Customer Reviews

ULTRASONE iCans-Aurum S-Logic Surround Sound Portable Headphones

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

If you have not experienced the Ultrasone sound quality, it will be hard to fully appreciate these phones. They provide an open relaxed yet dynamic sound. I have the HFI700's which are beyond any others. For traveling I have used Sennheiser PX200 and Shure E3c. The iCans are by far more comfortable than either barely feeling them on your head. Being semi-open they do not isolate those around you as well as these though. One can listen to the iCans for a longer period without feeling tired.

The iCans carry the Surround Sound System S-Logic well from their big brothers. The bass is a little weaker, but the accuracy is excellent across the range of 20-20,000. I use the Cowon's A2 as my source which is one of the best. It is well worth the while to go outside the lemming behavior of iPOD's and Sony to experience where others have advanced technology beyond the masses.

Loved the Naos. They match my Nano perfect, have really thick foam pads that block alot of exterior noise and are very comfortable and secure. But the best part is the sound. I didn't know my MP3 could sound so good. Great bass response. And they are supposed to protect my ears. Worth every penny.

I am a headphone aficionado, and I own about 30 pairs from the Sony V6 and V600 to the Sony EX-90, the Senheiser PXC300, RS140 and on and on; you get the idea. I view headphones as some view musical instruments, with each producing a unique timbre and varying quality of sound. With headphones, physical comfort is also a significant issue. The iCans excel in some facets, but their "surround" aspect flattens the sound. They are accurate and well made, but the power to drive them is higher than most MP3-oriented headphones. The Ultrasone S-Logic audio enhancement creates some sense of spaciousness, but somehow at a cost to the essence of the music.

I agree with all the five star reviews of these phones. I didn't give them five stars myself because you can always get a better product if you pay more, and I think much more. But, for the money these are hard to beat. When you listen to them right out of the box they can sound pretty edgy in the highs and soft in the lows. Just connect them to some source and play them 24/7 for three or four days before you listen to them. This is important. The highs then mellow beautifully and the bass assumes more authority. These phones are brighter and more articulate overall than the PX-100s. They separate the instruments more and provide a more detailed presentation. I admit that these phones aren't at their best with low res sources, but give them some good media and they really shine.

I've been an iPod user for years. And during those years, I have been on a quest to find a great pair of headphones to use with the iPod. I flirted around for a while with earbuds, but never found any that were comfortable for long-term wear. So the next step was to look for over-the-ear options.

I think these Ultrasone iCans are close to perfection. The earcups lay gently on the ears, and the headband can be lengthened/shortened to help position the cups correctly. The headset weighs next to nothing, but the sound it produces is astounding. Bass, treble and midtones come through beautifully with no distortion. The tone is warm, burnished and well-rounded: not at all shrill, muffled or tinny.

I'm very happy with these iCans.

I have read either rave reviews, or disappointing reviews about the icans...which I suppose is to be expected from a headphone with such a unique design. My advice...buy a pair...follow the instructions on how to wear them...and you'll be amazed. The sound is incomparable...the comfort is amazing..and I've owned mine several months and they hold up well. They are the absolute best portable headphones I've ever owned...

The Ultrasone iCans are distinctly uncomfortable. The pressure is focused at the very tops of the outer ears, rather than evenly distributed over the outer ears. I would describe it as a stinging feeling at the tops of the ears. This of course is highly individual. Maybe people with smaller heads would find these more comfortable.

The sound quality in the upper range is tinny. They sound like a cheap transistor radio. This is most evident with orchestral music. Maybe people who like the sound of these headphones are listening to non-acoustic music.

They look rather odd when you wear them, because they stick out on the left and right sides at the hinges, where the fixed headband meets the parts that slide out. You won't notice this in photos taken from the side. I do not care for the over-stated branding on the earcups.

In the same price range, the Sennheiser PX100 headphones sound better, are more comfortable, and look better. And they actually cost somewhat less.

I've been looking for Ipod headphones that will make up for my inability to carry my home stereo speakers with me. These Icans are those headphones. I still have my Sennheiser PX 100s and my Etymotic ER 6i headphones, but I've just about abandoned them in the weeks since the ICans arrived. The PX 100s have amazing bass for an open on-ear headphone, but the ICans don't give much ground on the low end, and the treble gets its due in a truly balanced, clean presentation. I don't know what credit is due the SLogic that Ultrasone touts, but I'm impressed by the sound. I wonder how long the plastic headpiece will last, but I'll just have to be careful. I'd also prefer a little cushion where the headpiece meets the top of my head, but these minor points don't prevent me from wearing them many hours a day. I like the fabric covered foam. Be aware that the open design allows you to hear others and others to hear your music, but that's what I want.

I'm not actually sure what I expected when I purchased these little beauties. I really wanted to try Ultrasone's built in crossover S-Logic technology but I had squandered my opportunity to buy the Edition 9's and the matching Rudistor amp here a couple of years ago, so seeing these for $54 I decided what the heck. I have an 80 Gb iPod classic, a 64 Gb iPod touch and a Dell Inspiron 1526 with the Burwen Bobcat Windows Media Player plug-in, that all can sound really special with the right cans, no amp required. But these small, lightweight, closed portable cans from a such a well respected manufacturer as Ultrasone still managed to surprise me in a big way. Unlike other cans their size, these are seriously built to last and though they are really thin, they have a tight bass and a midrange that I simply adore. I love them with internet radio from the Dell or the Touch. I listen to Radio Paradise for at least an hour or more every day in my backyard via Wi-Fi with the Touch. Delicious! I hide from my wife at night upstairs with my iPod full of lossless music, including a rather large collection of Grateful Dead concerts, all legal but equal parts audience recorded and soundboard. The iCans put me center row or wherever the mikes were. At first their top end was bright, but I really really smiled about the third or fourth time I gave them a real workout, for they had smoothed out nicely and in such a short time. They go from Oh no to Oh Yeah! in a real hurry. Now, I love female voices especially in multiples, like the Dixie Chicks, Ditty Bops, Duhks, etc... and the iCans have a real penchant for placing the voices in just the right spot and with the perfect height and width. As for comfort, I have a rather large head, at least as far as portable cans go, and though some past reviewers did not seem to like the fit of the iCans, they disappear on my head and ears. The band rests on the back of the top of your head in case you are wondering and is really wide. That may seem weird but let me say I really appreciate this bit of design detail for I have broken a couple of smaller portable cans, think Phiaton's Moderna M400s, by having to pull them sideways to take them off. Cheap plastic rotating joints just can't take the pressure over time and eventually fail. The iCans just slide right off the front of my head with no tension whatsoever. They may look awkward but they work well. I am a pleased camper to say the least. In just under three months I have spent circa $160 with shipping for two of the finest sets of cans, the other being the Audio Technica ATH AD700s. I can't tell you how many times that amount I have spent in the past and always came up short one way or another. The Ultrasone iCans are highly recommended!!!

Very comfortable and good audio quality. Some of the best bass and surround effects I have heard with headphones.