Product Review: Page (1) of 1 - 03/02/04

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Ultrasone HFI.650 Headphones Impressive detail and sound field for professional applications By Frank Moldstad Here's one of those rare products that actually lives up to its hype. The Ultrasone HFI.650 headphones have been widely praised on various audio forums by users who seem to have an almost evangelical zeal. While such comments usually need to be taken skeptically, in this case they are right on the money.

Designed for recording studio and broadcast applications, the HFI.650s (MSRP $249) have one of the most naturally detailed and impressive sound fields I've ever heard from a pair of headphones. Even though they are stereo headphones, the HFI.650s create a kind of three-dimensional sonic image that allows you to hear deeply into the source material. It's a unique listening experience that brings out aspects of the sound you might never hear otherwise, enabling you to position sounds and instruments more precisely in a mix. They'd be terrific in a broadcast situation where you have to mix through headphones. And as a cross-check against a monitor mix, they offer such a precise reference that you may find yourself making different -- and better -- mixing decisions.



Every aspect of the design seems well-thought-out. For instance, the HFI.650s have a longer cord than most headphones, so you can wear them without being clotheslined when you stand up to get something and forget you have them on. The closed back design provides effective isolation from outside sounds, so a drummer can hear other band members while tracking through headphones. They're also extremely lightweight (265 grams), and your ears don't feel as if they've been clamped in a vice grip after wearing them for a couple of hours. They're foldable for carting around (a travel bag is included), and the swiveling earpiece joints permit listening through only one ear, with the cord connected to the left ear.

But what really got my attention is the sound quality. Ultrasone has developed a patented process called S-Logic that uses "decentralized transducer positioning" to reflect sound off the listeners? outer ear. It seems to create a more natural sound than directly injecting the sound to your inner ear, as most headphones do. You have the impression of a broad, almost surround sound-like, immersion instead of a single stereo image.

Ultrasone says the HFI.650's indirect transmission reduces sound pressure levels at the eardrum by up to 40 percent, limiting the risk of damage to your hearing. And it says the design reduces EMF emissions (radiation) by up to 60%. Both are very good things if you spend a lot of time wearing headphones.

You can easily listen to the HFI.650s at lower volume without sacrificing clarity and imaging, and afterwards there's none of the ear fatigue that you would typically experience from listening to most headphones for a prolonged period of time. Frequencies are tight and focused across the spectrum. Bass sounds are round and centered, while higher frequencies are clear and sparkling, without any harshness. The specs, incidentally, are excellent: a frequency response of 10Hz - 25kHz and a sound pressure level of 94 dB.

The HFI.650s are outstanding for tracking, monitoring and mixing in professional audio applications. Their wide sound field is extremely cohesive, but allows individual sounds to stand out. I was convinced of their value within minutes of critical listening, and after using them in a variety of situations I was flat-out impressed. I urge you to seek out a pair and try them for yourself. Ultrasone is based in Germany, and its products are distributed in the USA by Ears Audio of Nashville, Tenn.

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