Private Ear: Everyone gets a bargain

April 2007

By John Groom

International $2. FX-440 $5. TDK MP100, $35.

TDK MP-100 headphones

The story of this column started with a bang on the head. It was my head, and I wasn’t even wearing headphones, so I had no excuse for not seeing the overhanging beam in the motel carport. It was not a great way to start a tramping holiday on Mt Ruapehu. I blame political correctness, as the carport was obviously built for midgets. For the record, the expression “seeing stars” is not a figurative one and concussion is not a good feeling.

It has been a challenging couple of months and my normal “absent minded professor” persona has been even more exaggerated. So in my haze, I just wandered down to the local red shed for some retail therapy. As you do.

Best price

Like a lot of budget conscious Kiwis, for me the Warehouse has become the first port of call for many types of shopping. So why not headphones?

I’ve often been asked which models should be used with inputs such as the old Walkman, portable radios or computers (headphones for the ubiquitous ipod will be the subject of a future column). My own reference point for portable headphones is the Sennheiser PX 100, which retails for approximately $100. This is a high investment for a lot of people, but still only gives a toehold on the slippery slope of hi-fi. It is comfortable, efficient, compact and very forgiving. So what are the sonic compromises that are made to retail headphones for between (gulp!) $2 and $35?

A friend for most seasons

The three headphones were heard through a variety of sources including an am/fm radio, an award winning mini system, and the output on the latest Apple iMac. All three headphones were driven to modest, but acceptable levels by this equipment. The first recording used for review purposes, was Eric Bibb’s A Ship called Love, chosen as a sample of modern, rich and beautiful and original blues material. The second recording was a great EMI classic of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with Sabine Meyer and was chosen for its warmth and expressiveness.

Gilding the lily

All three were well packaged and presented relative to their cost and were rugged and light. The two cheaper models have a thin metallic strip for over the head. The $2 model is an open design around a 20mm driver, while the $5 model uses a similar driver but is a larger closed construction. Neither is visually intrusive. The TDK is currently the Warehouse’s most expensive model at $35 and this is reflected in a level of build that includes a well padded and thick plastic strip over the head, matched with large ear pads engineered to be the size of most ears (but not covering outside them).

Believe it or not, they all improved after a few days of running in and seemed smoother after I took some of the kinks out of the cables.

The two cheaper models came with short cables and are most obviously designed for personal players, while the three metre cable on the TDK made it the most suitable for computer use. All were reasonably comfortable, with the lightness of the cheaper two models making them something that can be pushed into the pocket. I liked the solid fit of the TDKs and they certainly had the look of a serious piece of gear. However over the extensive listening times needed for reviews, I found my ears became overly warm.

Quite a sound

I was pleasantly surprised by the sound quality of all three bits of ultra-budget kit. They all seemed to indulge more in the sins of omission rather than the sins of commission. While none of them were strong on dynamic range, passion or presence, they all gave an acceptable facsimile of the sound that was easy listening and non-fatiguing.

The $2 International phones were the most difficult to drive, but were still a reasonable match to the fm radio. The sound was light and lively with little bass, but what was there was tuneful. With Mozart the tune was carried well and it was true to the Clarinet, but the strings were a bit distant. The treble was pleasant but obviously restricted with a slight metallic sheen.

The $5 FX-440 headphones had a similar sonic signature but are louder with a stronger sense of presence and a bit more weight to the sound. Personally I preferred them when I liberated the driver by cutting matching 2cm holes in the foam covers. Eric Bibb’s honeyed voice was well captured and the delicately held treble and bass backing was quite satisfying.

I switched to the TDKs with a sense of relief. The sound immediately opened up, with hidden layers of detail now recovered. Listening to Eric Bibb we were not yet in the studio but we could be in the room next door. The fuller midrange now carried the subtle inflections of his finely controlled voice and the bass line was solid enough to stop you looking for a missing sub woofer, while the treble breathed easier. All of this was starting to move the sound significantly in the direction of the reference gear.

Last word

This has been a fun shopping trip and a confirmation that sub hi-fi headphones can be surprisingly capable. They are still realistically priced, however, in a way that accurately reflects not just manufacturing costs, but also the equipment’s relative sonic capabilities. While you do in fact get what you pay for, I thought the TDKs made a strong statement at this price point. The best value purchase for personal sources has to be the $5 headphones and I have thrown my sample in the gym bag to use as a back up.

Next issue we’ll get back to our normal listening to hi-fi headphones. In the meantime look out for low flying beams.

John is an executive coach and mentor who lives on the North Shore of Auckland