INTRODUCTION

   If you happen to enjoy listening to your favorite audio tracks while on foot (or when using public transportation) or while at home like i do chances are that you're always on the lookout for a brand new headphone set (again like i do). Unfortunately not only is the market overflowing with headphones (and has been for a long time now) but the really good ones usually cost quite a bit and thus are not what most people would call affordable. In the past we've seen some manufacturers attempt to develop budget-friendly headphones which they launched with audiophiles in mind but the end results weren't exactly what we had initially expected. Edifier is a manufacturer we've been following for years now but it wasn't until just recently that we managed to get in touch with them and so today we're testing their own "budget" audiophile oriented headphones the H850.

   Edifier specializes in premium sound systems that showcase technological innovation and design elegance. We deliver outstanding audio experience through a wide range of headphones, speakers and music systems, for personal entertainment and professional excellence. Established in May 1996 in Beijing, China, Edifier is the brainchild of a small group of enterprising music lovers. Guided by the principle “a passion for sound” over the past two decades, Edifier has emerged as a world-class designer and manufacturer of award-winning sound systems. Throughout our journey, we adapt to the way music is made, shared and enjoyed. We pride ourselves on products that showcase bold design and premium quality, but at the same time affordable. Today, Edifier serves music lovers worldwide through our distributors in over 70 countries, with operations in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific regions. The growing Edifier family consists of 3,000 dedicated employees worldwide. Our state-of-the art manufacturing facilities produce 8 million units every year for home, consumer electronics and PC multimedia applications.

   At first glance the H850 headphones don't really stand out from the rest of the crowd since they too are based around two 40mm neodymium magnet stereo drivers that feature a frequency range of 20Hz-20KHz with 32Ohm impedance and 96dB sensitivity. However although the specifications sheet is nothing we haven't seen in the past with numerous headphones and headsets the H850 do stand out in one area, they were tuned by Phil Jones. Now if you don't know who Phil is let's just say that he's been around for as far back as i can remember (well over 3 decades now) and is the person behind the Acoustic Energy AE-1 and AE-2 compact monitor speakers (mid/late 1980's) and the Boston Acoustics Lynnfield floor standing loudspeakers (early 1990's) so he's no stranger in the audio industry. Now unfortunately i never had the chance to test or even just listen to one of the Acoustic Energy monitor speakers but an old friend of mine did have a pair of Lynnfield loudspeakers in his living room and even today i still recall being impressed not only by their looks and construction quality but also by their audio performance. Is however a tuning by someone like Phil Jones enough to give life to a pair of budget headphones targeted towards audiophiles? That's what we're here to find out.