Huge Comparison of [almost] all the Best Bluetooth Headphones - post your own comparisons here

[Sound Eq]

  HOLY JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have received the Brainwavz HM5 Earpads for my ATH-WS99BT.
They are not only much more comfortable than the original stock earpads, but improve the bass performance dramatically. It is like adding a little subwoofer!
I am so happy
I have bought both the leatherette and the velour version. Apart for the fact that the velour is a very cheap kind of velour, it also absorb the sound way too much. The leatherette reflects it better.
I will do more tests but I think the leatherette are clear winner. And the bass is exploded.
I almost do not need to EQ anymore! Well, ok, at least not for the bass (apart for dubstep &Co, where I still boost the bass). The 200 to 400 still need a -3db subtractive, also because now there is a bit boominess in the sound which need this subtraction.
The soundstage also improved a lot, and the harshness at max vol is gone. Although the loudness is also a little bit reduced (but still very loud).
Overall I am very satisfied. Although there is just NO WAY that I am going to go out with this thing now. It definitely looks huge.
For an alternative, which also improves the soundstage and the comfort, but which are much more beautiful to see, the earpads of the AKG K845BT are a better solution.
They do not give this Hulk effect to the bass, but, well, you can just EQ more. And overall the sound would be maybe more "refined", less boomy, with the AKG pads.
I would suggest getting both and trying.
You must give some love to your headphones to make them give you something back. Like with women
I also have ordered the Brainwavz HM9 earpads, I think they are as big as the AKG but thicker. They could be the perfect solution, but I will tell when I try them.

sounds interesting now, i love audeze lcd 2 pads i would like to find maybe such thick pads that will fit athws99bt and see how its affects the sound on them

 

[Giogio]

  sounds interesting now, i love audeze lcd 2 pads i would like to find maybe such thick pads that will fit athws99bt and see how its affects the sound on them

 
Maybe you could try to get the Kicker Cush earpads.
Get two pairs and send a pair of me
They do not ship overseas.
I would really really like to try them.
I have now stuffed the HM5 to make them even thicker. Now my ears are hosted inside the earpads "as they are" and I am realizing for the first time how normally headphones force ears to accomodate a bit, which even if not unpleasant it changes the way we perceive sound. Our ears are made with a form to deflect sound waves. I think that when ears are left completely untouched inside the earpads this produces a different, better listening experience.

 

[leddra2k]

I also tested the Back beat Pro and found them far to bright! To the point I could only listen to music for about 30mins until I started getting fatigue. They had to go back! The treble and mids are very forward too. Set the volume to high and you can also start to get audio breakup. The most impressive thing about these were the distance you can step away from your phone!

 

[leddra2k]

sounds interesting now, i love audeze lcd 2 pads i would like to find maybe such thick pads that will fit athws99bt and see how its affects the sound on them

Cool what colour did you go for? Like the look of the red pads

 

[bladefd]

I also tested the Back beat Pro and found them far to bright! To the point I could only listen to music for about 30mins until I started getting fatigue. They had to go back! The treble and mids are very forward too. Set the volume to high and you can also start to get audio breakup. The most impressive thing about these were the distance you can step away from your phone!

 
Too bright? I just ordered the Backbeat Pro today. What do you mean they are too bright???

 

[Giogio]

   
Too bright? I just ordered the Backbeat Pro today. What do you mean they are too bright???

The BBP have a certain boost in the highs. Some people who are particularly sensitive to high frequencies find them "too bright".
With some subtractive EQ on the highs (some -3db) this can be solved.
Pity that some people want everything ready and do not want to give a little love to their headphones, with a bit EQ to improve their sound
I personally like them like they are.
I find often the highs of the Fidelio a bit harsh, but never had a problem with the BBP.
I lately felt that they are a bit too boosted in the bass. But lot of people like them for that reason
 
Do not panic. You will like them.
And if not, you can return them.
In the pursuit of the right Headphone, you must be ready to buy and send back.
Finding the perfect one at first attemp, is, uncommon.

 

[bladefd]

 
The BBP have a certain boost in the highs. Some people who are particularly sensitive to high frequencies find them "too bright".
With some subtractive EQ on the highs (some -3db) this can be solved.
Pity that some people want everything ready and do not want to give a little love to their headphones, with a bit EQ to improve their sound
I personally like them like they are.
I find often the highs of the Fidelio a bit harsh, but never had a problem with the BBP.
I lately felt that they are a bit too boosted in the bass. But lot of people like them for that reason
 
Do not panic. You will like them.
And if not, you can return them.
In the pursuit of the right Headphone, you must be ready to buy and send back.
Finding the perfect one at first attemp, is, uncommon.

 
Phew. I second-guessed the BBP too many times already in the last 2 weeks. I started wondering if I missed something for a moment lol.. Even up to last night, I was looking at the Sony MDR1RBT. Finally I decided to go for BBP after reading your reviews of both. 
 
BTW, Is there any way to change the pads on the BBP if for whatever reason I find them uncomfortable?
 
2) What BT source should I get for using it with PC?

 

[orion23rigel]

I received the Definitive Technology Symphony 1 a few days ago. Here are my initial impressions, followed by a comparison with the Sony MDR1ABT. Sorry it's a bit rambling.
 
Sound (with NC on):
The sound in general is very lively and dynamic.
Clear highs, can seem slightly sharp verging on piercing at times. Not sure if they’re boosted, but they seem more present than the other ranges.
Mids are nice, feel direct and present.
Bass is very tight, but it is slightly lacking for me in sub bass rumble.
Noise cancelling is moderately good. It’s hard to remember exactly, but I don't think it’s as good as the BackBeat Pro, and I think it's about on par with the Samsung Level Over, maybe slightly inferior.
With NC off, the lower mids are recessed and the bass almost disappears. The clarity in the highs transforms to a hollow, almost echoing sound.
 
Sound with direct USB DAC connection:
This feature isn’t working properly on my Windows computer or Android phone. You are supposed to be able to plug the USB cable into a computer and use the DAC in the headphones directly as a sound card. I tried this on 3 different Windows computers and it didn’t work on any of them. Windows cannot detect the appropriate drivers for the internal DAC. I contacted Definitive Technology’s support, and they could not come up with a solution other than to send the headphones in for replacement.

Physical:
Solid design.
Probably too small for large heads. I have to extend it all the way, and normally don’t for headphones. 
The headband on the Symphony 1 becomes uncomfortable after a few hours. It seems well-padded, but it still gets uncomfortable.
Plenty of space around ears.
3 lights instead of one. One each for power, Bluetooth, and noise cancellation. Not ideal, but they are rather dim.
As with any other NC headphones, the tight seal means your ears will get warm when it’s hot out.
Unfortunately, the matte plastic parts of the headphones have the kind of matte finish that show oils. This is exacerbated by the fact that this finish was used around the buttons (exactly where you need to touch the headphones).
 
Bluetooth connection:
I haven’t experienced any serious connection problems. The range is pretty good, about 30 feet unobstructed as claimed. 
Multipoint works fairly well. Two devices can be connected simultaneously. You can pause your tablet, press play on your phone, and the music starts playing immediately. I received a phone call while watching a video on my tablet, and it paused the video and played an old-school phone ring tone (instead of the ringtone set on my phone).
I’m experiencing weird behavior when using multipoint on an Android phone with a Windows tablet. I can’t get my phone to use the Bluetooth headset to place an outbound call when the headphones are connected to both devices. Inbound calls use the headphones, but when I hung up using the button on the phone, the headphones made a godawful noise. Upon disconnecting the tablet, the Bluetooth connection on the phone works as usual, so this seems to be an issue with the multipoint implementation, or maybe my phone.

Comparison between Symphony 1 and MDR1ABT:
Symphony 1 has wider soundstage, more open/distant sound.
Bass is more ever-present on the 1ABT. 
I'm not sure why, but my initial impression was that the highs were more forward/piercing on the Symphony 1. However, now when I A/B them, the highs of the 1ABT seem clearer and more present. Maybe the Symphony 1 changed with break-in. The highs seem maybe more sibilant on the Symphony 1. The only other reason I can come up for this discrepancy is that I can notice a more significant difference between audio files of different quality on the Symphony 1. Streaming audio can often sound worse on these than on the 1ABT. However, the difference between FLAC files on the two headphones is less significant.
Mids seem similar.
Symphony 1 leaves plenty of space around ears, only making contact with the head around the ear and on top of the head with the headband. 1ABT nestles against/around ears. 1ABT has a more cozy feeling, whereas the Symphony 1 are more open in both sound and physical presence around the ear. 
The ear cups fold flat the “wrong way” on the Symphony 1 in my opinion. If you are resting them around your neck, the drivers point upward. As I mentioned in my previous comparison, Sony fixed this from the 1RBTMK2 to the 1ABT.
No active noise canceling on the 1ABT, but twice the battery life.
I like how the Symphony 1's on button simply had to be pressed to turn it on, whereas the 1ABT's has to be held down for a couple seconds. Not a big deal, but I do like it better.

Conclusion: 
I was initially leaning towards keeping the Symphony 1 and selling the 1ABT. The main reasons for this were its multipoint implementation and noise canceling. However, the issues I subsequently experienced with multipoint and the USB DAC, the lack of punchiness in the bass, and the comfort issues with the headband were enough to tilt the scales in favor of the 1ABT.
 

 

[n00b2]

 
Conclusion: 
I was initially leaning towards keeping the Symphony 1 and selling the 1ABT. The main reasons for this were its multipoint implementation and noise canceling. However, the issues I subsequently experienced with multipoint and the USB DAC, the lack of punchiness in the bass, and the comfort issues with the headband were enough to tilt the scales in favor of the 1ABT.
 

 
Interesting you had those issues with the Symphony 1. I had a different issue with multipoint. All calls worked fine on them but I would get ramdom pauses in music every few seconds when connected to Windows laptop and Android phone. With the Windows laptop have you tried connecting it to the usb port while it is off then turning it on after it is connected? That seemed to work for me in terms of installing drivers, though I did have to change the default sound to USB audio to get it to work properly.

 

[mulanj]

Has anyone here listened to both the first generation over ear sennheiser momentum  and  sony mdr xb950bt?
 
I could really use some help.

 

[Sound Eq]

on engadget they wrote that sennheiser are recalling sennheiser momentum wireless
 
 
 
http://www.engadget.com/2015/05/11/sennheiser-momentum-wireless-headphones-bluetooth-issues/

 

[orion23rigel]

   
All calls worked fine on them but I would get ramdom pauses in music every few seconds when connected to Windows laptop and Android phone.

 
I had this issue when I was listening to music and walked out of range of my tablet. I think it was trying to reestablish the connection to the tablet. The same thing happened to me using multipoint with the little MPOW receiver. I think the logic isn't yet sophisticated enough to gracefully drop one connection if it goes out of range while another is in use.
 
 

   
With the Windows laptop have you tried connecting it to the usb port while it is off then turning it on after it is connected? That seemed to work for me in terms of installing drivers, though I did have to change the default sound to USB audio to get it to work properly.

 
Yeah, I tried that. I've spend many hours troubleshooting device issues in Windows. No matter what I did, I couldn't get Device Manager to find the proper drivers on any computer. Neither could their technical support. I think there was just something wrong with the pair I got. Definitive Technology did offer to send a free shipping label and replace the headphones (A+ for customer support), but I opted for just returning them due to the other issues I experienced.

 

[LivingProof]

Comparison: Def Tech Symphony 1 vs Seinnheisser Momentum 2 (BT)

I just received the Def Tech Symphony 1s as an exhange for my Seinheisser Momentum 2s. From what I can say is that, the headphone is definitely a lot more comfortable. The ear-pads on the M2s were hurting my hears after 30 minutes to an hour and I usually had to take them off to let my ears recover from the hard pressure it was taking. Also, there is no clipping when I am walking around with these. From what I hear is that Seinheisser is recalling their M2s for this reason. The sound on the Symph 1s doesn't sound as crisp though. It's like the mids overrule the highs and lows, in a boosted sounding way. It feels fuller and louder than the M2s, but sound less real and crisp. There is more bass so I really like that. But still not enough for my liking. The on button is a nice 1-click ordeal vs the 3-second hold for the M2. The ANC is also adjustable versus the always-on ANC on the M2s. I don't think the ANC is as effective as the M2s, but the Symph 1s doesn't produce this head-pressure feeling and hum like how the M2 does (this made me nauseous sometimes). The packaging was also really nice, Def Tech really made you feel like you were buying a $400 pair of headphones. It was big and bulky and really made me appreciate the work they put into these things. The carrying case. It's big. Shiny black leather. It brings like this thought where I say, "Yeah. I sure am carrying a $400 headphone around". But in a nice way. I clip it in to my backpack when I am walking around school and love opening it to take out the headphones. It just feels so tech savvy. The carrying case and packaging wasn't really a thing for the M2s. I am not going to judge because that might mean that they just put more money into making the headphones, but feeling like you are wearing a $400 headphone should come with the price.

All in all, I feel like Def Tech made their Symph 1s a lot more comfortable than the M2s, they made me feel like I really paid $400 for bluetooth headphone, and the bass/volume was more present. The M2s have clearer and crisper sound, but their clipping issue when I was walking around with them really makes this headphone useless (in public places). I thought I was alone until I read Seinnheisser is recalling their M2s. I give Seinnheisser props for doing this because it really shows they care. Some companies make mistakes like this and just come out with another "upgraded" headphone/product and tell their fans to basically suck it up and buy the next pair.

Decisions, decisions. I don't think I will be keeping any of the two headphones (I exchanged them but I still have both pairs). I am still searching for the best sounding headphone for me... Thats $300 and over. I know this sounds stupid for comparing headphones with respect to price, but I feel like a $300- $400 headphone has more than a $200 headphone. I am now also considering on-ear wired headphones that are $300- $400. I want to know if there are any in this price range that blow all these bluetooth headphones out of the water? I love the bluetooth function, but I think I want the best sound possible for the money. I want to feel like I have a producers perfect sound system on my ears. Studio monitors, studio subwoofer, external sound-card, and every thing else. I want the sound to sound as real and loud as possible, with a rumble from the low frequencies in the bass.

Hopefully I can find the pair!

 

[orion23rigel]

Decisions, decisions. I don't think I will be keeping any headphone. I am still sesrching for the best sounding headphone for me... Thats $300 and over. I know this sounds stupid for comparing headphones with respect to price, but I feel like a $300- $400 headphone has more than a $200 headphone. I am now also considering on-ear wired headphones that are $300- $400. I want to know if there are any in this price range that blow all these blutooth headphones out of the water? I love the bluetooth function, but I think I want the best sound possible for the money. I want to feel like I have a producers perfect soundsystem on my ears. Studio monitors, studio subwoofer, external soundcard, aneverything else.

Hopefully I can find the pair!

 
For the same price, wired headphones will almost always have better sound quality. However, they will probably require an amp to drive, so that can slide the cost scales a bit. And in my experience, the benefit of not fiddling with wires is worth quite a bit. If your only goal is to get the best sound quality for your money, then wireless might not be for you.

 

[LivingProof]

For the same price, wired headphones will almost always have better sound quality. However, they will probably require an amp to drive, so that can slide the cost scales a bit. And in my experience, the benefit of not fiddling with wires is worth quite a bit. If your only goal is to get the best sound quality for your money, then wireless might not be for you.

Hmm. I really like bluetooth. It's so free but I wonder how much better wired headphones will sound with an amp. This is truly a hard choice. I'm on this thread because I prefer bluetooth. How much better the sound is just makes me think twice. I'm going to do some research.