[Faust2D]

I am trying to find any information about MB Quart Phones 85. If you have them or had a chance to listen to them please let me know what you think. Please provide comparisons to Sennheiser HD600/650 or Audio Technica A900/W1000 since these are the headphones I am mostly familiar with.

 

[facelvega]

QP85 are the last iteration of the MB earspeaker frame designed by Joerg Jecklin, one of at least three dynamic versions on this frame (there were also stat and ortho versions), and by far the most plentifully available of all the versions. The frame was a project roughly a decade after Jecklin's more famous Float and I believe some time before Ergo designed its own replacement to the Float. In my opinion the MB frame looks much better than the other two versions, though still pretty ridiculous when worn.

Since with the QP85 we're talking full-size earspeakers, there isn't really an easy comparison with the headphones you mention-- it's just a different beast entirely. Generally, though, I've been very happy with the sound quality of my QP85, and I'd say that where they are good, they are as good as the headphones you mention. The MB85 is very analytical and crisp-sounding almost to the point of being cold. You may find it has trouble reaching the deepest bass, which is a design issue with the completely open baffle: bass-killing backwave. This is potentially treatable with damping, though damping also endangers the main reason to get this headphone: the fabulous soundstage.

The QP85 has 300 ohm drivers (though I vaguely recall once seeing one with 120 ohm drivers too) and though it is not extremely difficult to drive, it does benefit greatly from proper amplification, which I see from your profile you've got.

These headphones are usually a good deal on the rare occasions they become available; for now they typically sell for about $100, or less on the odd ebay.de auction. Considering the rising prices of good condition Floats and Ergos, this is a steal. Unfortunately, nobody on head-fi has actually tested all three together.
(and considering that there are at least seven different versions of the MB frame alone no one test would really be conclusive anyway. For those who want to know, that would be the PMB1000 and PMB500 electrostats; the PMB100 with orthodynamic drivers; the PMB85, with dual dynamic drivers per side; the PMB Silvertone SL, with small dynamic drivers and too much damping; and the QP85 with single big drivers per side. Not as big as the QP95 drivers, but no less detailed to my ear; and the B&O U70, a somewhat different Float frame done by MB for Bang and Olufsen with ortho drivers. The two 85s were single-entry, the rest dual-entry)

best, FV

 

[Faust2D]

Thanks a lot for your very informative post. Based on you timeline MBQP85 and PMB85 are completely different headphones. I was thinking they were the same.

It is very difficult to find any information about old MB Quart headphones. I located a pair of NOS MB Quart 85 headphones in a box and never touched for $120. Hopefully they will come soon.

So PMB85 has a dual dynamic drivers? How does that work and how does it look? Is the principle somewhat the same as Tannoy "Dual Concentric" speaker drivers or something similar? Please post pictures of PMB85 if you have them.

 

[facelvega]

You got it. Take a look at this:



Though the frame looks identical to the QP85, there are slight differences. I've never seen one in person, so I don't know how the dual driver idea was implemented. Surely not parabolic like in a K270 or K280! I'm guessing both flat against the baffle. Note how the cables are routed not along the frame but in the headband itself.

Interesting though it is, the PMB85 is probably no match for the QP85. I've had a pair of PMB SL Silvertones, and their drivers were far inferior to the 50mm ones in the QP85-- which are so big you couldn't fit a second pair. Of course, this guess is assuming that both dynamic PMBs had similar drivers. They're 60 ohms versus 300 for the QP85, after all.

By the way, I know the sale you're thinking of. Another head-fier just dove on the open-box model. I see there's also a demo available. Now, I've never yet heard a K270 or K280, but I've heard nearly everything else in that sale, and I can tell you the QP85 is far the best offering, better than the K400 and K500 I see people have already bought.

 

[Faust2D]

I actually wanted to get AKG K400 as well, but they run out of them just a day before I called.

So for now I am getting QP85. Once I get them, I will post my impressions about them. Do you know what the break-in time will be for something like QP85?

 

[facelvega]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faust2D /img/forum/go_quote.gif I actually wanted to get AKG K400 as well, but they run out of them just a day before I called. So for now I am getting QP85. Once I get them, I will post my impressions about them. Do you know what the break-in time will be for something like QP85?

Rest assured, I for one would sell my K400 long, long before my QP85. I have no idea on break-in time, because NOS is almost unheard-of with these headphones. I mean, the frame was developed around 1980, all my pairs were quite used when I got them. The other buyer is a well-known K340 fiend around here. Once you both get yours delivered and broken in, then I'll pipe in for the common thread, with added historical info and impressions of my PMB100.

 

[Faust2D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by facelvega /img/forum/go_quote.gif Rest assured, I for one would sell my K400 long, long before my QP85.

They are that much better? That’s a good news for me.

For now my cost / quality leader is ATH A900. For the money I like them better than 600/650 and I was not that impressed with Beyerdynamic models (who knows why). Lower-end Grado models that I heard sound way to harsh for me as well.

I hope I like QP85. I was looking for something with nice soundstage and good tonal balance.

I am coming from hybrid ribbon speakers and tube/JFET/MOSFET gear so I like me big and wide soundstage. I am forced to listen to headphones more now, since I have a little kid and can’t do that late night/midday cranking up of my primary system anymore.

 

[Faust2D]

I got my QP85 in today. I must say I am impressed by build quality. They are one nice pair of headphones. The over all look is pretty silly, but even right out of the box they sound very good, on the flat side, but very clean and precise if somewhat bass shy. Let’s see what break in does to them.

 

[swt61]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faust2D /img/forum/go_quote.gif I got my PQ85 in today. I must say I am impressed by build quality. They are one nice pair of headphones. The over all look is pretty silly, but even right out of the box they sound very good, on the flat side, but very clean and precise if somewhat bass shy. Let’s see what break in does to them.

Do you have any way of taking some pics for us? I'd love to see them up close.

 

[philodox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by facelvega /img/forum/go_quote.gif The other buyer is a well-known K340 fiend around here.

Whoever could you be talking about???

 

[swt61]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox /img/forum/go_quote.gif Whoever could you be talking about???

You are not allowed to post without some impressions and pics.

Please stand in the corner until further notice.

 

[Faust2D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by swt61 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do you have any way of taking some pics for us? I'd love to see them up close.

Sure.

 

[swt61]

Thanks. I think those are quite handsome. Good match with the Woo stand too. Certainly the best of the other similar designs, and Jecklin's most elegant approach IMO.

 

[Faust2D]

They have a slider on the side of one ear-cup. This is not a volume control as someone mentioned. This slider is use to adjust the headband.

 

[Faust2D]

One more pic. You can see the slider here on the side.