[FenderP]

Looks like these were announced today, and it's a partnership with KEF and Porsche Design.
 
Space One
This one is an over ear, active noise cancelling pair of headphones which is $420. It appears these are a tweaked/updated M500 (https://www.kefdirect.com/headphones/mseries/m500-headphones.html) which is on ear.
 
http://www.porsche-design.us/For-Men/Smartphones-Sound/Sound/Space-One.html
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZDF5Vfx8fc
 
My $.02- these are a bit higher priced for being a lifestyle brand, but not totally insane. Given the new Sony MDR-1000X is getting nearly all positive reviews across the board, this PD/Kef Space One better knock it out of the park. Different strokes and all that. I'm intrigued, but not necessarily $420 intrigued.
 
Motion One
 
Bluetooth (aptX) and IPX5 water resistance IEMs - $250. These don't look like they're totally based on the existing M100 and M200 IEMs.
 
http://www.porsche-design.us/For-Men/Smartphones-Sound/Sound/Motion-One.html
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMuGMbx8dcY
 
My $,02 - These remind me of a cross between the B&O H3 and H5 since it can be plugged in as well as BT; it looks like you swap the cord.

 

[dweaver]

In regards to the Space One, 50 hours of battery life is exceptional. The real questio. Will be how good the ANC is.

 

[FenderP]

In regards to the Space One, 50 hours of battery life is exceptional. The real questio. Will be how good the ANC is.

 
I'm very curious. I may try to get to the Beverly Hills PD store when in CA next month to audition vs. my H8s.

 

[dweaver]

The M500 was a great sounding headphone. The problem for me was that it fell off my head when I leaned forward. These being over ear will hopefully be more comfortable and more stable. But in the end it really boils down to how they have implemented the ANC in regards to whether they are a success or not.

 

[Onetwothree]

I'm very curious. I may try to get to the Beverly Hills PD store when in CA next month to audition vs. my H8s.

Are you going to try and test these against the Sony 1000x and Bose QC35's? There doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in these so I think impressions will be a bit lean for these headphones.

Noise canceling would be my number 1 priority. My assumption is that these will sound better than the Sonys or Bose but will fall quiet short on the ANC capabilities. ANC is not a simple technology to implement, it definitely takes some real engineering to compete with Bose and Sony. Bose is still the King of ANC, even after Sonys brilliant effort with the 1000x. So if two heavyweights like Sony and Sennheiser haven't been able to beat Bose in ANC, then I don't see Kef being able to keep up. But maybe Kef found some very talented engineers to impress us.

I definitely like user replaceable batteries and skipping wireless probably means Kef is probably concentrating on sound quality.

At $400 though, they lag behind in features. If they nail ANC and sound I will buy them but they have to impress given the competition they have.

 

[FenderP]

Are you going to try and test these against the Sony 1000x and Bose QC35's? There doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in these so I think impressions will be a bit lean for these headphones.

Noise canceling would be my number 1 priority. My assumption is that these will sound better than the Sonys or Bose but will fall quiet short on the ANC capabilities. ANC is not a simple technology to implement, it definitely takes some real engineering to compete with Bose and Sony. Bose is still the King of ANC, even after Sonys brilliant effort with the 1000x. So if two heavyweights like Sony and Sennheiser haven't been able to beat Bose in ANC, then I don't see Kef being able to keep up. But maybe Kef found some very talented engineers to impress us.

I definitely like user replaceable batteries and skipping wireless probably means Kef is probably concentrating on sound quality.

At $400 though, they lag behind in features. If they nail ANC and sound I will buy them but they have to impress given the competition they have.

 
I ordered them and will try them vs. my H8 on my flights next week, and maybe while in London, if I can compare both against the 1000x. I hate Bose (I'd never own any of the QC series - SQ is horrible to my ears), so no shot there. I don't need BT, so they're not missing anything for me but I'd prefer a rechargeable battery via USB. To date, the H8 is the best overall headphone for ANC I've found which balances sound quality to ANC, and I'd love an over ear version (nee H9). So we'll see ... Amazon has a good return policy so I'm not worried about getting stuck with them.
 
I did just see this, but taking it with a grain of salt.
http://nerdtechy.com/kef-porsche-design-space-one-review

 

[Onetwothree]

   
I ordered them and will try them vs. my H8 on my flights next week, and maybe while in London, if I can compare both against the 1000x. I hate Bose (I'd never own any of the QC series - SQ is horrible to my ears), so no shot there. I don't need BT, so they're not missing anything for me but I'd prefer a rechargeable battery via USB. To date, the H8 is the best overall headphone for ANC I've found which balances sound quality to ANC, and I'd love an over ear version (nee H9). So we'll see ... Amazon has a good return policy so I'm not worried about getting stuck with them.
 
I did just see this, but taking it with a grain of salt.
http://nerdtechy.com/kef-porsche-design-space-one-review

My problem with built in batteries is that they aren't user replaceable and it essentially turns electronics into disposable items. Once the battery dies the headphones will be junk unless you're savy enough to replace the battery, most users aren't. With a standard AAA battery the headphones will last for many many years and you'll always be able to find new batteries.
 
Thanks for posting that review, unfortunately there isn't much substance in it.

 

[FenderP]

 
My problem with built in batteries is that they aren't user replaceable and it essentially turns electronics into disposable items. Once the battery dies the headphones will be junk unless you're savy enough to replace the battery, most users aren't. With a standard AAA battery the headphones will last for many many years and you'll always be able to find new batteries.
 
Thanks for posting that review, unfortunately there isn't much substance in it.

 
You'd have to use the NC stuff a lot to deplete it a lot. I mean, I've been using this laptop for nearly 18 months and it has 1.5% degredation. That said, the B&O battery is replaceable. The KEF uses a standard battery (but not rechargeable, a different kind of PITA).

 

[JonC]

I ordered them and will try them vs. my H8 on my flights next week

I'm looking forward to this comparison - I'm very curious about this headphone and the reviews are non-existent.

 

[FenderP]

According to Amazon they show up Tuesday. If they sound not great on initial blush I won't even bother taking them with me.

 

[Onetwothree]

You'd have to use the NC stuff a lot to deplete it a lot. I mean, I've been using this laptop for nearly 18 months and it has 1.5% degredation. That said, the B&O battery is replaceable. The KEF uses a standard battery (but not rechargeable, a different kind of PITA).

Batteries have gotten better. Maybe I'm just using old information because I remember when normal use would bring a battery to 80% capacity or less in 2 years. My laptop battery is 8 years old and it doesn't hold a charge anymore.

 

[FenderP]

Batteries have gotten better. Maybe I'm just using old information because I remember when normal use would bring a battery to 80% capacity or less in 2 years. My laptop battery is 8 years old and it doesn't hold a charge anymore.

People really still use laptops after 8 years? TIL
 
And this is keeping my laptop plugged in every day, etc.

 

[Onetwothree]

 
People really still use laptops after 8 years? TIL
 
And this is keeping my laptop plugged in every day, etc.

Yeah I've been thinking of buying a new laptop for the last 3 years. I read up on new technology coming out and I keep waiting and waiting, partially because Intel keeps falling behind on deadlines. All I use my laptop for though is web browsing, word processing, and cd ripping. It doesn't get used as a laptop anymore either. So while I could certainly use a new laptop, I can do without it.
 
I don't know how leaving the laptop plugged in affects the battery life but my understanding is that a full charge and a full discharge counts as a cycle, and cycles is how life expectancy is measured. I've heard that leaving a battery constantly plugged in is also bad but maybe things have changed.

 

[FenderP]

Well, just cancelled my order with Amazon. They said it was shipping but it turns out it is out of stock (i.e. never arrived) and they have no ETA. As I'm leaving in a few days, that clearly doesn't work for me. So hopefully I'll get to audition it at the PD store in Beverly Hills or someplace in Europe.

 

[FenderP]

I auditioned and purchased them at the PD store in Beverly Hills today. Going to put them through some initial paces tomorrow AM on a flight and do some A/Bing with the H8. I would not have bought 'em if they sounded bad auditioning them. More later ... need to be up super early.