Philips Over Ear Headphones/Wired Headphones ideal for Laptop, Tablet and Smartphone/Noise Isolation, Superb Comfort, Premium Design, 3m Cable, 50mm Drivers/Philips Audio SHP9600/
Over-ear open-back Over-ear headphones
Looking for the perfect blend of performance, comfort and quality? These over-ear, open-back headphones are built to take your home listening up a notch. You get great sound, premium construction and gold-plated cable connections.
- 3 m removable cable. Gold-plated 3.5-6.3 mm adapter
- 50 mm neodymium drivers. Perfectly tuned
- Adjustable steel headband. Double-layered headband cushion
- Angled acoustic drivers fit your ear’s natural geometry
- Crisp bass. Balanced midrange. Pristine high frequencies
- Light, breathable ear-cup cushions. For long listening
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Open-back design. Spacious soundFeel the music. Perfectly tuned 50 mm drivers deliver crisp bass, balanced midrange and pristine high frequencies. The drivers are engineered to fit the ear’s natural geometry, ensuring no detail is lost. | Superb comfort and durabilityThe headband is reinforced with durable steel, which adds just the right amount of tension for a secure fit. The double-layered headband cushion adds real comfort and the breathable ear-cup cushions are perfect for long listening sessions. | Connect to any source. From phone to headphone ampImmerse in your favourite albums – on your smart device, home setup, TV or laptop. The included cable boasts a gold-plated 6.3-3.5 mm jack adapter for the best connection when listening on audiophile-grade equipment. |
| Weight: | 330 g |
| Size: | Standard |
| Dimensions: | 12 x 19.5 x 22.5 cm; 330.22 Grams |
| Model: | SHP9600/00 |
| Colour: | Black/Gold |
| Colour: | Black/Gold |
| Size: | Standard |
Very comfortable fit, lots of adjustment with the headband.
Sound quality is good for the cost, being an open back staging is pretty impressive to my untrained ears. I didn’t find the sound bleed to intrusive, found you need to be very close to hear bleed if volume at a normal level.
Recommended for an entry point for hifi head gea
These are the best headphones I’ve owned so far for sound quality. I only use them at home as they are quite big and are open back. I have Soundpeats A6 noise cancelling for travelling use.
But these are awesome if you want to put on some good music and do some work or chill out. Listening to my music you can hear some much more detail than I could hear before.
A lot of people say they prefer the sound of the original 9500’s. But I think these sound very balanced, good bass, good treble, and good mids. So I think the way these sound is much more suitable for most people.
Tiene un buen balance de frecuencias para su costo, el sistema abierto logra dar una espacialidad que no se logra con los audfonos cerrados, da sensaciones de speaker surround, si adems se le da una buena equalizacion, se le puede sacar mucho provecho, excelente audfonos para su precio.
This headphone really performs. The sound is midrange-centric to an extent which produces clear vocals with great definition for background vocals as well. Bass is well defined, and easily EQ’d when a boost is desired. Highs are clear with no sibilance noticeable. I prefer a slightly boosted high end, and these headphones respond very well to EQ adjustments. When amped these headphones really come alive, and are capable of high volume levels while retaining their clarity and composure. After comparing these SHP9600’s to other more costly cans from AT, Hifiman, Beyer, Sennheiser I can honestly say they are clearly superior in performance, especially at this price point.
USE ORATORY 1990 PEQ SETTINGS OR GEQ, and they are great for the price until you wear earpads out (no oem replacements so sound would change with any aftermarket pads). This is why I stick with Sennheiser as they sell thier own earpads! Learn companies. The headphones have a boxy sound to them without GEQ or PEQ. Personally I like the more nuetral sound of the 9500 but the 9600 was for a friend. The 9500 had next to no bass despite its midrange and treble being pretty spot on (treble too harsh though in areas) and were not comfortable to wear, the 9600 is definitely more comfortable and laid back sound with some boxy bass. DEFINITELY use the Oratory1990 EQ and you have a great sound for the price until the earpads are toast. I use HD600 as my daily driver with THX AAA Monoprice Monolith headphone dac/amp, endgame for me.
The sound quality is quite nice for the price but it lacks in volume. They have quite nice padding for the headband, lots of adjustability for size. The cups on the headphones themselves are not as good. Again, nice padding but a rougher material. Felt strange on my ears. But, they do come with a 6′ or longer cord and an adapter for 8mm or 11mm audio Jack’s. All in all, I like them.
The audio quality is amazing. The weight and comfort perfect. Of course if you buy them for <100 is a 10/10 purchase, but for anything above 100 I would think on buying other options like the dt 990 Pro or the fidelios from the same brand
These are the first pair of open-back headphones I have ever owned, and with that, I do think they sound very nice; well-balanced, and clean. The build quality is solid, while still being lightweight. They are comfortable, but not so comfortable that I forget they’re on, as some folks have noted. They are very large, which could be seen as a positive or a negative, depending on your personal preferences and the size of your head.
Would I recommend them for the price point? Yes.
Are they a bit over-hyped? Yes.
These headphones surpass others in my collection by a large margin. Very comfortable for prolonged listening sessions, earpads are soft and do not overheat. Frequency range is amazing along with terrific soundstage. Orchestral music along with blues and rock are a pleasure with these 9600s, bass heavy R&B and rap are surprisingly nice as well. I doubt anything in this price range can challenge these Philips headphones. Strongly recommend to anyone looking to upgrade up to audiophile grade headphones.
Io provengo dalla disco music anni 70, rock, pop fino ai tempi nostri. 62 anni di musica dall’analogico al digitale, musica calda dei giradischi, amplificatori, equalizzatori, casse e cuffie NON piezo e dinamiche fino ad arrivare ai lettori cd, computer, schede pc audio professionali e software ad hoc per l’audio. E chi pi ne ha pi ne metta…
Per dirvi cosa? SONO FANTASTICHE! Suonano bene e non distorcono mai dagli alti ai bassi puliti e senza ridondanze anche al massimo del volume sopportabile.
Non capisco certe recensioni di “esperti…..” Forse non sanno che a 20 anni si sentono di pi gli alti e meno i bassi. A 40 si sentono di pi i medi, alti e bassi si equivalgono in percezione. Per finire a 60 si sentono molto i bassi e meno le frequenze medio e alte, cos sapete che a volte non un difetto del dispositivo audio ma dei vostri timpani.
Basta regolare il tutto con l’equalizzatore le varie frequenze con la tua timbratura personale e vedrai che queste cuffie sono perfette.
Saluti
I have both the SHP9600 and the SHP9500 and I like them both very much, combine them with a V-MODA Boom Pro Microphone and you’ve got yourself the best quality gaming headset you can buy in that price range.
Notable differences are;
The 9600 has more bass (better for hearing the game), fits a little tighter, and the cloth ear pads is smoother.
The 9500 has more treble (better for hearing your buddy on voice chat), fits looser, and has softer cloth pads.
Overall I like the sound of the 9600’s just a bit better, but the 9500’s are quite a bit more comfortable and I can wear them longer. You can’t go wrong either way.
Just got them and been running them for about an hour and already a substantial improvement from my cheap $35 Onedio closed backs. Most noticeable is the upper treble clarity and presence and I was actually quite surprised by the amount of bass they have. Very spacious soundstage and I find I’m noticing subtle details I haven’t before. Something about all of closed back headhphones I have (nothing super nice mind you) – there is at some point a very noticeable amount of resonance at lower vocal ranges that has always bothered me. Not the case with these, very clean. I am powering them with a FX Audio DACX6 amp also available here and I highly recommend them both. I haven’t tried them on any other source but I feel the low impedance won’t be an issue, cheers.
These are my first open back headphones and I’m happy with them. The only issue I have with them is a tiny personal issue. The open back is as open as I’d hoped for. Might hopes might have been too high though. I wanted it to be like I was using nspeakers and could hear everything in my environment with basically no muffling but there is a tiny bit. It’s nowhere near as bad as closed back headphones and these still let most sound through but it’s a bit more muffled than the planar ones I tried in the past. But for the price these are a big yes from me. The build quality is great, they are very comfortable, and they sound great.
Vocals in songs sound less forward than I would like, so a lot of vocal centric songs have lower impact on these headphones. Details seem to all be muddled out by a warm overtone. Although the sound quality is much less refined than something like a sennheiser HD 560S (which has incredible detail), I find myself wearing these headsets very often still because it is very comfortable and the lower amount of details/sharpness in voices makes it less fatiguing for long sessions at a computer. For a headphones where you want to listen to as something faint in the background, this is a good choice. For headphones where you want to listen to music and focus solely on the music while closing your eyes and letting your imagination spiral off, there are much better options.
These were my introduction to open back headphones and I can’t recommend them enough. The sound profile is a bit bass-heavy, but the bass is clean and I still find totally flat profiles to be a little harsh on my ears so I like it. When I got these I was a little skeptical about the sound difference for open backs but it is HUGE. You can literally just put your hand over them to cover the openings and you’ll hear the difference. It blew my mind.
Purchased product to work with a portable music player since I really didn’t like earbuds that keep moving away from the ear no matter what size rubber pieces I used. The headphones are very comfortable and very well made. As far as the sound, I thought the bass was pretty good (not rap loud however). It the treble that was a little weak. Interestingly enough if I would lightly cup my hands over the open air backs, and it would get better. Note that the cord is very long which is great if you are plugging it in to a tv or amp, but way to long for personal player. Get a shorter 3 ft male to male 3.5mm cord if you will be using it for this application. Plugs right into the player and the headphones.
Dieser Kopfhrer ist nichts fr Musik-Allrounder. Er bedient aufgrund seiner Schwchen nur eine Nische, die aber sensationell gut:
Wer gerne klassisch-barocke Sonaten oder Streichquartette, Violine solo oder Gitarre “unplugged” mit Gesang hrt, ist hier goldrichtig. Extrem gut wird Violine bis Cello abgebildet. Man meint, man steht mitten drin auf der Bhne und erlebt den Originalklang. Violine solo oder Streichquartette sind Hifi-mig eher schwierig und unbeliebt. Bei diesen Kopfhrern knnte man sich reinsetzen. Ich kenne keinen anderen Kopfhrer der gemigten Preisklasse bis 300 Euro, der gerade die Violine derart realistisch und lebendig erfasst und glasklar, aber ohne zustzliche Schrfen abbildet!!! Es klingt absolut organisch.
Sobald tiefere Bsse als das Cello hinzukommen, bricht der Wohlklang zusammen. Auch Orchester oder den modernen Musikbereich kann man vergessen. Optisch und vom Tragekomfort gibt es nichts zu bemngeln. Die textilen Kopf- und Ohrpolster sind super. Die Konstruktion wirkt aber recht fragil.
I have large ears – these are one of the few models which actually fit right around one’s ears. Sound / value is good.
I have had all of the Philips headphone line, including the SHP-9500. This is not an audiophile review, just a person who knows what crummy audio sounds like. This is a great sounding headphone. The SHP-9600 has a nice clamp force as compared to the loose 9500 fit. The ear pads are big and comfortable with material that is a little ‘courser’ than the 9500. The sound is fuller than the 9500, more punch in the bass, great for movies and tv. I would have to give the nod to the 9500 for soundstage and separation in music and gaming if that is your thing. Can’t go wrong, great products for a great price.
I bought the 9600 as I didn’t like the writing on the side of the previous version 9500. Reviews made me think the previous version might be better, but I decided on these as they will be on display in our living room on the piano all the time, and I liked the style. I thought I would see what the sound quality was. It is excellent. Excellent sound, excellent comfort, ears stay cool, you can hear other things happening around you but unless you are playing loudly people can’t hear what you are playing really. They fit me, my husband and my 4 and 6 year olds each very comfortably without slipping, which is important as we will all be playing at different times. I highly recommend these open back headphones (never had open back before, but tried also on my stereo and really excellent sound – with both stereo and piano you can hear the different sound spaces on the sound stage.)
Der Philips Kopfhrer gehrt klanglich zum besten, das ich bisher gehrt habe. ( 20 klassische Kopfhrer der Preisspanne 40 bis 350 ). Sie klingen perfekt und sympathisch. Haptik und Sitz sind ebenfalls sehr gelungen. Nur die Typenbezeichnung sollte deutlicher lesbar sei. Dicke kaufempfehlung fr hifi, Klassik bis Pop.
My first impression was good headphones but not enough volume.
100% volume with the SHP9600 is like 50% volume with the koss porta pro on my pc.
I bought the Fosi Audio DAC-Q4 and it makes a huge difference, no volume limit and you can adjust bass and treble separately, I like to add a bit of bass.
With the amplifier, the headphones are amazing.
Another thing, there is a huge sound leak, the person sitting next to you can hear everything so take it into consideration.
Estos cascos los compr nicamente por la calidad de sonido, y en ese respecto estoy completamente satisfecho. No soy un experto en audio, ni mucho menos, pero para el precio que los compr (80, oferta) se oyen bastante mejor que otros cascos que he comprado, como los HS60 de Corsair, y valen relativamente menos. Eso s, se nota que han priorizado la calidad ante todo, porque en el resto de factores no se han dejado las uas, que digamos. La construccin es barata, casi ntegramente hecho de plstico, y las almohadillas estn hechas de tela. Es por esto por lo que pueden valer tan poco en relacin al sonido que tienen.
Sitzt bequem. Tonqualitt sehr gut. Sehr offener Klang, riesige Klangbhne. Leichter bass boost und 6K Peak die sich ausgleichen.
Perfekt fr gaming. Klingt leicht warm. Dieser Kopfhrer ist ein Upgrade zum Koss kph30i.
Keine sibilanz, der Klang hat keine scharfen Hhen.
Es excelente para home office ya que Al ser abiertos te deja escuchar lo que pasa a tu alrededor, es un sonido calido y necesitan burnin’ si estas buscando detalles extremos o eres un audiofilo exigente tal vez no sean para ti, pero no por eso dejan de ser hi fi, es un sonido calido y agradable, no es sibilante ni fatigante, si solo buscas disfrutar tu musica y no analizar son buenisimos
Antes de comprar estos audfonos, estaba pensando en comprarme unos Koss khp30i porque vi que tenan muy buenas reseas acerca de su sonido y su comodidad, pero muchas personas tambin se quejaron de que se rompen fcil, por eso decid comprar estos Phillips. De primera instancia not que estn bien construidos, se ve que durarn un buen tiempo y ms si los cuidas, mi audfonos anteriores a estos son unos sper baratos marca Sony que compr hace 5 aos y que an funcionan pero las esponjas ya no sirven. Algo bueno que tena ese par era que eran muy ligeros y despus de un rato olvidaba totalmente que los tena puestos, eso no ha sucedido con estos Phillips. Respecto a la comodidad de este par creo que podran ser ms cmodos, las almohadillas estn hechas de un material no muy suave, son como del tipo de tela que se encuentra uno en un sof, es un poco “rasposo” y al menos a mi me ha llegado a molestar sobre todo en la parte que est antes de que comience la oreja, como debajo de la patilla. Quiz eso se puede arreglar cambiando las almohadillas, pero pues es una lstima que el producto lo tengas que alterar para obtener comodidad. En cuanto a sonido creo que estn bien, yo no soy un experto, pero he tenido la oportunidad de probar varios audfonos, estos suenan bien, los bajos no son increblemente profundos pero estn presentes, los medios suena muy bien y los altos no lastiman. Me gusta que sean abiertos porque te permite seguir escuchando lo que est a tu alrededor si lo usas a un volumen moderado, adems de que son ms frescos. El cable que traen es muy largo pero se puede reemplazar por otro que te parezca mejor, incluso tiene la posibilidad de transformarse en un headset gamer con un micro v moda, lo cual es estupendo. En general creo que es un buen producto, solo un poco incmodo, pero puede que despus de un tiempo tu piel se acostumbre al roce de la almohadilla, o se arregle con un cambio de almohadillas, para compararlo con comodidad, tuve unos Sony mdr-xb400 ya muy viejitos, pero que suenan muy bien a mi gusto, aunque los bajos son muy profundos, pero an as me resultaron disfrutables, adems de que no notaba que los tena puestos. Si lo que buscas es un audfono cmodo, ligero que puedas usar en la calle y en cualquier lado muchas horas, quiz este no sea el mejor salido de la caja y sin “mods”, por otro lados si buscas un buen sonido, una buena construccin a un precio razonable, creo que cumplen.
Earcups are very large and deep, my ears stay in without touching any weird plastic. Only problem with the comfort is the clamping force. But you know it is fixable. The sound quality is very wide and not harsh. I haven’t used SHP9500 but they say it very brighter compared to this. I am glad I picked this one because I find this very balanced between bass and treble. Otherwise, it would be very overwhelming to listen for long hours. Lastly, I suggest to purchase a 3-4 feet long Aux cable with this if you’re a home user. The cable included in the box is very long.
Casque excellent sur diverses sources audios (chane stro, baladeur CD, tlphone portable, Radiocassette Etc). Un son limpide, prcis sur toutes frquences,port sur la tte agrable, excellent rapport qualit-prix !.
I’m a fan of the previous model and have given this pair (SHP9600) months to break in. I mostly hesitated to post a review after being a fan of the SHP9500. This updated model just doesn’t live up to the previous model, or really excel in a way of its own. I guess the “new” design could be nice for some… I would say that design of a headphone should be with comfort and ergonomic adjustments for various users. Great sound with the given price doesn’t need a flashy design to prove itself. Other than that the prior model just sounds more lively to me and has the accurate details I prefer. That’s simply the best way I can put it here.
With so many bluetooth headsets out there now, from the Sony XB900’s which cost slightly more than these, to the XM4’s, is there a place for a simple, WIRED over ear open back headphones like these? Absolutely!
I’ve been using the Philips SHP9600 since February as a daily driver for watching movies, playing games and just regular content from YouTube. Its by far my favorite headset when it comes to producing a pleasing, balanced sound. And its ACTUALLY an over-ear size as well, not one of those “hybrid” designs where the over ear cup is so tiny that it might as well be an on ear headset. LOOKING AT YOU SONY PULSE 3D headset.
If you have never tried open backed headphones before, these are a great entry point. Bass is solid, with just enough punch without being overpowered at all, and the mids and treble’s dont sound overly sharp, but just right.
No matter what i throw at it, i’m never disappointed. Orchestral soundtracks? Wonderful soundstage. Kpop? Sounds extremely lively. Rap? Clear voices and rock solid bass. Podcasts? Terrific voice clarity. And comfort? Oh so comfortable, even when i’m wearing glasses on a humid day, the open back design makes sure you dont have sweaty-warm ears easily. I can very happily wear these for a TV binge.
After using so many noise cancelling headsets this just feels so much more natural. And as much as i love my XM3 & XM4, after a while the closed in design does have an effect.
BUT of course, you give up a ton of modern functionality. So here are a few reasons why you should NOT get these headphones.
– Extremely noisy due to the open back nature. So if you are in a public space, everyone can hear you
– Wired connection only
– Of course, no noise cancellation
If those missing features bother you, then you arent in the right place. But if what you want is a good all rounder, that is comfortable, does not overheat your ears, and sounds great, this is it! Its the best sounding headphones i have at this price point.
Comodidad: La compresin de las almohadillas es un poco molesta al inicio, se siente una pequea presin en la quijada entre las muelas y los colmillos empezados los primeros 20 o 30 minutos usandolos, pero despus al poco tiempo se va yendo la presin.
Sonido: El sonido es excelente por el precio. Es una ganga este audio por $2,000. Lo primero que se nota es el audio acogedor que presentan, no tiene un mega sonido bajo pero tampoco falta, los bajos si existen y son naturales, los medios y agudos se acoplan muy bien en el audio y la distasncia que se ciente en los audfonos es un poco separada a comparacion de muchos audifonos que suenan ms personales, la verdad es que es muy satisfactorio escuchar ya sea msica, pelculas o tomar clases con los mismos.
Detalle: El cable es desmontable y se puede cambuiar, el cable que viene no esta mal pero mide 3 metros o 10 pies y esta tan enrredado que puedes hacer trenzas con el mismo, recomiendo cambiar el cable por uno de su preferencia.
Conclusin: Por $2,000.00 en este tiempo dudo mucho que te condsigas algo mejor y nuevo, es una ganga que por este precio te den unos audifonos como estos con el audio que los acompaa.
Either of these is a bargain for the sound quality. The soundstage on both are really nice and better than Sennheiser 600’s. I like both the 9500 and 9600 but prefer the 9600. Its warmer and the top end is smoother, less pronounced, and still airy. Its an easy relaxing sound that feels natural. The 9500 might be more neutral or at least more analytic and close to the Sennheiser 600 in sound, but not as smooth at the top. The fit and finish are comparable but I think the styling on the 9600 is classier. Frankly, I think you could own both and skip the Sennheiser. You’d have a choice of sound profile, a better soundstage, and you’d save money.
Update on 9600 after a couple weeks. The soundstage seems to keep improving. Its really quite remarkable. I now think soundstage is better than my Beyer DT880 too. I do think the DT880 is a bit more detailed particularly when there’s a lot of bass energy – either with or without equalization. I think the 9600 shines on classical music. The bass is less an issue and the very well defined imaging is addictive.
If you can land these on sale for around 70 to 80 bucks, they are extremely worth it. The sound quality compared to HD 6xx aren’t as good but for being half the price they do a really good job. The vocal quality definitely isn’t as good but the bass is better than the 6xx. Some reviews call these headphones tin sounding but I really haven’t noticed it. These work really well for gaming or just chilling out without having to use a dedicated amp setup. They also come with a crazy long cord which is nice if you have it setup at a desk that you game at as you can cable manage most of the wire without feeling like you’re tied to the desk . They are very comfortable but are a more loose fit. Comparing to the comfort to the 6xx is hard because they are such a different fit. The 6xx has that really hard clamp that I love but wearing them for 4 plus hours can eventually get tiring on my head where I feel like because the Philips are a loose fit you could wear them a bit longer. The sound bleed isn’t as bad as the 6xx but they are open back so you have to expect some bleed. overall these are really good. Overall, they are great for the price if they are on sale. If you are looking at retail price only there are a lot of really good options in the 120 to 200 dollar price range which makes the choice of picking these up over some other choices a bit harder.
Pros:
The sound range is insane, you can hear sounds far quieter then on gamer headsets.
The sound quality is crystal clear.
They are as comfortable as it gets.
There is decent surround, but at first it isn’t apparent
Cons:
There is no volume control on the headset.
These is no bass what so ever.
You can hear every sound in the room and around you.
These are comfortable and are open backs. I got them used like new for about $60, which is a great price.
Headset is awesome love the build quality, clamping force, and especially the sound. Paired with a v-moda and sennheiser gsx 1000 very premium feeling and sounding setup for low overall cost compared to other possibilities, gsx 1000 drives them very well and I wanted it to be able to control the volume and switch on the fly from headset to speakers but it is not needed to use these It is just personal preference, I use it on stereo high quality. Had a logitech g633 spectrum and also used a turtle beach elite 800x, this is miles better in every way I’m old now and over flashy gamer stuff and rgb. Very comfortable on long editing sessions and gaming; also I get pretty warm using headphones and these stay cool. A lot of sound leaks from them but you can also hear around you which is a plus for me. I have a pretty big head and they fit very comfy on me. Definitely something I would recommend.
Good headphones for the price , but can be better.
Headband does not have enough tension, headphones don’t want to stay on if you move around .
The height adjustment isn’t very tight, seems like they lose their spot and you have to readjust them.
Sound wise they are ok, Akg K612pro sound better for a little more money. These are easy to drive , so if you don’t have a dedicated headphone amp/dac setup then it’s a plus , as these are low impedance headphones.
Mi primer par de audfonos high end con sonido al que no estaba a para nada acostumbrado, un par excepcional y a pesar de ser comparados con los 9500 como hermanos me gusta ms este diseo. El nico detalle es que te vas a cansar de ellos ms rpido de lo crees, en mi caso despus de 2 horas me dola un poco las orejas tal vez por la construccin tan robusta que sigue siendo de extrema calidad.
So I have been listening for a while to the Philips SHP9600 cans which basically update the former edition SHP9500 headphones. An Optoma NuForce uDAC/AMP 5 was powering these cans for the first part of my several weeks of happy listening. Then a little hybrid tube amp arrived, so I plugged the Optoma NuForce 5’s outputs into that unit, then of course plugged in the Philips SHP9600 headphone. Just being powered by the NuForce 5 the sound was quite good. Good enough to keep me happily listening for several weeks … that is until the xDuoo MT-602 Tube Class-A Headphone Amplifier arrived (see Amazon search?). The Optoma NuForce uDAC 5 now provides high level processing of the digital signal which improves by bypassing/replacing my very ordinary desktop computer sound card. Then the xDuoo tube unit just further enhances what musical qualities the Philips SHP9600 cans are capable of reproducing.
As often happens with good DAC processing plus better amplification, the SHPs now rise to a level I haven’t heard before now. Everything is better. The sound was always wide frequency thanks to the NuForce uDAC 4 outputs; now the xDuoo enriches all those glorious, wide frequencies by giving all the music more vivid tonal qualities along with greater sense of sensuality with improved presence. At the moment of triple plugging I happened to being playing Katarina Karneus doing Berlioz’ song cycle Les nuits d’ete. Wow. Just … wow. I am also playing the complete SONY re-release of Fritz Reiner with Chicago recordings. I was pretty taken with them, and now expect to feel even better about listening again and again to these Golden Age Stereo recordings (which often equal and occasionally surpass nearly all or most of the existing recorded competition). Hearing all this retrospectively is quite an exciting prospect, thanks to the triple combination of Philips SHP9600 plus Optoma NuForce uDAC/amp 5 plus xDuoo tube amp. (search Amazon?)
To complement Karneus singing the Berlioz song cycle so beautifully – she didn’t wing the world vocal music competition way back when, for nothing? – the disc offers up four Berlioz overtures with Vassily Sinaisky leading the BBC Philharmonic. Sure enough, the Triple Combo as enumerated serves up very good sound along with a significantly improved connection with all that the composer does via orchestra with conductor. Since Berlioz’ acknowledge skills as a Romantic Era orchestrator have long been remarked, I think Berlioz is the first step in a good test of how well large orchestras playing will sound from here on, out. I think I’ve inadvertently hit on a very affordable trifecta via the combination of all three pieces of good yet affordable equipment. Skeptics will no doubt dutifully call our necessary attention to the likelihood that any similarly good quality triple combination will probably yield welcome rewards. Nevertheless as the old saying goes, the devil is often in the details; so fear not, fret not, the specific triple plugging of these three particular pieces of equipment works well enough to sound … well, sumptious, juicy, fabulous …. use whatever superlatives might express strong musical satisfaction. I know that well-heeled audiophiles will spend thousands on headphones plus DAC plus amp. For the rest of us let me confirm that this specific trifecta yields more than its price points (approximately $388?) might ever suggest at a casual glance.
Being the sound and music nut that I am, I will no doubt cycle other headphones in my collection into the three-part equipment mix. Those comments are for another day. Let this commentary praise Philips for giving us a very affordable yet strong and capable set of headphones in the SHP9600. Bravo … with thanks all round, then.
These headphones really seem to be a love/hate for many people compared to the cheaper SHP9500, however I’ve enjoyed them, they lack some treble from their older counterpart but with that comes the welcomed loss the the sharp trebles at the high end which I could to be overwhelming. For many genres these will be a good pair of headphones, and I believe that is all one can ask for, they are slightly warmer than the SHP9500 but I view that as the intended purpose. No pair of headphones will excel at every genre, there is some give and take, and I find that an acceptable trade off.
If you’re not after audiophile headphones you will most likely enjoy these, if you are however you may end up feeling the bass is killing the highs. If you are looking for a good pair of headphones for R&B/Rap you may find these lacking bass however.
I find them to be pleasant, with just enough warmth to give needed life to the highs for many songs I enjoy.
These are well built reliable good sounding headphones that offer some of the best bang for the buck in the $100 and under range. When Phillips first introduced them, they were maybe overpriced compared to the similar SHP9500. Now that they are closer in price, I think these may be the better choice for many people. They are less open than the 9500, more semi-closed, so don’t leak much sound, but don’t give much isolation either. And kudos to Phillips for using a standard 3.5mm detachable cable. Ear pads seem easily replaceable as well.
Overall, I would say, if you are going over $100 in budget, maybe just get the XR2HR. But as budget phones, these are great for things like sitting at your desk and watching netflix or youtube, or just casual music listening. They have a very warm tonality which is very easy to listen to for extended listening.
The boosted mid bass to lower mid range sounds great for most vocals and acoustic instruments like guitar and piano. It sounds good for bass, especially acoustic bass, and for instruments like saxophones. Great for bluegrass, jazz, blues, 70s rock, etc.
It even works well for many female vocals; Susan Tedeschi, Rachel Price of Lake Street Dive, and even Molly Tuttle all sounded great on these. But high soprano voices may be missing a bit; Joni Mitchell’s Blue was better with some E.Q. to bring the tone curve closer to neutral.
For most things though, I don’t really even need the E.Q. I would say, if these are still available in “like new” condition, for a significant discount, add a star. For the price I actually paid for these, I could easily give 5 stars. But since the price is liable to go back over $100 at any moment, I’ll give 4. Still could recommend, but not for everyone. It’s a very colored sounding headphone.
I brought these to pair with an AudioQuest DragonFly Black v1.5 to try listening to MQA on Tidal and Apple Music. I tried them without the DAC to see their performance and I’m happy to say they are amazing in their sound quality. With the DAC to drive them, they sound even more amazing and the price point is also right on point.
I got these because I wanted a pair of open-backed headphones to compliment my Audio Technica MSR7’s.
Nice open sound with wide sound stage and nice bass. Well worth the price.
When my new Philips SHP9600 arrived and I put them on for the first time I hated them. Doll. too bassy, no trable, (far away) sound. They sounded like if you put a pillow over a speaker. But in a day of playing them I went back and ordered a second pair. Because you don’t come acrosse headphones with this kind of pleasant
sound often,, let alone for $71.00 new. Don’t judge too fast, these are special. They need ti break in just like anything we have brakes in. When you buy a new car you’re advised to take it easy on it for the first 5.000 miles or so and drivers inside these headphones are also mechanical and they too need to be broken in. I have all kinds of headphones, many of them, and these are somewhere at the very top.
I came from the Logitech G Pro X…buy this, return that.
Bought this set of headphones exclusively for use with my Fender Mustang Micro. I have zero complaints. Sounds like I’m playing in a large room, and the sound is crisp and clear regardless of amp mode.
So far I’ve had no issues with these headphones I mostly use them for gaming and music. They are very confortable on my head and feel great. The sound is just perfect for me and it’s great pair of headset for the price.
These fit completely over my ears which makes them comfortable. They have real fabric around them instead of cheap plastic that comes apart over time. There is real metal under the head band so they should last. A minor thing, but I can put them on with one hand, which is nice. The fact that they are hollow is nice because I can hear something around me if I need to.
Many people brag about how they can hear extraordinary things on those expensive brands and I believe that some people’s ears have different tastes and limits on their hearing. That is probably my case.
May be there are headphones out there that will probably make hear the angels singing in your ears. But since I’m down to earth, I just want to hear what my amplifier can truly process and the SHP9600 do just that. I can hear the difference in sound from the slightly brighter 9500 to the all balanced 9600. With the 9600 I can hear the bass without blowing my ears and at the same time the brightness without loosing my hearing. I can also clearly hear the singing voices and enjoy the background instruments at the same time. I’m glad I found this cans and I’m sure that I can easily stay satisfied without having to expend a fortune. For under $100 I believe these are the high end headphones for me.
Please understand I’m no expert in sound but I have listened to all types of music for over 50 years and I can normally hear a difference. There may be better cans out there but this is just good enough for my taste.
These do not cancel outside noise. In fact, their open-cell design makes them perfect for conditions where you actually want to hear what is going on around you as well as whatever media you are listening to. Because they are lightweight and breathe well they are good for extended wear; your ears won’t get sweaty as quickly as other over-the-ear headphones. Compared to other high performance headphones, their small, lightweight design is also comfortable for extended wear. I’m not a highly qualified audiophile, but the sound is rich and true to my ears. Being wired, they will not need recharging, which together with the other features this makes them perfect for anyone who wears headphones for extended periods
The best I found to date! Even my kids love these!!
I love listening to music, aggressive and relaxing, very opposite styles I know! but these headset provides me what I need, clarity, power, and clean sound. This is an open back headset, don’t expect any sound isolation, but expect very good sound distribution. I feel like there is slight increase on triple and bass due to the nature of design, but it’s a very nice balance! I’m using a different cable to connect the 3.5mm jack on the headset to an amplifier, but even before that, the provided cable was better than many other headsets that i tried. The pressure is perfect for me, and the ear cups cover my ears entirely. I would say if you are looking for clean sound, this is a good option.
I should state upfront that I’m no audiophile, but damn these babies sound great right out of the box. For years I’ve had a Klipsch R6 and I just LOVED those headphones, for the price the sound was fantastic. Then I left them where some foster kitties were able to get to them, and those cute little murderclaws just trashed them. So I’ve been looking for a replacement set for a while, mostly using earbuds while I saved up.
I’m really glad I got these, so far. I’ve read the reviews about poor long term quality and decided to roll the dice as these weren’t very expensive.
La calidad del material con que estn construdos es muy buena y cmodo para la cabeza y oidos. La calidad del sonido es muy buena por el precio.
Most likely you know what a sound signature is if you are looking to buy these, if not..thats okay too.
Audiofeeaks-
My preference is a matural tone but leaning more on the side of a warmer than brighter sound. Now these are not like the former 9500, those were nicely neatural and to me the treble did not bother me. These are simular to them in this sound but have deeper bass and even less treble. This may turn some away but for me it was highly welcomed, the 9600s make my music interests shine (metal) if you are more of a sibilant person then these propbably wont scrath that itch you want.
Audio newbies –
Great for rock/metal/rap. These wont bother you with female vocals when they pronounce words with “s” they are very musical and plesant. But if you want a more strict sound (high fidelity) then get the former 9500.
Very happy with the quality of these headphones for the price paid.
These headphones (the SHP9600) are very good for the price. For under $100 I didn’t expect to get anything that sounds amazing, but the sound quality on these is pretty good. The highs are a little uneven and the bass sounds slightly muddy, but overall it’s pretty good, especially at this price point.
What stands out to me with these headphones is how comfortable they are. The headband is comfortable, the ear cups are as well, and the headphones don’t really put pressure on specific points that would make them uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. These have fairly large ear cups, large enough to fit my ears into without the cup pads pressing against them. The open back design also provides some ventilation that keeps my ears from sweating.
Initially sounded so sibilant and narrow, I requested to return prematurely. It took, not few hours or days, but few weeks, to start sounding sweeter, warmer and pleasant. Decided to keep it.
Sound is upper mid forward, very slightly boosted and punchy bass (right amount of boost according to me), treble is detailed, to some extent that it does not hurt my ears anymore after 2 weeks. May be my ears got used to it or ‘burn-in’ or getting used to a new taste. Not very sure.
I compared it with HE4XX, Meze 99 Noir, DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm, Koss KPH30i. By third week, it is comparable to KPH30i, bass punchy, less sibilant, open sounding, upper mid forward.
I used to care so much about wider sound stage, imaging, resolution, this has none of them, still I enjoy it.
Only one drawback, leaks sound more than other open back headphones I own.
These sound great. It’s my first pair of real headphones. I typically only buy cheap gaming headsets because in the end, they are all junk anyway. After a year or two, the ear cups and headband get nasty and need to be replaced. I’d spent more money on headsets in the past ($99), and they have the same problem that the cheap headsets have – mic quits working, one of the ear cups quits working, they physically break, etc. So, I found a cheap headset that I could tolerate, and used it until it was worn out. It never broke, but the ear cups and headband were pleather and were dry rotting. When it wore out, I bought another one just like it. I did this three times, and now the company no longer makes the headset I used to use.
So, I was in the market for a new headset or headphones + separate microphone. I ended up settling on these headphones with a V-MODA Boom Pro mic. Happy so far, they sound great. If you’re used to using gaming gear, keep in mind that these headphones are open back, which means anyone nearby can hear what you are listening to.
outstanding headphone for general playback. perfect for sound playback on headphone vs loudspeakers for late night play (ie drunken night.) comfort a+ sound a+
Comfortable and great for games, movies or music. I’m hearing orchestration better than I have in years!
No cons so far, I can already tell that these will be great once broken i
NOW FOR THE SOUND. Omg, these sound so freakin aweosme. I feel like a baby inside a mothers womb. The sound is so warm and fuzzy. With a headset this comfy this is the sound I wanted. It cuts off those ear piercing highs and boosts the mids and lows. That could be a deal breaker for most but for me, it’s exactly what I was looking for. Now don’t get it wrong, they still have good sound signature and they still have that clear sound, just a bit dialed down. If you’re the type of person to listen to your music on the “DEEP” side, this is it. I don’t know what else to say bro. Music and games actually sound fun again
– Jozzer @ Youtube
Under a $100, it’s a steal for either version. 9600 actually has good bass for open back. I have both and both are comfortable. 9500 no clamp, 9600 does have clamp.
These are very nice headphones for the money, although I got them for $95, not $120. Pretty good build quality, comfortable although the pads may not be everyone’s’ cup-o-tea. There is decent Bass (unlike the SHP9500), but me being a Bass Head I boost the bass with EQ by a few Db. They are open back headphones, so there is almost 0 noise cancellation, if I have the volume at a low-ish level, I can still hear when and what somebody in the same room is saying to me. The headband clicks solidly into place and hasn’t moved on its own on me yet after a month or so. The cable is removeable, but does take moderate force to put it in and to remove it, so def don’t count on it being a safety breakaway, if you forget to take them off and try to talk away your going to know it.
The stock cable is fine, too long, but good enough quality. I drive mine with a Topping MX3 Dac/Amp on my PC and the loudest I take them is 50 out of 100 (Windows 10 volume @ 100%), and its very, very loud at that level. Sound stage is great IMO, I use these for Music (everything from Metal to Hip Hop) and gaming (both competitive games like COD, Starcraft, CS:GO and fun games like Doom and RPGs) and I’m satisfied with the performance no matter what I’m using them for. I might eventually upgrade the pads for a bit more comfort and Bass, but I’m in no hurry to do so.
If I lost or broke these, I would absolutely buy them again at $95. At $120, there may be other options worth considering. However, even if you picked these up at full price, I believe it would still be money well spent. I wouldn’t think these headphones are the *BEST* at anything, but IMO, very good at everything I need them to do, and at this price point, what more can you ask for?
I’d give these an A-. Good work Philips.
The Philips SHP9600 maintains the great value for money tradition of the SHP series. However, it is certainly not an updated SHP9500 as it has a radically different sound signature. The occasionally slightly harsh treble of the SHP9500 has been smoothed out, although treble definition has been retained. The mid range is fairly neutral in the SHP9600, but the major difference from the 9500 is in the bass, where a considerable lift has been given to mid/upper base frequencies. This gives the 9600 a denser, warmer sound signature than the 9500 (which could sound sometimes a trifle thin and lacking body). The 9600 is thus a very different headphone than the 9500 and can be purchased as a complementary headphone. The soundstage width of the 9500 has been retained in the 9600, which, coupled with the increased bass, it makes it a great headphone for watching movies. In summary, the SHP9600 is a fun, great value headphone which I highly recommend.
for it’s price point there is really no need to buy the 1.5k headphones for only a minimal upgrade from this, these are outstanding sound quality and comfort.
(i did a small burn in session of 2 hours before using them to listen to music) this is not necessary just a myth i believe in like some other audiophiles out there in the world !
Best warm and natural sounding headphones I heard bass not to bassy or high ain’t to harsh and mids are alright… not a bad product get plenty loud enough but if you push to much bass to it it will distort and clip overall best bang for the money
Here is my personal preview after months of research for best open back headphone in a price range that most of people can afford.
These are my first pair of open-back headphones. Coming from using nothing but noise cancelling headphones, it took sometime to get used to the less-bass-ier sound, but paired with a decent DAC, the larger soundstage inherent with open-back headphones was phenomenal! On top of that, these are super comfortable. The ear cups do a great job of going around your ears and your ears barely, if not at all touch the headphones themselves. I’m able to comfortably wear these for long periods without much fatigue. Love these.
Update: I’ve had them now for four months with daily use. After a month or so, they really open up and become spacious. There is good texture in the mids, whereas the SHP 9500 and even the X2HR are a bit anemic there. Aside from music, they are great for movie watching. Of course, at this price they are not going to be as durable as a much more expensive set. And I’ve seen some people complain that they leak sound; that is the very nature of open back headphones. But I’ve come to appreciate these inexpensive, yet lovely sounding headphones.
UPDATE:
I loved these headphones.
Comfort: They are very light, the headband never, never feels uncomfortable, unlike other headphones that feel that they press up on your skull. The pads are covered in a fabric material that is much more breathable than leather, it does not leave you sweating. The clamping force they have is very low, you will not feel that your head is tightened and you can wear them for hours.
Sound: I loved the sound, it is a mix between warm-neutral, if you are one of those who are sensitive to treble, these headphones are for you, the treble has enough to enjoy, it will never stand out over the rest of the frequencies, As a result, the high frequencies will never tire or hurt you.
The bass is a little high but only a little bit, however it is not an overwhelming bass like that of closed headphones, it is a very enjoyable bass ideal for those who love bass.
As the only negative point, the first one I bought had an imbalance, I guess I was unlucky, the right side had a higher volume than the left, so I had to ask for a replacement and now everything is fine.
I’ll talk about the SHP9500 and Fidelio X2HR as a point of comparison.
The problem I had with the SHP9500 is that despite the fact that many reviews and comments say that they are neutral, they really are not, their bass is very weak and although they have very good sound, the treble totally predominates the sound, which tires me. the ear.
These SHP9600 retain almost identical comfort to the SHP9500, same structure, same materials, but the pads now have more depth. They’re a bit tighter than the SHP9500s (15% tighter), but they’re still comfortable, cool, and lightweight.
In sound, the sound sensation is very similar to that of the SHP9500, as if you increased the volume but only in the mid-bass and bass frequencies. And turn the volume down a bit on the highs that used to hurt.
SHP9600 are similar to the SHP9500 but it solves the problems of weak bass and excessive treble. The sound is similar and but not as good as the Fidelio X2HR. But in comfort they are much better than the X2HR.
Cooler, lighter, and they don’t squeeze your head.
I bought these to use with my stage piano and they sound excellent. Only complaint is they are a little uncomfortable with glasses, but my instrument sounds so good through then that I’m very happy with these. Nice long replaceable cable too.
Very light weight and sound quality excellent. I use the headphones in my recording studio and so awesome I my have to purchase another pair!
Dessa hrlurar har kristallklart ljud, skn bas och de r perfekta fr alla tillfllen. Jag brukar ha p mig dom nr jag gr musik och dom funkar susen!
Amazing! Ingen annat o sga 🙂 Riktigt bra fr pengarna! Gr hand i hand med Sennheisers HD599 i kvalite.