I love that you also test headphones against movies and games. Most audiophile gear reviewers exclusively test against music and I am not a music-only audio lover.
I legit made a post about this on an audio fourm! It gets so frustrating, I care about quality in both my audio but I don't listen to music as often. I'm a huge Movie/Gaming guy and I do all of this at my computer desk. For some reason with speaker reviews (I often look at bookshelf speaker reviews for near field listening) they often branch out more but with headphones it's pure music.
That's because we, as new age audiophiles, care about good quality sound across all the spectrum of our interests and now how they were initially intended.
This is the exact review/comparison I have been looking for on the 9600. This has a ton of good information on all three of these headphones, all of which I have been considering as options. Thanks!
Got the SHP9500 because they were basically giving them away for free on Aliexpress at some point and despite the build quality feeling budget-as-hell I still can't get over the fact that they sound as good as they do, even without mods.
I still, own my 58x. However, I gave up on my 9500's. They sounded good, but the sibilance was a bit harsh to my liking. The 58x is great in each area that was mentioned.
@@windowlicker6776 can you guys help me with something else: I don't really understand what these settings do, but I was thinking I could get two sets of settings, one for gaming and one for movies. Am I wrong in thinking I could use the above settings for gaming? Would you be kind enough to provide me a movie eq?
I have three pair, my first pair has over 5000 hours in games and almost 6 years. I just replace the cables and buy another Vmoda mic and you are good.
I went with the 9600s. It has great separation and bass which hardly any open back can accomplish both. The way I use them is for movies and games and occasionally I listen to music from Apple Music(pro tip, the “rock” equalizer sounds the best with this headphone)
I had the 9500s for a week and wasn’t blown away. Very good at separation but it lacked depth. The sound was comparable to the “transparent” mode on AirPod pros
58x break the headphone economy under $200 (more tbh), I legit prefer mine to my hd600, similar but with decent bass and without the peaky higher mids... 9600 need to go under $100 to be a deal
That treble response + soundstage and imaging of the 9500 is why i have it for gaming like Overwatch or COD. For music listening i shift to my X2HR. No reason to upgrade to the 9600 or even the X3 especially that i got the X2HR at 120 dollars new
The 58X is the most chill headphone, (or anything audio) I’ve ever heard. I still prefer the 558s for the better comfort, the bit of soundstage that just allows the separate instruments to have breathing room, and I prefer it’s portrayal of stringed instruments over the 58X. Great video as always.
Great videos I was surprised by your number of subscriber , you should have reached millions by now judging by your content keep up the hardwork and you should reach it in no time
@@moltified if you like bass, get closed back headphones instead, open back headphones doesn't have much bass compared to those. I personally have the 9500's and the bass is perfectly fine for me but every person has a different opinion.
Own 58x and it's my cheapest headphone. Everytime I listen I am still impressed with its performance. Very intimate and can be claustrophobic in some cases. Vocals are absolutely amazing. Literally sounds like they are the microphone. Be warned - the 58X is a gateway drug. You will soon up your budget wanting more. After that it can get out of control quickly. Now own Focal Clears and 5 other headphones. You have been warned.
These budget audiophile headphone reviews are really helpful! Now if only I can find open back heaphones in this price range with the openness and airiness of the SHP9500s but the smoother and flatter treble response of the 58X headhones. I'm watching your review on the HD560S next.
I had a HD58x and was VERY impressed by the imaging, it was ridiculously accurate, the sound stage was a bit underwhelming and the resolution was rather bad, especially for rock music, this is why I sold them.
I'm taking the plunge on the 9600's. First time with open backs and I've been looking for something new for PS5 but also general music listening during the workday. They are priced better in Canada than the 9500s and fit my boom mic. I looked at more expensive stuff like Hifi's, but prices and availability in Canada is bonkers. I think I'll start small.
The 9500 was my introduction to hifi audio, and the 58x is currently my endgame headset because I never plan to buy a decent dac or amp for any of the better stuff. The 58x is way better in everything except soundstage. 9500 soundstage blows the 58x out of the water, but again everything else is better and clearer with the 58x. Stock pads on the 9500 are really bad, and I bought Shure 940 pads for more comfort, and it actually matches the 58x in bass with those pads, while retaining the soundstage and clarity of the stock pads. Highly recommend the Shure 940 pads or something similar if you plan to get a 9500.
@@Benri05 Hey I actually got the 58x! I first bought the SHP 9500s and it was REALLY good but I returned it in favor of the 58x. 9500s were waaay to open and leaked and brought in sound too much, it wasn't really too bassy as well but regardless very open and nice but to open. The 58x fills in that gap and more. It's open and not too much. It also has plenty of bass to satisfy me. Unlike my shitty "gaming headphones" that I had before... these are literally made for gaming, watching movies, and listening to every and all things. The sound it produces is not muffled or it doesn't have like a veil of the sort... The sound really just is everywhere you know... it's like you're in an environment with whatever your listening to. I tried out the music I used to listen to before on my shitty razer headphones and honestly... it clearly defined what was being played and so much more that was just hidden? everything is also on separate levels and nothing is intruding whatever sound is playing, everything is even and is just really imersive. I play games a lot and honestly my first night playing COD Warzone. I was in between the tall buildings and stadium. Two guys rolled up to me that were chasing each other but decided I was an easy target. First one hopped out and I got behind cover, usually I would lose track and woudn't be able to hear the footsteps. But this time I could, it was seperate from all the other sounds in game and so I jumped out and got him. The other player was like 32m blending in with the bushes and whatnot but still I could faintly hear him and also this third other player on the tall buildings shooting down with like a heavy assualy rifle. The second player comes up to me and I start dodging and weaving in an out of cover to close the distance, meanwhile this third player is on the buildings shooting down on us. I'm trying to listen to the second guy and challenging him and this third guy just lost it and emptied his magazine into us. I got so overwhelemped with everything because the bullets from the third guy are whizzing by and also hitting the ground which are two seperate sounds and also him firing from like 140m+ which I can litterally pintpoint where he is regardless of where I am or where I'm facing, paired with this other guys footsteps and him shooting at me. I never got overwhelmed and have never taken of my headphones so fast to recoperate and calm down. Like my brain literally coudn't handle all this input and I just frooze in the middle of the fightand got beamed lol. Honestly I would suggest you get it. It's 220$ after taxes and shipping if you're in the USA. The extra $20 is for two day shipping but I'm sure you can get it less. I bought it from DROP website and am running it straight of my PC with no DAC/AMPS. Recently I EQed it but that's all in your preference, alone this thing is a beast. Goodluck and feel free to ask questions, sorry for any typo as I'm just typing as I go lol.
@@TranceHistorian Im really enjoying them. They areent neutral and have a warm sound. The sound stage is odd, all the sounds are well separated but you can't always tell where they are coming from.The best way I can describe them is fun.
So I've had my 9500s the longest and I got the 9600s just the day before, did alot of back and forth testing with my testing playlist and the thing is you'd think the 9600s are just 9500 plus more bass, and there definitely is more bass but the 9600 actually sound a lil veiled/ less detailed, which makes me prefer the 9500. All that being said I want a heaphone that are more for intimate vocals, will I find that with the 58x???
problem is the pricing for me. (Prices in SGD) HD58X will cost about 90 bucks more than the 9600, and that does not even account for shipping (which massdrop doesnt ship to Singapore) So if i want it, HD58X will cost $280 for me from 3rd parties, while the 9600 will cost $140. So i went with the 9600
I ve never watched a comparison video SO COMPREHENSIVE, SO IN DEPTH AND SO SATISFACTORY wrt sound/performance. thank u very much.
3 года назад
Thank you for your comparisons and advice, I was about to buy the 9500 but I was worried for the sibilance. I can't really enjoy ny of my current headphones because of this and I didn't want that issue in my first audiophile headphone. Already have a dongle dac so now I'll get the complete set. I only could find the sennheiser 599 but at double the price in my country and it's not on aliexpress, so I finally got the 9600. Very good content in this channel thanks again
@@marvistv6551 it is great actually. It doesn't rumble or anything like that this is an audiophile headphone. But it has just little enough accent on it to make it very enjoyable
The 9600's were my first pair of wired headphones that I actually purchased and that was less than a month ago. I love their soundstage, so very open and airy compared to the Beats I have been using for years. I was lacking that bass that I crave and purchased the Meze 99's and wow what a difference! I haven't had a chance to try them out with everything yet as I just received them last night but they are on a whole other level than Beats lol. I'm not knocking Beats as I have owned several pair of them but dang those Meze are clean!
I have the 9500’s and the 58x. I use the 9500 for gaming because they are extremely easy to drive and the Xbox and PS drive them to uncomfortable levels of loud. The 58x I use for music with an amp because while they are easy to drive, using your phone leaves a little to be desired volume wise. The 9500’s are easy to add the mod mic boom so it’s a no brainer. While the 58x work well for gaming, adding a mod mic gets expensive.
Someone somewhere (maybe in a comment here) said it may have received some sort of super-SHP9500, because he/she felt it sounded better than anything else. I've tested the 3 of these headphones and among them, SHP9500 sounds better.
Revisiting this review xmas 2021 - current prices in uk 9600 £75 9500 £105 hd 58x would be £160 - after watching this i think the 9600 fits. 2nd head to the collection to add to my budget entry Superlux 668B
Just get the 9600 the lack of bass on open back headphones is a thing but with the 9600 you'll sacrifice just a bit on the MIDs and HIGHs but that's not a deal breaker is it? Also I think the 9600 design is cooler and as far as I know they are more comfortable and fit better than the 9500.
To be fair the 9500 cost a lot less than the other 2. Sometime they go on sale for $60. So literally it's 2 different category. And I mean the 9500 and the 9600 have only a minor difference might as well get the 9500. Plus the its cheaper
Something I would like to mention if we're talking about the best headphones under $200. The DT 880, specifically the editions with EDT990VB pads. If you can find these they will essentially blow away the above mentioned headphones in all areas. Just need to find a good sale on them. I found mine for under $200 cad and they are the best value I've ever gotten on a headphone.
I had them and they’re were clearly a very technically good headphone but they just seemed kinda lifeless compared to my others. Ended up selling them. If I ever got 880s again I’d try the 600 ohm version but I’d need a more powerful amp for that.
Mine were the chrome edition. They had black pads. I mean they’re resolution was insane, it’s just that I didn’t use them enough to justify having them around.
@@Isaac_L.. Oh well they are a bit bright compared to something like the 650 but overall I prefer their sound. 650 is a completely different tuning. So much mids!
Hey Josh, I've been around your channel for the last month and a half and have been loving the content. I'd still consider myself to be relatively new to the audio community, so, with that in mind: perhaps it's just my lack of exposure, but what exactly do you mean when you use the expression "finite," or "very finite"?
I had the 9600 and they weren't that bad but recently purchased the 9500 out of curiosity and the looks and overall, I prefer the 9500 and returned the 9600. they both sound good but I prefer the 9500 sound wise and look wise. The copper ring on the 9600 just didn't look good to me. I know people don't like huge labels on their devices, but I actually don't mind. So, the huge L and R on the 9500 looks pretty cool to me.
I enjoy music as much as I would like to hear all the sound effects of each instruments playing. Unfortunately, one can only tell us how their own experiences is in regards to some of details one might look forward into. But it isn't going to be a reflection of the real thing. I bought my first headset 9600 solely for the reason bc open-back could deliver more broadrange of sound. And these just nailed it. I could clearly hear all the sound effects in all kinds of instruments playing compared to when I had my closed back headphones which are boomy, in sound making all the other sound tiny or inaudible. 2nd reason I picked this headset is the finished of it making it looked like there isn't too much going on there or 'minimal' I think is the term for it.
Great review as always. I have some kilobuck headphones but still listen to my 58x frequently and always use them as my portable pair. They are the king and deserve the praise.
His argument really leans toward the 58x. I own them. Things he didn't mention is ....You will want to modify them to actually get the sound he is talking about. All you really do is remove all the foam from them. And the earpads are total shit. Mine were already beginning to flatten after a couple months. The velour is also itchy and it is difficult to get after market pads that actually sound good on the 58x. I have no idea about the 9500s and the 9600s.
Bass on 58x isn't earth shattering but more extended to deeper. I have few music have very deep bass and 58X has no problem. 58X is definitely winner on voice even it's intact (clear and accurate)
9600 will be a better buy when the price starts dropping closer to USD$100. Has anyone here tried coffee filters (or felt?) in front of the SHP9500 driver to tame that spiky treble? They are so cheap when on sale I’m tempted to try a pair.
All Sennheiser HD 5 and 6 series need the foam behind and in front of the Driver for many reasons that have been alrealy talked on Forums... Even a small hair inside the driver can change the sound ... DIY heaven also makes some tests on that. Beyerdynamic owners also know that....
I have the 58X, DT880-600, listened to the HD600 and of course they are best in my opinion, other than bass which is better on 58X. Beyers need filter to lower the highs, lack upper mids, bass, very comfy headphones and decent resolution. I moded 58X with the 4-4.5mm hole in felt on the back of the drivers as per Solder Dude mod, and instead of foam I put ladies stockings, a bit thicker to get just a hair of a lift above 1k, but it is not a big difference comparing with the foam. The only thing I wish for the 58X, is wider soundstage and better details. Other than for the money, it's really hard to find something better.
@@pliedtka 58x doesnt have better bass than HD 600 and HD660s ... More bass doesnt mean better. HD600 and HD660s have more clear more texture and progressive bass than 58x.
Much better soundstage with the SHP9500. Gaming should be good with them. I just couldn't stand the sibilance and lack of sub-bass with them while listening to music.
Two good phones idk what anyone says. M50x has that “brain-injection” type soundstage which I think works to its benefit, so long as you can wear them comfortably
For gaming yes, music no. I also use the 9500 for Overwatch and I can hear enemies coming towards me from behind and can pinpoint where they are accurately
It's interesting that English is so deficient in explaining audible things. All the adjectives are either physical or visual, or even abstract. Sparkly, wide, large image, scale, sound _stage_ Hearing seems to be an evolutionary afterthought A bit off topic, but hey.. sue me 😙
I like that you rate them for different things. I use ad900x for gaming and eventually I'll be looking for a replacement so I appreciate that you discuss that.
@@mosasa1307 They in my opinion have really good imaging and wide enough soundstage but they don't have a crazy wide soundstage. Sound signature is super bass lite but the treble is pretty detailed to me. Honestly there's probably some better headphones out there right now for gaming as I bought these quite a few years ago but compared to my Steelseries Sibera Elite Prism "gaming" headphones it's like night and day difference. The Steelseries tells you which direction (North E S W) where the AD900X tells you where someone is within maybe 10 degrees. Back when I played CSGO it made a big difference in my gameplay specifically callouts and shooting at people before my brain sees them. Edit: so the main things I'm looking for in their replacement are great imaging and more bass however the AD900X respond well to a bass boost.
@@TylerStout alright thankis, I ended up impulse buying the 9500 last night as they were $16 dollars off. Got it for like $73 bucks. I'll reply to you and share my experience once It gets here and I test it.
@@mosasa1307 my gf has them they sound very similar to mine just with a touch more bass. Haven't really gamed on them so can't really say how imaging and soundstage compare.
Interesting description 👍, yeah a bit narrow and not much forward. Maybe if Sennheiser would angled drivers and put them farther things would improve. For 170$ -20bucks, still hard to beat.
I know I'm a bit late, but just get the HD58X; they are much more detailed. The HD599 is more of a casual listeners headphone for general media consumption i.e. movies, games, etc.
it is not really comparable, it is better to choose headphones with more similar characteristics, concerning the hd58x it does not have the same impedance, the Philips are in 32 ohms and the hd58x is in 150 ohms, it is not the same result depending on the type of equipment where you listen to it, 32 ohms is more suitable, for smartphone, computer tablet, 150ohm a little more for amps etc, in short studio equipment, it's better to compare headphones with exactly the same impetus on the same music and on the same adapted material...
Joshua, I own the SUSVARA. I was wondering if you were still gonna do a full review on the SUSVARA. I also own the ARYA and HE1000se. I was curious how you compared the SUSVARA to your favorite ARYA. G
