Initially I have intended to write a review for HI2050. But after listening it for a period of time, I decided to give up this idea.

Even it really stunned me with its perfomance during the session, but most of time there was even more shortcomings from my source and amplication revealed by HI2050.

I think it would be more equitable to let someone who has advanced equipment to do the review. It occurs to me that one China critic's review using BEYERDYNAMIC A1 as reference. I though he has overdone. But now I can understand a bit why he did that.

So the following is my impression towards HI2050 based on my system.

This headphones will shows its strenth especially at higher volume, say 12 o'clock. The music is proceeding sedately, very much in order. Sound image is well projected and draws closer.
What I am really surprised is when I keep increasing the volume, whole image is still stable, tonnally not much dispersed! But this time my FIIO E9 amplifier start exhausting, peaks is perceptible.

When the image is enlarged, it also induces another problem. To a certain degree, deficiencies of my IPOD Shuffle was shown. Even all tracks rip into APPLE lossless format, still the treble is not refine enough.
Midrange lacks some body and texture. But bass is more acceptable due to the FIIO E5's enhancement.

The transient of this headphones is particularly good. Especially it comes to the music like Jazz. Drums sound convincing with the drum skin's temper well displayed. The spring of bass is really outstanding. More importantly the overall perfomance is full of energy. It makes my favorites like Bryan Simpson or David Benoit sound best ever!

Generally HI2050 is a neutral sounding headphones and does not has its own character. If you really want me to talk a little bit about the character, I would say it is "straightforward" and a bit "raw" in essence. Personally, I found this headphones is slightly overwhelm in treble but definitely not harsh!

I do not think high end audiophile will buy a two hundred ringgit headphones. Most probably people will buy it for their PC or laptop because it is not expensive. But it might be ended up by throwing to garage sale next day! PHILIPS SHP8900 is an good example.

What a shame!

Photos:-
[1] TAKSTAR HI2050
[2] FIIO E5(middle link) serves as "Bass Booster"
[3] Two PS AUDIO Noise Harvester is using

This post has been edited by yapte: Jan 10 2011, 08:04 PM


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Someone should bulk this thing here

by the wat, nice simple review...

I could.. But I am having exams now. will take some time if I were to arrange one. T-T

How much is this TAKSTAR HI2050? If not too expensive can someone pls start the bulk.

It costs slightly more than RM200(including shipping). I bought it from a China wholesaler.

I might be able to make a bulk where it's slightly under RM200 including shipping and handling to M'sia. Hang on tight guys... Kinda bad timing for me.


Will open thread for you all when it's ready.

How it compare to philip shp8900??

It is so interesting, SHP8900 and HI2050 are polar opposites in term of sound character!

SHP8900 is not as jazzy as HI2050. It has kind of noble sheen make Chamber music sound more vivid.

This post has been edited by yapte: Jan 11 2011, 01:13 PM

Thanks for the effort of the review.

If you are using bassboost for E5, means it actually increase the mid low frequency, it still do not sound muffer as per your review. So i suppose it do not concluded as a bassy headphones if the bass boost features turned to be "off".

If that is the case, how do it show the weakness of the sources? the low is not extended after certain amount of volume?

I did not mention it is a bassy headphones in my review. I did say "bass is more acceptable due to E5's enhancement".

Your questions will only draw people's attention to my pairing system, not the headphones itself! Because it is my system sounds a bit bassy but not the headphones.

The focus is on the trancient of HI2050, which is fast and tight in bass perfomance!

This post has been edited by yapte: Jan 12 2011, 01:34 AM

Hi Man,

I'm just curious of it's signatures, i just help ppl to concluded it, coz i have to double think to understand how's the headphone signatures. as such, i put the sentence here. "If you are using bassboost for E5, means it actually increase the mid low frequency, it still do not sound muffer as per your review. So i suppose it do not concluded as a bassy headphones if the bass boost features turned to be "off"." Based on your review i can see it is not a bassy headphone.

But my real question is. how does it shown the weakness?? It can be amp or the headphone itself. But normally the problem existed for both problem. I would like to understand more, is it the amp problem or the headphone problem, that's why i ask "If that is the case, how do it show the weakness of the sources? the low is not extended after certain amount of volume?"

Sorry to make you misleading, my poor language. no offence taken man, if the product are good, i can sell it anytime

hhihihi...

Can u show us the drivers?? from there probably can 'estimate' its bass characteristics

Thank you for your very informative take on the TAKSTAR HI2050.

"SHP8900 is not as jazzy as HI2050. It has kind of noble sheen make Chamber music sound more vivid."
- Does that mean you prefer the SHP8900 when it comes to Classical/Orchestral music?

why would you put e5 in the setup there? it just degrades the overall sound quality of the setup IMO

I assume that is because what he got? Not everyone own high end rigs. Since he got it, he uses it.

It is alright, nothing to be sorry about! Yuheng.

Okay let me explain this way.

First, listen to your MP3 player directly. Then connect to your amplifier. A good(low noise) neutral amplifier should sound same as your source but much bigger and deeper soundstage when set at higher volume.

Now the critical part is, can the headphones shows you that kind of larger sound. Because a "bad" headphones will show colouration(vibaration) or fraction(diaphram) in sound if feed by a more powerful amplifier, especially at high volume.

If the headphones sounds like a "grand version" of your source. It means both of your amplifier and headphones are neutral and faithful to your source(my HI2050 and E9 sound this way).

At this point, You can "see clearer" at the sound now. Because the sound not only larger but closer. Then you will realize the music treated by Shuffle is bit artificial. This kind of artificial sound is only created by player but not from your amplifier or headphones. It will become more noticeable if you play it through a more revealling system.

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Added on January 13, 2011, 2:13 amSorry! Bro, I do not dare to open the headphones! LOL! Probably can show you the photo from the website later.

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Added on January 13, 2011, 2:48 amIt just my personal preference, I like my music sounds a bit more bass.

Degrades the sound? Not really.

The most difficult part is, you have to fix a proper volume for IPOD Shuffle and FIIO E9.

In this case, E5 is not only a "Bass Booster". More properly, it is a "pre-amplifier" because I use E5 to control the volume, not E9. E9 only serves as a "power amplifier".

Strange? Not so strange if you know about the gain and distortion principle of an amplifier.

Increase the volume will get more gain but also generate more distortion at the same time.

So the key is to find the right balance between gain and distortion for the components

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Added on January 13, 2011, 2:55 amYes. The impression is based on my existing FIIO E9 setup.

This post has been edited by yapte: Jan 13 2011, 02:56 AM

it seem all ATs headphone is a coloration headphone..So this is bad headphone hehe..I spend US1.4K Headphone with alot coloration. So this is a bad headphone lae.lol

lol

nothing will explode maaaa....even those bayer's and senn open up their headphone upon arrived at home

if it is not a direct copy then probably it wil have screws that holds the driver in place...

if it is a direct copy, then it is a tool less job to take out the driver...

but just make sure u do it slowly if u decide to dismantle to avoid the thin wires from snapping off the solder joints...

LOL! The coloration I refering here is those caused by vibration. It is not pleasant to listen actually.

It is true that many loudspeaker companies tweak their product by adding some coloration, which they think is positively help the music sound more musical.

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Added on January 13, 2011, 11:29 pmHey bro! I better to let the sifu do lah!

Anyway, you can see its photo on their website, http://www.ksheng.com/goods-181.html

Tell us about it after you see it. Thx!



This post has been edited by yapte: Jan 13 2011, 11:29 PM

hi there, hope you can help me on explaining my questions, still very new in audiophile world, willing to learn more from all shifu.

im confusing here, a good neutral set up able to boost up/increase the staging as you explained, would you mind to explain more on the set up pairing with the headphone you reviewed?
good example as what type of neutral amp you using, as you explained using neutral amp, which are E5 and E7 you using now, do it really consideras neutral? as we know that with the E5 added in, you explained "the bass is sufficient/tolerable" (sorry i kinda forgot this part) with bass boosted, but shouldnt neutral be the balance of all range frequencies? with higher volume in neutral amp able to increase the staging, is it consider neutral? or coloration?

i did try with E5, E7 and E9 before, they are great amplifier indeed, but can them consider as neutral amp?
neutral, uncolor can be good with alot of set up, but you must able to love them, is it uncolor? without effect on amp pairing? or the dynamic is the increasing part that we might missed out?

As explained by you, you did mentioned that the artificial of music is mainly comes from player, not amplifier or headphone with the set up you using now.
lets take an example, what if i use an expensive player that cost sky bomb of price, connect through out a sounded digital headphone, is it consider my player will be my bad source in the chain? what can i do to improve it? better amp? headphone?

just my humble opinion, im still very new on audiophile, hope i dont sounded harsh and sorry for my bad english

This post has been edited by windboy: Jan 14 2011, 12:25 AM