MartinLogan Mikros 90 Refrence On-Ear Headphones, Black

Pros: Flat response beyond human hearing range. Exceptionally high quality construction. Reasonable job of blocking ambient sounds. Deep bass extension on my ears. Soundstage is wide and deep. Midrange, especially male vocals, is excellent.

Cons: May clamp some people's heads too tight.

Overall Review: These compare very well with my AKG K701s. That is my reference for perfection. I can understand why some people rip them so hard because they are on-ear, not over-the-ear or in-ear which are much easier to fit. The technique for fitting them properly is to start low and back and adjust up first, so that the bottom of the earpad is just barely above the earlobe - then forward until the bass extension is at its peak. At this point, treble and midrange will be natural - not sibilant, and not in-your-face. Strictly opinion here, but many people seem to believe the opposite - that the more in-your-face the music is, the better the sound, or that the more the treble is turned up, the better the sound. But in reality, even the tiniest bit of sibilance IS AUDIBLE DISTORTION. Any headset that produces audible distortion is off my list automatically, and that means the list is pretty short. Nothing from blose or drdre make the list, but these do, along with the aforementioned K701s and Sony MDR-7506s.

Pros: Great mids, decent lows. Attractive.

Cons: highs are a little lacking.

Overall Review: These speakers belong in a category somewhere between "better than bose/beats" and "audiophile". They aren't quite in the category of even budget audiophile headphones, yet I'd pick these any day over the overpriced Beats or Bose. After breaking these Martin Logan's in with 35 hrs of alternating High Quality Pink/Brown/and White noise (with scheduled breaks) I tested these headphones with a series of tones to measure their sonic capabilities. They surprisingly reached all the way down to 20HZ, but disappointingly (on the high end) could not produce a sound over 16MHZ. I then tested the Dynamic Range, in which I could still hear sound down to about 46 decibels below full scale. The result is a slightly better noise isolation than I expected for on-ear headphones. I was eagerly ready to compare my results to the well reviewed V-moda CrossFade headphones (for which I paid double the Martin Logans). It wasn't really a fair fight, the v-modas being the all around better headphone-- but I do have to say that I like the way the Martin Logan's are tuned a bit better than the crossfades, as the crossfades tend to be somewhat boomy for my musical preferences. Overall, for under 100 dollars, the Mikros 90's are a good buy. Don't be fooled by the coattail riding of their "monitor" series electrostatic speakers-- these aren't audiophile headphones, but for the price I paid (black friday sale) I really like them.

Pros: Build quality, SQ, particularly in sound separation, Mid-range and highs. Lightweight with good noise isolation.

Cons: Aesthetics isn't that great. Sure it isn't a bad looking pair, but if anyone unfamiliar with the brand were to see them, they won't make any particular impression. Fit can be a bit finicky, and can take some time to settle onto your ears. Does clamp on tight.

Overall Review: I just un-boxed them and am listening to them as I write this first impression. This isn't an in-depth review since they've been pumping sound for the last 15 minutes or so. From what I've heard however, they are incredible headphones for the price with lots of potential after burn-in. I own similar headphones such as the venerable Audio-Technica ATHESW9A as well as lesser models like the Sennheiser HD239 and Bose AE2. The Bose and the Sennheisers are outclassed by these headphones, which is understandable for the MSRP. However, these can be had here on Newegg for a steep discount on the right moments. When I saw them here on sale, I grabbed the chance since they had garnered good reviews on Headfi. Yes, there are some bad ones as well, but the critical deciding factor for my decision was price and the fact that the good reviews were overwhelmingly good from some reputable members. That was enough for me so I don't regret the decision. These headphones out of the box scream potential. The sound is nice and balanced, with a clean mid-range that is forward and intimate. The instrument separation is good, and the sound is full, and not overly warm like the Audio-Technica. The lows are a touch light, but are actually nicely balanced and neutral similar to the AKG Q701. I love bass, but I can easily appreciate the sound from these headphones. Compared, the Sennheisers despite being excellent and well balanced, feel lacking in detail and sparkle. The Bose. Well, they're pretty much toys in comparison. These may be the most affordable pairs of headphones you can buy for critical listening if you buy them at the right time. If you see them on sale, GET THEM. For their low price, you will not find a better pair. Just listening to these pre-burned, I am excited to see what they will sound like after a proper burn-in.

Pros: It's really clear. I can hear things I never heard before in my music.

Cons: I use it both to listen to music, video chat, and game. It's microphone is really bad (or perhaps my 3.5mm microphone port is busted?). The microphone has a lot of extra shhhhh noise and is really soft. It's clamping force on my head is way to strong. I have a slim head and it is giving me a skull fracture.

Pros: Fresh out of box, as stated by previous reviewer, "sounded like someone speaking through a cone." Night and day diff in sound after burning for approx. 30 hrs, it's now clear and balance.

Cons: a bit snug, hope it will loosen up with time.

Pros: These headphones are very stylish, very easy to wear, you could forget you have them over the ears. The sound is excellent, maybe a little more bass wouldn't hurt. I read about some complains that the clampimg force of the headphones is uncomfortable on the ears for long listening. I disagree, my head is fairly wide and I didn't have any problem in six hours of listening.They feel light and you can easily keep them on for hours. The noise isolation is very good.

Cons: The bass could have been stronger, maybe because these are only on the ear, not over the ear, it doesn't include the bone behind the ear (petrous bone) that also amplifies the sound. The 3.5 mm connection cable is somewhat too thin, even though it doesn't kink and is detachable.

Overall Review: Overall, it's an excellent buy, $95 instead of the original price of 3$00. Everything from the presentation ( impressive box, hard carrying case ) to the sound indicate attention to detail and style. If you do listen to music and /or movies during the night when everybody is asleep, these are the headphone for you. Martin Logan did a good job. Grab one as they are still there!!

Pros: Highs are outstanding...They are really sweet and extended. Midrange and Lows are good. Decent soundstage. For $57 these are the best headphones out there. I have used with Audioquest Dragonfly and CA DacMagic and LittleDot III headphone amp.

Cons: Comfort sucks big time. I couldn't wear more than 1 hour. They clamp my head and it really hurts.

Pros: Very clean sound, no modification from source that I could detect.

Cons: Can feel tight on the ears, designed for a smaller head.

Overall Review: A really great deal if they fit you.