Ultrasone Pro 900i Headphones Review

February 5, 2018 3:37 pm

Ultrasone claims that their new Pro 900i headphones are for sound engineers and music lovers alike. And according to its specs, it is a very impressive headphone. But how do those claims and specs translate to the actual performance of the headphones? Today I’ll aim to find out with this Ultrasone Pro 900i headphones review.

Review of Ultrasone Pro 900i Headphones

In the Box

-Ultrasone Pro 900 i headphones

-2 detachable ultrasoft cables

-One coiled >3 m with 6.5mm connector

-One straight cable with 3.5 mm connector

-Velvet speed-switch earpads

-Semi hard carrying case

-Instruction manual/documentation

Design

Headband

The headband of the Ultrasone Pro 900i is thick and beefy. But don’t let that description scare you off. It is also cushioned and comfortable. The headband and its yolks feel like they’re made of thick plastic which made me weary of its durability at first. But after close examination, all the joints seem very solid and I haven’t seen any other negative reviews about their durability, so my confidence is restored a bit. This plastic headband material is super light and is flexible, so it will fit many different head sizes. When I place the headphones on my head, the headband hugs to my head securely. The balanced weight makes it particularly comfortable.

Earcups

The plastic ear cups are large and circular. Like the headband, they are lightweight and therefore the headphones are easy and comfortable to wear. The earcups swivel freely in their yolks.

Earpads

The earpads are soft, velvety, and pillowy. They have a pleasant firmness to them. As a result, they are extremely comfortable. Additionally, they are built to easily pop on and off, and I was impressed with how truly it really was. Just a slight turn and pull will remove the earpads.

Cables

The Ultrasone Pro 900i has great cables! Neither are prone to tangling and both screw into place on the earcup. The curly cable is surrounded by lengths of straight cable on either end, so it feels very manageable and painless to manipulate. Lastly, both cables feel solid and durable.

Sound

As a preface, the first thing I noticed when I placed the headphones on my head was its impressive sound isolation. They blocked a considerable amount of outside noise to my pleasure.

Low Frequencies

The low frequencies of the Ultrasone Pro 900i were big, yet spacious (a rarity indeed). They had an accent at about 60 Hz which contributed to the tasteful subbiness of its sound signature. Prior to listening to these headphones, I’d read folks online say they are great for movies and it is easy to see why. The bigness of these low frequencies somehow doesn’t interfere with the mids or highs at all, so it all feels very clear, while still maintaining its viscosity. I was also impressed because this low frequency response worked well with all genres because of its unobtrusive spaciousness.

Mid Frequencies

The midrange also feels very spacious. There is a cut at 250 Hz which contributes to this separation, but also sometimes makes guitars feel a little bit thinner than they would otherwise. However, the guitars maintain their health because of a boost at 500 Hz and the wholeness of the rest of the low mids.

Additionally, the high-mids seemed to tilt forward. Boosts at 4.7 kHz and 6 kHz made vocals sit a bit higher in the mix than they would otherwise. However, there were also cuts at 2 kHz, 3.5 kHz, and 5 kHz. This midrange unevenness contributed to a somewhat unnatural tone from cymbal and string overtones, although their emotional impact still translated well.

High Frequencies

The high frequencies of the Ultrasone Pro 900i are interesting and the most unique quality of these headphones. There is a cut at 9 kHz and then boosts at 10 kHz and 11.5 kHz. As a result, the highs are accented. However, the high frequency extension has a softening effect to the highs. As a result, the high frequencies feel both aggressive and smooth at the same time. It’s a strange tonal quality but one that some will like and some will not.

Soundstage

Overall, the Ultrasone Pro 900i headphones have an aesthetically pleasing soundstage, especially for being closed back. Because of the low frequency and high frequency extension, the headphones have a really pleasant sense of height. The depth is particularly impressive. It’s more than subtle, but still not over-the-top. Lastly, the imaging from left-to-right is spacious and wide.

Overview

The Ultrasone Pro 900i headphones have a high quality sound that is both informative for engineers and aesthetically pleasing for music lovers. However, its level of pleasingness, especially because of its unique high frequency signature is subjective.

The Ultrasone Pro 900i headphones are available for the best price here:

Ultrasone Pro 900i at Audio 46

Ultrasone Pro 900i on Amazon