Soundmagic HP150/HP151 Impressions Thread
Dec 22, 2019 at 3:21 AM Post #706 of 775
Silly we're still talking about the HP-150 / 151. Soundmagic has just released their HP-1000! I'll be soon receiving a demo unit to me for a review and I will post a link to it here a while after I'm finished with a thorough evaluation with multiple amps. They spent 3 years designing it and so far it's got 5-star reviews. It goes for about $320 but Amazon is having a sale at the moment.
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Dec 22, 2019 at 4:01 AM Post #707 of 775
I wouldnt exactly say it`s silly as the hp151 is still on sale,and is in a totally different price bracket in relation to the new hp1000.
Look forward to your comments about the hp1000 as up to now there has been only a couple of reviews and nothing on youtube. Not on sale yet in the UK but have seen them on Amazon Spain which is handy for me
 
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Dec 22, 2019 at 12:38 PM Post #708 of 775
Silly we're still talking about the HP-150 / 151. Soundmagic has just released their HP-1000! I'll be soon receiving a demo unit to me for a review and I will post a link to it here a while after I'm finished with a thorough evaluation with multiple amps. They spent 3 years designing it and so far it's got 5-star reviews. It goes for about $320 but Amazon is having a sale at the moment.

Too bad they still insist on using proprietary connectors.
 
Dec 22, 2019 at 3:49 PM Post #710 of 775
Too bad they still insist on using proprietary connectors.

Yeah, what’s up with that? Their marketing says it’s more secure, which is BS.

3.5mm is perfectly secure.

Their previous 3.5mm locking cables were secure, and at least they could be easily modded to use standard upgrade cables.

I can see if they had accessory cables for sale, such as balanced, silver, etc. But it looks like they did proprietary connectors for no other reason than to p*ss people off.

If I end up getting the HP1000 (to go along with my HP150 & HP200), those connectors would be changed out ASAP (so I can go balanced).
 
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Dec 29, 2019 at 3:26 PM Post #712 of 775
OK guys I'm gonna venture off the expected trail for a moment and go on record for you folks that the HP-1000 is not all that was expected. For me, the upper hand for closed-backs greatly goes to Sennheiser HD-380 Pro or Focal Spirit Classic, depending on system synergy - even the old HP-100 / 150 for a brighter sound (than those two). I don't dareth say more because I've gotta first communicate with the fine folks at SoungMagic about their misplaced efforts and return the demo unit back to them. More to come, but not for a while.
 
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Dec 29, 2019 at 3:45 PM Post #713 of 775
OK guys I'm gonna venture off the expected trail for a moment and go on record for you folks that the HP-1000 is not all that was expected. For me, the upper hand for closed-backs greatly goes to Sennheiser HD-380 Pro or Focal Spirit Classic, depending on system synergy - even the old HP-100 / 150 for a brighter sound (than those two). I don't dareth say more because I've gotta first communicate with the fine folks at SoungMagic about their misplaced efforts and return the demo unit back to them. More to come, but not for a while.
Thanks for your post. I dont really need another headphone at the moment,so based on your comments I decided to cancel my Amazon order for the hp1000s.
 
Jan 25, 2020 at 10:34 AM Post #714 of 775
OK guys I'm gonna venture off the expected trail for a moment and go on record for you folks that the HP-1000 is not all that was expected. For me, the upper hand for closed-backs greatly goes to Sennheiser HD-380 Pro or Focal Spirit Classic, depending on system synergy - even the old HP-100 / 150 for a brighter sound (than those two). I don't dareth say more because I've gotta first communicate with the fine folks at SoungMagic about their misplaced efforts and return the demo unit back to them. More to come, but not for a while.
Since your comments back in December about the hp1000 I haven't seen anything else from you explaining what issues you had with them.I would like to hear more as it is starting to look like these headphones have a problem.
 
Jan 26, 2020 at 2:03 AM Post #715 of 775
SoundMAGIC HP-1000

Hi guys - I'm really goin' out on a limb for this one, but I believe in honesty in this hobby so here it goes:

So the nice folks at SoundMAGIC sent me a final production HP-1000 hoping for a positive review. Here is my highest praise: "the headband was much improved". And the sound? Well after putting it through the paces on multiple amps (tube and SS) over several days, using well mastered tracks I'm familiar with and with successions of A/B'ing with other well known closed-backs from the likes of Sennheiser and even their oldest HP-100 model (albeit mine slightly better than stock having a custom internal mod), my general takeaway is that these fail on every sonic aspect, sounding perhaps like a cross between a low model of (bright) Ultrasone and perhaps a mid-tier model of Beats brand, with a poor chosen driver and huge amounts of audible distortion that varies both on R / L channels and at different frequencies. The driver this Chinese company chose for this unit totally lacks the ability to convey complexity or layering of recordings of any genre so you cannot hear some sounds that are present on other headphones, and it's sad that the 'breakthrough' internal concoctions they made up for this headphone do nothing but totally limit / ruin the soundstage and dynamics until everything sounds basically flat - AND "adding their own soundtrack". So along with the above, you now get distortion that varies from R / L depending on frequency likely caused by the way their new tech vibrates / rattles at differing frequencies. Next, the timbre is a wee bit off, not reproducing most notes correctly. Also there is a sort of 'phase' effect which is to me very unwelcome, as if a several millisecond delay was added to one of the channels (or this could be an unintended effect of their jacked up internal concoctions), causing what may sound like a larger soundstage to an untrained ear, but to me it just sounds extremely artificial. Finally it uses a proprietary connector and a cable with the original being far too short for any normal usage and the extension being almost way too long.

Unable to write a positive review I sent it back to them and they measured it showing a fairly flat FR graph, but here's to hoping they can figure out how to measure for various types of distortion, as well as hopefully take my detailed steps I had sent for a better future headphone release (better driver, damping methods, earpad, etc.). They tried to 'censor' my impressions, but again I prefer transparency in this community for the betterment of both the designer and the consumer. There have been a few other reviews on this on both Amazon and here on H.F., but it is my (opinion) that either these reviewers either lack a proper point of reference (to what a good closed-back sounds like), they held back in their review, they were a musician who, like many actually also lack a proper point of reference for proper gear, or, like the one legit looking review it matches closer to mine, though I got the feeling even they too were holding back on their take of these.


In closing, this being the HP-100 / 151 thread please take the above for what it's worth and keep on topic. PLEASE do NOT reply on this thread about the topic of the above mentioned headphone model. Although not so active, I don't want to derail this thread and I also do hold good respect for SoundMAGIC as a company, that I see has good potential for a better headphone model.
 
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Feb 8, 2020 at 10:51 AM Post #717 of 775
All i can say is remarkable for the price of the hp 151.

I have owned a lot of headphones and know what they sound like, and also knowing what the hp 151 sounds like.

If your someone who is after the way the headphones portray music in a hi fi fashion, or after great sounding headphones and don't have a lot to spend then i recommend the hp 151 or hp 200.

The sound is like this, it reaches out to you is the best i can say and surround you in it's world, if you think other headphones gave you a lively sound then give these a listen.

They sound fantastic, so i for one raving about them (not alone here).

Dan.
 
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Feb 8, 2020 at 11:29 AM Post #718 of 775
All i can say is remarkable for the price of the hp 151.

I have owned a lot of headphones and know what they sound like, and also knowing what the hp 151 sounds like.

If your someone who is after the way the headphones portray music in a hi fi fashion, or after great sounding headphones and don't have a lot to spend then i recommend the hp 151 or hp 200.

The sound is like this, it reaches out to you is the best i can say and surround you in it's world, if you think other headphones gave you a lively sound then give these a listen.

Dan.

I also recommend this HP151. Sound great and are very comfortable (for me). I would like to mention that the HP151 is the replacement model for the HP150 that is meant to sound the same but had known issues with the hinges breaking. The HP200 has the same mechanism as the HP150 so is prone to also break. I know that @Slater has had experience with this issue and he takes good care of his gear.

I don't know why there has not been a replacement model for the HP200.
 
Feb 8, 2020 at 8:40 PM Post #719 of 775
I also recommend this HP151. Sound great and are very comfortable (for me). I would like to mention that the HP151 is the replacement model for the HP150 that is meant to sound the same but had known issues with the hinges breaking. The HP200 has the same mechanism as the HP150 so is prone to also break. I know that @Slater has had experience with this issue and he takes good care of his gear.

I don't know why there has not been a replacement model for the HP200.

Yes, I treat all my headphones with kid gloves. And my HP150 snapped apart on 1 side. I tried to fix it with no luck.

This hinge has broken on many, many HP150 and HP200. I own both the HP150 and HP200, and luckily my HP200 hinge has not broken yet. But as these headphones age and the plastic becomes more brittle with time, I figure it is only a matter of when it will break not if it will break :frowning2:

I’m glad to hear that the HP151 model corrects this flaw. You HP151 owners are very lucky in that regard.
 
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Feb 9, 2020 at 4:59 PM Post #720 of 775
This headphone's personality trait is that it is purely cinematic (i think anyways), it is a divine experience with a liquid sound quality.

Sounds come out of nowhere,

Depending on the source the sound can sound very sweet also but in a non coloured way.

Whether you agree with them being cinematic or not is up to you but these headphones don't sound like your usual budget priced headphone at all.

Rant over :).

Dan.
 
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