Ultrasone edition 10 "THE BUTTERFLY" initial impressions

[warp08]

+ 2, thanks a lot, Sensei.  Like Skylab, I am also very excited now, especially due to the weight/comfort impressions next to the aural ones.   One of the reasons why I find my recabled Qualias in such high regard is that when you put them on, they seem to disappear just as you describe them.  I had not expected the Edition 10 to be able to do that, certainly the 8s I have tested did not offer that type of comfort.  Although they were light enough, that vice-like grip did not offer that level of comfort on my head.
 

 

[grokit]

Great review, I think it was what many of us have been waiting for, thanks Gu Sensei. These are beautiful but I already have a beautiful special-purpose headphone, the W5000. I am guessing that the lack of any mention of the midrange frequencies in your review says something about how assertive the actual midrange is on the Edition 10. So the 10s sound a little more u-shaped than the HD800, I get that but is the overall tone as cool?

 

[InnerSpace]

Quote:

Now...where are MY Edition 10's????

 
I asked the people who represent my business in Germany to check things out from their end.  There are currently no Ed10s available in stores or on-line in Germany, and an executive at Ultrasone's main office said there won't be any available there before the end of January 2011.  Reason given for the uneven supply was failure by subcontractors to deliver "ancillary and accessory parts" in a timely fashion.  I assume that means the stand and/or the box.  The executive wouldn't comment on whether there was an accumulation of units ready for shipping to the US, which I take as cautiously positive, because the executive wouldn't want to annoy what seemed like a domestic customer by saying yes to that question.
 
We shall see..
 

 

[oqvist]

Quote:

Wow, great comments Gu Sensei!  Thanks.  I'm a little concerned about the treble, based on your comments, but the treble on the Edition 8 has never bothered me, and I know some people feel the same way about that treble.  Treble peaks really effect different people differently, depending on what exact frequency range they are in.  I'm convinced that this is why I prefer the T1 to HD800, and why there are such differences of opinion there - I prefer the 10 KHz peak of the Beyer, versus the 6 KHz peak of the Senn.
 
In any case, very helpful post, thanks!!!!!
 
Now...where are MY Edition 10's????

Seems like the ED 10 is more in the Ultrasone Pro then Ultrasone ED 8 school?

 

[Skylab]

I wouldn't know - I don't have any of their Pro line.

 

[jamato8]

I have both the Ed. 9 and the Pro750 and to say there is some sort of real sound signature difference doesn't wash with me. The Ed. 9 is more refined than the 750 but not of a different world. 

 

[warp08]

Quote:

I asked the people who represent my business in Germany to check things out from their end.  There are currently no Ed10s available in stores or on-line in Germany, and an executive at Ultrasone's main office said there won't be any available there before the end of January 2011.  Reason given for the uneven supply was failure by subcontractors to deliver "ancillary and accessory parts" in a timely fashion.  I assume that means the stand and/or the box.  The executive wouldn't comment on whether there was an accumulation of units ready for shipping to the US, which I take as cautiously positive, because the executive wouldn't want to annoy what seemed like a domestic customer by saying yes to that question.
 
We shall see..
 

 
Yes, we shall, but I don't particularly like the alleged reason behind this launch, i.e., "the subcontractor screwed us."  If you as an executive use that line in an official capacity, what you're admitting is that "yeah, we don't really know how to do supply chain management for a signature product launch, so we shift the blame to some unnamed subcontractor to cover up our own shortcomings..."
 
Sorry for yet another Apple example, but even when they had to postpone the 2nd planned launch date of the mysterious Great White iPhone 4, I have never heard of anyone from Apple saying "yeah, Foxconn is too incompetent to manufacture the device covered in white glass that meets our quality standard.  They said WE ran into unexpected difficulties and we'll let you know when the device will be available.
 
I am hoping despite these difficulties, Ultrasone will still deliver a quality product and that they will use this opportunity to derive some "lessons learned" for Ed 11.
 

 

[haloxt]

Why can't it be true that their sheepskin supplier ran out of sheep?

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Guess I'm lucky, I was one of the first to get the 800's and mine hasn't worn off at all, and i use them a lot.

Neither has mine.

 

[SECT]

Has there been any indication that the Ed.10s could go into a cheaper (materials) mass produced model? Looks like a fair amount of development went into the Edition 10s, and to limit them to 2010 units is quite, well, limiting.

 

[daveDerek]

Greg, thanks for posting your impressions. could you please comment about how they sound with rock. also how do they compare to your new infatuant, the sony mdr-z1000? tia.

 

[oqvist]

Quote:

I wouldn't know - I don't have any of their Pro line.

Was supposed to quote Gu Sensei of course.
 

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

Sorry for yet another Apple example, but even when they had to postpone the 2nd planned launch date of the mysterious Great White iPhone 4, I have never heard of anyone from Apple saying "yeah, Foxconn is too incompetent to manufacture the device covered in white glass that meets our quality standard.  They said WE ran into unexpected difficulties and we'll let you know when the device will be available.
 

I think that's because apple doesn't want anyone to know that all their stuff is OEMed by the same people in Taiwan who OEM everything else.  Its not good for their image and image is what apple sells.

 

[warp08]

Quote:

Why can't it be true that their sheepskin supplier ran out of sheep?

LOL, good point.  I thought they could clone them now to ensure full consistency in the leather texture across the entire lineup of 2010 units.

 

[Currawong]

Gu Sensei: I wish I had time to drop by and try them before you end up selling them.