PSB M4U 2

[DnB4Guy]

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This is a fair question.  I am really torn with all the amazing headphones coming out.  I really do like the M4U2, but I suppose it is the promise of something better around the corner that is causing hesitation.  I purchased and returned Amperior based on A/Bing with the M4U2 and determined the M4U2 was better than Amperior in every aspect regarding their sound.  I also ordered and returned the Denon D400 and D600.  Returning the D400 was a no-brainer as it is simply horrible.  I A/B'd the D600 against the M4U2 and they are very different sonically.  The D600 is superior in resolution and detail which made a significant difference regarding the transparency of vocals.  However, the M4U2 was far superior with bass punch, depth and presence.  So, I am still looking for a headphone with even more upside on the bass than M4U2 with the resolution of the D600.  I am waiting to see if the M-100 will live up to that hype as the early CNet impression indicates it might.  I also have my eye on the Momentum, Yamaha Pro500, AKG Tiesto K267 and Ultrasone Signature DJ.  Most of these will be out by the beginning of October, so I plan to make a final decision then and to have the M-100 in hand for comparison.  I will also consider the M4U1 since I already use a FiiO amp and don't need the extra cost and weight of the amp in the M4U2.  I don't know that there has ever been this many new options at once for quality, portable, closed circumaural headphones and I want to carefully make the best choice for my needs.  V-Moda has a 60-day return and if they are not as good as expected, I would not hesitate to return them either.  My loyalty is to the company that gets it right and produces the headphone that sounds best to my ears, but I have become somewhat of a V-Moda fan after auditioning the M-80 and seeing how involved the CEO is regarding interaction and feedback from Head-fi members.  In terms of headphones under $400 that are available for purchase as of 9/21/12, I will still state that the M4U2 is one of the best options available and the best option for audiophile portable use.

I used to do a very similar thing with my computer builds...I'd read about video cards that I knew were coming out in a couple/few months, and about the new CPU/Mobo/RAM combo's. Many of these "upcoming" items always had me many steps behind my friends, but at least they were usually cheaper when I bought. This is all OT, but I can certainly see why you'd do some homework when spending so much on a product like headphones. These are personal items that will (read: should) last a long time, so it should be important for you to get what works for you and your life. I applaud you for your discretions!
 
As it turns out, I'm leaving the city into my own home in the country where I'll only be using my cans on a minimal basis (at least that's what I expect) as I have a very nice sounding stereo system which will get used much more.

 

[Craigster75]

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As it turns out, I'm leaving the city into my own home in the country where I'll only be using my cans on a minimal basis (at least that's what I expect) as I have a very nice sounding stereo system which will get used much more.

I have a mishmash of classic speakers that comprise my surround sound system.  I suppose I am trying to find a headphone that can replicate it portably- Onkyo receiver, Advent Maestro front tower speakers, B&W center channel, Wharfdale surrounds and a 12" Klipsch subwoofer with 12" radiator in the back (earth-shaking bass).  It somehow works amazingly well together.  My introduction to PSB is their headphone.  I imagine they make a great speaker as that is their heritage and how they have built their reputation.

 

[productred]

I've been using my M4U2 on a daily basis for a little more than a month now, and I'm happy to report that there's zero problem regarding the headband. No cracks, not even hairline ones. And at the time of purchase I haven't checked whether it was the newer batch with the supposingly improved headband or not.
 
And amped or not, the sound is truly outstanding. Very detailed (on the brink of being analytical) with a very slight warm tilt, FR is mostly linear I'd say, and what I appreciate most is its ability to capture the timbre of the instruments as well as vocals - something which even the old hands like Senns or Beyers fall short bar the highest end offerings. It is almost characterless - in a good way. Also it's quite forgiving - straight out of an iphone of AAC files it sounds quite refined already without highlighting the artifacts of compression too much, which is typical for analytical cans. When the NC circuit is on, there are some dip in certain frequency ranges, mostly in the mid-bass / lower mids - it may disturb at first but after a minute or two of getting used to it's barely noticeable.
 
Kudos to Paul Barton n Co - their efforts paid off. If only it can be a tiny bit less plasticky-looking................

 

[PolkManiac]

I'm still loving my PSBs.  Mine do have the cracking issue and I need to get them replaced, but seems that PSB is on top of the issue with a fix, all I need to do is get them replaced.
 
These still aren't the final word in detail, but their overall sound is just spectacular, and I enjoy listening to them more than other cans that may provide better detail.

 

[jsulmeyer]

Hi everyone  - the first pair of M4U2's I received did, in fact, crack on both the left and right sides of the head band. I ordered a second pair, and the creaking was really bad on the left side so I ordered a third pair. The third pair creaks pretty significantly on both the left on the right, loosens up after a few bends, but then the creaking comes right back if the phones have been sitting for a few minutes.
 
I'm really concerned about the creaking - both in terms of it really bugging me, but also because I'm concerned that the creaking is an indication that there is tension and that they will eventually crack, as did my first pair.
 
I contacted PSB about the first pair - primarily about a feedback/interference issue I was having, but also about the creaking (they hadn't cracked yet) and I was told that only early units had the cracking problem and, based on my serial number, I should have no problem. Well, that pair cracked, and while the second pair I received had a higher (newer) serial number than the first pair, it still had major creaking issues, and the third pair has a serial number that is LOWER (older) than the first pair!
 
Does anyone one what the "cut-off" is in terms of the serial numbers between the old/defective stock and the newer stock? Also, does anyone have a pair of M4U2s that DOESN'T CREAK when you spread them apart??  I figured they were all like this, until I tried a demo pair at a high end audio store in Santa Monica and they did not creak at all.
 
Lastly, and completely insignificantly, it looks like PSB has slightly changed the emblem on the carry case: from what I can tell, the earlier version has the PSB logo printed in white, where the newer cases have the emblem painted in black/gray, which matches the emblems on the ear cups. Has anyone else noticed this and, if so, does anyone have a preference?
 
Many thanks!!

 

[DnB4Guy]

Just adding another bit of "longevity/durability" info about the M4U 2 for you guys. I just moved (over 1,000 km by U-Haul)...Not a big deal, except the "movers" grabbed my overnight bag which had my un-packaged M4U 2 + Cowon D2 somewhere near the middle-top of the bag without me noticing. My bag got zipped (rather tightly) by the movers, and my cans weren't folded or protected in any way...It turns out they can survive!
 
I pulled them out from the mass of stuff over 3 days later. The only damage to my cans was a slightly dented leatherette ear-cup from a box sitting on top of them. This dent went away after a couple hours of being free from the box. My cans had to be an "early" production run, as I bought them only days after PSB said they shipped them worldwide. I'm quite pleased with the durability of my cans...there are no more creaks, and still yet, no cracks!

 

[HeyWaj10]

Can someone provide a detailed comparison vs. the Ultrasone ED8s?  My decision is down to the ED8s and the M4U2s. I haven't heard the ED8's yet (hopefully soon) but did hear the PSBs and thought they sounded very good.  Upper end was a tad bright, but then again a.) my ears are pretty sensative to treble and b.) i was listening to the music from Windows Media Player. 
 
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed everything about them.  Only gripe is the plastic-y feel to them, slightly cheap feeling, and the creaking of the pair I used.  Damn, that was annoying.  However, the sound definitely passed my "smile" test...wherein out of no-where in the middle of a song, I just bust out a big ass smile, sometimes not even realizing it until a couple seconds later.  That's a big deciding factor for me in speaker/headphone listening, whether or not I experienced the "smile".
 
Are the ED8s worth 3x the price of these things?  I feel like they need to be a really significant improvement over the PSBs for me to justify the price. I guess I really need to audition them ASAP, but any thoughts/experiences would be great.

Thanks!

 

[Craigster75]

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Can someone provide a detailed comparison vs. the Ultrasone ED8s?  My decision is down to the ED8s and the M4U2s. I haven't heard the ED8's yet (hopefully soon) but did hear the PSBs and thought they sounded very good.  Upper end was a tad bright, but then again a.) my ears are pretty sensative to treble and b.) i was listening to the music from Windows Media Player. 
 
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed everything about them.  Only gripe is the plastic-y feel to them, slightly cheap feeling, and the creaking of the pair I used.  Damn, that was annoying.  However, the sound definitely passed my "smile" test...wherein out of no-where in the middle of a song, I just bust out a big ass smile, sometimes not even realizing it until a couple seconds later.  That's a big deciding factor for me in speaker/headphone listening, whether or not I experienced the "smile".
 
Are the ED8s worth 3x the price of these things?  I feel like they need to be a really significant improvement over the PSBs for me to justify the price. I guess I really need to audition them ASAP, but any thoughts/experiences would be great.

Thanks!

The ED is brighter and more detailed overall but I really like the M4U2.  fyi, RMC Audio has the ED8 for $1,049, but does not accept returns.  If your ears are sensitive to treble, IMO you are better off with the M4U2.  Surprisingly, I would also suggest checking out the UE6000 or UE9000.

 

[PolkManiac]

I thought I'd post this here instead of over in the V-Moda M100 thread.  But since it's come up here before, I've had the M100 for a couple days now and have had a chance to compare it to the M4U2.
 
The M100 is a good sounding headphone and has a thinner profile vs the PSB when you're wearing it.  I would also argue that the build quality is better on the V-Moda but only time will tell and PSB seems to have resolved the issues on their end.  In terms of sound, the PSB beats the M100 for me.  Honestly it's hard to tell which headphone is able to dig out more detail in the music, but if you're after every last bit of detail then really neither of these headphones is for you.  Overall I found the PSB to have a more natural, pleasing sound.
 
I've not seen the FR curves compared, but I'd guess the PSB has a more flat response from top to bottom.  Normally this isn't of concern to me as I typically like a more fun headphone than a flat curve would yeild, but somehow the PSB nails that combination of fun and accurate for me.  The M100 has mids that sound a little more recessed to me, which is strange given the sound of the M80.  
 
THis obviously isn't intended as a thorough comparison, just wanted to give some initial impressions.  So for now the PSB is still my reference portable headphone.  It would be nice if it were more streamlined and not quite as bulky as it is, but I really love this headphone.

 

[AnakChan]

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I thought I'd post this here instead of over in the V-Moda M100 thread.  But since it's come up here before, I've had the M100 for a couple days now and have had a chance to compare it to the M4U2.
 
The M100 is a good sounding headphone and has a thinner profile vs the PSB when you're wearing it.  I would also argue that the build quality is better on the V-Moda but only time will tell and PSB seems to have resolved the issues on their end.  In terms of sound, the PSB beats the M100 for me.  Honestly it's hard to tell which headphone is able to dig out more detail in the music, but if you're after every last bit of detail then really neither of these headphones is for you.  Overall I found the PSB to have a more natural, pleasing sound.
 
I've not seen the FR curves compared, but I'd guess the PSB has a more flat response from top to bottom.  Normally this isn't of concern to me as I typically like a more fun headphone than a flat curve would yeild, but somehow the PSB nails that combination of fun and accurate for me.  The M100 has mids that sound a little more recessed to me, which is strange given the sound of the M80.  
 
THis obviously isn't intended as a thorough comparison, just wanted to give some initial impressions.  So for now the PSB is still my reference portable headphone.  It would be nice if it were more streamlined and not quite as bulky as it is, but I really love this headphone.

 
Hi PolkM,
 
As you guys have guessed I've had my M-100 for 2 weeks now and had a chance to listen and compare it against other headphones (admittedly primarily against the Momentums though). But I did listen to it vs the PSBs.
 
I'd agree with you about the build. The PSBs are a little worrying when it comes to the flex. I feel if I do flex it too much the polycarb may crack. You're right about the sound of the M-100 too (not certain if you read my review which I finally posted up). I personally did feel the mids were somewhat pulled back in comparison to the other headphones I'd heard but when talking to Val Kolton, he mentioned the elevated basses may make the mids sound recessed when it's really flat - i.e. it's relative.
 
I'd agree too the PSBs may be somewhat more reference whilst the M-100 to be more fun. Having said that, I think that's what I do enjoy about the M-100. I'm getting more and more addicted to it's unique signature that a somewhat more flat response is beginning to sound boring for me. The same with another friend of mine whom listened to the M-100 against his UERM. So I think it depends on your use. When I'm just listening to music, I'd grab the M-100. However if I'm doing analytical listening for critique, then I'd probably pick up a more reference headphone. Having said that, I just gave the PSB M4U2 to DonnyHifi yesterday for him to write a review on.

Comparatively between the PSB M4U2 to the Sennheiser Momentums, I'd say they have a somewhat more similar signature but the Momentums to be even more B-shaped. The basses and trebles of the Momentums are more accentuated whilst the mids more recessed to the M4U2.
 
I actually did consider if the M4U2 ergonomics could be modded. Just keep the earcups the same as you need to keep the same sound signature but the headband, the coupling between the headbands and the earcups could probably be modded.

 

[Craigster75]

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I'd agree too the PSBs may be somewhat more reference whilst the M-100 to be more fun. Having said that, I think that's what I do enjoy about the M-100. I'm getting more and more addicted to it's unique signature that a somewhat more flat response is beginning to sound boring for me. The same with another friend of mine whom listened to the M-100 against his UERM. So I think it depends on your use. When I'm just listening to music, I'd grab the M-100. However if I'm doing analytical listening for critique, then I'd probably pick up a more reference headphone. Having said that, I just gave the PSB M4U2 to DonnyHifi yesterday for him to write a review on.

Comparatively between the PSB M4U2 to the Sennheiser Momentums, I'd say they have a somewhat more similar signature but the Momentums to be even more B-shaped. The basses and trebles of the Momentums are more accentuated whilst the mids more recessed to the M4U2.
 

+1 and would add I consider Momentum inferior to both  M-100 and M4U2 based on harsh highs and muddy lows that extend too high in the mid bass region lead to some midrange bleed.

 

[Beagle]

I should have my M4U 1 passive version soon. It will be interesting to see if there are slight differences sonically. I expect that there should be, since the earcups should be "equal". The M4U 2 has a battery compartment in the right cup and circuit board in the left.

 

[Curly21029]

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I should have my M4U 1 passive version soon. It will be interesting to see if there are slight differences sonically. I expect that there should be, since the earcups should be "equal". The M4U 2 has a battery compartment in the right cup and circuit board in the left.

 
I'm extremely interested in reading your comparison.  If the M-100 swings the needle too far into the "fun" zone, the M4U 1 is my fallback option. (pending it secures M4U 2 user approval, of course) 

 

[Craigster75]

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I'm extremely interested in reading your comparison.  If the M-100 swings the needle too far into the "fun" zone, the M4U 1 is my fallback option. (pending it secures M4U 2 user approval, of course) 

The M-100 surprised me in the sense that it doesn't go as far into the fun zone as you would think, but the M4U2 has a slightly "clinical" sound to me compared to the M-100.  I would add the M-100 has the tightest, most precise bass I have heard in a headphone, comparable to the Sig Pro which is 3X the price at discount.

 

[Curly21029]

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The M-100 surprised me in the sense that it doesn't go as far into the fun zone as you would think, but the M4U2 has a slightly "clinical" sound to me compared to the M-100.

 
I've very much enjoyed reading your assessments, Craig, and appreciate your dutiful approach to every 'phone you acquire.  Although I feel that we sometimes hear/perceive specific kit differently, I have no doubts that your comparative writing has directly contributed to me more competently allocating my money and, of greater importance, my time.  Thank you for chiming in!