[slwiser]

One of Ultrasone's new 2008 headphone was delivered to my door today.



This headphone is a real surprise to me.  This headphone has great sound right out of the box.  If anyone is interested in a closed headphone in the 200$ US range check these out you may be surprised as I am.

[santacore]

Nice, those look good. I've been on the lookout for some new closed phones and these might work nicely. How comfortable are they for long listening sessions?

[slwiser]

Nice, those look good. I've been on the lookout for some new closed phones and these might work nicely. How comfortable are they for long listening sessions?

My experience with Ultrasones have been that they are tight out of the box but I have a large head.  They also loosen up after a week or so.  I have been listening to them for most of the afternoon and evening so far without any problems.

[R_burke]

Mini review

They compare in sound to....

[slwiser]

Mini review

They compare in sound to....

ATH-ESW9 and Ultrasone Edition 9 are what I have to compare them with today. 

ESW9 is warmer less detailed and less precise.  ESW9 was ~290 and the 780 was ~200 delivered. ESW9 are more comfortable and lighter.  The 780s have the Ultrasone clamp out of the box.  It will loosen up after a week or so.  To me these two have almost opposite sound profiles with the 780 being more aggressive.  Image width is bigger on the 780s than the ESW9s.  The 780 has very good sound image in my opinion.

Edition 9 must have been a test bed for Ultrasone since they appear to have moved it's sound into the 780 so much so that I had just ordered myself a second UE9 which was on backorder only to cancel it after hearing these. I am having a hard time differing the sound from these two with the 780 right out of the box.  I wonder how the newer Pro 750s will compare given that they will have the upgraded pads and mu board material.  The Pro 750 have the same drivers as the UE9s while the 780s have a different driver but I would have not known it if I had not read it.  The UE9 has S-Logic while the 780 have S-Logic Plus for what this is worth to you.

[R_burke]

Thanks, sounds like they are well worth the price and I'll add them to my "wish list"

[Loftprojection]

Wow, aren't your UE9 around $1500 and didn't you find your UE9 quite a bit nicer then your previous W5000?  So those $200 780 are almost a tie to the UE9?  Jezzz, I think I'll have to order those and see if they are better than my W5000, that would free up some cash for other goodies!   

[slwiser]

Wow, aren't your UE9 around $1500 and didn't you find your UE9 quite a bit nicer then your previous W5000?  So those $200 780 are almost a tie to the UE9?  Jezzz, I think I'll have to order those and see if they are better than my W5000, that would free up some cash for other goodies!   

That is my story.  My hearing may have gone bad I don't know but I am as surprised as anyone else about what I am hearing.  Now they may be just a bit less than the UE9 but they are real close.  As I have said I had a second UE9 on backorder and ordered these on a whim for what I thought were fairly reasonable ideals and I was so surprised I canceled my back order and to free up funds for other goodies.   The W5000 does have image width on the UE9 and I think the timbre of the UE9 is better.  But the UE9 does instrument location better.  The HFI-780 may have a bit of image width on the UE9 for some tracks.  The drivers for the 780 and the UE9 are different and the 780 drivers may exhibit a slight bit of distortion compared to the UE9 every once in a while but this is not real certain to me yet..  What is interesting is someone else suggested that there will be some people buying the 2500s or 750s to get the driver out of them and putting them into the 780s.  This would truly make a UE9 on the cheap.  But I am not sure even that amount of effort is worth it as near as they appear to me to be.

[Loftprojection]

Amazing, this is the bargain of the century.  I've been staying off head-fi for a while now but you must have started a revolution there with your discovery! 

[slwiser]

As I say It may just be me.  We will see when others get them.

[Loftprojection]

If you don't mind, maybe post an update here when the head-fi freaks start buying it and comparing it to other models.  I took a resolution to stay off head-fi, I'm wasting way to much time and money when I browse there!     I know, I'm weak!   

[slwiser]

If you don't mind, maybe post an update here when the head-fi freaks start buying it and comparing it to other models.  I took a resolution to stay off head-fi, I'm wasting way to much time and money when I browse there!     I know, I'm weak!   

I sure will update this thread.  Here is what I took to work yesterday.  These are the HFI-780s:



ALO Auricap Dock + iMod 5.5g + Xin Reference (note quarter input and outputs) + HFI-780
I was using a RCA to quarter cable to connect the Dock to the Reference.

[slwiser]

If you don't mind, maybe post an update here when the head-fi freaks start buying it and comparing it to other models.  I took a resolution to stay off head-fi, I'm wasting way to much time and money when I browse there!     I know, I'm weak!   

Did you ever read my comparison of the W5000 with the UE9?  If not here is the link:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/2990507-post3521.html