Beyerdynamic T50p Tesla Portable Stereo Headphone

After owning the t50p for several months now I've gotta say it's an incredible piece of German engineering. I'd like to make some comparisons with other headphones / earbuds I owned or demo'ed, which I think is the best way to help you with your purchasing decision.

* VS Sennheiser HD650 (own)
Sound: In general HD650 has a warmer tone signature while t50p has a "clearer" nature. t50p has the edge in high frequency clarity but not as powerful in the bass department. Note that this doesn't mean it's lacking in bass, just not as powerful. Also it's bass performance is highly dependent on the position of the headphones. So make sure you have a proper sit given the on-ear setup. The soundstage of both headphones are excellent. HD650 has a feeling you're listening in a sound room while t50p is more like in a concert hall.

Comfort: Both headphones have their own merits. HD650 features a open design and is therefore more suitable for long listening sessions as...Read more

Bassheads look elsewhere. But understand that several popular headphones and many portable devices artificially boost bass response because people "like it better". In reality, it's not what the artist intended, and is fatiguing over long listening periods. Why do some reviews call the sound of this headphone "lifelike and amazing" -- because it is. One reviewer here listens to a 5.5 Gen iPod (which has the wonderful Wolfson DAC), a Line-Out-Device (LOD) to bypass the iPod's crummy volume control, an outboard RSA amp built by the audio legend Ray Samuels of Chicago, using only lossless files ... the sound is jaw dropping (I have the same set-up). That's not the point - you are not going to use it that way. You are going to plug it directly in to a modern iPod or iPhone, and you will be blown away with the sound. After a few listens to your fave songs you will not miss the bass that's not really there anyway, and you will hear new things you have never heard before - startling...Read more

I wouldn't have bought T50p if I read all about them. I am glad I didn't in a way as I discovered how good these headphones. The comfort, style, and build quality is top notch. It will make most headphones look ugly. What about sound quality? Even before break-in, they sounded excellent to me. I used B&W P5, couple of Sennheiser's, Audio-Technica's, and Sony. T50p is going to be my pick not just for their style but sound quality as well. They sounded even better after a week of constant use.

Unfortunately, I decided to return these as they didn't suit my intended use. I bought them hoping I can listen with it on my daily 2 hours of silent bus commute. They don't have great sound isolation. So, if you like listening at around high volume's the passengers next to you wouldn't tolerate it for long. Same holds if you plan on using them in flights. But, if your intended use is in areas doesn't demand silence by people around you then, these probably could be one of the best out...Read more