Just bought Philips SHP9500 headphones and am underwhelmed
I have a KZ ZSN Pro IEM and it's been going strong for 4+ years.
I also have a cheap Bluetooth QCY IEM that I use for podcasts and when I don't want wires tangling me.
Whenever I change from the Bluetooth QCY to the wired KZ I am in awe. The KZ ZSN Pro is a blast to listen to. Specially metal. The definition, the sound of the bass drums, everything is clear and powerful.
So I decided to try some entry level open back headphones and bought the SHP9500 that was cheap on Aliexpress recently. I thought I would find it even better since a lot of people sang it's praise for the price, but I am underwhelmed.
I find my KZ to have way more definition and power.
Also I need to up the volume of my smartphone quite a bit compared to the IEMs. It is near max volume.
Of course they are different beasts and the IEMs are literally inside my head. I don't really know what I expected.
I'm sure beyerdinamic or other more expensive brands might be better, but I don't feel like going down that path.
I'm going to keep the SHP9500 for a week more to see if I like it for different situations, but for now I am not amused.
Are they legit? Not refurbs?
I have the SHP9500 on my head right now, and they're plenty loud enough. Like if I push the volume to 100% I'm going to damage my ears and everyone 2 rooms away can clearly listen to the song that's playing right now.
They are sold by Philips itself there and have the anti-counterfeiting label whatever this means.
Maybe my smartphone dac isn't loud/powerful enough, but some songs I need to up the volume more.
It stays 3 steps below max here.
I see my KZ sensitivity is 112db and the SHP9500 is 101db.
Edit: maybe it was a little loud and my ears were desensitized because I just took em off and am a little deaf
Yeah, you may just need to buy a headphone amplifier for your phone. It may also help the sound quality a bit if your phone doesn't need to struggle to drive the headphones. The signal can get a bit distorted if the built in amplifier is trying to put out its max output.
I have in the past occasionally had problems with smartphone dac+amps for headphone output just being bad, eg, having very noticeable noise on my ER4SR IEMs. If your phone is USB Type C, I might suggest that both the Google and Apple USB-C audio adapters have quite reasonable and quite cheap dac+amps (note that Apple's does not do input, if that matters to you); I ended up using one of these even before I switched to a phone with no audio output, just because I knew it would be consistent.
It's a bit odd. What you describe sounds like problems from underdriven headphones, and yet these are apparently only 32 ohms of resistance.
If you have access to something with a bigger amp, like a computer or a record player or something, see if you can spot a difference.
Honestly if you want some Overear headphones... Audio Technica ATH M40x/50x is the best value. I've had mine for around 6 years, and had no issues with them. The pleather earpads got gross from 5+ hours of wear daily for 4 years straight, so I replaced the earpads for like $20 CAD. Gave my wife a backup pair I got at a silent auction for an absolute steal, and she's only had to replace the cable. They also come with like 3 different cable styles.
I think you can also get the 50x in Bluetooth/Cable mode as well.
For closed-back headphones, I think the Beyerdynamic DT-770 is a better value than the ATH M50x. At least in terms of sound quality per dollar spent. I also think they're more comfortable. However, you lose out on things like the detachable cable and compact folding design. They are definitely more "studio headphones" that don't fit as many use-cases.
I concur, stock MX50s have never been particularly comfortable IMO, especially compared to a full sized Beyerdynamic.
Edit: The DT-770s or open back kin are NOT a good fit to be driven by a phone.
They make a 32 ohm variant that should be easily driven by just about anything.
You'd think so, but they that's actually not the case. Phones handle them slightly better (based on a 32ohm DT-880), but not great. They are just not particularly sensitive headphones.
I think there are a few big things that stick out to me from your post.
First thing is that the SHP9500 are generally considered great "for the price" (much like the KZ ZSN Pro), but that doesn't mean they are necessarily great overall or going to satisfy everyone. I'm not personally a fan of the SHP9500 (no any KZ I've owned), but I've been spoiled by higher end headphones.
Second, these have a very, very different sound signature than the KZs. That they're over ear open back headphones is a big part of it, but they are also just tuned differently. Even if they were properly powered (I suspect yours are not), they may just not be to your liking.
I'd recommend listening to them, and only them, for your week having them and then switch back to your KZs and see how you feel. You may need some time to acclimate to their sound and when you go back to your standbys, you'll possibly then notice things that you like.
The 9500s are one of my favorite pairs of headphones and the genre I listen to most is metal. I find the detail, soundstage, and definition/clarity on even really fast parts (grindcore, double-bass sections, blast beats, etc) to be really clean and crisp and with plenty of bite.
They're also open-back and not sealed in tight like IEMs, so the difference in bass/punch in comparison is to be expected if you're comparing the two side by side. They aren't bass powerhouses or anything, so I do think, depending on the genres of metal involved, one might miss a bit of the "power" on the lower end of things, but I think they punch well above their weight. To be fair, though, 99% of my listening is via a headphone DAC/AMP connected to my PC which may make a significant difference.
It's all about personal preference, though. Yes, for some music I'd prefer my Sennheisers HD280s or HD569s, or one of the many other pairs I have, but I am overall quite pleased with the 9500s. They're relatively neutral but detailed to my ears, so I can listen across many genres, spoken word, etc and enjoy all of them without feeling the need to switch.
They might just not fit your preference of sound, it seems like.
I heard they are fairly easy to drive so don't really need a headphone DAC/AMP. Maybe I will try one USB C so I can use on the phone and laptop.
I listen from Judas Priest to Tomb Mold so all subgenres. I just don't like metalcore, new metal and hardcore very much.
I'm a bit late to the party here but didn't see anyone mention eq. Boost your bass and mids for a bit more punch if that's what you're looking for. Play around with it and you might find you're a lot more impressed. I haven't used these headphones so I can't give any specific recommendations.
Also, I have a pair of Grado SR325, open back, and a decent pair of Sony in ears (can't remember the model). Sometimes I prefer the Sony in ears for various reasons. Poor quality recordings like a lot of pop or poor quality files I'll be much more likely to prefer the Sony's. But FLAC files of Boston or Pink Floyd are absolutely magical on the Grado's.
Not an audiophile but bought the airpod pros and they’re unlike any I’ve experienced before. Beat the shit out of the sennheisers I got