[dB Cooper]

KEF joins a growing list of manufacturers known for their speakers (B&W, Polk, etc etc) making the leap into the rapidly growing headphone market.
These look interesting but my experience with on ear models is that they are not the most comfy (most tend to have high clamping pressure).

Anyway, here's a link:
http://www.kef.com/html/us/showroom/mseries/m500/m500/index.html#.Ucb5G45vBUM

[FullRangeMan]

Looks a me too product.
This current flood of headphones brands (all OEM, no own research) reminds me the 1985 CD player wave.

[Russell Dawkins]

Looks a me too product.
This current flood of headphones brands (all OEM, no own research) reminds me the 1985 CD player wave.

"Me too" - in what way? That it has two earpieces and a cord?

KEF, as one of the most innovative and research-oriented manufacturers out there - they pioneered the use of laser interferometry in driver design analysis, for only one example - would be about the last to use an off-the-shelf product and re-badge it.

No own research?? Where do you get your information?

[FullRangeMan]

"Me too" - in what way? That it has two earpieces and a cord?

KEF, as one of the most innovative and research-oriented manufacturers out there - they pioneered the use of laser interferometry in driver design analysis, for only one example - would be about the last to use an off-the-shelf product and re-badge it.

No own research?? Where do you get your information?

Looks a opportunistic product because it is the first headpnone from this brand released just now when there is a headphones boom on the market.
Even this Kef video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skQIfIUN7yY&feature=player_embedded#at=10
is VERY similar to Sennheiser HD800 promo video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HQGtBF-E9o
But if the price is low it may worth it.

[dB Cooper]

Well, with any luck, Woo Audio will be at Capital Audiofest next month and will just happen to have a pair there, and I will be able to give a report.

It does seem odd that someone who has a pretty high profile in the speaker biz isn't attracting more attention, the way, say, B&W did when they introduced the P5.

Personally I am more likely to stick with the longstanding headphone makers rather than the bandwagon jumpers but if they did these right they might be good

[Russell Dawkins]

If I were buying a speaker company's headphones based on their rep as speaker designers, I'd be checking out these PSB 'phones, too: http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/headphones/M4U-2-Headphones

Paul S Barton has a 40 year history of successful speaker design. His first small bookshelf speakers (c. 1973)  were the first of their kind I heard to have a truly realistic tonality and this important trait seems to characterize all his speakers. User comments on these headphones seem to suggest the same is true of these. I have not had an opportunity to hear them.

I think that PS Barton simply "has ears".

[funkmonkey]

Just wanted to throw out a quick two bits from an actual owner.  I recently decided to give the M500 a try, and pulled the trigger on them...  While they don't sound as good as my Salks, as a portable (no amp necessary) set of headphones they do a damn fine job.  They are actually very comfortable...  a little heavy in the headband, and might fly off your head if you sneeze really hard, but , comfortable.  Fit and finish is very nice.  Plush and solid.  Sound is very neutral, and they extend high and low.  Not very forgiving of lousy recordings but rewarding for the good ones!  Overall I'm happy with my purchase. 

Considered the PSBs and Momentums...  and several other higher end models, but chose these based on the lack of need for an amp and neutrality.

Cheers

[dB Cooper]

Well, a description only goes but so far. Two people can listen to the same component and have totally different impressions. No substitute for listening.

[funkmonkey]

dalethorn - this thread was very helpful to me: http://www.head-fi.org/t/672743/comparisons-psb-m4u2-momentum-mdr-1r-qc15-beats-executive-dt1350-ue9000-beats-studio-2013-kef-m500-and-skullcandy-aviators

Amazon has a very easy return system, if you can print a label... just drop it off.  I had to exchange my pair because the first set had an issue with the jack.  Amazon sent off a replacement before i sent the defective pair back, had the new ones in less than two days (Prime member).  Kudos to them for that.

[golfugh]

Full review in the September Tone Audio

Mark

[funkmonkey]

Oh yeah - the headfi review by the Six Sigma guy. Thanks anyway....

care to explain the sarcasm?

it's not just dropoff - there are other factors involved, and time is expensive.

okay. Not sure where you are located, but in the states they offer UPS pick-up as an additional no-charge option for returns.  Not getting in your business here, just trying to help.  Best of luck.

[cujobob]

If I were buying a speaker company's headphones based on their rep as speaker designers, I'd be checking out these PSB 'phones, too: http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/headphones/M4U-2-Headphones

Paul S Barton has a 40 year history of successful speaker design. His first small bookshelf speakers (c. 1973)  were the first of their kind I heard to have a truly realistic tonality and this important trait seems to characterize all his speakers. User comments on these headphones seem to suggest the same is true of these. I have not had an opportunity to hear them.

I think that PS Barton simply "has ears".

Companies are in business to make money. The headphone market is full of  re-badged offerings and it's often difficult to see. A famous brand re-badged a $500 blu-ray player and sold it for thousands of dollars. B&W, KEF, and the like aren't really seen as high-value brands IMO so I wouldn't expect anything stellar in this realm, either. With that said, it's always possible but buyer beware.

I'll check out the linked headphones though I have to say this is a science, not an art.

Edit: Those headphones look sweet, never been into noise-canceling phones but might try these out. Thanks for the link!

[funkmonkey]

Not saying that at all...  don't get your panties in a bunch.

[dB Cooper]

Any transducer device (speaker, headphone, phono cart) is a matter of taste and any reasonable dealer will have a reasonable return policy that allows a buyer to make an evaluation based on their own source material, equipment, listening habits and so forth. "Brighter than X" or "Bassier than Y" give you a general idea but two heaphones could meet that criteria and still sound quite different. It's like trying to verbally describe the difference between the colors of two carpet swatches. There is no substitute for using your music, your equipment, and your ears. (If you want to see how much reviews can disagree, even 'professional' reviews, just google 'HD650 review'. It's fast, it's slow, it's veiled, it's not, it's detailed, it's not, it has excellent bass extension, it has mediocre bass extension, and on and on. Six blind men and the elephant? Who knows... I sure like mine. YMMV. And you can get a feel over time for what certain reviewers' tastes are and make a rough guess from that.

It was a lot easier to do this when there were plentiful brick and mortar "Hi Fi" stores you could walk into and try 'em out. In their absence, return policies are the best recourse. Sure,there are some d*ckheads who will abuse them, but most sources have a way to flag return policy abusers and cut them off.