Product Details
- Brand: Ultrasone
- Model: HFI-780
- Dimensions: 8.50" h x
4.00" w x
10.50" l,
.63 pounds
Features
- S-Logic Natural Surround Sound provides a more natural, lifelike sound
- Advanced acoustic design reduces SPL levels to the ear drum by up to 40% (3-4dB), providing the same perceived loudness but with less fatigue
- ULE technology with MU metal shielding reduces radiation by up to 98% as compared to ordinary headphones, frequency range : 10 - 26000 Hz
- 40mm gold-plated Mylar drivers for a rich, warm sound that is great for studio and stage use
- 1/8 inch gold plated plug, gold plated screw adaptor, demo CD, and carry bag included
Ultrasone HFI-780 S-Logic Surround Sound Professional Headphones
Product Description
The exclusive design of the closed-back Ultrasone HFI-780 is accentuated by the polar-silver color. The HFI-780 contains all Ultrasone technologies such as S-Logic Plus, ULE and safer hearing. The HFI-780 is developed from the studio sector and is distinguished by a frequency response that is specifically tuned for DVD and gaming. Sophisticated home theater and music enthusiasts are overwhelmed by the impressive sound that makes it appear as though you are listening to speakers placed meters away. Gamers are impressed by the exact sound reproduction, making the gaming world come alive. The low frequency ranges are raised in order to reach the highest possible synergies with DSP-Systems like Dolby Headphone and Yamaha Silent Cinema. Through S-Logic Natural Surround, the sound moves out of your head and into the room around you. Direction and distance are more easily perceived, giving the illusion of being at a live concert. With just a pair of Ultrasones and your favorite audio device, you can have genuine 3-dimensional aural enjoyment. The HFI-780 is equipped with thicker ear and headphone pads, and comes with a new velvet carrying bag.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
61 of 61 people found the following review helpful.
By Jonathan Lee
-----TL;DR version =PROS = Deep yet controlled bass; clear mids and highs; wide soundstage; "fun" to listen to; low-impedance (easy to drive); deep earcups don't cause ear fatigue; short cord (1m) for easy portability.CONS = "Sparkly" treble might be too harsh for extended listening; clamping force might be too much for some people.-----Now for the long version...This review might be a bit lengthy, so bear with me. I take product reviews quite seriously, and as a reviewer myself, I try to make sure that I am as informative as possible, and to be completely familiar with an item before reviewing it. Anyway, today I'll be reviewing the HFI-780, and for the past year and a half, the HFI-780 has been one of the few things in my house that I use on a daily basis. When I'm in front of the computer, the HFI-780 is almost always on my head.First off, I'm going to give a brief background of the headphones I've previously owned, and how I ended up with the HFI-780's. My very first set of headphones were the Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone, which I bought over 5 years ago. They are still some of the best studio headphones on the market. Though personally, I found the sound signature to be a bit too flat/neutral for my liking. I wanted something that was fun. So then 3 years ago, I jumped ship to open-back headphones and bought myself a Sennheiser HD595 Dynamic High Grade Performance Premiere Headphones. The HD595 is still one of my most favorite cans, and quite justifiably, due to its very open and airy sound, as if I'm listening to speakers or listening to a live concert. In the headphone community, open-back headphones are arguably the best-sounding type of headphones, since they do not restrict airflow, thereby making them very natural-sounding. Now, one of the downsides to having open-back headphones is sound leakage. Being designed the way they are, sound that is being made around you can easily be heard, and similarly, the music you're listening to can also be heard by those around you. The second drawback to open-back headphones is that the bass response is usually not as resonant as those on IEMs (in-ear monitors), or closed-back cans. This lack of bass can usually be corrected by playing with the EQ, having a dedicated amp/DAC, and/or buying more expensive headphones like the Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones.So, after owning the HD595 for awhile, the 2 drawbacks I described pushed me yet again to search for the "perfect" set of headphones. This then led me back into the realm of closed-back headphones, and I started doing some extensive research on forums like Head-Fi, and various other sites. After whittling down my choices, I ended up deciding between the Audio Technica ATH-M50, Berydynamic DT-770, Shure SRH840 and Ultrasone HFI580/HFI680/HFI780. I auditioned quite a few of them at local music stores, and borrowed the others from friends. Here are some of the criteria by which I made my final decision to purchase the HFI-780's:*Clear-sounding treble & midrange*Accurate/deep bass (yet not overpowering)*Wide soundstage*As open/airy sounding as possible (quite difficult with closed-back headphones)*Able to be driven easily on a regular PC sound card or average PMP (low impedance)*Can be comfortably worn for long periods at a time*Versatile in all generes of music, and also be good for watching movies.Below, I'll cover 3 main points of the HFI-780's which I feel need to be addressed:1) Comfort/Build quality:The HFI-780 is built very well, and although being made of mainly plastic throughout, the plastic is of high quality. There's no creaking, no rattling -- as expected from the Germany-based company. Having worn this headphone extensively, I must say that after breaking them in, the clamping force, as some have criticized the HFI-780 for, is not bad at all. If you are used to headphones that lightly rest on your head (like the HD595), the HFI-780 might feel very different and uncomfortable at first, but the clamping force is definitely not a "jaw of death" like some people make it out to be. Also, part of the reason for the relatively tight fit might be because these headphones are meant to seal off sound from the outside, so without the headphones clamping down, the muffs wouldn't form a tight seal around your ears. I'd also like to mention that the earpads on the HFI-780 are "pleather" (AKA fake leather). They are quite comfortable, but definitely not as comfortable as velour or real leather pads. In terms of durability, the pads have held up very well for me in the past year and a half. They have become less soft than they were originally, but is still comfortable to wear. Though, I can see that the pleather material is starting to show some wrinkles and very very slight cracks, so it might start peeling after another year or so of wear.Another thing that I want to mention about the comfort is that the HFI-780's are relatively roomy inside the earcups, and don't press against the ears while wearing them. One of the things I hated about some other headphones were the shallow earcups. With shallow earcups, after only about an hour of listening, the edges of my ears would become sore from the constant contact between my ear and the drivers inside of the headphones. If you've ever listened to supra-aural headphones (on-top-of-ears), like Grados, you'll know what I mean. Thankfully, this is not the case for the HFI-780's. The 780's are truly circum-aural headphones (around-the-ear). Though, as everyone has differently shaped ears, your mileage may vary.Also, there are 2 production versions of the HFI-780, the only difference being the length of the attached cord: 1 meter (new version) and 3 meters (old version). The 3-meter version has been phased out by Ultrasone, so nearly all of the major retailers now only carry the 1-meter version. I purchased my 780's directly from Amazon, and it is in fact the 1m version. For me, having a 1m cord is leaps and bounds more convenient than having a standard 3m cord, since on a daily basis, who really needs a 10-foot long cord? A shorter cord basically means that your chair won't be constantly rolling over the cord, and you'll be able to take the 780's on-the-go without having to tie up all of the excess cordage. Though, should you ever need the extra length, the 780 also comes with a 3m extension cord (making 4m total length).2) Sound quality:Sound quality is quite subjective, and is generally pretty difficult to describe precisely to others. But as this is a review, I'll try my best to give a clear description of the sound quality on the HFI-780's, without going into too much audiophile mumbo-jumbo. While open-back headphones like the HD595 would be like sitting 4 rows back at a LA Philharmonic performance in a concert hall, the HFI-780 is akin to standing in the front row of a Goo Goo Dolls concert at the Red Rocks Ampitheatre.In other words, the HFI-780 is a very exciting pair of headphones to listen to.A major reason for that is due to the very punchy and resonant bass. The bass response on these is very quick and clean -- nowhere even close to being muddy. When a song calls for bass, the 780's deliver it with precision and punch, then proceeds to decay perfectly, without lingering for a second too long. For those of you who are used to having 2x 24-inch subs blaring from the back of your car, these may not be the right headphones for you, but I assure you, if you like a reasonable amount of bass in your music, the 780's will deliver without a doubt.Moving onto the midrange, the HFI-780 particularly shines in this department. Some would say that the 780's have a sort of "U" shape to its frequency curve (recessed midrange), and running alongside some other headphones (like Grado 225i/325is) that may be a fair comparison, but the midrange on the 780 is definitely not lacking. With songs that contain mainly vocals, the 780 relays with exceptional clarity. Even in songs where cymbals are crashing, drums are booming, and a million other things are going on, the vocals (midrange) never seem to get lost, and when the occasion calls for it, the midrange is as pronounced as it should be.One criticism that I will agree with on some other reviews is that the 780's do sound a bit sibilant (harsh) and bright on the treble side. Right out of the box, the 780's seemed very shrill - an almost metallic sound. Though after the lengthy 180 or so hours of burn-in time, I picked the 780's up and I immediately noticed that the treble (highs) were toned down quite nicely, and the sound was much more balanced and pleasing to listen to. Though, comparing it against other headphones I have, I think one distinguishing factor of the 780 is that the treble still maintains a slightly metallic sparkle to it, which some may like and some may not. This will potentially make prolonged listening sessions more fatiguing for some people, but I haven't had this problem in my many hours of listening to the 780.I also listen to quite a wide variety of music. You name it, and I probably listen to it -- from rock to pop, classical to techno, jazz to alternative, and country to R&B. I don't listen to much metal, but I'm sure if it came down to it, the HFI-780 wouldn't bat an eye.Not only do they sound awesome with music, the 780's are also my multimedia headphones of choice. They are an absolute blast to listen to while watching movies. The lively nature of the 780 really lends itself to the excitement that movies want to portray. The HFI-780 comes with a 3 meter extension cord, and a 3.5mm-to-1/4 stereo adapter, so you can easily use the 780 with your home theater system.One thing that I want to address is the soundstage and openness of the HFI-780. Although not being an open-back headphone, the HFI-780 is surprisingly airy and open-sounding. Ultrasone states that part of the reason for this openness is due to the incorporated "S-Logic Plus" technology, and whether or not that is true, I do notice a much more spacious sound signature on the HFI-780's compared to other closed-back headphones. Many closed-back headphones that you can find on the market today (e.g. Audio Technica ATH-M50) may sound nice, but also sound very cramped, almost as if you were stuck in a small room, or even worse, sound as if the music is coming from within your own head. For me, and many others, headphones that resemble live performances are the best kinds of headphones, and the HFI-780 is one of them. Most would immediately jump to the open-back headphone market to obtain the open sound, but as I mentioned earlier, regular open-back headphones have: 1) sound leakage, and 2) anemic bass (without investing in extra equipment or a more expensive set of open-back cans). So, I would say if you want closed-back headphones that have open-back characteristics (wide, open soundstage), then the HFI-780 is as close as you can get.One thing to note is that the HFI-780 really comes to life after a proper burn-in period of 100+ hours. And even after those initial 100 hours, up to about 400 hours, the HFI-780's continue to settle in and round out the sound signature. So, right out of the box, you might feel underwhelmed. and you're welcome to take a quick listen. But thereafter, I would suggest that you plug the 780's into an audio source, crank the volume up slightly past comfortable listening levels, and leave the 780 in a pile of clothes for a few days. The effectiveness of a burn-in period is sometimes debated in the audiophile community, but out of all of the headphones I've listened to and people I've talked to, the burn-in process really does make a noticeable difference in the sound signature. The same principle applies to breaking in new shoes to make them more flexible/comfortable.3) Price:With the sound and build quality you're getting with the 780's, the current price on Amazon is an absolute steal. The 780 stands head and shoulders above its competition (of which there aren't many), like the Audio Technica ATH-M50, Beyerdynamic DT-770, and Shure SRH840.-----All in all, the HFI-780 has a very energetic and dynamic sound signature -- one that certainly cannot be forgotten once you've listened to them.Some of you may be deciding between the different HFI models from Ultrasone, so I'll give you a brief survey of the differences. The HFI-580's are more recessed in the mids than the HFI-780's, but have a bigger bass response. To me, the HFI-780's already have more than enough bass, so the 580's wouldn't make much sense in my case. The HFI-680's, on the other hand, is smack dab in the middle of the 580 and 780 in terms of frequency response. The 680 is more neutral (flat) sounding than both the 580 and 780, so might sound a bit boring in comparison. Having tried all three of them, the Ultrasones are all very good headphones, and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.Though, having had the most experience with HFI-780's, I would highly recommend the HFI-780's to anyone who wants a really nice pair of headphones on a budget, as I believe the HFI-780's would still be worth the cost even if it were selling for $200+Anyway, I hope this review helped. Good luck choosing!
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful.
By Stuart Floyd
I tried many pairs of headphones, read reviews and these are OUTSTANDING, what live surround sound they have and that is just off a computer and ipod touch around the house of course.I won't be wearing these larger cans out and about. Connecting them to my sound system gave me near the same sound as my 7 channel system puts out and of course on that level you can adjust bass and treble and so on. Even with the pod and computer the sound was simply grand to me.Shop around as I got mine recently for $204, tax and shipping included. I did check out some others of Sennheiser and Denon, both excellent but double the price and these just have a live sound and let me hear everything.These are closed headphones and you actually get to listen without outside noises or outside noise at a min. These are NOT noise cancelling though but they will give you sound like you have never heard from headphones. I was used to the $20 pair of ear buds so this is 200 steps up! Again go to real audio stores and try out several pairs as hearing to all is very different. Music, movies and gaming types all play a role in how things are projected or heard by each individual.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
By Brenda Cushman
Well I'm going to make this short but detailed and let me first start by saying I own Sennheiser HD650's , Sennhesier HD800's , Shure 1440's , Beyerdynamic DT 990 600 Ohm and just a plethora of other cans. These headphones are German designed and sonically aimed towards user's who prefer more detail than endless bass. That is not to say they don't have great bass because they do but I've heard much more bass heavy can's and these are an excellent balance that manage to keep bass important but not over saturate the sound so that it begins to interfere instead of enhance. Now I won't use lots of fancy Audiophile terms because if you are reading this review and interested in this can , it is not aimed at that group of users (although some of you are probably audiophiles so I'll thrown in a few terms here and there). Its aimed at the middle of the road user , someone who isn't going to spend $500 on a Woo tube amp and $600 on a DACmagic but someone that is willing to spend $80 on a portable all around headphone amp like the Fiio E6 or E7 to gain whatever enhancement they can at an affordable cost.Now the best way to describe this headphone is detail , treble is well presented and full. Mid-range is up front and sounds clear , vocals come through well. Bass is as I described above and needless to say if you are a "bass head" then these will not be the cans you should go for (I would recommend Denon 2000's for that). And that's all I will say about its sound signature (except for music genre's). If you are reading this and wondering if a pair of Beats would be better than I can highly recommend you buy this over a pair of Beats. Beats are a marketing fad and a well executed one at that , there is only one pair of Beats that even are remotely decent but they cost $399 so overall avoid Beats , they are overpriced and essentially the "Coach" or "Dolce and Gabbana" of headphones .. you buy them if looks are your primary concern (although personally I think the Ultrasone 780's look fantastic). Another thing to keep in mind about Beats is that they are the most counterfeited headphone on the market , even on Amazon , something to keep in mind if you are swaying in that direction.Comfort with these is middle of the road , they don't clamp down on your dome like vice grips but they also need a certain "break in" period to loosen up so be patient and they will ease up a bit after the first few hours of usage. I have a large head so if I can tolerate them well , nearly all of you should be able to do without little issue. The headphone pads are pleather so don't expect lots of cushioning however despite that they fit around my ears nicely and don't touch them hardly at all so I haven't had any soreness to speak of from long term usage.The isolation is also excellent , without even having to blast the volume I can put on my 780's and take a break from the world which is exactly what you want in a good pair of closed headphones should do. They are also very flexible and should be quite easy to position correctly for anyone for the full experience.Now for the most important part (well to most of you)... how do they sound with various genre's of music? I'll break it down directly and in a simple way.1. Rock = hell yes , easily can handle whatever metal thrown at it. Will they out do Grado's , the king of all headphones for metal? No but they get about 85-90 percent of the way. An excellent result.2. Rap (this includes Hip-Hop , Gangsta and any variation as such) = Yes HOWEVER you will need to buy an inexpensive portable headphone amp (recommend a Fiio branded one with a big battery) as the bass comes alive if amplification is applied. Otherwise you will not get the full impact you desire from your bass in this genre. As I noted above there are better cans for bass heads.3. Classical = Yes , detail is one thing the 780's excel at. High's are a bit rough until a full "burn in" is achieved (more about this at the end) but everything comes pouring through happy and pleasurable.Now for a final summation , you are going to need to "burn-in" these headphones a good 100-200 hours before the final sound signature comes through and the headphone it-self "matures" to its best. Some people think burn-in's are a totally unnecessary and cry fowl. For the longest time I was one of them , until I invested in a decent amp and proper 96Khz / 24-bit resolution music (basically High Def music) and started to notice that my brand new Sennheiser HD650 sound had actually started to change. It went from a very soft and under detailed to just all around amazing (I personally feel the HD650's are the best headphones ever made) and I don't think I would have been able to properly distinguish that without a decent amp ( spent around $600 for DAC/AMP setup , you don't have to spend this music to achieve what I did however) and a quality DAC (digital to analog converter). So the reason I didn't give the Ultrasone HFI-780 a 5/5 is that they will sonically change over the next 100-200 hours and when I update my review then I will reflect the difference.As it stands right now , unburned in they are fantastic. They are excellent for home use and portable use , they benefit from a portable headphone amp but don't require one if its not possible in your budget. You won't be displeased. I got these on sale for $143 with $3.99 overnight shipping (I'm a prime member) and for that price its EXTREMELY hard to beat , in fact I would say at that price you really won't find anything close to it without spending more money.Hope I helped both the general user and the audiophile :) Have a good one!.********UPDATE********** : Well after burn-in the sparkling highs get tamed and are a bit softer (using a Tube amp tames them further as well since the warmth naturally smooths out frequency extremes) and can report that these sound absolutely amazing after burn-in. Now I know that "burn-in" is not something everyone buys into but I do after using lots of headphones and hearing the sound signature change over time (I don't believe as well , that its a "mental adjustment" either). After hearing them burned in its just better than I could have imagined for $141 , I would find it near impossible in that price range to beat it. The Audio-Technica ATH-M50's can't hold a candle to the HFI-780's tight , detailed bass. Also for gaming its incredible , I've been playing Mass Effect 3 for the past couple of days and let me inform you ..that game simply oozes deep bass. Its an excellent test (at certain parts in the story) for any bass lovers to test out there new headphones.I'm going to up my review by one star , I can't believe how great these sound for the money. I don't think that you could beat the price point unless you start to consider $300-400 price range. Buy these if you are on the fence , they are that good.
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Not a good out of the box experience
For the expensive price, I don't love it
Not a bad sound system
Warning before you buy
