I've just sold my Sennheiser HD650 headphones to go for these new Ultrasone Proline 2500s. The HD650 are good headphones for sure, but in the end, just not to my tastes - I did not regard them as suitable for my preference in music or the kind of sound that I like. Even using a Sonic Exciter processor could not quite liven them up to my tastes.
Some people claim that you can make the Sennheiser sound more exciting with "better" equipment, but I am just not sure I really agree. For example, when listening to acoustic music, such as Dire Straits I found that the Sennheiser sounded really natural and smooth, and I had no complaints. However, the main staple of my listening diet is electronica, and it was then that the HD650 fell over by being too distant, dark, slow and uninvolving.
I had a hard time believing that "better equipment" would really help, I think I was expecting to be able to transform the HD650 into something its not. The equipment that I was using with the HD650 is well documented for being lively and dynamic, and even then I used an Exciter to liven it up even more and yet still, it did not quite hit the spot for me.
So, I sold them, and in their place I now use the Ultrasone Proline 2500. It has not had much attention on here, but I just thought that I would bring it to peoples attention because I think it is a worthy competitor to other "upper class" headphones such as the HD650, Beyer DT880/990 etc.
I have to admit that when they first came, I was quite dissapointed in the sound. They sounded a tad congested, and dark, quite like the HD650 in many respects!
Nevertheless, the more I use them, the more they are beginning to open up.
I use a squeezebox v3 into a modified Musical Fidelity Digilog (DAC), which is then fed to the Behringer Sonic Exciter SX3040, then into the ANT Amber headphone amp and finally the headphones themselves.
It may surprise some people to learn that I am using a Sonic Exciter with headphones, but I feel it is a great tool for enhancing the sound quality (I really do believe it improves it too and I am quite a fussy bugger when it comes to sound). Basically I have spent a long time searching for the ideal headphone for me, and none of them are perfect. This unit allows me to tweak headphones to my taste. On decent headphones, relatively small changes are all that is required. The unit helps add bass power / speed and also clarity, spaciousness and detail to the sound. Most hifi heads would probably baulk at the thought, but I have no such prejudices against anything that works. Some people cut squash balls in half and use them as legs, I use this!
To be fair, it did help quite a lot even with the Sennheiser, but it still couldnt quite help totally lifting the veil I perceived it to have - made it brighter yes, but still it was there, and although it tried to help the bass, it still wasnt as fast or snappy, or as detailed as I hoped.
Now, back onto the Proline 2500. As I said before, when I first got them I felt I made a mistake as they were rather underwhelming to say the least, but after a good use, these headphones are showing all the signs of being *extremely* promising, at least they are in the rig I'm using.
In some respects they do actually seem to sound a little like the HD650, but there are a few important differences. First off, they are not quite as smoothed off as the 650. The 650 would go to great lengths to make everything sound listenable and not harsh. I would describe it as a "safe" sound. The 2500 however, will not make any effort to smooth over a rough recording. It will give you the grit of the recording if it is present. Generally therefore, I think you could say the 2500 is the more "honest" headphone in that respect. Tonally, they 650 and 2500 are reasonably similar. The 650 midrange seems to dominate slightly more than in the 2500, but just a touch. The 2500 seems to have more extended treble and more perceived detail.
The bass in the 2500 is one thing that really seems to seperate it from the 650 though. The bass is faster, more detailed, more agile, punchier and deeper. It is better in every respect.
In actual fact in my rig, the Proline 2500 has quite incredible bass. Very visceral, there are times when it seems like there is a subwoofer in my room, it is that convincing. The sheer punch that these things have is deeply impressive. These also have very, very good pace, rythym and timing.
The overall sound somehow manages to strike a balance of being really quite natural sounding in tone, but also being highly dynamic and lively at the same time when the music demands it. Give it any hard hitting music, and it will deliver a superbly addictive rendition, really very exciting. Many headphones try and give you liveliness in the form of a very bright sound, but these are not bright, but they manage to sound lively.
Not only that, but they feature a technology called S-Logic. Simply put, it is an off-set driver position that tries to mimic surround sound, and I have to say that these headphones deliver one of the best "headstages" I've ever come across in any headphones. I have not tried with movies yet, but I have no reason to doubt they wont be superb for movies. They have the sheer power in the bass and the dynamics, but also what appears to be a very natural presentation thanks to the S-Logic.
Overall, with these headphones matched up with the ANT Amber and Behringer SX3040, I have a headphone setup which is by far the best sound I have ever heard from headphones. No longer do I feel compromised when I have to use my headphones over speakers, like I always did in the past.
A few other points versus the HD650, first off, they are cheaper. Brand new, the Proline 2500 can be found for £50 less than the HD650. Comfort wise, I personally think the Proline are actually slightly better than the HD650, the velour pads feel nicer to the touch (very like Beyer pads, actually), and it has a one sided cable which I prefer. Finally, one thing that Sennheiser fans will tell you is that the HD650 really wants the best amp you can afford. Not everyone can afford the best (usually because it costs several thousand pounds). Personally, I am not sure about this because with the right music, my HD650 sounded very good, it was just it didnt hit the spot for most music I tend to listen to. However, the Proline represents what appears to be a fairly easy load. I generally have my headphone amp on half as loud for the same perceived volume as the HD650.
Overall, the Proline 2500 is an outstanding headphone which is really worthy of consideration. Given some decent quality components, the 2500 manage to sound natural and supremely realistic for gentler genres, yet at the same time, for hard hitting stuff, they really go for the jugular and serve up some real excitement.
Thoroughly recommended.
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