pmartel
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2006
- Posts
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- 15
Hi All;
I wish to thank Monster Audio for allowing me to and keep the Monster Copper Pro Turbine headphones.
May I say what a great experience this was.
Here is my FULL review, it IS long, BUT, I wanted to say as much as possible.
Please feel free to PM me if any questions.
Summation of Review of the Monster Audio Pro Copper Turbine Headphones
First of all it is with the greatest of thanks that I was selected by Monster Audio to review the new Monster Audio Pro Copper Turbine headphones and this has been a truly amazing and rewarding experience all round. To be able to keep t he headphones after the review period was a wonderful gift for doing this. Again, I’d like to thank Monster Audio for allowing me to do this AND keep such a prize!!!!
Having been an audiophile of over 30 years+ I have been taking my music on the road in various formats and am now dealing the mp3 format and trying to get the best possible sound from the format..
Out of all the headphones I have run across, the Monster Copper Pro Turbines are truly the best in ALL areas.
TOTALLY free of distortion, nasties, more than ample, NATURAL high’s, SUMPTUOS mid-range, tight and extended bottom end based.
For my listening sources I used two sources. At home, My Kenwood portable cd player from 10 years ago connected to a recently acquired Electric Avenues PAV2 headphone amplifier designed and built by Gary Ali.
On the road, a Sandisk Clip V1 2GB player again, connected to the PAV2 headphone amplifier.
As I have detailed in the recordings that I used at home, the experience is nothing short of a good vacuum tube amp and a pair of electrostatic speakers. I had to keep telling my self I was NOT listening to a portable based system. There was barely a recording that didn’t pass with flying colours, so this bodes well for Gary’s PAV2
On the road, the only quantifier I can say is that the Sandisk Clip V1 uses WMP 160KB. Still, everything came through stunningly clean and accurate. As I said earlier I have detailed the recordings I have listened both at home and in transit to work.
Monster Audio has taken great pains to design a high end headphone. There are several things which I would like to include as this should be reference to other manufactures.
First off, interchangeable ear tips. Monster has taken every effort to make sure the product has a comfortable fit for long periods of listening. Based on the ear tips you choose, you barely ever know you have anything on, so be prepared to be transported to another dimension based on your source. Some ear tips are picky for fit based on your ear canal.
Isolation is about 85%+ based on what you choose for ear tips. For me using public transit, I found the large grey round tips worked best and amazing comfort. Oh yes, and Monster supplies a neat storage unit where you can fit 8 pair of ear tips and take them with you to suit your needs
As per isolation, I should also note that based on having someone else have these on, there is NO stray noise coming from these potentially annoying anyone else.
The other thing I should mention is that these are the ONLY headphones that I’ve had NO ringing in the ears. Monster has again taken great pains to design a headphone that DOES NOT potentially does any damage to hearing as was displayed in the owner’s manual
One thing Monster has provided for cable management us an adjustable slider. This can be useful if you don’t want the cables dangling about.
Build quality is first class. Being made of copper the Turbines should be able to withstand a fair bit of punishment, but within reason. Cabling is very solid and should
be able to take a fair bit of punishment.
I should add that during the break in, on the road, on the way home, they didn’t even flinch. There were a few times when I caught the PAV2 being at full blast and NOT ONCE was there any hint of clipping or distortion during break in.
For cable management, a great idea of a slider to adjust the cables and clip is very useful
See below detailed notes of how the Monster Copper Pro Turbines sounded during the initial break in and I might add that nearly 2 weeks in, even THAT MUCH SMOOTHER
Initial impressions of Monster Copper Pro Turbine Headphones
Day 1, June 2nd, 2010
Source; Kenwood Portable cd player and Electric Avenues PAV2 Headphone Amp
First cd; Daniel Lanois ‘Acadie’ 1988
Upon position headphones in my ears the initial sound straight out of the box was amazing.
This was a good album to start the break in as the detail and warmth of this disc shone right through at the start.
While not an overly dynamic album to start with it is VERY subtle and upon getting about half way through the cd I felt I was listening to a pair of electrostatic speakers.
For having come right out of the box and no special tips used as yet, there was an uncanny transparency and thought I was listening to a VERY high end vacuum tube system. I had to keep telling myself this IS a portable system
The articulation of detail so far is quite amazing and they have only had 40 minutes of run in time.
Round 2 shortly…..
Okay, disc 2, somewhat uncharted, but familiar territory and here’s where it starts to happen.
Disc 2 is a reissue of Aram Khachaturian’s complete ballet ‘Gayne’ a true 20th century masterpiece.
Issued in the late 70’s on RCA and reissued on cd, here’s where he Monster Copper Pro Turbines shine. RCA’s remastering of this could have bee MUCH BETTER; still, I was totally transported to another place with this recording and the Turbines AGAIN forgetting what source I was listening to. Solo harp sections came out stunningly articulate and imaging TOTALLY uncluttered and transparent with a good sense of what the hall sounded like. Again, RCA could have done much better in remasteringof a GREAT recording. I might add that despite RCA’s remastering there IS a good sense of dynamic range and power, which the Turbines really bring out.
Loris Tjeknavorian has a true understanding of this piece and this helps so much.
Day 3; the road test
Okay, so here we are on the way to work by public transit.
Source was my Sansa Clip Version 1 and PAV2 headphone amp.
For ear tips, I chose the large size flanged tips to see how they would be for isolation.
Traveling on bus and subway was a good test ESPECIALLY using chamber music.
This disc was a recording the Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich cello sonatas.
Ambient noise was about 80-85% reduced. The quality of this disc is ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. Despite a bit of ambient noise creeping in, I was totally drawn in by the sound AND performance of this disc
The Turbines handled this disc with absolute ease during complex passage and gave an incredible sweetness during quite passage which was almost ethereal even while on public transit
The trip home from work
Disc 1, Bryan Ferry, Boys and Girl, First Generation cd
Picky positioning, but once done, the usual shone through. TIGHT bass and good imaging.
Day 4; June 5, 2010;
On the way to work this morning listening to a real favourite and reference disc of classical music as I do on weekend morning commutes.
A disc of Rossini ballet music. All I can say is, ‘Oh My’
The Turbines are well suited to classical music. Sound stage was wide and focused.
Absolutely NO hint of distortion or congestion in complex passages. TOTAL transparency and detail
Day 4, the trip home June 5, 2010
Madonna; Confession from the Dance Floor
This is a TOUGH ONE, plenty of dynamics.
TOTALLY uncluttered, NO distortion on the high end and when extreme bass is present, watch out
This album passed with MORE than flying colours and Madonna’s voice was articulate.
Day 5; June 6, 2010
Like I said, weekends are mostly classical music on the way to work.
First work was Delius’ Florida Suite on Argo Records, TOTALLY NEUTRAL portrayal and superb detail and dynamics. Again, another reference cd that one keeps forgetting one is listening to an mp3 player.
Next a Naxosdisc of some Rameau ballet music. A period performance providing STUNNING detail and separation of instruments. The harpsichord was clearly heard in its location
Trip home;
Dire Straits; ‘On Every Street.’
PICKY about positioning of ear trips, used the grey round ones. Best cuts, ‘The Party’ ‘Planet of New Orleans’. Give good bass slam and again articulate in detail. May give a relisten as a couple of things bugged me.
Day; June 7, 2010
Medwyn Goodall; Medicine Woman II
A New Age meditation disc, sequal to Medicine Woman
All I can say are three words, SWEET, SILK, and SMOOTH!!!!
The trip home; ABBA, The album
Just for fun, ABBA. From what I was able to listen ‘Move On’ was amazing. Articulate voice and typical studio album from my teens.
Will listen again all the way through as was interrupted a few times
Day 8; June 8, 2010
Smetana; Ma Vlast (My Fatherland)
All I can say again is, OH MY. The ONLY thing I can quantify on this is the transfer of the recording to my Sansa Clip. At WMP 160KB, this does NOT do justice to strings, so this is NOT the fault of headphones.
This recording of Ma Vlast on Naxos, I had TOTALLY underrated and is fast becoming my new 1st choice as opposed to the Antal Dorati Concertgebow recording. A mixed choice.
TOTAL neutrality and brings forth a real sense of the recording. Good focus and separation of instruments and other than what I quantified early, TOTALLY uncluttered in complex passages.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So like I said at the beginning, I wanted to be as detailed as possible to describe the sound of these headphones. For me, the sound is incredibly neutral and balanced with no lack of width on sound staging and TOTALLY focused imaging
These are a true high end headphone and CAN handle punishment.
There is a distinct ‘sound signature’ with these headphones and again to reiterate what I said earlier, much like listening to a vacuum tune amplifier and electrostatic speakers.
Would I recommend these?? YES!!! Save your pennies and spring for a pair. As I have learned, it’s best to save up for one DECENT pair of phones, rather than go through several to eventually find what you want
WELL DONE, Monster Audio and a great entry into the high end and THANK YOU for letting me be part of this project. For me, FIVE STARS, all round
I wish to thank Monster Audio for allowing me to and keep the Monster Copper Pro Turbine headphones.
May I say what a great experience this was.
Here is my FULL review, it IS long, BUT, I wanted to say as much as possible.
Please feel free to PM me if any questions.
Summation of Review of the Monster Audio Pro Copper Turbine Headphones
First of all it is with the greatest of thanks that I was selected by Monster Audio to review the new Monster Audio Pro Copper Turbine headphones and this has been a truly amazing and rewarding experience all round. To be able to keep t he headphones after the review period was a wonderful gift for doing this. Again, I’d like to thank Monster Audio for allowing me to do this AND keep such a prize!!!!
Having been an audiophile of over 30 years+ I have been taking my music on the road in various formats and am now dealing the mp3 format and trying to get the best possible sound from the format..
Out of all the headphones I have run across, the Monster Copper Pro Turbines are truly the best in ALL areas.
TOTALLY free of distortion, nasties, more than ample, NATURAL high’s, SUMPTUOS mid-range, tight and extended bottom end based.
For my listening sources I used two sources. At home, My Kenwood portable cd player from 10 years ago connected to a recently acquired Electric Avenues PAV2 headphone amplifier designed and built by Gary Ali.
On the road, a Sandisk Clip V1 2GB player again, connected to the PAV2 headphone amplifier.
As I have detailed in the recordings that I used at home, the experience is nothing short of a good vacuum tube amp and a pair of electrostatic speakers. I had to keep telling my self I was NOT listening to a portable based system. There was barely a recording that didn’t pass with flying colours, so this bodes well for Gary’s PAV2
On the road, the only quantifier I can say is that the Sandisk Clip V1 uses WMP 160KB. Still, everything came through stunningly clean and accurate. As I said earlier I have detailed the recordings I have listened both at home and in transit to work.
Monster Audio has taken great pains to design a high end headphone. There are several things which I would like to include as this should be reference to other manufactures.
First off, interchangeable ear tips. Monster has taken every effort to make sure the product has a comfortable fit for long periods of listening. Based on the ear tips you choose, you barely ever know you have anything on, so be prepared to be transported to another dimension based on your source. Some ear tips are picky for fit based on your ear canal.
Isolation is about 85%+ based on what you choose for ear tips. For me using public transit, I found the large grey round tips worked best and amazing comfort. Oh yes, and Monster supplies a neat storage unit where you can fit 8 pair of ear tips and take them with you to suit your needs
As per isolation, I should also note that based on having someone else have these on, there is NO stray noise coming from these potentially annoying anyone else.
The other thing I should mention is that these are the ONLY headphones that I’ve had NO ringing in the ears. Monster has again taken great pains to design a headphone that DOES NOT potentially does any damage to hearing as was displayed in the owner’s manual
One thing Monster has provided for cable management us an adjustable slider. This can be useful if you don’t want the cables dangling about.
Build quality is first class. Being made of copper the Turbines should be able to withstand a fair bit of punishment, but within reason. Cabling is very solid and should
be able to take a fair bit of punishment.
I should add that during the break in, on the road, on the way home, they didn’t even flinch. There were a few times when I caught the PAV2 being at full blast and NOT ONCE was there any hint of clipping or distortion during break in.
For cable management, a great idea of a slider to adjust the cables and clip is very useful
See below detailed notes of how the Monster Copper Pro Turbines sounded during the initial break in and I might add that nearly 2 weeks in, even THAT MUCH SMOOTHER
Initial impressions of Monster Copper Pro Turbine Headphones
Day 1, June 2nd, 2010
Source; Kenwood Portable cd player and Electric Avenues PAV2 Headphone Amp
First cd; Daniel Lanois ‘Acadie’ 1988
Upon position headphones in my ears the initial sound straight out of the box was amazing.
This was a good album to start the break in as the detail and warmth of this disc shone right through at the start.
While not an overly dynamic album to start with it is VERY subtle and upon getting about half way through the cd I felt I was listening to a pair of electrostatic speakers.
For having come right out of the box and no special tips used as yet, there was an uncanny transparency and thought I was listening to a VERY high end vacuum tube system. I had to keep telling myself this IS a portable system
The articulation of detail so far is quite amazing and they have only had 40 minutes of run in time.
Round 2 shortly…..
Okay, disc 2, somewhat uncharted, but familiar territory and here’s where it starts to happen.
Disc 2 is a reissue of Aram Khachaturian’s complete ballet ‘Gayne’ a true 20th century masterpiece.
Issued in the late 70’s on RCA and reissued on cd, here’s where he Monster Copper Pro Turbines shine. RCA’s remastering of this could have bee MUCH BETTER; still, I was totally transported to another place with this recording and the Turbines AGAIN forgetting what source I was listening to. Solo harp sections came out stunningly articulate and imaging TOTALLY uncluttered and transparent with a good sense of what the hall sounded like. Again, RCA could have done much better in remasteringof a GREAT recording. I might add that despite RCA’s remastering there IS a good sense of dynamic range and power, which the Turbines really bring out.
Loris Tjeknavorian has a true understanding of this piece and this helps so much.
Day 3; the road test
Okay, so here we are on the way to work by public transit.
Source was my Sansa Clip Version 1 and PAV2 headphone amp.
For ear tips, I chose the large size flanged tips to see how they would be for isolation.
Traveling on bus and subway was a good test ESPECIALLY using chamber music.
This disc was a recording the Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich cello sonatas.
Ambient noise was about 80-85% reduced. The quality of this disc is ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. Despite a bit of ambient noise creeping in, I was totally drawn in by the sound AND performance of this disc
The Turbines handled this disc with absolute ease during complex passage and gave an incredible sweetness during quite passage which was almost ethereal even while on public transit
The trip home from work
Disc 1, Bryan Ferry, Boys and Girl, First Generation cd
Picky positioning, but once done, the usual shone through. TIGHT bass and good imaging.
Day 4; June 5, 2010;
On the way to work this morning listening to a real favourite and reference disc of classical music as I do on weekend morning commutes.
A disc of Rossini ballet music. All I can say is, ‘Oh My’
The Turbines are well suited to classical music. Sound stage was wide and focused.
Absolutely NO hint of distortion or congestion in complex passages. TOTAL transparency and detail
Day 4, the trip home June 5, 2010
Madonna; Confession from the Dance Floor
This is a TOUGH ONE, plenty of dynamics.
TOTALLY uncluttered, NO distortion on the high end and when extreme bass is present, watch out
This album passed with MORE than flying colours and Madonna’s voice was articulate.
Day 5; June 6, 2010
Like I said, weekends are mostly classical music on the way to work.
First work was Delius’ Florida Suite on Argo Records, TOTALLY NEUTRAL portrayal and superb detail and dynamics. Again, another reference cd that one keeps forgetting one is listening to an mp3 player.
Next a Naxosdisc of some Rameau ballet music. A period performance providing STUNNING detail and separation of instruments. The harpsichord was clearly heard in its location
Trip home;
Dire Straits; ‘On Every Street.’
PICKY about positioning of ear trips, used the grey round ones. Best cuts, ‘The Party’ ‘Planet of New Orleans’. Give good bass slam and again articulate in detail. May give a relisten as a couple of things bugged me.
Day; June 7, 2010
Medwyn Goodall; Medicine Woman II
A New Age meditation disc, sequal to Medicine Woman
All I can say are three words, SWEET, SILK, and SMOOTH!!!!
The trip home; ABBA, The album
Just for fun, ABBA. From what I was able to listen ‘Move On’ was amazing. Articulate voice and typical studio album from my teens.
Will listen again all the way through as was interrupted a few times
Day 8; June 8, 2010
Smetana; Ma Vlast (My Fatherland)
All I can say again is, OH MY. The ONLY thing I can quantify on this is the transfer of the recording to my Sansa Clip. At WMP 160KB, this does NOT do justice to strings, so this is NOT the fault of headphones.
This recording of Ma Vlast on Naxos, I had TOTALLY underrated and is fast becoming my new 1st choice as opposed to the Antal Dorati Concertgebow recording. A mixed choice.
TOTAL neutrality and brings forth a real sense of the recording. Good focus and separation of instruments and other than what I quantified early, TOTALLY uncluttered in complex passages.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So like I said at the beginning, I wanted to be as detailed as possible to describe the sound of these headphones. For me, the sound is incredibly neutral and balanced with no lack of width on sound staging and TOTALLY focused imaging
These are a true high end headphone and CAN handle punishment.
There is a distinct ‘sound signature’ with these headphones and again to reiterate what I said earlier, much like listening to a vacuum tune amplifier and electrostatic speakers.
Would I recommend these?? YES!!! Save your pennies and spring for a pair. As I have learned, it’s best to save up for one DECENT pair of phones, rather than go through several to eventually find what you want
WELL DONE, Monster Audio and a great entry into the high end and THANK YOU for letting me be part of this project. For me, FIVE STARS, all round
