Audiophile and headphone enthusiast Pete Togneri was the very first person to take delivery of a pair of Ultrasone’s new Performance 840. Read on for his thoughts on the latest in a long line of innovative products from our favourite German headphone company.
I spent a long time researching many brands of headphones before purchasing my first pair of Ultrasones. Since then I have strived to find the next best thing which suits the sound signature I prefer, depth of clarity with an enhanced bass.
When I was told that there was a new Performance Series announced from Ultrasone, naturally I was very keen to have a listen.
I chose the Performance 840s as I was advised this would be a good step forward from my previous Ultrasone HFI 580s which I love so much.
Initially I observed the clever design which fits close to the profile of the head. The pivots have been designed to try and match the aesthetics of the headband without adding to the protrusion which the large cups give. All in all, it is a well thought-out design and makes a lot of sense. Comfort levels are high, the cups are roomy enough for my average sized ears and the soft pleather is very well cushioned.
Ultrasone Performance 840 headphones
Although snug, the headband remains light and very comfortable without too much squeeze. The headband feels well made and looks nice with the brushed metal Ultrasone badge piercing through the top The cups however swing loosely on their pivot without real purpose and make a rattling sound when not placed on the ear.
This can be forgiven when we start to listen to what Ultrasone have created here. With one of the most impressive out of the box sound experiences I have had, I was of course very keen to start wearing the headphones in. After about 25 hours of ‘burn time’ the bass became tighter and the overall sound remained well balanced. Side by side with my Ultrasone HFI580s, there is clearly a greater level of bass in the the new 840s. This was surprising given the decrease from a 50mm driver to a 40mm driver.
I can only guess this is a combination of the increased cup size, materials and new technology being lavishly adorned across the new Performance series. Currently there is less treble than the 580s, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing as sometimes the treble of the 580s can be a little piercing.
Mids are good but I sense there is more to come here, further clarity to be gained. Separation from the bass and treble remains good and I think the treble will become more pronounced given another 30 hours plus of use. The soundstage is as we have come to expect from Ultrasone, very good for a closed set of headphones especially in this price range. Spatial placing is very good and there is a lot of depth from top to bottom as well as left to right. I believe there is still a long way to go until they are at their peak and I am very much looking forward to listening to them at their prime. My faith in Ultrasone as a company who are passionate about their products remains strong and no doubt I will continue to be a supporter of their products for many enjoyable years to come.
Find out more about the new Ultrasone Performance series here.