With so many brands and models out there, selecting a pair of over-ear headphones is a challenge. Priced just under $200, the Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro is an affordable pair of headphones at producing quality audio. These over-ear headphones are engineered with 40mm drivers designed to deliver up to 35 kHz of audio reproduction. So without further delay, let’s take a closer look in this Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Plus review.
Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Plus Headphones
• Creative, modular design
• Solid construction, flexible, yet sturdy
• Very comfortable fit
• Cancels noise very well w/o advertising it
• No wireless capabilities
• Only two color patterns available: Black & White
• Price of $200 may be too high against current competition
Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Plus Review
Custom One Pro Plus Design and Features
The Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro headset has a modular design. By this I mean the vegan leather headband and ear pads, as well as the PVC covers and rings, are removable and replaceable. In the event of an accident where the headband gets torn or a plastic ring cracks, the headset can be salvaged with replacement parts. And if you know anything about 3-D printing and painting, I bet you could make replacement covers of your design. This creative task may be something worth trying.
The vegan leather headband and ear pads are very comfortable, the former so much so that I usually don’t feel that it’s there. The headband pressure of 3.5 Newtons and the use of some form of memory foam have something to do with this high level of comfort. It feels rather nice and holds firm on my semi-bald head.
You don’t need to worry about which headphone is left or right even though they’re labeled. Feel free to wear the headset backward; I often do depending on which pocket my mobile phone is in. There’s nothing unique about the yoke design, and that’s okay. I’ve seen this tried-and-true design on a number of headsets, with more likely to come. The yokes can twist roughly 10° with the cups rotating up and down approximately 45°.
The Custom One Pro can fit a wide range of head frames with its nine adjustable positions. Placement of the “variable bass reflex system” is spot on and easy to adjust with your thumb. Each adjustment adds an extra level of bass for a customizable listening experience.
Before I forget, the “Plus” in Custom One Pro Plus refers to the 16 sets of PVC covers included in the packaging. Keep the shipped covers on or replace them with another pair of your liking. An Allen Wrench is provided, so you don’t have to go looking for one. The overall construction is well executed and assures high quality. The left earphone includes a port for the audio cable.
The Custom One Pro Plus headphones are available in two colors: black and white. Should additional colors be introduced down the road, this post will be updated.
What’s In The Box?
• 16 Design Covers
• User Manual
• 3.5 mm, 1.5 Meter Audio Cable
• 3.5 mm, 1.3 Meter Audio Cable w/1-Button Control & Microphone
Specifications
• Maximum Sound Pressure Level: 116 dB
• Headphone Frequency Response: 5 – 35,000 Hz
• Power Handling Capacity: 100 mW
• Impedance: 16 Ω
• Transducer Type: Dynamic
• Total Harmonic Distortion: < 0.2%
• Ambient Noise Attenuation: ~ 18 dBA
• Headband Pressure: 3.5 N
• Size: 5″ x 10″ x 6″
• Weight: 290 Grams w/o Cable
• Connectors: 3.5 mm and 6.35 mm included
Amazon Music Playlist
• Lana Del Rey – Paradise
• Lorde – Pure Heroine
• The Prodigy – Invaders Must Die
• John Coltrane – The Ultimate Blue Train
• Zedd – Clarity
• Mumford & Sons – Babel, Sigh No More
• The Black Keys – El Camino
• 30 Seconds To Mars – 30 Seconds To Mars
Audio Performance
I repeat this time and time again when reviewing headphones; the most important performance factor is the quality of sound. The Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro over-ear headphones were tested across a broad range of music using the playlist listed above. Songs within each album were sampled on comparable $150-$250 headphones selected from the collection, and results were noted. When you’re testing headphones with 40mm drivers and a frequency response of 5 Hz – 35 kHz, you expect quality sound.
When you’ve got headphones with a “variable bass reflex system,” you expect terrific bass. After all, it’s arguably the main selling feature. Well, I’m here to report that you won’t be disappointed with the low-frequency spectrum; I certainly wasn’t.
Bass was impressive up to the highest volume setting and distortion-free throughout the high majority of the playlist above. There’s one exception, and I’ve heard it with numerous headphones. The large marching band drum sound on Night Visions lead track Radioactive is tricky. While these sounds were reproduced better on the Custom One Pro than my other $200 headphones, it’s not quite where I believe it should be.
Jazz instrumental, as well as lead and rhythm rock guitar sounds came out quite well. I enjoyed listening to John Coltrane, Mumford & Sons, and The Black Keys the most with the Custom One Pro.
Vocals were clear, but when compared to the bass, a bit on the soft side for my taste. The vocal reproduction of the 3 L’s (Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga, and Lorde) sounded good but could have used more oomph.
The overall audio from the Custom One Pro was decent. If you ever see these headphones at a listening station, give them a 10-15 minute try out.
Other Things I Noticed
Now, I wouldn’t be much of a reviewer if I didn’t find some fault(s) with the Custom One Pro. The feature I disliked the most is the one the headphones are missing, and that’s wireless capability. Oh, how I wish these headphones were Bluetooth capable. Had they been so, then there would be more on-headphone controls. Here’s to hoping for an updated headphone, maybe something called Custom Two Pro.
These headphones have excellent external noise isolation better known as active noise cancellation. The odd thing is that Beyerdynamic doesn’t market this product with this feature. Let’s say you want a quieter home, then put on these headphones and ignore your surroundings and everyone who lives within.
With a frequency response up to 35,000 Hz, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Custom One Pro was capable of playing high-resolution audio. If you’ve got this headphone and a Hi-Res audio player, it’s time for an experiment.
Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Plus Headphones with Customized Covers
This headset is well suited for use on an airplane, more so on those long-haul flights. Plug it into the infotainment system, recline, and enjoy the ride.
While you may want more volume, and many of us do, listening to music at the highest settings is counterproductive and can lead to hearing problems, so be mindful.
Conclusion
In my testing, the Custom One Pro Plus headphones performed well, but I would have liked more bang for the buck. It delivers clear vocals and strong bass at the highest volume setting. The adjustable bass feature is a big plus for those of us who listen to bass-heavy music. Also, the headset blocks external noise quite well, and it’s not even advertised as active noise canceling.
This sound isolation from your surroundings is excellent. I couldn’t hear a computer speaker that was directly in front of me while listening to music. The same goes for television in an adjacent room.
The headphones are exceedingly comfortable even after a handful of hours of continuous listening. At a few years old, the Custom One Pro Plus are still among the best wired headphones of 2017. Unfortunately, they are priced a bit high against the current competition. With wireless choices and newer models available, I feel this headset is better suited at a list price of $150.
These aren’t sport headphones, so I don’t recommend them for any aerobic activity beyond walking. From first-hand experience, there’s no issue when used during weight training, but this means you would need your phone beside you at all times. Ears do feel a little warm and sweaty when worn for an extended duration, especially under sunny, outdoor conditions.
What do you think of this Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Plus review? Do you agree or disagree with our verdict? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.
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Don’t hesitate to head over to the Beyerdynamic’s Press Page to see their latest announcements. The Custom One Pro Plus headphones come with a two-year limited end-user warranty.
FTC Disclosure: Beyerdynamic provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Custom One Pro Plus headphones sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.
All photographs are the copyrighted property of Beantown LLC © 2017.
The overall construction is well executed and assures high quality. The headphones include a port for wired audio and another for charging.
At the top rear, there’s a discrete pocket. If you want to hide those items that’ll make you most upset if lost or stolen (identification cards, wallet, passport, etc.), then I suggest this is the place to hide them in. For full disclosure, I had some difficulty fully opening this rear zipper as it kept interfering with the shoulder strap. The solution to this issue is rotating the bag forward on its side. Now you’ve got unfettered access to the discrete pocket. Finally, there’s the wrap around zipper which gets into the interior of the sling pack. As stated in the Arcus review, “the zippers and straps are of high-quality, and the stitching is put together well.”
All five color patterns of the Urbana bag are available for purchase on either Amazon (see link below), B&H, or the Moshi website.
Inside the full-length rear compartment is a pocket for business cards, larger documents, and files, as well as a strap w/carabiner for your keys. I’ve seen this carabiner feature on other bags and found it most useful. Just above/below this rear zipper is padded top handle and the rear trolley strap for transport on rolling luggage, respectively.
Flipping the messenger flap over, you’ll notice another zippered compartment as well as a hidden one. Are two pockets needed here? In my opinion ‘No,’ but the addition of the hidden pocket adds to the character of the bag, and an overall better look. Still, these compartments aren’t what’s best here. This is reserved for the discrete locking hardware. Without the hidden locks, the Aerio messenger bag would be more ordinary and less modern looking.
What do you think of this Moshi Aerio messenger bag review? Do you agree or disagree that this is one of the best messengers bags for men or women since its introduction at the end of 2015? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.
But I also have to look at this comparison through a fashion lens. As Moshi is a premium product brand, I need to compare their product(s) against those from Kelly Moore, ONA Bags, and VINTA, just to name a few. So not only am I reviewing a camera backpack against those from (what I refer to as) mass-produced, non-stylish brands, but also those from the smaller, more fashionable brands.
Entry into this compartment is through a hidden zipper above the main strap. Tucked away inside is a tan-colored vegan leather strap. All four vegan leather straps are accented with brown zippers. The Arcus backpack has four more brown zippers and one hidden tan zipper, but these surround metal straps.
There’s one other way into the main compartment, and it’s through a side-zipper. It’s what you typically see on today’s photography backpacks. More on this below.
Like any other backpack, there are two sides. One side contains two adjustable straps, the lower of which has a pocket for the holding the largest of water bottles. Better yet, you can slide something like an umbrella or tripod through and have your drink container snug.
The Arcus camera insert weighs 11.64 oz and has dimensions of 10.63″ x 4.33″ x 10.04″.