Shoutout to Jasper at Adam Audio for the opportunity to review the H200! I am not being compensated for this article; just giving my honest impressions. He graciously allowed me to keep the headphones.
Greetings mate and Welcome aboard!
Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions, so…
Let’s take a look at Adam Audio’s H200; a closed-back reference/monitoring headphone made for the studio.
We’ll discuss build, comfort, sound, amplification needs, isolation, recording/tracking, and more.
When you finish reading this review, you’ll know if they’re right for you. If they aren’t, I’ll point you in the direction of something that is.
Deal?
Cool.
Let’s dive in.
All specs, box contents, and pricing towards the end!
Build & Comfort
Weighing 0.25kg (around 0.5 lbs.), the Orthodox passive H200 is small and compact but feels rather sturdy.
The 40mm moving coil drivers contain a diaphragm made out of PEEK (polyether ether ketone) which supposedly offers a balance of rigidity, lightweight, and temperature stability.
Boasting ABS plastic, anodized aluminum yokes, and replaceable memory foam with a faux leather encasing, the H200 seems incredibly robust for the price point despite its light stature.
These yokes feel great to adjust and will accommodate most fat heads. That said, if you have a dome the size of Ed Bighead, you’re probably SOL.
The cups fold a little north to south and slightly east to west; enough to get a great fit on your melon. R & L indicators also appear inside each cup allowing you to quickly and easily situate them on your noggin.
Given their small appearance, you may be surprised to find that they don’t fold. That said, the beautiful drawstring carrying bag makes up for this and they remain rather portable regardless. I wouldn’t have any qualms carrying these around with me, but the cable is rather long (10 feet!) and slightly annoying.
The clamping force is pretty snug upon first listen, but I haven’t found them uncomfortable yet.
The oval-shaped ear cups are just wide and long enough to perfectly envelop most auricle sizes, and the padding feels nice on your head.
I don’t find them digging into the top of my skull either.
The headphones stretch decently well, but I’m not too comfortable testing their limits just yet. I imagine these will open up nicely over time while remaining snug like a bug in a rug; much like an HD600.
Rounding out the build are dual-sided terminations; meaning, you can plug the 3m long, straight 2.5mm cable into whichever side you prefer.
It snaps nicely into place and is easy to pull out.
Sound
- Main Playlist: Here
- Hip-Hop 101: Here
- My Belle: Here
- All Playlists: Here
- Amps/DACs Used: Universal Audio Volt 2, FiiO K11.
Designed by their Berlin-based R&D team, the H200 utilizes Adam Audio’s S3V as the benchmark for tonality, and boy howdy it was a fine decision.
The S3V’s frequency response looks a lot like my HS7’s, and those are some of the best mid-priced monitors you can buy.
- Required Reading: What are Studio Monitors?
Bass
If you’re familiar with this blog, you’ll know I have a zero-tolerance policy for bloated low-end trash and/or boosting 200-300Hz into oblivion.
It’s not how you tune bass and I won’t stop saying it until I’m dead and buried. And even then I’ll say it.
Thankfully, the H200 avoids these pitfalls while not muddying up crucial regions, instead opting for a mostly neutral response across the board and some subtle emphasis in the all-important 60-90Hz area; i.e. the most relevant information of the low end.
Because I’m a producer who’s been EQ’ing beats for many years, the bass is the first thing I notice in a headphone, and I can tell within 5 seconds if it was done right.
The H200 was done right like Vinny’s Steakhouse, so just grab a side of fries and you’re golden.
In all seriousness, Adam’s patent-pending internal airflow system within the cups is said to help control this low-end response, and I’m pretty damn sure it does considering how clear and articulate bass notes sound.
In fact, you may be slightly puzzled when listening to music because it sounds a bit foreign; as if you’re getting a true glimpse into what the artist was doing.
This was apparent in Chuck Strangers’ “Ali’s Roti Shop” among others. This can be both a good and bad thing as it kind of separates good mixdowns from poor ones.
So, the bass has impact but never sounds bloated or cheap, but it’s also incredibly revealing; a hallmark trait of the headphones’ overall sound as well.
In other words, the H200 has exemplary resolution for the price point, matching pound-for-pound FiiO’s FT1 which also sits at a similar price of around $150.
You’ll start to notice subtle sounds and instruments in the background that evoke a sense of realism and make the listening experience enjoyable.
Mid-Range, Treble, Resolution
Speaking of resolution, the mid-range is handled very well too. Female vocals on Oh Wonder’s “365” sound natural and ever so slightly forward which is great for minimizing fatigue over longer listening sessions.
On King Princess’ “Cheap Queen” the release of her voice around 1:04 when she says “That’s good love” sounds exceptional; showcasing a sense of intimacy that helps to engage the listener.
Treble is definitely not bright or sibilant, and to be honest, could use a bit of sparkle.
This is one of the only minor problem spots, but it’s kind of a nitpick.
Hats, cymbals, and other treble information sounds true and correct, but there’s a sense that it could be more energetic or lively. Still, because these are headphones meant for recording and tracking, I don’t have a problem with it as fatigue will be kept to a minimum.
Isolation
Speaking of recording and tracking, isolation here is phenomenal and they’re going to work incredibly well for recording rap vocals/tracking instruments, etc.
The closed nature of the H200 coupled with its great isolation ensures you won’t have to worry about bleed and the audio from your recording seeping into the mix. Time will tell whether I prefer the H200 or FT1 for rap, but I will update this article as I record more tracks.
Soundstage
Soundstage is about average and probably slightly below.
In many ways, these remind me of an HD600 due to their narrow imaging and somewhat closed-in sound. This is to be expected to some degree, but the FT1 is much better in this regard and sounds somewhat significantly more open.
Still, the H200 at 32Ω Impedance and 97.5dB Sensitivity isn’t hard to drive and works well out of pretty much anything. I used them with a FiiO K11 and Universal Audio Volt 2.
Software
Perhaps more interesting, and something I’ve never seen bundled with headphones, is a plugin providing customization options to suit individual sound preferences.
Click here to download it.
This plugin offers voicing modes including “Pure” which is simply a flat setting option ideal for mixing, mastering, and critical listening applications. This would be great for say, mixing beats or something.
“UNR” (Uniform Natural Response) modeled after the AX series, is a dynamic and natural sounding response curve. Great for production, composition, and songwriting, its engaging and present sound allows for flow and creativity but also works well for simply enjoying music.
Gain Compensation
The Earpad Selector adjusts frequencies to maintain a consistent sound signature, regardless of the earpad used. Because human hearing is more sensitive to certain frequency changes, equalization can create false perceptions of overall sound. Gain compensation corrects this by keeping the perceived output level stable, ensuring a balanced listening experience.
Equal Loudness
The Fletcher-Munson curves show that our ears perceive low and high frequencies differently at varying volumes.
As the Earpad Selector adjusts these bands, the Equal Loudness setting helps maintain a natural sense of volume, preventing inaccurate mix decisions.
Safe Mode works similarly but only reduces gain to avoid potential clipping at high monitoring levels. If gain compensation isn’t needed, turning it off keeps the Earpad Selector’s EQ active while bypassing any level adjustments.
Externalization, Crossfeed, and Disable During Render
Headphones create an unnatural stereo image since each ear only hears its respective channel, unlike loudspeakers, where sound naturally blends.
Externalization uses crossfeed techniques to simulate a more realistic stereo experience, making it easier to transition between headphones and speakers.
However, since this processing is meant for monitoring, it should be disabled during rendering to ensure an accurate final mix.
Video
Final Verdict
Adam Audio’s H200 is an incredibly well-built, comfortable headphone with a neutral response and excellent overall tuning.
With superb resolution at the price point and outstanding isolation, it will undoubtedly find its way into my main headphones for recording rap and presents a magnificent value proposition.
Adam Audio H200
Price: Check Amazon | Check Sweetwater | Check Adam Audio
In The Box
Adam Professional Audio H200 Over-Ear Closed-Back Headphones
Straight 3.5mm Headphone Cable (10′)
3.5mm to 1/4″ TRS Screw-On Plug Adapter
Soft Carry Case
Limited 2-Year Manufacturer Warranty
Specifications
- Design: Closed Back, Circumaural Dynamic Headphone
- Foldable: No
- Detachable Cable: Yes
- Replaceable Ear Pads: Yes
- Replaceable Headband Pad: Yes
- Ear Cup Material: PC-ABS (85% Recycled)
- Ear Pad Material: Memory Foam with artificial leather
- Cable Entry: Left or right side with collar resistance lock
- Ear Cup Connectivity: 2.5mm (1/10″) TRS jack plugs
- Source Connectivity: 3.5mm (1/8″) TRS jack plug (straight), adapter for 6.3mm (1/4″)
- Sensitivity: 1kHz/1Vrms, 1kHz/1mW: @1Vrms = 112.5dB SPL, @1 mW = 97.5dB SPL
- Max Input Power Handling: 30mW (0.98V)
- Continuous Input Power Handling: 20mW (0.8V)
- Operating Conditions: -30° C to +50° C (-22° F to + 122° F); <85% RH, non-condensing
- Weight (excluding cable): 0.25kg
- Warranty: 2 years
- Delivery Contents: H200 headphone, 3m straight cable, soft carry bag
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Adam Audio H200 Review and came away with some valuable insight.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
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Is the H200 a superb value proposition? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
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