Hi All!
Been meaning to write a post about thse two for a while now and have finally got round to doing it! I have had both the Pioneer SE-DIR2000C's and the Philips SBC-HD1500U 5. 1 Dolby Digital/DTS Headphone systems for quite some time now and both having hundreds of hours of use.
Both are not available in the UK (for the Pioneer, go to audiocubes and for the Philips go to an EU country). WARNING: If you buy the Philips, make sure it is the upgraded HD1500U version - the previous version had limited connection and were prone to getting broken!)
The Pioneer uses IR while the Philips uses RF. Both have excellent connectivity. The Pioneer is more futuristic looking while the Philips is more standard. The headsets the selves are very different. The Pioneer headset allows permanent storage of the batteries and when not in use, the headsets rest on a the decoder unit and automatically get charged - very neat indeed. Also the headsets only switch on when you have them on so as to save power - again very cool. The headsets are not the best looking and are an open air design that rests on the top of the head and have very, very little pressure around the ears. They are VERY comfortable but sometimes they can be a bit too loose and may tend to slip off. The Philips on the other hand are closed a loop system. Again, the Philips are not the best deigned headsets either. The batteries are need to charged in the decoder unit and changed when they run out. Philips do, however, supply two sets of batteries. The headsets form a very tight grip around the ears - a bit too tight and can get quite uncomfortable after a while, as the ears get kind of hot and sweaty. The Philips headsets have a manual on/off switch. Both headsets have volume controls. As far as comfort is concerned, the Pioneer are miles ahead - you can wear them all day long and after a while not notice they are there (as long as they don't slip off!). The Philips will have you massaging your ears after a couple of hours but will stay well rooted to your head!
As far as the base decoder units are concerned, both are very well built, easy to use and understand. Both allow you to hook up a wired headset of your choice if you wish and have independent volume control. The Pioneer will allow you to connect one wired headset but the Philips allows for two. The Philips allows for two Digital Inputs and two analogue inputs. The Pioneer allows for 3 digital inputs/outputs and one analogue. Both units have an attenuator to level selection if source sound output is low. Both units are different but I would give then equal score.
SOUND: This is very difficult to as both systems are so VERY GOOD but sound so VERY DIFFERENT. BOTH SYSTEMS IN TERMS OF SOUND QUALITY AND SURROUND SOUND DECODING/EFFECTS ARE VERY IMPRESSIVE INDEED. Considering you are not just getting headphones but electronics as well, I would rate them as EXCELLENT and I have been a headphone listener for over 25 years and have had numerous brands and models.
PLEASE NOTE: Both these headphones finally prove how very good wireless headphones now are - they are the best I have ever heard and I am an old fashioned git who refused to ever believe that wireless headphones would ever be any good. Trust me, they can hold up very well against many quality wired headsets. You will be very surprised indeed - I most certainly was - did not want to believe it even afterwards!
Both systems will bring a smile to your face and DEFINITELY change the way you watch movies and tv when using headphones.
Pioneer: A very complete headphone - sound is just wonderful. They are can adjust from being subtle and refined one moment and yet quite dynamic but in a very smooth way. They exhibit excellent transients with crystal clear sound. The top end is very smooth but efficient. Midrange is not at all coloured being crystal clear with a very natural sound - stunning. As for the bass, again, I am surprised at how good it is: it is tight, controlled, has good attack but is controlled. Using Dolby Digital or DTS sources and you really are in for a treat. Excellent surround sound effects with good steering and most of the time very convincing effects. You can hear the very, very subtle rear effects that one would ordinarily miss. The whole package just works so naturally and very pleasingly together. You kind of always have a smile on your face and a sense of real satisfaction. Bad points: Like I said, most of the time, they are so comfortable, you forget they are on but on my head at least, they are prone to slipping off - I think Pioneer tried to make them so as they put the minimal amount of pressure as possible on ones ears. The other point is to AVOID at all costs a function called 'Bass Assist.' It attempts to boost the bass but just makes things worse - leave it off at all times!
Philips: When I first heard these (utilising DD/DTS), I had one big grin on my face I can tell you! They too sound totally free of any interference just like the Pioneer's. As for the sound - they sound different to the Pioneer's - whereas the Pioneer's seem to PRESENT the sound to you - The Philips do the opposite - they literally smack it to you - a very attacking and forward presentation and depending on the source/material, works EXTREMELY well in some cases and on the whole works well generally but possibly with some loss of detail compared to the Pioneer's. They are not as refined or as controlled as the Pioneer's but depending on what you are listening to that is not always a bad thing - they are really great when watching in your face action movies. They do go very loud to the point that they can distort if you push the volume too far. Having said that they will go as loud as anyone would want before needing to push them to such a level - it can be painful. As for the Bass, again, like the Pioneer's. it is VERY impressive (bass being an inherent weakness of headphones normally), they can deliver quite a wallop! The midrange and vocals are very admirable indeed - I was impressed as being a Philips product I expected it to sound shrill and just horrible. Not so. they sound clear and very pleasant - you can concentrate on the whole event decent midrange and vocals throughout. The Pioneer's are however, are a bit more accurate and have a better tonal presentation than the Philips in the vocals and midrange. The same can be said for the top end - it can be a little dry and brittle compared to the Pioneer's which work in its favour in some circumstances but not in others. As for DD/DTS and surround sound decoding and effects - like the Pioneer's - truly excellent - very impressive indeed.
So, what's my conclusion? Well, it depends, firstly, which ever one you get - you will be very happy with so that should be some comfort. Overall though, the Pioneer wins it and I will tell you why. Firstly it has the edge on comfort. Then on the way it charges without having to change batteries and the auto shut off system, On the sound front, the Pioneer's are more adaptable than the Philips. They fully handle all sources very successfully without any compromise whether it be DD/DTS movies, TV or multi-channel music. They are more refined and detailed in sound overall and more controlled and offer a more spacious sound when watching DD/DTS movies/Pro-logic TV. With non movies and multi-channel music/normal music the Philips are less so which is why I give the final decision to the Pioneer's. I still do however truly love the Philips - They just are great too - you cant help but like them! I am lucky I guess as I have both so can alternate on which one I use and for what and more importantly, the type of mood I am in! If you want a system for both movies and music - go for the Pioneer - DEFINITELY. If you want a system just to watch movies then the Philips is the way to go!
VERY IMPORTANTLY!! you all will be EXTREMELY impresses when watching regular TV via Pro-logic and Dolby Headphone mode regardless of whether it is the Philips or the Pioneer's - They really do both rock - I was STUNNED at how good the surround sound when using non DD/DTS material as I had initially dismissed altogether just assuming that I would not enjoy anything other than a DD/DTS source but the complete reverse is true. Sometimes, I swear it is even more effective - or at least appears so - I know when I just get that smile on my face and thinking - boy, that sounded good!
If there is a common weakness to both systems, it is that the so called centre channel (created by no other option than by processing) on a 5.1 headphone system is to me nowhere near convincing. There is no real sweet spot AHEAD of you from where vocals emanate. I guess the Techno Boffins at Pioneer and Philips haven't quite fully figured that one out yet!
Both systems sound so good but still so different, its strange! Forgive me for the comparison but what come to mind is that if they were both cars, the Pioneer's would definitely be a BMW M3 - totally balanced, race bred, designed to do all things well, can handle itself and knows it, doesn't have to show off but can wipe away most things that angers it but still do so ina very dynamic, efficient and elegant way with real sense of assurity. The Philips on the other hand is a Mitsubishi Evo ot Subaru Imprezza - designed just to rock and have fun with on a rally circuit I guess(and what fun!) but is wasted on the roads or track! Does that make sense? If they were boxers, the Pioneer's would be akin to Sugar Ray Leonard while the Philips would be closer allied to Mike Tyson!
Both systems come with a remote control which caters for most selection options (great I thought, as previously I had the Pioneer SE-DIR800c's which did not have an RC) and being the lazy couch potato that I am, it made me mad having to get up and manually change modes every time I wanted to compare DD to DTS!! So the RC's solve this problem right? Unbelievably, NO!! I just can't believe it - both of them got it wrong!! oh well!
Final thought for the former purists like me who always rigidly believed that wireless headphones would never sound any good - its just not true anymore!
Hope you all find the above useful and interesting!
Best Regards!
Suave!!
If it saves £100 and sounds at least as good, some people might be willing to put up with a wire. I'm especially interested in how the wireless 'phones that come with the HD1500 compare to the wired ones that come with the with the HP1500.