To S. Andrea Sundaram,
I have had the pleasure of reading your detailed and well-argued headphone reviews, and I've come to look forward to future ones. It's not easy to find good and serious reviews on the Internet, let alone well-written and documented ones that rest on solid criteria. My greatest appreciation.
I recently bought a Violectric V100 headphone amplifier, and saved some extra to complement it with a pair of headphones. I currently own a pair of Grado 225i's, because their sensitivity and low impedance allowed me to use them with an iPod and they don't necessarily require dedicated amplification.
I would like to spend above $500, that is, a little above the price range of the usual suspects directly below that amount -- the AKG K 701s, the Sennheiser HD 650s, and the Beyerdynamic DT 880s -- yet less than the +$1000 flagships, like HiFiMAN HE-6es, Sennheiser HD 800s, Beyerdynamic Tesla T1s, Grado PS1000s, or Audeze LCD-2s. I have, however, not come across a group of just-as-clearly-declared best headphones in that intermediate price range. I have considered the HiFiMAN HE-500s and recently also the Ultrasone Pro 2900s. (As you probably noticed, my interest lies with full-sized open headphones.)
My premier candidates were the K 701s, but you have mentioned the Pro 2900s offer even more detail than the K 701s, along with very precise imaging and a wide soundstage rivaling that of the HD 800s, as well as very good bass extension and impact. All in all, they appear to do what any of the usual suspects under $500 can't achieve on their own, and what the otherwise well-balanced HE-500s don't fully accomplish.
More than a "hi-fi-er," I consider myself an audiophile; that is, even though I greatly value accuracy and detail, I primarily want to enjoy my music. So, even though I am inclined to the detail, wide soundstage, and accurate imaging of the K 701s, I still want to have some bass extension to feel the body of the music. I would also, nevertheless, avoid the more indulgent hedonistic extreme, such as the LCD-2s. (Ideally I would go for the Stax headphones you reviewed, but they clearly exceed my current budget, so maybe for the next step up.)
As you have come to portray the Pro 2900s in your reference to them along various reviews, they appear to me as though they would achieve everything the K 701s do greatly, and even better, as well as provide what the K 701s lack in bass extension, impact, and sheer body. Plus, they lie precisely in the very middle of the price range, which is my aim.
My question would thus be if I have understood your characterization of the Pro 2900s correctly, or if I may have taken some aspects out of context?
The only objective reference to the Pro 2900s I have been able to find, are the measurements made by Tyll Herstens from Innerfidelity.com, yet without a review or comment.
I hope you don't find my question and understanding of your reviews and comments to be an oversimplification and that you can point me in the right direction. Thanks again for some valuable, informative, and entertaining reading.
Greetings,
Camilo Rodriguez
Thank you for writing, and I appreciate the obvious care with which you've read my headphone reviews. I never did a full review of the Ultrasone Pro 2900s, because I had just reviewed the Edition 8 and Pro 900 when they were released. They do offer substantially greater bass weight, punch, and extension than other open-back models -- especially the K 701. The abundant detail is at the expense of some overall brightness, which could detract from your enjoyment of some music, if it is already mixed a little hot. The offset drivers that Ultrasone uses create an excellent soundstage when they work, but they don't seem to produce the same effect for everybody. (That may depend on how closely your head and ear shape match those of the generalized model they used to create the design -- mine apparently match well.) For that reason, they demand a personal audition.
The HiFiMAN HE-500s can't compete with the Pro 2900s for detail or soundstaging, but have a more neutral tonal balance with strong, but not overblown, bass. For general enjoyment -- rather than critical analysis -- they do quite well. You may also wish to consider the Beyerdynamic Tesla T 90s. I recently reviewed the closed-back T 70s, and found them to offer excellent detail and soundstaging with tight and tuneful bass -- though a bit of peakiness in the mid-treble. These are the models that I think best fit your criteria. Choosing among them is about priorities and preferences -- not absolutes. I hope this aids in your decision. . . . S. Andrea Sundaram
