Mark Levinson № 5909 headphone

[iFi audio]

But first the T&A Solitaire T

Yes, considering T+A Solitaire P that's the wireless type to at least listen to once it's out

 

[Daniel Johnston]

I makes sense Levinson would team up/collaborate with a headphone manufacturer. The company is not known for headphones/speakers. The reverse could be true as well. With all the intellectual property of Harman international, maybe Master and Dynamic contracted with them.

I guess we’ll see when the mw75 are released. i suspect different tuning than 5909.

 

[angelom]

Because of my personal circumstances in last 6 days (I changing homes), I don't listening to music all this time. In this time I only keeping my iPhone and AirPods 3 for calls and podcasts.

So, only today I have the time for sitting down again with the 5909. Wow! This is really a excellent headphone (wireless with bass "enhanced" and no ANC) and I remembering now why my instant love of this headphone.

Because I'm curious about this new nice big surprise (usually all headphones or earphones (good or not so good) are sounding very good after you don't listening to music for some time) I comparing the sound quickly with my excellent AirPods 3, b&w p7w and hd600. And yes, my perception is correct: the 5909 is giving the best sound of wireless headphones today (with bass enhanced and ANC off). ML really must fixing the bass bloating when ANC mode is on because this isn't only wireless headphone but is a ANC headphone too!

 

[angelom]

This comment will making people not trusting my opinions anymore maybe. But I must correct my previous recent opinion and say that I think still that the best sound of the 5909 is with bass "neutral" and not with bass "enhanced" like I saying recently.

The difference isn't big, is subtle, but the more music I listening and comparing, the more the "neutral" setting is the best for me. I think bass "enhanced" is really very good too, and this is often depending in the recording or the master of the album, but I must saying that bass "neutral" is still best for me for more music in general. So, if I must choosing only one bass setting for all the music in my library, then is "neutral" for me.

 

[improwise]

This might sound like a really weird question, but has anyone heard both this and the Focal Stellia and can comment on if they have a similar sound profile? The Stellia will of course be better from an objective standpoint as it should, but mostly interested in if they have a similar "signature" as they both use Beryllium drivers.

Considering getting another pair of wired closed headphones for desktop usage, and really does not have time to go around demoing (and usually find that you really need more time than that to get a good feeling about headphones). This has been discussed a bit before in the thread, but looking for more opinions if possible.

 

[Daniel Johnston]

Yes sir, I am! I also submitted the LIRIC, although I didn't end up keeping it. Ever since I learned how much BS is in this hobby, I don't buy anything that doesn't have independent measurements available. To be clear: if I like it, I like it, measurements be damned. I just like the education aspect of it, it helps to be able to quantify my dis/likes, and lets me know what vendors can be trusted re: published specs.

So, ASR published it's "review".

Despite meeting all the following requirements:
1) One of the best headphones to follow Harman curve
2) No need for EQ to sound "right"
3) One of the cleanest group delays
4) One of the best FR with minimal distortion up to 104db spl
5) Sounds no different when battery dead plugged in using analog cable (stark contrast to Bose and Sony NC headphones)

However, it is not "recommended" because it doesn't have the sound stage or resolution of the 4x higher priced closed back planar DC stealth. Nor is there any significant ANC comparison between Bose, Sony, and ML.

At least the measurements look pretty solid. If you take that information and ignore Amir's subjective comments, the ML 5909 is pretty dang good (if you like Harman tuning).

You going to keep them?

 

[Daniel Johnston]

This might sound like a really weird question, but has anyone heard both this and the Focal Stellia and can comment on if they have a similar sound profile? The Stellia will of course be better from an objective standpoint as it should, but mostly interested in if they have a similar "signature" as they both use Beryllium drivers.

Considering getting another pair of wired closed headphones for desktop usage, and really does not have time to go around demoing (and usually find that you really need more time than that to get a good feeling about headphones).

I have both.

Not a similar sounding profile. Not even in the same ballpark in regard to technicalities or overall tuning. Truly apples and oranges.

The 5909 is Harman tuned meaning the lower and mid bass is substantially elevated and treble slightly "hotter" in the upper FR. Not neutral or "reference" tuned.
The Stellia is neutral tuning with a bit of a bass bump (not as much as Harman tuning). It's a much more resolving 'phone with better depth and width of soundstage.

The 5909 at it's core is a NC/BT headphone. It isn't meant to compete with the likes of the Stellia, DC Stealth, or Meze Liric. The fact they perform so well wired is a bonus, not a core feature. The Beryllium driver does sound much better than all the current ANC headphone drivers from the competition (I've owned several, but @angelom observations cover many more). The Beryllium driver is faster with transients and overall more resolving.

If you like the Focal house sound and have the cash, Stellia all the way. If you want a pair of ANC headphones that give you the Beryllium driver goodness, the 5909 is great. Like I said in a previous post, with the 5909, the delta between using the Stellia is much smaller than with the other ANC headphones I owned.

 

[improwise]

I have both.

Not a similar sounding profile. Not even in the same ballpark in regard to technicalities or overall tuning. Truly apples and oranges.

The 5909 is Harman tuned meaning the lower and mid bass is substantially elevated and treble slightly "hotter" in the upper FR. Not neutral or "reference" tuned.
The Stellia is neutral tuning with a bit of a bass bump (not as much as Harman tuning). It's a much more resolving 'phone with better depth and width of soundstage.

The 5909 at it's core is a NC/BT headphone. It isn't meant to compete with the likes of the Stellia, DC Stealth, or Meze Liric. The fact they perform so well wired is a bonus, not a core feature. The Beryllium driver does sound much better than all the current ANC headphone drivers from the competition (I've owned several, but @angelom observations cover many more). The Beryllium driver is faster with transients and overall more resolving.

If you like the Focal house sound and have the cash, Stellia all the way. If you want a pair of ANC headphones that give you the Beryllium driver goodness, the 5909 is great. Like I said in a previous post, with the 5909, the delta between using the Stellia is much smaller than with the other ANC headphones I owned.

Thanks. I mainly got the 5909s with wireless usage intended, but due to a sports related mishap, I have found myself confined to WFH deskwork for a few months so that wireless on the go usage hasn't really manifested itself Because of that, I find myself going down the rabbit hole of thinking that as good as the 5909s are, I might be missing out if I am going to be tethered and stationary anyway. Having an Arya with a decent AMP/DAC as well I guess this is to be considered a luxury problem, but considering getting another closed back to complement the Arya. Now, that does not make the 5909s bad for stationary use of course, but you know how it is once you've got the upgrade bug.

For obvious reasons, going to a showroom currently isn't as easy as it is normally, so considering just taking a chance on the Stellias, unheard, thus the question about how similar they might sound.

 

[caustic386]

So, ASR published it's "review".

Despite meeting all the following requirements:
1) One of the best headphones to follow Harman curve
2) No need for EQ to sound "right"
3) One of the cleanest group delays
4) One of the best FR with minimal distortion up to 104db spl
5) Sounds no different when battery dead plugged in using analog cable (stark contrast to Bose and Sony NC headphones)

However, it is not "recommended" because it doesn't have the sound stage or resolution of the 4x higher priced closed back planar DC stealth. Nor is there any significant ANC comparison between Bose, Sony, and ML.

At least the measurements look pretty solid. If you take that information and ignore Amir's subjective comments, the ML 5909 is pretty dang good (if you like Harman tuning).

You going to keep them?

I actually haven't heard them yet, I'll need a few weeks of real world use but will try to report back

 

[rael67]

Could be interesting:

https://www.techadvisor.com/article...e-but-you-might-want-to-wait-for-the-px8.html

 

[jthomp72]

Could be interesting:

https://www.techadvisor.com/article...e-but-you-might-want-to-wait-for-the-px8.html

So that’s why Best Buy in my area has had the PX7’s for 249 and even 199 lately

 

[jthomp72]

Could be interesting:

https://www.techadvisor.com/article...e-but-you-might-want-to-wait-for-the-px8.html

Sigh…I’ll let you guys know in a few days lol. I’ll also get the PX8 I’m sure when they come out.

 

[rammstoon]

I've been following and lurking in this thread from the start. I'm slowly settling on picking up the 5909s and selling my Beyer Amiron Wireless (really appreciate all the contributions from everyone), but there seems to be so much noise about new releases from some major brands (that potential fomo is getting to me haha). I was wondering if the Focal Bathys was on anyone's radar. There was a recent post (taken down now, but still appears in google search) on the Aptx website under high-end noise cancelling headphones. It would be interesting if they compete at the high end/price point as the 5909s/H95s, etc.

 

[improwise]

Having struggled most of the day with getting my PC, Spotify/Tidal, my DAC/AMP and finally my headphones all to be happy togheter and actually work, the idea of just using an USB-C cable to my 5909s seems more and more tempting I still believe that "active headphones" are the future, and perhaps not to far away to a point where wireless is so good that very few if any can actually notice the difference compared to wired.

 

[Beagle]

Anyone know of any Canadian ML dealers for the 5909? I’m having trouble finding any...or any who will respond.