[Jan Meier]

Dear Magicthyse,

I just did some preliminary listening after six hours of break-in and I only can say: WOOWWWW!!!

I also asked my girlfriend to listen to these phones. She has an extremely good hearing and knows all the phones that I carry (actually, she checks them all before they leave my house and she started comparing this one to the HD600!!

I think a found myself a new favourite closed phone

A more extensive review will follow later this weekend after Harry has also lend his ear.

As it is, it just happened that my girlfriend and I indeed used a HD280PRO to compare and in our opinion the Ultrasone is much and much better. However, be aware that we both never were big fans of the HD280PRO. Other people have a more positive opinion on this phone.

Well, everybody hears differently.

But I sincerely feel this HFI-650 to be a real gem.

Cheers,

Jan

 

[Magicthyse]

No, I'm not a big fan of the 280 either - but it definitely has it's uses. That's very, very interesting, thanks very much - and one more question, are they the same as the IXOS/Ministry of Sound DJ1001?

 

[miroslav]

So the most important questions:

Can they be used with portables?

How do they perform without an amp?

How much would they cost (since compared to hd600!!!)?

 

[Jan Meier]

Dear Miroslav,

These phones have a 75 Ohm impedance and portables should have no problems driving these. It has not been tested yet though.

The MRSP is EUR 159,-

I probably will be selling these for around EUR 145,- / $ 140,- (shipping included).

However, there are also plans to start a sales-action on this one, in combination with the PORTA CORDA II that will be released in a few weeks.

Cheers,

Jan

 

[RickG]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jan Meier in combination with the PORTA CORDA II that will be released in a few weeks.

Lord help me....thought I was through buying portable amps...just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water...

 

[Goober]

*DELETED*

 

[Jeff Guidry]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jan Meier and she started comparing this one to the HD600!!

No offense Jan, but YOU compared the HP890 to the HD600! And we all know (well, those of us with decent hearing) what a highly polished turd those were.

Quote:

Originally posted by Jan Meier Well, everybody hears differently.

Too true!

 

[Jan Meier]

Dear Jeff,

During a visit to the Sennheiser factory, a few months ago, I had a long and very interesting meeting with the designer of the HD600. Sennheiser actually has a HP890 and not only did some extensive listening but also some extensive measurements.

The engineer confirmed my feeling that the HP890 in its tonal balance is very similar to the HD600. He expressed his suspicion that the HP890 has been explicitly designed with the HD600 in mind. The technical data showed that only at high sound levels the HD600 to be clearly superior because of less distortion. But then, the HD600 costs a little bit more.

Cheers,

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jan Meier The engineer confirmed my feeling that the HP890 in its tonal balance is very similar to the HD600. He expressed his suspicion that the HP890 has been explicitly designed with the HD600 in mind. The technical data showed that only at high sound levels the HD600 to be clearly superior because of less distortion. But then, the HD600 costs a little bit more.

LOL, looks like we're off-topic again

Jan, I respect your opinions on headphones a great deal, but I strongly disagree with the position that "only at high sound levels is the HD 600 clearly superior." (It's unclear whose position this is, yours or the Senn engineer's.) The only way time these two headphones are remotely comparable is when you use both out of a portable or another source with bad amplification (bad as in low quality and low power).

BTW, I also feel the same about the DT250 vs. the HP890, which is probably closer to the topic of the thread

How would you compare these new cans with the DT250?

 

[punosion]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jan Meier However, there are also plans to start a sales-action on this one, in combination with the PORTA CORDA II that will be released in a few weeks.

Porta Corda...II??! Hmm...intriguing!

 

[Jeff Guidry]

I have a pair of the DT250-80's on the way from headroom, so I will be able to add my thoughts to any that Jan offers about this comparison.

Having never heard the Sennheiser HD600's, I will admit that I am in no position to doubt anyone's perception of one headphone vs. the other. But, if the HP890 and HD600 are indeed similar, I don't know that the HD600 would sound much better to me! All I DO know is that the HP890 was a listening experience that did not set my world on fire.

 

[Buddha]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Guidry No offense Jan, but YOU compared the HP890 to the HD600! And we all know (well, those of us with decent hearing) what a highly polished turd those were.

I wonder how many "decent hearing folk" your actually speaking for with this "non offensive" little rant Jeff...

The HP890 remain a solid choice as an entry level can for only 50 of your US Dollars here in Australia. In terms of sound quality, I find them to be superior to the Sony V6/7506, that are so regularly and passionately promoted on this board.

The 890s are not perfect, but I consider your faecal analogy to be perhaps more reflective of the author than the subject ... in other words, your full of ****.

 

[Jeff Guidry]

Mind you, I did not say Jan or anyone else was full of ****. This was not personal against anyone. You have chosen to insult me for no good reason, and putting an emoticon after it doesn't make it right.

I want you to apologize to me.

 

[lini]

Maybe I should try to get a test sample, again. Maybe some of you remember, that I've tested the HFI-2000 a while ago and dind't like it very much - neither the build quality, nor the comfort, not even the sound quality (though it seemed quite good at low listening levels...). So I found it not worth the price. But I've talked to an Ultrasone representant afterwards, which might have been the same Mr. Hartmann, but I'm very bad with names... Anyway, he was friendly and very interested in my criticism - and he told me, they were already working on some imrovements for future models. So as the HFI-650 could be the first of these future models, it might be worth a try...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini