Philips SHP9500 Review:
Gateway towards the End-goal?
Audio might not be a very objective matter to judge, but when it comes to the
question of which pair of cans to start the true ‘Hifi’ journey, a lot of audiophiles
will suggest the Philips SHP9500. Launched back in 2016, & even after having an
official discontinuation, the headphone is still being produced because of its sheer
demand among audio enthusiasts. Does it have enough to offer for it to be written
on the golden book of open-back headphones?
Unboxing & Design: The headphone comes in a hard-shell cardboard box where
the cans itself are wrapped inside a thin bag. The rest of the package carries a
detachable 3-meter long aux cable & a quarter-inch adapter, nothing fancy there.
The body of the headphone is mostly made out of plastics with a metal stripe running
along the headband connecting the two drivers. The ear pads are a bit thin but very
comfy just like the head cushioning. But one downside is, as they are non-removable,
cannot be swapped out easily if gets worn out.
The design gives off the impression of a headphone more expensive than what the
price suggests. I found the headphone comfortable to wear for long listening hours.
The ear pads get a bit warm after prolonged use so do let them have some air after
some hours.
Sound Signature: The SHP9500 does not disappoint on this regard. According to
the official specification, it can produce sounds from 12 KHz up to 35 KHz, well
beyond what a human can hear. Keeping technical details aside, let us have a deep
dive on how it sounds in individual metrics.
Figure: Frequency response curve of SHP9500, Tested using AUDMES
Low (Bass tones): The low end is diluted right between the people of two types, the
bassheads & non-bassheads. The bass does not extend very deep into the sub-bass
region. The mid-bass is linear & just enough to fill the warmth in male vocals. Also
the seal impacts a lot in bass response.
Mid (Vocal tones): The vocals are where the headphone shines. You will find a
drastic difference here coming from an average listening device to the SHP9500.
The female voice is tastefully done with no peak.
High (Treble tones): For me, treble region is something of an ‘up for grabs’ to the
listener on the headphone. This is a bright but not harsh sounding headphone with
some peaks here & there. As it cannot resolve all the details, on some tracks, it might
sound grainy.
Soundstage & Imaging: The soundstage is very wide for a headphone of its price
range, thanks to the open back nature. However the music spills to outside as well
because of it, so outside listening is not recommended.
Imaging is good for the most part. You will be able to identify from where the sounds
of instruments are coming from. Though the grainy nature of treble affects here.
Final verdict: High-end audio gears can be very expensive at times but then there
are headphones like the SHP9500, which punches well above its price-point, granted
you can get away with its not so resolving treble.
Author: Md. Shadab Nabil
Disclaimer: This review was written on author’s own unit of Philips SHP9500
headphone & serves no commercial purpose.