gsferrari
Member of the Trade: Veda Audio Contributor
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2003
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[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
[/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