delenda est Sony
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2002
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Hello all---
It's now close to 3 weeks later after my initial HD 202 review and I thought I'd give an update.
Sonically, these phones are seemingly unaffected by burn-in. Nothing much happened even after the 100 hour mark.
In comparison to my other phones, the 202s are not the most appealing of the bunch. The bass on the 497 is much more developed and extends lower, and as mentioned earlier the 202s are not very good at reproducing treble. Basically the 497s do everything the 202s can and sound better at the higher and lower ends. However, the 202s cost half the price and are closed cans. The V6s are better sounding with lower bass extension, better treble reproduction, and more durable design. The Sonys have a shallower soundstage, are less musical, and cost twice as much though, so the 202 is not completely inferior, but I personally use the V6s a lot more in daily listening.
Really in the long view, the real appeal of the 202s is that they sound decent at a low price point. If you can afford $60 for cans, buy the 497s, SR60s, or V6s depending on your needs. However if you want a reasonably well rounded set of closed phones and can only afford $30, these are not only your only solution but also an objectively decent one as well.
In the $30 range, I personally like these phones better than the Sporta or Porta Pros (though the 202s are not portable.) I have not heard the vaunted KSC35 so I cannot compare the Senns to that Koss. I do like my Senn MX500s better than the 202s though, but the 202s are of course a completely different sort of design, and also have better bass, but the 500s edge the 202s in overall quality of sound and are also cheaper.
Some buyers from Virgin Megastores report buying 202s at a higher than list $40. My local stores in NYC show one being out altogether (14th St) and the other (42nd St) having a pretty large amount priced correctly at $30. Go get em! (if they suit you)
It's now close to 3 weeks later after my initial HD 202 review and I thought I'd give an update.
Sonically, these phones are seemingly unaffected by burn-in. Nothing much happened even after the 100 hour mark.
In comparison to my other phones, the 202s are not the most appealing of the bunch. The bass on the 497 is much more developed and extends lower, and as mentioned earlier the 202s are not very good at reproducing treble. Basically the 497s do everything the 202s can and sound better at the higher and lower ends. However, the 202s cost half the price and are closed cans. The V6s are better sounding with lower bass extension, better treble reproduction, and more durable design. The Sonys have a shallower soundstage, are less musical, and cost twice as much though, so the 202 is not completely inferior, but I personally use the V6s a lot more in daily listening.
Really in the long view, the real appeal of the 202s is that they sound decent at a low price point. If you can afford $60 for cans, buy the 497s, SR60s, or V6s depending on your needs. However if you want a reasonably well rounded set of closed phones and can only afford $30, these are not only your only solution but also an objectively decent one as well.
In the $30 range, I personally like these phones better than the Sporta or Porta Pros (though the 202s are not portable.) I have not heard the vaunted KSC35 so I cannot compare the Senns to that Koss. I do like my Senn MX500s better than the 202s though, but the 202s are of course a completely different sort of design, and also have better bass, but the 500s edge the 202s in overall quality of sound and are also cheaper.
Some buyers from Virgin Megastores report buying 202s at a higher than list $40. My local stores in NYC show one being out altogether (14th St) and the other (42nd St) having a pretty large amount priced correctly at $30. Go get em! (if they suit you)