Here at MajorHiFI, we recently received a part of headphones as a sample to review by Adam Audio. I like Adam. I own a pair of their speakers that I use in my home studio. So when I saw they had a set of headphones, I was interested to see how they sounded. Today I’ll put them to the test with this Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 headphones review.

Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 Headphones Review

In the Box – Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 Headphones Review

-Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 headphones

-1.2 m straight cable with 3.5 mm connector

-3 m curly cable with 6.35 mm connector

-documentation

Specifications – Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 Headphones Review

Design – Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 Headphones Review

Headband

The Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 headphones are made in coordination with the cult headphone company Ultrasone. As a result, the headphone mimics other Ultrasone headphones. It is made of thick plastic. The base of the headphone, a ball joint, doubles as a rotation point and hinge for folding the headphone up. Along the top of the headphone is a firm foam padding. This padding is coated in a thick, durable fake leather. The headband has a fair amount of clamping force. As a result, it isn’t super comfortable, but feels sturdy on the head.  Additionally, its shape isn’t quite ideal because the weight of the headphones rests on one small point at top of the head, making it a bit uncomfortable. The ball joint connects down to a y-shaped yolk which attaches to either side of the earcup.

Earcups

The earcups of the Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 Headphones are a good size. They aren’t too bulky, however they fit fully over the ears. Additionally, they house the 40 mm dynamic  driver.

Earpads

Like the headband, the earpads of the Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 are firm. They are coated with a thinner, more malleable fake leather. The space in the earpads for ears is quite large, so for those who have larger ears, you might like the way these sit on your head.

Cables

There are two cables that come in the box of the Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5. One is a 1.2 m straight cable. This one is fitted with a 3.5 mm connector on the end. While it’s thick and somewhat bulky, it feels super durable. The cable twists and locks into the earcup, making it secure. The other cable is a 3 m curly cable. It too is very durably feeling in addition to being somewhat thick and bulky. This one has a 6.35 mm connector.

Sound – Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 Headphones Review

Low Frequencies

The low frequencies of the Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 are solid and hearty. They feel spacious, yet boosted. As a result, there is detail there that is not only effective for carrying emotional impact, but also for reading pitch. Additionally, emphasis on the sub frequencies make the lows feel big and extended.

For example, when I was listening to the song “Yeah, I Said It” by Rihanna, the dry, subby kick drum synth felt round and full. It moved a lot of air. Additionally, the sub synth extended downward the two together created a huge foundation for the rest of the mix to rest on.

Middle Frequencies

The low-mids of the Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 are slightly boosted. They move from the boosted low-end seamlessly, and thus come across in a very natural way despite having boosted energy. The middle part of the midrange is pretty flat and even sounding. As a result, the bodies of horns, strings, guitars, and keys are full and accurate sounding. However, the high-mids of the Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 headphones are a but uneven, and thus makes some instruments with prominent high-mid information sit slightly differently in the mix. These high-mids have a little bit of a cut but then are boosted slightly around the lower treble.

For example, when I was listening to the song No Woman by Whitney, the acoustic guitar seemed to have a bit more attack than usual. Additionally, the vocal felt more present than usual. The dancy guitar part in the chorus sat slightly lower in the mix because of that cut high-mid energy and seemed to have more thickness in its body, blending slightly with the bass guitar.

High Frequencies

The high frequencies of the Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 have emphasis, and overall, high frequency instruments sit a bit more forward in the mix. The highs aren’t perfectly even, and tend to emphasize the upper treble. As a result, there’s definitely a sense of airness and texture that come through with these headphones. As a result, these might be useful for making vocal comps and other decisions that require the headphones to produce a high degree of articulation.

For example, when I was listening to the song Quizas Quizas Quizas by Pink Martini, China Forbes’s voice sat more forward and air than usual. It was clear and easy to hear the beautiful roughness of it at times. This texturization produced lots of emotional impact and articulation.  Additionally, the classical guitar came through clearer than usual and, in coordination with the strings and horns, felt extended.

Soundstage

The soundstage of the Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 is extremely well done! Despite being closed back, it often feels spacious. Its sense of width is wide with a sense of nuance in its stereo precision. Likewise, its sense of height feels tall and expansive because of the emphasis on both the sub bass frequencies and the upper octave of the treble. Lastly, the sense of depth is subtler than the other elements of the soundstage but comes through with detail when the mix emphasizes the depth with room mics and reverbs.

For example, when I was listening to the song Stuff by Miles Davis, the cymbals and bass expanding out in both directions up and down. The high hat sat perfectly off access to the right a bit. This positioning felt accurately placed. Room microphones used in the mix of the drums helped them sit further back in space than, the horns.

Overview – Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 Headphones Review

Overall, the Adam Audio Studio Pro SP-5 will be a useful tool in recording, mixing, and editing applications. It’s low frequency bump and clarity will give musicians the low-end they need to really get into the music. The high frequency extension and detail will making comping vocals and choosing the best takes clear and easy. And lastly, the spaciousness in the soundstage will help with making panning decisions, especially when you need to place things precisely.