There's Something About Ultrasone…

[erin]

IMHO the PRO series sound better overall than the HFI series and this is reflected in the price. however the PRO series are big cans and so you should try them on if possible and see if you think they are too big to be portable. The HFI 780 is a good sounding heaphone, but not quite in the same league as the PRO 750, but is a bit smaller and lighter so may suit portability better.
 
But the PRO 900 is a stunningly good sounding headphone overall. Its a big step up form the PRO750s, If you can possibly save up and wait to get these, its well worth it - IMHO.
FYI - I have listened to every Ultrasone headphone.

 

[clou91]

A lot of people like recabled 780s over stock 750s, but I've also read a couple posts saying that recabled 750s are even better than recabled 780s. I don't really have any gripe with my modded 780s, so I probably won't "upgrade" to anything but an edition series. IMO the HFI 780s at $155 shipped on ebay are an excellent bang for buck from Ultrasone.

 

[erin]

I was commenting on the standard unmodified headphones. I have no experience with the recabled version.

 

[clou91]

Quote:

I was commenting on the standard unmodified headphones. I have no experience with the recabled version.

I wasn't aiming my post at you at all, just trying to give Lorven some insight. I think he could easily get a recabled pair of 780s (either DIY or from a DIYer on this site) for way below $300 and save some money over getting stock 750s.

 

[leokennis]

Am I right in saying the main difference between the HFI and PRO series is that the first is more "fun"  and the second more "real"? I briefly listened to the PRO 750's once and they strongly reminded me of Audio-Technica ATH-M50's, but better.
 
Currently I'm sporting the HFI-780's because I really love phones with a good bass impact (more than the original artist envisioned). They haven't burned in a all and I am already in love with them, I can only dream of their sound after burn in, when the bass floor has lowered even further. Also I'm impressed by their performance straight from an iPod.
 
I think I will keep these phones for a long time. The ATH-M50 didn't have enough bass impact for me, the Denon D2000's had enough impact for me, but sounded too dull for my liking in other respects. Now I'm smiling, with the best of these two worlds on my head  

 

[erin]

Quote:

Am I right in saying the main difference between the HFI and PRO series is that the first is more "fun"  and the second more "real"?

That would be a fair description. But don't go thinking that the PRO series isn't fun. The PRO series is more high fidelity - with a more refined presentation, more realistic, more detail, smoother, less fatiguing etc. You do get your moneys worth with the PRO series. The good thing about Ultrasone is that as you go up the model range you get a distinct improvement in sound. The edition 8 is "wow" -totally in a league of its own.
 

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I still want to hear a Pro 750 or Pro 900 someday.  
 
The Pro 2500 was like a cross between an HD600 and RS-1, but with somewhat recessed mids that needed a warm tube hybrid amp to fill it out.  
 
The HFI-780 was like a baby Edition 9, with less refinement and detail and a more roller coaster frequency response.  With stock cable they are brighter and slightly prone to sibilance, but they get darker with an aftermarket cable if you don't get the right one.  The APS V3 or Jenna Labs cable were my favorite with them.  It's hard to justify spending $150-200 on a phone and $300-400 on a cable though.
 
My HFI-700 DVD are fairly neutral but fun, yet they have a little of that closed headphone sound to them when you first put them on.  I have kept them for almost 3 years now, even though they don't get used much (ESW10JPN and LA7000 are better closed phones).

 

[TheWuss]

call me insane.  but, i had a birthday this week, and was blessed with a chance to buy a couple new headphones...
 
so, i figured i had to go straight for the ones that i'd never have another chance to acquire.
 
purchased Edition 8, site unseen.  i mean, sound unheard. 

 
and, glad to report that they are some sweet sounding headphones. 

 

[Kernmac]

Congrats on the ED8 TheWuss.
 
Edition 8 is a fantanstic headphone that is detailed, fun, fairly balanced (warmish, strong but not overpowering bass) and sounds very good from a DAP and great/exceptional from a good source with decent amp.  If there are "better" headphones, I don't care, I will never sell my ED8s (that doesn't mean I won't purchase others however).  The Pro900  is technically not as great as the ED8 but it is still a top tier player in my book and it has a super soundstage for a closed haedphone and has that "something special" about them.  Very musical and different enough from the ED8 sound signature for me to re purchase in the not too distant future (or maybe a Pro2900).

 

[oqvist]

Pro 900 has something special yes that even the ED 8 lacks. ED 8 have something special the Pro 900 lacks too.
But yes there is obviously something special with Ultrasone. DexDexter was a wise man!
It´s very clear by now that the two headphones that have given me the most joy if not the three. But I bundle the 750/900 since they are not all to different is the KeeS modded Pro 900 and Edition 8. Both being remarkable different and not sharing much of the same house sound. Both letting me enjoy so much music without the feel to have to switch to my speakers or other headphones.
 
I have to say I think the ED 8 stinks on the Ipod touch 3G now. Listening to much on that was what made me able to half heartedly put it up for sale! Felt like the right thing to do since it´s the most expensive headphone I got and boy have I invested a lot in this hobby as of late I can´t believe that I once was so impressed by the combo. There is just no body on that combo and it´s just so inferior to my home setup I more enjoy the Koss Porta Pro out of my Ipod. That give me the body I lack. Surely not as refined but it doesn´t really matter that much for my portable use anyway. I just want to get home listening to the ED 8 on the streets since I know what it can do!
 
T1 and Dx 1000 doesn´t quite measure up overall though T1 maybe with the right tube amp can scale since technically they have impressed on the Auditor especially. Again similar issues to the Ed 8 on the Ipod touch lacking body which I am hoping my Trafomatic head one will fix. But they just don´t image and have the 3D soundstage of the Ultrasones. I suspect people have problem getting into "S-logic" and other people like me have problem getting out of "S-logic" . They really do something special!
 
Pro 2900 is tempting but a hard sell since it just seem to be a Pro 900 driver in an Pro 2500 shell. But well if the ED 10 turn out to be full sized for home use and as good as the ED 8 with bigger soundstage I would probably attempt a trade... Though more likely I would try to trade Auditor/T1 or DX 1000 for it. Maybe the LCD-2 will save me from being a hundred percent Ultrasonista though... I enjoyed the 50$ supposedly crappy T50RP very much

 

[Kernmac]

Quote:

 
I have to say I think the ED 8 stinks on the Ipod touch 3G now.
 
 
Pro 2900 is tempting but a hard sell since it just seem to be a Pro 900 driver in an Pro 2500 shell.

I agree that the ED 8 is nothing special out of a DAP, no better or not not much better than say ESW9 (obviously different sound signature) but I wouldn't say it stinks.  I understand/agree that in context a $1500 headphone is wasted on a DAP only source, and I think anyone buying an Edition 8 only for portable use has too much money and  can get as good for far less.  But that ED8 sound from decent source and amp is something.  I don't think I would purchase a Pro2900 if I still had the Pro900 either, as it is as you say just a set of Pro900 drivers in a Pro2500 shell, but I am very interested in how that transplant sounds in a shell tuned for "open" sound signature.  A better Pro900 would be a marvellous headphone. 

 

 

[erin]

The difference between the PRO750 and the PRO2500, and the PRO900 and PRO2900 is simply open backed or closed back.
This is no secret. Its a matter of personal preference in sound. The open back, sound more open and airy, whereas the closed back have comparatively more closed sound, but more SPL in the bass, giving a more punchy sound. Its just a matter of personal preference and nothing else. I wouldn't necessarily rate one above the other, just different.
 
Sometimes you can get a transducer that is just too good for the source. The edition 8 is probably just too good and detailed for a standard ipod output stage. It really deserves uncompressed music files and a reasonably good amp. The Ed 8 would too easily show up all the flaws with the output stage and source material.
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

[Currawong]

If nobody picks up the Headroom Portable Desktop I put up FS soon, I shall take it into a local music gear store I found which stocks the 900s and give them a good go.  I did try the 650s out of an iPod, and their bass was looser than a prostitute's *ahem*.  

 

[Kernmac]

Origional quote from erin:
"The difference between the PRO750 and the PRO2500, and the PRO900 and PRO2900 is simply open backed or closed back.
This is no secret. Its a matter of personal preference in sound. The open back, sound more open and airy, whereas the closed back have comparatively more closed sound, but more SPL in the bass, giving a more punchy sound. Its just a matter of personal preference and nothing else. I wouldn't necessarily rate one above the other, just different." 
 
erin-Have you heard both the Pro900 and the Pro2900 or is your enlightening opinion based just on the geralisation of closed and open headphones? 
If it is just a generalisation, then do all DT770s sound the same?  DT770, DT770pro DT770M after all they are just closed back DT990 or DT880s aren't they?
I don't think your simple answer is necessarily very accurate or helpful. Does the pro2900 have a bigger sound stage than the Pro900?  How does the mid range compare? In what ways does the bass vary, Pro900 is simply more powerful/impactful?  Do they have the same perceived detail level? 
 
Would a closed Grado RS1 sound just like a Grado RS1 just with a comparatively more closed sound and less open and airy? Just personal preference, I think not.
 
Which Ultrasone headphones have you heard?

 

[majkel]

It looks like the iPod Touch Gen3 is a mismatch for the ED8. I tried them with the iRiver E10 and the DAP put into shame the iTube Fatman. More colorful and richer midrange, cleaner and nicer trebles, more holographic soundstage. The only thing the iTube did better was the bass control and slam in its lower notes - no surprise here. The iTube was connected to a notebook equipped with a professional USB DAC and lossless files.
 
Regarding the Pro 750, compared directly to the Edition 8 they sounded congested, closed-in, tonally incomplete and harsh. There is no comparison in any terms, also realism, no matter Ultrasone called them PRO.