IMPORTANT -- Everything below is for the Signature X with the STOCK ear pads. The stock ear pads hold back the sound quality. Changing to specific aftermarket pads raises the detail level to match the Pulse, and really the only difference from the X vs Pulse then becomes the tone, tuning, and general build. The biggest issues with the stock ear pads are the uncontrolled bass and congestion in the sound. The congestion in particular reduces the detail level considerably. Both issues are resolved with the right pads. I can, and do, recommend this headphone with aftermarket pads. These headphones are for those that are looking for major bass quantity knowing that the sound will be a bit darker and not entirely balanced due to the elevated bass. The special thing about these headphones is the bass quantity while keeping the bass relatively clean and separated from the rest of the spectrum.
Signature X Sound Impressions:
Overall: The Signature X's has greatly elevated bass in all areas, a surprisingly full mid range, and a fairly neutral treble that isn't elevated. Without a boost to the treble and with full mids, the end result is a very dark headphone where some detail and balance is lost due to the tuning and design of the ear pads. These headphones can be fun, especially if you love the bass boosted type of sound. Despite having Signature in the name, the Signature X doesn't quite live up to the the balance or refinement of the rest of the Signature line with the stock ear pads. That should probably be expected though, as the X costs the least of any of the Signature headphones.
Sound Specifics:
Bass: Majorly boosted, this headphone has more bass than any other Signature series headphone. Bass is the dominant frequency in all music.The bass is not entirely controlled, and will bloom or become boomy depending on the track. The Dual Deflector Fins (DDF) do work their magic in somewhat isolating the bass from much of the rest of the sound which does make most of the non bass sound still come through. In other words, you get a ton of bass while keeping more control than you would usually find on other headphones that have similar bass levels. Sub bass is present in good quantities, and so even when the bass is going overboard you get a nice rumble and texture which ends up adding to the fun factor. Another way of describing the bass is that it sounds like a portable amp with a bass boost switch always turned on. This bass boost applies to sub bass as well. Yes, the bass boost does make some music more fun, but it always comes at the cost of being somewhat overdone. For my tastes I'd take less bass for more control, but bassheads who want excessive quantity will be happy here.
Mids: Surprisingly good. Voices sound full, but not entirely natural due to the emphasized bass and lack of treble to give clean lines around the sound. Voices and instruments in the mid range do sound good overall though, and there isn't a sense that anything is lacking.
Treble: Polite without being rolled off. I don't see anyone complaining of harsh highs or sibilance here. There is enough treble power to give decent detail, but not enough to correct the dark tone of the headphone. So the treble is there without being harsh in any way, but still comes off a little low. For my tastes there's not quite enough to give contrast to the lower regions, but for those folks who are treble shy I think this may be just about perfect.
Sound Stage: Similar to others in the Signature series the sound stage is decently wide and deep for a closed back. Instrument placement isn't right next to you, but isn't too far away either. For those that have a newer Signature Series headphone, the sound stage is similar to the Pulse. Instrument separation is hurt considerably with the stock ear pads which add a stuffy thickness to each sound. This causes the instrument placement to sound more blended together than it should be.
Detail: Decent, better than average for the price range. Sounds aren't quite natural sounding. For example guitars may have an extra crunchyness to them, cymbals sound flatter and deeper than usual, and violins sound deeper than they should. Everything comes back to the dark tone and the stock pads shifting all the individual sounds a little lower and more congested. Still, there is good resolution. When I compared the X's to other headphones around the same price range I did find the X's had more detail even in it's stock form. With aftermarket pads the detail level goes up a decent amount.
Build/Comfort:
Overall they are comfortable enough for me. Despite looking the same as other Signature headphones the build quality uses materials that feel and behave a bit cheaper. The X's have a plush headband to take away any pressure on the top of the head, which works quite well. The adjustment mechanism works perfect. The ear pads are squishy and fairly comfortable around the ears, but they are a bit shallow to the point that your ear can rest on the driver. That may or may not be an issue for you, but that can become a small annoyance. I find the ear pads to be fine, although aftermarket ear pads do improve the comfort. The rest of the build is almost entirely plastic, and cheap plastic at that. The headphones creak with every move. Despite feeling cheap and hollow, I don't have any concerns that they will break over time as this design tends to be very sturdy.
Vs Pulse:
Expectations! When I ordered the Signature X's I did so expecting that they were a differently tuned Signature Pulse. This was based on the following comments from the Drop product page:
"Meet the new Drop + Ultrasone Signature X: your new bass of operations. A variation of Ultrasone’s popular Signature Series Pulse Headphones—designed for DJs, with a sound signature that closely adheres to the bass-emphasized Harman Target Curve—the Signature X keeps its predecessors bass-centric identity, with a new tuning that adds energy to other key areas of the frequency spectrum. Built around an ultra-punchy low-end, the Drop + Ultrasone Signature X gets a few more swings in with sparkling highs and clearly defined mids."
In hindsight I probably made an illogical leap to think that the X would sound similar to the Pulse. Drop does say the X is a "variation" of the Pulse, but that could mean just about anything. The driver plate installation differs, and the pads are different. The Pulse MSRP is also almost double compared to the X, so I think I was setting myself up for failure in assuming they would be nearly the same. That failure came when I listened to the X for the first time and immediately thought that they were 2 levels below the Pulse in technical ability. My initial reaction was mostly due to the lack of clarity & detail due to the darker tuning and congestion in the sound. I've done a lot of back and forth listening since then, and I've found the X's are actually closer to the Pulse's then I originally thought even in their stock form. Aside from the tuning, the X's do still lack some detail compared to the Pulse though. In switching to aftermarket pads the Pulse and X become very close in general ability.
Pulse Specific Comparisons:
Bass: For those that have the Pulse, simply add more bass in all regions by around 3dB and reduce the bass control. Bass is much cleaner on the Pulse while still being the emphasis. Otherwise the way the bass is everywhere is similar between the two.
Mids: Drop says
"...a new tuning that adds energy to other key areas of the frequency spectrum. Built around an ultra-punchy low-end, the Drop + Ultrasone Signature X gets a few more swings in with sparkling highs and clearly defined mids." I agree, the mids on the X are improved compared to the Pulse. The Pulse leans the mids a little too much to add more contrast and clarity in the overall sound. Voices and instruments in the mid range sound fuller on the X, but a bit more natural on the Pulse due to the clearer tone. I prefer the X's mid range.
Treble: Drop said there was added energy here, but I'm not hearing it. My X has less treble energy than the Pulse, although the X's may be a little better balanced in their treble. I'd say the Pulse has the sparkly treble, whereas the X's is quite polite. Those that want contrast in their electronic music will fare better with the Pulse, those that want to avoid any pesky peaks or any hint of a sharp treble are better off with the X.
Tone: If the Pulse has one layer of darkness over it, the X has three. The Pulse has a darker than neutral tone but all sounds still come across clear. The X is dark to the point that all sounds are impacted and pulled down. This is due mostly to the elevated bass, but also the full mids and neutral treble.
Sound Stage: Similar. Instruments on the Pulse are much more clearly defined, so the stage seems larger even though it's really similar to the X.
Detail: When equalizing the X to get close to the tuning of the Pulse, the Pulse still retains more detail compared to the X. It's not a significant amount more, but the X has a bit less detail. Without equalization the Pulse has more perceivable detail due to their elevated treble,slightly leaned out mids, and better pad matching to the tuning.
Overall: I prefer the Pulse over the X due to the better contrast of the lows and highs, improved detail, and better bass control. The Pulse costs a fair amount more though, so that needs to be factored in as well. With aftermarket pads on the X the gap narrows significantly. On the one hand the X has more bass quantity which adds a fair amount of fun to EDM music. On the other hand the Pulse is more balanced across the entire sound range. It's going to come down to your preference, but the Pulse is still my pick over the X. That said, the Pulse costs significantly more, so with that factored in the decision is much more difficult.
Vs Pro 780i:
I won't go too much into too much detail here, but overall I'm comfortable saying the X is the better headphone from a technical perspective. It has more detail, a wider deeper stage, and is more comfortable. While the X is technically better, the 780i has a clearer tone so everything sounds more natural. Detail on the 780i's goes down though, and there is a scooped sound that doesn't exist on the X's. Bass wise the X hits much harder while the 780's hits cleaner. I'd take the X's over the 780i's, but I also wouldn't necessarily pay to upgrade from the 780i to the X in it's stock form. With aftermarket pads I would take the X always.
Vs Meze 99 Classics:
Around the same price range, this is a much better comparison than the X vs Pulse. The 99 Classics offer a more natural tone that is better for vocals and instrumental music. The 99 Classics have better dynamics, more natural & improved mids, and a more natural sounding treble. On the other hand the X's have a significantly wider and deeper stage, better bass control (the 99's boom over everything with the 2nd gen stock pads), better bass quantity, and more detail. If I had to choose I'd take the X's as their overall sound is more refined compared to the 99 Classics, even with the stock pads on the X.
Closing Thoughts:
What I look for in a headphone is either a balanced sound (Signature Master or Natural), or a specialized contrasting sound (such as a bass emphasis, like the Pulse) where the sound is still somewhat natural or well contrasted. The X doesn't seem to fit any of those categories in it's stock form. The design of the ear pads lowers the quality of the sound considerably, causing the X's to not live up to it's full potential. With aftermarket pads the story changes, and I can recommend this headphone for those that are looking for major bass quantity knowing that the sound will be a bit darker and not entirely balanced due to the elevated bass. The special thing about these headphones is the bass quantity while keeping the bass relatively clean and separated from the rest of the spectrum.The Ultrasone S-Logic works well to create a large stage, and the DDF's do well to isolate and diffuse the bass for the quantity. Overall the X's are a good sounding headphone for the price in their stock form, and easy to recommend with aftermarket ear pads for those looking for major bass quantity in a darker tone.
