I'm so excited...the folks at Phiaton sent me a pair of their new Bridge MS 500 headphones and I've been playing with them for the past couple of days. I am impressed, very impressed. Here are my initial thoughts...

• Packaging - Not sure what has changed but the last couple of Phiaton models (MS200 & PS210BTNC) have some of the best packaging I've seen in the consumer electronics industry. Lots of creativity, care and attention to detail. Right up there with Apple. Fun to open!
• Super light at 10 ounces with some of the softest ear cushions I've ever put on my head.  Super compliant, genuine leather. They provide a surprisingly good seal without excess clamping force. Wearing them for a long session isn't going to be an issue. And they have excellent passive sound isolation...uncommon for an on-ear headphone.
• Built quality is excellent...most parts appear to be nicely finished aluminum. At this price point, I'm used to seeing plastic. The MS 500s are going to be a very durable, long lasting headphone because of it.  
• The cable attachment is unlike anything I've seen. It can connect into the bottom of either side. And I can tell I'm already going to like that feature. The red cable is fabric covered, thick and does not tangle easily. And two are included. One with an iPhone mic / remote and the other straight audio.
• The MS 500 looks different than any other headphone I sell but I really like it. The combination of black, aluminum, red piping and the red cable is classy.

But enough about their packaging and features. You're wondering how they sound. Simply put, they sound great. They have a big, robust bottom end without it sounding exaggerated or artificial (the excellent seal helps here). Midrange is warm and has great presence. And the high end has really nice detail without being overly bright or edgy. Overall, nicely balanced voicing....kudos to the Phiaton engineers here. They also appear to be very efficient. Using my iPhone as a source, I noticed that I did not have to turn it up much past half way to produce a satisfying listening level.

In my opinion, the most impressive thing about the MS 500 is their value. Fit / finish, quality and performance is competitive with $400-$500 cans. Impressive considering the MS 500 is going to sell for $269. Available at the end of June. Click here for more info.