[chailee80]

Not meant to bad mouth the HP50.  I actually love mine to death, its just that I want another headphone that has better soundstage and great vocals.  No doubt the HP50 deliver on those fronts, but I do hear other cans that do better (eg. MDR-1R works great with female vocals, Open headphones has more airy soundstage)  and it so happens that I found the K550, which is touted to be an open-sounding closed headphone.  It will not replace my HP50, but would it have better soundstage and mids?  If not, I will get IEM instead, and save my HP50 from all my sweat in this hot weather.

I thought the k550 was very thin sounding. It was quite neutral through the mids and the treble seemed a bit more extended. The bass was the most problematic, I found them very bass light, below neutral to my ears. I also had trouble getting a good fit with them which could possibly explain the weak bass. Soundstage seemed quite big and open for a closed back and imaging was quite good. Overall they had good clarity but were too cold, thin and analytical sounding for my tastes.
If you're interested in an iem with good vocals and soundstage you might want to check out final audios heaven range as they do that very well.

 

[chailee80]

  http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/NADVISOHP50.pdf
 
It definitely has a warm bias with rolled off highs, not that this is bad in any way, I prefer the same kind of sound myself.

Yeh they definitely sound rolled off to my ears which makes sense as whenever i listen to music from my bookshelf speakers they never sound like the vast majority of headphones that have neutral or emphasized treble. While not exactly the same the hp50s do sound more like a couple of room speakers than most other headphones imo.

 

[YamaVega]

I thought the k550 was very thin sounding. It was quite neutral through the mids and the treble seemed a bit more extended. The bass was the most problematic, I found them very bass light, below neutral to my ears. I also had trouble getting a good fit with them which could possibly explain the weak bass. Soundstage seemed quite big and open for a closed back and imaging was quite good. Overall they had good clarity but were too cold, thin and analytical sounding for my tastes.
If you're interested in an iem with good vocals and soundstage you might want to check out final audios heaven range as they do that very well.

Thanks for your impressions.  You know at first I thought the HP50 will be my be-all, end-all headphone, but turns out that no headphone could actually cover all your bases.  I was just tempted that I could get a K550, a can of same league with the HP50, for just $100.
But I should prioritize an IEM, and right now I could get RE600 or IE8 for just $200.  Sorry, but the FADs are too expensive for me.

 

[chailee80]

Thanks for your impressions.  You know at first I thought the HP50 will be my be-all, end-all headphone, but turns out that no headphone could actually cover all your bases.  I was just tempted that I could get a K550, a can of same league with the HP50, for just $100.
But I should prioritize an IEM, and right now I could get RE600 or IE8 for just $200.  Sorry, but the FADs are too expensive for me.

For $100 it's a very good deal, if ya didn't have the hp50 it would be a no brainier. Fad has iems around the $200 mark, if you can demo them they might be suitable for your tastes.

 

[SSandDigital]

So have the AT MSR7 now, and fixed my K551 (w/cable replaced) and now having HP50 arriving tomorrow. Will decide which to send back, MSR7 or HP50. MSR7 sounds a little small and some issues with treble. Hoping HP50 fix that and fits well. The headband looks awful.

 

[Schopenhauer]

So have the AT MSR7 now, and fixed my K551 (w/cable replaced) and now having HP50 arriving tomorrow. Will decide which to send back, MSR7 or HP50. MSR7 sounds a little small and some issues with treble. Hoping HP50 fix that and fits well. The headband looks awful.

If you get a chance, I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts on how the HP50 and ATH-MSR7 compare. I auditioning the B&W P7 right now as a possible replacement for the Sennheiser Amperior, which is my current portable headphone. Was thinking of ordering the ATH-MRS7 for a shoot out. 

 

[YamaVega]

For $100 it's a very good deal, if ya didn't have the hp50 it would be a no brainier. Fad has iems around the $200 mark, if you can demo them they might be suitable for your tastes.

Exactly, getting the k550 seems redundant at this point. I did find a FAD VI for $200 just now, but no warranty. Re600 has warranty though, gives peace of mind for undetachable cables.

Now my beautiful problem is either:
$200 iem or $100 k550 + $100 iem/e17

 

[YamaVega]

Lets hope there will be a hp80 that addess all these issues

 

[SSandDigital]

If you get a chance, I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts on how the HP50 and ATH-MSR7 compare. I auditioning the B&W P7 right now as a possible replacement for the Sennheiser Amperior, which is my current portable headphone. Was thinking of ordering the ATH-MRS7 for a shoot out. 

Unfortunately thinking might be defective since what I am hearing on MSR7 is not what I am reading from other reviews and impressions.

 

[chailee80]

Unfortunately thinking might be defective since what I am hearing on MSR7 is not what I am reading from other reviews and impressions.

how are you finding the msr7s? I found them a bit too shrill or bright, thin sounding and lacking in bass for my tastes.

 

[SSandDigital]

how are you finding the msr7s? I found them a bit too shrill or bright, thin sounding and lacking in bass for my tastes.

Bass great, mids without usual AT lusciounessand treble thing and tinny. Doesnt hurt my ears like K551 can, but very fatiguing. Also isolation unexpectedly awful, ambient sounds can get in and resonate.

 

[SSandDigital]

Initial listen thinking will return the MSR7. MSR7 does have more excitement, impactful bass, but the HP50 has more balanced sound, better isolation and treble is not as sibilant. HP50 is nice headphone but still doesnt compare to any open air I have heard.

 

[GeorgeNapalm]

I've been looking for closed pair of phones to use in the office and went through a lot before settling with NAD HP50. I mainly listen to classical music and with acoustic instruments the right tonal balance means a lot. I couldn't achieve it with ATH-M50, modded Fostex t50rp, Mr.Speakers Alpha Dog and finally Fostex TH-900. In some cases the sound was good, but I had problems with comfort, like with Focal Spirit Pro.
 
Now, the NADs are almost perfect in both sound signature and comfort. All instrumetns in the orchestra sound just right with decent amount of space. They are pretty comfortable and I'm not getting any creaks once I put them on. Of course the cushions could be bigger and deeper and clamping force could be lighter (but it's not as bad as with Audeze LCD-2 I had before). And I noticed when I'm using them with glasses it breaks the seal and it results in less bass. 
 
All in all, I'm very happy with HP50, especially for the price.

 

[Painful Chafe]

  I've been looking for closed pair of phones to use in the office and went through a lot before settling with NAD HP50. I mainly listen to classical music and with acoustic instruments the right tonal balance means a lot. I couldn't achieve it with ATH-M50, modded Fostex t50rp, Mr.Speakers Alpha Dog and finally Fostex TH-900. In some cases the sound was good, but I had problems with comfort, like with Focal Spirit Pro.
 
Now, the NADs are almost perfect in both sound signature and comfort. All instrumetns in the orchestra sound just right with decent amount of space. They are pretty comfortable and I'm not getting any creaks once I put them on. Of course the cushions could be bigger and deeper and clamping force could be lighter (but it's not as bad as with Audeze LCD-2 I had before). And I noticed when I'm using them with glasses it breaks the seal and it results in less bass. 
 
All in all, I'm very happy with HP50, especially for the price.

Thanks for your impressions. Pretty amazing considering the price difference and the reputation of the other cans you've tried.

 

[diamondears]

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/NADVISOHP50.pdf

It definitely has a warm bias with rolled off highs, not that this is bad in any way, I prefer the same kind of sound myself.

Pardon me, but I just couldn't let this go. I disagree. The highs are definitely not rolled off. Rolled off would mean that the treble would sound less loud compared to neutral speakers, and that is just not true with the HP50. However, just like the LCD-2.2, it has bass quantity and quality now. So on a pair of ears used to less bass quantity and quality, plus upstream gears that compensates these, the NAD would sound warm or rolled off.

I have gone through my usual test tracks, and I just couldn't hear any roll off. In fact, it sparkles when the recording has it, especially on an iPhone.

Let's also remember that this is tuned for portable gears, especially the iPhone.

P.S.: I used iPhone 6+ with Onkyo HD Player app and iFi nano iDSD as upstream gears using Minimum Phase digital filter. So definitely neutral, not warm, gears.