[Ak24]

 
5/15/2010
 
NEW Contest has gone live. Check out the Phiaton Sponsor Forums or click the link below:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/492024/do-you-own-some-phiaton-write-us-a-review-on-head-fi-and-win
 
Awesome Prizes!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(This contest has ended)

Hello Head-Fi Community!


Since Phiaton launched in early 2008 we have been following this awesome forum closely. Now we have finally taken the step to be a part of it and we are all so excited! To celebrate this new relationship with Head-Fi and all of you we are throwing a contest to run through the rest of March. I’ll post contest details below.

First I’d like to tell you a little bit about our company. Phiaton launched in early 2008 and is supported by its parent company Cresyn. Many of you may have heard of Cresyn as they have been in this industry for over 50 years. Cresyn began in 1959 making high end phonograph needles and cartridges out of Korea. Over the years Cresyn & Phiaton have developed a reputation for quality and style. To this day that reputation has been supported by strict high standards for our engineering and design processes. Currently the Cresyn Company spans over 3 continents with factories and offices in Asia, Europe and the Unites States.

With Phiaton our philosophy has always been simple. Provide the best quality we can at the lowest prices we can afford to. And as an added bonus we’ll make them look stunning too.

Do you have any questions or would you like more info on Phiaton? Feel free to visit our Premier sponsor forum on Head-fi.org or Phiaton | Premium Personal Audio Gear

Contest:

What better way to celebrate this event than to give you beautiful people some free gear??

How to enter?

We’re not going to make you jump through hoops here. All you have to do is post in this thread. Not just anything though. That would be too easy.
We want to know what is most important to you about your headphones. Most people would probably say sound quality, so go into detail a little. Is it powerful low frequency you look for or stability at high volume? Do you prefer a balanced set that performs well across the board? Or is it the look and feel of the set? What is the most important factor in deciding your perfect headphone or Earphone?


-Your entry can be as long or short as you’d like.

-You may enter only once

-1st place winner will be picked randomly.

-Runner up winner will be picked based on the insightfulness of their entry. Entry will be judged by the Phiaton team.

-Contest will end Wednesday March 31st at 11:59pm. Entries submitted after this time & date will not be accepted.

-Winners will be announced Friday April 2nd.

- Reply to this thread with your entry.




*Prizes

There will be two winners here:

1st place: You will get to choose 1(one) piece of any Phiaton Headphone or Earphone you desire (excludes MS 600 Music Dock). That’s right! You can pick the stunning MS 400s or the elegant PS 200s. Whatever you want…. Except the MS 600 Music Dock.

Runner up: You will win a set of the popular & unique PS 210 Half “In-ear” Earphones. This new model has been a hit since it was introduced late 2009. A $119.00 retail value. (see rules on how to win this prize)

Once the Winners are announced you will receive a PM from one of the Phiaton members. Members will ask you for your name and shipping information. It’s that simple.

That’s it for now folks. Thanks for reading and hopefully participating in the contest and feel free to drop us a line in the Phiaton Premier Sponsor Forum any time.

~Phiaton Team

*** UPDATE 3/31 ****

Hey Everyone!!

Ther are only a few more hours left to enter. The contest ends tonight at 11:59pm PST. I will post a reply at that time and any posts submitted after will NOT COUNT. So get your entries in and remember it doesn't matter how in depth the entry is to win the grand prize! I'll send out a PM to the winners ASAP so please check your boxes for a message from me as i'll need your info. Winners will be announced on Friday! Good luck party people!

 

[Damnegy]

Well, in my mind, earphones, portable headphones and full size headphones should be considered separately... But of course, as a first criteria, sound quality : soundstage and precision apprears to be the first things I'll look for in sound quality. Because phones should be able to make you feel like you are living the music, being right next to the singer and the musicians, the scene, and being able to hear every instrument/sound that makes the track become music. Then comes the balance, as the best phones should be able to deal with any kind of music (yes, it is idealistic, but whatever...), which goes in the same way than hearing every sound. As I'm listening to songs that convey feelings, it is important that the phones can reproduce those feelings...

For earphones, I'd prefer some comfort first (many eartips to try the ones fitting best), then a neither too long nor too short cable, which should be around 1,3m and should be separable from the phones (it is easier to replace them if only the cable is faulty), but also some isolation which goes with the eartips, so with comfort too... Maybe a compromise on these two criterias...

So for portable headphones, of course compacity/folding ability is important, but also design, as we are showing everyone, we should be proud to wear those best headphones.

As of full size headphones, nothing in particular, except isolation maybe, because it is very important to me that headphones isolate me from the rest of the world, in order to fully enjoy the music I listen to, I love being in my bubble, flying high thanks to music.

The End

 

[ezzieyguywuf]

I don't have golden ears, so I probably can't be as technical as some other head-fiers. My first set were some Grado SR60s and they're great for just jamming out. This is my main criteria for liking a set of headphones: the jam factor. I like to just plain enjoy my music. I listen to a wide range (though not nearly wide enough!), including hip-hop, blues, and jazz. I like a nice tight low-end, that really hits you upside the head when it needs to. If its a Young Jeezy song that was mixed with the low-end on the EQ jacked all the way up, I want my 'phones to reproduce that as well as they can (I mean lets face it, production value in hip-hop isn't the best, but some artists really do try!). If its "Since I Been Loving You - Corinne Bailey Rae", with that acoustic bass in the background, I want to be able to tell it's an acoustic bass. That means something, ya know!

And up top? I'm less picky (I think listening to all this bass has affected my ears ). I just don't want it too be too screechy, or sibilant. And sometimes, you gotta blame the recording, or your setting or the Compass (lol). But it's real annoying to be trying to listen to a real good track and every the artist says "his" or "this" the /s/ just takes over your life. And I love to hear a good snare drum sounding great, but I don't need it to feel like an explosion of needles in the back of my head.

Does that sound kind of picky? Maybe. This is actual as verbose as I've ever gotten on the subject. But keep in mind though, ultimately, I'm just looking for the jam factor. Comfort plays into that a little, but hey, I was listening to just the Grados for a few years there, so really I'm willing to sacrifice comfort for good music. Overall, if the 'phones do a good job of reproducing good music, that's all I care about. Does it have a "rolled off" this or the other, or maybe a "slightly veiled" something else? I dunno. I just know that they sound good.

 

[rawrster]

What is most important to me is actually a pretty difficult question. There's lots of factors that help me make a decision when I want to buy a product. However one of the factors thats pretty up there is the sound quality (obviously) and what kind of qualities the phone has. Personal preferences is to me the most important when deciding a purchase. That being said I like a balanced sound that does well in all areas of the spectrum but it needs to excel in the treble. That does not mean I can handle a phone that is amazing in treble but horrible in the mids and bass. It all has to be excellent but the treble has to be very good. To me that means that the treble has to be relatively smooth (not many peaks) and also has to be very well extended. I do not care for treble that is rolled up so that would not go well for me. I guess it's pretty obvious that I'm a treble lover from this post

 

[gduck]

There have been too many times where I have bought headphones which seemed perfect on paper; the specs, the reviews, the looks, etc. and yet I overlook one thing; the comfort.
What is the point of listening to a great pair of headphones, only to take them off after 10 minutes because of discomfort?
Comfort is now the deciding factor when i purchase headphones.
I have a rather narrow head and i wear thick plastic framed glasses so i find an oval shaped headband with deep circumaural cups work best for me.
Extra padding on the headband and light clamping pressure is always a plus.
When it comes to iem's, i am more fortunate as i have large ear canals, so i can fit many types of shapes and tips with ease.
For the sound, I prefer a lush and warm sound signature. A forward midrange with a mid bass hump that makes music more engaging. I like my treble to be present but not upfront, controlled, not splashy, smooth and not metallic sounding.
Once these two criteria's are met, I look for a very simple design and style. Anything that is over styled is an eye sore.
These are, for me, the qualities I look for in my headphones.

 

[Emooze]

There are a number of criteria I try to meet in the headphones I choose.

First and foremost, sound quality is the most important thing I look for. In particular I don't like harsh highs. I hate having a guitar hitting a high note and having to turn down the volume because it hurts. That being said, I don't think "bright" cans are bad as long as they keep it under control. Low notes can't be sloppy either. I like tight bass full of impact. Quantity doesn't matter, but it has got to hit, not rumble.

Second would be something unique about the headphones. Whether this is sound, technology or whatever, I like things that are different. I tend to buy cans that have unique sound signatures, drastically different fits and I have soft spot for something totally new and different.

Third is comfort, I don't really care whether a pair of cans is on-ear, over-ear or in-ear, it's just got to work. In school, I tend to be using headphones for hours on end so they can't cause fatigue or sweating.

The last thing I look for is build quality. With the amount of wear and tear I put on my sets, I don't want something that will break right after the warranty expires. I want to have a set 10-20 years from now that the pads might be falling apart but I can say "Wow, I've had these forever and they still sound great"

Those points are how I judge headphones.

 

[jwhitakr]

Cheers on the nice giveaway!

Most important aspect of headphones for me? It can be boiled down to one word: value

Great sound quality, comfort/ergonomics and durability are all moot points if the headphones are a poor value in comparison to the competition.

 

[Towert7]

Hello Phiaton Team.

I hope this will be helpful information.

1) When I test a headphone, the first thing I do is inspect if visually. I'm not very strict on looks, but I want to make sure the headphone was built with quality and longevity in mind. The headphone should not 'feel' cheap, it should feel sturdy and give me confidence that it will not break under normal use. Even a cheap 38$ Sennheiser PX100 achieves this, so price should not restrict this point.

2) Next I go and put the headphones on my head. This can be the real deal breaker for me here. I want the headphones to fit on my head comfortably and securely. I don't want too much clamping pressure (but enough), and I don't want to feel the headphone drivers against my ear (I want the pads to go around my ears, with enough clearance so the inside of the drivers don't touch my ears). This is my biggest complaint about Audio Technica headphones, the drivers touch my ears and make it itchy. I like the ear pads to be very soft. Velour, such as in most senn's or beyer's works beautifully for me.
My favorite headphones in terms of comfort are the Sennheiser HE60/HE90, followed closely by the HD650. The high end beyers are also not bad, but I prefer an oval ear pad vs. a circular one (since my ears are more oval than circle shape). Lastly, I want to be able to move my head and not have the headphones slop around. The headband must stay put on my head, and the ear cups must stay in place. Also, this means I much prefer headbands that can be set and then forgotten. I'm not a big fan of headbands that are always adjustable (such as the AKG K701). With the HD650, I adjust the headband once and I never have to do it again since it stays put. The HD800 is too loose, and I find myself adjusting it too often.

3) Assuming comfort is good, I go on to play some music!!!
Personal preference is, well, personal preference but for me I want a headphone to be neutral in terms of the frequency response (think HE90 / Omega 2), extremely fast and responsive, enough low end bass to feel, highs that are present and detailed so they sound like the instruments, and not bursts of white noise. I also MUST MUST MUST have vocals to sound smooth. Perhaps the biggest thing that can bug me about the sound of a headphone is when vocals sound sibilant, making shh and sss sounds piercing and difficult to listen to. I also don't want the headphone to sound 'colored'. I want instruments to sound just like they should. For expensive headphones I also want to have a beautiful headphone soundstage that can pinpoint sounds in space with proper depth.

4) If all is good, I start to think about owning the product and thinking about longevity. I like full size headphones to have detachable cables so that replacement cables can be purchased. I also pride a company that puts the proper thought into producing enough replacement parts along with their headphones, so that even 10 years down the road if a customer wants a replacement headband, or ear pads, or drivers, it can be replaced. Sennheiser is a model company in this respect. I will pay a premium up front if I know the product will be supported for years and years to come! This helps ensure products keep their value (good for both the owner and the company's reputation).

5) If I have made it this far, and I'm happy with the headphone, I then decide if it justifies its price. If so, a sale will be made. ^_^



I have walked you through my 5 step thought process when I try a headphone and consider it for purchase. I'm sure each person has their own take on this procedure, but I'm also sure there is a fair bit of overlap with others. If a headphone can meet all of these qualities, I'll keep it!

Hopefully this helps your company,
~Drew

 

[jinp6301]

I know most headphones in this price range will not give me the SQ that I want so what I want from a headphone in this price range is the least amount of blatant errors. I dont think theres a point for a headphone to have perfect bass when it has cruddy midrange. I rather have a headphone thats good in everything then a headphone thats great in one thing.

 

[Uncle Erik]

The quality of headphones (or speakers, for that matter) comes down to transparency. The sound must accurately reproduce the tonal qualities of live music while adding as little of its own character as possible.

There are three things that make this difficult.

First, consumers have come to expect colored sound. Whether in the car, at a rock concert or listening to stock headphones, they are fed coloration after coloration.

Second, most manufacturers build coloration into their products. This is both because customers have come to expect coloration (and often feel that products are "defective" if lacking in overemphasized bass) and also the same reason so many food companies add sugar to virtually every product. It tastes better. People consume what tastes good without stoppin to think whether their food - or music - reflects reality or is simply sweetened for mass consumption.

Third, there is a profound lack of exposure to live acoustic music today. School bands and orchestras used to be available to almost all children. No longer. Programs are continually slashed, leaving music exposure to heavily colored sources. Today's popular music doesn't much help, either. It is all heavily processed (much like our food) and does not accurately represent the natural state. Having been sweetened, music consumers have come to demand more of the same.

To wrap up, what's really important in headphones is the ability to cast off the artifical sweeteners and produce music as it actually exists in the wild. Not many do.

 

[hifidk]

I am glad to see that Phiaton is joining this forum! I have been using Cresyn products for many years and am very excited about Phiaton products.

When I choose headphone, I always look for balanced sound and tone. Which, in my opinion, comes down to the transparency of the headphone. Buyers these days look for boosted bass or high frequency. However, once you get used to well-balanced sound, you will not go back to those headphones that have heavily colored sound.

Comfort is another thing that is very important to me. Even if I really like the sound, if I can't wear it for a long listening session, it would be a waste.

I know I didn't write much compared to others here but I still hope that this helps your company!

 

[wantmyf1]

It's pretty simple what I value most in headphones: Balance and extension. I want the phone to perform accurately and cleanly in all registers with a good, strong mid & low treble for voices with full extension into the reaches of the treble and bass. Whatever the note is I want to hear it as it should be.

I don't care so much about looks, unless the mold is set on "Skullcandy Bling", but I also want a solid build quality. Especially if they're portable because almost by definition portables will take more abuse.

The above is what I most want in a headphone. Hope this helps

 

[Hybrys]

It's a harder question than it seems. Makes me think, what to me is quality?

I have an odd musical taste. I like just about everything, from country to folk to electronica, to post-hardcore. I do have an odd affinity for acoustical recordings though, so I usually place good mids/highs, and an excellent soundstage first and foremost. But that doesn't mean I can let the lows and bass suffer or be muffled.

Style of the headphone is something that actually bothers me. Once the company starts charging for the stylings (besides things that change musical quality, IE ear pads and cups), they've really lost in my book. It should be all about the music, no matter how you look. Just that you're comfortable and immersed in your music.

ANYWAY, a good headphone for me is something that's perfectly balanced across the board. I love acoustics, but I won't let things suffer. My current plan is D2000, modded balanced with a better cable, through various balanced sources. But I could definitely see the PS500 replacing it. If only I could give both a listen, modded balanced. But I don't think that's gonna happen any time soon.

 

[glitch39]

Things that matter to me, in no particular order:

comfort - need the headphones to be totally comfortable as I listen hours at a time. I enjoy listening to music so I do give myself time when wearing headphones

relaxing - this one can be a bit misleading so let me expound. I like detail, extension on both spectrums, headroom, soundstage - the works. But I do not want it to be fatiguing as I listen for extended periods of time. I do not use headphones for monitoring so if I need to dial back a bit on details and bass/treble to make it less fatiguing, then I can live with that

midrange - I listen mostly to jazz/vocals so midrange purity is highly important

The others that are high on the list are:

- PRAT
- soundstage
- headroom/decay

 

[Bop]

Like a pencil having the sole purpose of writing, my ideal for any headphones sound quality as the first priority, and everything else second, but that is with consideration of budget/a bang-per-buck ratio that provides a balance between quality and availability.

As sound preferences vary among the masses, the very basics remain unchanged for the most part.
A) Clarity and Details that allow music to seem realistic
B) The depth of bass and the sense of layered and textured sound
C) A smooth chocolate-like response like low grog-content clay
D) Balance

Of course, headphones must fall within the limits of human endurance aka, they should not be over a weight that a typical human spine cannot support, but everything else should fall secondary...since an ideal headphones would produce a sound that makes you focus only on the sound and forget everything else. Ah, did I mention that they should be semi-open?