To S. Andrea Sundaram,
Huge fan of your reviews, thanks for what you do. I am on the fence between the NAD Viso HP50 and the Focal Spirit Classic headphones, and wanted to see if you thought the Focals are worth the additional $150. That is the current price difference between the two. I really want the Focals due to the bass response and clarity you refer to in your review, and I'm a little concerned the NAD's bass is not dynamic enough. I may be overthinking this but any insight you can provide is greatly appreciated. The Bowers & Wilkins P7 headphones have been eliminated from my list due to their slightly exaggerated bass and treble.
Thanks,
Nick
United States
That’s a tough question, because these are both great headphones. My SoundStage! colleague Hans Wetzel is a big fan of the HP50s, and Hans definitely likes bass. I found the difference in dynamism most apparent on acoustic recordings -- big orchestral bass drums or kick drums in minimally processed jazz. It’s not that the NADs are lacking, but that the Focals are just a little better. The same goes for the clarity and detail I described. Whether those differences are worth $150 is really a matter between you and your pocketbook. The other thing to consider is that, depending on the size of your ears, one headphone may be more comfortable than the other -- the NADs’ earcups are significantly larger. If at all possible, you should try to hear both -- whether you buy them both and return one, or take advantage of something like the Headphone Lending Library at The Cable Company. That’s probably not the decisive answer you were hoping for, but I hope it still helps. And thanks for the words of encouragement. . . . S. Andrea Sundaram
