Deja Vu
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2002
- Posts
- 59
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Below are my initial impressions and concerns about my pair of A500s I just received a week ago. FYI, the phones have around 50 hours of burn-in, and my current sources are a Sony D-EJ955 PCDP and Sony MZ-R91 MD recorder.
Size: They're HUGE! The thread about pictures not doing justice was totally correct! However, I like my headphones big, so this is not a problem at all... =)
Bass: They have good (but not huge) bass, no need for any bass boosts or EQ tweaks.
Isolation: The isolation is so-so. They do a good job when the outside noise is at an acceptible level (many people talking, announcements, etc. - airport terminal), however they start failing when the outside noise increases (roommate's 6.1 speaker system)
Comfort: They're very comfortable, but they're not for heavy duty use. They tend to fall off your head easily.
Build quality: They definitely don't look cheap overall, but the fabric-covered cord tangles very easily, and the plastic covers could be better. Sony D66 Eggos have a much better plastic.
Sound quality: Now, here starts my complaints. First of all, in contrary to what other users have said, they're not easily driven by portables. With my portable units (both 5mW) a very annoying clipping starts at around 70% volume.
The sound is also not as clear as I expected it to be. D66s are known to be harsh at the higher end, but at least they're clearer... Besides, these phones are harsh at the high end, too... They seem to smoothen the sound at the low end, while giving a sound that's both harsh and dark at the high end. It's hard to describe, but I don't like it.
Concluding, while not as harsh as the D66s on the high end, these phones are also harsh, and dark-sounding. Apparently, I'll need an amp to judge them objectively, because these aren't the phones to use with 5mW sources.
EDIT: In the beginning, I wanted 2 pairs of (1 closed, 1 open) decent cans for home use, and purchased these for the closed one. However, I might replace them with a pair of, say, HD280s. But I think I should test them with an amp before making a decision.
As for the open cans, I'm considering HD580/600s or Grado SR225s.
Size: They're HUGE! The thread about pictures not doing justice was totally correct! However, I like my headphones big, so this is not a problem at all... =)
Bass: They have good (but not huge) bass, no need for any bass boosts or EQ tweaks.
Isolation: The isolation is so-so. They do a good job when the outside noise is at an acceptible level (many people talking, announcements, etc. - airport terminal), however they start failing when the outside noise increases (roommate's 6.1 speaker system)
Comfort: They're very comfortable, but they're not for heavy duty use. They tend to fall off your head easily.
Build quality: They definitely don't look cheap overall, but the fabric-covered cord tangles very easily, and the plastic covers could be better. Sony D66 Eggos have a much better plastic.
Sound quality: Now, here starts my complaints. First of all, in contrary to what other users have said, they're not easily driven by portables. With my portable units (both 5mW) a very annoying clipping starts at around 70% volume.
The sound is also not as clear as I expected it to be. D66s are known to be harsh at the higher end, but at least they're clearer... Besides, these phones are harsh at the high end, too... They seem to smoothen the sound at the low end, while giving a sound that's both harsh and dark at the high end. It's hard to describe, but I don't like it.
Concluding, while not as harsh as the D66s on the high end, these phones are also harsh, and dark-sounding. Apparently, I'll need an amp to judge them objectively, because these aren't the phones to use with 5mW sources.
EDIT: In the beginning, I wanted 2 pairs of (1 closed, 1 open) decent cans for home use, and purchased these for the closed one. However, I might replace them with a pair of, say, HD280s. But I think I should test them with an amp before making a decision.
As for the open cans, I'm considering HD580/600s or Grado SR225s.
