[chailee80]

  It's definitely not as much isolation as the HP50. Once my ears are in those cups, I can hear my heartbeat, breathing, etc. I'll certainly know more at work because there's a lot of background computer fan noise, hallway foot traffic and conversations, etc. I liked the isolation of the HP50, so there I'll be able to better tell what frequencies are being isolated by the HP30. But nope - not the same kind of isolation.
 
I don't know if you ever tried the two variations of Bose, on ear and over ear, with noise canceling. I tried both when I was in the store and got much better isolation from the over ear. This is kinda the same thing (without the noise canceling feature).

Yeh i actually meant to ask do they feel like they're sitting on your ears properly or do they sit a bit high due to the smallish size.

 

[sheldaze]

 
Yeh i actually meant to ask do they feel like they're sitting on your ears properly or do they sit a bit high due to the smallish size.

They felt weird at first, but no - I don't think I'm going to have any trouble leaving them on all day. The clamping force is hard to compare to the Grado. The reason is the Grado cover the entire ear. These cover only the ear canal opening and a couple centimeters outside. So the pressure is across a much smaller area. It's really hard to simply measure and compare with either the Grado or HP50 headphones 

 

[peterdc]

  They felt weird at first, but no - I don't think I'm going to have any trouble leaving them on all day. The clamping force is hard to compare to the Grado. The reason is the Grado cover the entire ear. These cover only the ear canal opening and a couple centimeters outside. So the pressure is across a much smaller area. It's really hard to simply measure and compare with either the Grado or HP50 headphones 

Well, you did better than me. I've already returned them.
 
The main reason is I found them INCREDIBLY uncomfortable - clamp is a bit high, ear pads felt really hard. In fact, the most uncomfortable headphones I can remember wearing.
 
I can't say much about the sound as I used my usual 4 minute test track and only just made it through that.
 
But, in my opinion, they do indeed share some of the HP50's sound (which I wasn't keen on) but in a much darker way. Not unpleasant, but nothing amazing. Top end is pretty soft, mids back a little bit, bass quite big and deep. Not a great deal of clarity anywhere - very much a "casual" listen which I suppose is what they're made for. I too couldn't find any significant difference by shifting their position.
 
However, I was very glad to take them off. Even now, half an hour later, my ears are still feeling them. It's like they've been physically imprinted on my head. Weird.
 
Also, sound isolation was not good at all, and they leak quite a lot.
 
Plus points - they look great and seem beautifully made.
 
I now have to have a bit of time with my Beyer T50p to "reset" my ears

 

[sheldaze]

 
Well, you did better than me. I've already returned them.
 
The main reason is I found them INCREDIBLY uncomfortable - clamp is a bit high, ear pads felt really hard. In fact, the most uncomfortable headphones I can remember wearing.
 
I can't say much about the sound as I used my usual 4 minute test track and only just made it through that.
 
But, in my opinion, they do indeed share some of the HP50's sound (which I wasn't keen on) but in a much darker way. Not unpleasant, but nothing amazing. Top end is pretty soft, mids back a little bit, bass quite big and deep. Not a great deal of clarity anywhere - very much a "casual" listen which I suppose is what they're made for. I too couldn't find any significant difference by shifting their position.
 
However, I was very glad to take them off. Even now, half an hour later, my ears are still feeling them. It's like they've been physically imprinted on my head. Weird.
 
Also, sound isolation was not good at all, and they leak quite a lot.
 
Plus points - they look great and seem beautifully made.
 
I now have to have a bit of time with my Beyer T50p to "reset" my ears

Wow - so much to quote!
 
Shared sound, but much darker. I agree - I'll even add that they seemed to be missing a piece of something in the higher registers. I should probably listen to these along with one of the test tracks from here:
 
http://www.audiocheck.net/soundtests_headphones.php
 
Sound isolation did not seem good, but my work location will be a much more rigorous test. In fact, it wasn't until after I brought a couple of different headphones to work that I started looking at the noise isolation from the InnerFidelity headphone measurements. I'd always assumed that closed was closed. But some headphones, such as the HP50, start to isolate at 200Hz. While other headphones that are perfectly fine for home, such as the Denon AH-D2000, actually provide almost no isolation until 1kHz.
 
I will be able to tell much more, and immediately, at work. And I am looking forward to the "causal" listen at work. As long as it is casual, and not fatiguing or distracting, I might keep these. If it becomes physically tiring, does not isolate well, or the musical sound is still too off...

 

[peterdc]

Hey, It should be known I create music and I spend most days working as an audio engineer/producer/master-er (though mastering is best left to the special people on this planet with intelligence AND amazing ears AND experience). I've been doing that for 30 years now. No one is ever good at at, just better than they were.
 
So that means my listening is a little skewed because I need to hear details all day (sometimes on headphones), but I do like a nice fun headphone for pure listening FUN (Blue Mofi).
 
I found the HP50 very good indeed but only if you can put up with some weird crap in the lower mids (RoomFeel or something) where Paul Barton did a thing. (Against the grain, I was not a fan of the HP50 but had high hopes for the HP30.)
 
The HP30 take that HP50 sound and stick it under a blanket, and have people mildly press their shoes on your ears.
 
I seriously found the HP30 that uncomfortable. How is it possible with the T51p in existence which also does an amazing job with sound isolation for an on ear - better than most over ears. The t51p is not great in the highs, very good in general terms, but the HP30 was a massive MASSIVE disappointment.
 
I would recommend this headphone to cloth-eared people with a lot of storage space in a bag (the nature of its folding means it's still quite big given it's skinny profile, and liable to break in transit - neat folding but sort of daft - one earphone is in the way of the other... Ideal for breaking them. I have never understood the thinking behind this common concept of folding it makes a difficult lump rather than a more 2D shape. To PROPERLY do this thing they attempted, go look at the Sennheiser MM550X which I briefly owned. THAT is how you fold an over-ear headphone into almost nothing - sadly the MM550x sounds like V-crap.
 
Apart from the build I found the HP30 annoying and lacking a LOT in sound quality. Muddled and ... just annoying, from comfort to audio. Build is SUPERB.
 
Paul Barton, (of PSB), get back to work and do it better:
 
• The HP50 was a little silly down the low mids (100 to 300 hz, by ear) but very sweet top end sadly detached from the rest of the music. I returned my HP50's. They sounded silly to me.
 
Big hopes for the HP30...
 
• The HP30 is a bit like the HP50 but someone (Barton?) tuned it for more modern music and production values, then put it under a blanket, nothing wrong with that, well, lots wrong with that but it's what the current kids WANT in order to ruin their hearing, but the headphone is seriously uncomfortable (worst I've ever put on my head), non-isolating, and VERY leaky, so ... as a portable city headphone I dunno what the point of the HP30 is other than to annoy people who spent a lot on it and also annoy people near them with leakage of your music. I am bemused.
 
I wonder if they've even TRIED a Beyer T51p. Amazing noise attenuation, no leakage, great sound. A bit mid forward but so much better than the HP30.
 
I am perhaps being harsh but that's my thoughts.
 
Bear in mind, the more I consider my brief 3.5 minute listen, that's really all it was, the more I will distort that memory, so from now on, if anyone asks anything, I will be largely inaccurate.
 
I would just say, in THIS case, get the Momentum on ear. I don't like those but they are much much better and still mediocre. And available for 63 quid from www.best-accessoriesuk.com
 
(as is the rare Sony XB500 (tractor tyres) which I just bought from there for 33 UK pounds (40 US dollars?) - says they have 190 in stock). Idiotic headphone I want to own. This might be the only place on the planet that still has stock. Grab em as an investment at least - you seen the prices on Ebay? Before you snap em up, I'll find out if they are fakes.
 
Anyway, Momentum over ear there, (desptched from Holland?!) not such a good deal - £133. No mention if it's v2. I understand V1 is better made and V2 is a harsh top end. That's for some other existing thread though.
 
Back to THIS thread, I don't like the HP30 in anything but a bass presence and an enjoyable clicking as you unfold them (no clicks on headband adjustment - it's variable to a nanometre - sweet).
 
They are worth $150. They are a sort-of premium product. But if you are concerned with SOUND they are worth $50.
 
I will conclude by saying they are, by a mile, the most uncomfortable thing I have ever had on my head, and that includes a cardboard box at 12 years old with a robot face painted on it. To be honest that's more comfortable than a lot of headphones I've tried.
 
[edited out rambling]

 

[sheldaze]

  The HP30 take that HP50 sound and stick it under a blanket. And have people mildly press their shoes on your earp. I seriously found them that uncomfortable. How is it possible with the T51p in existence which also does an amazing job with sound isolation for an on ear. The t51p is not great in the highs, very good in general terms, but the HP30 was a massive MASSIVE disappointment.

I've too have heard good things about the Beyer T51p.
 
If I were planning for home use, these would be an utter disappointment. I'll hold my judgement until I apply these in their intended environment - we're still on vacation here 

 

 

[peterdc]

  I've too have heard good things about the Beyer T51p.
 
If I were planning for home use, these would be an utter disappointment. I'll hold my judgement until I apply these in their intended environment - we're still on vacation here 

 

Aren't they meant to be prtable? In that sense they fail terribly. For home use they are lacking from 20hz to 20Khz. What environment were you picturing? I can't see these (even if I found them comfortable) working in any environment and being good.
 
Hey good on you for sticking with them for a while. I simply couldn't.
 
I thought the sound was as bad (and very similar) to the awful "top of the line" JBL Synchros 700 (just sort of cut-price hifi, you know? I don't think NAD cut any prices much, but I DO think Paul Barton is older now and not a man I would choose to tune headphones). Wow all that money invested and they're this bad when there are Oppo PM3 and HD600 - You are meant to beat those.
 
Anyway, I LOVE the t51p (t50P? the recent one). I use it for tracking guitars (accurate in mids). It is a superbly nice thing in the mids. Top end a little dull. Bass excellent. Lovely thing to own owing to spidery steel minimalism. Super comfy. I found it by producer/engineer reviews then found out it's quite liked by Audiophiles. I can use the T51p in a crowded pub with music going on (yes I ignore them all) and I don't hear much of what's around me. It's astonishing for such a tiny headphone, and yes it sounds a whole lot better than the HD25 and the superior (non resonating) Amperior.
 
I find the Yamaha MT220 to be the best for just about everything I do.
 
There is an MT220 thread, of course. Go buy. Hard to find better till about $900, maybe better than all those owing to it being so honest. No joke. See the thread. An oddly unknown ugly headphone. Yamaha have said they are discontinuing it, so buy 5. It's my most accurate headphione for music work, but not at all my choice for fun listening - that's the Blue Mofi *review edition, not the production one - review edition's amp is STUPID loud, but gorgeously analogue). OR I listen to my Denon MM400 for a softer sound in general. Fidelio X2 rarely gets used (why is the music way over there?).
 
I can't recommend the T51p enough. One day there will be a better on-ear, but none has arrived there yet - it isolates better than most over-ears, is wonderfully made from brushed steel, and it sounds really snappy and cool and REAL. (And sounds totally real for doing actual audio engineering work). Bass extends really deep too and in control. Just superb. A million miles from the HP30, and slightly cheaper I think.
 
[* Ebay, too much money but an original]

 

[peterdc]

  I've too have heard good things about the Beyer T51p.

 
I updated what I said - previous post, t51p/Hp30.

 

[peterdc]

Originally Posted by sheldaze /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Shared sound, but much darker. I agree - I'll even add that they seemed to be missing a piece of something in the higher registers. I should probably listen to these along with one of the test tracks from here:
 
http://www.audiocheck.net/soundtests_headphones.php
 

 
Thanks, that's useful. I tend to use a track that I'm actually working on, and always that track (till I have something better at 48khz) ie, a track I know from the ground up, all 45 recorded tracks and synths and etc, so I know exactly what's in there and the mixing problems I've encountered. How do these headphones represent something I know backwards and literally inside out on studio monitors?
I use one never finished song that is deeply challenging in all frequencies, including several guitars from clean to amped that will be annoying at 2khz even after my fair hand upon them. Trashy audio start, quite deliberate, and hifi end. It's interesting to hear how various headphones deal with something deliberately trashy. It turns out they deal with it as good or bad as the rest of the track. There was me thinking it was a challenge.
 
[edit] sorry, that's confusing. I generally listen to a particular unfinished track that has some audio challenges. But usually, before that, I'll just stick the headphones on to see how they compare to the HS8 monitors I'm listening to. None do well except the MT220 - mostly the same. [end edit]
 
HP30 - mmmm just sort of average. No dynamics, notably. Kind of boring, but nice, if that makes sense.
 
HP30 = Tom Hanks (maybe Owen Wilson).
 
Blue Mofi = Robert Downey Jnr's entire career.
 
Beyer t51p = Robert Deniro.
 
(V-Moda m100 = Al Pacino.)
 
(Beats = Adam Sandler.)
 
I like this... any suggestions?
 
Sennheiser HD 800 = Helen Mirren?
 
 
Okay, I'm starting a thread....
 
Actually, no. That will get boring very quickly.

 

[peterdc]

 

 
Beyer t51p = Robert Deniro.
 
 

nope. De Niro is HD600.
 
T51p = Kevin Bacon.

 

[sheldaze]

So the song I was using, when I was briefly listening to music with the HP30, was the first track off Kid A (Everything in Its Right Place - Radiohead). Everything was not in its right place 

 
Specifically at the beginning of the song are three distinct vocals, left, right, and center. I could barely hear the one on the left. I figured I probably needed to clean my ears

, except the sound in the center was coming through just fine. And that's when I switched to the HP50 - all three sounds were there, as they should be! I'm not clear what frequency was missing, but it seemed to my ears to be the higher parts, with regards to why the sound on the left was nearly absent.

 

[USHI]

 
Aren't they meant to be prtable? In that sense they fail terribly. For home use they are lacking from 20hz to 20Khz. What environment were you picturing? I can't see these (even if I found them comfortable) working in any environment and being good.
 
Hey good on you for sticking with them for a while. I simply couldn't.
 
I thought the sound was as bad (and very similar) to the awful "top of the line" JBL Synchros 700 (just sort of cut-price hifi, you know? I don't think NAD cut any prices much, but I DO think Paul Barton is older now and not a man I would choose to tune headphones). Wow all that money invested and they're this bad when there are Oppo PM3 and HD600 - You are meant to beat those.
 
Anyway, I LOVE the t51p (t50P? the recent one). I use it for tracking guitars (accurate in mids). It is a superbly nice thing in the mids. Top end a little dull. Bass excellent. Lovely thing to own owing to spidery steel minimalism. Super comfy. I found it by producer/engineer reviews then found out it's quite liked by Audiophiles. I can use the T51p in a crowded pub with music going on (yes I ignore them all) and I don't hear much of what's around me. It's astonishing for such a tiny headphone, and yes it sounds a whole lot better than the HD25 and the superior (non resonating) Amperior.
 
I find the Yamaha MT220 to be the best for just about everything I do.
 
There is an MT220 thread, of course. Go buy. Hard to find better till about $900, maybe better than all those owing to it being so honest. No joke. See the thread. An oddly unknown ugly headphone. Yamaha have said they are discontinuing it, so buy 5. It's my most accurate headphione for music work, but not at all my choice for fun listening - that's the Blue Mofi *review edition, not the production one - review edition's amp is STUPID loud, but gorgeously analogue). OR I listen to my Denon MM400 for a softer sound in general. Fidelio X2 rarely gets used (why is the music way over there?).
 
I can't recommend the T51p enough. One day there will be a better on-ear, but none has arrived there yet - it isolates better than most over-ears, is wonderfully made from brushed steel, and it sounds really snappy and cool and REAL. (And sounds totally real for doing actual audio engineering work). Bass extends really deep too and in control. Just superb. A million miles from the HP30, and slightly cheaper I think.
 
[* Ebay, too much money but an original]

since you has both t51p and hp30, does t51p pads fit the hp30? I think hp30 sound dark because of the pads design ( just like Harman Kardon CL).

 

[peterdc]

  since you has both t51p and hp30, does t51p pads fit the hp30? I think hp30 sound dark because of the pads design ( just like Harman Kardon CL).

Totally not.  I suppose you could botch it and glue the t51p pads (donut shaped) onto the HP30 (solid square pad made of horridness). But generally they couldn't be more incompatible.

 

[USHI]

what a shame, suck beautiful design headphone 

 

[Jeff Y]

Just came here out of curiosity because I love my HP50's only to find bad feedback about the 30's. Oh well, it still keeps me from buying the headphone which is a help for sure.
Thanks for writing up all this guys.