[gelocks]

Quote:

Regardless, I am not going to let one negative review change half a year of researching and finding a good headphone in my budget. What I see a lot now are people saying the M50s are not as good as the hype surrounding them.
I guess it is just a matter of "To each his own." Not everyone likes the same kind of sound in their music.

 
I don't know about "now" cause I haven't liked them since 2010 lol! (heck, my cheapo $30 Panasonic HTF600s sound better to me... really!) So I don't doubt the Uptowns have a pleasant sound (and I had the Downtowns and they were really good AND extremely comfortable...)

 

[Leveler]

these rarely retail where I live for $80 after taxes, and the downtown for $54 before taxes, it's an authorized dealer so I know they are legit ^^. The also sell the AKG K-550 for $200!!!!! can you believe that?? I gut the uptown yesterday as a portable, fun counterpart to my Shure srh440's and so far I'm loving them, my birthday is in about 2 months, so I might just upgrade my Shure's to the K550 and get a nice desk amp-dac combo or even a portable amp, since the uptowns seem hard to drive, which is weird since they have less impedance than the SRH 440'S but in my laptop I have to go full blast to get decent while in the Shure's about 60% was enough, anyways I am really enjoying them and love the soundstage and comfort, much more fun to listen than the Shure's, I've read the sound "caverny" and sadly have found that to be true, but have just felt like that with 2 bands, both heavier ( one is post hardcore/metalcore and the other one is progressive death metal? progressive deathcore? anyways I blind bought them and I am really happy with my purchase, strongly recommend them to any beginner like me looking for nice portable cans Cheers! Diego

 

[manveru]

Quote:

these rarely retail where I live for $80 after taxes, and the downtown for $54 before taxes, it's an authorized dealer so I know they are legit ^^. The also sell the AKG K-550 for $200!!!!! can you believe that?? I gut the uptown yesterday as a portable, fun counterpart to my Shure srh440's and so far I'm loving them, my birthday is in about 2 months, so I might just upgrade my Shure's to the K550 and get a nice desk amp-dac combo or even a portable amp, since the uptowns seem hard to drive, which is weird since they have less impedance than the SRH 440'S but in my laptop I have to go full blast to get decent while in the Shure's about 60% was enough, anyways I am really enjoying them and love the soundstage and comfort, much more fun to listen than the Shure's, I've read the sound "caverny" and sadly have found that to be true, but have just felt like that with 2 bands, both heavier ( one is post hardcore/metalcore and the other one is progressive death metal? progressive deathcore? anyways I blind bought them and I am really happy with my purchase, strongly recommend them to any beginner like me looking for nice portable cans Cheers! Diego

 
No fair! Where do you live?
 
Impedance isn't everything. The Philips are just a little bit less sensitive, and my suspicion is that the stupid remote effects things as well. Even when it's slid all the way up to the top, I don't always get the exact same volume. It's rather fidgety. It's the one thing that really drags these headphones down :\
 
I don't think anything could sound all too caverny/cuppy to me after hearing the HM5s, haha.
 
 
@Lorspeaker
Sorry, slipped my mind. I don't have access to a camera at the moment, but I could take a few really crappy cell phone pics if you need me to. 

 

[wj888]

[size=10.909090995788574px]I bought an uptown headphone recently and was upset to find sound comes out slightly softer on one side (unbalanced headphone). This happens frequently and you have to meddle with the volume control and sometimes pressed it a little harder to gain control of the sound on both side of the headphone. [/size]
 
[size=10.909090995788574px]Now, I thought this is a spoilt headphone and so requested for a change. A new headphone was given to me and after a while, I found the same thing happening. [/size]
 
[size=10.909090995788574px]I'm no engineer but My own logical deduction would be the volume control is the design component that is flawed. It is a filmsy little box having a slider that affects the current passing thru the wires inside. So sometimes you might have to press it a little harder as the contact between the slider and wire is not evenly spread. [/size]
 
[size=10.909090995788574px]Anyway, it is similar to the effect of a loose wire inside the headphone jack due to wear and tear and you get an unbalanced sound from the headphones. So usually to rectify, we replace the whole cable (but not the jack). [/size]
 
[size=10.909090995788574px]The unbalanced sound is very apparent when you do a simple A/B test with a different headphone.[/size]
 
[size=10.909090995788574px]Anyone have similar problems with the Philips Uptown?[/size]

 

[manveru]

I also experienced channel imbalance from the volume control, but I was able to get it to balance out. I actually wrapped the slider in piece of electrical tape to try and keep it in place. It really sucks how the rest of the headphone is quite nice, but then they included this super cheapie volume control that doesn't even function properly and can actually hurt the sound.

 

[Lux Nocte]

I am quite sure someone can snip off the cable and wire a new one.

 

[wj888]

Quote:

I also experienced channel imbalance from the volume control, but I was able to get it to balance out. I actually wrapped the slider in piece of electrical tape to try and keep it in place. It really sucks how the rest of the headphone is quite nice, but then they included this super cheapie volume control that doesn't even function properly and can actually hurt the sound.

Thank God! With all those positive reviews with nothing but praise, I thought I'm the only one with a spade of bad luck.
 
I'm a noob in audio but I really feel the sound quality is just so-so. It's more like a sub $100 category phone.
My Creative Aurvana Live! outperforms this pair easily without any doubt. Just a simple A/B and you will find so much difference.
 
For the sound, I noticed bass distortion caused by the plastic housing(i guess). I did a simple A/B between some phones when I played very bass heavy songs and that's when i noticed the bass distortion. It's like sound hitting plastic.. prat prat prat instead of thump thump thump. I dunno how to describe that sound. Volume was at 9 o'clock position at max.
 
Anyway, I've send a customer feedback thru' my country's Philips website and see whether I could get a complete refund on this thing. I want to return the phones to them. With this forum, I can tell Philips I'm not the only one who has the problem.
 
It really does not belong at >$100(more like $50 if not for the excellent design and material on the rest of the phone) with that kind of volume control messing things up and cheap plastic housing. Or Do I have to spend more to recabled it and how?? Fustrating when you have to recable not by choice.
 
Also, One more bugbear, how reliable is air-quilted? Would it deflate like a balloon after while?.. lol. But The air-quilted headband is the most comfortable I've worn! You really cannot feel it on your head. Very very comfortable.

 

[manveru]

The in-line volume control really is a disappointment. I would expect better at this price. Fortunately I was able to get it working ok, so for me it was more of an annoyance/liability than an outright defect. The cable could be better, but it's not bad so I don't mind it.
 
Personally I really like the sound of these (I listen with the treble EQ'd down a little). I think it has a lot to do with the kind of seal you get. These actually don't get a full seal on my head. When I press the cups against my head just a little bit, the sound changes significantly. It becomes warmer and bassier, a little less controlled, and all the good things I said about the soundstage pretty much go away. For me, not having a good seal actually turns out to be a good thing with these headphones.

 

[manveru]

Quote:

I am quite sure someone can snip off the cable and wire a new one.

 
With a recable these would be completely excellent.

 

[wj888]

Quote:

 
With a recable these would be completely excellent.

I would love to do that.
But just feel pissed I am paying $129 and I get a sub $129 product on top of having to top up to recable.
 
I'll camp here to wait for someone to show a DIY recabling on Uptown! 

 

[manveru]

It's awesome that the price is going down on these at least. Pretty awesome deal for $120 on Amazon right now. I paid full price for mine. 

 

[wj888]

Well, we can always exercise our consumer rights
My country Singapore don't have a 30day return policy on most of these retail electronics and pretty much no trying of the phones at major retail outlets.
So I can either write to Philips or sell on 2nd hand market at a loss or to recable at added cost.
 
I will see the response of Philips before I consider the other 2 options. I definitely think the volume control SHOULD be improved. Imagine this implementation which cost only $2.66 retail (mass production should be <$1), I believe this is a more elegant and stable solution. http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10823&cs_id=1082703&p_id=7116&seq=1&format=1#largeimage
 
Thanks for your feedback on the volume control.

 

[Lux Nocte]

Finally bought it along with a FiiO e6. I'll write a review as soon as I can.

 

[sygyzy]

Quote:

Well, we can always exercise our consumer rights
My country Singapore don't have a 30day return policy on most of these retail electronics and pretty much no trying of the phones at major retail outlets.
So I can either write to Philips or sell on 2nd hand market at a loss or to recable at added cost.
 
I will see the response of Philips before I consider the other 2 options. I definitely think the volume control SHOULD be improved. Imagine this implementation which cost only $2.66 retail (mass production should be <$1), I believe this is a more elegant and stable solution. http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10823&cs_id=1082703&p_id=7116&seq=1&format=1#largeimage
 
Thanks for your feedback on the volume control.

Or just not have in-line volume control at all. This is totally unnecessary.

 

[manveru]

Quote:

Finally bought it along with a FiiO e6. I'll write a review as soon as I can.

 
Neat. Let us know.
 
Quote:

Or just not have in-line volume control at all. This is totally unnecessary.

 
+1