The Philips SHP9500S has gained popularity in the audiophile community as a budget-friendly headphone. The original Philips 9500 was discontinued years ago. The “S” in the Philips SHP9500S refers to the new version, which still lives up to the name. If you want to buy this headphone, read our informative review below, plus a comparison to other headphones to help you make a better decision. If you’re looking for budget
Design
Looks and Build Quality
The Philips SHP9500S is an over-ear open-back headphone. The quality of materials that Philips chooses to use is quite good at this price point. The headphones are constructed mostly from plastic, which feels sturdy and well-integrated for a good design. This also makes the headphones lighter for a better experience when using them.
Earcups are huge and are covered with metal grills to protect the headphone drivers. The earpads are covered in a breathable mesh-like material. One point of concern about the earpad is they are non-removable. The headband also features a mesh-like material, which is quite comfortable even for long sessions. The adjustable headband features aluminum and plastic. It can be extended to fit even bigger head sizes without a problem easily. The sliders have graduated notches, and you’ll hear a clicking sound when adjusting the earcups.
Philips SHP9500S Right Earcup
The headphone features a detachable cable which is a nice feature to have. A connector is on the left earcup, which is boldly marked by the letter L. The cable included is not the best, and the length leaves little to be desired.
Overall, although most of the headphone is plastic, it feels durable and should last a long time to come. They are light enough that you’ll forget them a few minutes after wearing them.
Comfort & Fit
Earcups & Headband
The earcups of the SHP9500S are huge, and the earpads easily envelop the ears for a comfortable fit. Unless you have super-sized ears, your ears will fit completely inside earpads. The earpads feature a mesh-like material, which is very comfortable. However, the material can cause one of your ears to get warmer or sweat during long listening sessions. They are also a little thinner, and their depth is not that good, so you might have your ears touching the foam before the driver.
Philips SHP9500S Earpads
The headband is nicely padded and snaps off the main frame of the headphone, which can allow for a quick wash. It is padded with foam and does not get uncomfortable even for long sessions. It is easily extendable and is graduated from one to the sixth notch. For those who have a bigger head, you can be sure this will fit you properly.
Philips SHP9500S Port On Left Earcup
Weight and Comfort
The headphone is very light and literary float on top of your head. This is mostly because of the choice of materials, which keep the overall weight to a minimum. The overall comfort is also great for long listening sessions without much fatigue.
Philips SHP9500S Placed Upright
Accessories & Packaging
Cable & Connectors
The package comes with a 1.5 meters cable, which is quite short. However, because of the detachable connector without proprietary plugs, you can upgrade to a better cable in the future. There are a lot of quality headphone cables you buy on a budget. The cable is a 3.5mm to 3.5mm aux cable, and you get a 1/4-inch adapter.
Philips SHP9500S Cable 3.5mm-3.5mm
Sound
Low-End (Bass)
The bass of the Philips SHP9500S has a nice presence and goes low enough for most music genres. However, these headphones can sound inexistent if you’re looking for that low-end rumble or a similar experience. Rather than being the focus of the sound, the bass of this headphone adds to the overall depth and dimension of the sound.
High-Ends (Treble) and Mids
The high-end sounds good and has a good amount of detail without getting too sibilant or harsh. At times, however, an elevated treble response can cause some sibilance. Overall, the treble is very lively and dynamic.
The midrange is where most of the music usually happens. The SHP9500S does a good job of presenting the mids. They are well-balanced, and vocals sound good while instruments are pushed forward without getting too emphasized.
Overall Sound Quality
Overall, the Philips SHP9500S is a good-sounding and well-balanced headphone. The mids and highs are good and should work well for most music genres. The bass can sound weak if you’re a bass head, but overall does a good job of bringing out the sound of the headphones. The soundstage feels wide in a good way, while the imaging is accurate, which helps in making music more immersive and enjoyable. These are also good for gaming.
What We Like
- Cheap
- Light and comfortable
- Good overall sound quality
- Soundstage, and imaging
- Easy to drive
What We Don’t
- Lean bass
- Earpads are shallow can get sweaty
- The cable is too short
- Non-removable earpads.
Comparison
| HEADPHONES | IMPEDANCE | SENSITIVITY | FREQ ** | DRIVER | WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philips SHP9500S | 32 Ohm | 101 dB | 12 – 35 000 Hz | Dynamic | 0.705 lb |
| Philips SHP9600 | 32 Ohm | 102 dB | 6 – 35,000 Hz | Dynamic | 0.728 lb |
| Philips Fidelio X2HR | 30 Ohm | 100 dB | 5 – 40,000 Hz | Dynamic | 0.838 lb |
| HiFiMAN HE400SE | 32 Ohm | 91 dB | 20-20,000 Hz | Planar Magnetic | 0.845 lb |
FREQ ** – Frequency Response
The Competition
Philips SHP9500S vs Philips SHP9600
The Philips SHP9600 is the successor of the SHP9500S. They come with a sleeker look and slightly better build quality. However, not much has changed in the materials, with both headphones featuring the same materials. The SHP9600 is also quite comfortable, like its predecessor. For the sound quality, the SHP9600 has more bass, and the vocals are slightly pushed back. The soundstage and imaging are also better on the SHP9500S compared to the SHP9600.
Philips SHP9500S vs. Philips Fidelio X2HR
The Philips Fidelio X2HR is one of the best offerings from Philips. Compared to the SHP9500S, it has better build quality and a premium look and feels more sturdy. Although the SHP9500S is comfortable, the Fidelio X2HR is much more comfortable. The bass is also better on the X2HR and goes lower and deeper. The SHP9500 has a sharper and slightly better treble response compared to the XH2R.
Philips SHP9500S vs HiFiMAN HE400SE
The SHP9500S and HiFiMAN HE400SE are two great budget-level audiophile headphones with a very small difference between them. The HE400SE is better built and has more comfortable and deeper earpads than the Philips. For the sound, these two have very little between them. However, the HE400SE has a slightly better bass response, while the SHP9500S has a better treble response.
If you’re looking for other budget audiophile headphones alternatives, check out our best budget audiophile headphones.
