Introduction:
My 2 year old cheapo no-name Panasonic in-ear headphones finally broke down,the wire turning into a kind of goo and the left bud going mute.A valid excuse to go earphone shopping i say.
The options I considered were the CX300/400,basically a budget of around 2000.But i was able to find only the CX300 II and CX400 II which were a bit over my budget.
(I dont have the means to order via KMD
)
So I just asked the sales person to show me whatever models he had and i saw the Philips SHE9800 for Rs.1990.
Philips is basically a no name in audio(AFAIK)but after browsing around a few online reviews i got a good impression of the earphones.So I returned back to Landmark and got them.And this is me sharing my experiences with them.Il'll be basing my comparisons on the Shure E2C which i have used for a considerable amount of time.
Packaging
The earphones come in a quiet solid cardboard box with plastic molds to keep things in place.Sorry,No unboxing pictures because i threw it out the bus after just 10 minutes in my hands
Contents:
Earphones
Rubber Ear cups-3 Sizes
Hard Shell carry case.
Pretty standard contents in this package.
The Hard Shell case is a very welcome and efficient addition in storing the phones in a tangle free manner and safe.
(vs. Shure)The Shure's case in comparison is much sturdy and hard but its smaller and I always felt the phones were cramped in there,due to big size and thick wire.The number of ear tips included with the Shure were more than adequate for anyone.
Carry Case Closed:
Carry Case Open:
Build Quality
The buds are made of partial metal and partial matte plastic.The outer half is of a smooth brushed metal which feels really solid.The wires coming out have a nice rubber sheath which i think will do a good job during rough handling.This is also able to control wire noise well.
The driver canal is at an angle to the body of the buds so that they line up better with the ear canal.This may look uncomfortable but it works very well.They're basically like the Shure but the wire go up and behind your ear.There seem to be some vents behind this which i think help with the awesome sound stage.
The wire is symmetrical with a nice metal rivet to prevent any damage to the junction.
The Pin is Gold Plated(does it matter?) 3.5mm,not angled and a secure metal rivet at the junction of the wire to the pin.
Very Good build quality IMO.
(vs. Shure)The Shure's were of awesome quality,felt like i could use them as a weapon but the thick wire did feel uncomfortable at times.
Comfort
The buds are very light and contrary to the pics they are surprisingly comfortable and secure.Twisting them a bit helps for a better fit.Used them for 4 hours straight on the computer and was able to go to sleep wearing them.
Sound isolation is not great but gets the job done.Worked well on a crowded bus and against mother's naggings
The medium ear tips fit me perfectly.
Unlike the Shure you don't need a perfect seal to get the best sound quality.
(Changing the tips is a pain
and make sure there's no wax)
(vs. Shure)The OTE fit of the Shure were very comfortable and secure for me but the sound isolation worked dangerously well.
(Have almost been hit by traffic a few times and they make me dizzy after a while)
Sound Quality
First off,I cannot do any detailed technical review in this respect,but will do the best to my knowledge and experience in sound "quality"
I used my Sansa Clip and Most of the songs from the Guitar Hero 3 track list and some newer favorites.
First Impressions were very good for me.
The first thing that strikes you is the Sound stage and stereo separation and how 3D(?)the sound feels,feels almost like a private rock show in your head.
The Bass is warm and strong and doesn't mask the other instruments.Priestess-Lay Down could almost give you a stroke.A.R Rahman's O Saya is sure to get your heart racing while still maintaining the finer details and vocals.
Vocals are very detailed,crisp and warm and do not affect the Highs much.U2-Cedars of Lebanon sounds heavenly with Bono's vocals and the smooth bass track and drums in the back.
The high are very well limited(?)and not too sharp(vs. Shure)The guitars and pianos on Through the Fire and Flames are really detailed and crisp.The Starting build-up of Muse-Knights of Cydonia made my hair stand up on end!
Basically im able to hear details which was non existent on the other earphones.
Soundstage:These earphones are marketed by Philips as having a "Deep,Powerful Soundstage" and I think the claim has a lot of weight to it.Just close your eyes and u can literally imagine the placement of the instruments.Just dont listen to that Virtual Barber Shop(Google it if u dunno what it is
)clip with these earphones
(vs. Shure)My main gripes with the Shure were the total lack of bass and too sharp highs(feel like pin pricks)but the Shure do have a bit more detail in instrumental music.But the Philips thrash it in bass and Sound stage.
Conclusion
Overall,I am very happy with the Philips SHE9800.The build is very good,they are very comfortable and give the best sound iv heard.Personally id prefer these over the Shure just because the Shure have no bass and no punch.But true audiophiles might not agree,BUT i dont care
hyeah:
At Rs.1990,there might be better options on the market or via KMD but these do deserve a chance and im sure they will please more people than disappoint(fanboys aside )
P.S:This is my first review,on any site and would like to hear any comments or criticisms on my text or the product.
My 2 year old cheapo no-name Panasonic in-ear headphones finally broke down,the wire turning into a kind of goo and the left bud going mute.A valid excuse to go earphone shopping i say.
The options I considered were the CX300/400,basically a budget of around 2000.But i was able to find only the CX300 II and CX400 II which were a bit over my budget.
(I dont have the means to order via KMD
)So I just asked the sales person to show me whatever models he had and i saw the Philips SHE9800 for Rs.1990.
Philips is basically a no name in audio(AFAIK)but after browsing around a few online reviews i got a good impression of the earphones.So I returned back to Landmark and got them.And this is me sharing my experiences with them.Il'll be basing my comparisons on the Shure E2C which i have used for a considerable amount of time.
Packaging
The earphones come in a quiet solid cardboard box with plastic molds to keep things in place.Sorry,No unboxing pictures because i threw it out the bus after just 10 minutes in my hands
Contents:
Earphones
Rubber Ear cups-3 Sizes
Hard Shell carry case.
Pretty standard contents in this package.
The Hard Shell case is a very welcome and efficient addition in storing the phones in a tangle free manner and safe.
(vs. Shure)The Shure's case in comparison is much sturdy and hard but its smaller and I always felt the phones were cramped in there,due to big size and thick wire.The number of ear tips included with the Shure were more than adequate for anyone.
Carry Case Closed:
Carry Case Open:
Build Quality
The buds are made of partial metal and partial matte plastic.The outer half is of a smooth brushed metal which feels really solid.The wires coming out have a nice rubber sheath which i think will do a good job during rough handling.This is also able to control wire noise well.
The driver canal is at an angle to the body of the buds so that they line up better with the ear canal.This may look uncomfortable but it works very well.They're basically like the Shure but the wire go up and behind your ear.There seem to be some vents behind this which i think help with the awesome sound stage.
The wire is symmetrical with a nice metal rivet to prevent any damage to the junction.
The Pin is Gold Plated(does it matter?) 3.5mm,not angled and a secure metal rivet at the junction of the wire to the pin.
Very Good build quality IMO.
(vs. Shure)The Shure's were of awesome quality,felt like i could use them as a weapon
but the thick wire did feel uncomfortable at times.
Comfort
The buds are very light and contrary to the pics they are surprisingly comfortable and secure.Twisting them a bit helps for a better fit.Used them for 4 hours straight on the computer and was able to go to sleep wearing them.
Sound isolation is not great but gets the job done.Worked well on a crowded bus and against mother's naggings
The medium ear tips fit me perfectly.
Unlike the Shure you don't need a perfect seal to get the best sound quality.
(Changing the tips is a pain
and make sure there's no wax)(vs. Shure)The OTE fit of the Shure were very comfortable and secure for me but the sound isolation worked dangerously well.
(Have almost been hit by traffic a few times and they make me dizzy after a while)
Sound Quality
First off,I cannot do any detailed technical review in this respect,but will do the best to my knowledge and experience in sound "quality"
I used my Sansa Clip and Most of the songs from the Guitar Hero 3 track list and some newer favorites.
First Impressions were very good for me.
The first thing that strikes you is the Sound stage and stereo separation and how 3D(?)the sound feels,feels almost like a private rock show in your head.
The Bass is warm and strong and doesn't mask the other instruments.Priestess-Lay Down could almost give you a stroke.A.R Rahman's O Saya is sure to get your heart racing while still maintaining the finer details and vocals.
Vocals are very detailed,crisp and warm and do not affect the Highs much.U2-Cedars of Lebanon sounds heavenly with Bono's vocals and the smooth bass track and drums in the back.
The high are very well limited(?)and not too sharp(vs. Shure)The guitars and pianos on Through the Fire and Flames are really detailed and crisp.The Starting build-up of Muse-Knights of Cydonia made my hair stand up on end!
Basically im able to hear details which was non existent on the other earphones.
Soundstage:These earphones are marketed by Philips as having a "Deep,Powerful Soundstage" and I think the claim has a lot of weight to it.Just close your eyes and u can literally imagine the placement of the instruments.Just dont listen to that Virtual Barber Shop(Google it if u dunno what it is
)clip with these earphones (vs. Shure)My main gripes with the Shure were the total lack of bass and too sharp highs(feel like pin pricks)but the Shure do have a bit more detail in instrumental music.But the Philips thrash it in bass and Sound stage.
Conclusion
Overall,I am very happy with the Philips SHE9800.The build is very good,they are very comfortable and give the best sound iv heard.Personally id prefer these over the Shure just because the Shure have no bass and no punch.But true audiophiles might not agree,BUT i dont care
hyeah: At Rs.1990,there might be better options on the market or via KMD but these do deserve a chance and im sure they will please more people than disappoint(fanboys aside
)P.S:This is my first review,on any site and would like to hear any comments or criticisms on my text or the product.
