Massively costly, vastly gifted – however, fortunately, not bodily big. The No. 5909 headphones go fairly an extended approach to justifying the asking worth.
Execs
- Rigorous but easy-going sound
- Element and nuance to spare
- Good supplies, expertly assembled
Cons
- Costly after which some
- Could be bettered for noise-cancellation
- Abbreviated management app
Availability
- UKRRP: £999
- USARRP: $999
- EuropeRRP: €1000
- CanadaRRP: CA$1299
- AustraliaRRP: AU$1699
Key Options
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BluetoothBluetooth 5.1 with aptX Adaptive and LDAC assist
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Battery34 hours of battery life
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Audio40mm beryllium-coated dynamic drivers
Introduction
The excellent news is that this product gives probably the most reasonably priced route into proudly owning a bit of kit from the revered Mark Levinson model. The unhealthy information is that it’s a pair of wi-fi headphones costing effectively in extra of what most individuals think about ‘premium’.
The cynics amongst us could effectively have already written off the No. 5909 as an train in sticking an upmarket emblem on a product and adjusting the value accordingly. However the remainder of us ought to learn on – if for no different motive than to seek out out if a grand for a pair of wi-fi headphones might be even remotely justified…
The Mark Levinson No. 5909 wi-fi energetic noise-cancelling headphones are on sale now, and within the UK would require you to half with £999 to safe a pair. Within the US they’re a (barely) extra acceptable $999. Australian pricing is but to be confirmed however, if change charges are something to go by, they’ll be within the area of AU$1799 – which is a really unique area certainly.
It hardly wants emphasising that this form of cash will purchase you 4 pairs of Sony WH-1000XM4, three pairs of Bowers & Wilkins PX7, or a few pairs of Bang & Olufsen HX. Or, extra doubtless, one pair of 1 or one other of them – and with a stack of cash left over. These are however three examples of well-regarded, high-performance wi-fi over-ear energetic noise-cancellers that don’t price something like this form of cash – and there’s loads extra the place they got here from.
In different phrases, the No. 5909 are going to must be supernaturally gifted in the event that they’re to justify the asking worth.
Design
- Premium supplies, expertly deployed
- Moderately compact by high-end headphone requirements
- Is it mistaken to be impressed by a cable?
You’ll be able to’t idiot with the design of over-ear headphones, as Mark Levinson recognises. So what’s the easiest way to assist the perceived worth of a product that appears, essentially, simply the identical as alternate options costing 1 / 4 of the value? The reply on this occasion appears to be to make sure the supplies, construct high quality and end are as spectacular as doable.
So the No. 5909 are a successful mixture of cozy reminiscence foam, fragrant leather-based and anodised aluminium. They’re compact, snug to put on for hours on finish, put collectively flawlessly, and really feel pretty much as good as they appear. As well as, the earpads are replaceable, which makes these headphones much more of a long-term proposition than the value already calls for.
They reside in an equally tactile travel-case, and are equipped with three cables that, due to their braiding and expensive-looking terminations, appear virtually as upmarket because the headphones they accompany. Two lengths of three.5mm to USB-C (1.25m and 4m) are offered, together with a USB-C to USB-C charging cable too.
Options
- In depth Bluetooth codec assist
- Affordable battery life
- Ample management choices
The No. 5909 use Bluetooth 5.1 with SBC, AAC, LDAC and aptX Adaptive codec assist, which ought to be ample for even probably the most demanding person. As soon as streamed aboard, sound is delivered by a pair of beryllium-coated 40mm full-range dynamic drivers.
Mark Levinson, as a Harman firm, has entry to the minds – and ears – that created the Harman curve, which is a illustration of the form of sound supposedly most popular by most people more often than not. Normally this form of marketing-speak suggests nothing greater than infinite focus teams and a end result that’s inherently compromised; however on this occasion, the purpose is to succeed in an excellent.
The headphones cost by way of USB-C and might perform for six hours or so following only a 15-minute power-blast. Brim them, although, and you have to be good for between 30 hours with energetic noise-cancellation swap on, and 34 hours with it off.
You’ll be able to specify the form of noise-cancellation you’d like (‘off’, ‘on’ or ‘consciousness’) within the Mark Levinson Headphones app (free for iOS and Android), after which select between ‘low’, ‘excessive’ and ‘adaptive’ for noise-cancelling, and ‘ambient’ or ‘voice cross’ for consciousness. The app additionally lets you choose between three Levinson-approved EQ settings (or ‘bass contours’), and determine how lengthy the headphones will stay powered up after they’re not enjoying. That’s about your lot – so whereas the app is clear, steady and helpful so far as it goes, it doesn’t actually go all that far.
Voice-control is an possibility, although, and there are some bodily controls cut up between the earcups. On the correct there’s the acquainted three-button strip dealing with ‘quantity up/down’, ‘skip forwards/backwards’, ‘play/pause’, ‘reply/finish name’ and ‘summon voice-assistant’. On the left, in the meantime, you possibly can select between your ANC and your ‘consciousness’ settings – and there’s additionally entry to a ‘energy on/off/Bluetooth pairing’ management.
Sound High quality
- Eloquent, organised and fascinating sound
- Nice dynamics and element retrieval
- Pretty extraordinary noise-cancelling
To date, this overview has been moderately grudging in its acceptance of the No. 5909 as a correctly premium merchandise, and has been conserving its powder dry able to unleash a volley of invective concerning ‘worth for cash’ and ‘credulous lottery-winners’.
Effectively, that’s all going to have to attend for one more day. As a result of whereas the extent of ‘worth for cash’ the Mark Levinson No. 5909 headphones signify stays a reside query, what’s not up for debate is their stage of efficiency. These are correctly gifted headphones of the type that can steal your time away.
Element is pretty much as good a spot as any to start out: the No. 5909 are a remarkably detailed pay attention, capable of extract probably the most minor, most transient data from the perimeters or the depths of a recording – and with out being in any means analytical or uptight about it. If the minor harmonic variations in an instrument intrigue you, or probably the most fleeting mouth-sounds as a singer prepares to ship the subsequent line, the Mark Levinson will maintain you listening – and entertained – for hours on finish.
Rhythm, too, is a powerful level. The No. 5909 haven’t any downside expressing even the trickiest, most club-footed rhythms with absolute certainty – and once more, they don’t make (no pun meant) a track and dance about it. They merely roll together with a form of effortlessness that’s arduous to come back by.
And in each different significant respect, too, these Mark Levinson headphones are fairly completed. They describe low frequencies with actual extension and variation, management assault and decay correctly, and set up deep and steady foundations for the remainder of the frequency vary to construct upon. On the reverse finish, they reveal extraordinarily well-judged chew and shine – there’s no rolling off on the prime finish within the identify of ‘good style’. As a substitute, they’re as shiny and crunchy because the music calls for, however by no means threaten to turn into coarse or arduous, even at quantity.
Nevertheless, it’s within the mid-range that these headphones actually verify their high-end credentials. They deal with a singer with full sympathy, permitting all the toil, emotion and character full expression. So, after they’re enjoying a Tidal stream of Ike & Tina Turner’s River Deep – Mountain Excessive, the expression they offer the vocal is actually and persistently hair-raising. This can be a correctly classic recording, delivered to your ears from many many years away – however the immediacy and authenticity with which the No. 5909 serve it up makes it sound as contemporary and crisp as an apple.
The soundstage right here within reason expansive, rigorously organised and ease itself to observe. Dynamic efficiency – each the place massive quantity shifts and minor, transient variations are involved – is rarely doubtful. Even when requested to correctly tough it with a compressed file of Slaughter & The Canine’ Cranked Up Actually Excessive, the Mark Levinson are prepared and never in any means judgmental.
Noise-cancellation is a fractionally extra certified success. No one’s anticipating the Enterprise Class lounge to be as raucous because the departure gate, after all, besides the No. 5909 can’t fairly cope with every little thing occurring round you, if ‘every little thing’ seems to be ‘rather a lot’.
It follows that the drone of an plane – or the drone of its passengers – isn’t banished as utterly as by another (inevitably way more reasonably priced) alternate options. Which isn’t to say these headphones aren’t environment friendly on this regard. And, in all honesty, it’s arduous to quantify the form of noise-cancellation £1K ought to purchase – however they are often bettered.
Newest offers
Must you purchase it?
You’re taking moveable listening significantly Linked to an equally gifted supply participant, these headphones sing.
You need silence Noise-cancellation is ‘excellent’ moderately than ‘nice’
Last Ideas
By each wise metric, the No. 5909 ought to be a bauble with which to indicate off wealth. However these aren’t any mere accent – they’re a really high-achieving pair of headphones. And should you’re lucky sufficient to have the ability to append this form of cash, they demand your full consideration
Trusted Rating
How we check
We check each headphones we overview totally over an prolonged time period. We use trade normal checks to match options correctly. We’ll at all times let you know what we discover. We by no means, ever, settle for cash to overview a product.
Discover out extra about how we check in our ethics coverage.
Examined for greater than per week
Examined with a variety of music
Examined with actual world use
