[thersites]

Because it has improved controls for volume (and to a lesser extent, transparency/ANC), the Portal seems preferable over the HX, doesn’t it? The only advantage of the HX that I can see is that it comes with a case.

 

[MayaTlab]

Because it has improved controls for volume (and to a lesser extent, transparency/ANC), the Portal seems preferable over the HX, doesn’t it? The only advantage of the HX that I can see is that it comes with a case.

They have very different earcup / hinge designs and that alone may make one prefer one over the other for comfort or ergonomical reasons.

And of course FR curve might be totally different.

 

[thersites]

They have very different earcup / hinge designs and that alone may make one prefer one over the other for comfort or ergonomical reasons.

And of course FR curve might be totally different.

All I can tell is that the Portal ear cups pivot and thus may be more comfortable. Seems unlikely that the FR curve is different, doesn't it? Here's a rave review of the Portal.

 

[MayaTlab]

Seems unlikely that the FR curve is different, doesn't it?

I would rather think it highly unlikely that have the same FR given that everything that's in the acoustically relevant spaces affects it and that there are quite obvious differences (such as the earpads) .

 

[angelom]

That's crazy given its flaws.

Yes, the h95 is terrible headphone with many flaws. The correct price must be 150€

 

[CHUX2020]

Yes, the h95 is terrible headphone with many flaws. The correct price must be 150€

 

[thersites]

Yes, the h95 is terrible headphone with many flaws. The correct price must be 150€

Not terrible but no ANC during voice calls is a showstopper for many.

 

[angelom]

Not terrible but no ANC during voice calls is a showstopper for many.

Yes, this is one of many, many flaws, so important for majority of people. Maybe price must not be 150€ but 99€.

 

[matteventu]

Because it has improved controls for volume (and to a lesser extent, transparency/ANC), the Portal seems preferable over the HX, doesn’t it? The only advantage of the HX that I can see is that it comes with a case.

Carrying case + better battery life are the only pros of HX.

Frequency response is probably going to be totally different, but I'm 99% sure that will be mainly because of different DSP tuning (neither headphones can be used passively when switched off, so there's no way to bypass the internal DSP to hear how the actual drivers sound) and for a minor part because of the design changes (different ear cups and cushions).
The drivers are probably exactly the same, given B&O provides the exact same specs (attached) - it wouldn't even make business sense to use different ones.

 

[MayaTlab]

Frequency response is probably going to be totally different, but I'm 99% sure that will be mainly because of different DSP tuning (neither headphones can be used passively when switched off, so there's no way to bypass the internal DSP to hear how the actual drivers sound) and for a minor part because of the design changes (different ear cups and cushions).
The drivers are probably exactly the same, given B&O provides the exact same specs (attached) - it wouldn't even make business sense to use different ones.

The drivers' specs are indeed the same but drivers are but one part of what makes for the final FR curve. Everything that surrounds it has a crucial impact on the resulting FR curve, whether on a test rig or on your own head.
Pads, notably, have a tremendous impact on FR curve. For example this link : https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/earpads/
Same applies to venting / porting holes, shape of the ear cavity, etc.
So the DSP alone isn't what's going to cause the differences in terms of FR curve.
Given that B&O's past headphones have pretty random and inconsistent FR curves, it's very difficult to anticipate anything in that regard.

 

[thersites]

Carrying case + better battery life are the only pros of HX.

Frequency response is probably going to be totally different, but I'm 99% sure that will be mainly because of different DSP tuning (neither headphones can be used passively when switched off, so there's no way to bypass the internal DSP to hear how the actual drivers sound) and for a minor part because of the design changes (different ear cups and cushions).
The drivers are probably exactly the same, given B&O provides the exact same specs (attached) - it wouldn't even make business sense to use different ones.

Except for the pivoting aspect, how are the ear cups and cushions on the Portal different from those on the HX?

 

[MayaTlab]

Except for the pivoting aspect, how are the ear cups and cushions on the Portal different from those on the HX?

Different shape for a start, they have a bulge at the bottom rear of the ear to better conform to most people's anatomy, although it could have simply been a solution decided upon to compensate for the different headband to cup arm / hinge / pivot mechanism (the design they've chosen for the Portal often has much less range of motion than the usual yoke mechanism, at least on other headphones, which can cause issues for some people to fully seal around the ear).
But everything else also matters (foam material, type of leather, volume of the ear cavity, locking mechanism), and that's just for the pads.
Other potential areas for discrepancies are the size / design of the acoustic vents, the design of the volume at the rear of the drivers, etc.
In other words that two headphones share the same driver itself means nothing for the actual resulting FR curve.

 

[thersites]

The foam and type of leather seem similar if not identical FWIW.

The HX also has beam forming mics … Do the Portal's "virtual boom" & mic array really result in clearer conversations than on the HX?

 

[MayaTlab]

The foam and type of leather seem similar if not identical FWIW.

I'm not sure that you can know that from the available promotional material.

 

[TooFrank]

+1
edit: I don’t mind all the flaws mentioned: these headphones deliver an amazing sound of music. And this is for my main use and delight.