organic io's Philips SHP9500 review and comparison with Superlux HD681 and Koss KSC75

[organic io]

I'll be posting this review in several parts as I go... Here's part 1
 
Headphone comparison: Philips SHP9500 vs Superlux HD681 vs Koss KSC75
 
Songs I have selected to do the testing with:
Dave Matthews Band - Satellite
Goldie - Timeless (section in the middle)
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Chicane - Saltwater (section in the middle)
keith303 - Last Movements of a Drowning Smurfbaby
Darius Rucker - Wagon Wheel
 
I have chosen these songs because they are all great songs, but also because they have lots of dynamics which should be good for headphone testing and comparison.
 
Also, I have extensive experience with Sennheiser HD590, but I am not able to directly compare them because they died. So I will probably mention them at times.
 
1/30/16 2:11pm preliminary testing.

Comfort
Koss KSC75's - Decently comfortable, though the clips tend to get irritating on the ears after a while.
 
Superlux HD681's - Comfortable. I have a moderately big head. In order to make these more comfortable, I essentially bent the plastic to make it larger and fit my head better. Works great. Not nearly as comfortable as the Senn HD590's were, but not bad at all.
 
Philips SHP9500 - Upon initially putting them on, I'm a bit confused here. Practically EVERYWHERE I read online said these are some of the most comfortable headphones they have ever used. That they are so light they are practically un-noticeable, and also that there isn't much clamping force. Unfortunately I'm not feeling the same love for them right now, they feel noticeably less comfortable than the Senn HD590's were.         The clamping force is noticeable. I've tried several settings. Currently I have the headband set on "5". I might do some bending of the headband on these to improve comfort. But before I start to destroy them, I want to give them a couple hours test to see how they do.

Settings
Audio interface: Alesis io2 express
 
Headphone mods - KSC75's have a variant of the Kramer mod. SHP9500's and HD681's have no modding at this time.
 
Koss and Philips with no EQ, Superlux with some EQ settings in Windows with Equalizer APO 1.1, according to this guy's recommendations:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RPZSVYG1QBUQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B002GHIPYI

Song tests
1st song test: Dave Matthews Band - Satellite
 
Koss KSC75's
I know this song well, and I know the Koss KSC75's well. This is a sound signature that I know and love. But can it be improved upon?
Everything is blissful, if a bit bright. Otherwise the mix is well balanced.
 
Superlux HD681's
Sound is acceptable, though the mix sounds a bit muddy or muffled. Bass is slightly booming, probably due to EQ settings. Ride cymbals sound amazing.
 
Philips SHP9500's
Wow, just wow! You can hear little details in the guitar plucking at the beginning that aren't even audible on the other 2 headphones. And it's not just because I'm "listening harder". The cans are incredibly revealing. Overall the bass is adequate (I've heard some say they are bass lacking). Everything sounds slightly bright, I might need to EQ it down later, but it's quite nice and shimmery.
 
In this initial song test I can say the SHP9500's definitely compete with the Senn HD590's and possibly exceed them. I can definitely see how people are comparing them to HD600/650's (though I've never actually used those myself)
 
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Stay tuned for more song tests and SHP9500 comfort testing

 

[organic io]

Part 2
Break in aka Burn in?
I'm not entirely sure I believe in the efficacy of this process. Based on this Wired article I read:
http://www.wired.com/2013/11/tnhyui-earphone-burn-in/
 
It seems some people believe in it, and some don't. Personally I'm not really sure. Clearly it doesn't hurt anything, but it may just be voodoo.
I've heard some accounts that the SHP9500's might need up to 200 hours of break in time. I'm not going to wait that long. I'm just going to go ahead and enjoy them now      

Continuing the song tests...
In all tests I am trying to keep the headphones at the same relative volume so that the louder one doesn't appear to sound better.
 
Goldie - Timeless. I chose the section from around 8:00 to 11:00.
It has several ups and downs, and should be a great test of sub bass.
 
Koss KSC75's - Vocals have a certain harshness to them, I'm not sure if it's the headphones or the recording. Drums sound clear, if a bit sterile or compressed. Bass is present, though the lower notes seem to drop off in volume.
 
Superlux HD681's - Bass is more present. Drums are clear but slightly recessed. Similar to the 1st song test, the mix just doesn't sound as clear on the 681's. The mids are so crisp the little glitchy sound effects are tickling my eardrums, bordering on harsh.
 
Philips SHP9500's - Harshness of the vocals is definitely on the recording. Once the bass drops at 8:30, everything is so rich and lush, a quality that the other headphones just didn't have. It feels like all of the elements of the song are being glued together properly here. Sub bass has a nice presence here and doesn't drop off nearly as much as it did on the 75's. Where the glitch effects were harsh on the 681's, that section sounds more mellowed on the 9500's -- Not as harsh, but still crystal clear.
 
Goldie Conclusion: A challenging song with a lot of facets that really puts the pressure on headphones. The mix didn't really gel until I heard it on the 9500's.
 

Nirvana - Smells like Teen Spirit
A song with great dynamics, and it should reveal how distorted guitars sound.
 
Koss KSC75's - This mix just sounds great on these headphones. Guitars are nice and crunchy. Bass has a lot of presence. Vocals slightly recessed. Everything is right where it needs to be, and "technically right" in my opinion, but still sounds kind of lifeless... Just ever so slightly.
 
Superlux HD681's - I feel more like I'm sitting right in front of the band than I did with the 75's. Bass has a different characteristic, but not overpowering like I maybe expected (based on the difference in Goldie's bass). Cymbals seem to have more life on the 681's and sound less compressed. Guitars are nice and warm and yet crunchy at the same time.... One of those magical things about grunge. Mids and vocals are quite pleasing.
 
Philips SHP9500's - Immediately the drums stand out as superior on the 9500's, where the snare has more life and sounded kind of flat on the others. Vocals stand out more and are not as recessed as the 75's. Cymbals are perhaps a bit too sibilant.. I might want to consider some minor EQ tweaks to correct this later. Everything just sounds a little more alive on here. Guitars just a little more aggressive in a good way. Pretty sure this is not confirmation bias here.
 
Nirvana conclusion: I guess this song can't sound bad on anything!
 
 
Darius Rucker - Wagon Wheel
A fun song which should showcase some more acoustic guitar stuff.
 
Koss KSC75's - Mix sounds slightly dark. Vocals and violins sound perfect but that's about the only thing. Bass slightly exagerated, drums way too recessed except the snare. Overall, nothing to write home about.
 
P.S.. Maybe I'm just critiquing the song's mix and not the headphones, sorry guys -- I come from a music production background and not so much audio equipment. I've written hundreds of reviews of songs, and very few of headphones. I'm trying my best here  
 
Superlux HD681's - Brighter than the 75's, but the instrumentation almost sounds like it's in a hollow tube. Vocals sound quite nice though. Bass is subdued and not nearly loud enough here. Vocals are slightly too loud. The background guitars, steel guitars, and violins just sound a bit muddy when combined with the vocals.
 
Philips SHP9500's - It's as if the guitar part is being played through a higher quality guitar than it was on the 681's. Mix is brighter than the 75's. Bass fits in the mix well, neither too quiet or too loud. Vocals sit right too. Yeahp, this is the preferred way to listen to this song for sure. It's almost like I'm better able to focus on the different layers of the music because they are coming through clearer.
 
Darius Rucker conclusion: That was a much harder song to please than Nirvana. I think ultimately the way it was mixed didn't lend itself well to anything other than a superior sound system. I have no other way to explain why it sounded so mediocre on the 75's and 681's when they are typically quite decent headphones.
 

Chicane - Saltwater (Original Mix) - Section from 3:00 to 7:00.
Again chosen because it has several ups and downs. Now finally we get to test the Trance/808 kick 
 
Koss KSC75's - Bass with the pads and vocals is quite nice. Kick sounds OK, but dull or muffled. Synth mids sound excellent. Hihats are slightly recessed and dull. Still, the overall mix cohesion is excellent and pleasing... Not nearly as disappointing as the Darius Rucker song. At the break around 6:10, the bass almost had a little rattle/distort to it... I'll have to check if that is the song or the headphones.
 
Superlux HD681's - Bass has a bit more presence than the 75's. Once the kick comes in, the whole mix sounds a bit muddy like it's fighting against the bass. Hihats sound cleaner and more desirable though. Mids seem a bit recessed. Overall it's just lacking clarity.
 
^ Interesting note, the first listen of Chicane with the 681's, I forgot to enable the EQ. It was interesting to note the differences... Without EQ the mids were waayy too forward. With it, the mix becomes muddy. I'm not sure what I learned from that honestly... Except that the Superlux's aren't really my favorite.
 
Philips SHP9500's - Bass and vocals/pads together is buttery smooth. Kick is definitely crisper here on the 9500's, though still not perhaps quite as clear as I'd like... It could just be the song though, more testing with house/trance required. Hihats are certainly more pleasing than the 75's. Overall everything just sounds crisp and well blended. Synth Mids are ever so slightly recessed, but in a good way.
 
Chicane conclusion: Not as demanding of a song as Darius Rucker... It sounded acceptable on all 3, but clearly the 9500's are the winner here. Oh, and the rattle/distort is in the song, not the headphones.. because I hear it here on the 9500's too.
 

keith303 - Last Movements of a Drowning Smurfbaby - Section from 2:00 to 6:00
OK, a ridiculous title for an amazing song, and a personal favorite of mine for testing new audio equipment. I'm really interested to hear how the reverbs/atmosphere and sawtooth synths sound.
 
Koss KSC75's - I've listened to this song a ton of times in these headphones in my life, so everything sounds really good here. The crispness of the synth, the hihats, snare, everything sits right in its place. When the synth lead comes in around 4:00, the mix sounds really good, if slightly clinical.
 
Superlux HD681's - Saw synths sound a little bit warmer, rounder here on the 681's. This isn't necessarily good or bad. Just is what it is. The bass is definitely more subdued. And this is even with the EQ in place! At the 4:00 part, the synth leads might be a little bit too forward in the mix. Still everything is clear.
 
Philips SHP9500's - I guess I'll finally mention "Soundstage"... Yeah, it's awesome here with the drums and synths and reverbs. Bass sits perfect. Saw synths have the perfect crisp touch. Hihats are a touch bright, I had that problem with another song so I know I may need to global EQ down the highs just a little on the 9500's... But it's not overbearing by any means. Oh man, synth section at 4:00 is just mind melting buttery goodness.
 
keith303 conclusion: This song sounded excellent on all 3. With the 75's being a "classic" sound but slightly lacking. The 681's just generally not sounding right as usual, and the 9500's sounding smooth, bright, alive, and just generally excellent as I am coming to expect them to do!!!
 
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Overall conclusion
Well... Some of you, if you are even still reading, might find it strange for me to compare headphones from such different classes in the first place, but I found it a rewarding, interesting, and revealing experience.
 
In many ways, all three of these headphones are value leaders... Hidden gems, "high bang for the buck", whatever you want to call it.
 
Clearly the 9500's are the winner here, but that was to be expected. If they weren't, I'd definitely be disappointed that I just dropped $85 on them. But I'm pleasantly surprised by their sound quality at this price point. After multiple song comparisons, I still contend that the 9500's are at least as good as the Sennheiser HD590's were, if not better. While I am not sure if the 590's had a direct successor, I'm sure they are in the same class as the Sennheiser 598's which are a $145 headphone at the time of this writing.
 
As to whether they are as good or better than the HD600/650's or AKG K701 as Grummond says on his review on Reddit, I have no idea since I've never had the privilege of using those. But I wouldn't be surprised... Technology is always getting better, and it was only a matter of time before somebody was able to come up with some competitively high quality headphones at a much better price point.
 
You may still have people out there who cling to their super expensive hi fi equipment, and there is nothing wrong with that... But if you are having trouble noticing the difference in something, then maybe, just maybe, that difference isn't there.
 
The point I'm trying to make is the 9500's are an extremely nice sounding set of headphones. They should theoretically please the vast majority of people who are non audiophiles, except perhaps the ones who like exaggerated bass and therefore need to get Beats.
 
They should also please a large number of audiophiles, especially those who are willing to set aside their preconceived notions of "higher cost = higher quality sound".
 
Finally I'll circle back to the issue of their comfort. I had them on my head for about an hour earlier while I watched a video. And I've had them on my head for about 45 minutes now. The comfort is good. Not as bad as I had feared at first. But it's still not Sennheiser HD590 level. They don't feel "light as a feather" and "unnoticeable" to me like they do to some other people. I may still bend the headband ever so slightly to adjust the comfort level..   But that remains to be seen.
 
Overall, I'm really impressed and pleased with the SHP9500's.
 
100 stars for surprising excellence!
 
And to wrap things up... Just a short commentary on the Koss and Superlux's...
 
Koss KSC75 - At around $15, the Koss KSC75 is an amazing value headphone that I would recommend to ANYONE, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME. You just can't go wrong for that cheap, considering they sound this good. They are highly portable and great to take while you workout... And you don't have to worry about damaging them because if you mess them up, you can just grab another pair. As mentioned in some of the song comments, they sound a bit clinical and not as lush as the 9500's, but in most cases they will give you a good quality mix and satisfying sound. Also highly recommended to do the Kramer mod or a variant of it, which will open up the sound and make them better. They are good off the shelf, but only excellent after you mod them.
 
Superlux HD681 - At around $30, I'm not really sure what to think about these headphones. Without EQ, their mid and treble is unbalanced and harsh. With the EQ settings I had, they generally seem muddy. Maybe with a lot of EQ tweaking you could make them better, I'm sure you could...  But I'm not sure it would be worth it. I can't really recommend these headphones, since they don't sound as good as the KSC75's. Pretty much the only thing they've got going for them is they have a full size headband, so they are more comfortable than the 75's. But, if you headband mod the 75's then the 75's would beat them in every way.
 
Thanks for reading. Hope this article was or will be helpful to somebody at some point.    

 

[organic io]

One final thing to add:
 
In thinking back to my time with the Sennheiser HD590's (over 10 years), I don't remember noticing as big of a difference between them and the KSC75's as I do between the 9500's and the KSC75's.
 
That means that 9500 > HD590,  and therefore possibly better than HD598.
 
I'll try to keep this thread updated with comfort concerns as I move forward.
 
Edit: One last note...
 
I tried listening to some other trance on the 9500's and the kick sounds really crisp and nice, definitely where I want it to be! It must have just been the kick on the Chicane song, it's a bit older of a song, so not as modern sounding.