[rhymesgalore]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kees /img/forum/go_quote.gif The burn-in comparison test has been done here.

Thanks for the link!

I was always wondering why no one has done it yet, with all those crazy people around

Quote:

Originally Posted by LTUCCI1924 /img/forum/go_quote.gif With the short cable they would be good size even for portable use. I e-mailed for a price and lenght for the short cord.

I have the short cable, and i'm a bit dissapointed by it. It's a bit too short for being really comfortable (just 80cm /31,5 inches), and the main problem, is that it is even thicker and stiffer than the original cables.

 

[Dexdexter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhymesgalore /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have the short cable, and i'm a bit dissapointed by it. It's a bit too short for being really comfortable (just 80cm /31,5 inches), and the main problem, is that it is even thicker and stiffer than the original cables.

Did you get a coiled cable with your pair, rg?

 

[rhymesgalore]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dexdexter /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did you get a coiled cable with your pair, rg?

Yes of course, and i think this might even be better for my needs.

But i checked them again, and they're actually the same thickness, but IMO that's too much for real portable use.

And by the way, the connector on the headphone side of the short cable is longer than with the normal cables, which makes it even stiffer.

 

[Dexdexter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freed /img/forum/go_quote.gif What's a good price on the 750 or 2500 nowadays?

Just spotted this one on Fleabay:

PROline 750

 

[Contrastique]

I do have to say: the timing is perfect for the threads on the ultrasones!! I believe before it wasn't much of a subject so thank you all!

 

[Dexdexter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trippytiger /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is something I've really been wondering about as well. I've been very intrigued about the Ultrasones since I had a chance to listen to some really nice classical guitar music on the 2200 ULEs and the 750s at a local audio store. After finding this thread, I went back there with some of my own music and tried out the 2500s and the 750s again with some metal and industrial stuff, but I was quite underwhelmed compared to my previous experience - although it was very obvious that neither set was very well burned in, so I don't want to judge them too hastily. So, I too would like to hear some opinions on how properly burned in Ultrasones handle heavier music. I'm also concerned with how well they deal with poorly recorded audio, since I find that a lot of metal is pretty bad in that respect. So far, what I've read hasn't been very promising.

Of course, burn-in and listener acclimation to the offset-driver presentation are crucial to all Ultrasones, which is why they tend to demo poorly both in shops and at meets. The drivers need long hours to become supple enough to perform at their best and the listener needs long hours to become accustomed to their very different, more loudspeaker-like headstage.

I've listened to a good deal of classic metal and hard rock on all of my Ultrasones: PROline 2500, PROline 750, HFI-2200 ULE, and HFI-650.

Some favorites of mine in recent rotation include Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Ted Nugent, Dio, Rainbow, Van Halen, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Mott The Hoople, T Rex, Bad Brains, Descendents, Minutemen, Dinosaur Jr., Grateful Dead, Tommy Bolin, and so forth.

With the PROline 2500 & 750, rhythm sections kick like a gut-bustin' mofo, bass is just about as deep as it gets, cymbals shimmer with genuine metallic sheen. But since these cans are also as transparent as I've ever heard, they are also ruthlessly revealing of source and recording quality; they simply will not pretty-up crappy discs!

The HFI-2200 ULE and HFI-650 are much more forgiving in this regard, but at the expense at some detail and extension at both ends of the spectrum. They have a lush, warm character that manages to seduce somehow on even shoddily recorded material. I consider them my "fun" cans. So they are pretty much ideal for listening out of an iPod at lower bit-rates. But, obviously, they are not exactly the last word in neutrality.

 

[Trippytiger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dexdexter /img/forum/go_quote.gif Of course, burn-in and listener acclimation to the offset-driver presentation are crucial to all Ultrasones, which is why they tend to demo poorly both in shops and at meets. The drivers need long hours to become supple enough to perform at their best and the listener needs long hours to become accustomed to their very different, more loudspeaker-like headstage. I've listened to a good deal of classic metal and hard rock on all of my Ultrasones: PROline 2500, PROline 750, HFI-2200 ULE, and HFI-650. Some favorites of mine in recent rotation include Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Ted Nugent, Dio, Rainbow, Van Halen, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Mott The Hoople, T Rex, Bad Brains, Descendents, Minutemen, Dinosaur Jr., Grateful Dead, Tommy Bolin, and so forth. With the PROline 2500 & 750, rhythm sections kick like a gut-bustin' mofo, bass is just about as deep as it gets, cymbals shimmer with genuine metallic sheen. But since these cans are also as transparent as I've ever heard, they are also ruthlessly revealing of source and recording quality; they simply will not pretty-up crappy discs! The HFI-2200 ULE and HFI-650 are much more forgiving in this regard, but at the expense at some detail and extension at both ends of the spectrum. They have a lush, warm character that manages to seduce somehow on even shoddily recorded material. I consider them my "fun" cans. So they are pretty much ideal for listening out of an iPod at lower bit-rates. But, obviously, they are not exactly the last word in neutrality.

I have to say, thanks to you enthusiastic Ultrasonistas, there is probably better information on these headphones than any other that I have taken a good look at. Thank you very much for the thoughtful reply, Dex.

The bands you listed give me some hope - well, quite a bit of hope, actually - that I might enjoy these headphones too. I listen to a lot of that sort of music, although lately I've been tending towards heavier industrial stuff, which I don't think should be much of a problem for the Ultrasones, given the incredible bass and up-front sound you speak of. Actually, it sounds like they must be good general purpose headphones.

Now, what you've said about the 2200ULE is really intriguing. When I tried them at the store, they were quite bright. I like a brighter sound, but this was just a bit too much for me. Is that just a symptom of not being broken in? Because if that's the case, those could be the headphones for me, assuming that shop has any in stock still. I believe their Ultrasones are 15% of MSRP until they run out!

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dexdexter /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've listened to a good deal of classic metal and hard rock on all of my Ultrasones: PROline 2500, PROline 750, HFI-2200 ULE, and HFI-650. Some favorites of mine in recent rotation include Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Ted Nugent, Dio, Rainbow, Van Halen, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Mott The Hoople, T Rex, Bad Brains, Descendents, Minutemen, Dinosaur Jr., Grateful Dead, Tommy Bolin, and so forth.

Holy crap man, we even like the same bands!!!!....

 

[Dexdexter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trippytiger /img/forum/go_quote.gif Now, what you've said about the 2200ULE is really intriguing. When I tried them at the store, they were quite bright. I like a brighter sound, but this was just a bit too much for me. Is that just a symptom of not being broken in?

Yes, absolutely. The 2200s may be the most stylin' of all the Ultrasones (IMHO) but bright they most definitely are not. While they don't require as much burn-in as the PROline 2500 & 750, they still need a good 125 to 150 hours to get that "wine & candlelight" quality as Jan Meier used to say on his site!

 

[Dexdexter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sovkiller /img/forum/go_quote.gif Holy crap man, we even like the same bands!!!!....

Well, they do say that bad taste is timeless, Alberto!

 

[Zoide]

Is there a store in the SF Bay Area that carries Ultrasones? I'd love to hear them in person.

 

[Zoide]

According to Ultrasone's marketing, "S-Logic(TM) Natural Surround Sound allows an up to 40% lower dB output (3-4 dB) for the same loudness sensation. This may significantly reduce the risk of hearing damage while ensuring hours of fatigue-free listening - an absolute must if you spend a lot of time in headphones."

Has anyone verified this?

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoide /img/forum/go_quote.gif According to Ultrasone's marketing, "S-Logic(TM) Natural Surround Sound allows an up to 40% lower dB output (3-4 dB) for the same loudness sensation. This may significantly reduce the risk of hearing damage while ensuring hours of fatigue-free listening - an absolute must if you spend a lot of time in headphones." Has anyone verified this?

Huh? What? Can you repeat that? I can't hear you!

No, seriously. How could this claim possibly be verified since it's a claim concerning "loudness sensation" which is of course preception-based. It's not something that could be tested in any controlled way.

 

[jpelg]

I don't know how to prove it technically. But in practice what I find is that you can turn up the volume knob and not wince from having your brain blasted out. Instead of having the sound main-lined into your ears as with other headphones, the Ultrasones portray an almost speaker-like presentation. I guess that's part of the S-Logic protection *shrug*

I am simply amazed at how a headphone can be so detailed across the entire frequency spectrum, yet so pleasant to listen to at the same time.

I am more impressed with this driver at every listen.

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wmcmanus /img/forum/go_quote.gif Huh? What? Can you repeat that? I can't hear you! No, seriously. How could this claim possibly be verified since it's a claim concerning "loudness sensation" which is of course preception-based. It's not something that could be tested in any controlled way.

I see where you're coming from, but there might be semi-reliable methods to get a rough idea of the effect. For example, you could setup an Ultrasone and a Sennheiser where you measure their dB to be the same with an SPL meter. Then you make people put on both headphones and tell you which one they think is at a higher volume. You could make it a blind test and do something with the pads & headbands so the comfort & weight is identical, etc.

To make it more interesting, you then let them raise & lower the volume on each headphone until they feel they are at the same volume. Averaged over a large number of participants, this would actually start to give you some hard numbers (e.g. their alleged 40% lower dB output at the same loudness perception).

Of course all you would get are the participants' subjective opinions. But then again, we're always making a subjective decision when we move the volume knob.