Audio SHP9500 HiFi Precision Stereo Over-Ear Headphones (Black)

I bought these headphones for critical listening of classical music. I know these aren't really high end phones in terms of price, however I will compare them to phones I've had in the past, the Sony MDR-V900, gold standard for mid-priced closed back phones, and the Sennheiser 600HD which is the gold standard for open back phones (both these phones retail / retailed in the $200-300 price range so bear that in mind). First of all, the SHP9500's are big phones, nothing small about them. They are fairly comfortable to wear, they fit around your ears, not on top of them. My first obvious note of displeasure is my right ear actually rubs on the speaker surface, but my left ear does not. Is my right ear bigger than my left ear? Your ears will be very, very close to the drivers on these phones, which is a little odd to say the least. Comfort wise, these phones are slightly more comfortable than the Sony and Sennheiser gold standard head phones. They have a weak clamp force and are light, so that makes them comfortable. The quality of the cup padding is below the other two headphones, however they are "okay". Build quality, below the two other headphones, but will probably last you 10 to 20 years, so whatever. Sound wise, the Sony closed back phones sound more "musical" to me, everything is in the right proportion. The SH9500 brings out the fine details better, and separates instruments better (aka "sound stage"). I could get used to the SHP9500's however they won't be in the class of the Sony's, even though the Sony's don't have as precise a sound as the SHP9500's. Comparing the SHP9500's to the Sennheiser 600 HD's is most instructive. The Sennheiser 600 HD is known as a "reference" headphone, its response is flat, flat, flat, ie you will hear music exactly as intended with no coloring, no extra emphasis of the low, mids or high tones. The SHP9500 is not flat. It emphasizes the bass more (surprisingly), sounds warmer, while the very highest registers could feel a little "screechy" (rarely) because they are emphasized. If you are looking for an absolutely analytical headphone (hear everything as intended headphone) the Sennheiser is for you. If you are looking to get a step up in sound quality to audiophile level, get the SHP9500 at a fraction of the price. Other than that, the SHP9500's run a little warmer temperature wise on the ear then my Sony closed back phone, which is a little surprising, maybe because the Sony's don't seal around my head as well. So, if you are looking for an audiophile experience on a budget, these phones are for you. You'll get precision, sound stage, its all there for you. If you are expecting the gold standard experience, the SHP9500 are not gold standard. It isn't as flat and analytical as the Sennheiser 600 HD or as "musical" as the Sony MDR-V900's (oldie but goody!) But what the SHP9500 is, is a very very good headphone for the price! UPDATE: Had these headphones a couple of days. Now my "brain" has gotten used to them, they are awesome, for the price, they are the best deal I've ever gotten in electronics / music gear. My ears aren't rubbing the speaker surface any more as maybe I just needed to adjust them. Update: Had these phones for over a year. They are still awesome. Definitely they are a scream of a deal for the money. I use them for my new Mac Mini M4, as no external speakers can compete with these.

I'll start this review by saying I'm no audiophile, but I do like my music with at least a decent sound quality. Having owned closed back headphones like the Audio-Technica M50x, AKG Y50, Sennheiser HD439, and the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 before, as well as having very fond memories of the Philips brand with their CitiScape Downtowns, I wanted to have a first experience with an open back headphone. The online user reviews on the SHP9500 I had encountered online were pretty divisive. Clear sound, a lot of sound leaking, almost no bass, overrated, underrated... It all made me want to test these headphones to see what the fuzz was all about. First off, the packaging is pretty standard (And they have a 1/4 inch jack adaptor, which is nice), though I would have appreciated if they had come with a pouch. They're really light on weight and I love how comfortable they are. On-ear headphones are synonymous with headaches for me, so I tend to like the over ear headphones like these more, given that I use glasses regularly. The clamp is gentle on muy somewhat oversized head, and while the cushions are not as soft as the Anker Q20's, it's enough for me to listen to them for long stances without feeling uncomfortable. Let's address the sound leak now. These are not headphones that I'd recommend using at work or in public. Due to their open-back nature, they will leak a lot of noise, both outside in and inside out. People WILL hear what you're hearing and you'll hear them, too. I'm planning to use these cans exclusively in my home, so I don't mind the leak, but you might be keen on a closed-back headphone if you're planning to take your next headphones for a walk. As for the sound itself... LOVE IT! The SHP9500's sound is like nothing I've ever heard before, and while I can't say if they're the best ones I've heard yet, its sound is astounding. I come from having owned a LOT of V-Shaped-sound headphones, and I enjoy every single one of them, but these ones hit you in a very different way. The mids, man! Folk and acoustic music, and vocal-centered music in general, is an absolute joy to listen to when you're wearing these. The vocals stand out, are clear and detailed, and the treble is very nice too (Albeit a bit sibilant if you're using the wrong EQ setup). Metal and Rock sound really good here, given that the bass doesn't get in the way of the drums and guitars. Regarding the basses, I had read that they were non-existant on these, and while they're definitely not basshead headphones, the bass IS there. It's tight, and a bit recessed in the lower frequencies, but it's very accurate. The sound might disappoint bassheads, but I don't think it's as lacking as some people say it is. Listening to Classical music you really start to notice how great the Soundstage is as well. For the price, I'm really satisfied with them. I'd probably say as an early impression that the bassier M50Xs are a bit more fun to listen to, but these ones are almost half as expensive and offer a clearer, neutral sound. And God, do the vocals and guitars sound amazing with the SHP9500s. I'll be using them a lot in the coming days, and will recomend them to anyone who wants to experience open-back headphones for the first time.

Resumindo: o melhor headphone aberto dessa faixa de preço! O acabamento é simples, porém honesto; além de ser extremamente leve e confortável. O som é limpo e preciso, com um amplo "palco sonoro". Excelente para escutar música, trabalhar com áudio/mixagem, estudar, jogar, assistir filmes/séries; independentemente do uso você estará bem servido aqui. A título de exemplo, você consegue perceber diversas nuances ao ouvir músicas/sons com ele, como a presença de instrumentos e/ou detalhes do ambiente que quase sempre não ficam evidentes em um fone comum/fechado que geralmente abusa dos graves para tentar te impressionar (tal como os famigerados headsets da Razer por exemplo). Falando em graves, este com certeza não é o "forte" dele pois a proposta é justamente ser algo mais neutro e fidedigno, e é justamente por isso que ele brilha e é tão amado pelos audiófilos. Os graves são singelos, se você realmente gosta de um grave exagerado e sempre presente possivelmente essa não é a opção para você. Pelo fato de ser um fone aberto o isolamento do barulho externo também é mínimo, ou seja, vai do seu gosto e/ou necessidade; lembrando que o som que você escuta também vaza para fora. Ou seja: se tiver alguém do seu lado dependendo do volume utilizado é bem provável que a pessoa escute o que você está ouvindo. Todavia, considero essa característica excelente para quem trabalha com locução/gravação de conteúdo por exemplo, pois você consegue ter noção de quão alto/baixo está falando sem precisar tirar o fone. Também é muito útil caso precise estar atento a alguém lhe chamar e/ou para receber alguma encomenda. Além disso, a característica de ser "aberto" é justamente o que faz com que o "palco sonoro" seja muito amplo e agradável. Essa sensação de que você está em um grande teatro e precisão de qual direção está vindo o som é estupenda! Eu particularmente adoro essa sensação de espacialidade. Por fim, justamente por não ter foco em graves e por ser aberto o fone é muito menos "cansativo": você não fica com dor de cabeça e/ou aqueles graves pesados ressoando no seu canal auditivo. É difícil expressar em palavras, mas tentando traduzir a experiência: é como se todo o "ouvir" ficasse mais suave e agradável no geral. Em fones fechados, em especial nos de baixa qualidade (que acabam abusando demais dos graves), a sensação é que o som fica super abafado e/ou todo "embolado"; fica difícil definir o que é o que. Aqui não, o som é cristalino, claro e direto! Também existe um acessório/microfone destacável de outra marca (V-Moda BoomPro) que teoricamente dá para ser adaptado à parte caso você faça questão de convertê-lo em um "headset". Como uso um microfone USB à parte para gravação então não tive a oportunidade de testá-lo dessa maneira, mas dizem que funciona bem. Neste caso vale colocar na balança se vale a pena. Saí de um Astro A40 TR + MixAmpPRO e não me arrependo!

J'ai acheté ce casque pour compléter ma collection des Fidelio X2 et X3. Je n'en attendais rien de particulier puisque j'avais déjà ses successeurs a priori plus aboutis... Eh bien, c'est une excellente surprise : ce casque est très léger, très agréable à porter, confortable et le revêtement des coussinets ne m'a jamais irrité (j'ai pu lire ce reproche fait par d'autres acheteurs). J'aime beaucoup le filé de son aigu et la douceur du medium. Il est vrai qu'il est (peut-être) un peu court dans le grave, mais rien de rédhibitoire, et je suppose que ça dépend du genre de musique écoutée ; pas gênant pour le classique (chambre et symphonique) ou le jazz (y compris les bands formations)... Je ne me prononcerai pas pour les autres genres musicaux. Il peut saturer à haut volume, mais il faut y aller fort ! Bref, ses possibles défauts sont amplement rachetés par une couleur musicale que je trouve très agréable. C'est en quelques sortes une version allégée du X2 que j'affectionne particulièrement. C'est, à mon avis, un très bon choix.

For its price it's a one hick of a deal, it sounds so good and it's built firmly and unlike a lot of its competitors it has a detachable cable, my only one minor issue that it slides of my head so easily. Other than that I wouldn't mind daily driving it

Really happy, the audio file YT vids were right, these are perfect for gaming, music, and movies. I have them on most of the day, super comfortable, amazing sound...like really great sound for a normal guy like me, especially in gaming, hearing the directional sound cues has changed my game.

A classic decent headphone for the price. If you’re getting into hifi, it’s a decent starting place. Open back, and pretty comfortable.