CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Lobby => Headphone Measurements => Topic started by: Marvey on September 18, 2012, 07:06:16 AM
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Ultrasone HFI 580 Impressions and Measurements
I can't figure these out. On some tracks, the HFI580s have a lot of bass. On others not so much. This effect is similar to the TH900, so I'm betting the bass response is similar tonally to the TH900 with the TH900 actually extending lower than the HFI580.
Despite the bass, I can't say the HFI580 sounds warm. After the bass hump, there seems to be a rising response toward the treble. The treble quality is tinny. Vocals are sometimes shouty, spitty, and echoey. I can't figure out what's going on, but these are starting to give me a headache after 10 minutes. 10 minutes is pretty good for an Ultrasone. There doesn't seem to be anything seriously wrong, but just enough moderate things wrong that build up over time.
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Ultrasone HFI 580 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
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I always felt the HFI series was more tolerable than the PRO series, which pretty much takes the whole tinny, hissy, spitty, shouty thing to a new level AFAIC. I liked the orange and brown, 70s sofa-esque HFI 2200 somewhat.
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The HFI580 remind me of an Ultrasone interpretation of the closed back Shure SRH840. The SRH840 isn't too bad.
The 5.5kHz razor ringing is a little bit past my comfort level. Not as hard sounding as the HD800's wider but faster decaying ridge, but definitely more annoying. Combined with the emphasis from 2-5kHz, vocals have a shouty spitty quality. Wood block percussion instruments sting a bit.
There are two smaller ridges at 9kHz at 13kHz. It's noticeable, but not too bad. I think the overall upward slope with the emphasis at 2-5kHz is really what kills the HFI580.
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These are a hundred bucks. Or slightly north of.
Not too bad for those who want something different from the ATH M50.
More grating treble and slightly tighter, emotionless but powerful bass.
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Hmm. I was honestly expecting worse, based on some other Ultrasone measurements I've seen. Still wouldn't buy them myself...
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Wow you nailed it with your impressions Marv. Nice one.
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Something I'm becoming more confident about in looking at more measurements is that I really dislike an upward tilting FR (upward towards the treble) and for similar reasons I seem to dislike a dip in the 200-500hz area.
This is a good example of a correlation you can start to make as you get more familiar with these measurements, as you correlate them to your impressions. It's not about disliking a phone simply because of the measurements on their own, but correlating things you dislike subjectively with a specific change or effect in measurements. I don't yet feel confident enough in this correlation to say 100% that I wouldn't like these phones simply because of this aspect in the FR (the ringing looks problematic on it's own though) but I feel it's a pretty safe guess.
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Yep, that dip from 50hz to 300hz is what kills this headphone for me. It sounds like vocalists are singing underwater. And when you turn up the volume to compensate, the 5K ridge gets painful. I agree that the treble/vocals do have a tinny/metallic quality to it as well.
I can see how people would prefer these to the Beats Solo though. The bass is cleaner, and there's more clarity throughout the spectrum.
It's also very interesting to see these measure much better than the Edition 8. ??? Subjectively, I didn't feel the ED8 was an upgrade over the 580, but I thought there was more clarity in the vocal range. Possibly because the 200-400 dip isn't as pronounced in the ED8 compared to the treble.
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It's pretty interesting how those measure better than the ED8 or either channel of the PRO 900 you've done.
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They lasted 10 minutes. I don't think the ED8 lasted more than 15 seconds. The Pro900 maybe about 1-2 minutes. Mostly of trying to figure out what was wrong.
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It would be funny to make a graph plotting the length of time different headphones last on Purrin's head. Exponential curve?
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Well now that I've got a Linux VM running QtOctave I just have to figure out how to use it and then we can have all kinds of silly graphs...
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Got to hear this version today and took it home because I know exactly why it sounds so effed up. Why the hell do they have velour earpads on them? I know they come w/ pleather Shure 840 type pads.
Edit 1 - Hmm, pretty sure these pads are some oval DT type Beyer pads. They don't even fit the shape of the driver. Somebody's been inside these. 3 holes have been punched through the paper filter on each side to get to the screws.
Edit 2 - Just put on some pleather AKGs that are a smidge too big and round but this is much better now.
Edit 3 - Nah, these are still my favorite Ultrasones. Excellent Bass monitor, flatter mids than the M50. Control the treble and any resonances (ie. don't make it worse at least) and you are golden.
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Oh, I think you're right. There were velour pads (DT250) on them. I'll see if my brother can find the stock pads and send them down.
As far as I know, those haven't been opened at all, but I'll double check.