[awtryau89]

Quote:

 
What I found interesting about the M4U 2's, in active mode, is that they struck me initially as a tad bass-light, until you get to a bass-heavy passage, and then it was almost surprising how powerful the bass was.

Interesting. I did not find that at all. I may be remembering bass heavy tracks but I definitely noticed the different tuning using the amp. It wasn't obnoxious by any means but definitely more bass. I really liked the amped sound but with a Fiio and Bass Boost, I thought it was a touch better. The Dragonfly opens them up much more but you don't have any bass boost. I grew more accustomed to them that way.

 

[Milhouse74]

I think the UE6000 is one of the most comfortable I have worn.  I place the PSB below the UE6000, but above the M-100.

So what didn't you like about the M-100? I really don't understand how anyone could think the M-100 clamps as much or more than the PSB. They're night and day. The M-100 has barely any force to it at all. The PSB is thick plastic with big hinges. It really clamps. To each his own but if I included all headphones I've owned I'd put the PSB's last, just behind the M50's and those aren't very comfortable either.

 

[Craigster75]

Quote:

So what didn't you like about the M-100? I really don't understand how anyone could think the M-100 clamps as much or more than the PSB. They're night and day. The M-100 has barely any force to it at all. The PSB is thick plastic with big hinges. It really clamps. To each his own but if I included all headphones I've owned I'd put the PSB's last, just behind the M50's and those aren't very comfortable either.

Very strange, but the M4U2s I have worn had a very loose clamping force.  In fact, if I shook my head back and forth, they could easily fall off (I don't have a small head).  With the M-100, I could do a backflip (if I could) and they wouldn't fall off.

 

[AnakChan]

I'm comparing the M-100 to the PSB M4U2 right now and my M-100 is well worn & used despite the M4U2's being older. My M-100 doesn't clamp as much as the M4U2's. But the M4U2 pads are much softer and has more depth than the M100.

 

[awtryau89]

Quote:

I'm comparing the M-100 to the PSB M4U2 right now and my M-100 is well worn & used despite the M4U2's being older. My M-100 doesn't clamp as much as the M4U2's. But the M4U2 pads are much softer and has more depth than the M100.

Will be interested in your comments. 

 

[wportre]

Quote:

I'm comparing the M-100 to the PSB M4U2 right now and my M-100 is well worn & used despite the M4U2's being older. My M-100 doesn't clamp as much as the M4U2's. But the M4U2 pads are much softer and has more depth than the M100.

Exactly: the pads are soft so the clamping force ends up going from the driver covers to my pinneas. I have a hack, which is to insert a roughly 7mm ring of dense foam under the lip of the pads, which helps, but the M4U2s are much less comfortable than QC15s or ANC7s and it's not just the size and weight.

 

[JulesK]

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JulesK, I completely agree with everything you said, only from the airplane standpoint.  Like I stated in my mini-review, they do an admirable job of NC on the plane.  It also depends on what type of plane you are flying on, and where in the plane you are seated.  However, it always reduces the noise around me more than enough to enjoy my music or movies in peace.
 
I have to say, based on my experience with these headphones, I am really interested to see what PSB comes out with in the future for headphones.  If this is a taste of what they can do at a (relatively) budget price, I can't imagine how good their higher-end series might be.

I was able to try these headphones on a plane, and the noise cancellation was good.  Not as good as the Bose QC15s, and NC worked primarily on the lower engine rumbling. You could hear the pilot on the intercom and surrounding conversations fairly well (and really well when you press the bypass switch, which works as advertised), which is consistent with the passive isolation of these headphones being average at best.  The Bose headphones just provide better isolation, but I expected that.  What surprised me a bit was the sound.  With ANC on and in a plane, a lot of the bass was just lost on the tracks I tried at moderate volume.  (This wasn't what I experienced in the subway, for some reason.)  To be clear, when listening to these headphones in a quiet setting (both active and ANC modes), plenty of bass, so I guess the reviews that said that these sound best in a quiet setting are right.  It was a little disappointing, because I was left with the impression that the QC15s actually sound better than the M4U 2's on a plane (but aren't in the same league at all when used as a regular headphone, at least not when the M4Us are in active mode).  I'll likely still keep these because the ANC does work, they are comfortable enough for me to sleep with them on, and the rest of the SQ is quite good even with the bass issue.  I guess the company was faced with either boosting the bass to compensate (which would have driven me from these headphones) or lived with the trade off of weaker base when used on a plane.  I can live with that choice.  I'll try them again on my return flight; maybe I was just too tired!

 

[searchy]

Exactly: the pads are soft so the clamping force ends up going from the driver covers to my pinneas. I have a hack, which is to insert a roughly 7mm ring of dense foam under the lip of the pads, which helps, but the M4U2s are much less comfortable than QC15s or ANC7s and it's not just the size and weight.

 
 Exactly! I can't wear the M4U 2s for more than 4 hours because it presses horribly on my ears. The pads are very soft and comfortable, initially. Enjoying the headphones requires days to cool down. They suck in the sense that I can't wear them 2 days in a row.

 

[DnB4Guy]

Quote:

 
 Exactly! I can't wear the M4U 2s for more than 4 hours because it presses horribly on my ears. The pads are very soft and comfortable, initially. Enjoying the headphones requires days to cool down. They suck in the sense that I can't wear them 2 days in a row.

I've noticed that the new replacement pair I received this week (first pair the headband cracked) have a slightly tighter grip on my head than the first pair. Luckily for me though, I find them in no way uncomfortable, even after multiply hours of use. I wonder how much, if any, these headbands will "relax"..

 

[bort99]

Hi all, I'm trying to choose between the M4U 2 and the M4U 1—that is, deciding whether I should spend an extra $100 for NC and the amp.
 
Can anyone comment on:
 
1. Isolation (with noise-cancelling turned off). I don't do that much flying, but I do ride the subway every day. I've never really had any complaints with my current Sennheiser HD280 Pro, but I know that headphone is considered to be strong in isolation.
 
2. Whether active mode is likely to make much of a SQ difference with my setup: iPod or iPhone exclusively—no outboard amp. I've seen some conflicting things on this question. Typically, M4U 2 reviews say that active mode improves SQ, at least a bit, but Sound & Vision's writeup makes a point of saying that all three modes sound essentially the same. Writing for The Wirecutter, Geoff Morrison says that the M4U 1 sounds almost identical to the M4U 2, and implies that the only reason to buy the M4U 2 is for NC.
 
Any guidance would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[DnB4Guy]

Quote:

Hi all, I'm trying to choose between the M4U 2 and the M4U 1—that is, deciding whether I should spend an extra $100 for NC and the amp.
 
Can anyone comment on:
 
1. Isolation (with noise-cancelling turned off). I don't do that much flying, but I do ride the subway every day. I've never really had any complaints with my current Sennheiser HD280 Pro, but I know that headphone is considered to be strong in isolation.
 
2. Whether active mode is likely to make much of a SQ difference with my setup: iPod or iPhone exclusively—no outboard amp. I've seen some conflicting things on this question. Typically, M4U 2 reviews say that active mode improves SQ, at least a bit, but Sound & Vision's writeup makes a point of saying that all three modes sound essentially the same. Writing for The Wirecutter, Geoff Morrison says that the M4U 1 sounds almost identical to the M4U 2, and implies that the only reason to buy the M4U 2 is for NC.
 
Any guidance would be appreciated. Thanks!

Personally, I think the difference in SQ is very, very minimal. It does get louder, and vastly lengthens the life of my Cowon D2's battery. With the D2, I find I get essentially the same sound in both passive and active modes. However, I have to turn the D2's volume up to 25 or 26 in passive compared to 18-20 in active mode.
 
In terms of isolation, I think they're great. I have a VERY VERY loud and mouthy cat (he talks all the time!). My only reprieve from him and his loud-mouth is when I put my M4U 2 on (or leave the house). I can faintly hear things like the microwave/oven when it beeps, or the vacuum if I'm cleaning. 
 
Bring your HD280 to a PSB dealer and do an A/B with your own iPod/iPhone if you can. Whether or not you think having the amp included in the cans is worth the $100 over the passive version is up to you. The M4U 2 sound great with the amp that Paul Barton decided to put in there and will always sound that way providing your source is "decent" enough. But if you've got an amp you think would work better and want to carry around accessories, then maybe the M4U 1 is better for you. I've never used the NC mode on my M4U 2, but I thought it was worth the $100 to have an amped headphone (providing my batteries aren't dead) without having to carry around a portable unit.

 

[PolkManiac]

See I disagree, I think they sound significantly better, not just louder, in active mode

 

[Craigster75]

Quote:

See I disagree, I think they sound significantly better, not just louder, in active mode

Yes, but they sound even better in passive mode through a good portable amp.  However, if someone doesn't want to deal with the extra bulk and weight of an amp, then I agree it is worthwhile to spend the extra $100 for the M4U2.  It's nice to have the option when needed.  I plan to wait for the NAD HP50 which will use the same drivers and the M4U1, but in a much better looking design IMO.

 

[yomomma1]

See I disagree, I think they sound significantly better, not just louder, in active mode

I concur, I think they open up quite noticeably when "switched on". The level of volume does not matter, I will turn player down just to have them switched on. Not about volume, about expansion, clarity and weight. IMO

 

[Bwaz]

Quote:

I concur, I think they open up quite noticeably when "switched on". The level of volume does not matter, I will turn player down just to have them switched on. Not about volume, about expansion, clarity and weight. IMO

+1 for me, too.  I was looking for closed headphones to wear on my walk to the office and home every day, traveling, etc.  I listened to A LOT of different headphones, and these not only sounded the best (to me), but they got even better when switched to powered mode.  I haven't touched noise cancellation, though.  It also helps that these are more ovoid than round, as I have large ears...in case you were wondering...as I'm sure you all were.  I couldn't get the K550's to seal around my ears at all.