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I have had the Ultrasone now since the end of last year as a sort of naughty temptation for another phone that I promise will be my last. I am not ready to complete this review just yet, but I will be comparing it directly to my other favourite mid-priced monitoring/DJ tool: the DT770 which I have had for the better part of only 2 years.
I do not hear really anything at all about these at Headfi and for probably good reason: they are DJ phones by one of the new names iin our community: Ultrasone. They were designed rather than with bass as the medium for musical transport, an accurate and pronounced treble for matching beats in an atypical way. You will see forthwith that I think this is lovely.
Before sound is really commented on however, I should mention the most important thing for a large pair of phones that will be on my head for bloody hours at a time: comfort.
It is all about Head-Size: Comfort
Firstly, I should preamble this by saying that I am not a salesperson. My friends charge me of negatively pumping down something that I like and especially dropping it if I love it.
These phones: I love.
I happen to be one of those who have a very slim head. It makes me look taller than my 185 cm and also catches only a little air in the strong Japan Sea winds. However, other than granting me the superhuman looks of Fitz and Philodox, I am merely no fit well for certain types of phones.
Unfortunately, the DJ1Pro is one of that number. They like AT phones drip down my head and without me adjusting them, continually move around far too much. They do not grip me vice-like however. Even considering the microscopic size of my head, the senn HD600 (which I also own) do hurt after not too much time at all.
My benchmark for comfort are:
Beyer DT880
AT AD series (but the lower model numbers such as 500 and 700 are too heavy and slide further and faster down my head than anything else).
Bose Triport AE (the ones we love to hate)
I also wear glasses. These are some of the worst phones for glasses wearers I have found. I have switched the pads to Proline 750 quick switch pads as the stock are far too oil and sweat prone and though they accomodate glasses a bit better they still leave far too much gap in between my face and the pads.
The velour is much more comfortable however. It is not sweaty at least now or the last 3 months in temperatures ranging from -24 to +20. I imagine in a summer of +30 they will be uncomfortable, but summer is not headphone season at all: it is bicycle season (though I have got a small headstart of 500k this season).
I daren't do any sot of comparison on the pseudo leather pads as I cannot fathom putthing them up against me' skin again. They were just terrible. A DJ who is pumping energy into beatmatching and mixing, phasing etc will sweat heaps already and with those pads, I can only imagine that they would be as uncomfortable as a bicycle without a saddle.
All of the above behind us, I can say that they are annoying phones to wear for me, but not uncomfortable. They are not squeezers or pinchers and do not drag my heair away with every removal. It is just that situating them takes about as much energy watching ricky gervais' Extras.
Cable
It comes with two cables: a long curly calbe thick and strong with rivetted but for screwing into the bass of the headphone. it is terminated with a 6.3mm phone plug. The next cable is essentially the same idea but it has an inline attenuator and even splits the channels for mono stereo and right/left separation. Quite handy if you are working on the decks.
However, I am doing nothing of the sort. I switched out the cable with the 80cm ultrasone one (too short but with a 75ohm resistor cable from headirect that i use typically for iems/canals it is long enough) that screws into place as well. All cables are microphonic and the stock typically overly so. The one I bought is not as bad but I think that the design of the cable: fat near the end and snug with the phone: prone to noise.
All stock cables were much too heavy for portable use and i would worry about damagin the inside of the portable for weight applied. for work: great, for play: rubbish.
Looks
Just as my mate said: they look fab. From the website, they did not have the same cool look of the newer hifi models but in the hand: these are the ultrasones that have a different look. That and on this board they are far from popular. Instant success with making mates or interested parties. On the cups, they have an interesting DJ Logo made of metal coated plastic that scratches easily but with every scratch looks more and more like a proper work-fit headphone. Love to the looks indeed.
Sound
Surprisingly: the story changes. I have been upset with the fit for my head. It is rubbish. Construction is okay but I would have expected more. Cable: nice for work: rubbish for play.
However, sitting down with them for more than 10 minutes, listening to music: in my case, trance - they are indeed quite possibly my enlightenment. Fast paced highs, lows and a mid that does not cloud anything. They keep distance and intimacy where each belongs and do not darken anything.
I have been a swear-by of the dt770 for a few years and indeed for just about everything except for the darkish sound, they remain one of my favourites. Certainly, you cannot compare construction between beyer and ultrasone (both german) as the story would go like this: volvo versus the yugo.
Bass
Perfect. It is less than many other closed phones I have heard but it is hard, fast and detailed. it vibrates low. perhaps lower than my dt770: I am unsure. I just know that I hear certain vibrations I do not hear with my dt770. It never slows down nor darkens anything up. As for quantity, i would explain it as a break between the dt880 and dt770.
The phones were not made to track via bass but rather treble from what I hear - an interesting idea that Ultrasone may have pioneered. I can imagine in large rooms, the bass no matter how thick would be hard to hear anyway, so they chose well.
I have not really listened to much outside of trance with these but have tried the likes of Depeche Mode, some Hearts of Space episodes and some popular music like James Blunt and The Cure and the band who have the album X and Y. These phones for me are not rockers or popers but then I do not like rock nor do I like pop unless at a party and am quite under the table anyway from many sorts of poisons.
The bass is perhaps too fast for these genre: it does not give warmth. It sounds somewhat hollow.
For trance: there is no comparison I have for it. I imagine the 750 would be very good but I only heard that phone with genre that I do not enjoy so cannot really say.
Treble
Non-sibilant. Fast and plentiful but nothing too much. It seems maybe that it does not extend as much as my beloved dt880 but I am unsure. It fits electronic and trance very well. Precise, wide and machined. Rock and pop? Sounds unnatural. But then again, I think those genre should not be evaluated by me at all as I have no idea how they should sound as they all sound unnatural to me.
The treble helps with the stage in this phone. They are bright enough to give speed to bass, treble and mids. They never blur but then the treble seems tuned toward electronic music. There is no sickening echoey sound that put me off the a700 or a900 from AT nor a plasticky sound that booms sometimes in the dt770 and my beloved atrio m5.
perfect.
Mids
This is often the bit of spectrum I care least about as I listen to music without vocals for the most part. I care less that a girl can lick my ear. If a girl sings, she had better just be a remixed voice and only saying things like "do you see all the colours?" otherwise, there are too many voices for me.
Well, some of my recently purchased albums: Armin Van Buuren's "Imagine" as well as the DJ remixed version. Also, of cource ASOT A state of trance 1-343 but mainly the latest 40 or so are on my constant playlist. I also bought Markus Schulz "Progression".
Of all those: not a single record is played poorly. Mids are there when they need to be: vocals are plentiful in Armin's new release and they sound positively gorgeous: I cannot believe I am saying this. They are softer than the mids in the dt770 if I can describe them this way and a little more forward but overall these phones are fast paced and treble, low bass oriented.
Stage
They are closed but have the typical ultrasone closed sound. You have to get used to it but once you are, it is an interesting experience. the sound is not as 3D as my DT770 but, it extends forward and behind my head (quite figuratively) much farther. Thus, the spacial sound that I think I am hearing is more like a pair of speakers. That is good and bad. i do not feel as much part of the crowd as I do when I am listening to the DT770 but at the same time, there is less boom and echo that would be typcial of them as well.
The show is in front of me and sometimes behind a bit. A very interesting presentation that is neither better nor worse than any other closed phone: just an ultrasone flavour. I like it very much. A very non-headphone presentation but still closed in. Strange paradox.
Separation
Excellent. No blurring of riffs, piano notes, drum beats anything. Fast paced, amped trebles and low bass give all spectrums weight and realism. Nothing to complain about.
Conclusion
Fit: Rubbish
Comfort: If you have small head: same as Fit: Rubbish as you will always be resituating them and having a hard time listening to the music. If you have a normal sized head or a large head I can imagine it to be very good. If tight, the headband expands and since it is plastic, can be stretched and warped to your delight.
Cable: For its intended use good: For anything else: unwieldly.
Sound: The heaven I have been looking for and never found in Closed phones. These are the trance phones of all time.
Until Next time:
Coming soon: Cable, Looks and How Low Fi can you go?
Photos:
I do not hear really anything at all about these at Headfi and for probably good reason: they are DJ phones by one of the new names iin our community: Ultrasone. They were designed rather than with bass as the medium for musical transport, an accurate and pronounced treble for matching beats in an atypical way. You will see forthwith that I think this is lovely.
Before sound is really commented on however, I should mention the most important thing for a large pair of phones that will be on my head for bloody hours at a time: comfort.
It is all about Head-Size: Comfort
Firstly, I should preamble this by saying that I am not a salesperson. My friends charge me of negatively pumping down something that I like and especially dropping it if I love it.
These phones: I love.
I happen to be one of those who have a very slim head. It makes me look taller than my 185 cm and also catches only a little air in the strong Japan Sea winds. However, other than granting me the superhuman looks of Fitz and Philodox, I am merely no fit well for certain types of phones.
Unfortunately, the DJ1Pro is one of that number. They like AT phones drip down my head and without me adjusting them, continually move around far too much. They do not grip me vice-like however. Even considering the microscopic size of my head, the senn HD600 (which I also own) do hurt after not too much time at all.
My benchmark for comfort are:
Beyer DT880
AT AD series (but the lower model numbers such as 500 and 700 are too heavy and slide further and faster down my head than anything else).
Bose Triport AE (the ones we love to hate)
I also wear glasses. These are some of the worst phones for glasses wearers I have found. I have switched the pads to Proline 750 quick switch pads as the stock are far too oil and sweat prone and though they accomodate glasses a bit better they still leave far too much gap in between my face and the pads.
The velour is much more comfortable however. It is not sweaty at least now or the last 3 months in temperatures ranging from -24 to +20. I imagine in a summer of +30 they will be uncomfortable, but summer is not headphone season at all: it is bicycle season (though I have got a small headstart of 500k this season).
I daren't do any sot of comparison on the pseudo leather pads as I cannot fathom putthing them up against me' skin again. They were just terrible. A DJ who is pumping energy into beatmatching and mixing, phasing etc will sweat heaps already and with those pads, I can only imagine that they would be as uncomfortable as a bicycle without a saddle.
All of the above behind us, I can say that they are annoying phones to wear for me, but not uncomfortable. They are not squeezers or pinchers and do not drag my heair away with every removal. It is just that situating them takes about as much energy watching ricky gervais' Extras.
Cable
It comes with two cables: a long curly calbe thick and strong with rivetted but for screwing into the bass of the headphone. it is terminated with a 6.3mm phone plug. The next cable is essentially the same idea but it has an inline attenuator and even splits the channels for mono stereo and right/left separation. Quite handy if you are working on the decks.
However, I am doing nothing of the sort. I switched out the cable with the 80cm ultrasone one (too short but with a 75ohm resistor cable from headirect that i use typically for iems/canals it is long enough) that screws into place as well. All cables are microphonic and the stock typically overly so. The one I bought is not as bad but I think that the design of the cable: fat near the end and snug with the phone: prone to noise.
All stock cables were much too heavy for portable use and i would worry about damagin the inside of the portable for weight applied. for work: great, for play: rubbish.
Looks
Just as my mate said: they look fab. From the website, they did not have the same cool look of the newer hifi models but in the hand: these are the ultrasones that have a different look. That and on this board they are far from popular. Instant success with making mates or interested parties. On the cups, they have an interesting DJ Logo made of metal coated plastic that scratches easily but with every scratch looks more and more like a proper work-fit headphone. Love to the looks indeed.
Sound
Surprisingly: the story changes. I have been upset with the fit for my head. It is rubbish. Construction is okay but I would have expected more. Cable: nice for work: rubbish for play.
However, sitting down with them for more than 10 minutes, listening to music: in my case, trance - they are indeed quite possibly my enlightenment. Fast paced highs, lows and a mid that does not cloud anything. They keep distance and intimacy where each belongs and do not darken anything.
I have been a swear-by of the dt770 for a few years and indeed for just about everything except for the darkish sound, they remain one of my favourites. Certainly, you cannot compare construction between beyer and ultrasone (both german) as the story would go like this: volvo versus the yugo.
Bass
Perfect. It is less than many other closed phones I have heard but it is hard, fast and detailed. it vibrates low. perhaps lower than my dt770: I am unsure. I just know that I hear certain vibrations I do not hear with my dt770. It never slows down nor darkens anything up. As for quantity, i would explain it as a break between the dt880 and dt770.
The phones were not made to track via bass but rather treble from what I hear - an interesting idea that Ultrasone may have pioneered. I can imagine in large rooms, the bass no matter how thick would be hard to hear anyway, so they chose well.
I have not really listened to much outside of trance with these but have tried the likes of Depeche Mode, some Hearts of Space episodes and some popular music like James Blunt and The Cure and the band who have the album X and Y. These phones for me are not rockers or popers but then I do not like rock nor do I like pop unless at a party and am quite under the table anyway from many sorts of poisons.
The bass is perhaps too fast for these genre: it does not give warmth. It sounds somewhat hollow.
For trance: there is no comparison I have for it. I imagine the 750 would be very good but I only heard that phone with genre that I do not enjoy so cannot really say.
Treble
Non-sibilant. Fast and plentiful but nothing too much. It seems maybe that it does not extend as much as my beloved dt880 but I am unsure. It fits electronic and trance very well. Precise, wide and machined. Rock and pop? Sounds unnatural. But then again, I think those genre should not be evaluated by me at all as I have no idea how they should sound as they all sound unnatural to me.
The treble helps with the stage in this phone. They are bright enough to give speed to bass, treble and mids. They never blur but then the treble seems tuned toward electronic music. There is no sickening echoey sound that put me off the a700 or a900 from AT nor a plasticky sound that booms sometimes in the dt770 and my beloved atrio m5.
perfect.
Mids
This is often the bit of spectrum I care least about as I listen to music without vocals for the most part. I care less that a girl can lick my ear. If a girl sings, she had better just be a remixed voice and only saying things like "do you see all the colours?" otherwise, there are too many voices for me.
Well, some of my recently purchased albums: Armin Van Buuren's "Imagine" as well as the DJ remixed version. Also, of cource ASOT A state of trance 1-343 but mainly the latest 40 or so are on my constant playlist. I also bought Markus Schulz "Progression".
Of all those: not a single record is played poorly. Mids are there when they need to be: vocals are plentiful in Armin's new release and they sound positively gorgeous: I cannot believe I am saying this. They are softer than the mids in the dt770 if I can describe them this way and a little more forward but overall these phones are fast paced and treble, low bass oriented.
Stage
They are closed but have the typical ultrasone closed sound. You have to get used to it but once you are, it is an interesting experience. the sound is not as 3D as my DT770 but, it extends forward and behind my head (quite figuratively) much farther. Thus, the spacial sound that I think I am hearing is more like a pair of speakers. That is good and bad. i do not feel as much part of the crowd as I do when I am listening to the DT770 but at the same time, there is less boom and echo that would be typcial of them as well.
The show is in front of me and sometimes behind a bit. A very interesting presentation that is neither better nor worse than any other closed phone: just an ultrasone flavour. I like it very much. A very non-headphone presentation but still closed in. Strange paradox.
Separation
Excellent. No blurring of riffs, piano notes, drum beats anything. Fast paced, amped trebles and low bass give all spectrums weight and realism. Nothing to complain about.
Conclusion
Fit: Rubbish
Comfort: If you have small head: same as Fit: Rubbish as you will always be resituating them and having a hard time listening to the music. If you have a normal sized head or a large head I can imagine it to be very good. If tight, the headband expands and since it is plastic, can be stretched and warped to your delight.
Cable: For its intended use good: For anything else: unwieldly.
Sound: The heaven I have been looking for and never found in Closed phones. These are the trance phones of all time.
Until Next time:
Coming soon: Cable, Looks and How Low Fi can you go?
Photos:
