It’s truly astounding that a gigantic conglomerate again came out of nowhere and slapped us in the face with this product. Sound leakage and noise isolation is less than ideal, but that is to be expected. Like other full size open headphones, this is firmly for home use in noiseless surroundings. I would have had this review out sooner had it not been for bike week, where I live, so that should give you an idea how poorly these isolate from outside noise. I honestly think it’s a bit of both, and I’ve talked quite a bit about this with folks over the last few months…

I'm just gonna start by saying these are the most comfortable pair of headphones I have ever worn out-of-the-box. They float on your head and the padding is soft like a pillow. I have worn listened to many headphones. From the extremely overpriced Audeze LCD-2s and Grado PS1000s to cheap JVCs. None match the comfort of these headphones. None. The notes may not have had as much impact on a 9500, but darn if they weren’t incredibly articulate and crystal clear! As for the treble,

Why should you go for the Philips SHP9500S?

Another point of contention.. For me It comes down to how long can I use it before it becomes necessary to take a break. With these, it has proven to to be more than 2-3 hours so far. The hot spot for me is my ear lobe that touches the inner filter because of the pad's shallowness. They also can become a bit hot, but really not that bad. Honestly, I tend to find in ear more tolerable to wear for a longer period. Then again, in ears touch very little of you relative to those big cans, so they have a better statistical chance of being forgotten about by the wearer… You will notice the grille on the 9600 is a tad smaller, perhaps reducing a bit of air that was present in the 9500, making it a bit less of a “fully open” headphone. More on that in a bit. These remind me a lot of the old PX100s if those were more comfortable and neutral, and less forward/fatiguing. It sounds fuller and more impactful, while still mostly retaining all of that incredible micro-detail that the original 9500 provided in spades. The SHP9500’s highs are the Hollywood star in regards to its sound signature but can sometimes get in the way, resulting in a minor spike that is most obvious when listening to poorly recorded songs. I have grown to like bright treble over the years but I am still quite critical of sibilance and brittle highs. It is safe to say that it is not the case here. Though it can sound artificial, at times, the treble is still quite pleasing, articulate, and extends relatively well. The detail and clarity when listening to jazz and classical music is lovely considering its price (again).

Compared to Koss ksc75 the SHP9500 are: slightly less open, cleaner, more treble/mid orientation, similar soundstage. Secondly, the ear cups are huge (bigger than hd 600 i should say) it tilts just a bit so that you can have a better fit. But it doesn't fold.

About the Philips SHP9500: An Overview

The imaging is excellent. As well as depth of soundstage. Almost to the point of seeming artificially wide on some recordings. However, on well mastered/recorded material, they are dead ringers for immersion. Convincing keeps coming to mind. The only other headphones i've tried that pull "convincing" off in the same way are some old Stax that you have to power with a loudspeaker amplifier, sound uneven and veiled, and are so uncomfortable I can only keep them on my head for 20 minutes or so. There isn’t as much air around the instruments, which is something you will clearly hear and feel in relation to the breezier, cooler 9500. The same rugged plastic has returned, and the headphone cups swivel in the same way as the original 9500, ensuring that you’re able to get a good fit on your noggin.

Soundstage is good as well as imaging, but nothing amazing. They are very good for games, help in the immersion or even in competitive to hear enemies. The 9600 also comes with a more rugged-looking and feeling snap-on 1/4″ adapter, with a subtle but still noticeable “grip” towards the bottom.

Final thoughts from Stu’s notepad

This hallmark tradition in the line hasn’t changed, much to my delight and likely yours as well. Genre-wise, the obvious is apparent: