Mark Levinson No. 5909 - High Resolution Wireless Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation (Red)

Product Information

There is very little I’ve tested that can get close to it; again PSB and Yamaha run it close but they exert more effect on the material being played than the 5909 does. An Awareness mode designed to let noise in for temporary convenience is available in (effective) Voice Pass and (more effective) Ambient options too. The 5909 doesn’t fold in (the cups do fold flat though) but the carry case that is supplied with them is reasonably compact and still has room to hold the charging cable (and, if you want, a 3.

While there is a mild lower treble emphasis, I think it is fair to say that Mark Levinson has played it rather safe in the top end; the treble has good extension with a mlld degree of emphasis but then a decrease in presence between 7 and 9KHz which is commonly where a lot of listeners experience fatigue. The Mark Levinsons enter our test room doors as the most expensive wireless pair we’ve tested and therefore do so with a weight of expectation on their shoulders. The frame is all metal with a spring steel headband and anodized aluminum gimbals and height adjustments; the cups are metal framed as well for durability with the pads and headband made of soft leather with memory foam for improved comfort.Several tracks I played on lossless streaming services like Qobuz had more detail and depth to them. I am sure a Mark Levinson user would not mind schlepping a large headphone on the plane that sounded better. The app also lets you select between three Levinson-approved EQ settings (or ‘bass contours’), and decide how long the headphones will remain powered up when they’re not playing. For audiophiles that want hi-fi sound in a more portable-friendly design than the average circum-aural, closed-back headphone: Yes.

Focal Utopia Headphones Mk2 First launched in 2016, the Focal Utopia headphones rank amongst the best in the world! Three different ANC settings are available – Low, High, and Adaptive – each one designed for different occasions. Instead, they are a thoroughly sorted, endlessly covetable and undeniably high-achieving pair of wireless headphones.His bylines includeGQ, The Guardian, Hi-Fi+, Metro, The Observer, Pocket Lint, Shortlist, Stuff T3, Tom's Guide, Trusted Reviews, and more. Like most models, it works more effectively with lower pitched droning noises and I found that the low or adaptive settings were quite sufficient for most listening environments. The headphones come in three color options: Pearl black, ice pewter, and radiant red, the latter of which was the color of my review sample. Mark Levinson has delivered a product that lets you enjoy an audiophile experience on the go- either with or without a cord.

The only other model that I’ve seen come close to this is the Sony WH-1000XM4 (10 minutes = 5 hours). Well, there’s an indication of remaining battery power, and a nice picture of the headphones themselves… and that’s your lot. There’s also an Auto-Off Timer to place the headphones in sleep mode after being inactive for a certain amount of time, as well as a toggle for on-ear detection. As a result, the Mark Levinson companion app has a Spartan feature set compared to some of its competitors. However, Mark Levinson’s real sales pitch is to offer a hybrid hi-fi model that rivals the market’s top circum-aural, closed-back headphones.

So be as discerning and judicious as you like about the materials you use - your over-ear headphones are going to end up looking just like everybody else’s.

The headband’s leather top side is rugged while the leather underside is incredibly soft and supple. I wish it was on the left side for more convenience since most people are right handed when using a computer mouse. Add in an impeccable standard of build and finish, and it’s hard to suggest these headphones could be any better presented.The movement sensor that detects when the headphones have been taken off is an odd combination of a little over sensitive; it can be confused by sudden movements of the head, and slow to respond but you can switch it off if you don’t like it. The lower button powers up the headphones and the upper button toggles between passive, noise-cancelling, and ambient-aware modes.