Avantone Pro Planer
Right Out of the Box impressions.
Music used :
Sade
Tom Chaplin
Rush
Sarah Jarosz
10CC
Keith Urban
So, to begin with, the Negatives :
The pads are not wonderful.
They are mildly scratchy and you will notice this at first, and keeping noticing them for the first hour. Then its better as the fibers flatten and become more comfortable.
Next, the build quality is what i'd define as "1963 Czechoslovakia assembly line""".
Metal Frame. Metal Cups. Metal metal everywhere except for the headband and the insulation on the wire.
We have a general sense of metal playing with metal all trying to adjust to your head's shape.
They do, actually, but at first its, interesting.
After some hours with them, its fine.
Clamping pressure is mild.
Headband is good.
Ear cups are medium depth and will fit most ears comfortably.
The Avantone's do not totally disappear on your head.
You notice their bulk at first, but like all headphones...if you wear them a lot, you forget about them.
Cables are a bit stiff, they are not labeled "L & R" because its not necessary. Just plug in and you are there.
Cables are not particularly microphonic, and not particularly high end, but they'll do, and are very easy to replace.
Ok, thats all the complaints., and other then the scratchy pads, and the all metal frame, i have nothing more to slightly downgrade.
Sound.:
They sound Good.
My very first initial impression was that they sound like excellent Dynamic headphones, yet they are inexpensive Planer's.
Soundwise they offer a lot of what is most desirably in a Dynamic, yet they are a set of Planer's. This is a good thing.
There is a somewhat "analog" tonality located inside these headphone's sonic signature that is quite pleasant.
They are truly a unique sounding set of Planer's.
Evidently the engineer was trying to create a tonality that reminds you of "vintage" and "analog".
Lots of clarity and impressive resolution at this price point.
Detail retrieval is superior.
Treble...:
Quite Revealing..
As i said, very good detail retrieval.
The sound perspective is : Natural + slightly analytical.
Trebles are really good. Lots of air around vocals that are recorded well.
Midrange....:
Punchy
Revealing
Dynamic
Rich
Low mids are free of bloat.
There is no sense that the mids are laid back. They are very forthright, well presented, rich, and provide excellent clarity and definition.
Bass.....:
Extension is ok, balance is good.
These Planars are designed to appeal to the crowd that likes neutrality and clarity and detail.
The bass is designed to stay balanced and well represented, yet not dominate.
It allows the mids and the treble to shine and sing.
Soundstage. :
This is the best part of this gear, along with the detail retrieval.
The instrument separation and soundstage is very good.
It's unique.
Sound comes out of the blackness and its very good and somewhat analytical.
There is a lot of sound in front and there is a unique side to side presentation extension that is very nice.
This is a $399 set of Planar's that will have you reaching for all your favorite music to give it a new listen.
So, that is the best compliment i can give these headphones, as that is what they for for me.
Rating :
Treble : 8.5
Midrange : 8.5
Bass : 7.9
Sound Presentation : 8:9
Timbre - Tonality - Textural Accuracy : 8.9
Comfort : 7.6
Value for $399 USD. : 8.8+
Sonic Value for the money : 9.2+
Unique Sonic Presentation.
Very enjoyable audiophile sound that punches above their price point.
ive now listened to them for hrs, and have enjoyed what im hearing.
The soundstage they represent is unique.
Their handling of vocals is very good.
Instrument separation is very good.
Cable upgrade is simple.
Give them a listen, they offer a unique audiophile sound value.
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- Style: Over-ear, open-back
- Transducer Type: Planar Magnetic
- Magnet Type: Neodymium N50SH
- Diaphragm Type: 21 Micron PET
- Transducer size: 70 x 95 mm
- Maximum power handling: 5W RMS
- Frequency response: 30Hz - 30kHz
- THD: <0.1% @ 100dB
- Impedance: 32 Ω
- Sensitivity: 104 dB/1mW (at Drum Reference Point)
- Minimum power:>100mW
- Recommended power:>250mW
- Weight: .48kg; 1 Lbs
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