[Dobrescu George]

  I'm sure the 840 is more balanced. Pro 900 is just a beast..

this made me interested in pro900. Sad that it doesn't have the soundstage of dj one pro...

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

From measurements they both have about the same bass quantity but the 840 is less V-shaped (better balanced mids/highs. 840 not quite as bright highs nor recessed in mids). The peak they have in highs on 840 is much narrower versus the 900.

 

[MCFlyx]

  Better in what way?

 
Okay
 
- he wrote the Performance 840 is by far the most pleasant, softest and most comfortable headphone by ultrasone
- he owned or tried the Hfi-580, HfI-2400, DJ1, DJ1Pro, Pro450, Pro550, Pro750, Pro900, Pro2900, EDITION8, SIGNATURE PRO
- his sound impressions: the Performance 840 surpasses all the other Ultrasone cans. Compared to many of the other headphones the 840 has crystal clear and non shrill
  treble plus much more and better bass. Even more bass than the PRO900.
- he claims that the 840 Sound is superior in terms of space, treble and even bass to his previous reference Beyerdynamic DT990Pro
- what impresses him most is that the 840 absolutely does not sound like a closed headphone but as an open, absolutely transparent and spatially in the sound.
 
Hope that helps

 

[Dobrescu George]

   
Okay
 
- he wrote the Performance 840 is by far the most pleasant, softest and most comfortable headphone by ultrasone
- he owned or tried the Hfi-580, HfI-2400, DJ1, DJ1Pro, Pro450, Pro550, Pro750, Pro900, Pro2900, EDITION8, SIGNATURE PRO
- his sound impressions: the Performance 840 surpasses all the other Ultrasone cans. Compared to many of the other headphones the 840 has crystal clear and non shrill
  treble plus much more and better bass. Even more bass than the PRO900.
- he claims that the 840 Sound is superior in terms of space, treble and even bass to his previous reference Beyerdynamic DT990Pro
- what impresses him most is that the 840 absolutely does not sound like a closed headphone but as an open, absolutely transparent and spatially in the sound.
 
Hope that helps

nothing about comparing the 840 to other in pto series, like 880?..

 

[Levaix]

  this made me interested in pro900. Sad that it doesn't have the soundstage of dj one pro...

Have you tried both side by side? I actually thought the soundstage of the Pro 900 was wider than the HFI-700 and even (arguably) Sig Pro.
 

   
Okay
 
- he wrote the Performance 840 is by far the most pleasant, softest and most comfortable headphone by ultrasone
- he owned or tried the Hfi-580, HfI-2400, DJ1, DJ1Pro, Pro450, Pro550, Pro750, Pro900, Pro2900, EDITION8, SIGNATURE PRO
- his sound impressions: the Performance 840 surpasses all the other Ultrasone cans. Compared to many of the other headphones the 840 has crystal clear and non shrill
  treble plus much more and better bass. Even more bass than the PRO900.
- he claims that the 840 Sound is superior in terms of space, treble and even bass to his previous reference Beyerdynamic DT990Pro
- what impresses him most is that the 840 absolutely does not sound like a closed headphone but as an open, absolutely transparent and spatially in the sound.
 
Hope that helps

I wonder if he owned Sig Pros or just heard them at a shop or meet. Either way these new models are obviously doing something right to get this much praise.

 

[Dobrescu George]

  Have you tried both side by side? I actually thought the soundstage of the Pro 900 was wider than the HFI-700 and even (arguably) Sig Pro.
 
I wonder if he owned Sig Pros or just heard them at a shop or meet. Either way these new models are obviously doing something right to get this much praise.

all i had the chance top try was everything below dj one pro from the price point of view... the shop was like "they are expensive, people already know them".... i was like "i just want to try them, to know if i can buy, i have more than enough money"....
 
in the finals, i written an email to the owner of the shop, and he agreed to meet with me some day, to let me demo all ultrasones that are in there, but i would have to have the money for the most expensive thing in cash with me...  i was kind of insulted, but it was fine, after all...
 
now back to what we were discussing: if pro900 is better than sig pro,
and my dj one pro are similar to sig dj
 
and sig dj is better than sj pro...
 
i would betteer try to go with sig dj.... right?...

 

[Levaix]

 
now back to what we were discussing: if pro900 is better than sig pro,
and my dj one pro are similar to sig dj
 
and sig dj is better than sj pro...
 
i would betteer try to go with sig dj.... right?...

lol I think that might be overthinking it.

Pro 900s are bass monsters, but that's really their main draw. Soundstage is nice and wide because of the sound signature and larger ear cups and drivers. They don't really isolate well compared to other Ultrasones.

Performance series seem to be overall upgrades to the HFI series, with better SQ, soundstage, fit, aesthetics, and benefits like detachable cables. It also sounds like soundstage is the best of any Ultrasone yet. I understand RMC Audio is quoting these at pretty phenomenal prices (maybe even better than their regular Ultrasone deals). If I didn't have Sig Pros, I'd be looking into the 880.

Sig Pros are very neutral and sound great. For a while I felt that they sounded congested, but getting a better source and amp resolved these problems entirely! They still have an intimate soundstage, but separation is excellent, width is decent, and sounds often feel like they're coming outside of the earcups. I'm constantly surprised at how much source matters with this model, because it still sounds fairly good straight from a smartphone. Out of my old setup, Fostex TH900s kicked Sig Pros butt; out of a GS-X and high quality DAC, the quality gap turned into more of a matter of preferences. After that experience, I'm fairly convinced most of the "congested" feedback about Sig Pros has to do with source.

Sig DJs (which I have still not heard) are like Sig Pros that have been injected with just a touch of Pro 900 DNA. Same design and build quality, but add some deep bass (not to say Sig Pros are necessarily lacking) and a little soundstage width in exchange for neutral refinement.

I haven't tried any of the Editions yet. It seems like Ultrasone is going for one-percenters with this line. I'm sure the Edition 5 sounds awesome, lol.

 

[412519]

I have the 860, 880 and NAD VISO HP50 at home for testing. I am not an experienced headphone user at all but I am currently searching for a new portable headphone that folds flat and isolates well, because I don't like my ATH M50 anymore and can't listen to them for longer than 40-60 minutes because of comfort and the fatiguing sound. I also own the DT 880 for about two years.
 
I set some hope into the 860 because I would prefer a more neutral and open sounding headphone than the M50 is... The Sig Pro (I tested two weeks ago) was just an awesome listening experience for me because of the wide soundstage and the neutral sound - I liked it more than the T5p. But unfortunately it doesn't fit my head, the earcups won't close and the bass is lost... Same for sig dj.
 
Take the following with caution because I am not a very experienced listener or talking a lot about my listening experience (and also not a native speaker as you might have noted already).
 
The 860 has a lot less bass than the 880 or Sig Pro but more than beyer DT 880. For what I am looking for it's close to perfect - maybe just a little to less. It has a strong seperation and clear, maybe analytical, mids and highs. For classical or even electronic music I like it a lot and I don't miss the pronounced bass of the M50. I just don't like the sound of voices. Compared to the 880 or HP50 voices just feel wrong, metallic, cold. Ray Charles in Geoirga On My Mind or Robert Cray in Hold On sounds completely separated from the rest of the track and not like a real human being singing. That feels a lot better on the other two headphones. Even with the DT 880 (that does not have the warmth of the HP50 or Performance 880) I don't experience these strange voices. 
 
From what I remember from the Sig Pro, the 880 has just a little bit more bass and sounds a bit warmer overall (not sure). Vs the HP50 the 880 has just a little less bass and warmth (better in my opinion) and is more precise. The seperation seems more pronounced and soundstage a bit wider than HP50. The seperation of the voices in the 880 goes in the direction of the 860 but without the 860, I guess, I would not have taken note of this effect in the 880. Soundwise the 880 is more on the side of the HP50 than on that of the 860. The HP50 in turn has a more integrated, warm sound then the 880 but also is not that precise, wide and clear in my opinion.
 
For comfort I like the Performance series a lot. The earcups are wider than on the HP50 but less deep. The only problem for me is, that my outermost ear touches the inner of the earcup, because it is not deep enough. I can feel it but not so bad that I want to take them off... Haven't tried the other earpads yet that were shipped with 880.
 
Overall I dislike the 860 just because of my impression of the voices. The HP50 sounds to warm. And both, the HP50 and 880, have a more pronounced bass and maybe more pronounced low mids than I actually would like.
 
Maybe I go with the 880. Don't know yet and would be happy for alternative suggestions.

 

[ForceMajeure]

  I have the 860, 880 and NAD VISO HP50 at home for testing. I am not an experienced headphone user at all but I am currently searching for a new portable headphone that folds flat and isolates well, because I don't like my ATH M50 anymore and can't listen to them for longer than 40-60 minutes because of comfort and the fatiguing sound. I also own the DT 880 for about two years.
 
I set some hope into the 860 because I would prefer a more neutral and open sounding headphone than the M50 is... The Sig Pro (I tested two weeks ago) was just an awesome listening experience for me because of the wide soundstage and the neutral sound - I liked it more than the T5p. But unfortunately it doesn't fit my head, the earcups won't close and the bass is lost... Same for sig dj.
 
Take the following with caution because I am not a very experienced listener or talking a lot about my listening experience (and also not a native speaker as you might have noted already).
 
The 860 has a lot less bass than the 880 or Sig Pro but more than beyer DT 880. For what I am looking for it's close to perfect - maybe just a little to less. It has a strong seperation and clear, maybe analytical, mids and highs. For classical or even electronic music I like it a lot and I don't miss the pronounced bass of the M50. I just don't like the sound of voices. Compared to the 880 or HP50 voices just feel wrong, metallic, cold. Ray Charles in Geoirga On My Mind or Robert Cray in Hold On sounds completely separated from the rest of the track and not like a real human being singing. That feels a lot better on the other two headphones. Even with the DT 880 (that does not have the warmth of the HP50 or Performance 880) I don't experience these strange voices. 
 
From what I remember from the Sig Pro, the 880 has just a little bit more bass and sounds a bit warmer overall (not sure). Vs the HP50 the 880 has just a little less bass and warmth (better in my opinion) and is more precise. The seperation seems more pronounced and soundstage a bit wider than HP50. The seperation of the voices in the 880 goes in the direction of the 860 but without the 860, I guess, I would not have taken note of this effect in the 880. Soundwise the 880 is more on the side of the HP50 than on that of the 860. The HP50 in turn has a more integrated, warm sound then the 880 but also is not that precise, wide and clear in my opinion.
 
For comfort I like the Performance series a lot. The earcups are wider than on the HP50 but less deep. The only problem for me is, that my outermost ear touches the inner of the earcup, because it is not deep enough. I can feel it but not so bad that I want to take them off... Haven't tried the other earpads yet that were shipped with 880.
 
Overall I dislike the 860 just because of my impression of the voices. The HP50 sounds to warm. And both, the HP50 and 880, have a more pronounced bass and maybe more pronounced low mids than I actually would like.
 
Maybe I go with the 880. Don't know yet and would be happy for alternative suggestions.

 
Thanks for your impressions and welcome to Headfi.
About the voice sounding separated in the Robert Cray song, you should know that I experience the same "separated effect" with various gear that I have, this is how the song was recorded and mixed.
Because the headphone have better details retrial abilities you were able to detect those subtle differences in sounds.

 

[sonorsnoopy]

TH900 vs Yamaha MT220 vs Ultrasone 880
 
differences in PRAT, richness, timbre & speed?

 

[Sorrodje]

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I have the 860, 880 and NAD VISO HP50 at home for testing. I am not an experienced headphone user at all but I am currently searching for a new portable headphone that folds flat and isolates well, because I don't like my ATH M50 anymore and can't listen to them for longer than 40-60 minutes because of comfort and the fatiguing sound. I also own the DT 880 for about two years.
 
I set some hope into the 860 because I would prefer a more neutral and open sounding headphone than the M50 is... The Sig Pro (I tested two weeks ago) was just an awesome listening experience for me because of the wide soundstage and the neutral sound - I liked it more than the T5p. But unfortunately it doesn't fit my head, the earcups won't close and the bass is lost... Same for sig dj.
 
Take the following with caution because I am not a very experienced listener or talking a lot about my listening experience (and also not a native speaker as you might have noted already).
 
The 860 has a lot less bass than the 880 or Sig Pro but more than beyer DT 880. For what I am looking for it's close to perfect - maybe just a little to less. It has a strong seperation and clear, maybe analytical, mids and highs. For classical or even electronic music I like it a lot and I don't miss the pronounced bass of the M50. I just don't like the sound of voices. Compared to the 880 or HP50 voices just feel wrong, metallic, cold. Ray Charles in Geoirga On My Mind or Robert Cray in Hold On sounds completely separated from the rest of the track and not like a real human being singing. That feels a lot better on the other two headphones. Even with the DT 880 (that does not have the warmth of the HP50 or Performance 880) I don't experience these strange voices. 
 
From what I remember from the Sig Pro, the 880 has just a little bit more bass and sounds a bit warmer overall (not sure). Vs the HP50 the 880 has just a little less bass and warmth (better in my opinion) and is more precise. The seperation seems more pronounced and soundstage a bit wider than HP50. The seperation of the voices in the 880 goes in the direction of the 860 but without the 860, I guess, I would not have taken note of this effect in the 880. Soundwise the 880 is more on the side of the HP50 than on that of the 860. The HP50 in turn has a more integrated, warm sound then the 880 but also is not that precise, wide and clear in my opinion.
 
For comfort I like the Performance series a lot. The earcups are wider than on the HP50 but less deep. The only problem for me is, that my outermost ear touches the inner of the earcup, because it is not deep enough. I can feel it but not so bad that I want to take them off... Haven't tried the other earpads yet that were shipped with 880.
 
Overall I dislike the 860 just because of my impression of the voices. The HP50 sounds to warm. And both, the HP50 and 880, have a more pronounced bass and maybe more pronounced low mids than I actually would like.
 
Maybe I go with the 880. Don't know yet and would be happy for alternative suggestions.

 

 
That matches my own impressions.  Unfortnately for me: I dislike the 880 bass ( boomy , overwhelming mid bass) and the 860 treble (Harsh/metallic) .the 860 has still a mid bass boost but it doesn't overwhelm mids. Then 860 mids are cleaner. But 860 high are noticeably harsher than 880.  880's treble is OK for me but I'm not too sensitive to Ultrasone treble . I know people who disliked the 880 more because of the treble than the bass.

 

[ph58]

I sold my Ultrasone 880 because of the sibilance

 

[Dobrescu George]

  I sold my Ultrasone 880 because of the sibilance

what were you using as a source?
 
my dj one pro, for example are very HOT sibillant from some sources, and very tamed from other sources!

 

[ph58]

all my Dap FIIO X+ E12 , DX90 ,  Hifiman HM950+Minibox Card , Hifiman HM901+Discete Card . The Performance 880 is sibilant with all these Dap

 

[ph58]

My last Edition8 is very siblilant too , sold it for the same reason