I was recently in need of closed headphones and curious about what the market offers. I thought I might share my findings with someone in a similar situation. The Tascam TH-02 turns out to be an excellent value among the eight headphone models that I have compared. Below is my review of these headphones.
I am a speaker builder with measurement equipment, so I know what is neutral and undistorted sound. Unlike speaker systems, most headphones have no crossover or frequency response correction circuit. So, it is critical to be able to know how much such uneven responses affect perception of their sound with respect to accuracy and neutrality. I have good sense of it since I have been measuring sound. But I do not have proper equipment for headphone measurement, mostly importantly a dummy torso/head, nor am I willing to invest time in making a DIY setup. This is the reason why my search and audition have been limited to headphones for which measurement data exist, with some exceptions (see below). I made use of three different sources for the data: InnerFidelity.com, Headphone.com, and en.GoldenEars.net. While there is consistency within each site's measurements, there is also inconsistency between them, due to different measurement conditions and compensation methods. So, I researched and took those into account.
One may say we can use EQ to remedy irregular frequency responses. But EQ has its own limitations. Some minor EQ'ing can help, but headphones that need too extensive correction should be avoided. The foremost reason is the loss of dynamic range. Theoretically, with EQ you can only limit, not increase, dynamic range in a certain frequency band. On the source side, you lose digital bit depth, and on the headphone side, you suppress the driver's efficient response range.
Below is the list of headphones that I have auditioned (in the order of their street prices):
- Tascam TH-02 ($30; no data available)
- Panasonic RP-HTF600-S ($32; semi-open headphones)
- Brainwavz HM3 / Incipio F38 ($35; no data available)
- Tascam TH-2000 ($50; no data available)
- AKG K518LE ($50)
- Sennheiser HD429 ($65)
- Creative Aurvana Live! ($70)
- KRK KNS6400 ($85)
- Shure SRH440 ($90)
My DIY speaker system (it measures very flat) served as a reference with respect to tonal balance. I also own some open headphones like Sony MDR-MA900 and Sennheiser PX100, which also provided a baseline when I evaluated tonal balance of the headphones under comparison. I used a desktop headphone amp that has flat FR and reasonably low output impedance.
I will give short, summarized impressions for one by one.
Tascam TH-02 (no measurement data available)
This is a really nice surprise. There is a little hump in the bass and midbass regions, and some wide, shallow dip in upper mids and lower treble (i.e., slightly polite presentation). Otherwise, these are relatively accurate headphones at a fraction ($30) of cost of headphones of comparable quality. Construction is good for the price. The pad size is between over-ear and on-ear, but comfortable enough.
Panasonic RP-HTF600-S (semi-open headphones)
Warm tone, deep bass. Treble is there, but upper mids and lower treble are lacking. Comfortable to wear. A good value, but not great for those looking for reasonably accurate sound.
Brainwavz HM3 / Incipio F38 (no data available)
Mid/upper bass ruins the sound which has otherwise good midrange-treble balance. Very uncomfortable to wear due to non-swivel cups.
Tascam TH-2000 (no data available)
Simply inferior to its younger brother TH02. Very dull and muddy presentation. The model uses the same ear cups as TH02 but contains different drive units. The driver may have better components but execution must be bad. Not worth the asking price.
AKG K518LE
You need to remove the thick foam pad at the driver's front (easily removable) to have better bass-to-mids balance. Even the pad removed, the phones still have bass-oriented sound, but not bad. Mids to treble balance is good. Somewhat similar sound signature to Tascam TH-02's. But the TH-02 sounds a little more natural. The headband can be too small for some people. The clamping force is a bit above a comfortable level.
Sennheiser HD429
Anothter pair of headphones with bass emphasis. Not overly bassy, though. But a bigger problem is treble, which is a little too polite to be neutral. I would not consider these headphones a good value.
Creative Aurvana Live!
Smooth and warm tone. Bass is somewhat loose at times. Treble has sparkles and at the same time sounds smooth. But relative to bass and treble, upper mids and lower treble are somewhat recessed, making the headphones' sound colored. Some people may feel them musical and full, but I prefer the Tascam TH02 at a lower price. The appearance is very good, though, with some feel of high quality. Very comfortable to wear with memory foam pads.
KRK KNS6400
It has much more neutral sound than the headphones described above. Mid- and upper bass is somewhat lacking, and treble is a little overly presented. Good monitor-type sound. But there is one problem with these headphones. They are not very efficient, which means their usability is limited---you need a desktop headphone amp or a high-current capable portable amp to make them sound good. A little too bright treble is a weakness, too.
Shure SRH440
Without doubt, these are the best of the bunch. In terms of clarity, they are in a different league---perhaps, the KNS6400 is close but also with weaknesses (see above). Treble is sometimes a little on the bright side, but not as bright as the KNS6400's. Some people may find them bright with bright recordings, but the headphones should not be blamed for that. These produce very neutral and accurate sound. Bass is sufficient and often pleasantly strong in the mid- and upper bass regions, but deeper bass is not covered by these cans. Most music recordings do not contain this deep bass, anyway.
I summarize my findings with the following top two picks:
1. Shure SRH440: These are the headphones you can safely choose under $100 if what you are looking for is accurate, neutral sound.
2. Tascam TH-02: This is a secret gem. At $30, you get really good closed cans. Its overall presentation is not as clear as the SRH440's, but with their price factored in, you cannot complain. They are definitely in the same league as the AKG K518LE (foam pads removed) and the Creative Aurvana Live. It may depend on personal preference, but among the three, my pick is the Tascam. The Creative has a better look and feel, but I'd choose the Tascam for its sound.
Another headphone model I wanted to include in my search was the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro ($90-$100), but after I listened to the Shure SRH440, I decided not to. According to HeadRoom's measurements and many people's common impressions, the HD 280 Pro has a little subdued treble compared to the SRH440 which has great mids to treble balance when compared to my reference speakers. The Sennheiser covers the lowest octave much better than the Shure, but that is not my priority.
I also considered the Koss ProDJ100 because of good reviews, but ruled them out because of their measurements. Their response might be flat in fundamental tones from most instruments but not with harmonics due to a large dip around 5-6kHz. Some people may think they sound good, but there is no way for them to sound accurate and natural by my standard.
UPDATE:
I think the following info may be useful for your purchase decision:
They do sound "like" $100 phones. But IMO they are not truly comparable to those headphones. You will notice slightly less clean bass/lower mids, slightly weak lower treble, and somewhat strong treble (which you already did). Note I used the word "slightly." They are kind of moderately well balanced. I can confidently say that they are comparable to any good, major-brand headphones retailing at $50 - $80 (e.g., AKG K518LE, Creative Aurvana Live, Senheiser HD 429, etc), basically telling that they can compete with things costing double their price.
By the way, if you can play with a good EQ software like Electi-Q or Rockbox built-in EQ, you will be able to obtain better tonal balance by slightly increasing the upper mids / lower treble (from 1.5 to 5 kHz) by about 4.0 dB and lowering the treble from 8 to 10 kHz by about 3 dB.
Here is the EQ setting I use:
Filter 1
Center Freq: 3000 Hz
Gain: 4.0 dB
Bandwidth (BW): 2.5
Filter 2
Center Freq: 9000 Hz
Gain: -2.5 dB
Bandwidth (BW): 1.0
You will hear much better tonal balance. If you feel the treble still a bit too much (it sounds fine to me), you may adjust the gain of Filter 2 (e.g., -3 to -5 dB).
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This Item  Tascam TH-02-B Multi-Use Studio Grade Headphones |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | -32% $20.52 List: $29.99 | $39.00 | -8% $32.99 List: $35.99 | $549.00 | $29.99 | $129.00 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | — |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
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| Comfort | ||||||
| Noise cancellation | ||||||
| Value for money | ||||||
| Sold By | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | OneOdio USA | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | 24 HOURS STOP |
| connectivity tech | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired |
| headphones form factor | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear |
| connector type | Snap-on 1/8? (3.5mm) to 1/4? (6.3mm) Adapter | 3.5mm Jack | plug in | 3 5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack |
| noise control | — | sound isolation | sound isolation | sound isolation | — | sound isolation |
| headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack | — | 3.5 mm Jack, 6.35 mm Jack | — | 3.5 mm Jack | — |
| cable feature | Retractable | Retractable | Retractable, Detachable | Retractable | Retractable | Retractable |
| control type | — | Volume Control | — | — | Media Control | Volume Control |
Reviews with images
Good value on average product.
Purchased for quietly tracking with my small home studio and everyday listening.Very flat response typical of studio headphones although high frequencies are slightly clipping. I listen mostly with Spotify and their embedded EQ does a good job of rounding it off.Has all the functionality of a more expensive set of headphones with movements/ adjustments but with all plastic parts. We'll see how they hold up over time and use.I've listened through nice, more expensive headphones. These aren't those but are a good value at their price.Happy with my purchase.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2013
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Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2016
These headphones have been given lots of praise in reviews for the price-to-performance ratio, and they are certainly amazing for $20. If you have a tendency to break headphones, or you want something cheap that can be easily replaced, these are for you. However, their sound isn't going to blow your mind. They sound very average. When people say headphones like Beats sound like $20 headphones, these are the headphones they are talking about. From my memory, they compete at about the same level - or maybe a little better.
The headphones have a low impedance, which means they can be used with phones or other devices easily. Many people criticize the long 9.8 foot cable, but it's not a huge deal in my opinion. Because it ends in 3.5mm, it's easy to stuff in your pocket, as opposed to some non-detachable cables that end in 6.35mm. The build quality is okay, I don't care for the swiveling ear cups or folding design. The headband is thin, although soft enough. Sometimes one of the drivers won't make any sound, but it comes back if you tap it. I saw another review talk about how one ear stopped working, this is probably why, you just have to treat it like $20 headphones and give it a good thump. The clamp between the two phones is very strong, giving me a headache after 30 minutes. I find I can use these while completely upside down, and they will not fall off. This can be looked at as a good thing, however. It was a joy using these while mowing the lawn, they also kept my ears warm during the cold weather.
The ear-pads aren't great. They're hard, and very shallow, which negatively impacts the sound. If you decide to get this pair, be sure to buy some replacements, such as ones with memory foam. TEAC skimped out on everything with this headphone except for the sound in order to make it the price that it is. Keep in mind it is now a $30 or $45 headphone with that included. The photo I have is of the headphones with some pads from AliExpress.
These headphones will not make your music more enjoyable. They will not make certain genres much more interesting and embark you on a musical journey like open headphones might. Really, they don't even sound that good without an equalizer. If you are looking purely at price-to-performance ratio, I would actually recommend the [[ASIN:B01CU4PU1M KZ ATE S]] or the [[ASIN:B0038W0K2K MEE M6]] for a little over $10. They are both IEMs, in-ear monitors, which do not have all the benefits of headphones, but their sound quality is about the same, maybe a little better. For the intended purpose of a studio monitor with a relatively flat sound signature, these will do the job, but I cannot recommend them. There are many closed headphones that are qualified for professional use, and there is a reason some cost a few hundred dollars. Apparently, the Shure SRH440 and SRH840 both fulfill this niche of inexpensive monitors much better, although I cannot personally compare them. I have seen the SRH440s go as low as $30 on eBay before, making them a better deal by far.
If you are curious how these sound, based on what people have said, it wouldn't hurt to order them. They are also modifiable, some people said they sound better with the back opened, others have inserted certain materials to shape the sound. Equalizers help, but they are not end-all solutions. While the TH-02's compete with some headphones 5 times the price, ones generally considered overpriced, you can find even higher quality headphones for sale that will blow these out of the water. Don't set up an expectation of amazing sound with these or you will be disappointed. If you have a low budget and have only heard earbud quality though, these are a great choice.
The headphones have a low impedance, which means they can be used with phones or other devices easily. Many people criticize the long 9.8 foot cable, but it's not a huge deal in my opinion. Because it ends in 3.5mm, it's easy to stuff in your pocket, as opposed to some non-detachable cables that end in 6.35mm. The build quality is okay, I don't care for the swiveling ear cups or folding design. The headband is thin, although soft enough. Sometimes one of the drivers won't make any sound, but it comes back if you tap it. I saw another review talk about how one ear stopped working, this is probably why, you just have to treat it like $20 headphones and give it a good thump. The clamp between the two phones is very strong, giving me a headache after 30 minutes. I find I can use these while completely upside down, and they will not fall off. This can be looked at as a good thing, however. It was a joy using these while mowing the lawn, they also kept my ears warm during the cold weather.
The ear-pads aren't great. They're hard, and very shallow, which negatively impacts the sound. If you decide to get this pair, be sure to buy some replacements, such as ones with memory foam. TEAC skimped out on everything with this headphone except for the sound in order to make it the price that it is. Keep in mind it is now a $30 or $45 headphone with that included. The photo I have is of the headphones with some pads from AliExpress.
These headphones will not make your music more enjoyable. They will not make certain genres much more interesting and embark you on a musical journey like open headphones might. Really, they don't even sound that good without an equalizer. If you are looking purely at price-to-performance ratio, I would actually recommend the [[ASIN:B01CU4PU1M KZ ATE S]] or the [[ASIN:B0038W0K2K MEE M6]] for a little over $10. They are both IEMs, in-ear monitors, which do not have all the benefits of headphones, but their sound quality is about the same, maybe a little better. For the intended purpose of a studio monitor with a relatively flat sound signature, these will do the job, but I cannot recommend them. There are many closed headphones that are qualified for professional use, and there is a reason some cost a few hundred dollars. Apparently, the Shure SRH440 and SRH840 both fulfill this niche of inexpensive monitors much better, although I cannot personally compare them. I have seen the SRH440s go as low as $30 on eBay before, making them a better deal by far.
If you are curious how these sound, based on what people have said, it wouldn't hurt to order them. They are also modifiable, some people said they sound better with the back opened, others have inserted certain materials to shape the sound. Equalizers help, but they are not end-all solutions. While the TH-02's compete with some headphones 5 times the price, ones generally considered overpriced, you can find even higher quality headphones for sale that will blow these out of the water. Don't set up an expectation of amazing sound with these or you will be disappointed. If you have a low budget and have only heard earbud quality though, these are a great choice.
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Top reviews from other countries
Benjamín L.
Gran producto, cálida precio de 10
Reviewed in Mexico on November 11, 2023
Carlson
Best budget studio monitors - wish id known when I started producing
Reviewed in Canada on April 16, 2021
Carlson
Reviewed in Canada on April 16, 2021
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