[gsferrari]

[size=medium]

ULTRASONE HFI-650 TRACKMASTER
[/size]
mini review by gsferrari : my opinions : provided on an as-is basis : take it or leave it



[size=small]Do you like watching DVD's?

* Do you like BASS heavy music?

* Do you like Rap and Hip-Hop?

* Do you like computer games?

* Do you live in a noisy dorm?

* Do you have a sonically oversensitive roommate?

* Are you limited by a $200 budget?

* Are you looking for a nice headphone that does almost everything right and very little wrong?[/size]


[size=small]
If you answered YES to at least 75% of the above questions then you should take a good hard look at the Ultrasone HFI-650 trackmaster. I picked this headphone up on an impulse from Sam Ash and so far I am very impressed with it.[/size] You can also whop your roommate over the head...one for HeadFi

Related review : http://www.exhardware.com/reviews.php?Id=116


[size=small]WHERE TO BUY[/size]

http://home.t-online.de/home/meier-audio/
http://home.t-online.de/home/meier-audio/headphones.htm

Price is approximately $180.00 (usd)



[size=small]BASS[/size]

Holy low frequencies batman!!

This thing can literally blow away your eardrums if you are not careful with the Bass EQ!!

There is plenty of deeeeeeep solid bass that will potentially drive your 15" Velodyne subwoofer into redundancy. This is one of the most bassy headphones I have heard.

I used a tricked out MPX3 and Rudistor RP5 with this headphone and it sounds clean. The bass is not one tone and has decent articulation. NOTE however that it can be quite overpowering if the recording is crap or just bass skewed.

I am going out on a limb saying this but : This is possibly the best bass I have ever heard in a headphone and I have heard a LOT of them.

[size=small]MIDRANGE AND TREBLE[/size]

Although the bass is what hits you initially, the midrange and treble are also rendered well...just a little more forward compared to the Sennheisers and a little recessed compared to the Grados. I have barely used the headphones for 20 hours and things could change but I dont want them to

For those of you who have heard the Sennheiser HD-580/600/650 this headphone will make a fantastic initial impression because of its ability to work the bass into the midrange and treble. The bass appears right where it should - behind the other sounds...so it rarely becomes opressive.

I think the presentation is perfect for my targeted applications (gaming and music off the computer with mp3's/FLAC via Foobar2K. I am digging these headphones.



[size=small]DETAIL AND SOUNDSTAGE[/size]

This is where the sub $200.00 headphones are identifiable from their more expensive siblings. The detail is a bit smudged making for a narrow image but this is in no way offensive. If you want to ROCK HARD then these headphones will play along like no other. They have about the same soundstage as the Grado SR-225 with a little less detail and resolution.

For example - it is hard to separate vocals from the bass and rhythm guitars...you have to try hard. But it is musically impressive...analytically disappointing

[size=small]OVERALL IMPRESSIONS[/size]

Solid build quality. Convenient folding package. Pads are comfortable but could have been larger. Depth of the earcup is insufficient if you have a large outer ear (pinnae) as the driver foam can chafe. Not a BIG problem but it depends...
They are impressive and versatile with or without an amplifier. Better with an amplifier because the bass really clears up and kicks up some serious dB. They are on my head right now...I think I can live with them as part of my mobile gaming and entertainment center.

JUST GIVE IT A SHOT AND YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY I HARP ABOUT ITS BASS PERFORMANCE

[size=small]CONCLUSIONS[/size]

I would give these headphones a 6.5/10
I would keep these headphones as a long term solution to my targeted applications
I would recommend these headphones over the Grado SR-60 / Sennheiser HD-595 / Beyerdynamic DT-440.

REFERENCE RATINGS

Sony R10 = 10/10
Senn HD-650 = 9/10
Grado PS-1 = 7/10
Grado SR-225 = 6.5/10


Hope this helps

 

[ReDVsion]

Nice review, certainly an interesting format, although it looks initially like you're trying to sell the 'phones, not review them...

They really are incredible in the low-end, aren't they? Sometimes I think they have too much bass, though, particularly when I use them amped.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Of course problem #1 in my book with Ultrasones is that they share the infamous Senn280 headband which is prone to cracking and falling apart with no notice. The Senn HD25 definitely beats the Ultrasones in portability. Their lone redeeming factor is that bass that you mention, which is quite good, but I wouldn't say the best bass of any cans.

 

[bangraman]

The low-end is very impressive, especially comparatively speaking out of portable gear. Clarity's excellent too. Soundstaging is weird, but extremely effective for those who need 3D positioning.


They have a few physical issues for sure. The HD25-1 is a better phone for semi-portable and fully portable use too... but apart from the fit and the folded size (which were the deal breakers for me), I liked the Ultrasones. The headband cracking problem is a design oversight, but provided you look after your phones it will not result in a structural issue.

 

[Taurui]

Could you comment on unamped sound since they're rumoured to sound good unamped, too?

 

[ReDVsion]

Oh, I just realized something... the headphones you reviewed are NOT the trackmasters. UltrasoneUSA no longer distributes the trackmaster, and what is the DVD-Edition/HFI-700 in europe is sold as just the HFI-650 in the states. The trackmasters are not supposed to have near as much bass as the DVD-Edition.

Taurui: unamped the Ultrasones sound very, VERY similar, except with a bit less detail and a bit less bass, the latter I find to be a good thing.

 

[bioxeed]

I was going "What" there for most of that. I have a pair of trackmasters and they really dont have that much bass at all. I use them solely for critical listening (the clarity from them is quite good) as I dont find them enjoyable to listen to most of the time.

 

[amol]

edited--Post not appreciated by the author...sincere apologies

 

[skitlets]

i actually thought he reviewed in such a manner to imitate an ad for a humorous effect.

 

[Permonic]

Sorry to gsferrari, but the beginning of the original post reminds mortgage spams I receive to my mailbox everyday...

Otherwise it's an interesting review.

 

[kunwar]

People who find that the Ultrasone headband is an issue for them might want to wait as I have heard from someone on these forums that Ultrasone is coming out with their second generation of headphones sometime in the coming months.
Don't ask me who cos' I can't tell.
oly that they are a much better headphone then the first generation and radically different from any other headphones design.
The 1st gen obviously borrowed from other designs.
The 2nd gen is entirely an inyhouse design by Ultrasone.
Going by what they have managed with the 1st gen, it should be impressive.
Regards
Kunwar

 

[ReDVsion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Permonic Sorry to gsferrari, but the beginning of the original post reminds mortgage spams I receive to my mailbox everyday... Otherwise it's an interesting review.

I was wondering why it rubbed me a bit the wrong way...

 

[bong]

yeah... the review kinda looks like gsferrari was trying to sell the HFI-650.

also, i wasn't aware that Sam Ash were selling Ultrasones.

anyway, i have the HFI-650 Trackmasters. the bass is very nice, if a bit on the boomy side, but still controlled. the problem for me is the sometimes too sharp treble, which adds to listening fatigue. with bad or bright recordings, the music sounds a bit sibilant, but with mellower recordings, the music sounds very nice indeed. the soundstage is better than a few other closed headphones i've tried.

i don't think they are really worth the asking price. if it's a bit lower, like $150, then that's a great pair of phones.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kunwar People who find that the Ultrasone headband is an issue for them might want to wait as I have heard from someone on these forums that Ultrasone is coming out with their second generation of headphones sometime in the coming months. Don't ask me who cos' I can't tell.

Hehe, I've got a pretty good guess who it is though

 

[mattigol]

Hmm,

I had different issues with the Ultrasones. As my first serious pair of cans, it took me a while to discover, but I have to concur with a few others who mentioned the sibiliant, fatigueing high end to be their biggest letdown. Soon after the Ultrasones I bought a Mint which I thought helped to tame the highs somewhat, but in the end I still found them fatigueing.

OTOH, I think they have impressive analytical qualities, a tight bass and great soundstage. My Beyer DT-531 are a lot more balanced across the spectrum, but in certain areas, the 650´s can hold their own easily vs. the Beyers.

Wonder whether your highend amping gear changed the Ultrasone´s signature in such a big way?

Cheers

Matthias