[hekeli]

Quote:

I was pushing a full 2 watts of bass-gained, bass centric music through these guys.

 
At quoted 115dB/mW sensitivity, that would make it >140dB. Does not sound right.

 

[AnakChan]

In comparing the Signature Pros vs the Signature DJ, there's something that keeps pulling me back to the Signature DJ. At least with the units I have (now that I do believe Ultrasone hasn't been consistent with their Signature Pro production), I feel the Signature DJ to be more spacious giving room for the instruments and vocals more room to breath - as such I'm able to hear more detail. The Signature Pro almost sounds congested.
 
What are your thoughts DF? The only exception so far in preferring the Pros to the DJs has been been with Classical. Otherwise I had listened to Jazz, 80's Rock, etc and I prefer the DJs over the Pros for those genre.
 

Edit: I've further updated my impressions of the Signature DJ to include my thoughts in comparison to the Signature Pro. 

 

[SoundFreaq]

Interesting, AnakChan. From memory I don't know if I agree. I'll give a listen tonight with your remarks in mind. However, I think that that S-Logic is stronger on the SDJ, and I wonder if that is contributing to what you're hearing? I do feel the SDJ might have a deeper and more 3-D presentation due to this. 

 

[AnakChan]

Quote:

Interesting, AnakChan. From memory I don't know if I agree. I'll give a listen tonight with your remarks in mind. However, I think that that S-Logic is stronger on the SDJ, and I wonder if that is contributing to what you're hearing? I do feel the SDJ might have a deeper and more 3-D presentation due to this. 

 
Interestingly I felt the same between the V-Moda M-80 vs the M-100. And I think it's more the increase in the drivers from 40mm to 50mm that made the music sound more spacious with a larger soundstage there. But the difference between the V-Modas and the Ultrasones is that the V-Moda M-100 did end up in a bigger cup whereas for Ultrasone it's 50mm in the same sized cup - just the S-Logic vent is larger.
 
In addition, although I picked the best of the 3xSigPros presented before me, I actually have no idea how much better other units of SigPros could sound. The distributor mentioned to me that these are handmade so I'd expect some slight differences but not as drastic as what I was hearing between the 3 units. If I have time I may bring this "best-of-the-3" SigPros and compare it to the ones in the shops again.

 

[pietcux]

Hi when you talk about sound differences of these three availble units, how big was tha difference? Was it that, two where kinda defective, or just different?

 

[AnakChan]

Quote:

Hi when you talk about sound differences of these three availble units, how big was tha difference? Was it that, two where kinda defective, or just different?

 
The distributor initially thought they handed me a defective model too. However I've listened to at least 10 different SigPros in the past 11 months. Unfortunately I didn't listen to them side-by-side but independently in shows and shops. For a good 6 months I couldn't decide why I couldn't decide and commit to buying a SigPro. Admittedly back in June I did try 3x different SigPros and those 3 did sound the same.
 
But 2-3 weeks ago when I got the loaner I did go to the shops and had bootsy1 with me and we heard a difference large enough to prefer one over the other. Last week at the distributor when they brought out 2 other models, although all 3 sounded different, 2 of them sounded closer to each other whilst the 3rd to be quite a bit off. As I told the distributor, I don't believe they're defective but just inconsistent manufacturing QC.
 
I've listened to 2xSigDJs side-by-side (and a further 2 more but independently) and hadn't heard a difference so far between them.
 
Edit: Some conversation about inconsistent sounds across different units of the same model (SigPro) :-
http://www.head-fi.org/t/570388/ultrasone-new-announced-headphone-signature-pro/1005#post_8476933

 

[SoundFreaq]

ok guys. I did some more comparisons. First, with the SP. I maintain that the SP is more refined than the SDJ. The mids sound more full and lifelike, and the high end is more natural sounding and spacious, DESPITE being less bright. It's hard to separate that out. The SDJ sounds more present, and possibly more detailed because it's brighter. But with vocals and cymbals, I prefer everything the SP does more. I think the bass is killer on both headphones. I think the SP is a tad tighter. For an all-round headphone I think the SP wins hands down for me. For electronic music, I can EQ the SDJ to be monsters. 
 
My go-to audio device for incredible monster bass is the Future Sonics MG6Pro. It is famed to be the most amazing bass, and it is. Without EQ, it devastates any headphone or earphone I've ever heard in the bass department without it even being a close contest. Granted, they are a $1K custom IEM. Not only do they supply devastating, eardrum-distorting bass, but I have NEVER been able to top them out with power. Even with their low impedance, I fed everything the Liquid Fire had, and they were still not distorting. It is freaking unbelievable. It reminds me of seeing John Digweed at Space in Miami during my WMC days. 
 
With extensive EQ, I can make the SDJ on par with the MG6Pro. In fact, I can EQ it to where I prefer it. The ONLY problem is that the SDJ tops out right before you reach that eardrum-wrecking bass, that if it were live, would literally be jarring your vision. The SDJ handles an incredible amount of power, more than any other over-ear I've heard, but just pulls short of the MG6 in terms of power handling. Not that I listen that loud, but I want my 10 seconds of reminiscing the old days every now and again for 10 seconds. And the SDJ just barely pulls short when I want to have that option. Other than that one short-coming, the SDJ is my favorite and best sounding bass can to date. It is growing on me. I'm just not sure I can justify it with the MG6Pro I already own, and it's not as solid of an all-rounder to me as the SP that I already own. The more I play with the SDJ the more I love them and it's going to be really hard to give them up. If I didn't have the MG6Pro, keeping these would be a NO-BRAINER. They blow the Pro 900 away like a joke. Easily the best bass can I've heard. Very impressive. 

 

[AnakChan]

SF, cheers for your comparisons. Makes me feel again if I have another dodgy SigPro unit. Alas, I'm not going to have time to hit the shops to compare my my loaner against the store demo.

With my loaner SigPros & SigDJ units, not only I felt the SigPro felt congested but so did my wife (she's my 2nd pair of ears). So clearly you & I are hearing (our respective units) differently & I'm inclined to think it's back to Ultrasone's QC.

Alternatively I wonder now if there's any discrepancies between our SigDJ units. So far I've not heard any with the SigDJ's I've tried but that's only 4 units (& only 2 side-by-side).

 

[SoundFreaq]

Thanks AnakChan.
 
Ok, so interesting things going on here. I hooked up to the same source, playing non-electronic music, with real recorded instruments to test what you're saying. There is no doubt about it, the SP sounds more open, spacious and lifelike. My wife also has great ears and I had her do an A/B without mentioning anything to her. This was her conclusion. Not that one had more bass, or that one was brighter. She said the SP "sounds more separated and natural, and just sounds better" and that the SDJ is "more like a wall of sound thrown at you." She also mentioned she thought the SP was more fun and engaging. 
 
I think either Ultrasone has some QC issues going on here, or the brightness of the SDJ may be throwing you off to thinking it sounds more open. Just a thought. 

 

[gelocks]

Quote:

 
I think either Ultrasone has some QC issues going on here, or the brightness of the SDJ may be throwing you off to thinking it sounds more open. Just a thought. 

 
Could be... brightness plays with one ears like that...

 

[AnakChan]

I think either Ultrasone has some QC issues going on here, or the brightness of the SDJ may be throwing you off to thinking it sounds more open. Just a thought. 

Nah I don't think it's the treble. I already wrote in my impressions in comparison to the SigPro that I felt the trebles are actually on par. Only the more recessed mids made it appear trebles more forward than the Pro but it wasn't (to my ears).

My wife feels the same as I do about the units I have & she has excellent ears too being 10 yrs younger than me .

I think I'm gonna sneak out to the shops today to do a comparison again but these loaners have to go back to the distributor soon.

 

[SoundFreaq]

Can't wait to hear your feedback. 
 
Despite the mids being more recessed on SDJ, there is no doubt that MY pair of SDJ is brighter. 
 
Sounds like Ultrasone has some serious QC issues still going on. You have shown even within the SP line, all three that you tried sounded different. And it seems the SDJ's might be different too. Now I realize that they are handmade, but there just should not be that much variation. It seems like a crapshoot on what kind of sound you'll get. 

 

[AnakChan]

Today I did pop by the shops but probably spent only 20 mins listening SigPro vs SigPro, SigDJ vs SigDJ. So this time loaner SigPro sounded very similar to store SigPro (finally!!). Whether there's a "better" SigPro, I can't say as they only had 1xdemo on the shelf (but had few other 2nd hand which I didn't try - kinda felt embarrassed to ask them to pull those out when I had no intention of buying).
 
The loaner SigDJ on the other hand sounded the same as the demo SigDJ. I don't have access to more SigDJs for the moment as such I daren't make a call if there are SigDJ differences yet but that thought is at the back of my mind.
 
There's a post floating around somewhere on Head-Fi that was talking about the difference in SQ for the Edition 8's too. Can't seem to find that post now.
[Edit: Doh! It was in this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/623238/ultrasone-signature-dj/240#post_8832381]
 
But your thoughts of your SigPro unit has just clicked this drive to find "the best sounding SigPro" 

.
 
P.S. after I told the distributor that I heard differences in the SigPro, they did pull out a few and said that they heard differences with what they had.

 

[Craigster75]

Quote:

Can't wait to hear your feedback. 
 
Despite the mids being more recessed on SDJ, there is no doubt that MY pair of SDJ is brighter. 
 
Sounds like Ultrasone has some serious QC issues still going on. You have shown even within the SP line, all three that you tried sounded different. And it seems the SDJ's might be different too. Now I realize that they are handmade, but there just should not be that much variation. It seems like a crapshoot on what kind of sound you'll get. 

 
Quote:

Today I did pop by the shops but probably spent only 20 mins listening SigPro vs SigPro, SigDJ vs SigDJ. So this time loaner SigPro sounded very similar to store SigPro (finally!!). Whether there's a "better" SigPro, I can't say as they only had 1xdemo on the shelf (but had few other 2nd hand which I didn't try - kinda felt embarrassed to ask them to pull those out when I had no intention of buying).
 
The loaner SigDJ on the other hand sounded the same as the demo SigDJ. I don't have access to more SigDJs for the moment as such I daren't make a call if there are SigDJ differences yet but that thought is at the back of my mind.
 
There's a post floating around somewhere on Head-Fi that was talking about the difference in SQ for the Edition 8's too. Can't seem to find that post now.
[Edit: Doh! It was in this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/623238/ultrasone-signature-dj/240#post_8832381]
 
But your thoughts of your SigPro unit has just clicked this drive to find "the best sounding SigPro" 

.
 
P.S. after I told the distributor that I heard differences in the SigPro, they did pull out a few and said that they heard differences with what they had.

As much as I want to, I am unable to justify an Ultrasone purchase with the inconsistency in their products combined with an unfriendly return policy and a history of non-existent customer service.  I think I will wait to hear more about the Fostex TH600.

 

[Roller]

The odd part is that such inconsistencies seem to be occuring with these latest products, as older models rarely suffer from that (excluding the Edition 8 case AnakChan linked).