[Steve999]

I am going to go buy the Philips HP170 closed headphones for $20 at Target right now. No one can stop me. Not my wife, not my mother-in-law (here until the baby is born, due date March 3), not my son, and especially not me.

I dream that they are a nice alternative to my MDR-V6s. I want another pair of listenable closed headphones. That the Philips HP170s will fit the bill is a fantasy, I know...

But... I .... have.... to... get..... them.....

I don't see any reviews of them on head-fi, only one self-decribed newbie who was looking for something better has mentioned them. You'd think I could restrain myself, but I can't. Many novice reviewers on the net seem to like them a lot. I will let you know what I think after a week.

 

[C4 Suke]

If you get them do a review or something like that, they seem right in my price range.

 

[00940]

they are at 18$ at amazon.com. If you have something else to buy, you can probably get free shipping.

i'm quite sceptical when i see the big bowl used as cups, must be a lot of unwanted stuffs induced in there.

 

[kcits]

i had these for a couple of months, and they're not that bad actually

the bass isn't deep at all & i think it has a slight bump or resonance in the upper bass range (closer to lower mids than mid-bass). the treble is quite bright, but not really sibilant and the mid-mids are recessed if i remember correctly

. the soundstage isn't too bad actually.. larger than the 212 pros, but much smaller than the A500s.

i guess for 20 bucks they're not bad, but can't really compare with the higher end phones

anyway, hope that helps you C4 Suke..

 

[Steve999]

I actually did buy the Philips HP170s at Target yesterday. KCITS has given a nice overview based on his two months' experience. I've only had a day with them so I'm not ready to quibble on the fine points.

Definitely, definitely worth 20 bucks though. The HP170s seem like a solid and conscientious effort of what Philips could do for you for 20 bucks.

Here are all the things the box says about them:

Philips HP170 Stereo Headphones

Inner headband for enhanced wearing comfort

Powerful 40mm neodymium speakers

Full size headphone design for comfort and high quality sound

Designed for digital

Left/Rigth volume control and mono-stero switch for NICAM broacasts (uh, what's a NICAM broadcast?

Frequency range: 12-22,000 Hz
Sensitivity: 100 dB
Impedence: 32 Ohm
Cable length: 9.8 ft (3 meter)
Maximum Power Input: 500mW

JAck: 3.5 mm + 6.3 mm stereo (they don't bother to brag about the gold plating).

Continuous use at full output might damage hearing

 

[jpelg]

Ya mighta been better off getting the HP550's for the same price.

 

[GanChan]

How's the isolation on the 170?

 

[Steve999]

Quote:

Originally posted by JPELG Ya mighta been better off getting the HP550's for the same price.

Funny you mention that. I was actually looking for some Philips HP550s but my Target didn't have them and Target online said they were discontinued and temporarily out of stock. Plus I was worried about the reported semi-open design and the reported cupped sound. The sound of the HP170s in general doesn't sound cupped to me, maybe because of the way the pads and therefore the drivers are thoughtfully angled to the ears (this is speculation on my part though!).

Anyway, I noticed the closed HP170s for $20, read the mostly favorable online impressions, and decided for 20 bucks they were worth a try. I'd still buy a pair of HP550s for $20 if I ran across them.

Quote:

Originally posted by GanChan How's the isolation on the 170?

At your service!

With no music, the isolation on the Philips HP170s has something in the ballpark of half of the isolation of the MDR-V6s with Beyer pads. The Philips' isolation is enough to help with the noisy household environment. The sound that gets throught the MDR-V6s sounds natural, but attenuated. The sound thats get through the HP170s is more muffled and cupped. However, as I mentioned above, the sound of the HP170s in general doesn't sound cupped to me, maybe because of the angled drivers.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Is there an el-cheapo 'flavour of the month' in the making?

 

[GanChan]

"With no music, the isolation on the Philips HP170s has something in the ballpark of half of the isolation of the MDR-V6s with Beyer pads. The Philips' isolation is enough to help with the noisy household environment."

Hey, if it'll get me through a plane flight without killing my obnoxious seatmates, I'll buy em.

 

[Steve999]

Ganchan, I have reservations as to whether the Philips HP170s have enough isolation for plane noise. I just don't know for sure. Like the HP820s, build quality is not great. The sound quality far exceeds the build quality. I think the cheap materials result in less than stellar isolation. Maybe it's worth a try for $20 though.

Quote:

Originally posted by GanChan "With no music, the isolation on the Philips HP170s has something in the ballpark of half of the isolation of the MDR-V6s with Beyer pads. The Philips' isolation is enough to help with the noisy household environment." Hey, if it'll get me through a plane flight without killing my obnoxious seatmates, I'll buy em.

 

[Steve999]

Well, I just got my D66 eggos in the mail, I’m wearing them now. So it’s time to wrap up my impressions of the Philips HP170s.

The Philips HP170s are about $20 at Target or off of the internet.

The Philips HP170s are closed headphones of a size best suited for home use. Isolation is moderate to low, probably due to the inexpensive build quality. Isolation is not as good as the eggos, and about half that of the MDR V6s. Isolation is much better than with an open headphone, though.

Build quality of the HP170s is silly. They’re cheap plastic. There’s a big headband, with a support under it. Two very light silver plastic big globes, one for each ear. They have a stereo and mono switch and independent left and right volume controls on the earpieces for making them compatible with some kind of broadcast that I know nothing about.

Comfort is light and excellent. Comfort is better than the eggos, for example.

To me, for sound quality, the HP170s smoke the following headphones so bad it’s not even worth discussing: Sony MDR-CD580 (too bright), Sony MDR-CD180 (boom, echo, sibilance), Sennheiser PX100s (high end is quite limited), Koss KTX Pro 1 (same), Sony MDR-605LP (dull and cold).

The coloration of the HP170s is as follows:

Bass quite enjoyable but definitely in excess of neutral, but not so much that it degrades the midrange.

Mids prominent, silky smooth and pleasing. A bit breathy. Vocals and brass and reed instruments sound awesome.

Highs a little in excess of neutral. But the brightness seems to start at around the very top of the midrange, so instead of a cold MDR V6 type sound, I get a really silky smooth exuberant pleasing sound, with both musical instruments and voices.

The HP170s have a unique sound. I’ve not heard anything similar.

Compared to the Grado SR60s, they have more bass, a silkier midrange.

Compared to the Sennheiser HD 497s, they have more bass but not as clean, more prominent and open and less pinched or nasal sounding midrange, and stronger highs.

Compared to the Sony MDR-V6s, they do not go so deep in the bass of course. Otherwise, they don’t have that cold sound, the mids are much more prominent, and the brightness seems to start at a higher frequency and extends higher, in a more pleasing way.

Compared to the Sony MDR-85s and the AKG 240Ms, the HP170s have more bass, more mids and more highs. How did that happen? I dunno.

Compared to the Koss KSC-35s and KSC-50s, the sound is more bass, more highs, silkier and more prominent midrange. And the HP170s are much more practical, IMHO... just throw them on.

Compared to the Sennheiser HD 580s, they are much more exuberant but less neutral. But even though I find the HP170s exuberant, I do not find them fatiguing at all.

Overall, the HP170s are probably not too close to neutral. But I love the comfort and I love the sound. These are the best things I’ve heard for $20 by a long shot. These are good, cheap, closed, comfortable headphones, for real. As a total package, for my listening pleasure, they hold their own with anything else, and they’re quite unique. They have a strong, involving sound that takes me into the music very quickly.

And they sound VERY different from the eggos, BTW.

 

[Sol_Zhen]

Thanks.

Not something I'd buy, but it is nice to know that $20 can get an OK pair of cans.

 

[andrzejpw]

Quote:

Originally posted by Eagle_Driver Is there an el-cheapo 'flavour of the month' in the making?

Why is it that was the first thing that popped into my mind after seeing this thread?

 

[Davie]

I just ordered the HP170s from Amazon.

No, I don't have any good reason for acquiring these, apart from a perverse love of good cheap cans. I tacked them onto an order for the new DVD releases of three classic Miyazaki animation movies: Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, and Kiki's Delivery Service. Available at a big discount, if you're a fan of this guy like me.

I'll return with my impressions once I've had the cans a couple of days. It might take awhile to receive them, though, since I took advantage of the free (slowboat) shipping.