NuForce HP-800 Review
When we received word that NuForce could be sending us its HP-800 headphones, we had been intrigued. So far, we've been pretty impressed with what the firm has had to offer you. But when we visited NuForce's web site to obtain a preview of what FedEx would soon drop on our desk, we instinctively rolled our eyes. There it was, correct in the 1st sentence on the HP-800's promotional synopsis:
Studio monitor-class headphone.
Don't get us incorrect, the world could use a lot more consumer-level headphones created to reproduce the accuracy provided by these specially constructed cans for mixing and monitoring music within a studio environment. It's just that the notion has been so overplayed by desperate marketing and advertising teams that such tag lines have turn out to be practically impossible to take seriously. Yes, we want accuracy; yes, we want detail; certain, we want revealing; and, please, please, please let us get closer to our music than ever ahead of! But don't promise us such issues if you know damn effectively your hack wares won't be able to provide.
But after our knee-jerk reaction, we calmed down, recalling that NuForce has historically been in a position to back up its claims with great-sounding, well-designed merchandise. We just hoped the HP-800 would continue that trend. Here's what we located.
Out of the box
The HP-800's packaging is just nice adequate to create you feel like your income was nicely spent, even prior to you crack it open. We didn't locate a bunch of fanfare or confetti inside, but we did discover a 1.2-meter cable terminated in a normal three.5mm connector, a longer 2-meter cable using a threaded tip for the incorporated 6.3mm (1.4-inch) adapter, as well as a carrying case.
The HP-800 aren't garnished with garish designs. Alternatively, NuForce has kept issues straightforward, finishing the headphones practically completely using a matte-black finish. The two exceptions to that rule are the gold, square badges around the outside of every single ear cup, along with the vibrant red cloth covering the drivers around the inside of the ear cups.
While the HP-800 didn't really feel inexpensive in our hands, they did look to lack the premium really feel we've skilled with competing headphones. This is possibly as a result of headphones' light weight which ends up becoming huge benefit inside the comfort division so we'll take it.
Attributes and design
The HP-800 come packing 40mm drivers, that are about as massive as you would like to go if you'll be taking your headphones out on the residence. NuForce says the drivers are mounted into an aluminum die-cast frame that is meant to reduce unwanted resonance and increase articulation.
We like NuForce's inclusion of a 2-meter long, cloth-covered cable, but are perplexed by its selection to go cheap around the shorter, 1.2-meter cable. The material feels feeble and most likely to break. It tends to make sense to supply a shorter cable for all those instances when the headphones will probably be used with mobile devices, but why not cover that 1 in cloth, also?
Comfort
The HP-800 are constructed practically entirely of plastic, using the exception of two essential points: the headband and also the ear cups.
The ear cups are created of an ultra-soft leatherette material which NuForce has described as skin-like. We're not sold on NuForce's description, but we will concede the material is exceptionally soft, as is the spongy memory foam it covers. The mixture is breathable and comfortable sufficient for long-term listening, but only moderately powerful at blocking out external noise.
The HP-800 adopt a suspended headband design and style related for the Harman/Kardon CL, but on a bigger scale. Instead of make use of the arched frame from the headphones as the headband, NuForce uses a springy elastic band with just sufficient tension to conform for your head when they're on, but spring back into spot when removed. It improves comfort and fit, but NuForce's option of material on this headband that leave's anything to be preferred.
As an alternative to mirror the ear cup material on the headband (a common practice), NuForce opted to work with the rubbery, anti-skid material we've seen popping up on countless customer electronics items lately. We enjoy the material, but its application on a headphone's headband doesn't work for us. Whilst the rubbery surface did hold the headphones from sliding about too much, it also had a way of pulling at our hair when the headphones got tugged or otherwise jerked into motion. Also, given that it isn't really effectively padded, we have been continually aware in the headband's presence on our head, which kept us from forgetting regarding the headphones as we wore them.
Around the plus side, the HP-800 are specially light for such a large headphone. We couldn't get away from their bulk, but we by no means felt weighed down by them either.
Audio overall performance
Among the HP-800's massive drivers, all the banter about studio-quality overall performance, and NuForce's history of producing great-sounding products, we anticipated some fairly wonderful factors from these headphones. And that's specifically what we got, even though not with out several quirks here and there.
Working our way from the leading in the frequency variety on down, we'll initial mention that we completely enjoyed the HP-800's remedy from the treble region. We pushed them challenging with tracks we know to be piercingly sibilant, however the HP-800 refused to play our game. Jason Mraz's Butterfly, as an example, is loaded with ??S' sounds that shoot like a dagger into our inner ear with most headphones, however the HP-800 managed to smooth out Mraz's forked tongue with out robbing the recording of any of its brilliance.
In reality, the HP-800's capability to keep extremely bright recordings from becoming painful without also sacrificing texture or brilliance may be one of its ideal tricks. When we listened to Gerald Albright's soaring rendition of Georgia On My Mind from his Live at Birdland West Album, we were shocked to not hear the usual strident wash of cymbals and high-hat in the drummer overtaking the entire recording, but rather a coherent and brilliant reproduction of every single and each instrument.
Midrange overall performance was uncolored, uncongested, and otherwise un-everything-we've-ever-hated-about-any-other-headphone-ever. We felt like we heard precisely what the recording engineers and album masters intended us to hear. The HP-800 produced us really feel like we have been poking our heads through somewhat window into the handle room of each and every studio in which our test tracks had been created.
NuForce HP 800 overview left earcupThe HP-800's performance within the bass region is the only region that gave us pause. Whilst the headphone's treatment of bass was largely well-controlled, we did note some plumpness about 75Hz that added a little a lot more beef to the bottom end than seemed organic on a number of our recordings. On tracks with comparatively lean bass levels, this turned out to become a plus, but on recordings with heavier bass programming, we felt there was a little of bloat about particular instruments that made for some distractions from the headphone's otherwise stellar functionality. As an illustration, as we listened to Russell Gunn's remedy of Blue In Green, we noted that several of the reduce piano harmonics had an unnaturally large presence. However, as we spent much more time using the headphones, we had been able to tune out these occasional anomalies and appreciate the HP-800 for every little thing else they did exceptionally nicely.
The HP800 have an amazingly contiguous 360-degree sound field. You will find times when we could pinpoint many various instruments at various places around our head. Other recordings with clever stereo effects had sounds dancing back and forth as if they were traveling between each and every ear, directly through the middle of our head.
We also loved the HP-800's resolution of fine particulars. We were treated to a number of situations of that rare occasion when a superb set of headphones can reveal hidden gems inside recordings we've heard dozens of occasions, but in no way took notice of prior to. This produced repeated listening using the HP-800 a real treat.
Conclusion
The HP-800 are a stellar sounding pair of headphones. Determined by sound top quality alone, NuForce could very easily ask $300 for these cans. That they expense half that much need to make them the steal on the decade, but, unfortunately, the HP-800 would be the best-sounding headphones you won't really desire to put on. Due to a headband that we think some will locate uncomfortable, a bulkiness that makes them not possible to overlook are in your head, plus a rather bland overall design and style, these ??phones will probably uncover properties within the hands of these that prize superb sound quality more than all other factors. Nonetheless, with sound high quality this great, we dare not give the HP-800 anything significantly less than an eight.0 along with a plea to produce the subsequent version less clunky. Kudos to NuForce for proving that, with some focused attention on sound good quality, it is achievable to make a headphone beneath $200 which will knock listener's socks right off.
Highs
Exceptional resolution of detail and texture
Brilliant treble without having piercing sibilance
Crystal-clear midrange
Enormous, 360-degree sound field
Beefy low finish
Lows
Somewhat cumbersome
Uncomfortable headband
Plump bass is actually a bit significantly on some recordings