There's Something About Ultrasone…

[edu]

Hi,

I am thinking in buying either the Pro 900 or HFI 780. I will need to use these headphones in the office, so I would like to listen to them at normal sound levels (not too loud but not low low either) and still not been heard by people around me.

I have read in this and other threads that the isolation of the HFI 780 is pretty good, but I haven't found much information about the Pro 900.

Could anybody please comment on how good / bad the isolation the Pro 900 is? Would it be similar to HFI 780?

Thanks

 

[haloxt]

The pads on the Pro 900 should be a bit better than faux leather of the HFI-780, but both should be extremely good at noise isolation. When I set the volume to medium and lay the cups facing the bed, it's literally just a muffled whisper at 6 inches. Some notes are audible at 5 feet away with medium-high volume with my Pro 900.

Btw I'm taking a serious liking to my Pro 900 again, the iCans almost made me vomit earlier today with how sentimental it was sounding. Just waaaaaaay too airy. Reminded me of 1984 when Winston was listening to that lady singing pointless drivel

 

[edu]

I just forgot to mention, I bought some Denon D2000. Great sound, but unfortunately I had to send them back, as they were leaking quite a lot of music, which is not an option for me.

I also found the cable of the D2000 was a nightmare. It was quite hard and started to sort of peel off in just few days I had them. Hope the cable of the Pro 900 / HFI 780 is a bit better...

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by edu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just forgot to mention, I bought some Denon D2000. Great sound, but unfortunately I had to send them back, as they were leaking quite a lot of music, which is not an option for me. I also found the cable of the D2000 was a nightmare. It was quite hard and started to sort of peel off in just few days I had them. Hope the cable of the Pro 900 / HFI 780 is a bit better...

The Denon Cables are a freakin nightmare for sure. You can't keep them from twisting into knots.

.

 

[Carlsan]

I own both the 780 and the pro900. I use the Pro900 at home and the 780 in the Office.

I work in a big room with other people separated by office cubicles. My headphones do not leak. The cable to the HFI-780 is a bit on the long side but I keep it under control with a twisty. I also use the Fiio E5 as a headphone amp which does help the sound somewhat, but the 780 would sound fine anyway playing out of the crappy Dell desktop that I use in the workplace.

I would think that the Pro900 is a bit on the overkill side of things for the workplace. They are slightly bigger than the 780 but also deliver a bigger sound. They do benefit from a good phone amplifier as has been stated in other posts on this forum. I would classify them as more a home pair that you can sit back and enjoy, with decent equipment and good music. They do well in computer games as well.

Good luck.

 

[oqvist]

Had the markl D5000 and it didn´t have much isolation. And the markl mod is supposed to improve that a bit so I think you would be happier with the ultrasones in that regard.

As for PRO 900 can wholeheartly recommend it if it wasn´t for the damn sibilance... I seem to have gotten allergic to the PRO 900 sibilance. It´s frustrating since I have no other headphone that is as good with songs. Particularly with female singers.

 

[Carlsan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oqvist /img/forum/go_quote.gif As for PRO 900 can wholeheartly recommend it if it wasn´t for the damn sibilance... I seem to have gotten allergic to the PRO 900 sibilance. It´s frustrating since I have no other headphone that is as good with songs. Particularly with female singers.

the PRO 900 sibilance
I don't hear it but it could be my hearing. I admit that my hearing isn't the best, I worked for years as a night club dj and also attended a ton of live shows. I'll have to check with my daughter ...

 

[TopPop]

I did a few mods on my new (to me) HFI-650's yesterday, and the result is a much more balanced phone, overall! Mids are less recessed and highs are tamed down quite a bit (much easier on my ears). They're now good for both movies and music.

Mods included:
-Dynamat and felt on inside of cup faces
-Acoustic stuffing in cups
-Felt on driver grills (covering the driver area, between the driver and the stretchy pad fabric)

 

[oqvist]

I think I am going to have to do a poll about sibilance with 750 versus 900. I seem to be in a minority having big sibilance issues with the 900 whereas people complained about the 750 which wasn´t as bad on my system. Not by a long shot

. If I would compare the 750 it would be on the same level as on the K701 in term of sibilance. You have no problem hearing it but it´s not that exhaggerated.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Since the HFI-780 sibilance was fixed with a re-cable, does the Pro 900 respond the same way, or are the kwkarth and kees type mods the only way to deal with it?

 

[oqvist]

KeeS mod doesn´t do anything for reducing sibilance on my system. Where there is sibilance it´s shown with the same force but I have only tested it critically in worst case scenarios

. The mod alters bass and soundstaging for me.

As for recable maybe seen my thread in the science section. There it´s suggested you need a "crappier cable" to remove sibilance that doesn´t let the signal through as easilly in the 2k to 5k section? You have the APS 3 right? Doesn´t come with the ultrasone connector I want to remember last time I checked

I have a Clarius copper cable but I don´t detect any difference regarding sibilance there. Thank god I have had better luck with the songs today. Not encountered one with the ear piercing Ssshes going on. As mentioned really all or nothing.

 

[edu]

Right, so I took the plunge and ordered the Pro 900. I hope the noise leakage is minimal.

I found the following review of the Pro 900 with several photos. Hope they sound as good as they look (and that my ears are not too affected by this sibilance business). There doesn't seem to be as many reviews of this cans out there.

techPowerUp :: Ultrasone PRO900 Headphones Review :: Page 2 / 4

I didn't know they had screw-on cables (2 provided). They certainly look more manageable than the D2000s.

 

[somestranger26]

Quote:

Originally Posted by edu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Right, so I took the plunge and ordered the Pro 900. I hope the noise leakage is minimal. I found the following review of the Pro 900 with several photos. Hope they sound as good as they look (and that my ears are not too affected by this sibilance business). There doesn't seem to be as many reviews of this cans out there. techPowerUp :: Ultrasone PRO900 Headphones Review :: Page 2 / 4 I didn't know they had screw-on cables (2 provided). They certainly look more manageable than the D2000s.

-I have never experienced sibilance with the pro 900. (It's not my ears -- I can hear it sometimes with the Westone 3s)

-The cables can twist and mingle together, but they won't retain the position if you make them taut, fold them, tell them "no," etc.

-FrederikS' review on TPU was phenomenal I thought, he's also a fellow head-fier.

-They just came out late last year, so naturally there's not a lot of reviews

-Minimal noise leakage is minimal. They're more or less inaudible past a few inches at a decent listening volume.

-If you weren't aware of the two detachable cables, are you aware of the amazing hard case they come with?

-They look nice in person too !

 

[oqvist]

somestranger never hear sibilance in for example REMs Albums?

 

[edu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by somestranger26 /img/forum/go_quote.gif -If you weren't aware of the two detachable cables, are you aware of the amazing hard case they come with?

Well, I didn't! So thanks for letting me know.
As a matter of fact, I hadn’t even heard about Ultrasone until yesterday (ok, probably the wrong forum to make this confession...)

Basically after the D2000's, I bought the Sennheiser PXC 450 (0 noise leakage). They are not bad, I've heard their drivers are based on the HD550. The issue here is that while they cost £250, it is just £100 worth of music quality, and the rest is down to the noise cancelling circuit.

So for some act of inspiration while listening to my PXC 450s yesterday (and bank holiday boredom I suppose) I came to the "bright idea", what if I found a closed can with minimum noise leakage that was £250 worth of music quality instead? And this is how I ended up here...