A Sound Muse
If you are a versatile audiophile, an aspiring DJ or looking to satisfy your wanderlust, good news! Take my word, this read is a goldmine. This summer, let me take you through mountains, islands, obscure trains, budget airlines and – most importantly – my Beyerdynamic headphones.
T51p – WINTER
While on a high-speed train riding through the vast industrial, the eerie landscape between Shanghai and Beijing, Simon and Garfunkel do justice the screams of this quiet. Peace and fear blend into a twisted irony. You don’t know anymore where your shiver stems from - the biting cold or Beyerdynamic’s steely sounds.
Anybody who has been caught in the wander spider’s web needs a Beyerdynamic T51p hanging from their backpacks. A train ride is surely a lot less lonely with this black and silver accessory.
Design
On-ear headphones, steel finish
Ear cups can rotate 180 degrees
Sound specifics
Excellent noise cancelling build
Bass emphasis
Low distortion and wide frequency range
Points to note
Walking around sunny Singapore with the heavily cushioned headphones can be a bit uncomfortable: definitely not for all the athletes out there
DTX 501 p – AUTUMN
Frosty panes, a blend of orange, gold and white: autumn in Braunwald is a recluse’s wet dream. The pseudo intellectual comes out amongst this much beauty: The Shins are one’s perfect companions. Listening to the ‘Simple Song’ on Beyerdynamic’s compact, portable DTX501 p amongst the picturesque alps can make hermits even out of the Kardashians.
Design
Lightweight, foldable design
Could be made a bit tighter, we’re not all Yetis here
Sound specifics
Clear, balanced highs and sufficiently deep bass
Precise time management of complex beats
Points to note
Ideal for rock/metal heads. These babies do thorough justice to Kurt Cobain’s Heart-Shaped Box.
Custom Street – SPRING
For those of us who enjoy sharing backpack space with them buddies, Custom Street is a must have for that long flight back from Ibiza. Both ear cups have jack connectors, which makes the idea of a sharing economy so real. And it is not just the sangria that leaves you hung over: Fetty Wap’s 679 refuses to leave your system just as stubbornly.
Not all adventures are faced by the dauntless. Custom Street’s power and a little bit of party music can actually help fool ourselves into believing the bullock-cart airline’s seats to be just another wild dance floor.
Design
Each ear cup has an audio jack: this feature sold me
Smallish ear cups swivel about 120 degrees, very comfy and definitely do not stand out at the bus stop
Sound specifics
This slightly less expensive model does not cut through sound like its competitors
Top-notch bass, but please do Jimi Hendrix a favour and move on to another model
Points to note
These headphones cater an eclectic range of music and are for ideal for a confused library camper. You don’t look like a hipster, but you can still enjoy your sound.
T5P - SUMMER
What is more universal than a love for beaches, sand and plastic buckets filled with liters of Mojitos? While my Khalasar and myself braved the narrow seas to holiday on Riley beach, I had to have the T5P to go with the purple skies and crystal blue waters. On our way back to the Westorosi Red Keep, The Script smoothly rolled out 'Never Seen Anything Quite Like You'. Yes, Riley, I had never seen (or heard) anything quite so magical that day.
Design
Bulky and very pro-looking: your town’s radio jockey should own this
The Porche of headphones, very sturdy and somewhat portable
Sound specifics
Dynamic, open sound quality
Heavy emphasis even on the mildest beats, strums and breaths
Points to note
One of the few portable headphones offering such high-end features that are usually found inside studios. For the right listener, definitely a worthy investment.
Experiencing music with Beyerdynamic is an investment with returns that run as long as Queen Victoria’s scrolls. Your TA job or internship stipend will find good value in them.
This review was written in collaboration with Beyerdynamic.