SONIC CHARACTER
The Beyerdynamic T5p is certainly not a sonic clone of their T1, so buyers whove had the pleasure of experiencing the T1 shouldnt simply leap forth and take the T5p plunge without considering the different approach taken here. That said, the T5p is a charmer, just of a different flavor.
If youve read some of our other reviews, youll know that we view the frequency response variations of even top-of-the-line headphones as quite significant. A little study of the acoustic challenge faced by headphones shows why this is so, but in the end what you need to know is that it is really, really hard to make a neutrally balanced headphone (though neutrality is one area where the T1 particularly excels). Headphone frequency variations become obvious over time (it takes many recordings to show off the entire range), and form a basic aspect of a headphones character.
Overall, the T5ps sound very slightly bright, in part because they have ample but not peaky midrange and treble, but also because bass seems a little more reticent than with top-flight desktop headphones. I have characterized some headphones (Denon AH-D5000, Beyerdynamic DT 990) as u-shaped response curve, in that they slightly (or more than slightly) emphasize high and low frequency extremes. Others, like many Grados, have a more n-shaped response curve, with a bit more midrange than bass or treble. At first, the T5p seems to offer the characteristic sound of a product with an n-shaped response curve, but with closer listening it became apparent that something different was going on.
Indeed, one could say that certain groups of headphones (e.g., the Shure SRH 440 and AKG K702) exhibit r-shaped response curves, where the apparent aim is to achieve flat midrange and treble response, but with some degree of roll-off in the bass. I think most listeners would probably place the T5p in that r-shaped group.
As with mini-monitor speakers, there is a real virtue to this approach. You gain a tremendous sense of clarity and you avoid the some of the muddling resonances that reproduction of deep bass frequencies quite often entails. Thus, the mindset is that it is preferable to get most of the music (mids and highs) right, while accepting a certain amount of bass roll-off rather than struggle with potentially problematic low bass (remember that the T5p is designed for use with inherently low-powered devices whose amps may not have much bass clout in the first place).
But, and this is a really important but, once youve shined a light on the midrange and treble, the quality had better be good or you can end up with annoying ugliness more than musical resolution. Fortunately, the T5p seems to share the very low distortion of the T1 with the result that the T5p seems revealing in an engrossing and natural way. Another way of saying this it to say that the midrange and treble of the T5p is quite even and balanced. Instruments have balanced overtones and are pretty much free of stridency.
No headphone is perfect, including the T5p, and you can hear deviations from neutrality in a few places. Mostly youll notice that the T5p is bass shy. Vocals, cellos, and dreadnought guitars have somewhat less body or fundamental strength than they would when heard live. Interestingly, this may be less a matter of bass roll-off and more a matter of there being a downward shelf in bass response, because you do hear some rather low bassjust at a reduced level. In addition it is important to note that bass on the T5p is somewhat amplifier dependent (as it is with many headphones). You will also notice that the T5p has somewhat less dynamic slam than some other headphones.
There is, of course, more to music than frequency response. The charm of the T5p comes from its midrange and treble clarity coupled with very low distortion. All of which results in a level of instrumental separation and musical insight that will thrill many listeners especially those who favor acoustic music. Music that tells a story and bands with multiple superb musicians simply wants to be heard on headphones like these.
This sense of vividness requires good dynamics, and the T5p's succeed here while retaining a sense of control. Transparency requires excellent handling of low-level signals, and again the T5ps deliver. And, because these concepts are related, the excellent micro-dynamics that come from good low-level signal handling also contribute to a sense of aliveness when the music is full of layered expression.
As a final note, we found that a mobile device like the iPhone actually can drive the T5p adequately. If you need ear-bleed levels, this combo wont be ideal, but our sane readers will do fine. Nonetheless, a good portable amp, preferably one that bypasses the mobile devices internal amp altogether, will yield better bass and cleaner treble while increasing output capability.
