Quote:
Heya,
Interesting. I like seeing some more reviews on the Pro700MK2.
I'm confused on the ratings versus the verdict though. Don't take this the wrong way, consider it constructive:
Out of your categories, your rating system is thus:
M50 - won 4 out of 8
700 - won 2 out of 8
580 - won 2 out of 8
Then you rate:
Sounds to me like you think the M50 is the superior headphone out of your comparison group. But at the end you're saying your new headphone, your upgrade, is the better can. It doesn't make sense. So it makes me think the M50 is receiving favor from you because it's your main headphone and well worn in and you're long used to their signature.
Maybe burn in the 580's and see if they can eventually match, or best your M50's in your categories. As it is, the M50's won according to you.
Very best,
Right. I probably should've made it clear: my conclusion was based on the sound quality ALONE, not taking into account build, isolation or comfort.
Current verdicts:
Sound (Highs):
Verdict: M50 > HFI-580 > Pro700 MKII
Sound (Mids):
Verdict: M50 >= HFI-580 > Pro700 MKII (S) > Pro700 MKII (M)
Sound (Lows):
Verdict: Pro700 MKII (M) > Pro700 MKII (S) >= HFI-580 > M50
Soundstaging:
Verdict: HFI-580 > Pro700 MKII (S) = Pro700 MKII (M) > M50
Insturmental separation:
Verdict: HFI-580 > M50 > Pro700 MKII (M) > Pro700 MKII (S)
In that case:
M50: won 1 (or 2) out of 5
Pro700: won 1 out of 5
HFI-580: won 2 (or 3) out of 5
In terms of points (where the highest scorer gets 4 points, with the exception of the "highs" and "instrumental separation" aspect):
M50: 11 or 12
Pro700 (M): 8
Pro700 (S): 9 or 10
HFI-580: 14, 15 or 16
In case you're still confused, I did mark some aspects with a >=. That's a sign for "equal to or more than". Again, these figures are based on my opinions alone: the real objective comparisons come from the impressions I wrote for each aspect.
The HFI-580 remains as the best headphone I currently own. The few peeves I have about them:
1) Mids sound "unnatural" sometimes. Specifically: vocals, strings and wind intruments.
2) Highs are slightly untamed. This may cause some harshness, but they're mellowing out with burn-in. Currently I'm at about 100 hours, don't know what the future may hold.
3) Comfort remains an issue, at least for me. The padding feels a little too stiff for my liking and pushes too hard against my head. I prefer my M50 for long listening sessions.
4) Sharp, detailed and clear, sometimes too robotically so. Refer to no. 1; the HFI-580 could use some warmth to add some texture to the music.
The Pro700 MKII is a very good headphone, something I'll love to own in the future. However, these will be for bass satisfaction only; the M50s fare much better in other aspects due to the slightly too warm and smooth signature of the Pro700, resulting in a somewhat "messy" sound. XB500 owners can relate to this; though it isn't as bad as the XB500.
Thanks for the input, really helped me to sort out these messes
