[intlsubband]

Not what I was hoping to hear...
I am wondering if the NAD HP70 follows the same pattern.

My gut feeling is that it will, because these seem to follow a very similar design approach by Paul Burton.

I only wish that the wired version would bypass the chip and be applied as an analog-only amplification, similar to the M4U2. These are still decent bluetooth headphones, but not what most of us were hoping for I guess.

 

[jnak00]

Wouldn't passive mode bypass all the electronics? Is there a significant difference between passive and active modes?

 

[WilcoRoger]

Wouldn't passive mode bypass all the electronics? Is there a significant difference between passive and active modes?

The M4U2 sonds different passive vs active. Active is better. But that's just amping, with no signal processing.

 

[jnak00]

The M4U2 sonds different passive vs active. Active is better. But that's just amping, with no signal processing.

I find active on the M4U2 is just louder than passive. If I volume match, I don't hear a ton of difference. To my ears, active is a bit better, but not by much. I tend to listen at pretty quiet volumes though.

 

[chrisba]

For my taste active M4U2 is a lot better than passive: more and heavier bass and more vivid treble.
Actually more sounding like really listening to speakers.

But that's my taste

 

[tayo15]

Anyone know if the ANC works without the original cable, if so what cable can I use as a replacement?

 

[dickytim]

I find active on the M4U2 is just louder than passive. If I volume match, I don't hear a ton of difference. To my ears, active is a bit better, but not by much. I tend to listen at pretty quiet volumes though.

For my taste active M4U2 is a lot better than passive: more and heavier bass and more vivid treble.
Actually more sounding like really listening to speakers.

But that's my taste

I agree with this... in part. I am on my second set, the first had some fine cracking where the lateral movement comes from on the soft rubbery plastic and the iPhone cable was faulty. My second set actually sound so much better out of the box. One disappointment is the included batteries are DOE with this set, and only lasted a couple of hours on the first.

Anyone know if the ANC works without the original cable, if so what cable can I use as a replacement?

I have ordered an aftermarket cable with remote, microphone etc. as I wan't volume control. I'll post when it arrives if it works as expected. My Polk's have the volume and it is very handy.

 

[dickytim]

My thoughts on the PSB M4U compared to my Polk UltraFocus 8000.

Initially I found that the PSB's made me feel like the music was in the back ground, and a bit flat compared to the Polk's but over time this has changed and the music seems to be slightly more accurate that the Polks. But there is not much in it. The only BIG difference is the noise isolation, when I had the Polk's cranked up the whole office could hear my music loud and clear, they didn't mind and the comments were that the music sounded amazing! If the PSB's were still $599NZ I would not have purchased them, but at $299NZ they was too tempting.

Over all the PSB's sound more accurate but the Polk's sound a little richer. Maybe after some time this may change as the PSB's are only an hour old, and the first pair was only 5 days old.

I have had some trouble with the PSB however.

Both pairs have some cracking where the cups swivel, is this normal, and a crack above where the 4 and U are on the left cup where the rubbery plastic is. This was on both sets. Both sets of batteries died very quickly and the first iPhone cable was a dud.

 

[chrisba]

I also got some cracks near the cups swivel hinge with no issues.
The worse were these at the opposite side of the screws!
My first pair completely fell apart and lost the screws. The second showed the same cracks (sent it immediately back to the distributor) and my current third pair does show some tiny ones as well.
It's a shame that these otherwise great headphones suffer from this poor material.
I hope it will last a few years and maybe PSB has mercy with the customers of their M4U 2 and at least sells some spare parts of the headband.

Good luck

 

[dickytim]

I also got some cracks near the cups swivel hinge with no issues.
The worse were these at the opposite side of the screws!
My first pair completely fell apart and lost the screws. The second showed the same cracks (sent it immediately back to the distributor) and my current third pair does show some tiny ones as well.
It's a shame that these otherwise great headphones suffer from this poor material.
I hope it will last a few years and maybe PSB has mercy with the customers of their M4U 2 and at least sells some spare parts of the headband.

Good luck

Thanks for your comment. If I had paid full price the second set would have been sent packing too. As it is they sound good enough to keep, so long as they stay together!

Here is NZ we have a law that says an item must be fit for purpose for a reasonable length of time. It can be easily argued that a $300 set of headphones should have a serviceable life of 4-5 years.

My first set of Polks I returned after 2.5 years when the remote on the side stopped working. I received a full refund of around $350 and purchased the replacements from Amazon for $180 NZD landed.

Which was about $120 USD.

 

[dickytim]

I tried the PSB's with my old Fiio E-11 and I have to say it really brings out the bass, not to the point where it ruins the natural sound just to the point where there is at least a little punch, which is otherwise missing.

When used with this amp they surpass the Polk's by a small margin!

 

[dickytim]

Anyone know if the ANC works without the original cable, if so what cable can I use as a replacement?

Short answer is... NO.

I brought a cable with remote, microphone etc. but the internal amp and ANC does NOT work with this. Looking at the standard cord both ends have the 4 post design. I can assume this is to do with the attention button?

On the normal mode without amplification the cable works to control the volume etc. pity PSB didn't incorporate a fully functioning remote.

 

[Okrelayer]

Hey guys. A few questions for those familiar with this headphone. Originally I was going to get the M4U 1, but I figured having the additional amplification when not at my desk, and using noise cancelling for the two times a year I'm on a flight would be nice to have.

Question 1: Is the sound quality the same as the M4U 1 ?
Question 2: I'm getting a FULLA 2 DAC/AMP should that pair well?

I think that was all, but I might add more.

 

[WilcoRoger]

With the electronics off, they should sound the same.

When using with a DAP, it's the built-in amp "ON" that sounds best to me. The NC is not that good as the Sony or Bose options, but the sound is clearly much better than either of the two.

 

[Okrelayer]

With the electronics off, they should sound the same.

When using with a DAP, it's the built-in amp "ON" that sounds best to me. The NC is not that good as the Sony or Bose options, but the sound is clearly much better than either of the two.

Thanks so much! Do you hear a slight hiss with the amp on? I definitely do. Passively they sound great.