Hi-Fi Choice - May

ON TEST
B&O
BeoPlay H6
£279 p27
From the land that
pretty much all but
invented cool design
comes a headphone
so achingly stylish
that it’s a shame to
take it off. The fine
build is exceptional,
have a listen and you
might not want to take
it off either.
Hifiman
HE400S
£220 p29
The only open-back
model with planar
magnetic drivers
and the largest
headphone in the
group, the Hifiman
has a reputation for
top-drawer sound that
precedes it, and the
HE400S consequently
has much to prove.
Meze
99 Classics
£260 p31
With its polished solidwood
ear cups, elegant
design and sparingly
applied bling, this
closed-back design
from Romania looks
like a true high-ender.
Understandably,
expectations are high
for its debut showing in
the UK.
Oppo
PM-3
£349 p33
Beautifully built but
pricey, the PM-3 is the
other planar magnetic
contender in the
group, though, unlike
the Hifiman, a closedback
design. This
compact design has
done well before, but it
could have more of a
fight on its hands here.
Philips
Fidelio X2
£230 p35
Representing a school
of design that thumbs
its nose at frilly
nonsense compared
with rivals, the openback
Fidelio X2 is
built like a battleship,
equipped with big
drivers, comfy earpads
and it promises one
thing: high quality.
Sennheiser
Momentum 2.0
£270 p37
The original
Momentum was
arguably the perfect
blend of style that
doesn’t try too hard
and a signature sound
that doesn’t have to.
The mk2 version adds
foldability, comfort
and the promise of
even better sonics.
MAY 2016 25