony wants to. But for now, this just isn't a suitable phone for the photo enthusiast seeking a point and shoot - replacement. The results are too inconsistent for that. 
 
Battery life is nothing special. With the Stamina mode on, standby time is above average. But as soon as you turn on that beautiful, 440 PPI screen, the phone drains battery like crazy... 
 
 
Overall this is definitely the best smartphone I've yet laid my hands on. Time will tell if the HTC One can challenge it, but if you are like me and HTC Sense and the Beats Audio branding don't appeal to you, this is the best you can get at the moment. A beautiful, premium phone with an excellent display, a stunning Android experience with no compromises when it comes to performance and features. As long as you don't need a top-end cameraphone, this is a definite, if expensive, consideration. 

On sound alone, the Sennheiser Momentums are worth every penny. But aside from being wonderful sounding, the elegant design is beautiful and luxuriant with stainless steel band, real leather and quality plastic cups in a nice, dark bronze finish. The standard cable is also very high quality, with a substantial metal remote attached to it. 

The case isn't as large and bulky as I expected from reviews, and it's sturdy enough to keep the headphones safe under most circumstances. 

They are very comfortable. The light weight and the materials inside the earcups ensure the fit is great, with minimal headband pressure and without heating up your ears. The cups are on the small side, so if you have large ears you can expect a tight fit. Isolation is very good, not class leading but good enough to shut out most unwanted noises. 

Sound wise, Sennheiser really nailed this one. The Momentum is one of the best sounding portable headphones available at any price; they even are good enough to be compared to the better sounding sealed headphones out there meant for home use. I've been through most of the competition from Logitech, Ultrasone (specifically, the ED8), Sony, AKG, B&W, Focal etc and the only headphones I've heard that actually better the Momentum on audio quality alone are the recently released KEF M500s and B&W P7s. 

The sound of the Momentum is a little on the mellow side, with a mid-bass presence definitely (but tastefully) north of neutral and a treble to the other way around. And it's actually a good tonal balance for a portable headphone; because when out and about a bass boost is preferred in most scenarios, and the laid-back treble makes the Momentum forgiving with poorer recordings. But the great thing is that the bass isn't TOO much and the treble isn't TOO laid-back. And the Momentum has very good clarity so while the tonality is definitely dark and mellow, details and upper harmonics don't get completely smeared as there is plenty of detail resolution available. Putting aside the ups and downs (literally) at the frequency extremes, the Momentum is a very transparent sounding headphone. 

While always with a slightly thick texture, the bass of the Momentum is well defined and quite tight for a sealed headphone. Extension is very good and it doesn't feel very bloated or slow. And the treble is very good for a portable headphone, too. It has its issues, but for most people I think it will be appreciated, especially as it's so forgiving. 

And the midrange is among the very best I've heard from portable headphones. Rich, natural, yummy and open sounding. While the headphone does lack some soundstage depth and therefore can sound a little congested overall, the midrange itself on the Momentum doesn't feel closed in at all. The midrange transits into the treble very well. I have issues with the slight thickness due to the bass and the lack of upper midrange air and presence due to the recessed treble.  But other than that, things sounds very nice and inviting. 

With the Momentum, Sennheiser made the ideal on-the-go headphone. You get a transparent and natural sound that you can listen to for hours and that suits portable use, and you get this great sound in a portable, comfortable, practical and beautiful package. 

Great job, Sennheiser!
 

I am a quite happy D600 owner. They are not neutral by any means but as a general-purpose headphone the sound suits my needs. Loads of super-deep bass, nice midrange tonality and an open if somewhat troublesome high-end. The best thing is that they are great portable companions, with good fit, good isolation, iPod-made cable and the fact that they are very easy to drive. I think they are worth what I paid for them (bought them on a discount weekend)

When I first held the new Denon flagship D7100 in my hands the first thing that struck me was the lack of luxury feel. I was certain the frame would be made of magnesium, or aluminum. But no, it's the same plastic as the D600 - just painted silver. The wood earcups on the D7100 look really nice though and work great as a contrast to the silver frame and black leather padding. Still, this isn't in any way a build worthy of its predecessor - the beautiful Denon D7000 - or any other similarly priced headphone I know of, including cans like the Ultrasone Edition 8, Audeze LCD-2, Beyerdynamic T1 and the Senn HD 800 (which I also own). 

Luckily, the comfort is every bit as good as the D600 (surprise, since they are identical in construction). With perfect clamping force, supple pads and great weight distribution these hug your ears with the kind of love a mother hugs her child. Being a closed headphone using (fake) leather, they do heat up your ears after long listening sessions, the only thing keeping the score below a perfect 5. 

Sound-wise, these did not make me want to upgrade from my D600s at all. 

The first thing I noticed is that the tonality, soundstaging and especially midrange performance are very, very similar to the D600. The only significant differences I could find are a slightly more present lower treble on the D7100, which gave a bit more air to the sound and made the treble sound a bit more coherent. The D600 by comparison is a bit rough here, with some sharpness to the sound and audible recession.

The other difference was in the bass. 
 
I think the D600 bass is enjoyable and though very powerful, quite well controlled. The main issue is a pretty significant midbass bump that can overpower the mids at times. The D7100 has an *even bigger* bump, which makes the bass sound too thick and way too forward. The bass overpowers the lower mids. 

This is, IMO, not acceptable at this price range. There is simply too much bass, I find the bass of the D600 flatter and still capable of sounding good with acoustic instruments. Otherwise, bass performance is very similar between the two cans. I heard no difference in tightness or extension.

My guess, based on my listen, is that the only thing setting the cans apart is the wooden cups. Other than that, I do think they are identical in every way.

In short, I would call the D7100 more of a sibling to the D600, with some slight differences in the lower treble and mid-bass. They do NOT sound like a definite improvement the way the D7000 sounded compared to the D5000.

As for the D600 vs D7100 I would say the midrange is similar, the D7100 has the better treble and the D600 has the better bass. I actually prefer the D600, I can't live with the excessive bass boost on the 7100. 

Not saying these are bad, they are just not worth even half their price in any way. Considering the D600 exists, I have a tough time recommending these to anyone. 

When I tried the AKG K3003 and disliked the clinical presentation, I decided to try another high-praised universal IEM - the Shure SE535. I've read a lot about how these things have "bottomless bass", "fantastic mids" and "lots of detail". 
 
Well, one thing is true. The midrange is great. These have a mellow, grain-free and natural midrange presentation. They are held back, however, by the rolled-off treble response and poor soundstage (like always with IEMs IMO). The result is surprisingly congested and dark sound, lacking in air, detail and sparkle. Using a broad selection of music, ranging from bass heavy beats, to sweet female vocal, to acoustic guitar, I was very unimpressed by the sound. Everything sounded veiled, frankly. The guitar strings sounded muffled and the little details hidden in the recording weren't audible. 
 
Down the other end, the bass performance was good. The low notes were rich and well controlled. Extension was good. But the bass response sounded lean, lacking punch and weight. 
 
And I just can't deal with that soundstage. The stage is small and flat, imaging is all over the place. 
 
The end result? This is a mid-focused, dark sounding IEM. Ultimately, I found them muffled and boring. Too bad, since I really wanted to like them. I wanted a good IEM to easily take with me while traveling. But it didn't take long for me to realize the sound was not for me. 
 
Heck, maybe IEMs aren't for me at all. 
 
 

This is a fairly large, heavy headphone amp that has no problem in driving two LCD-2s at the same time. The volume knob is smooth and satisfying to use, but I've found the amp suffers from hissing noise when touching the knob if not connected to a grounded outlet. So keep that in mind. 
 
It's rock solid and it looks nice on my desk but the design is nothing ground-breaking.
 
Compared to amps like the Lehmann BCL or Burson HA-160, this one has a warmer, smoother tone. Things sound big and airy and there's an analogue feel when listening to it. It pairs well with all headphones I've tried it with. 
 
That said, this is a very polite sounding amp, some may wish for more punch and energy in the sound. If so, the Burson would probably be a better choice. 
 
 
But for me, it checks all the boxes and is well worth it's price. 

EDITED!

Picked these up for a special price after listening in store and liking what I heard very much. A clear, clean sound with a really fun bass response. A very different sound compared to my HD 800 and I liked the idea of a headphone that made you tap your feet.

First of all the Denon D600 is an extremely comfortable headphone. The pressure on the head is spot-on for a closed can and the well shaped, memory-foam earpads feel wonderful. Only a slight headband pressure and heat issues usually present with closed headphones keep them under a solid 5 on that one.

This is a fast, clear sounding headphone. They sound open and airy for a closed can, which I feel is their main accomplishment. The bass is very powerful and very well extended. It's not extremely tight though, compared to better (and some cheaper) headphones. It has a wobbling nature too it, which I think is because of a resonance in the upper bass. The bass - midrange transition sounds natural though (usually), unlike the flagship D7100.

The treble is a bit uneven. The lower treble is a bit recessed and the higher up they are a bit bright and sparkling. The treble doesn't sound muddy, closed in or piercing - which i absolutely hate. These seem to be tuned to moden music genres with what I hear as a U-shaped response.

It's a fun, vivid sound, but I can sometimes feel the midrange is slightly low in level compared to the somewhat bright treble and earth-shattering low end. Deep vocals easily get to bassy and the sound is just not as coherent as the D2/5/7k. They do sound cleaner than the D2k and D5k, but they are not very accurate.

Compared to a cheaper headphone, the Sennheiser Momentum (my current reference portable), the D600 midrange sounds thin and grainy in comparison. The midrange is also definitely thinner sounding than that of the D5000 and D7000.

This is a headphone for electronic music. While the bass is pretty well integrated into the midrange for a bass-heavy can (which I definitely think these are) and the speed and clarity of the sound are great, I do think you can get better for less money. $500 feels too much. Luckily, I paid significantly less than that, but I still feel my Momentum outperforms it in every way except for soundstage openness.

If anything these are fabulous movie watching cans thanks to the excellent comfort and deep, rumbling bass. If only the midrange could've been richer, the bass tighter and the treble a bit more balanced hey would make a great mid-range audiophile headphone as well, as I do think the clarity and speed are there. But as they are, I would rank them as a headphone for just rocking out, rather than for analytical listening. If you like your music slammin' without having to deal with a muddiness, they may be for you.

Oh and about the design? I'm not sure. They are not ugly headphones by any means but it's just impossible not to think of Beats or the Ludacris headphones hen you see the chassis, or the red storage box. On the plus side they feel solid (if somewhat plasticy) and look like they could take a fair amount of beating. I'm more and more liking the color-scheme and they do look cool on your head, even though they stick out a bit more than I would prefer.

The choice between a short, non-microphonic cable with remote and a longer, sturdier one for home use is a nice thing as well.

These do not need an amp, you can use them with a high-quality mobile source like the iPad or iPhone and not feel you're missing anything.

First of all these look and feel like an expensive headphone. They have a nice weight to them and the leather, fine brushed aluminum and memory foam earpads all breathe quality. 
 
They are fairly comfortable thanks to the soft pads, but the moderate clamping force coupled with the leather heats up the ears within 5 minutes. 

I expected a little more for the price. They aren't really hi-fi headphones, there just isn't the resolution on offer. The sound is smooth and warm, with an emphasized bass that goes deep but lacks refinement. The treble is very shy and gives a veil to the sound, hiding away much of the detail and sparkle in the music. The elevated, loose bass coupled with the recessed treble gives the mids an almost suffocated feel. Don't take me wrong, it's not as terrible as it sounds, but the midrange is just to warm and dark for my tastes. 
 
I wish I could enjoy these as I think they are a very finely crafted headphone that would go well for portable use. But the sound just isn't on par with the price. I'm doubtful they're even worth half of it, in terms of SQ. 
 
Sorry!

 
Compared to most of the competition, this is inarguably a wonderful headphone and I do enjoy it. But sonically, it does not compete with a well-driven O2 mk1 to my ears. I simply find the O2's richer and more involving tone to be more natural.  

The 009 is more alike the Lambda series than the Omega series. It's no harder to power than the Lambdas and the sound signature is reminiscent, but probably a step up in refinement, soundstaging and bass extension/impact. In general though, the sound is typical STAX. Natural, agile and very detailed. But then again, compared to the O2 mk1 it falls short. Particularly in the midrange, which lacks the organic presence of the Omegas. 

The build quality is excellent though and certainly on par with what you can expect for your $. Precision-engineering all the way through; looks fantastic and feels substantial. Super comfy to wear as well. I have no issue with regards to the fit & finish of this headphone - it looks and feels like an expensive, high-end product. 
 
But with a price that's pretty much DOUBLE that of the O2s at this time, I do not consider this headphone to be a very solid investment. The O2 is more demanding in terms of amplification, which can get expensive, but when driven to it's full potential the O2 mk1 just sounds better to my ears. 

Just my 2 cents. 
 

No one having heard them all will disagree with this: these are hands down the best of the Beats headphones.  I'd say they're what the beats should have been in the beginning. They are very cool looking, but also breath quality. I think the are the most attractive of the bunch, with nice blend of red and black and cool, stealth-like matte finish. Materials are top notch. These feel seriously solid. Build quality is every bit as good as you'd expect for the price. They're also lightweight so thats a good thing (unlike the PROs). 
 
Where they really surprised me was in the sound. The first thing I noticed was a very strong, powerful bass response. Probably the most elevated bass of all the beats headphones. But it's done very well. The bass doesn't feel loose, or slow, or muddy - it's just fun and energetic. Then came the midrange, and while the bass is more elevated and does overpower a bit, the midrange is present and with fairly good tonality. Nothing standard-setting, but it's a midrange that does the job fine. Doesn't feel passive and slow like the PROs and is much more refined than the Studio and Solos. These are EXCELLENT headphones for bass-heavy music. They really are, trust me. 
 
Didn't really try out the treble. But I felt it was well behaved. Not piercing, not to recessed. 
 
For hip-hop these are a great match. They have VERY strong bass, but at the same time quite clean and balanced sound. Not sloppy or muddy. 
 
The comfort is not really great. The pads are pretty hard and they clamp a lot. Needs more padding. 
 
I recommend (yup, I said it) these for fans of hip-hop and other bass-heavy music. They are not GREAT headphones, but they're fine. The bass is way too strong to work for acoustic music though so I wouldn't buy them if you are a serious listener seeking accurate sound. These are for putting on your head and just rock out for a while (not too long though, as they'll start to hurt eventually). 

Now, do they stand up against the Audio technica M50 or the Sennheiser HD25? Well, no. Those dig more deeply into the music with more refinement. They are also much more neutral. So I guess these are still overpriced, or those two are great value... decide for yourself. You do get much better looks and build quality than the M50s or HD25s though.
 
 

Well... these aren't exactly bad. They're just... well, boring. 
 
The bass is actually good if you take these for what they are (a bass heavy DJ-can). The bass pressure is MASSIVE. I have not heard (or felt) this kind of monster bass in a headphone before. It's well controlled (probably because of the extremely rigid chassis). It goes fairly deep and hits with massive power. Almost feels like the bass is shattering your bones.... If you're a basshead you won't find better. 
 
Not saying the bass is really high-quality, it's absolutely not as clear as you'll get with other headphones at this price range and it's accentuated "boom" bass after all. But it's accentuated "boom" bass done right  
 
The midrange kinda ruins it. I tried to like these for a fun headphone, but they're just not fun. The midrange is thin, withdrawn and lacking in energy and warmth. It just sounds completely passive. Like the bass carries the song and the mids (and highs) just go along. Blaah, music at a funeral is more enjoyable than what comes of of these. 
 
The highs don't sound piercing, screechy or distorted but again lacks energy. No sparkle! The mids and treble together just makes for a very passive and "dead" sound. There's just no punch, no emotion. 
 
They're built extremely well and look very nice, but they clamp alot and the pads don't cover your ears. They're almost on-ear headphones in fact. They feel hard and heavy on the head. 
 
I would like to recommend these for lovers of bass-heavy tunes, but I just can't. They cost way too much for what you get and party music/dubstep should sound fun, fast and energetic. These do not. 
 
 
 
 

I've heard these once. All I did was shaking my head. They didn't sound piercing so technically they weren't painful to listen to but oh boy did they sound bad! 

Weird, muffled bass that lacks depth and sounds like you've turned the mid-bass up using a badly implemented digital EQ? - Check. 
 
Thin, recessed, muddy mids? - Check
 
Recessed treble with the resolution of airplane earbuds? - Check. 
 
Really no reason to buy these for anyone. I'd say they're worth maybe... 30 bucks. But they are more expensive then the Audio technica M50 and they even fall short of those in terms of looks (the plastic just looks and FEELS really, really cheap) which is the main selling point of these Beats cans anyways. 
 
The fit and comfort is pretty good though, but thats seriously the only good thing. 
 
Stay AWAY from these! Don't think ANYONE having heard better will argue that these are awfully overpriced and just poor-performing headphones. 

 
I purchased this headphone for full retail price a couple of years ago, and in the beginning, I felt very positive about it. But things change, and as I got to try many other high end offering by other manufacturers, as I got to try this headphone with different amps, sources, cables and so forth, I have come to the conclusion that this headphone is perhaps the most overhyped piece of audio gear in the head-fi industry. The truth hurts, but you learn from your mistakes. 
 
As controversial as it may be, I felt the need to change my positive review and write what I feel about the HD 800s.
 
To start with the positive, build quality and ergonomics here are great. This is a very cool-looking, precisely designed headphone that makes a luxurious impression, especially when resting in the storage box. The headband adjustment mechanism feels very well constructed. The earpad/headband material attracts dirt and dust like crazy, but feels great to the touch and is very comfortable against the skin for extended listening sessions. The plastic doesn't feel as great as the aluminum on the STAX SR-009, but is really solid nonetheless. I'm a bit sceptical about the paint job though; the finish is fragile and will tear if you don't treat the headphone carefully. 
 
The cable is very well made; thick, non-microphonic, with a really hefty, quality 6,3mm plug at the end. 
 
Comfort is absolutely first rate. The headphone is a bit on the heavy side and after several hours, the headband starts to feel uncomfortable on top of my head, but that may just be me. The earcup pressure is just perfect and the headphone almost feels like it disappears from your head after a while. The large space inside the earcups coupled with the open design makes sure you never get hot or annoyed wearing them.
 
So far, everything is good.
 
Sound wise, this is a very clean sounding headphone. Sennheiser did a great job designing a headphone with minimal resonance factor and muffling of the audio. As a result, the HD 800 is very resolving and therefore picky about the source gear, and especially recording quality. Lesser recordings simply will not do this headphone justice. Of course, this resolving sound signature will allow for very crisp detail. 
 
Those large, angled ring-drivers also provide a very large soundstage, with great sense of depth and layering. Room acoustics come through very naturally and the headphone is very good at separating dense, orchestral music. 
 
BUT, the tonality just isn't realistic. The overall signature is a bit bright - especially in the 6khz area - which gives the impression of more details, but becomes tiresome to listen to after a while. Cymbals sound to splashy, violins sound to shiny, sibilant sounds are over-accentuated - things just *don't sound like real life*. (Granted, like most Sennheiser headphones the HD 800 is laid-back and quite smooth sounding, so it's not biting or piercing the way Ultrasone and Grado headphones tend to be.)

The same goes with the bass. I find the bass very tightly controlled, but neither well extended nor impactful. There isn't enough punch and weight to it, and there's not much warmth either. Drums sound pathetically weak for a headphone priced at $1500 and the midrange suffers from this lack of body. 

Just try to listen to a live jazz band performing, and then go listen to the HD 800. It doesn't sound AT ALL alike. The string bass sounds present, full and thick in real life. It sounds thin and lifeless on the HD 800. 
 
The midrange could've been so good if the frequency extremes were more natural, because the openness of the HD 800 really allows for a very airy, clear midrange. But instead, things sound dry. Even with great recordings, there's always a certain degree of thinness and brightness to the music, with some grain and sharpness to the upper midrange. You hear the guitar very clearly, with excellent crispness, but the sound of the box of the guitar is subdued. Female vocals, a particular weakness of mine, sound a bit articifical, if only slight. But at this price, "slight" turns to "significant". 

With a Cardas cable, the sound gains a bit more body and slightly less glare to the treble, which is a good thing. But it still doesn't make the headphone entirely neutral, and let's face it; why in the name of god should you have to buy an aftermarket cable for hundreds of dollars to get the sound right with your $1500 high-end, flagship headphone from a large company like Sennheiser? 
 
There is a lot of talk around the forums that the HD 800 really needs a great tube amp to sound it's best. And that's true. I've heard the HD 800 with the Leben CS300 and while the combo didn't win me over, it sounded very good. Much more body and no treble glare left to speak of. But my opinion is this: if you have to use a tube amp to *change* the sound of the headphone in order to make it sound good, then that ruins the idea a bit. A tube amp like the Leben colors the sound; it adds distortion, makes things different than what's originally intended. This goes against my idea of high-end hifi: a clean path through the entire audio chain. I think the source chain should be as neutral and as transparent as possible with minimal distortion, in order to make the headphones themselves shine through fully and display their respective strengths. This is the proper way of judging the sound of a headphone, isn't it? 

If you have two really expensive cars, you should use a track that's optimal for them to achieve high performance. If both cars have their different weaknesses, no modifications should be enabled to each, and no changes should be made to the track to cover up those weaknesses. That would be cheating! 

And that goes here as well, it's just that instead of two cars you have two different sounding headphones and instead of track you have your source chain. This is, of course, my opinion only. But I hope it's a reasonable explanation to why I don't think a tube amp should be used to judge a headphone. I feel you should judge the original, intended sound of the headphone. 
 
And driven from a neutral system, the HD 800 fails to impress. My positive impression of it has gone colder and colder, and I have now sold it. The sad truth is that not only do I prefer pretty much every STAX headphone made, the Audeze LCD-2 and the Beyerdynamic T1 to the HD 800 - I even prefer many cheaper headphones to the HD 800, like Sennheiser's own HD600, HD650 and even the portable momentum, which is a fantastic sounding headphone and my only headphone at this time. No, the Momentum, HD 600, HD 650 and even the LCD-2 don't have the openness and crispness of the HD 800, but they are all more neutral, easier on the ears and more fun to listen to. The HD 800 just comes down dull and clinical compared to most. 
 
It's a shame, but it's what I honestly feel. And no matter how many people who will hate me for saying it, I think the HD 800 is a failed, if ambitious, achievement by Sennheiser. The HD 700 made the sound fuller and warmer, but instead made the treble even brighter end quite edgy, so that one wasn't right either. If you want the best from Sennheiser, the HD 600/650 with a replacement cable and a great system is what you want. 
 
If you want better options at this price, the Beyerdynamic T1, LCD-2 and the cheaper STAX offerings are recommended. 
 
 
 

These shiny, luxurious little in-ear monitors that come in a very exclusive box sure feel very expensive in terms of look and feel. They shells attach behind your earlobes and rest comfortably there. This is the most comfortable in-ear headphone I've worn. 
 
They can be driven from an iPhone as well as an amp, sound will not be any different. 
 
The sound of these didn't impress. They have that clean, clinical sound yet lack the clarity to sit at this price range. The midrange is fairly neutral, but also quite flat sounding. The treble extends very high but is a bit piercing. Fatiguing to listen to for extended periods of time. 

The bass can be changed using the filters, which I didn't try. But it sure is a useful feature. The bass I heard was quite impactful, with zero muddiness. 

Soundstage is small on these, and again the midrange is quite flat sounding. 
 
Overall a clean in-ear monitor that looks and feels luxurious. But it's in no way worth this price. I prefer the Sennheiser HD 25 for portable use.

A large, hefty bit of planar magnetic goodness. Wood, metal and leather construction is very nice. A bit heavy for prolonged use though, can cause discomfort on top of your head. 

It has already been said. Fantastic bass that should appeal to everyone, a very smooth and full-bodied midrange and a pleasant, nonobtrusive natural sounding treble. Very refined with low distortion and high detail, if not quite as spectacular in this regard as electrostatics. Some may find them a little to the dark side, lacking that airy openness. 

I think this is the best choice below $1000. I prefer them to most. 

I bought these on a trip, mostly for noise cancelling on the airplane, and because my previous portable headphone broke. I was fully aware that I was buying an overpriced headphone, as far as sound quality goes. I compared the sound of these to a friend's 50 dollar skullcandy, and the only relevant difference was treble and bass quantity between the two. So here's a review, where I won't review the cans as if they were my 1000 dollar Sennheisers, but for what they actually are.
 
First of all, the beats are attractive, in a fashion-like way. The sleek design and high gloss black finish looks sweet, and details like metall and the logo on top of the headband give them an exclusive look.
 
Comfort/fit is pretty good, but the small earpads sometimes heat up my ears and the pressure of the headband can start getting uncomfortable after a while. The noise cancelling function (requiring batteries) works okay, but the headphones starts to leak sound at higher volumes and a low noise is always heard when music is not playing. The headphone is foldable, making it easy to transport while on the move, and a useful mute switch on the right earcup is a big +. The cable is detachable, but it appears to make static noises at times.
 
Build quality isn't something to cheer for. The plastic design and materials on headband and earpads feels cheap, and the earcups rattle. Construction is pretty solid though.

About the sound...
The first thing I noticed was the complete lack of soundstage openness. The quite aggressive sound signature is clearly coming from the left and right. No center image, no air and no depth at all. It just sounds very fake and electronic.
 
The highs are clearly flawed, being noisy and sometimes piercing with strong treble presence in the music (some female vocals for example). The mids are pretty sweet with more relaxed female vocals, but overall dry and soulless (kind of what you would expect from a 30 dollar headphone )

The bass lacks any sense of realism, lacking air and power. The kick is there, and hip hop entusiasts will appreciate how the bass performs, but for anything else than electronic, mainstream music - this won't cut it.
 
You should get these if you consider design more important than sound quality. The detachable cable, mute-switch and noise cancelling are all useful, and I would highly recommend it as a portable fashion headphone - if it weren't for the price.
 
For the person who's not into headphones and just care about looks, these would probably seem very expensive. I'm not that person, and the price didn't really hurt my budget that much, but as a serious listener I look at these for what they are: a fashion accessory. The sound quality is not good enough for a serious listener expecting a 300 dollar headphone of this kind to deliver value. 
 
As far and sound goes, NOT recommended.