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Author Topic: Philips SHP-9500  (Read 9246 times)

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Solderdude

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Philips SHP-9500
« on: June 25, 2014, 04:48:33 PM »



The Philips SHP-9500 is the successor of the SHP-9000. It has similar weight (very light weight) and similar type of cloth pads. The headphone is very comfortable and nice looking. It is more neutral sounding than the SHP-9000 and has better highs extension but lacks bass extension. Bass itself sounds good and tight but bass heads should look elsewhere. Bass wise it is similar to AKG K500 / ATH AD700. The treble is somewhat peaky and elevated and thus it sounds overly sparkly. The dip around 3kHz removes some ‘clarity’ but the elevated treble ‘compensates’ more or less.
The cable is low in microphonics. biggest 'problem' for me are the NON replaceable pads. They seem to be glued on and they will tear when removing them and probably aren't available as spare parts anyway.



Below the CSD of the SHP-9500 which isn’t as ‘clean’ as some other headphones in this price range (€ 100.- = $ 150.-) but resonances in the 3-5kHz range aren’t as bad as in higher and lower parts of the frequency range. Left = blue, Right = red.



Fortunately this headphone reacts very well to EQ and when the missing bass is ‘added’ and the treble peak is lowered it sounds very good !

When 2mm thick felt is mounted in front of the drivers the peaky treble is lowered to more normal levels and this headphone sounds really well with this simple mod. The effect is shown below in the overlay of the CSD. Original SHP-9500, SHP-9500 with felt in front of the driver. Resonances are shorter and the amplitude of the treble  is lowered to ‘normal’ levels. Aside from the bass extension (bass itself sounds fine and tight) this headphone sounds surprisingly good.
Blue is stock SHP-9500, green = 2mm felt in front of the drivers.



Below the SHP-9500 with felt (green trace) compared to the much more expensive Philips X1 (red trace).
The SHP-9500 with felt is a little brighter (which I thought was lacking in the X1) but doesn’t have the bass extension.
Fortunately with EQ this bass issue is easily solved and in my opinion the SHP-9500 (with EQ/felt) sounds better than the X1.



All in all a very light weight and comfortable headphone that sounds very good (certainly with the felt and some EQ) and can recommend it.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2014, 04:45:49 AM by Solderdude »
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ultrabike

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Re: Philips SHP-9500
« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2014, 05:02:20 PM »

Those treble plots remind me of the DT-990...

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Solderdude

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Re: Philips SHP-9500
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2014, 05:29:15 PM »

I own that one too (the DT990-600 not the drill  :D)

The DT990 sounds 'softer' somehow in the treble, this one is a bit more 'edgy'.
The treble is 'only' +5dB opposite the mids so it is not terribly bad.
The felt helps in a big way and makes the treble exactly right and nice and silky.
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Deep Funk

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Re: Philips SHP-9500
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2014, 05:59:27 PM »

I did not know this Philips headphone existed. Thanks.
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Eric_C

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Re: Philips SHP-9500
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2014, 01:52:09 AM »

The design looks like the lovechild of a Grado and...I dunno, a Senn?
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wnmnkh

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Re: Philips SHP-9500
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2014, 09:56:16 PM »

I did not know this Philips headphone existed. Thanks.

Yes, and the fact that none of parts of the headphones are user-replaceable (except detachable cable, but I bet the pads will worn out first before something bad happens to the cable), you can still safely ignore Philips headphones in general.

Same goes for their higher-end headphones too.
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ultrabike

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Re: Philips SHP-9500
« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2014, 10:18:56 PM »

Yes, and the fact that none of parts of the headphones are user-replaceable (except detachable cable, but I bet the pads will worn out first before something bad happens to the cable), you can still safely ignore Philips headphones in general.

Same goes for their higher-end headphones too.

Dunno mang, their SHE3590 cutetips seem pretty good to me considering the price/performance. Some other Philips crap seems not too bad either IMO (though some perhaps discontinued). As far as higher end cans, I wouldn't ignore HD-6x0, HD-800, HE-400/500/560, Paradox/Slants/Code-X, and maybe SR-207 (if it fits). I agree though that some mid-fi cans like the HD-5x8, some Koss, and random stuff here and there might fit the bill if not too picky.
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Deep Funk

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Re: Philips SHP-9500
« Reply #7 on: June 28, 2014, 11:15:10 AM »

Philips has a reputation for less than acceptable plastic build quality.

The recent headphones though look and feel much better. Thing is Philips is not very good at marketing itself thus the old image keeps haunting the company.
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ultrabike

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Re: Philips SHP-9500
« Reply #8 on: June 28, 2014, 07:35:06 PM »

True. Not bad sounding or unreasonably priced IMO, but build quality is definitively not top notch. Their marketing in the US sucks balls big time. Apple, Monster, Bose, and other brands do a much better job.
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wnmnkh

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Re: Philips SHP-9500
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2014, 08:20:19 AM »

Yes, and the fact that none of parts of the headphones are user-replaceable (except detachable cable, but I bet the pads will worn out first before something bad happens to the cable), you can still safely ignore Philips headphones in general.

Same goes for their higher-end headphones too.

Dunno mang, their SHE3590 cutetips seem pretty good to me considering the price/performance. Some other Philips crap seems not too bad either IMO (though some perhaps discontinued). As far as higher end cans, I wouldn't ignore HD-6x0, HD-800, HE-400/500/560, Paradox/Slants/Code-X, and maybe SR-207 (if it fits). I agree though that some mid-fi cans like the HD-5x8, some Koss, and random stuff here and there might fit the bill if not too picky.

Yes, Philips' low-priced headphones are surprisingly competitive. But, then they are cheap enough to not worry about user replacement part. :P

SHP9500 is 90~170 dollar headphones. Not a throw-away price and it shouldn't be.

One of my lowly priced headphones, HD439 has price range of 40~70 bucks. I can replace its cable and earpads no problem.
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