OK This is my first headphone review so please be easy.
I am not much on technical terms and such.
I know what I like but is difficult to come to words at times.
A little about me:
Love most kinds of music from Jpop to Classical to Showtunes to Hairbands. Most things after 1990 are not much of an interest to me musically
My gear is PC thru HDMI to Yamaha RX-v665 ( burr brown op amps on all channels incl headphones output)
Sennheiser HD428 HD439 HD558
Symphonized Wraith
Enuff of me on to the show:
Pros : Sonically excellent. They are a bit low in bass in the 50-100Hz in my estimates.
Sub bass is present and good overall for the price
Mids are clear and not overpowering
Highs are a bit on the warm side. Not boosted like a lot of headphones.
Cons : MICROPHONICS. Cords are a determent to the cans.
Comfort issues if you wear glasses
Unforgiving for poor sources.
Bought these from Amazon.com when they were on sale for $38.99
Shipping was a bit longer than I had hoped for but they were shipped from Symphonized themselves
These headphones come with 2 sets of cords. Both are about 4.5 feet long and terminate into a 45° 3.5mm jack.
NO 1/4" adapter supplied..... shame shame.
Packaging is your standard fare.
Headphones
Cloth storage bag.
cord for Android/IOS with mute button
cord for straight 3.5mm jacks
Design reminds me of Skullcandy Aviators
Cords are a cloth sleeve design which is a determent to the headphones since they do "microphonics" and transmit movement to the headphones at a decent rate of noise.
Sitting still in a room is ok but on the go I can see these becoming an issue.
Over all quality is ok but the wires do seem thin and might break with rough use.
Headphones are of stainless steel in a good thickness and will not bend under normal use. Cans are laquered wood on the covers and have a memory foam leatherette covers.
These are very comfortable for On-Ear phones even tho I perfer OVER-Ear phones.
There is plenty of adjustment for people with larger heads
My only issue is that they are a bit tight initially in the upper part of the headphone and wearing glasses with the slight pressure MIGHT be an issue for some after sometime.
On to the sonic quality.
Using Foobar 2000 v1.37 No Eq. No enhanced plugins
Come Fly With My - Frank Sinatra - Silver Box 24bit/96kHz vinyl 2803 bitrate : Vocals are clean and crisp. His voice is clean without any resonance. Orchestrals are a bit harsh and slightly distorted.
Styx - Paradise Theater - 1980 - Too Much Time on My Hands 893kbps : Vocals are a bit more subdued but still pleasant. Bass is strong but not overpowering. Highs are excellent and crisp. The
beginning drum notes in the first 20 secs of song can be heard traveling from right,center,left just as it was recorded.
Bass 305 - Pump Up the Bass - 1982 - 1418kbps. Digtal and electronic voice sound are clean and understandable. Highs are present and not overpowering. Bass is good. Subsonic is lacking from 50Hz
down. It is there but not with as much punch as I would expect. Midbass is not muddy.
Billy Joel - 1998 Remaster - The Stranger - 2404kbps : Piano instrumental and whistling in the beginning are excellent and clear. No harmonics. Vocals are a bit recessed ( possibly the song itself ).
Bass is present and a tad punchy with good snap and control.
Dire Straits - Brother in Arms - 1996 Remaster -Your Latest trick - 796kbps : Horns in beginning of song are phenomenal. Slight echoes in song are clearly heard and pleasant. Vocals are excellent Graininess in his voice is evident and can be heard. Highs are the best so far and extremely pleasing.
Dire Straits - Brother in Arms - 1996 Remaster Ride Across the River - 796kbps : Bass is snappy and tight and controlled. Good punch to them. Vocals are again clean and crisp. Woodblock
instrument can clearly bit picked up in the song. Harmonics in guitar in great.
Star Wars Main Theme - London Philharmonic Orchestra - Excellent quality.
Videos and Movies: Here is the issue. Listening to "The 100" tv show with these headphones and some things are missing. Bass is low and vocals seem to be muffled a tad. Trying the same show with the HD558's and there is a clear difference.
Conclusion: Good headphones if bought on sale. For the $60 regular price, there are better.
**** Update******
Headphones are broken in now and things are a bit different.
Bass is still decent BUT lower bass could be stronger.
Mids are still excellent
Highs are calming down a bit.
Ordered a 2.5mm to 3.5mm y-jack cable to replace this God awful microphonics in the original cable.
Liking these better and better
If your source material is bad, boy, wlll these let you know. 128kbps mp3s are bad with these.
The headphones are really good for this price ONCE burn is has occurred.
Updating my rating on these to 4 stars!!
I am not much on technical terms and such.
I know what I like but is difficult to come to words at times.
A little about me:
Love most kinds of music from Jpop to Classical to Showtunes to Hairbands. Most things after 1990 are not much of an interest to me musically
My gear is PC thru HDMI to Yamaha RX-v665 ( burr brown op amps on all channels incl headphones output)
Sennheiser HD428 HD439 HD558
Symphonized Wraith
Enuff of me on to the show:
Pros : Sonically excellent. They are a bit low in bass in the 50-100Hz in my estimates.
Sub bass is present and good overall for the price
Mids are clear and not overpowering
Highs are a bit on the warm side. Not boosted like a lot of headphones.
Cons : MICROPHONICS. Cords are a determent to the cans.
Comfort issues if you wear glasses
Unforgiving for poor sources.
Bought these from Amazon.com when they were on sale for $38.99
Shipping was a bit longer than I had hoped for but they were shipped from Symphonized themselves
These headphones come with 2 sets of cords. Both are about 4.5 feet long and terminate into a 45° 3.5mm jack.
NO 1/4" adapter supplied..... shame shame.
Packaging is your standard fare.
Headphones
Cloth storage bag.
cord for Android/IOS with mute button
cord for straight 3.5mm jacks
Design reminds me of Skullcandy Aviators
Cords are a cloth sleeve design which is a determent to the headphones since they do "microphonics" and transmit movement to the headphones at a decent rate of noise.
Sitting still in a room is ok but on the go I can see these becoming an issue.
Over all quality is ok but the wires do seem thin and might break with rough use.
Headphones are of stainless steel in a good thickness and will not bend under normal use. Cans are laquered wood on the covers and have a memory foam leatherette covers.
These are very comfortable for On-Ear phones even tho I perfer OVER-Ear phones.
There is plenty of adjustment for people with larger heads
My only issue is that they are a bit tight initially in the upper part of the headphone and wearing glasses with the slight pressure MIGHT be an issue for some after sometime.
On to the sonic quality.
Using Foobar 2000 v1.37 No Eq. No enhanced plugins
Come Fly With My - Frank Sinatra - Silver Box 24bit/96kHz vinyl 2803 bitrate : Vocals are clean and crisp. His voice is clean without any resonance. Orchestrals are a bit harsh and slightly distorted.
Styx - Paradise Theater - 1980 - Too Much Time on My Hands 893kbps : Vocals are a bit more subdued but still pleasant. Bass is strong but not overpowering. Highs are excellent and crisp. The
beginning drum notes in the first 20 secs of song can be heard traveling from right,center,left just as it was recorded.
Bass 305 - Pump Up the Bass - 1982 - 1418kbps. Digtal and electronic voice sound are clean and understandable. Highs are present and not overpowering. Bass is good. Subsonic is lacking from 50Hz
down. It is there but not with as much punch as I would expect. Midbass is not muddy.
Billy Joel - 1998 Remaster - The Stranger - 2404kbps : Piano instrumental and whistling in the beginning are excellent and clear. No harmonics. Vocals are a bit recessed ( possibly the song itself ).
Bass is present and a tad punchy with good snap and control.
Dire Straits - Brother in Arms - 1996 Remaster -Your Latest trick - 796kbps : Horns in beginning of song are phenomenal. Slight echoes in song are clearly heard and pleasant. Vocals are excellent Graininess in his voice is evident and can be heard. Highs are the best so far and extremely pleasing.
Dire Straits - Brother in Arms - 1996 Remaster Ride Across the River - 796kbps : Bass is snappy and tight and controlled. Good punch to them. Vocals are again clean and crisp. Woodblock
instrument can clearly bit picked up in the song. Harmonics in guitar in great.
Star Wars Main Theme - London Philharmonic Orchestra - Excellent quality.
Videos and Movies: Here is the issue. Listening to "The 100" tv show with these headphones and some things are missing. Bass is low and vocals seem to be muffled a tad. Trying the same show with the HD558's and there is a clear difference.
Conclusion: Good headphones if bought on sale. For the $60 regular price, there are better.
**** Update******
Headphones are broken in now and things are a bit different.
Bass is still decent BUT lower bass could be stronger.
Mids are still excellent
Highs are calming down a bit.
Ordered a 2.5mm to 3.5mm y-jack cable to replace this God awful microphonics in the original cable.
Liking these better and better
If your source material is bad, boy, wlll these let you know. 128kbps mp3s are bad with these.
The headphones are really good for this price ONCE burn is has occurred.
Updating my rating on these to 4 stars!!
