[1wyseman]

I finally got a pair of Onkyo H500BT. Very nice, indeed!

Certainly a no frills presentation and build. I like their simplicity and paired down look. And since I prefer an on-ear headphone, this adds another one which rounds out my collection (yeah, right...) Even though they are similar to the Fidelio M2BT, I still like my favs better. The H500BT reminds me of the Headphone Devine.

Two major problems, though. One solved, the other one I'm still on the fence about. The first problem is the pulsing blue BT light--they placed it towards the front of the right ear piece which causes it to reflect on the inside of the lens of my large, hipster horned-rim glasses. Incredibly annoying, but a little piece of black electrical tape over the LED solved that. I go by the voice prompts now and just guess how long it might take to recharge the battery--and that works out fine.

The other problem...hmmmmm. The lateral swivel of the drivers/earpieces is so loose and wide (a full quarter turn) that the ear pads don't apply pressure evenly over the ear, but instead, conform to the angle of the ear. My ears lie quite flat, but still, the natural shape of my ear forces the ear pads to apply the most pressure to just in front of my ears where my cheek and jaw bone meet. I can adjust and adjust and adjust and eventually find a good compromise position but by then I question the correct acoustic angle of the sound waves projecting down my ear canal.

For the most part, I'm enjoying them a lot. But don't spend more than $199 on them. (I couldn't wait for another temporary markdown that appears on Amazon once in awhile and spent $256. I regret that a little.)

 

[Techfixation]

I finally got a pair of Onkyo H500BT. Very nice, indeed!


Certainly a no frills presentation and build. I like their simplicity and paired down look. And since I prefer an on-ear headphone, this adds another one which rounds out my collection (yeah, right...) Even though they are similar to the Fidelio M2BT, I still like my favs better. The H500BT reminds me of the Headphone Devine.


Two major problems, though. One solved, the other one I'm still on the fence about. The first problem is the pulsing blue BT light--they placed it towards the front of the right ear piece which causes it to reflect on the inside of the lens of my large, hipster horned-rim glasses. Incredibly annoying, but a little piece of black electrical tape over the LED solved that. I go by the voice prompts now and just guess how long it might take to recharge the battery--and that works out fine.


The other problem...hmmmmm. The lateral swivel of the drivers/earpieces is so loose and wide (a full quarter turn) that the ear pads don't apply pressure evenly over the ear, but instead, conform to the angle of the ear. My ears lie quite flat, but still, the natural shape of my ear forces the ear pads to apply the most pressure to just in front of my ears where my cheek and jaw bone meet. I can adjust and adjust and adjust and eventually find a good compromise position but by then I question the correct acoustic angle of the sound waves projecting down my ear canal.


For the most part, I'm enjoying them a lot. But don't spend more than $199 on them. (I couldn't wait for another temporary markdown that appears on Amazon once in awhile and spent $256. I regret that a little.)

I remember suggesting these a while ago to you as I know how much you love the m2bt's and I found the H500's pretty similar. I'm glad you finally got to try them, I actually wear similar glasses and discovered the same issue with the led and the positioning. I seem to have solved this by wearing them with the headband much further towards the front of the head thus angling the pads to a degree that felt much more comfortable and better sealing, it also helped to angle the led out of the way. I also sat my glasses arms over the top of the pads to give even greater comfort. Now if I was to wear them out and about like this they'd slide off the front of my head in no time, but as I predominantly use them for movies and music while sat at home they sit quite happily like that.

I'd be interested in hearing your direct comparison between the m2bt's and the Onkyos? As I said I remember them to be quite similar but it was a long time ago that I tried the Philips. From memory I still feel the m2bt's were one of the very best Bluetooth headphones I tried, with probably the best bass I've experienced on Bluetooth to date! Unfortunately I experienced several issues with their Bluetooth connection so had to send them back. I'm still waiting for them to release a new version??

 

[Sonic Defender]

I guess I'm lucky with the shape of my head and ears as the H500BT fits absolutely perfectly for me. I never even thought about the swivel as a potential issue as for me everything is just bang on. I can see for somebody not getting as good a fit that the sound quality would take a hit. Shame, as with a solid fit the Onkyo keeps up quite well with even the highly respected B&W P7 wireless. I would like to try the M2BT, but do I remember correctly that it forces ANC to be engaged all the time, or was that the original Momentum BT? I remember something like that being a deal breaker for me and why I wouldn't even try the M2BT. I actually don't like ANC and I don't need it.
 
I have and use the MDR-1000X and use the ANC to test and there are times with odd little environmental events like wind, or as the background noise changes that the ANC produces brief little hiccups so to speak that let you know that it is actually happening. I don't enjoy those, albeit minor and brief, events. For me, just not needed so if the M2BT does forced ANC, couldn't be bothered to even try, that should be my decision, not the companies. If they voice it to sound best with ANC, again, another design decision I can't get behind. ANC should always be de-featable, that is a no-brainer IMO.

 

[jmills8]

I guess I'm lucky with the shape of my head and ears as the H500BT fits absolutely perfectly for me. I never even thought about the swivel as a potential issue as for me everything is just bang on. I can see for somebody not getting as good a fit that the sound quality would take a hit. Shame, as with a solid fit the Onkyo keeps up quite well with even the highly respected B&W P7 wireless. I would like to try the M2BT, but do I remember correctly that it forces ANC to be engaged all the time, or was that the original Momentum BT? I remember something like that being a deal breaker for me and why I wouldn't even try the M2BT. I actually don't like ANC and I don't need it.

I have and use the MDR-1000X and use the ANC to test and there are times with odd little environmental events like wind, or as the background noise changes that the ANC produces brief little hiccups so to speak that let you know that it is actually happening. I don't enjoy those, albeit minor and brief, events. For me, just not needed so if the M2BT does forced ANC, couldn't be bothered to even try, that should be my decision, not the companies. If they voice it to sound best with ANC, again, another design decision I can't get behind. ANC should always be de-featable, that is a no-brainer IMO.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Ha ha, love it, close but not quite.

 

[1wyseman]

  I guess I'm lucky with the shape of my head and ears as the H500BT fits absolutely perfectly for me. I never even thought about the swivel as a potential issue as for me everything is just bang on. I can see for somebody not getting as good a fit that the sound quality would take a hit. Shame, as with a solid fit the Onkyo keeps up quite well with even the highly respected B&W P7 wireless. I would like to try the M2BT, but do I remember correctly that it forces ANC to be engaged all the time, or was that the original Momentum BT? I remember something like that being a deal breaker for me and why I wouldn't even try the M2BT. I actually don't like ANC and I don't need it.
 
I have and use the MDR-1000X and use the ANC to test and there are times with odd little environmental events like wind, or as the background noise changes that the ANC produces brief little hiccups so to speak that let you know that it is actually happening. I don't enjoy those, albeit minor and brief, events. For me, just not needed so if the M2BT does forced ANC, couldn't be bothered to even try, that should be my decision, not the companies. If they voice it to sound best with ANC, again, another design decision I can't get behind. ANC should always be de-featable, that is a no-brainer IMO.

 
No, M2BT's do not have ANC. There are other issues that people have problems with...yes, something to do with the BT connection which I've never experienced. Some of the leather ear pads have quality control issues--again something that I was lucky to avoid. (Haven't broken out pairs two and three of my M2BT stash, so maybe I won't be so lucky with those. But I'm well into my 3rd year with my first pair and still no problems.) There were a couple of other things that Giogio pointed out that I can't remember off hand. But the SOUND!
 
H500BT does not have the sub-sonic bass of the M2BT. And there is some kind of very well executed spatial effect--artificial or otherwise?--that the M2BT's have that I only get with high-end planars and the like. And the entire upper end of the spectrum is just right for my taste. H500BT's are very similar in that regard. @Techfixation: Remember the quest for "clear but not harsh" and no background hiss? Yes, my H500BT's will be used mostly for Netflix and Spotify.

 

[Ling Vu]

I reckon there have been some confusions recently between the Philips M2BT and the Sennheiser Momentum Around Ear Wireless (M2 AEBT)

 

[1wyseman]

I reckon there have been some confusions recently between the Philips M2BT and the Sennheiser Momentum Around Ear Wireless (M2 AEBT)

 
Yes, there always has been. I thought of that after I posted the above.

 

[Sonic Defender]

I must be confusing the M2 with another headphone then, I wonder which one? I swear there was a Sennheiser with always on ANC. I will have to think hard to figure out which headphone I'm confusing it with? Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Ling Vu]

I must be confusing the M2 with another headphone then, I wonder which one? I swear there was a Sennheiser with always on ANC. I will have to think hard to figure out which headphone I'm confusing it with? Thanks for the clarification.

Yes the Momentum Wireless have always on ANC and the one he was talking about should have been the Philips M2BT (on ear, non ANC)

 

[Sonic Defender]

Yes the Momentum Wireless have always on ANC and the one he was talking about should have been the Philips M2BT (on ear, non ANC)

There you go, so I was correct, phew, thought I was losing it for a moment. Thanks.

 

[Sonic Defender]

As an aside, the drivers in the Onkyo are from the same company Phillips contracts to do their drivers or so that is my understanding.

 

[Techfixation]

As an aside, the drivers in the Onkyo are from the same company Phillips contracts to do their drivers or so that is my understanding.

I do know the Onkyo H500BT's and the Philips Fidelio M2BT's are both produced under the 'Gibson Innovations' brand and both share exactly the same frequency response - 7Hz-23.5kHz....this possibly explains their similarities?

I'm sure you'll really love the Fidelio's sound as we both seem to share a similar taste. I just remember them having quite a bit of hiss (even more than the p7's at full volume), and the two pairs I tried both had this high pitch buzz in one ear. I wasn't the only one to complain of this either but it's possible it was a dodgy batch? I've also since changed my Bluetooth transmitter which definitely improved some of the hiss I was hearing so I may even try them again myself!

1wyseman how have you found the hiss between the two pairs?

 

[Sonic Defender]

I'm sure you'll really love the Fidelio's sound as we both seem to share a similar taste. I just remember them having quite a bit of hiss (even more than the p7's at full volume), and the two pairs I tried both had this high pitch buzz in one ear. I wasn't the only one to complain of this either but it's possible it was a dodgy batch?

Yes, we do indeed seem to gravitate toward a similar signature or approach. I am looking forward to trying the Fidelio in the future. I suspect that hiss issues will become over time less as the transmitter/receivers become better. Let's hope so anyway. I am sure that with all the money being spent on personal audio R&D, and wireless specifically, it will be in the not too distant future where wireless audio is no different than wired (I would even say in blind listening tests if the transmission hiss is not a factor the sound quality is already virtually identical anyway).

 

[1wyseman]

  There you go, so I was correct, phew, thought I was losing it for a moment. Thanks.

 
Sorry! When I said "Yes, there always has been. I thought of that after I posted the above." I meant "Yes, there always has been confusion between the M2BT and the M2 AEBT." And the confusion lives on. 

 (Note a couple of posts above that where I say "No, M2BT's do not have ANC.")
 
Anywayzzzzz...
 
No, @Techfixation , I have never heard any hiss or buzz in these or any others. And remember, I searched! So it's either all in your head or not in my ears. 

 

 (Please note the emojis.)