Bang & Olufsen (B&O) H6 (Black) Around-Ear Stereo Headphone review

[dalethorn]

This is my third H6 - the first, in brown color, was reviewed prior to my having a measurement tool and was traded off. The second, the special edition in agave green, was reviewed at the beginning of my measurement experience and was traded off. This third H6, in black, got a good measurement shakedown this time and I expect to keep it permanently.

 

Bang & Olufsen (B&O) Around-Ear Stereo Headphone review

[PorkChop]

I love the H6 sound profile! Because it's light, comfortable (for a non-IEM) and sounds great even out of smartphones , it has quickly become my go-to "portable" HP.

[Leroy Bad]

I did think the H6 was ok, but I found that they were a little bass shy, pointed towards neutral but less than realistic. Theres also a disconnect between lower bass and lower mids. My biggest issue though was that they didnt quite fit my head. Even with the arms all the way up and the cups held centered on my ears there was still about half an inch of space from my head to the headband.

 

I did get to compare them to the Bowers & Wilkins P7, Sennheiser Momentum 2, Viso NAD HP5, Master & Dynamic MH40, and PSB M4U 1. I think the H6 sonicly beat the first 3, and maybe tie with the MH40, I but decided that the PSB M4U are "near perfect", and cost $100 less. So I kept those instead.

[dalethorn]

I did think the H6 was ok, but I found that they were a little bass shy, pointed towards neutral but less than realistic. Theres also a disconnect between lower bass and lower mids. My biggest issue though was that they didnt quite fit my head. Even with the arms all the way up and the cups held centered on my ears there was still about half an inch of space from my head to the headband.

 

I did get to compare them to the Bowers & Wilkins P7, Sennheiser Momentum 2, Viso NAD HP5, Master & Dynamic MH40, and PSB M4U 1. I think the H6 sonicly beat the first 3, and maybe tie with the MH40, I but decided that the PSB M4U are "near perfect", and cost $100 less. So I kept those instead.

 

The fit then is the key to the bass response. Mine fit perfectly snug, and I had to reduce the midbass somewhat to get a little closer to neutral. The review should have the link to the EQ chart I did (green line only).

[Leroy Bad]

The fit then is the key to the bass response. Mine fit perfectly snug, and I had to reduce the midbass somewhat to get a little closer to neutral. The review should have the link to the EQ chart I did (green line only).

 

Even when I held the cups to my ears with my hands and applied pressure I still felt a disconnect between lower bass and mids. It may depend on what type of music you listen to also. I'm not saying they are bad, but I think the M4U 1s are better.

 

BTW I do watch your reviews. I've watched a lot of them. Will you review the PSB M4U1? I'm really curious what you would think them.

[dalethorn]

Even when I held the cups to my ears with my hands and applied pressure I still felt a disconnect between lower bass and mids. It may depend on what type of music you listen to also. I'm not saying they are bad, but I think the M4U 1s are better. BTW I do watch your reviews. I've watched a lot of them. Will you review the PSB M4U1? I'm really curious what you would think them.

 

I don't like Paul Barton or his philosophy. I do recognize that all of my headphones have flaws, even the Grado PS1000e (or especially so), and being a reviewer I've learned to like at least a few tracks in nearly every genre, from Mantovani to Infected Mushroom to Amon Amarth. I got along with the MrSpeakers Mad Dog for example, but the original Alpha Dog had treble problems, and the LCD2 Fazor edition was just plain bland. The Shure 1540 had a lot of promise, but just lost it on upper harmonic detail. I'm looking to get (I hope) the AQ Nighthawk soon, and maybe borrow a Master & Dynamic MH40 and the on-ear they make too. M&D told me "we'll think about it, if we think you're a good fit". That's some proud talk for a company that's not that well established in audiophile headphones.

[Leroy Bad]

I don't like Paul Barton or his philosophy. I do recognize that all of my headphones have flaws, even the Grado PS1000e (or especially so), and being a reviewer I've learned to like at least a few tracks in nearly every genre, from Mantovani to Infected Mushroom to Amon Amarth. I got along with the MrSpeakers Mad Dog for example, but the original Alpha Dog had treble problems, and the LCD2 Fazor edition was just plain bland. The Shure 1540 had a lot of promise, but just lost it on upper harmonic detail. I'm looking to get (I hope) the AQ Nighthawk soon, and maybe borrow a Master & Dynamic MH40 and the on-ear they make too. M&D told me "we'll think about it, if we think you're a good fit". That's some proud talk for a company that's not that well established in audiophile headphones.

 

When you say his philosophy, are you talking about "RoomFeel"?

I thought the HP50 succeeds in what he's trying to do. They do sound like music coming from speakers in a room, but unfortunately they aren't very good speakers. I would not like a stereo system that sounded like them.

With the M4U..they are supposed to have the same philosophy implemented, but I didn't detect it, they still sound like headphones, but very good ones.

[dalethorn]

When you say his philosophy, are you talking about "RoomFeel"? I thought the HP50 succeeds in what he's trying to do. They do sound like music coming from speakers in a room, but unfortunately they aren't very good speakers. I would not like a stereo system that sounded like them.

With the M4U..they are supposed to have the same philosophy implemented, but I didn't detect it, they still sound like headphones, but very good ones.

 

Yeah, whatever he makes could be good, inspite of any attemts at "room feel" etc. My concern is any influence he might have on other mfrs. to change their sound to have a feel of some kind that gets too far away from high fidelity, neutral, all those things that we can't even agree on. But even without that agreement, we can see over time that nearly every time someone brings out a new line of headphones that have a "new sound", it ends up on the scrap heap of history as just another coloration. Me, I'd like to have the smoothness of a Sennheiser 600 or 800, with a little less brightness, with the detail of a Beyer T1 (but no peaks), a liquid-like midrange like quite a few headphones have, and a flat bass that increases in strength slightly as it goes from the midbass to the lower bass, without distortion. I think the Stax SR009 gets close to that, but it should be doable in an upper-tier dynamic or planar headphone. The LCD2 I had wasn't very good.