CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Lobby => Headphone Measurements => Topic started by: ultrabike on July 26, 2013, 08:53:02 AM
-
Yes, this is not a blu-blooded phone... It's a neakband. It is not the latest breaktru in affordable audio performance either... But they are not Coby horrible, and that is a good thing.
(http://www.varighty.com/Products/BigImg/0356/Philips-Back-Neckband-Headphone-Black-SHS390.jpg)
I bought quite a few years ago for the gym. I was using earbuds then and the fact that the box said "Extra Bass" + the rave reviews sold me out...
The marketing (http://www.p4c.philips.com/files/s/shs390_00/shs390_00_pss_aen.pdf) on these is very confusing tho. The box says "Extra Bass" but the white paper says "Balanced Sound"... p:8
Sound
Relative to my KSC-75 these lack air and soundstage. However, these are not bright nor Grado like. This makes them easier to listen to from the tremble perspective.
The SHS390 do posses a "hollowness" to it unlike the Koss and the Senns. This "hollowness" seems much more pronounced than what I heard from the Abyss and the HE500. I wonder if unevenness in the high mids cause this issues for me... possible severe ringing there.
The bass is definitively there so the box was right. Hits a little harder than the KSC-75 but its more wholly and not resolving. Probably distorts a little in the lows.
Not to bad actually... but these are not the last word in balanced sound. I like the KSC-75 much more, but keep in mind these are closed.
Comfort
They manage to stay while running... but they fit me awkward and overtime hurt a little. KSC-75 are more difficult to install but they are more comfy.
Presentation
Cheap plastic.
Price
$7-$13 :)p1
Overall
Soundwise it offers an alternative to the KSC-75 if soundstage/air is not a priority, need a little moar bass, "hollowness" is not n issue (it's bad though), would like a less bright presentation... Dunno.
Measurements
Last plot compares FR with KSC-75...
-
Hahaha. Awesome. It actually sounds not too half bad for $13.
-
I've never really gotten on board with the neck-band... or the throat beard.
-
LOL -- karma points for you Gilberto. The world needs more sub-$30 headphone reviews.
-
Thank you Mateys! :)p5
-
Philips know how to make value for money headphones. Too bad about the plastic sometimes...
-
So the right side has the classic "everything's sitting in plastic" look on the chart (dip just to the left of a rise with a long ringing spike) but the left side doesn't have that same look. Are there electronics in there somewhere or some other difference that might explain this? Maybe the driver mfg is just that bad.
-
I couldn't find any other Philips threads... anyone here have any thoughts on the Fidelio line? I've been curious about the X1/L1.
-
Tyll's reviews should tell you enough. The fidelio line of 'premium headphones' does many things right, chiefly delivering well built and decent sounding headphones. In the local MediaMarkt I auditioned a few and I was impressed by the overall build quality.
-
Every time I see this title, I think it says "neckbeard" instead of "neckband."
The neckbeard-tastic Philips SHS390. The preferred headphone of neckbeards everywhere. Comes with some 12 sided dice and a Linux window decal.
-
So the right side has the classic "everything's sitting in plastic" look on the chart (dip just to the left of a rise with a long ringing spike) but the left side doesn't have that same look. Are there electronics in there somewhere or some other difference that might explain this? Maybe the driver mfg is just that bad.
Could be a mfg deal there. Both channels have ringing around the 5 kHz area though, and note that otherwise the drivers are reasonably matched (say vs some of the Beyers). The extra energy in the 1.5 to 3 kHz may account for some weirdness I heard, but they are not that horrible IMO.
It is definitively darker to my ears than the KSC-75s, and it could be due to the energy differences above 10 kHz, and the extra bass below 100 Hz.
I couldn't find any other Philips threads... anyone here have any thoughts on the Fidelio line? I've been curious about the X1/L1.
Dunno much about the Fidelio line, but Tyll and DF like them and they look the part...
Every time I see this title, I think it says "neckbeard" instead of "neckband."
The neckbeard-tastic Philips SHS390. The preferred headphone of neckbeards everywhere. Comes with some 12 sided dice and a Linux window decal.
Well... Philips could spice it up a little bit...
(http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=18027921)
-
I couldn't find any other Philips threads... anyone here have any thoughts on the Fidelio line? I've been curious about the X1/L1.
I had the L1 for a while before giving it to my brother. It's a pretty good headphone, and the build is great.
Philips is now offering the L2 and I'm really curious to see what they've done with it.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/671667/philips-fidelio-l2 (http://www.head-fi.org/t/671667/philips-fidelio-l2)
-
I like the stethoscope look, myself. Then, I can feel important, and write some prescriptions.
Philips seems to make some nice sounding stuff, but with incredibly cheaptastic construction. I like my SBC HP1000, but they do feel cheap and fragile.
-
The Philips HP1000 was a good headphone. It still is a lot of bang for your buck in good condition.
-
The X1 seems to be fantastic (haven't heard it yet) and from reports the build isn't shabby either, but the price matches... ;/
-
I don't know about the X1. It looks too Grado for me, but I haven't fondled them yet. I don't like the cable attachment. My HP1000 has something similar. They tend to get loose over time. A screw in or a mini XLR would be much better. Time will tell.
How's the isolation and comfort on those neakbands? Earhooks always bugged me.
-
How's the isolation and comfort on those neakbands? Earhooks always bugged me.
Comfort is not that great, but isolation is probably better than the KSC75s. They manage to stay while running.
If earhooks are no-go for the KSC75s, then perhaps using the headband of these (http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=240-015) might do the trick.
The SHS390 neckband and driver housing are a single assembly so harder to move the drivers to a new headband.
BTW, I'm curious about the HP1000. How does it compare to the other cans you have?
-
BTW, I'm curious about the HP1000. How does it compare to the other cans you have?
It's a warm sounding phone, but at the same time shouty. It doesn't have as much bass presence as most of my other headphones (K240 Sextett MP, DT990, DT770, HD650, D2000, ATH-M50, etc.) Bass is more inline with my DT660 (with 100ohm adapter) and K271s, so on the lighter side but not thin. Extension is there, to my hearing limits on both ends. It's more full than the K271s (lower mids) and more "punch". Highs have good extension, but a bit peaky I would guess around 3K-ish.
Headstage is relatively small.
Technically it's not as good as most of my phones, seems to be congested and a bit smeared in faster music (rock like Megadeth, Within Temptation, etc.). The mids seem to dominate a bit too much at times (shouty). However, with slower music it seems to be more pleasant, although not precise in separation.
Overall it's a nice sounding phone, with technical problems and not really in the same league as the top tier, more along the lines of the DT440 in capabilities. If you're coming from the top tier, you'll not like it. It's a good starter headphone, and I'd take it over most Grado headphones (can't stand them).
I haven't listened to it in a long time. I am interested to hear how the L1 would compare.