[Pass]

  always loved the design/comfort of the p5s but sounded muddy to me as a lot of have mentioned. very interested in these though

has anyone compared them to the kef m500s?

Post #166

 

[Pass]

Personally I think it is a waste of time to try analysing headphones in an Apple store. It's fine for judging fit and finish but for sound quality, no way. On that basis I purchased a pair on 30 day approval. So having spent last night at a Little Dragon concert I was today inspired to compare the Series 2 P5 (S2), against the original P5 (S1), the P7 and the original C5.

From the first note I realised the S2 sounded special but I burned them in for 12 hours before making any comparisons. Today I was listening to CD quality material on my iPhone5 and playing it loud.

Firstly listening to the first few tracks of Nabuma Rubberband I noticed how close the sound was to that I had heard standing right at the very front last night. Low notes from the S2 were much more impactful than those from the S1 or the P7. They made my skull resonate.

At the top end the results were again similar to live. Yumiki plays a racquet shaped jingle instrument which I could hardly hear last night. This instrument sounds muted on the S2, more obvious on the S1 and clearest on the P7.

I have made other notes of comparison during the day (such as S2 less harsh / strident than S1) but basically I suggest that if I could draw a picture of soundscapes and emphases from low to high with the S1 in the middle then the S2 would be shifted to the left and the P7 to the right.

I suspect if I could have wandered through the venue's 17 x 53 metre capacity I would have noticed similar shifts in emphasis. But I would not have been popular with a very packed crowd.

At the moment I am most enjoying the S2 but tomorrow is another day. Will I keep the S2? Probably because I can afford to. Do I need them? Definitely not because the C5 IEM is loads of fun and I could easily manage with only them. I am not going to try the C5 series 2 or look for reviews because I don't need them.

Personal note: these are my thoughts based on 60 year old ears and their preferences. If you disagree then that is fine with me but that doesn't mean either of us is wrong. Hearing differs as does colour perception and taste. I take my coffee black and without sugar.

Update: after plugging in my Dragonfly between iPhone and the Series 2 you can expect to see my Series 1 for sale shortly (complete with brand new spare ear pads since Series 2 uses a different fit).

Thanks for your impressions. I immediately went on Spotify for listening to Little Dragon after reading your post. What a nice discovery. It reminds me of ADULT..
 
Oh, and by the way, I don't even drink coffee!

 

[xeroian]

Just thought I'd pop this in here. Enjoy!

Wow it's worse

How can you tell it is worse from this graphic? Edit: sorry, that isn't mean to sound aggressive. It's a genuine question.

I can see the response is less flat.
I can see an enhanced bass; which personally I am enjoying as I write this.
I can see a mid range notch but isn't that where the human ear is most sensitive anyway.

I agree there is a difference. But does that necessarily make the Series 2 worse?

One thing I really enjoy about the P5 is its attack, timing and overall tunefulness. I suppose that's three things.

Tyll's graph can't show any of that and sadly Tyll says on InnerFidelity that he isn't going to review the Series 2.

 

[Hi-Fi Guy]

Would these sound good straight out of an iPhone 6 plus with 320 Kbps streaming from beats music?

 

[plakat]

  Just thought I'd pop this in here. Enjoy!

 
I can't help but get the feeling of some irony here... The first one was too warm for my taste (and not detailed enough), I guess the V2 will not fit me any better.
 
Anyway -- thanks & enjoy the holidays!

 

[tinyman392]

Would these sound good straight out of an iPhone 6 plus with 320 Kbps streaming from beats music?

Depends on your preferences in sound. These do have a thicker, slightly boomy sound to them. Extremely smooth, some may say too smooth. I have enjoyed them, but they are anything but accurate

 

[hola]

Depends on your preferences in sound. These do have a thicker, slightly boomy sound to them. Extremely smooth, some may say too smooth. I have enjoyed them, but they are anything but accurate

 


... ummm ... kinda the opposite of what I hoped... I thought these were going to be the mini P7...

 

[li2249]

I listen around 10 days, the sound is very good. In my experience, MacBook Pro 13(2014) is better than my IPhone6 Plus. It worth to buy it.

 

[Pass]

I listen around 10 days, the sound is very good. In my experience, MacBook Pro 13(2014) is better than my IPhone6 Plus. It worth to buy it.

They will thank you if you amp them, though. Even my little DragonFly makes for a better overall experience (clarity and detail) than straight out of my MBA 11 (12).

 

[ubs28]

  Just thought I'd pop this in here. Enjoy!
 

Many thanks for these measurements. The original P5 is better 

 

[xeroian]

Many thanks for these measurements. The original P5 is better 

Tyll's graphic shows a flatter response if that is what you mean by "better".

Only your own ears will tell you which version sounds best for you.

 

[Pass]

Tyll's graphic shows a flatter response if that is what you mean by "better".

Only your own ears will tell you which version sounds best for you.

True.
 
If you pass the bass bump, S2 is better IMO. I can't see in the graph where the "detail" section is. 'Cause S2 is a bit more revealing than S1. But again, IMO.
 
The frequency graph shows only one side of a headphone. A lot more isn't included with it.

 

[Inks]

Detail is a result of frequency response. Even bass and midrange aside, the version 1 has better treble, notice how the 2 dips at around 8k, the 1 stays even, past 10k one isn't better than the other. 

 

[Pass]

I know that I have a lot to learn here, and I also know that I could be wrong, but I still think that frequency graph is just one (an important one, I admit) point in any evaluation. The other point is to listen with your own ears. I noticed the bumps and dips, here and there, but all headphones have them, in different regions and amplitudes. I know a lot of closed headphones to have a dip in the 12k. Since I'm no expert, this is probably done on purpose. Maybe B&W tried something with an 8k dip also (that frequency can be very annoying if too much present). Personally, I never experienced it while listening at them.
 
If you take a look at the Solo²'s graph, you must think that these would sound horrible. Even with a bass emphasis over (and beyond) what he actually likes, Tyll qualifies it as solid and tight. Further in its review, he noted a treble emphasis of the XS (over the Solo²s) without talking about harshness or anything.
 
So, I don't deny that frequency graph is a relevant point when evaluating and comparing headphones, to qualify the character, global coherence, etc., but it won't tell you all you need to know to make an informed critic. Finally, here is a pertinant sentance taken from Tyll's review of the Solo² :
 
"After looking at the measurements of the Beats Solo² and comparing them with measurements for the Beyerdynamic DT1350, V-Moda XS, and Sennheiser Aluminum and Momentum On-Ear, I would have thought the Solo² would have been markedly superior (see measurement section next page), but yet again this was one of those times where the measurements don't tell all."

 

[Inks]

  I know that I have a lot to learn here, and I also know that I could be wrong, but I still think that frequency graph is just one (an important one, I admit) point in any evaluation. The other point is to listen with your own ears. I noticed the bumps and dips, here and there, but all headphones have them, in different regions and amplitudes. I know a lot of closed headphones to have a dip in the 12k. Since I'm no expert, this is probably done on purpose. Maybe B&W tried something with an 8k dip also (that frequency can be very annoying if too much present). Personally, I never experienced it while listening at them.
 
If you take a look at the Solo²'s graph, you must think that these would sound horrible. Even with a bass emphasis over (and beyond) what he actually likes, Tyll qualifies it as solid and tight. Further in its review, he noted a treble emphasis of the XS (over the Solo²s) without talking about harshness or anything.
 
So, I don't deny that frequency graph is a relevant point when evaluating and comparing headphones, to qualify the character, global coherence, etc., but it won't tell you all you need to know to make an informed critic. Finally, here is a pertinant sentance taken from Tyll's review of the Solo² :
 
"After looking at the measurements of the Beats Solo² and comparing them with measurements for the Beyerdynamic DT1350, V-Moda XS, and Sennheiser Aluminum and Momentum On-Ear, I would have thought the Solo² would have been markedly superior (see measurement section next page), but yet again this was one of those times where the measurements don't tell all."

The Solo2 graphs really well, just a bit too much bass. Don''t look at Tyll's colored lines, those are flawed compensations, a good curve bumps at about 10db at 3k and slopes down in the raw result in grey. XS does have a peak in comparison. Personally I have heard most of those headphones mentioned and the Solo2 is better than them all, but what stops it from being really ahead of the curve is it's bass response.