[tombrisbane]

Had a chance to audition these, overall I really enjoyed them but the treble peak was a little too much for me (and I’m generally OK with a treble peak). A shame as most music sounded great.

Hopefully they can address through an update or in their next version. I’ve got the Bathys on the way, will be interesting to see how they compare overall.

 

[Altes]

Had a chance to audition these, overall I really enjoyed them but the treble peak was a little too much for me (and I’m generally OK with a treble peak). A shame as most music sounded great.

Hopefully they can address through an update or in their next version. I’ve got the Bathys on the way, will be interesting to see how they compare overall.

I'm someone who has made several posts crying about the treble peak, but for some reason, I am now loving it. It's not even because I'm using it often, cause I mainly use other headgear. But now I find that I will actually miss the upper mids and treble performance of the ML Levinson and will want to put it on. No idea if burn-in is real, or if it's brain burn-in even though I wasn't even using it much.

There was this super sibilant track that I blamed the ML 5909 in some earlier posts, but now I found out that track/file from the artist was the only one with this issue and it was a medley, so perhaps I have no glaring complaints about the ML 5909 anymore.

I have become highly doubtful that I want to pass these for another wireless headphone, especially when these provide the sound I occasionally crave in both passive and active modes. I never turn ANC on though, but I turn on bass enhance when not using wired mode.

When positioned properly, even in passive mode (weakest sub-bass), it can still barely pass my sub-bass extension check. But the upper mids and treble are growing on me. in some tracks, instrumental sounds from those frequency bands come with unimaginable soundstage and imaging unique to the ML 5909. It's like going from 3D to 4D or something (don't know a good analogy).

 

[tombrisbane]

I'm someone who has made several posts crying about the treble peak, but for some reason, I am now loving it. It's not even because I'm using it often, cause I mainly use other headgear. But now I find that I will actually miss the upper mids and treble performance of the ML Levinson and will want to put it on. No idea if burn-in is real, or if it's brain burn-in even though I wasn't even using it much.

There was this super sibilant track that I blamed the ML 5909 in some earlier posts, but now I found out that track/file from the artist was the only one with this issue and it was a medley, so perhaps I have no glaring complaints about the ML 5909 anymore.

I have become highly doubtful that I want to pass these for another wireless headphone, especially when these provide the sound I occasionally crave in both passive and active modes. I never turn ANC on though, but I turn on bass enhance when not using wired mode.

When positioned properly, even in passive mode (weakest sub-bass), it can still barely pass my sub-bass extension check. But the upper mids and treble are growing on me. in some tracks, instrumental sounds from those frequency bands come with unimaginable soundstage and imaging unique to the ML 5909. It's like going from 3D to 4D or something (don't know a good analogy).

Could be some burn in! The pair I listened to were pretty new (only had ~10 hours or so). I had about 4 hours with them, will have to give them another listen in a month or so after they’ve got some more hours on them. Completely different piece of equipment but my Meze Advar’s settled down after 100 or so hours.

Given the amount of audio stuff I buy I’ll never say never on owning these lol.

 

[agisthos]

I put a good 30 hours of speaker break-in tones on mine (Tellurium Q burn in Disc) and any slight treble peak seemed to smooth out. But I am in my 40's and it never bothered me much in the first place, so take from that what you will.

 

[chaosgrid]

I agree, the sound quality is phenomenal with these headphones, although the bass is too much for me. I need to set them to the attenuated bass profile so that they are enjoyable.
But oh my god, what is going on with the build quality of these???
The headband seems to be only holding in place by a cheap glue, check the picture:



I sent them back for RMA and hope my replacement doesn't have the same problem... but I wonder if this problem will pop up after some years anyways since the glue will wear off after some time...

 

[scottsays]

Thinking about "upgrading" to the 5909. I have Focal Bathy's and I am not happy with them---just not really that dynamic to my ears---

Never happy.....lol...

 

[agisthos]

The other week I spend quite a bit of time upgrading components and tweaking my 2-ch stereo speaker setup. My system is very highly tweaked and sounding the best it ever has. Once you get to a certain level changes often become a case of 1 step forward 2 steps back (sometimes 3 steps back!). But right now its multiple steps forward.

And yet I throw these ML 5909 cans on, fed via low bitrate bluetooth, and I am like.... why do I bother? At 1/30th the cost of my stereo system these are just a killer sound. Very balanced and I can listen to them all day.

 

[agisthos]

Putting aside running these in passive mode via cable, which is obviously best, I found the best sound for wireless to the 5909 is to stream local music content from a NAS using the new jPlay iOs app. The upnp software that works well on a QNAP nas is Serviio or MinimServer.

 

[ddlo]

I agree, the sound quality is phenomenal with these headphones, although the bass is too much for me. I need to set them to the attenuated bass profile so that they are enjoyable.
But oh my god, what is going on with the build quality of these???
The headband seems to be only holding in place by a cheap glue, check the picture:



I sent them back for RMA and hope my replacement doesn't have the same problem... but I wonder if this problem will pop up after some years anyways since the glue will wear off after some time...

Same problem for me. But i got mine 2nd hand and harmon replied me that the warranty only applies to the original purchaser. So i ended up glued them back myself (done unsightly, sadly).

 

[ddlo]

Thinking about "upgrading" to the 5909. I have Focal Bathy's and I am not happy with them---just not really that dynamic to my ears---

Never happy.....lol...

i shared with your view. my personal feeling is 5909 sounds better, with more exciting (but not offensive) treble and bass. except soundstage is not really very expansive, 5909 is really good and more than adequate for most my listening needs without the burden of pairing up with front ends and cables. simply the best sounding wireless over-ears for me. i prefer its tuning over solitaire T/bathys/px8.

 

[Benesyed]

i shared with your view. my personal feeling is 5909 sounds better, with more exciting (but not offensive) treble and bass. except soundstage is not really very expansive, 5909 is really good and more than adequate for most my listening needs without the burden of pairing up with front ends and cables. simply the best sounding wireless over-ears for me. i prefer its tuning over solitaire T/bathys/px8.

I have the 5909 and it's pretty good but I think the solitaire T is better. I do agree with you that the 5909 tuning is more exciting but it's not nearly as responsive to EQ as the solitaire T. I initially thought that it was all right but after comparing the two the drivers of the solitaire are able to handle a lot more adjustment without distortion. ultimately you can produce the 5909 sound with the solitaire tea but with greater refinement and sound stage.

All that being said I haven't upgraded because the 5909 still is very very good and I don't really feel that the improvement is worth the cost at this point.

Also the ear cups of the 5909 are bigger and more plush

 

[Altes]

The panning, imaging, spatial qualities, air, and crispness of the 5909 are so good. I find myself craving the 5909 after listening to my zmf verite closed. the 5909 sounds equally great on my warmer desktop amp and my more neutral DAP. The bass on wired is just right, almost not enough sub-bass, but based on the sound signature, im sure attenuated sounds great for those who don't want bass too.

I have the 5909 and it's pretty good but I think the solitaire T is better. I do agree with you that the 5909 tuning is more exciting but it's not nearly as responsive to EQ as the solitaire T. I initially thought that it was all right but after comparing the two the drivers of the solitaire are able to handle a lot more adjustment without distortion. ultimately you can produce the 5909 sound with the solitaire tea but with greater refinement and sound stage.

All that being said I haven't upgraded because the 5909 still is very very good and I don't really feel that the improvement is worth the cost at this point.

Also the ear cups of the 5909 are bigger and more plush

I wouldn't be surprised if the solitaire t has a better driver. If I can conveniently EQ it to exactly the same as the 5909 with a bit more sub-bass, i might consider it. but it needs to be as comfortable

 

[ddlo]

I have the 5909 and it's pretty good but I think the solitaire T is better. I do agree with you that the 5909 tuning is more exciting but it's not nearly as responsive to EQ as the solitaire T. I initially thought that it was all right but after comparing the two the drivers of the solitaire are able to handle a lot more adjustment without distortion. ultimately you can produce the 5909 sound with the solitaire tea but with greater refinement and sound stage.

All that being said I haven't upgraded because the 5909 still is very very good and I don't really feel that the improvement is worth the cost at this point.

Also the ear cups of the 5909 are bigger and more plush

the ST has cup size too small for me too! it's a bit weird most wireless headphone cups are very small including 5909 (bathys are the best for me in this aspect) but ST is slimmer and looks more sensible to wear on the street i also worry less about sweating on the syntenic materials of headband and cups on ST (yet i still much, much more prefer the genuine leather of 5909!) the touch control on ST is not the most reliable one . . . the sliding buttons also have a tiny bit free play which is not as solid aa those in px8 (but i didn't hear any noise when wearing it or shaking it). i got mine from an UK online shop with VAT deduction so the price is quite close to 5909. it's a very reasonable price for headphones bearing the T+A name (even better if made in Germany but sadly not) so i bought it without ever listening to one. on the look and craftsmanship departments, i think PX8 (at a much lower price) suppresses both ST and 5909 easily. hope LDAC update for ST would miraculously coming by in future (seems giving up by T+A for no support from Qualcomm). btw, 5909 got the best BT range from my experience (amongst PX8, bathys, ST, XM5 and MW4 and TWSs), while ST offers the best battery life of all wireless over-ears currently in the market.

i don't EQ so not sure about the sound after tweaking. but i could contemplate that the ST responses well to EQ given it's a very decent passive headphone in the first place (and the app given the EQ option build in too). just my personal preference tilts towards 5909's tuning more than ST in stock form, even if price is not a factor. needless to say, both are really great wireless over-ears.

 

[PauliusB]

If you ask from sound quality perspective 5909 is closest being neutral. Bathys have more flexible eq settings though. PX8 has consumer tuning and sound like trash.

If Mark Levinson manages to sort out their qc issues and fix treble resonance with firmware - 5909 would be very easy to recommend.

PX8 really sounds like a trash. Bathys are bassless. BO H95 are closest to 5909 but even with EQ highs sounds too harsh. I tried them all. 5909 (increased bass and highs reduced with EQ) is a keeper.

 

[martin778]

Yep, the headband on mine also gave up, the leather came loose at the top and it turns out that the red stiching is 100% decorational...the leather is just glued.
The quality of modern gear really is becoming bottom tier garbage. On the Amiron Wireless the headband was completely gone after like a year of frequent usage, no spares no nothing.