CONCLUSION

   I've been testing headsets and headphones professionally for nearly 8 years now and i have to admit that 9 out of 10 times i say that consumers get what they pay for. You just can't expect miracles from relatively small dynamic stereo drivers and unfortunately that's what most manufacturers use since their main target audience is not audiophiles but regular every day consumers (as expected really). Well at first glance the H850 by Edifier also fit in that description since the specifications of the two 40mm neodymium magnet drivers offer nothing we haven't seen in the past by numerous similar models (not to mention that the H850 headphones have been around for over 3 years). However after using the H850 for a period of two weeks it seems that this is among the rare 1 out of 10 times. True i wasn't impressed with the exterior construction quality of the H850 since the plastic used doesn't seem to be very durable and as a matter of fact I’ve seen identical quality materials used in headsets that cost USD15-20 (however the interior aluminum/metal frame somewhat makes up for that). Where the H850 shine however is also where it counts the most so (probably) thanks to the tuning by Phil Jones highs and mids are very detailed and crisp while bass levels although not great are still surprisingly good especially since we are talking about a pair of 40mm drivers. The detachable cable is also a nice feature although it's a bit larger than what we'd like to see (the solution would be to include two cables with different lengths – still not really a drawback just a personal observation) while the large earpads combined with the lightweight design make the H850 very comfortable.

   The Edifier H850 Hi-Fi Headphone doesn't stand out from the crowd just because of its audio quality but also because of its price (perhaps more) since currently it retails for just USD59.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 49Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). Needless to say really that although the H850 offer excellent price/performance ratio that doesn't mean it can go up against headphones and headsets that cost many times more. Sure we all think that the H850 are the best sub USD100/100Euros headphones in the market currently but if you are willing to spend a lot more for a pair then you should look for something else. For people however who are not willing to spend much (for whatever reason) the H850 Hi-Fi Headphones by Edifier will most likely be a pleasant surprise and since we too liked them a lot they get our Golden Award.

PROS

- Clear/Crisp/Accurate Mids & Highs
- Good Bass Levels
- EQ Tuned By Phil Jones
- Light & Comfortable
- Foldable Design
- Removable Cable With Gold Plated Plug & Lock Mechanism
- 3.5 to 7.5mm Gold Plated Adapter
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Overall Construction Quality