KLH Ultimate One Review: Premium Headphones With Powerful Bass and Detailed Sound
KLH Ultimate One Review: Premium Headphones With Powerful Bass and Detailed Sound
Explore the KLH Ultimate One premium headphones for a smooth, detailed listening experience with robust bass and exceptional build quality.
Introduction: Meet the KLH Ultimate One
The KLH Ultimate One headphones are high-end, open-back headphones priced around $400, positioning them against rivals like Sendy Audio Apollo ($500), Sennheiser HD660S ($500), and Avantone Pro Planar ($450).
Shopping for these at Hifi Expert (who offer them for this competitive price) was a pleasure. Note: I have no affiliation with Hifi Expert or KLH and received no compensation for this review. All opinions are purely my own to help you decide if these headphones could be your perfect music companion.
Unboxing and Packaging
Let’s kick things off with the packaging. The KLH Ultimate One arrives in a premium package that reflects the high-quality product inside. You get:
- A sturdy carrying case
- A soft transport pouch
- A flexible, durable cable
The overall presentation screams luxury, setting the tone for the experience ahead.
Build Quality, Aesthetics, and Comfort
The Ultimate One headphones blend wood and plastic with metal accents that support the ear cups and adjustment mechanism, showcasing an elegant and robust design. The adjustment system is smooth and satisfying, and the detachable cable connects through a 3.5mm stereo 3-pin jack at the bottom of the left ear cup.
The cable is impressively long, terminating in a 3.5mm unbalanced jack protected by a spring to prevent bending. It supports a 3.5mm to 6.3mm adapter for use with larger equipment. Its braided textile sheath and pure silver conductors ensure longevity and flexibility without transmitting microphonics.
These headphones sport large 50mm pure beryllium drivers, with premium lambskin leather on the headband and ear pads. The cups are crafted from zebrawood, enhancing ultimate acoustic integrity. Weighing just 340 grams, these headphones feel solid yet light.
Specs include a 32-ohm impedance and 97 dB sensitivity, indicating they require decent power for optimal performance. Comfort-wise, the ear pads are slightly small for larger ears, providing more of an on-ear rather than over-ear fit. Yet after 10-20 minutes, the pads soften, boosting comfort.
As fully open-back headphones, they don’t isolate sound — sound leakage is moderate, audible to others nearby at higher volumes but subtle at moderate levels. They effectively block keyboard sounds at low volumes. Leakage is less than HIFIMAN Deva PRO, but more than Beyerdynamic Amiron.
Sound Quality: Rich, Smooth, and Dynamic
To drive the KLH Ultimate One, I used top-tier sources like Astell & Kern SE180, iBasso DX240, Cyrus One Cast, Dethonray DTR1+, and Lotoo PAW 6000. They are somewhat quiet across the board but reveal minimal background noise. Even budget players like FiiO M11 PRO and Hifi Walker H2 deliver decent sound.
Volume settings hover around 70% for normal listening and up to 85% for loud sessions. These headphones crave power to unleash their full potential, thanks to their massive beryllium drivers.
The sound signature is rich, smooth, flowing, dense, and very well-separated. Vocals feel upfront, with soft highs and a wealth of dynamics and detail. Initially, the sound seems a bit dark with heavy lower mids and bass, but that impression fades quickly as you notice the intricate detail and musicality.
At higher volumes, these headphones truly shine: dynamic, punchy, and vibrant. The bass is the star—deep, bold, and articulate, delivering both rumble and springiness with remarkable nuance.
The KLH Ultimate One excels in rock, metal, EDM, jazz, and classical genres, providing a full, immersive sound. Tracks like Apashe’s “Witch” resonate with deep, thumping bass that you can feel physically—a feat rare among competitors, many of which only produce a hollow vibration.
They have excellent bass extension, capable of reaching down to 20 Hz when driven hard. Their bass is natural and fast, suited for rhythmic music, and behaves like a high-end subwoofer—powerful yet clean, avoiding distortion even on bass-heavy tracks.
Midrange frequencies are musical, dense, relaxed, and full-bodied. I found myself gradually increasing volume because they handle power without distortion or fatigue. Mid frequencies are smooth and detailed, with a touch of thickness in the lower mids but sweet high mids perfect for expressive instruments and vocals.
These headphones rank among the best I’ve heard for instrument separation and stereo imaging—each instrument is well defined and spatially distinct, thanks to a wide dynamic range.
High frequencies are smooth, silky, and gentle, avoiding harshness. They can sparkle when needed but generally stay recessed behind mids and bass, lending airiness and a wide soundstage—more depth than width in the soundstage.
Comparisons With Competitors
- KLH Ultimate One vs Sennheiser HD660S ($400 vs $500): KLH offers a more pleasant, relaxed sound with deeper, smoother bass. Comfort also favors the KLH due to less tight ear pads and headband. The Ultimate One is darker and denser, while HD660S sound brighter and can be fatiguing. Overall, KLH wins for bass lovers seeking detailed, musical sound and comfort.
- KLH Ultimate One vs Avantone Pro Planar ($400 vs $450): Pro Planar offers larger ear pads and an industrial look. Soundwise, Pro Planar is drier and tighter, revealing more detail in upper mids and highs. KLH is smoother with better sub-bass and instrument separation. KLH suits casual listening, while Avantone is great for mixing/mastering.
- KLH Ultimate One vs Sendy Audio Apollo ($400 vs $500): Apollo is more comfortable with bigger, softer pads, important for larger ears. Both have excellent build quality. KLH are more portable with a flatter case. Sonically, both are smooth and musical, but KLH deliver bolder, punchier bass, whereas Apollo is softer and creamier. KLH is ideal for bass enthusiasts craving power and emotion.
Value and Final Thoughts
Hifi Expert and KLH have crafted headphones that might feel a tad tight due to pad size but provide one of the most satisfying bass-heavy open-back experiences I’ve had. They do so without sacrificing technical prowess—resolution, clarity, detail, and instrument separation are outstanding.
The KLH Ultimate One merges beryllium driver precision with a dynamic, powerful sound and smooth treble to create an exciting and immersive listening experience suited to rock, metal, rap, pop, electronic, and more.
Before wrapping up, these headphones deserve a spot in the audiophile hall of fame for their engaging, robust, and detailed sound.
If you want heavy, satisfying, rich, smooth headphones with excellent detail, build quality, powerful bass, musical mids, and soft highs with a decent soundstage, the KLH Ultimate One are a perfect fit. With the included carrying case and silver single-sided cable, they cater universally to all music lovers, no matter your favorite genre.
“KLH Ultimate One combine all the benefits of beryllium drivers with a heavy, dynamic delivery and smooth highs, creating some of the most exciting headphones ever made.” – Reviewer
FAQs
- What is the impedance of KLH Ultimate One?
The headphones have an impedance of 32 ohms, which is typical but means they work best with a powerful amplifier. - Are KLH Ultimate One good for bass lovers?
Absolutely! They feature strong, detailed, and deep bass that impresses across genres. - How comfortable are the KLH Ultimate One headphones?
They are generally comfortable but can feel a bit tight on larger ears until the ear pads soften after some use. - Can these headphones be used outdoors?
Due to their open-back design, they leak sound and don’t isolate noise well, so they’re better suited for quiet indoor environments. - What music genres suit the KLH Ultimate One best?
These headphones excel in rock, metal, EDM, jazz, and classical music due to their powerful and dynamic sound signature.
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