KEF M400
I like to label myself as an audiophile but my interest in product design keeps me wanting more. If a headphone looks like a DIY project, I don’t care how good it sounds. Best example would be an HE-6 – with its heavy weight and lack of comfort, it’s not a complete package for me.
I am absolutely on line with KEF. The M400 might not be a hifi revelation, but they also never intended to be. I would consider the M400 as some of the best looking and most comfortable on-ear headphones yet.
They’re damn great companions for short travels or a quick music fix down on the street. All they need is your smartphone’s output and they will sound simply good. Not having any flaws is a great achievement.
Noontec Zoro II HD
Finally, I have some mixed feelings about the Noontec Zoro II HD. I like the tuning of the driver a lot and the overall sound performance is quite good. But I feel like the Zoro II absolutely want to stand next to Beats to look better. There is a gap in build quality but that is to be expected at a 100% price difference. Overall, Noontec reminds me of Instagram girls that only upload selfies with their less attractive female friends. The range of competitors is far bigger and if you raise your budget just a little bit, you will have a much stronger pool of competitors.
Ironically the Zoro II HD perform better with sophisticated tracks in which a more hifi-orientated presentation makes sense. But those people that value this kind of sound usually not opt for glossy plastic headphones. I am very interested to see what Noontec can do if they actually try to create a new design and if they use better materials. I am putting this brand on my watch list and so should you!
Chord Hugo
Following my short paragraph on flaws, I have to stress that the Chord Hugo DAC and head-amp is an absolute killer device. But you already knew that because people have probably been telling you that for a while now. It’s the Swiss army knife among portable DACs and it has an incredible headphone output (well, three) as well. Build quality is superb, too. But most of all, the sound is very truthful to the source with an organic and realistic feel like I have rarely felt. The crossfeed network is implemented perfectly and overall Hugo is capable to put many home set-ups to shame while neatly fitting into most pockets. This is reference material!
Musical Fidelity MF-200
For one, I just really like how these look. It’s a humble and unique design with exquisite details and phenomenal finish. Headphones shouldn’t be about fashion, but it really doesn’t hurt if they look and feel great. Secondly, I appreciate that Musical Fidelity decided not to throw another warm and smooth headphone on the market. It’s hard to keep up already and fresh and energetic sound signatures have become rare. In my opinion, the MF200 excel with Classical and Jazz music in a silent environment. Resolution and separation absolutely justify the price tag. Though I do think the MF200’s lower treble can be a bit edgy and the bass lacks rumble with Pop and Rock.
There are too many smartphones to generalize, but the iPhone 6 proved to be a good source and match already. I am sure there will be many options for Android too; especially if you want to make use of the headset.