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.
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:
Transducer | 38mm Neodymium driver (dynamic) |
Enclosure | sealed |
Frequency response | 10-22.000 Hz |
Cable material | HPOFC (woven) |
Cable length | 1.25m |
Senstivity | 101 dB @ 1mW |
Max. sound pressure level | 126dB |
Impedance | 32 ohms |
Maximum input power | 200 mW |
Connector | gold-plated 3,5 mm jack plug 6,3mm jack adapter included |
Weight (without cable) | 178 g |
Colour | black |
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.
It's a shame they didn't incorporate a detachable cable a little upgrade such as a Litz UPOCC Cryo 7N copper cable may have helped step up their game, for those wanting to squeeze that extra bit of performance out and sculpt the sound signature more to their liking.