[Fungus]

  HD25 2s vs Aluminiums + Yaxi type B pads 
 
Durability and value for money:
 
Have had a pair of HD25 2s for over three years, daily listening, work, gym, all good, just now replaced cable, most durable phones ever.
 
Insane price for aluminiums:
 
Just bought a pair of HD25 Aluminiums as Thomann and wood brass currently have them for around £123 inc delivery if you are in the UK. Jason from custom cans says they are being discontinued so get them whilst you can, at this price the deal is a no brainer, even for current HD25 2 owners. You get angled cable, real leather pads with thicker memory (tempur like) foam both for the ears and head and a decent case both of which quality upgrades would probably cost you at least £50 on their own (the pads are £35 and the case, if available would likely be around £15 to £20)
 
Effectively you are paying £68 for a pair of (much improved, better sounding) HD25s, or if you already own a pair of HD25s, headband, cable and two drivers which are worth £185 in spares, not that when you hear them you will save them for that.
 
Bass and comfort improvement:
 
Jason from custom cans says his uber damping and mass loading kit (which I have but yet to fit) apparently improves the bass response inducing only a slight dip at at one point in the curve, well, I can't imagine what extra improvement that would bring to the aluminiums but in one of his youtube videos he equates the (then) new aluminiums very closely to his original HD25s with the damping/mass upgrade, all I can say, is if it makes the HD25s sound like this then that's amazing. There can always be slight differences between batches of the same electrical product over the years as suppliers can change, sometimes materials or manufacturing processes change slightly, also it is theoretically possible drivers on old headphones can degrade slightly over time (especially if used in challenging environments) but again I would of thought only very slightly. Seeing as my original HD25s appear to have no damage and have new cables with good connections (adjust the connector springs in the driver with a pin, keep contacts clean) I can only conclude that the (significant) sound improvement was due to the aluminiums' metal driver enclosure construction and the memory foam leather pads.
 
If damping kit turns plastic 25s into the aluminium sound then go for it:
 
If you love your 25s but want a little more then if Jason's uber damping kit, which costs less than £10 quid makes them sound like the aluminium's as he says it does I say get it without hesitation as the aluminium's sound much better than the plastic originals. Can't wait to fit the uber kit to the aluminium's , I can't almost imagine any more punch and warmth in the bass without colouring the sound too much but am willing to give it a go.
 
Yaxi type B's:
 
I should point out at this time that I am using the excellent yaxi type B pads on the aluminiums again from custom cans which are supremely comfortable and offer a very slight increase in bass response over the already upgraded aluminium memory foam leather pads. The type B's look quite a bit thicker, by around 50% (at least) than the aluminium's and double the original 25's pleatherette and velour pads, they are also quite a bit larger in diameter so sit more over your ears and squish to form a better isolating and (most) comfortable fit moulding partially into your ear shape, the extent of which will depend on the clamping force of your headband (my old 25s' has lost a lot of it's tension over the years) The type Bs only increase the bass warmth, attack and amplitude by a very small amount compared to the aluminium's smaller memory pads, after all they are made from almost identical materials whilst noting that the smaller memory pads already offer a noticeable improvement over the old leatherette or velours. So, yaxi type Bs for £30 or Senn aluminium pads £24 up to you, both a real improvement in comfort and sound. It should be noted Custom Cans only have the black and red ones in stock, which I don't like the look of but then I couldn't wait to order a pair of all black ones direct from Japan, although they do stand out.
 
Sound improvement:
 
I am a massive skeptic and critic, I studied metallurgy and materials engineering for four years so I know how much voodoo BS is out there in audiophile land but in the case of the aluminiums and the yaxi type B pads pretty much all the claims made are true. I would even say most reviews I have read have actually underestimated the sound improvement from the plastic HD25s to the aluminiums, for my ears it's not a slight improvement in bass but a considerable boost in amplitude of low/mid bass, better definition (attack) and slight extension of the mid bass (extends higher into the frequency range) and a slight opening of the sound stage in the (I guess) high mids which I think people call 'presence'. Seeing as the drivers are the same and the enclose is the same the only difference can be attributable to the improved memory foam ear pads and the stiffer ear cup (basically an enclosure in speaker terms) material. Whatever it is the just sound, very similar, but noticeably better whilst still being fairly neutral.
 
The yaxi type Bs aren't a big step up from the smaller foam pads in terms of bass (although a bigger step up from the thinner pleatherette and velours) but surprisingly enough I had to agree that the soundstage in the mids and upper mids seemed to be improved, maybe this was due to the larger effective free space volume from the driver to my eardrum or the effective volume of the whole enclosure. Who knows, both are worth upgrades and much more comfortable for my ears with better isolation, they appear to be made very well, time will tell how long they last but their quality inspires confidence.
 
Conclusion:
 
Although the HD25s and aluminiums sound very similar, basically they are identical engineering wise apart from metal ear cups and memory foam ear pads, the aluminiums improve the tightness and amplitude of the bass whilst remaining relatively flat and uncoloured, mids are improved too with slightly greater presence and a slightly more open sound stage. I have AB'd these with my plastic HD25s and whilst the improvement in the LF range is noticeable straight away and the mids with intensive AB testing any difference in the HF range is very hard to tell. It may be that the HF range is a little harsher, maybe simply because as the drivers appear to be working more efficiently there is more air being moved around, whatever the case the difference is tiny. There does appear to be an overall increase in volume across the entire range, the aluminiums are noticeably louder. I haven't touched on form, yes they feel better and the hinges and cups look more expensive, if thats important to you, but basically they are just a slightly, if significantly, improved version of the plastic HD25 2s both in sound and comfort.
 
Can things get better?
 
I am skeptical, but eager to find out. Seeing as the aluminiums already improve bass response in both amplitude, depth and attack (more oomph, more punch and extends higher in a non muddy, clean way) with the Yaxi type Bs taking this very slightly further I am not sure if the Custom Cans upgrade will improve things further or even just be too much. I am hoping not. I am hoping that the damping will still have an effect as aluminium still vibrates and that even the mass loading will have some small effect as whilst aluminium is stiffer than plastic it still flexes.
 
I might even try a copper cable, even though there is no scientific reason why that should make any difference (after four years studying metallurgy including 6 months in the plating lab of an International Research Institute flame away) just because the resistance of the steel cable is 7% of the static driver impedance within the 10% window and the copper cable is effectively zero, this should not make any discernible difference unless the steel cable was 30 metres long. Whilst I know that the impedance of a silver cable, copper cable and silver coated copper cable are all effectively zero and that apart from correct termination, twisting to avoid crosstalk and correct sheathing there is absolutely no electromechanical, physical scientific difference in them with regard to moving a few electrons I am however open to the (scientifically unlikely) idea there just MAY be a difference between steel and copper, as steel is only around 15 to 20% as conductive as copper. Being scientifically minded I would kind of be a hypocrite if I didn't evaluate things myself. I am really hoping one of the Custom Cans' uber cables does the trick, I shall report back positive, negative or neutral. I am looking forward to being proved wrong.

I have the alu and standard hd25 with me and I couldn't agree with you more though I'm still keeping the hd25 for a 3 reason, they are lighter and stay on my head better, more discrete and less prone to scratches. 

 

[god-bluff]

I have the alu and standard hd25 with me and I couldn't agree with you more though I'm still keeping the hd25 for a 3 reason, they are lighter and stay on my head better, more discrete and less prone to scratches. 

Agree on all counts. The plastic used for the cups must me the toughest known to man. Not the tiniest mark after 6 years of almost daily use. The Aluminium is nice no doubt but goes against what the HD25 is all about. Ultralight and indestructible.Likewise different cables from the sturdy original to some extent IMO.

 

[Fungus]

The alu cups would probably be as durable if not more than its plastic counterpart however most would not but it through the same abuse to find out due to the big price difference.

Having said that, the alu do sound a lot better and are well worth nearly double the price.

 

[god-bluff]

Certainly be stronger yes but not as scratch resistant surely?

 

[Slaphead]

Ahh, that age old argument - metal v plastic

Personally I'm a firm believer in plastic for the majority of portable uses - not just headphones.

Portable for me means that it's likely to be dropped or end up being abused in some manner or form, and while I agree that plastic is more likely to be scratched it does have some advantages over metal:-

1. When deformed past a certain point metal tends to stay that way - it remains dented or bent. By contrast plastic can deform to a far greater degree and will in general return to it's original form. Of course plastic has it's limits as well and when pushed beyond those limits it will crack or shatter depending on the plastic formulation. This in my mind makes plastic more resilient to day to day knocks in general than metal is.

2. Plastic is far lighter than metal, making it ideal for portable devices.

My two main portables are the HD25 and the Beyerdynamic DT1350. I've no problems just shoving my HD25s into a bag knowing they'll survive the rigours of whatever I do with them. The DT1350, due to their mostly metal construction, never go with me without the semi hard case that comes with them due to the fact that an accident, where the HD25s would survive, could permanently damage the DT1350.

There is no doubt that the metal earcups improve the sound of the HD25 - I have the Amperiors and they beat the HD25 in just about every department while maintaining a very similar sound signature. That said I still stick with my HD25 as a daily driver simply because I believe they'll stand up to more accidental abuse than the Amperiors.

Of course if you're careful with your stuff then there's probably not much in it, but I just prefer plastic for this kind of use as I feel it gives me a bit more of a safety zone than metal does.

 

[jfunk]

  Certainly be stronger yes but not as scratch resistant surely?

I don't know... I have had to sand down a lot of pairs of plastic and alu earcups to give the paint something to key into and you would be surprised how good the anodised finish on the alus is. I don't know about every day use but to take the shine off them takes longer with 400 grit sand paper on the aluminiums than the plastic ones.
 
During our destruction testing we have dropped both from a second story window into a concrete floor below and both survived fine without denting of cracking but it was not very scientific but I am pretty certain both will survive a surprising amount of abuse.

My current fave portable headphones are probably the DT1350 but I am on my second hinge on my pair - luckily beyer sell a hinge repair kit but it is £24 for two hinges

 

[Fungus]

There is no doubt that the metal earcups improve the sound of the HD25 - I have the Amperiors and they beat the HD25 in just about every department while maintaining a very similar sound signature. That said I still stick with my HD25 as a daily driver simply because I believe they'll stand up to more accidental abuse than the Amperiors.

that's exactly why I decided to keep my hd25 despite already owning the alu 

 

[myemaildw]

amperiors have less bass than hd25 no? or is it velour pads? and with paper leather you get same bass on amperior headphones? thanks

 

[Makiah S]

Ahh, that age old argument - metal v plastic

Personally I'm a firm believer in plastic for the majority of portable uses - not just headphones.

Portable for me means that it's likely to be dropped or end up being abused in some manner or form, and while I agree that plastic is more likely to be scratched it does have some advantages over metal:-

1. When deformed past a certain point metal tends to stay that way - it remains dented or bent. By contrast plastic can deform to a far greater degree and will in general return to it's original form. Of course plastic has it's limits as well and when pushed beyond those limits it will crack or shatter depending on the plastic formulation. This in my mind makes plastic more resilient to day to day knocks in general than metal is.

2. Plastic is far lighter than metal, making it ideal for portable devices.

My two main portables are the HD25 and the Beyerdynamic DT1350. I've no problems just shoving my HD25s into a bag knowing they'll survive the rigours of whatever I do with them. The DT1350, due to their mostly metal construction, never go with me without the semi hard case that comes with them due to the fact that an accident, where the HD25s would survive, could permanently damage the DT1350.

There is no doubt that the metal earcups improve the sound of the HD25 - I have the Amperiors and they beat the HD25 in just about every department while maintaining a very similar sound signature. That said I still stick with my HD25 as a daily driver simply because I believe they'll stand up to more accidental abuse than the Amperiors.

Of course if you're careful with your stuff then there's probably not much in it, but I just prefer plastic for this kind of use as I feel it gives me a bit more of a safety zone than metal does.

I couldn't have said that any better my self, that's what I love about the HD 25, it's plastic an it's TOUGH 
 
also I'm in the process of writing my review of it now! I'll be doing a video comparison of both the HD 25-1 II an my Beats Solo 2 later this week 

 

[myemaildw]

what is the peak on hd25 that everyone says?

 

[Makiah S]

what is the peak on hd25 that everyone says?

Well actually, I've found that the peak is dependent on your source, though on my LG V10 I Eq 8.8k Hrz like -7, the HD 25-1 II can make S's a touch harsh 
 
anyways my review for these is ready I've got my ending thoughts in the Spoiler box, 
 

Spoiler: Here's my Conclusion

Overall, when driven and sourced properly it has a very dry and even sound. The bass is a touch forward but very taut with slightly recessed low mids, with a nice leading edge to the upper mids and treble.  The sound stage is of average width and a little shallow however instruments are well layered within the sound stage and have good spatial cues.   

However, if driven from a cheaper phone or digital audio player, the HD 25-1 II can sound sluggish, muddy, incoherent and very SHARP. With a very loose overall sound, in addition when listening to low bit rate music you will notice the artifacts that are inherent to poorly encoded music. When purchased and used right out the box with lower end gear and poorly encoded mp3s it’s nothing impressive, heck I’ll dare to say that right out of my iPod Nano Gen 3 [using 320 CBR mp3s] my Beats Solo 2 sound much cleaner than the HD 25-1 II. 

 

 [size=1em]In conclusion, given the price, I love the HD 25-1 II. It offers unmatched durability, and an excellent high quality of sound! [/size][size=1em] [/size][size=1em]When paired with higher quality digital audio players, amps and properly encoded music, the HD 25-1 II can easily outpace the Solo 2![/size][size=1em] [/size]

 

 
http://hifilittleriver.blogspot.com/2015/12/sennhesier-hd-25-1-ii-rugged-road.html
 
An here's a nice video comparing the HD 25-1 II to the Beats Solo 2

Spoiler: Warning: Video

 

[Fungus]

I recently caught the hd25 fever and now have 4 pairs in my possession including a hd25-13 600ohm and alu which makes 8 pairs over my lifetime, 
I'm thinking of swapping out the alu 70ohm driver with the 600 just for kicks 

 

 

[Makiah S]

  I recently caught the hd25 fever and now have 4 pairs in my possession including a hd25-13 600ohm and alu which makes 8 pairs over my lifetime, 
I'm thinking of swapping out the alu 70ohm driver with the 600 just for kicks 

 

ooh I'd be curious to hear that! 
 
An frankly, I do think the HD 25 is a step above the aformentioned Solo 2, it takes something as simple as a Fiio X1 or even a in expensive oDac/Amp to bring the HD 25 to a level above the Solo 2 

 

[Fungus]

 
I don't know... I have had to sand down a lot of pairs of plastic and alu earcups to give the paint something to key into and you would be surprised how good the anodised finish on the alus is. I don't know about every day use but to take the shine off them takes longer with 400 grit sand paper on the aluminiums than the plastic ones.
 
During our destruction testing we have dropped both from a second story window into a concrete floor below and both survived fine without denting of cracking but it was not very scientific but I am pretty certain both will survive a surprising amount of abuse.

My current fave portable headphones are probably the DT1350 but I am on my second hinge on my pair - luckily beyer sell a hinge repair kit but it is £24 for two hinges

Just received my other old mk1 hd25-1 and it also has the wrinkled earpad and rough textured cups. 
I guess this confirms all mk1 variants all share the same traits with the cups and earpads.

 

[Fungus]

After listening to them amped and comparing it directly with the hd25 70ohm, I'm convinced they are the real deal! After volume match, the hd25-13 sound so much cleaning and flatter with the bass hitting much lower, so much more body! I would go as far to say they are on par with my alu with the bass being tighter on the alu.