Philips has a long legacy in the audio space. We had a tape recorder cum radio set from the brand that we treasured for years, even after it stopped being useful. That’s the allure the brand holds for many of us, Indians. So, when Philips launched the SHP9500 in India, I was eager to test it. The review unit came in a few weeks back, and I have been using it since then as my primary work headphones. It comes with a long detachable wire and a black open-back design that states its studio headphone aesthetic. I had it sitting over my ears, giving me, spoiler-spoiler, a good time, but much to my colleague’s chagrin. But in this course of use, I was trying to find whether the experience justifies the Rs 6,499 price it demands. Come, let me take you through my experience and by the end, you will have the answer.
The SHP9500 does not try very hard with design. It sticks to a functional and familiar formula: Large circular earcups, a metallic headband with a lustrous finish, some of which gets exposed if you extend it, the metallic open-back grille, but black in colour, and a matte plastic frame. The detachable wire is also black, with the headphone input grey in colour.
There is a Philips logo on the hinges connecting both sides of the headband and earcups. Just so you don’t get confused by the side, there are Left and Right markings on the outer surface of the respective earcups and on the inner headband cushion too.
But, I don’t get the point of ’50MM Vented NeoDymium Drivers’ and ‘Open Acoustic Architecture’ text on both earcups. By design, this pair will be mainly used in a room. It is a very personal product and not something to show off. That’s all, I rest my bickering.
The headphones feel light, and the clamp force is not too tight. The foam cushions are moderately soft, but the padding is thin compared to regular over-ear headphones. The mesh is breathable. This matters for airflow, and even though the material is a bit rough, it was comfortable to wear for hours in an air-conditioned office. But you may feel the coarseness in a non-AC, hot and humid room.
Speaking of comfort, Philips has bundled a really long cable, around 3 meters long. Even while using it on my office desk, at times it would unintentionally get tangled on my chair legs or my human legs. A minor quibble. But I get that the length means one can conveniently sit at a distance from the source, without any extender and move around, say in a studio.
The cable material is good, and the detachability allows you to connect third-party wires, too. More convenience, my friend. There is no built-in mic on the bundled cable. But thanks to the detachability, you can plug in an aftermarket option.
The overall build feels solid. The open-back design leaks sound, and that can annoy people around you. So, like any open-back headphone, the SHP9500 is meant for quiet environments. The outside noise seeps in. But you can escape that by playing music at a decent loudness.
While I cribbed about the 50mm driver and open acoustic architecture branding in the above segment, I have praises for them here. The sound output is clear, present, and comes with a respectable amount of bass and treble. There is ample separation of instruments and vocals. You can hear what’s going on in the track. And the Philips headphones sound plenty loud, too. I didn’t have to raise volume beyond 75% or some times 80% volume on my MacBook Air M1.
The presentation is airier than closed-back headphones, but still, there’s some enclosure. It is not as wide or expansive as more expensive headphones. But that doesn’t take away much from the experience.
Vocals and instruments sound clean in my favourite: Hurt by Johnny Cash. I could even hear some scratch-like artefact towards the song’s climax. Similarly, I could hear tiny details clearly in Far From Road by Handsome Family. And the openness of the sound is evident in Heartbreaker by the Rolling Stones.
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The bass extension in songs like Breathe Into Me by Marian Hill or desi hip hop tracks by Seedhe Maut or Krsna slaps, but it is not very deep or overpowering. It feels controlled with some vibration.
The high portion in songs like Dawn of the Iconoclast by Dead Can Dance sounds detailed and listenable.
Besides music, the sound was clear and quick for solo games. For multiplayer gaming, you’ll need a cable with a mic. And in case you intend to use it for casual editing, a colleague of mine used it to edit some videos and said it was fine.
There are not many open-back headphones in the sub-Rs 7,000 price segment. And at its street price, the Philips SHP9500 can be a good entry to this kind of headphone. It is comfortable, easy to use, sounds clear and raw. For the price of Rs 6,499, it is a good purchase.
But if you want a mic input and don’t have any lying around, then you will have to make an additional investment. And if you don’t like the open-back form factor, the associated compromises in sound leakage, or the wired design, then you can look elsewhere.
So, for those looking for wired open-back over-ear headphones from a reputed brand at around Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000, this Philips pair is worth checking out.
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