Philips Audio SHP9500 Over-Ear Headphones

3.5 stars There is a difference between something that is “great for its price”, as opposed to something that is great regardless of the price. The Philips SHP9500 has garnered massive hype among headphone enthusiasts along the lines of the latter, when the former is, in my opinion, more what they are. The SHP9500s have a cult following. Some say they are better than the Sennheiser HD 518/558/598 and other top headphones. Popular Internet reviewer Zeos Pantera devoted a fawning, orgasmic YouTube review, calling them comparable to the Sennheiser HD600s, and worthy of a candidate for his number one set of headphones. A legion of groupies drive a bandwagon. Straining yet further, others even put them above Sennheiser 650s and other headphones many times more expensive. Is the Philips SHP9500 worthy of this tidal wave of over-the-top hype? First and foremost, they are a bargain. Combine the build quality and the comfort (for most), with the sound quality that they do offer, and the bang for the buck is undeniable. “Good for its price”? That's fair. But are they great regardless of price, equal or superior to the most respected and distinguished headphones on the market? Absolutely not. I believe for this to be true, the sound quality alone must be both spectacular and distinctive, extremely special in at least a few aspects. The SHP9500 simply don't qualify. They are decent, but do not quite reach a special level. Its sound offers strengths but there are also noticeable flaws and some significant ones. Full disclosure: I am a stickler for transparency, sharp detail, and clarity above all else. Coloration along the way is fine---that is "character"---but it must be skillfully presented. I want particular strength in the midrange and treble, and dislike boomy, bass-y, and muffled. A relaxed "warm bath" presentation is not preferable to a vivid, intense experience. With this in mind, the open-backed SHP9500 compete, but fall short of true top tier in terms of refinement. SOUND (without EQ) People complain about a lack of bass with these headphones, but I hear plenty of punchy bass. There is a boost from 100 hz to 2khz. That is enough low end to influence the midrange, giving the overall signature a warmer tone (than neutral). Only avowed, jaded bassheads could have a major issue. The midrange is decent, and relatively uncolored. From the upper mids into the treble is where things get problematic. Treble is polite, low treble slightly veiled, upper treble clear. There is detail missing in the upper mids to lower treble region. A dip at 2khz and a nose dive around 5-6khz leaves an unevenness in the sound picture---a veil, similar to the infamous veil that can also be heard in certain models of Sennheisers (although some Senns do not have this problem). This veil, which occurs in spots, puts a “holy grail” level of transparency out of reach. The upper highs are clear and present, but the resolution and synergy with the rest of the sound picture could be better. There is also noticeable graininess, and a hiss audible at higher volume on my set. My guess is that the majority of people fear treble and prefer highs that are “relaxed” and offer no threat of sibilance. For these listeners---treble wimps (including Zeos Pantera), fans of a mild Sennheiser-like treble---the SHP9500's treble may be enough. Other headphones---including many models of Beyerdynamic, AKG, Grado, Audio-Technica and Shure---offer far better mid and high energy and detail, as well as a smoother overall presentations. SOUNDSTAGE AND IMAGING The soundstage is so-so, not as exceptionally wide, deep or spectacular as offered by some other headphones on the market. It is cluttered, lacking directionality and focus. The SHP9500’s most glaring problem is the sound balance and imaging. The sound is left/right dominant, as if mostly collected each ear cup, with the center imaging (in front of, and across, your face) missing, as is any depth. I hear a "two blob" barbell: volume and energy emphasized out of the left and right sides. It is more obvious while listening to some recordings than others. There is also a subtle veil or fogginess, or distance (from the performer) to the entire sound picture, that is apparent when I do serious A/B comparisons with other headphones of similar or better quality. The SHP9500s are low impedance (32 ohm) and easy to drive. Amping and EQ improve the sound, as expected, but some flaws cannot be resolved with either. I tested the SHP9500s via three methods---the Aune X1s DAC/amp, the SMSL VMV VA2 amp, and a system with a Wolfson 32 bit DAC---and with various genres of music. There is something lumpy and rough about the tuning of this headphone. The main problems remain the graininess in the mids and highs,and imaging, the "two blob" sound, and the missing center imaging detail. My overall sound rating of the headphone’s factory setting without EQ: 6/10. Bass:7 Midrange: 7 Treble: 6 Soundstage: 5 Imaging: 4 EQ: A boost in treble (along the spectrum between 4khz to 8khz), making up for the suckout of that energy in the stock setting, improves the transparency and clarity, and lifts some (but not all) of the veil. But the roughness of the overall fidelity is not alleviated with EQ. BUILD/COMFORT The SHP9500s are big and full-sized, good looking, relatively well built, and comfortable for most. Some might find the practical aspects of this headphone are so strong, that they almost trump the sound quality. For me, it is a mixed bag. The SHP9500s are relatively light, but there is sturdy metal in the headband and even on the outside of the ear cups. The left and right sides are clearly marked with big “L” and “R” symbols right on the outside of the cups. The size of the ear cups are a big attraction: they are huge, among the biggest around, and should fit around even the biggest ears. These cans feel very light, and the clamping force is light. I found the fit to be far too loose, and difficult to get a good seal, which exacerbated problems with the tuning. This is not a good set for people with smaller skulls. These cans easily fall off of my head if I move. And there is hardly any way to adjust the fit, because the ear cups do not articulate (they don’t rotate or swivel much if at all). People with bigger skulls will have it easier. The ear pads are of a bumpy, almost canvas-like material. A bit scratchy. The same cloth is used for the headband. The foam is soft, but conventional (not memory) foam. The pads are, very unfortunately, virtually non-removable. They might be removed and replaced, but only with great effort. Worn for extended periods, these headphones can feel a bit uncomfortable due to the cloth material. The SHP9500s come with a thin, low quality plasticky detachable straight cable---the cheap kind that kink easily---with 3.5mm jacks on both ends, and a screw-on ¼ inch adapter. Fortunately, this cable can be replaced with better generic aftermarket ones. CONCLUSION The SHP9500s (and the similar SHP9500 S) are acceptable for their modest price, but I get far more enjoyment from other headphones. The flaws are hard to forgive. Is it fair to say they are among the better options under $100? It is a competitor, but there are many other excellent headphones out there that I personally prefer. Among open-backed headphones, both of the entry level Grado SR60e and SR80e are better soundwise, and higher end Grados are without question superior. The closed-back Audio-Technica ATHM50/M50x is also better in every way, and the ATHM40x is better, although also not without its issues. If you are willing to move up to the $150 range, the Beyerdynamic (DT770/880/990), and models in the Audio-Technica AD series leave the SHP9500 in the dust, as do many AKGs, such as the K612. I am not a Sennheiser fan, but there are many popular models of Senns that are more refined and technically better, at or below the same price point as the SHP9500s. Move even further up the price range, and the SHP9500s do not even compete. In conclusion, sound-wise, the Philips SHP9500s do not live up to all of the wild hype, and they are not the final word on headphones. They are not a headphone that I would recommend if you were to only own one pair. Their price is the best thing going for it, and their comfort and build are attractive for certain people. But there are serious flaws in their sound, especially the imaging and a lack of refinement, that prevent them from achieving world-beating status, or even a top spot among "mid-fi" options.