PSB M4U 2

PSB has serious quality issues with the noise-canceling feature of their M4U2 headphones. This issue is well documented on the internet. Over a short period of time, while in noise-canceling mode, the headphones develop loud popping, cracking, & screeching noises. I've had this happen with (3) pair of headphones over the course of 2 years (2016-2018). YES...three pair! The parent company Lenbrook America has replaced my original purchase twice with refurbished headphones. They all developed the same problem within months. Initially I was VERY impressed with the sound quality of PSB M4U2 after auditioning five brands of noice-canceling headphones. Regrettably though, I'm done with PSB.

Pros: Fantastic sound quality.

Cons: Serious quality issue with noise canceling feature.

Excellent noise cancellation and the sound is out of this world.

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A recent trip that was a total of 13hrs each way (airport, connecting flights) had me dissatisfied with the performance of my old Polk Ultrafocus 8000 active noise canceling headphones. When I returned home, I began searching for noise canceling headphones priced from $400 - $1,000 when I came across the PSB M4U 2. PSB is well respected in the high end audio world and is known to make speakers that far exceed in performance for a given price. With Crutchfield, I felt confident to buy untested...I was not disappointed. At first, build quality was a concern until you considered the price which is below $300. Then the most critical test, listening to HiRes downloaded files in my collection that go up to 32bit/384k FLAC connected to Mytek Brooklyn DAC/HP Amp. The sound performance easily surpassed any active noise canceling HPs I have ever heard. One exceptional area is depth of staging. The depth presented outside of your head can take your breath away. At this price point, it is unbelievable. I would love to see what PSB could offer in a HP that cost $2,000 after experiencing such great performance at such a low price. For traveling, I used these with Onkyo DP-X1 HiRes player and had exceptional performance at all three settings the PSB offers. Enjoy the music!

Pros: Performance far exceeds price. Exceptional staging depth from a closed HP. Works perfectly without batteries. Multiple settings and two cords, one with iPhone mic/controller that allows you to hear conversations/announcements without taking HPs off. True tight fit with oblong cups and provide hours of comfort.

Cons: None, if PSB ever produces a $2,000+ HP, I would purchase.

I will refer first to another excellent set of headphones which have served me well. The Grado SR80e allows me to fully enjoy my music without blocking out my surroundings. Great headphone set, but allows for external sounds to be heard when needed. Now for the PSB M4U 2 headphones. Excellent sound quality with comfortable fit and weight! The review in Sound & Vision magazine was right on the mark when they said it is like listening to a great pair of speakers in a great room! That is not intended to be a direct quote of the review, but it fits the description perfectly. I fully enjoy the PSB headphones when I want to block out the world for a while and have high quality sound for my personal enjoyment. I would highly recommend them to anybody that is willing to spend the price tag. I know it is comparable to buying a set of good bookshelf speakers, but it fits on your head so well, how can you turn that down? So far, I have only used the headphones in the "passive" unpowered mode, but have enjoyed them fully. You can too!

Pros: Great sound quality, good fit, and nice weight. Blocks out outside noise very well with just the fit of the ear cups alone. That is without using the noise canceling feature offered.

Cons: The connecting cord feels light weight and fragile to me. The good thing is that since it is detachable, it can be replaced if needed. Of course, since I also own the Grado SR 80e headphones, I am comparing the two cords to each other. They are worlds apart as the Grado set has a very heavy cable which compared to the PSB which has a much smaller, light weight cord. I still give a 5 star rating because the PSB cord can be replaced if needed.

I got these based on the price cut from 400 to 300. Thinking they must be worth it. Sound quality is good and built quality feels nice and tight.

Pros: Built quality, has weight to them.good looking.

Cons: The higher the volume goes , sound distortion is noticeable

Have had the headphones replaced twice for a cracking headband. Now has broken a third time. Crutchfield had been great to deal with. PSB not so much. Great sound but not worth the poor quality or hassle.

Pros: Operated without battery. Amplifier does well with the sound.

Cons: Noise cancelling is mediocre. Build quality/design and PSB customer service. Will never purchase a product from PSB again.

The best of the best for this price range, read the reviews every where then try them out for yourself you won't be disappointed providing you've done your home work. Buy the best and never look back wondering if you made the proper choice.

Pros: Best in class, built to last, sound sound sound, after all this is why your making this purchase.

Cons: Could not find anything to disliked or thought wasn't built correctly.

I call Crutchfield and told my product advisor what I was looking for and he recommended the PSB M4U.Never heard of them before so he said try them and if you aren't satisfied return them. I haven't returned them. Great recommendation

Pros: Better sound then other head phones much more expensive add an amp and they are out of this world

Cons: Not as much bass as beats however sound quality is much superior

Really good headphones. I always like to be a little different, so seeing these and the positive reviews I thought I'd try them out. Without the NR, or built in amp switched on the noise isolation is great and sound is just super clean. Switching on the amp; signal just gets a great boost in clarity and punch. There does appear to be a little white noise that is distracting at low volumes. However, this is dependent upon the source; phone is better than my PC output in this regards.

Pros: Sound quality and build.

Cons: A little tight as others have mentioned, but does soften up. Also, the adjustable nature of the phones allows for the pressure to be moved around relative to the ear. Placing more pressure on top of ear makes them more comfortable for long usage.

I never used to take a second glance at "High End Headphones" because I had no idea what high end sound was. I thought my gaming headphones sounded nice and that was enough for me at the time. About a year ago I decided to dip my feet into the higher quality sounding headphones. After having a job for a while I decided to buy the M4U2 headphones to see if these "High End Headphones" could impress me. "Impressed me" is one of the biggest understatements ever. I put these on and fired up some songs I listened to often. I closed my eyes and all the sudden, for the first time in my life, I was not listening to the headphones, I was listening to the instruments! I could hear the minute details in every guitar pluck, the air from the woodwind instruments, the punch of the drums, and the cymbals crashing. Anyone coming from lower end headphones or Beats by Dre will find themselves hearing details that they never knew existed. Something you should note is that these headphones are so good that they will make low quality sources sound terrible. Make sure to use good quality audio files.

Pros: Fantastic audio quality, Good for Movies and Games, Easily folded up for portability, Has integrated amp.

Cons: Slightly Heavy, Noise cancelling mode is decent but not great.

I'm no audiophile by any means but these headphones sound amazing. I bought these to replace an aging set of Beats Studios and the difference was quite significant. There's a clarity in the M4U2s that's just missing with the Beats. As I've read from other reviews, the noise cancelling on these is not up to par with the likes of the Bose QC25, but it's quite good regardless. The built-in amp does a great job and I slightly prefer this over its active noise cancelling. The active noise-cancelling does color the sound a tad, but it's not a deal breaker

Pros: Amazing sound and clarity, impressive build quality, batteries included

Cons: Active noise cancelling colors the sound a little bit

Ok, still prefer my bose qc 25's with dac amp..

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I spent several weeks researching, listening too and lamenting which headphones to purchase. Tried in the ear, on the ear and over the ear. With DAC and without. By far these offered the most of everything I was looking for for the money invested. Great sound, not to much bass and the clarity that appealed to my ear.

Pros: Comfort, sound, and build quality

Cons: Lacking a little in the styling but the pros caused that to be of minor concern for me.

I am not an audiofile by any means but do appreciate great sound reproduction. I commute to NYC via coach bus and was looking for a good noise cancelling headphone with great sound, not an easy task from what I read. After much research I decided to purchase the PSB M4U 2 headphones due to their superior sound, although less than superior noise reduction. The first pair I was sent had a defective left speaker as the sound kept cutting in and out. The second pair I was sent had an annoying "crackling" from the left speaker which would intermittently appear and disappear. The third pair I was sent had a battery cover that kept falling off. On each of the headphones, sound was unbelievable in a quiet room and I heard things in songs I never knew existed. I was thrilled. On the bus however, the noise cancelling was less than adequate and the sound quality deteriorated to an almost "tinny" sound. I called Crutchfield again and they suggested the Bose QuietComfort 20i Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones. Just received them and the noise cancelling is unbelievable and the sound is very, very good! Even though the PSB M4U 2 headphones likely have superior sound in a quiet environment, it does me no good on a bus while commuting. I am going to stick with the Bose. Thank you Crutchfield team for all your help and unbelievable customer service!

Pros: Great sound quality in a quiet environment!

Cons: Noise cancelling is less than adequate and when noise cancelling is activated the sound quality deteriorates sharply. Not worth it for the money!

Love the headphones. Wonderful sound quality, joy to listen to. Pretty comfortable, though I agree with other reviews I've seen saying they are less than comfortable with eye glasses on. There is a slight downgrade for me when you flip the ANC on, seems to constrict the sound a bit and takes away some of the atmosphere and the umph on the bass and lower mids. But still sounds good. Other downside is a feedback noise that sometimes occurs during silence when the electronics are activated. Neither of those points ruins the experience for me.

Pros: Great sound Comfortable padding

Cons: Feedback They are a little cumbersome.

I love these headphones the sound quality is outstanding and they can handle as much power for home listening with hi power amp and for small listening devices it has a built in amp and with that it sounds amazing great headphones!

Pros: Very versatile and has three modes great build very comfortable and they are good looking also they require batteries and if they get low they still play in the 1st mode

Cons: They require batteries. Noise reduction is not the best

I like em'....after letting them break in you can see what the fuss is about. The noise canceling could be better but its not bad. Overall good sound quality and decent comfort. For the price its a keeper.

Pros: good sound for the price

Cons: good product. a bit over rated in reviews.

After living with the comparatively flimsy Bose noise canceling headphones over the years and the "feature" that they die when the batteries die, the PSBs are literally a breath of fresh air. I've owned one pair for three years and have purchased a second for my wife.

Pros: Superior sound, comfort, convenience, durability and noise canceling.

Cons: None I can think of.

got this on for two hours and omg! these thing hurts ,thye hurt my ears like crazy and till after the next day ,stay away! get sony MDR 1RNC instead ,same sounds quility ,better NC and build quality ,and very stylish and super super comfortable

Pros: sounds quality

Cons: very uncomfortable

I love the way these headphones sound, but unfortunately I bought it for use at my noisy gym because of the ANC, and they are just way too big and heavy for that. Best for the long plane trip. The active noise cancellation is decent but as not as good as the Bose QC 15's but the better audio more than compensates for that.

Pros: Well balanced and excellent audio quality at least to my ears

Cons: Too big and heavy

The baddest headphones on the planet! I owned 2 pairs of Bose QC-15's and thought that there were no other headphones that could be better. Although I love Bose's sound quality and noise reduction capabilities, the ear cushions became worn and ripped after about 1 year of normal. Needless to say, I expected more from such a well known company. I talked with a Crutchfield Adviser and asked for recommendations which were the PSB's. I am too impressed with these headphones!! Superb fit and comfort, noise reduction, and most of all, the dynamite sound. Love the 3 operation settings and I use the amplified setting for the best music reproduction. These bad boys simply blows Bose away in every phase, hands down. A little more expensive but well worth the money.

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In my search for headphones everywhere I looked seemed to lead me back to these. I thought why not? Can't lose with a 60 day return policy. As soon I put them on they quickly grew on me. The sound quality is amazing. The think that stood out the most is sound separation. You can actually hear every distinct sound, as if there was a separate speaker for each instrument. Plus the built in amplifier really kicks things up a notch, turn it on and everything comes alive. Music off of my phone is almost CD quality. Comfort is also a plus, some people say that they are a bit snug but I find them to fit perfectly. I use them to work out and they manage to stay in place. I don't use the noise cancelling much but when I have them on, I can't hear anything but the music. If you are even considering these, don't hesitate you have nothing to lose.

Pros: sound quality, comfort, leagues above bose.

Cons: Bass can be a bit punchy at times, but I think that has to do more with the recording.

These headphones sound incredibly good. As close to perfection as I've ever heard. The noise cancellation works very well. But the things just squeeze me head a little too much. My ears aren't particularly large, nor do they protrude too far from my head, but the ear pads pressed against the lower back cartilage in my ears such that I couldn't make it through a 2 hour flight (and my ears ached for about an hour afterward). In addition, the cable connecting from the headphones to my phone or laptop was kind of fidgety: the wrong angle would make the left ear go dead. For the price, I'd expect a functioning wire. Returning them and getting the Bose QC15's, in the hopes that my ears won't ache after using them.

Pros: Increidible sound, solid noise cancelling.

Cons: Uncomfortable, comically large case, flaky connector.

Overall a well made product. Have worn this both in a quiet environment and on a plane. Plane mode blocks approx. 90% of the background noise. At home audio plays very well, such that you can really hear the fine tuned notes of an acoustic guitar. I do wish however when it comes to low frequency bass notes, that you can accurately hear the thump of the bass, which I feel this is lacking. I know this is not a Dr. Dre set, however I think this area can be improved upon. Personal preference.

Pros: Great overall set of Audiophile headphones

Cons: Lacks Bass where I want it. Extended wear can cause some ear discomfort if not properly placed around your ear lobes. The pressure can be a bit irritating, if not worn right. Make sure you adjust accordingly.

One of the best Christmas gifts I ever received. Haven't taken them off since I opened them. Sound is crisp in all ranges. Would recommend to others.

Pros: Excellent sound and noise reduction.

Cons: A little on the heavy side

These sound phenomenal. Break them in for a little bit and you'll be blown away. Build quality is good however they are on the heavier side. Padding is great, but for prolonged use I definitely felt some neck fatigue. They're also rather large & bulky, and you won't make any fashion statements with them. Noise isolation is EXCELLENT! Put them on and you can barely hear anything on the outside. Sound doesn't leak out either from the ear cups, even with music at full blast. Noise cancelation however is rather mediocre. It does reduce slightly the sound of an a/c going but nothing like Bose n/c headphones. If noise canceling is your top priority, don't get these and just get the Bose. But if you want uncompromised audiophile like quality sound with some noise canceling capabilities, and you don't mind the weight or size, then the PSB M4U 2's are for you.

Pros: Sound AMAZING!!! Well built.

Cons: Heavier than average. Fairly big & bulky.

This is the first headphone set I've had in many years. It was purchased mainly for home use for both music and general listening via computer. Both the build quality and sound quality are very good. I appreciate excellent sound quality but I don't get hung up about it either. Anyway, there are no complaints about how music sounds with these headphones. They haven't been worn continuously for more than an hour. For that duration they are comfortable but seem a little heavy, although I have no reference for comparison. Since they are the noise-cancelling version they require that 2 AAA batteries get installed in the set so that adds to the weight. Calling this set noise-cancelling implies the headphones will virtually eliminate noise from one's surroundings. They will reduce noise but not eliminate it. How they function for air travel remains to be seen. The set is a little bulky which is fine for home use but could be annoying for travel. Out of the box, one of the cables was defective. There was no hesitation from Crutchfield about a replacement.

Pros: Sound quality, build quality

Cons: Weight and bulk could make portability an issue when traveling.

Amazing service, and amazing product. Worth every penny.

Pros: Great sound Nobody has them Looks like beats, but better sound Built in amp provides boomy bass Battery life lasts ages

Cons: This will be the cause of me going deaf

I can only say one thing, you won't find these in your neighborhood electronics store. These are one of the best in this price range.

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Cons: Been using them for about 8hrs straight for about 2 weeks, as of now none.

The best sound and noise canceling headphones I ever found. The negative is too bulky, for traveling it may not be the best option.

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ps2b4 headphones are the best sounding headphones I have put on in years

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I got these headphones after a long time research...had sennheiser MM550 for a couple of years, got Harmon Kardon noise cancelling for few weeks and finally got psb m4u 2. MM550 sound quality was ok with low high volume level, HK NC were very heavy and hard to wear during long trips but these PSBs...just WOW! The sound quality is the best I've heard in headphones, the highs/lows, very balanced treble/base and sound clarity is amazing. I'm hearing sounds in the songs/music that I never heard before. I just returned today from ~11-13hrs each way Asia biz trip and thoroughly tested its NC feature on plane/road etc. It's not perfect but it does its job...it's definitely better than sennheiser. The cups hurt my ears after 3-4 hrs but I guess it due to my ear shape. I love the way it folds too. Overall, best $400 I've ever spent :) !

Pros: Sound quality second to none! Looks cool Folds

Cons: Little big Could hurt your ear (depending your ear shape)

Excellent headphone with typicalk PSB quality of build and sound. This is a very natural sounding headphone, so if you are looking for accented bass, this product is not for you. Very similar in sound and performance to Sennheiser PXC 45o which is also excellent.

Pros: Natural sound and high build quality. Comfortable for large headphone.

Cons: No user manual included, but one can be down loaded from their internet site.

These headphones sound really great and the noise cancellation works well. I've listened to them pretty loud and they show no signs of strain or distortion like some cheaper headphones I have owned. I haven't listened to them yet for more than an hour, but I've found them to be extremely comfortable and with a lot of built-in adjustability. I also really like the active mode which sounds better to me than passive mode, although that may be due somewhat to the volume boost that is applied. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase.

Pros: Excellent sound quality, very comfortable (for me), good noise cancellation

Cons: If you are looking for booming bass, these probably aren't for you. Also, there is no automatic shutoff for active and noise cancellation modes, so you can burn through batteries quickly if you aren't careful.

By far the absolute best sounding set o phones I have ever heard. Feature set really a deal setter. Love the sound quality of these phones. I have owned Bose QC 15 no match in my opinion. If they had a volume control to go along they would be a 6 star for me as I have all apple products, IPhone 5, IPad 3/mini etc. Once again love these Headphones they are a pleasure to listen too.

Pros: Xcellent sound quality/build/comfort/

Cons: None except wish they had a volume control / track change/ would never have to remove the music source from the bag/pocket.

This is a great pair of headphones and the sound quality is excellent, especially in the active mode. I have a pair of Bose QC 3's that I will continue to use for travel since they are more compact but for around the house these are superior!

Pros: Sound quality, control cords, left & right hookups, construction

Cons: Comfort, after long periods of listening my ears are uncomfortable.

Awesome product! Very satisfied with my purchase.

Pros: Don't have to have noise canceling on to use headphones.

Cons: None

The sound quality is excellent. They are a bit bulky but that was expected.

Pros: Great Sound, very comfortable

Cons: A little bulky

For starts, great service by Crutchfield. Have had more than one deal and have always been treated well. Service has been very fast, issues and questions addressed immediately. I highlly recommend this dealer. I've had several of the name brand headphones in this price range. Sound quality on the others has always been good but eventually i became dissatisfied with the fit, the lack of durability, or with one end or the other of the sound spectrum. As a result, my daughters have come in too some very nice headphones very early in their lives... in any case, they will not get my PSB M4U 2s. I'm not much on coolness but they communicate quality. Solid, comfortable, tight fit and more importantly, a sound quality that i like very, very much. Well worth the money and, given the price point, a two year warranty is welcomed and communicates the manufacture's commitment to the product. the N/C is not as solid as the Bose but it's workable. A bit of a trade off but again, i am pleased enough with the sound quality that the n/c capability is a small trade off. I am happy with the product and service and certainly believe they are worth the price.

Pros: sound quality, construction, packaging, warranty, fit, n/c ok, plug on either side, durable case, very comfortable ear covers, extra ear covers, extra connection line/wire

Cons: n/c... acceptable but not Bose level if n/c is your 1st criteria.

Just got these...not even burned in at all, they absolutely destroy my denon nc800s (which I really liked) and AT 7b (which I never really liked). With no power or just the amp, you can't tell these are noise cancellers. Have read complaints about a lack of low end, but I think it is fine. Very clear, mids not crushed by the low end nor are they excessively bright.

Pros: Sound, comfortable ear pads

Cons: Well they are pretty big.

Heavy and tight on the head. Not as comfortable as other headphones I've used. Great sound quality, and built-in headphone amp is nice, but I'm still not sure they are worth the extra weight and money compared to the $40 Scosch in-ear buds that I love.

Pros: Great sound, built-in headphone amp, noise cancelling.

Cons: Heavy and tight on the head.

These are sleeper headphones, in that they don't seem to get a lot of press and have fairly limited distribution, yet have outstanding performance in many ways. If you can live with the ergonomics, they provide outstanding sound quality, decent comfort, and a lot of versatility. They work well as noise-cancelling, travel headphones. Not as good as the QC15's because the Bose headphones are smaller, lighter, pack more compactly and have superior/more-aggressive noise-cancellation, but the M4U's have better SQ overall, and far, far superior SQ in Passive but especially Active mode. That's the great thing about these headphones: In Active mode, they sound awesome, and if you are looking for a headphone that works well with a low-power device like an iPhone or other iDevice, and don't want the hassle of a separate headphone amp, these are incredible. It's as if you are going from 2D (Passive) to 3D (Active). So these have great versatility, and if I had to live with only pair of headphones, it would probably be these. The downside is that they are bulky (even when packed) and heavy, and the "Beats" styling is only so-so. One could imagine that if PSB had the electronics/design muscle of, say, Sony, these would be a lot lighter. Also, you do not get a 3-button remote, but only a 1-button mic that does work with iDevices, but having a volume control would be nice. In all, probably as versatile as it gets with headphones, but here are some compromises.

Pros: Great sound quality in Active mode, more than serviceable noise-cancelling ability when needed, versatile.

Cons: Bulky and heavy, somewhat polarizing styling. Electronics could be better shielded as you can get static in Active mode depending on what is nearby. Build quality had issues early on, and the cables could be more supple.

The sound was OK. The sound stage is fairly transparent and airy but the bass is almost nonexistent. The noise reduction does two things badly: It reduces the nonexistent bass to well less than that while at the same time reducing the amplification of the mids and highs that are left. Additionally, my pair made an almost imperceptible high pitch whine and that got annoying fast. Seriously look out if you are wearing these and switch between regular and noise cancelling they make a very loud "pop" when doing so. Yes they are built nicely and yes they are comfortable but for the $$ I want them to make great sound too. Don't bother with these, get the Parrot Zik and get ready for a way better experience in every way.

Pros: The spectrum of sound created by these may be pretty narrow but what there is sounds darn good and is not at all tiresome to the ear. They are very solidly built and quite comfortable.

Cons: The price is too much for just OK sound and crummy noise cancelling. The Ziks are a much better unit all together.

I give these a 4.8 because the noise cancel setting EQ's the sound to a markedly different response than the active and passive settings. The active setting sounds great when plugged into my portable music player (OK, my iPod) and personal opinion I'd say the passive sound is slightly above average. I have a decent set of headphones that sound much better in active setting; not different, just MORE of everything. I have not used them on the plane or helicopter yet, that comes next.

Pros: Fit, passive and active response and music reproduction.

Cons: Noise canceling reproduction, although I may rethink this after I fiddle with the music/sound source's EQ settings.

these headphones sound like my speakers. very clear and precise. the only drawback is the fit for me is very tight which cause some discomfort after extenede listening. if a solution could be found, i would give 5 stars in every category

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I had purchased a set of Bose Noise Cancelling headphones for my wife as she travels a lot for work. She adores them, the noise cancelling on them is superb, they are compact and have a nice smallish case for travel. I was going to purchase a set for my self as the office I work in is moving to an open plan and I often am distracted by others. I do a lot of architectural design work and need to concentrate and focus, hence the desire for noise cancelling headphones. I saw that PSB had made their first set, and the fact that these were designed and engineered in canada from a trusted speaker company was definitely a sellling point for me. These are super comfortable, well built, beautifully designed and have superior sound quality over the Bose headphones. The only advantages the Bose headsets have over these is that they have slightly better sound cancelling and are less bulky for travel. the only downside is that if I do use these headphones plugged into a computer the distortion from the hard drive and other interferance is noticeable, once i switched to a ipod or ipad it was gone.

Pros: Great sound confortable Great Design

Cons: Large Case

Overall the PSB M4U 2's are excellent headphones. Sound is clear with a nice spaciousness. They are however a little bulky compared to my previous Bose Quiet Comfort 15's and heavier which makes them slightly less comfortable.

Pros: Excellent sound quality, clarity, and spaciousness

Cons: Bulky and heavier than Bose

The M4U 2 Headphones are the best I have heard. I own a pair of beats and Bose quietcomfort 15 and like the M4U 2 best. The sound is nothing short of outstanding!

Pros: Great sound Comfortable Quality build

Cons: None

I love these. I had a pair of Bose QC 15s and was always disappointed with the sound quality. The music was muffled. The fact they were noise canceling all the time made them less convenient at work sometimes too. The PSBs sound awesome, even when turned off. The amplifier setting really makes music come alive, especially when used with streaming sources such as Spotify and Pandora. The noise canceling is good, but not as incredible as Bose. I would say it is 90% as good. But it still accomplishes what I want. The mute to listen function actually amplifies people speaking around you so if you hear a conversation going on that you are interested in, but taking your headphones off is too obvious, the button works well.

Pros: Incredible sound. That alone is worth the price. The three functions (normal, amp, NC) work great and really make the headphones more livable.

Cons: A little bulky. I wish they folded flat like the Bose. This makes the case a little hard. The mute to listen button is very hard to push. It almost hurts to hold it in. Minor annoyance but surprising giving the overall build quality.

The sound quality is outstanding. The noise canceling is right on par with the Bose Quiet 15s, but the bass sound/feel is MUCH better. My Bose seemed to struggle in that department, but the PSBs have no issues with bass. These headphones look great, but I'm not a fan of plastic. It keeps them light though, and therefore comfortable. If these came in carbon fiber, I would never buy another pair of headphones. The mute feature, along with the ability to still listen to music with no batteries, puts these headphone light years ahead of the Bose Q15s. If you love music, buy these.

Pros: Three operational modes. Mute button is awesome. Bass is will rock your face while the highs are still very clear. Good looking headphones.

Cons: Not a huge fan of a lot of plastic, but they still look great.

Good product, good service

Pros: good sound, light weight, easy to wear

Cons: not the top level of noise reduction

I held on to my PSB M4U 2 headphones for a few weeks. During that time I had the opportunity to travel with these headphones. I found the noise cancelation to be virtually nonexistent. I admit the sound quality is pretty good, but so is the sound of my $199.00 Sony's. I'm returning the PSB M4U 2's and opting for the Bose QC 15's with also good sound but with actual noise cancelation . The PSB M4U's just are not worth the price tag and should not be advertised as a noise cancelation headphone.

Pros: Good sound

Cons: Nonexistent noise cancelation

Tired of my plastic Bose Quiet Comfort headphones snapping every year or so I was on a search for something sturdier with good noise reduction. I took the plunge into the world of expensive headphones with high expectations. My first impressions were that they were bigger and boxier than I thought they were going to be. There is nothing subtle about wearing these in public, they do stand out. That said they are sturdy, not just plastic and I feel fine throwing them in my backpack to go places. They clamp pretty tight on the ears for those used to the light feel of Bose, otherwise the cups are comfortable. I was a bit disappointed with the low end when listening to hip-hop, but audiophiles complain of the "boomy bass" with Beats and other "trendy" headphones, so I suppose these can be seen as better balanced. Overall fantastic sound. I LOVE that you can listen to these with or without the noise reduction, never getting stranded without music just because you run out of battery. As far as noise reduction, these are the best I've heard. It would almost be dangerous to go out walking in public with these because you can't hear a thing with them on. Beware of a loud pop in the headphones when pulling the jack in our out of your device with the noise reduction on. Overall very pleased so far. The 2 year warranty gives me peace of mind because at this price, these better last me a while...

Pros: -- Phenomenal noise reduction -- Very sturdy -- Function with or without noise reduction

Cons: -- Slightly bulky -- Clamp fairly tightly on the ears

I bought these not for the NC ability, but for the sound quality and built in Active mode. I have been listening to different phones for a while, not spending much time with closed over ear models as they always seem to fatigue my ears/head. I've used in ear monitors from Etymotic & Shure and over ear from Sennheiser and Grado. The sound from the M4U2 is amazingly clear, precise, and full range. Response is very even. The bass is not overpowering, but yet, I can 'feel' it in my whole body when listening. I have had these for several days now, listening for several hours at a time, and there is no fatigue to be had. I have heard things in my music that I have never heard before. They are good in passive mode, but even better in active mode with the added DB boost. I have used them in NC mode, and the quality of sound drops slightly, but for some recordings, it actually helps. The build quality is excellent. The ability to cable from either side is a great idea. I am finding myself going through my entire library with a new passion to re-hear the music beautifully. I've owned many a pair of headphones (too many to admit) but never have I had a pair that I just don't want to take off. If you are looking for NC headphones, one thing to remember here (most will say Bose QC15 are the best at NC) if you run out of batteries with these, they will still sound wonderful in passive mode. Power is not required. So, really, you are getting the best of both worlds.

Pros: Sound quality. Build quality. built in amp.

Cons: none that I can find thus far.

I've been a long time user of the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones, but recently opted for the new PSB Noise Cancelling Headphones. The sound is far superior and they produce more volume and remain clear at the higher volume. Very comfortable with replacement ear pads included.

Pros: superior sound quality at higher volume, three position switch, compatible with iPhone, usable when battery dies, comfortable

Cons: not a fan of shinny black trim and weight could be reduced, would prefer more of a sport design, price

In opening the box, my first impression was that these are well built, heavy headphones. These are not flimsy and delicate. Then plugging it into my I Phone and hitting play, I was blown away by the sound. At first I had them set on the passive mode and was very impressed with the sound reproduction. Then I turned on the amp and was blown away again. There was a world of difference between them. Then I put it on the noise canceling setting and the rest of the world disappeared. These are outstanding headphones. I have found that due to the coverage of the ear cups, I don't need the noise canceling much. I use that setting only when in a very loud environment.

Pros: These things sound great.

Cons: They are a bit heavy but not so much that it is a bother. Also, there is no in-line volume control. That would be nice.

These are the best Headphones (noise-reducing or not) I have ever heard!

Pros: Excellent performance. Top-notch build quality. Very comfortable.

Cons: A little better instruction manual would have been helpful.

The built-in amp really brings the music from my Iphone to life. The bass is powerful and accurate and the highs are crystal clear. I can't imagine much better sound from a personal digital source for any price. The talk through feature is very handy. I like not having to take the headphones off to talk to somebody. I have also answered a phone call without taking the headphones off or pausing my workout. There are probably better noise cancelling systems out there, but the headphones work best with just the amp on anyway. Since they are a closed system, you only need the noise cancelling in quite noisey environments. I consider myself a true audiophile and these headphones impress me and everyone else that I have shared their listening experience with. Perfect for workouts on treadmill, eliptical, etc. I first tried a set of Bose Quiet Comfort 15's which did not quite do the job as far as bass response or high frequency response. The midrange from the bose was impressive as always, but no better than the PSB's. The noise cancelling was better on the Bose, but I believe noise cancelling takes away from frequency response and you can't listen to the Bose without it on or with a dead battery. The PSB's allow you to listen with just the amp on or without a battery in the passive mode. Best extra $100 I've ever spent. The PSB's truely exceeded my expectations.

Pros: Real bass from a personal source with crystal clear highs and accurate midrange. Talk through feature allowing you to talk without removing the headphones. 55 hour battery life and ability to still listen when your batteries go dead. Ability to listen with noise cancelling off, but amp on for best sound quality and frequency response. Surprisingly lightweight for having a built-in amp. Very comfortable.

Cons: There may be better noise cancelling systems, but these sound best with just the amp on and noise cancelling off anyway. $100 more than Bose but very worth it.

For the price, these are the most outstanding sounding headphones I've ever owned. It's as if I was sitting in a recording studio. The sound quality is not at all muffled by the noise cancelling technology. These headphones begin to feel weighty after one hour of use. I hope that later models will have bluetooth capability. I like it that the cable can be attached to either side of the headphones. I have great respect for the designer, Paul S Barton and also thank Crutchfield for guiding me toward purchasing this product.

Pros: Outstanding sound quality.

Cons: A little bulky for travel. These headphones begin to feel weighty after one hour of use. I wish these headphones had bluetooth capability.

I love these headphones. The sound qualitty is awesome. I'm listening to 24-bit Flac with them and I've never heard something so good. I love that the cable can go on either side. I love the fact they give you extra earpads. Not unusual but still nice to be able to turn the noise cancelling on and off. I find the headphones extremely uncomfortable. I wish they had made the ear pads the size and feel of the Sennheiser PCX450's. Literally after an hour I have to take the headphones off because they hurt my ears. I guess I just have big ears :)

Pros: Great sound,

Cons: Comfort...Can't wear for an extended period of time.

I am a picky audiophile. I have high end tube amps and Magico and Magnepan speakers at home, and still listen to music through a turntable. Over the past 2-3 years I have auditioned about 30 high end headphones. For home use I own the Beyerdynamic T1 with matching A1 amp, as well as the Sennheiser HD650 cans, and for travel have been using the Etymotic er-4pt in-ear phones. I value transparency, neutrality and musicality. Whether in audio stores, airport stores, etc, I never heard a noise isolating headphone that competed with high end cans. Until now. The PSB is the only one that sounds as good. With built in amplification, it allows the headphones to perform no matter what source I am using. PSB didn't sacrifice audio quality (or add too many options for ANC) -- they kept amplified and unamplified simple and effective, and the active noise cancelling works like a charm without negatively impacting sound quality. Only downside, is these are much bigger and heavier than my Etymotics. But...the full range sound (without hyped up coloring or mid-bass exaggeration) and noise cancelling is superior to the Etymotics. Etymotics are still the champ for clarity, but lack the dynamics and accurate bass weight of the PSBs. I am very pleased.

Pros: - balanced, musical, extended (highs, mids, lows) reproduction - Feature set (unamplified, amplified which sounds best and prolongs ipod battery life, and noise reduction - long battery life (60 hours) - build/fit-finish - moderate portability - noise reduction - price (although expensive these compare with $500+ non-isolating headphones in sound quality)

Cons: - out of the box they clamp fairly tight - not lightweight (but if I want light weight i can take my Etymotic in ear phones)

I'll be honest, I was expecting more from these headphones. I know there have been many rave reviews by audiophiles and consumers alike but for me these headphones just didn't wow me like I thought they would. For one, the headphones are comfortable but my ears get hot quickly and cannot wear them for more than an hour before having to remove them. Secondly, the sound is good but not impressive. I get just as good sound quality and noise isolation from my set of in-ear Klipsch Image S4i headphones without heating up my ears. The noise cancellation works but has room for improvement. When I sit in front of my tower computer with 3 fans I can still hear the fans but are about 75% quieter. I suggest you try them for yourself before buying - I wish I did.

Pros: Quality Build Comfortable Flexible Configurations

Cons: Average Sound Quality Ears get hot quickly

When you spend most of your waking life not at home, it's often hard to get your "fix" for great sounding audio. I couldn't be much happy with the performance of these headphones. They've been great for both home use and travel. I wouldn't trade my PSB's for any other option out there, regardless of price. Thanks PSB for (finally) coming up with a way for us to take you out of the house with us!

Pros: Incredible, balanced and detailed sound reproduction. Quite comfy for long periods. Ability to plug into either ear cup. Sounds great with laptop/Apple devices. Did I mention that they sound awesome?!?

Cons: The noise-cancelling isn't quite as solid as that in the Bose products (still very good), but definitely not the main reason I purchased them.

Best head phone ever

Pros:

Cons:

This is certainly a great pair of headphones. For the last decade I used a $150 pair of Sony headphones, and it was time for an upgrade. After pawing through review after review of the top make/models of headphones I settled on these PSB phones... They look great, they sound great, and they not only offer a built in headphone amplifier, but also noise canceling if you were so inclined... For general listening I use the built in amplifier for a little extra punch, and for travel (when environmental isolation is more important than exact sonic reproduction) I use the noise canceling setting. Even if the batteries run out of juice, I can always use them in passive mode, and they sound great there as well. I do tend to use an EQ setting that adds some low end to the music, something Beats lovers would also require... However, if you are looking for a pair of headphones that are of great quality, and have a surgically sterile response to listen with, these seem to be the pair for you... I wish the inline cord controls were about six inches further down the wire, and the iPod control cable had a remote volume adjustment for my Apple devices, but all in all - a great product. If you have the means, I highly suggest you pick yourself up a pair...

Pros: Great look, great sound, many operational bonuses... Comfortable to wear - I used them on a flight from Detroit to Seattle the entire time. Nice carrying case - enough room for the cables, extra batteries, and a few adaptors...even my musician earplugs... Very happy with this purchase!

Cons: Wire mounted controls for Monitor function and Apple control functions are located very close to the headphones...another six inches down the wire would allow the user to see the controls and access them easier. Also would like to see a remote volume control for Apple devices...for airline travel, it is a pain to take out the device to change volume when you want to jam a favorite tune, then turn it down again...wasting battery life in the process... An extra $100 cheaper would be a plus...

These headphones are a tremendous value.

Pros:

Cons:

The sound quality and clarity is amazing! I love them! It's like listening to the PSb home theatre system direct into your ears! SWEET! I only had a pair of ATH-M50 Audio Technica phones to compare with and actually, the sound quality is scary close while listening to SACD's. The M4U 2's really outshine the AT's with sonic detail that is obviously heard thru the M4U 2's and completely lost in the AT.

Pros: Sound Quality, Build, Ability to chose either side to plug in.

Cons: Ear cup size is small. Not so much a con, but I would like a little larger ear cup.

These are the best headphones i have ever heard. The amplification is outstanding. Sound quality is outstanding.

Pros: Great sound.

Cons: None

I have been happily using the Bose QC15 for a couple of years. When my wife asked for her own pair, I went looking to see if there was anything better. I decided to buy the new PSB headphones. Bottom line, I prefer the PSB headphones and my wife prefers the Bose. They are very different products. The PSB headphones have much better audio quality. If you don't need the noise reduction, you can actually use just the internal amp and take up the audio another step. After I got these, I realized that I had stopped listening to music on the Bose and had gravitated towards listening to books-on-tape on flights. The Bose have their own benefits. They are lighter and pack smaller. They are more comfortable to wear for long flights. The noise reduction is quite a bit better in quiet passages. The Bose are worth using with no source playing. The PSB really aren't. On the other hand, when listening to music the noise reduction is basically equivalent. These are both good products, and are very different from each other. It depends on your priorities. If I were going on a trip and planning to listen to books on tape, I would still choose the Bose. I sometimes listen to music at home using the PSB headphones, something I never did with the Bose QC15s.

Pros: Better audio quality than the Bose. They sound like they should cost twice as much. You can use the headphone amp without noise reduction for better playback fidelity. It will still play if the batteries are dead. The Bose is useless without a battery. Better build quality than the Bose. This applies to the headphones and the cords. (I had to replace my Bose cord.) The button on the cord that temporarily disables noise reduction is quite handy.

Cons: The Bose has much better sound reduction if no source is playing, or during quiet passages. The Bose is more comfortable on long flights. The Bose is lighter and packs smaller because the earphones rotate when packing it away.

Go ahead and spoil yourself with these headphones - they're remarkable. They bring me right up there - face to face with the music............. I get the feeling of the musician's fingers on the strings as he's plucking. A 91 year old friend of mine listens to Broadway Musicals all day long, and I put these PSBs on him, and he exclaimed, "Oh my God, what's happening." I do have these phones powered through the Nuforce amplifier. I tried out the Sennheiser HD 650 which are also excellent and have a slightly warmer feel to the music. The PSBs are a little more crisp and clear. The PSBs are slightly more comfortable, but the main reason I choose these is because they're a 'closed' headset; therefore external noise is blocked out just by putting them on. The 'active' noise cancelling feature will take care of the rest if it's a really noisy environment. I'm glad it has the internal amplifier for when I'm listening to a cassette............... (now come on guys, quit laughing......I bet you still have a few cassettes in a box somewhere)

Pros:

Cons:

Currently, I have the Bose QC 15, Dre Beats Studio and Bowers & Wilkins P5 and still haven't heard anything that sounds like these PSB headphones. They definitely have the best sound out of all of them that I've just listed. If noise canceling is what u looking for, stick with the Bose QC 15, if noise cancelling doesn't matter to u and u just want a cool pair of headphones with great enough sound with noise isolation then u may want the B&W P5 and if sound quality is what u care about the most, then look no further. They sound fantastic. If you can afford these, I don't think you'll be disappointed. Don't usually write reviews but I had to for these :). They are it :)!

Pros: The sound quality makes up for all the little complains about this unit, such as bulkyness etc.

Cons: Wish it was smaller but then again the sound is what matters to me the most and it's excellent.

I have owned a few different headphones in the past few years. grado's, sennheiser's, beats and bose. I was looking around for a new headphone that will cover all my bases well. Confort, Sound Quality and noise cancelling. I read a few reviews on these PSB speakers M4U 2 and decided based on my respect for PSB's commitment to Sound quality and Value that i would order a pair, and I was not disappointed. The sound out of these cans is amazing. well above it's asking price. I have heard many headphones costing 3 times the PSB's that don't really come close. Using the internal amp improves the sound even more. I liked my old grado's but I would need to carry an expensive headphone amp to even come close to the quality put on show by the PSB's. As others have said in reviews here, that the Noise cancelling function is not quite as good as the bose. But that being said it is not far off. and the sound quality more then makes up for that. They are a sealed design so without the noise cancelling on I bet they mute about 20db anyway. The included quick start guide is a little light on info, but the online manual is very helpful. I truly believe that this is the active / noise cancelling / passive headphone to beat in the under $1000 category. Even if it has a few negatives, like Noise cancelling and being a little bulky I can't in good conscience give it any less then 5 STARS.

Pros: Amazing sound quality and comfort

Cons: Noise cancelling is good but could use some work. a little bulky

I purchased these headphones after lots of research and with the knowledge that PSB makes top of the line products. I currently own Bose, Sony, and Sennheiser headphones so I was really looking forward to trying out the PSB's. The PSB 's come in a cool protective case with extra ear cups and two cables - one with in-line remote/microphone and monitor control, and one with in-line monitor control only (a little bit of common sense is needed to figure this out as well as how to use the headphones - it's not rocket science!). The PSB's do not look cheap like other brands I have seen and look like they are built to last. I played several types of music through the headphones with my I-pod Touch (everything from heavy metal to country) and was completely blown away by the sound quality - extremely accurate bass and crystal clear highs. The sound is much better than my Bose and Sony and better than my Sennheiser's (which I really like a lot!). You can plug the cable into either ear cup depending on where you plan on plugging into your source material - nice touch. I tried the noise cancelling with the TV on in the background and could only hear my music. The comfort is top notch - I can't wait to use them next month when I fly from Japan to the U.S . Although some folks may not like dropping $400 for a pair of headphones, I think the PSB's are worth it. Overall, an impressive set of headphones that are comfortable with fantastic sound quality. Two thumbs up!

Pros: Outstanding sound quality and solid build If you run out of battery power you can still use these in passive mode instead of being dead in the water on a long flight. Compact for travel Comortable! Comfortable! Comfortable!

Cons: I wish the cable were a little longer for listening through my home stereo

It comes with two cables, but the manual doesn't explain which is which or why. The manual reminds me of Ikea, lots of vague pictures, not much help. No phone number on the manual, but the website will tell you. Then you get a voicemail system that doesn't offer customer support. Persist! Finally reached a human, who connected me with a gruff guy who hadn't seen the product and didn't have a manual. He basically told me to pound sand. Not what you'd expect from a product at this price point. But, they do sound good... And hey, they're headphones, you'll figure it out.

Pros: Sound good

Cons: Company isn't ready to sell a product like this yet

I've bought several headphones over the last few years, large and small -- all were for specific uses, and all had some aspect which was subpar, but was balanced out by other features. Well, the PSBs trump all others I've tried in terms of overall feature set -- sound quality is on par with much costlier cans, the convenience of noise cancellation is very good though not the best available, the flexibility with three modes (including an amp) is a welcome option, and the comfort level is well above average. In general, these are probably the best high quality, multi-use set of phones available today. They do well with i-devices (especially with the amp on), as well as being right at home with my Marantz NA7004 or NAD T787. To fully appreciate these, or any other high quality phones, definitely use lossless or uncompressed files. The only slight drawback is that they're a bit bulky for travel, but I'll trade that any day for the great depth and clarity of sound, and flexibility. Depends on your personal priorities whether you'd like these over competitors like the Boses -- agree with much of what is said in the "Almost" review below -- but for me, the lights out sound quality advantage of the PSBs over Bose will win every time.

Pros: Sound quality is impressive, both depth and clarity -- three modes including amp, so no need for add-on headphone amp -- very comfortable initially, and above average for a fair amount of time -- noise cancellation is more than adequate, though not the best -- work quite well with i-devices as well as high-end audio components

Cons: A bit large for travel, tough to get in some laptop backpacks, but worth the minor inconvenience to have sound like this while on the road -- do start to feel a bit heavy after an hour or two, but normally I need a break by then anyway

After doing a lot of research the last few months, I couldn't wait to try these headphones out. Very impressed with the sound quality. In fact it was too good as music from poor sources, like cell phones, sounded terrible (lots of hissing). Hooked up to my ipod touch it sounded great. They are a little heavy so if you are looking for lightweight on the go use, these are not the best. Unfortunately for my purposes, comfort and noise cancellation were the most important factors. When comparing them side by side with Bose QC15, they were a notch below. now please don't let this scare anyone off because they still perform well in both comfort and noise cancellation, just not as well as the Bose. I will say in pure sound quality they are better. Also in carrying around the mall to get to the Bose store, it did start to feel cumbersome and I don't think I would like them in an airport situation. I still gave it four stars because they were so good in almost every area.

Pros: Sound quality, accessories

Cons: Weight

These are fantastic headphones. I highly recommend them. The sound is true to life. I particularly like the fact that they can operate with and without the battery power. The noise cancel technology is very effective. They are very comfortable to wear. I have Bose headphones and the PSB 's have a superior sound and can operate without battery power. I prefer the PSB headphones.

Pros:

Cons:

It took me a while to figure out what headphones to buy, the reviews, web video's, going to stores, really not wanting to spend $300 + bucks , but when. I saw PSB's I knew I was going to get something just a bit better then the beats, souls and Bose. Well my first impressions and first thoughts are I made the right choice. They are really comfortable !! And made well they don't feel cheep or over plasticky. They sound really great, true not hyped. I still need to brake them in and use them on a areoplane to check out the noise canceling. Be Carfull of a poping sound when the amp is on and you in plug out from you mp3 player. The 3 modes are very cool feature, the noise cancel has a thinner sound, then the main amp mode, but that must be because some NC magic is going on. Well if you can afford these I think you won't be disapointed.

Pros: Comfortable, Great sound, good style, quality

Cons: Expensive !!!

These headphones are great. They have crisp clear sound with just enough bass. Whether you listen to rock, pop, rap/hip-hop, or jazz it is very well balanced. They hit every note in every song and the noise cancelling feature is perfect. When I switch it on the only thing I hear is my music, even in a house full of 6 people. The added amplifier inside the headphones is a great feature, adds more to your music and makes it much louder.

Pros: Clean highs, mids, and lows. Very well balanced sound. The noise cancelling feature is excellent and the amplifier adds so much more to your music.

Cons: none