What can I say about Beyerdynamic's Custom One Pros? A lot. And I'm currently wearing them listening to music while I type this. Going on 6 hours now. These are impressive for the pricetag, and right out of the box they sound is amazing. They're actually the first headphones I haven't had the inclination to open up and tinker with to see if I could improve the sound. The bass response slider is innovative, with 4 positions that can be changed on either cup with just a click. From position 1, you get a clean and crisp, very crystal clear annalytical sound that still surprisingly has enjoyable, slightly punchy bass. As you move up towards position 4, the sound coming from the cans becomes more robust, with punchier bass, and finally at position 4 you get thumping bass that bassheads will love. The amount of bass these cans can produce is just a shy step under the DT 770 pros.
Build Quality:
Right out of the box, you'll notice the build quality. I'm impressed with the amount of metal used in the build. The cups are metal. The customizable backs and frame are metal. The Y-forks connecting the cups to the headband are metal. The build immediately resembles the DT-770 pro, accept with more metal. Yet despite this, the build is exceptionally light at only 290g. That's roughly .64 pounds. The best part of the Custom One is that almost everything can be customized. Want velour earpads instead of the pleather ones that come with? Easy. Want to change the faceplate? Order a pre-made one that's right for you. Or order a blank one and have a decal lazered on there. The headband comes off easily and can be replaced. The pleather earpads that come stock on the Custom One are exceptional, and although small, they're filled nicely. They don't feel cheap on your head. The removable 2.5mm connector is a must for anyone who wants to keep their cans for an extended period of time. Drivers last for years if maintained, and if anything wires and cables are what may go bad. So having a disconnecting cable is a win for this build!
5/5
Sound Quality:
Wow. It was the word that first came to my mind after listening to the first few tracks from my mp3 player even after the unboxing. I listened to rock, punk, metal, dubstep, epic. It was all epic. And the fact that I could change the way the music sounded with just a flick of the thumb was even more epic. The positions 1,2,3,4 ,mix progressively heavier bass into a crystal-clear and enjoyable soundstage that is awe inspiring when compared to other cans in the price range( SRH840s, ATHM50s, ATHA900Xs, AKG K550s, HD558s). I have to say that I recently bought a pair of AKG K550s and have to say how thuroughly disappointing they were. Bass sounded like a tin can, they didn't sound open at all despite how much people raved about them, and there was a sharp peak in the upper mid ranges that forced me to constantly listen to music at unenjoyable volumes, and just knowing it was there made me shake my head in disgust. That, and they were made in China. Anyway...I just realized I've had my Rise Against mix on repeat. Hold on. And yeah, I've been grudge matching my Custom Ones with my other cans so my claims are justified. I'll go through each position seperately.
Position 1 - Crystal-clear annalytic. Guitar riffs, then vocals up front. Fast and crisp, and guitar riffs can be heard with sensational clarity. Slight bass.
Position 2 - Slightly more bass mixed in, less annalytic and more rounded sound. Vocals more pronounced.
Position 3 - Vocals further pronounced, guitar riffs begin to mix better with more pronounced bass.
Position 4 - Bass is substantial, but while thumpy, is tight and enjoyable, it doesn't mug up soundtracks. A step under the DT770 pro's bass.
The ability to switch between positions is great, and it doesn't just add more bass response, but the entire soundstage is changed slightly.
And just to be clear, this set of cans was what I wanted the AKG550 to be when I bought them. I'm happy.
5/5
Soundstage:
I left this as a seperate category because I feel it should be addressed that the soundstage of these cans is superb. I remember when I had my DT770 pros, and compared them to other cans, and how impressive the soundstage was. It was precise. I'm just not a basshead. Even so, I'm still impressed with the position 3-4 setting of the Custom Ones, and prefer listening to some of my tracks that way. Now, these cans are quick. I can't say precisely because I only have my ears as an instrument, and looking at a 500 Square Wave Response graph. Now, a 500 Square Wave Response graph is used to measure the ability of headphones to keep all differing frequency components lined up in time. The more capable a pair of headphones is in this regard, the more coherent and clear the signal will be. Imagine hearing everything, quite literally. With how clear the Custom Ones are, you can feel how complex a guitar riff is. The spacial positioning is astounding, regardless of what position you're listening to. I've heard drums on position 1 wrap around my head from left ear to right even amidst guitar riffs and vocals. For me, it's position 1, since I'm not a basshead. I love position 1!
5/5
Isolation:
These are great. And again, they can be made to be semi-open or open cans quite easily. I can't speculate on the sound difference other than closed, but when I can I'll update this. Ever wanted to watch someone's mouth moving and not hear a word they're saying while listening to music? I can't even hear myself talking while music is playing at 70%. Can just barely hear a finger snap right outside the earcup at 70% (and I can snap loud). At 18dB of isolation, these cans are top of the line for the pricerange. And the fit is awesome. Regardless of your headsize. I've tested with heads other than mine and everyone says they're snug, and sealed.
5/5
As far as drawbacks for the Custom Pro, they're slim to none. FR for the Cans are 5-35,000, but judging from the FR graph for these, there's a significant drop off past 16,000, to the point where anything 16,000 to 20,000 is recessed, and anything past that is almost non-existant. But in a way isn't that a good thing? These cans focus on the meat of the music. I've always hated high-pitched "audiophile" cans, but again that's my preference. The Custom Ones to me are like a Porterhouse, but with the variable bass response, you can trim the fat off if you want to.
