Use these headphones everyday! Video editing, gaming, watching movies, and listening to music of course. Super comfortable, can wear these all day with no issues, and the sound is probably the best you're going to get for $70. Great for travel too. Personally I don't want to be dragging around $300+ headphones every where so these are great.
I love this headphone, it was my first Audiophile headphone, I opted for the headset cable so it's amazing for my gaming needs as well. I got the Game One's, and the Sennheiser HD800S shortly after, but I wish I had gone for the HD650's instead. I just ordered the HD58X and KSC75X from Drop and will likely be using those pretty often. When I'm not using headphones I'm using the Audio Engine HD3's which I've had for years. I always avoided the Audiophile headphones knowing I'd start collecting them like I collect watches. Goodbye savings account. I love the SHP9600's even with the Game One's and Sennheiser HD800S, these are my go to for movies, music, and gaming where I don't require a microphone. But with the Vmoda Boom Pro's on the way these will absolutely take over for my primary headphones for gaming. Super efficient no amp needed, comfortable, minimal clamping. I might upgrade the pads at some point though for a more premium feel.
@@Dubufy you definitely should if you prefer open back. However they're not by any stretch of means a bassy headphones. The review might say it's bassier than SHP9500, but I never listened to it so this is based on my experience with normal closed back headphones like Sony XM3. If you want a bassy headphone but not bloated like XM3, at around the same price, I recommend Moon drop Aria. It's an IEM tho.
Still to new to audio. So whats the difference if I fiddle with an EQ with 9500s and raise the bass and just flat out listening to the 9600. Would this be a good representation of how the 9600s may sound like?
Is the DT 990 or DT 880 32ohm edition better for music listening than the SHP9600s? You mentioned gaming is better, but music is what I think people are more interested, especially since the Beyers are about 50$ more expensive. Maybe you guys can do a video comparing sub 200$ headphones? 😁
I've come to find I am mostly a Sennheiser sound profile guy. I prefer that forward mids. Recently got Beyerdynamics Tygr and it's like the mids are really held back and recessed. Vocals take a backseat too much. I like the base on them, they have dampened the high treble Beyerdynamics usually have. But I still find them in some music and sounds a bit too "shrill". So any headphone to me needs to be more of a Sennheiser sound profile, but I would like deeper bass extension. I can EQ that in for most. But it feels they at times lack that sub bass
My headphones are: KSC75, HD580, SHP9500. You gave the SHP9600 a good review but, to me, there is NO midrange & TOO much mid bass. Will your eq of 130Hz, 5dB, Q 1.41 alone be sufficient to improve the sound? A Rtings review show peaking 5dB at 200Hz, any comments? P.S. I'm taking a challenge to design a single analog bass notch eq filter to justify my poor purchase decision, thanks!
X2 best for imaging and separation, 95 best for soundstage. All the headphones are tuned differently and whether you like them or not depends on your own taste. 96 probably fits you best, it’s a great all-around option. If you are in US you can get a pair open box for less than $50, I just did and they are def worth it.
I don't get why you say it does not have the widest soundstage. Yeah, but it still has a wide soundstage, just not the widest of everyone, if that's what you mean?
"particularly those with facial hair." well. there goes that option. do the 9500's have the same material? such a small part of your video but ridiculously helpful, well presented overall.
I have the SHP9600 and after a few weeks of use, I have no complains regarding my facial hair. I have a full beard and sideburns and they feel fantastic. The clamping force is light, but firm enough to press down the facial hair rather than cling and pull.
With the SHP-9500 now discontinued, places like Amazon no longer stock it, leaving it to third-party sellers to price it at over 100-135 USD. The SHP-9600 is of course the only choice then between the two. So a lot of comparisons can no longer be made. I've tried Sennheiser for years now, and have stopped liking how their propietary connectors wear out after only 6-7 months, forcing you to buy new ones. In addition, with Sennheisers usually being Balanced headphones, meaning an output from both drivers, it can be difficult to repair them or otherwise. I'm glad there's an unbalanced option in the SHP-9600s.
So how would you say these compare to the X2HRs? I mean they’re the same price at the moment. They both seem to have V shaped EQs and are more leaned back than analytical, which is fine for me.
The 32ohms? Yeah they're easy to drive like the Philips is but really aren't that great at all. The 250ohms? Still meh... and hard to drive. Or the 600ohms? Seriously hard to drive, they don't shine on most cheap headphone amps as they'd still underpower them. And yes, the 600ohm DT880 are awesome, but only when you can actually power them do they shine and make a big difference for the better versus the competition in the pricerange. Most folks opting for the SHP9600 don't have a dedicated headphone amp powerfull enough to drive this one. Thing to really avoid here should be your advice imho.
@RafiGish you slamming the DT880 (which is literally the best beyer has) in comparison to Philips (which never made a good headphone) makes think that you must have little experience with headphones. The 250ohm version will be powered just fine with something like the US Apple USB C dongle (even better Meizu dong), which at 3.6mW at 300Ohm will be more than enough to get the 250ohm DT880 to an acceptable volume. Same goes for most decent phones which still feature a 3.5mm connector like the Galaxy S9. Lets also dispel the fact that you do not require a speaker amp to get the DT880 600Ohm to perform well if you found the Zeos meme video. A Magni 3+ will be more than adequate to get it to perform well enough for most users (anymore investment in source gear and you might as well get a better headphone). Have you actually tried any of the headphones mentioned or are you just reading off the internet? I personally have owned/demoed the DT880 32/250/600ohm as well as the X2HR and SHP9500 (just to see what the fuss was about). The DT880 make a mockery of the philips even at the lowest resolution model (32ohm). As the 9600 still features the same driver I very much doubt its resolution is in anyway improved, especially after you add the fact that the bass bloat is now drowning out the low res treble. The DT880 is actually a valid recommendation to anyone who ever considered the old SHP9500 as it just does everything better.
Ngl I don't hear the roll off on the 58x you keep mentioning, bass is still pretty present at around 30hz on mine, maybe there was a silent rev or something... Also I'm sure these guys are gonna drop in price eventually, they really should be under $100 imo
Bass rolloff on the HD58X starts around 60-70hz - at least this is how it measures on standardized rigs. It is fairly gradual, so it's not like it's totally gone until you get down to like 30hz and below where you see a -5dB delta from typical targets, but the main difference is the contrast between the sub-bass and the bump in the upper bass above 100hz.
The HEADPHONE Show Sub bass is still there even if it isn’t as boosted as mid bass though, unlike the other sennheisers and the shp9500 for example, who just have none of it... Maybe I just don’t know how to read graphs but even Drop’s own make it seem pretty well extended, you sure you didn’t get the protoype model?
@@ragecandy for what, a 58x? Check Oratory's graph for it if he has one. Otherwise, even RTINGs shows the sub-bass roll off. It helps to have a sine wave generator to test this stuff as well. Try that out to get a sense of where various frequencies are.
Here's a tip : Look for sensitivity level in the specs of the headphone you're interested in. Usually most headphones will range around 80-120 dB/mW. 100 dB/mW and above don't require an external amp as it's very efficient. 99 dB/mW and below will require an external amp.
Rips 58x a new one for grain , soundstage , imaging , let's this sub par product pass known for poor soundstage and grain , considering 58x was 135$ or 150$ at that point and these are 130$ now , I still find that review unfair
Using Amazon Prime Music 24bit 48kHz and the Equalizer in the V shape with these 9600 although some songs I preffer to use my Sony XM3.. Love them both.
Would make sense if the 58x was 100-120$. Drop price is just not worth it, when you can easily get a used HD600/650/6xx instead and generally in decent shape at those price points.
SHP9500 is a overrated headphone that is only considered good because of it's price. SHP9600 is just a minor tuning and aesthetics change and with the cost increase i cant really justify it over spending a little extra for 58X. If the price goes down to that of the 9500 i can wholeheartedly recommend these but not at the current introductory price.
@@hukama6911 Yep, where I live, SHP9500 is the best headphone that is not extremely expensive, for comparison, a hd58x costs 3 times more than the 9500 ou 9600 so, here this headphones are the best bang for your buck.
@@hukama6911 Without a doubt. These look incredibly generic, and don't stand out from what is out there by countless other brands. They look like they could be made by some off-brand only sold on Amazon.
@@aznablerey398 my guess would be that philips thought having a cleaner look would appeal to more people, I don't think they're wrong. But I think it looks boring.
I’ve owned both. Bass is slightly better on the 9600, soundstage is better on the 9500. I don’t think one sounds better than the other, they each falter in different ways.
3 years later and now you can buy them for $65 which makes them a no brainer
thinking of buying them rn
I just got them yesterday, and I absolutely love them! Would highly recommend.
@@Bransomware sweet, I ended up purchasing them yesterday and they’ll be here this Friday, cant wait 👍
thanks for the EQ setting. it is perfect now.
Use these headphones everyday! Video editing, gaming, watching movies, and listening to music of course. Super comfortable, can wear these all day with no issues, and the sound is probably the best you're going to get for $70. Great for travel too. Personally I don't want to be dragging around $300+ headphones every where so these are great.
I love this headphone, it was my first Audiophile headphone, I opted for the headset cable so it's amazing for my gaming needs as well. I got the Game One's, and the Sennheiser HD800S shortly after, but I wish I had gone for the HD650's instead. I just ordered the HD58X and KSC75X from Drop and will likely be using those pretty often. When I'm not using headphones I'm using the Audio Engine HD3's which I've had for years. I always avoided the Audiophile headphones knowing I'd start collecting them like I collect watches. Goodbye savings account.
I love the SHP9600's even with the Game One's and Sennheiser HD800S, these are my go to for movies, music, and gaming where I don't require a microphone. But with the Vmoda Boom Pro's on the way these will absolutely take over for my primary headphones for gaming. Super efficient no amp needed, comfortable, minimal clamping. I might upgrade the pads at some point though for a more premium feel.
I got mine for $88, still loving it!
I'd snap them up immediately for anywhere near that price, but right now they're £105 in the UK... and that sucks balls :(
@@Dubufy you definitely should if you prefer open back. However they're not by any stretch of means a bassy headphones. The review might say it's bassier than SHP9500, but I never listened to it so this is based on my experience with normal closed back headphones like Sony XM3. If you want a bassy headphone but not bloated like XM3, at around the same price, I recommend Moon drop Aria. It's an IEM tho.
@@Dubufy you can also get 50% off Sennheiser HD560S right now during black Friday sales too lol even more choice for you
How are these with a gaming console? I mean connected to a controller
Still to new to audio. So whats the difference if I fiddle with an EQ with 9500s and raise the bass and just flat out listening to the 9600. Would this be a good representation of how the 9600s may sound like?
already got a 9500.
I'll probably stick with it.
good for gaming
If you want an upgrade, get the hifiman he400i 2020
I cut out foam from inside the cups. It made them sound 100 times better, clean like no other. Now they are my most favorite cans of all time.
foam from inside the cups??
explain what did you cut xactly
I removed the earcups and cut the fabric which is very thick leaving it open and put it back, the driver is protect so no problem.
So if i dont own the 9500, and the 9500 is only 10 bucks cheaper than the 9600 where i live, i might as well get the 9600?
Lemme guess, you're from Australia?
@@edeboy Singapore
Is the DT 990 or DT 880 32ohm edition better for music listening than the SHP9600s? You mentioned gaming is better, but music is what I think people are more interested, especially since the Beyers are about 50$ more expensive. Maybe you guys can do a video comparing sub 200$ headphones? 😁
I've come to find I am mostly a Sennheiser sound profile guy. I prefer that forward mids. Recently got Beyerdynamics Tygr and it's like the mids are really held back and recessed. Vocals take a backseat too much. I like the base on them, they have dampened the high treble Beyerdynamics usually have. But I still find them in some music and sounds a bit too "shrill".
So any headphone to me needs to be more of a Sennheiser sound profile, but I would like deeper bass extension. I can EQ that in for most. But it feels they at times lack that sub bass
Great stuff Chrono.
I love the SHE6000 NO MATTER WHAT and i will buy them forever great bass and wonderfull look so good
My headphones are: KSC75, HD580, SHP9500. You gave the SHP9600 a good review but, to me, there is NO midrange & TOO much mid bass. Will your eq of 130Hz, 5dB, Q 1.41 alone be sufficient to improve the sound? A Rtings review show peaking 5dB at 200Hz, any comments?
P.S. I'm taking a challenge to design a single analog bass notch eq filter to justify my poor purchase decision, thanks!
very nice review!!!
Nice review man. I currently own the Fidelio X2, do you know how these compares to them?
shp9500, 9600 or X2HR which one has the best soundstage, imaging, separation for music movies and gaming?
X2 best for imaging and separation, 95 best for soundstage.
All the headphones are tuned differently and whether you like them or not depends on your own taste.
96 probably fits you best, it’s a great all-around option. If you are in US you can get a pair open box for less than $50, I just did and they are def worth it.
@@i.Gnarly i got the Sennheisers HD 560S for 110 bucks and i think they blow the philips out of the water ;)
I don't get why you say it does not have the widest soundstage. Yeah, but it still has a wide soundstage, just not the widest of everyone, if that's what you mean?
"particularly those with facial hair." well. there goes that option. do the 9500's have the same material? such a small part of your video but ridiculously helpful, well presented overall.
I have the SHP9600 and after a few weeks of use, I have no complains regarding my facial hair. I have a full beard and sideburns and they feel fantastic. The clamping force is light, but firm enough to press down the facial hair rather than cling and pull.
With the SHP-9500 now discontinued, places like Amazon no longer stock it, leaving it to third-party sellers to price it at over 100-135 USD. The SHP-9600 is of course the only choice then between the two. So a lot of comparisons can no longer be made. I've tried Sennheiser for years now, and have stopped liking how their propietary connectors wear out after only 6-7 months, forcing you to buy new ones. In addition, with Sennheisers usually being Balanced headphones, meaning an output from both drivers, it can be difficult to repair them or otherwise. I'm glad there's an unbalanced option in the SHP-9600s.
Great vid
So how would you say these compare to the X2HRs? I mean they’re the same price at the moment. They both seem to have V shaped EQs and are more leaned back than analytical, which is fine for me.
I would avoid both. Just get something like the DT880
@@exol511 Which version of the DT880?
The 32ohms?
Yeah they're easy to drive like the Philips is but really aren't that great at all.
The 250ohms?
Still meh... and hard to drive.
Or the 600ohms?
Seriously hard to drive, they don't shine on most cheap headphone amps as they'd still underpower them.
And yes, the 600ohm DT880 are awesome, but only when you can actually power them do they shine and make a big difference for the better versus the competition in the pricerange. Most folks opting for the SHP9600 don't have a dedicated headphone amp powerfull enough to drive this one.
Thing to really avoid here should be your advice imho.
@RafiGish you slamming the DT880 (which is literally the best beyer has) in comparison to Philips (which never made a good headphone) makes think that you must have little experience with headphones.
The 250ohm version will be powered just fine with something like the US Apple USB C dongle (even better Meizu dong), which at 3.6mW at 300Ohm will be more than enough to get the 250ohm DT880 to an acceptable volume. Same goes for most decent phones which still feature a 3.5mm connector like the Galaxy S9.
Lets also dispel the fact that you do not require a speaker amp to get the DT880 600Ohm to perform well if you found the Zeos meme video. A Magni 3+ will be more than adequate to get it to perform well enough for most users (anymore investment in source gear and you might as well get a better headphone).
Have you actually tried any of the headphones mentioned or are you just reading off the internet? I personally have owned/demoed the DT880 32/250/600ohm as well as the X2HR and SHP9500 (just to see what the fuss was about). The DT880 make a mockery of the philips even at the lowest resolution model (32ohm). As the 9600 still features the same driver I very much doubt its resolution is in anyway improved, especially after you add the fact that the bass bloat is now drowning out the low res treble.
The DT880 is actually a valid recommendation to anyone who ever considered the old SHP9500 as it just does everything better.
@@exol511 hell no, id stick with x2hrs for dayssss
@@exol511 dt880 is the best beyer has? So beyer dt1770, Dt1990, t1 and t5 don't exist?
How do these compare to the 570s or the 400i 2020 @The HEADPHONE Show as they are not 100 Miles away in price now?
I was like why does he have just a blank white poster up then I saw the other ones and was like ohhhhhhhh.
I’m seeing so many people reselling these lol
I'm not
Where are they reselling ion wanna pay full price
Ngl I don't hear the roll off on the 58x you keep mentioning, bass is still pretty present at around 30hz on mine, maybe there was a silent rev or something...
Also I'm sure these guys are gonna drop in price eventually, they really should be under $100 imo
ikr, they're like 5dB rolled off at 20Hz, which is nothing.
Bass rolloff on the HD58X starts around 60-70hz - at least this is how it measures on standardized rigs. It is fairly gradual, so it's not like it's totally gone until you get down to like 30hz and below where you see a -5dB delta from typical targets, but the main difference is the contrast between the sub-bass and the bump in the upper bass above 100hz.
The HEADPHONE Show Sub bass is still there even if it isn’t as boosted as mid bass though, unlike the other sennheisers and the shp9500 for example, who just have none of it...
Maybe I just don’t know how to read graphs but even Drop’s own make it seem pretty well extended, you sure you didn’t get the protoype model?
@@ragecandy for what, a 58x? Check Oratory's graph for it if he has one. Otherwise, even RTINGs shows the sub-bass roll off. It helps to have a sine wave generator to test this stuff as well. Try that out to get a sense of where various frequencies are.
Are these good without a dac/amp?
Here's a tip :
Look for sensitivity level in the specs of the headphone you're interested in. Usually most headphones will range around 80-120 dB/mW. 100 dB/mW and above don't require an external amp as it's very efficient. 99 dB/mW and below will require an external amp.
yes!
Rips 58x a new one for grain , soundstage , imaging , let's this sub par product pass known for poor soundstage and grain , considering 58x was 135$ or 150$ at that point and these are 130$ now , I still find that review unfair
hi, i never own an open back 🎧 does this 9600 suitable for gaming Mobil and bass average music songs?and can change earcup too?
Yes. No, you can't change the pads but you don't really need to.
@@dannybos7024 if I wanna soft leather so this not suit me. I fan a leather earcup.
@@gamingvibes4u You mean earpad, not earcup. But if you want leather, you're out of luck, since there aren't many open backs with leather pads.
@@dannybos7024 thanks, now I know. I suppose not go open back headphones
@@gamingvibes4u Why not? Open backs sound way better than closed backs majority of the time. But if you really wnat closed, go for the K361.
Looking for a microphone test.
hey u should do a direct comparison between the hd650 and sundara,i think a lot of people are having that question
Who's asking for a $140 vs $399 comparison?
@@eezeepee 220 vs 350 yeah, and the 650 is said to scale much more, and both are said to be great values
650 is 400 dollars
Using Amazon Prime Music 24bit 48kHz and the Equalizer in the V shape with these 9600 although some songs I preffer to use my Sony XM3.. Love them both.
I found the 9500’s to be way to bright....but then again almost every hifi headphone sounds too bright to me..
Get 650 ,660s, LCD2C ...
Get Audioquest Nighthawk
Can you review the superlux hd 668B? I'm torn between the 2. Anyone have 2cents? I already plan to replace the earpads if I got the Superlux
SHP9600
oh yeah 9600 for sure, superlux are no contender imo
are the earpads removable?
They released this into the world where we already have 58x... Not smart, Phillips!
Would make sense if the 58x was 100-120$. Drop price is just not worth it, when you can easily get a used HD600/650/6xx instead and generally in decent shape at those price points.
@@exol511 The main advantage the 58X has over 6XX is that it is far easier to drive and doesn't require an amp.
SHP9500 is a overrated headphone that is only considered good because of it's price. SHP9600 is just a minor tuning and aesthetics change and with the cost increase i cant really justify it over spending a little extra for 58X. If the price goes down to that of the 9500 i can wholeheartedly recommend these but not at the current introductory price.
sure, but there are places in the world that makes both 58x and 9500 worth it in their own price ranges.
I was only impressed by the imaging on the 58x. Separation is crap.
G P really?
@@hukama6911 yes, and for those in that kind of place, 9500 is a nice entry level headphone
@@hukama6911 Yep, where I live, SHP9500 is the best headphone that is not extremely expensive, for comparison, a hd58x costs 3 times more than the 9500 ou 9600 so, here this headphones are the best bang for your buck.
so much uglier than the 9500. what a step back.
I see you like more industrial look
@@hukama6911 Without a doubt. These look incredibly generic, and don't stand out from what is out there by countless other brands. They look like they could be made by some off-brand only sold on Amazon.
@@aznablerey398 my guess would be that philips thought having a cleaner look would appeal to more people, I don't think they're wrong. But I think it looks boring.
Yeah but it sounds better.
I’ve owned both. Bass is slightly better on the 9600, soundstage is better on the 9500. I don’t think one sounds better than the other, they each falter in different ways.
Muuurica