It is really is, functionally, the same thing with maybe different insides, it works well, with mediocre-to-decent sound quality. Be careful of sound leakage that can reach the mic, I even accidentally outed myself on an Among Us game once. I could notice no difference in sound compared to the original cable. 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. Cable: It will come along with around 10 feet cable which is not bad at all (a 1/4inch adapter also). As its cable is 3.5mm to 3.5mm aux cable, there is a lot of quality cable which you can use by your budget. (changing cables no SQ change occurs). I use Anker aux cable and V-moda audio only cable. Gamers might be helped by the Great v-moda boom pro. Compared to sivga sv004, which is another pair of good budget headphones, there are major differences. The sv004 is more v shaped, and is semi open. It has worse soundstage and imaging, but better bass response. To summarise, the sv004 might actually better for listening to music, but the shp9500 is definitely better for listening to your gear, which is what the hobby is about if I'm being honest.

Sound is balanced overall, bass is adequate but at times can be lean. Using a good EQ can fix the issue (there is a great EQ setting in reddit for the SHP9500). The 9600 mostly still provides the same great experience as the 9500, but it feels a bit more like a bass-oriented sound for sure.All tested on a combination of FLAC files and Spotify on Very High with good connection. The sources were a measly pc with B&O innards (I can’t find the specifics, HP Pavilion series) and a Samsung A71, so they are as run-of-the-mill as it gets. Any other resources, I suspect, would get even better results. It feels like Philips tried to make a product that would appeal to both audiophiles and consumers alike, and I think they did a pretty good job though I still prefer the 9500 at the end of the day. The earpads pop right off on both models, it just takes a lot of force, you won't break anything, its just a weird design. The HM5 leather or Shure 1540 Alcantara earpad wrap all the way around the headphone, and it stretches perfect, and I found that rotating the hM5 leathers 20-30 degrees so they are like elf ear shaped when they come down on your head increased soundstage a smidge. Because the takes longer to travel or something, no idea. This is the word what makes it significantly distinguished than other pairs. It offers an amazing separation. you can feel the lead guitars, vocal, bass and drums are sounding separately.

Can't complain about anything. Comfort is great, if you have big ears they may touch the drivers but it's not an issue for me.

There seems to be a protective measure taken in looking at the greyish-blue cap, a stark contrast to the rubbery, flimsier material inherent in the original 9500. The term my brother used was "dull". His superlux 668b had more "sharpness and bass" to him (and I agree). Subject to “grainy” treble mostly, if not exclusively, on the sparkle (or “splash”) range of hi-hats. This is excessively present at times, and while I didn’t find it to ruin anything, at times, it sounds almost compounded. I didn’t manage to notice it in any other treble oriented genre, like classical music though, I think these headphones just don’t like hi-hats. (Additional note: One time have I heard this on the S’s of a rap song as of now, but this does not seem to be a frequent case at all.) Both come in at 32 Ohm, but the 9600 is actually a dB more efficient at 102dB, vs. 101 for the 9500.

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… Regarding the mic, I absolutely love the quality. My issue is that it’s too malleable. If you bump it, it’s going to get all bent out of sorts and you’re going to have to reposition it. The cable itself, the braiding is well done enough that you don’t have to worry about a kinking or anything else. But I do like the rubberized cable on the original headset a lot better. From a price performance perspective, I can’t think of anything else that comes anywhere close to it, especially in the gaming headset market that’s considerably overpriced these days. Responds relatively well to EQ, but may be received as bloat if you don’t necessarily like amount over fidelity. However if you like bass, and are uninitiated to higher-end bass, I think you will still be blown away, as my friend was during our listening. Otherwise, the Fidelio X2/HRs are most definitely a better budget choice for you, for bass-heads should be most careful with these headphones, as you will see in the treble section.This is the sphere where these shines. It has much emphasized and clarity. Neat and Clean those words are just nothing but perfect. in the mid range the sound graphs is kinda neutral you can engage yourself with the vocal's voice beauty and find new color of your favorite singers. 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). The reason why this thing sounds so good is because we don’t have any noise compression characteristics and no noise cancellation built into the microphone capsule and for me that is a positive but let me know what you think in the comments. You’ll get some of those same “out of your head” moments like you previously enjoyed with the 9500, but I do feel like the 9500’s Staging is a bit better overall.

I listen to a lot of chamber music, and it's rare that headphones get the imaging and details right. the debate rages on whether this is my brain becoming acclimated to the sound, or if burn-in is a real thing.Both headphones are incredibly comfy, but I feel more secure with a 9600 on my head if that makes sense.