Mitchell and Johnson – JP1 DJ Headphone Review
Mitchell & Johnson - JP1
GBP599
Pros
- Fun effortless signature. Electrostatic sound without specialised amp required
- Intimate forward vocals
- Easy to drive
Cons
- Transparency could be more precise
- Swiveling of cups could be a little less stiff
- Stock cable kinks
Sound Signature:
As always the most important part of any headphone review is the sound signature.
Prior to this assessment we used 200 hours of burn-in for these headphones.
The over the ear design and soft earcups add to the comfort when wearing these. You have the option to change these as the size is pretty standard, so you have a number of other aftermarket options if you have a different preference for comfort.
The JP1 headphones feel fairly light and provide a very accessible fit. At first the fit felt a little tight and compressed but over time has flexed a little and now feels a lot less tight
Now we have a great fit, let us go through the familiar band of frequency ranges that all us portable audio fans are interested in.
Event though the tuning of these shares a number of similarities with the MJ2 model there are clear differences.
The bass is not neutral tuned like the MJ2s and has an elevated focus. Giving the bass a well textured and smooth presence especially in the lower regions. Attack tuning is strong and harder edged sounds are handled with well balanced controlled transitions. No bleeding of bass into the midrange occurs, infact control is eased off to give focus to the mids ensuring the signature retains it’s coherence. With faster electronic/dance music the bass is impactful and keeps tight and punchy as expected for a DJ tuned headphone. It is not an overly dominant element amongst the frequencies but does have a raised focus with a smooth and natural rounded characteristic. The deepness is handled well without heavy masking for the other frequency layers. I have no complaints about this area of tuning and I’m sure it will have ideal strength and energy for a lot of listeners out there.
Sound stage presence is relatively wide and engaging, it is inline with the rest of the signature, working well for balance across many musical genres.
The lower and core midrange has a warm general character with enough body where needed. Bass does not cloud this region and results in the forward vocals being clearer and having a welcome natural emotional aspect conveyed.
Uppermids again are smooth and sensitivity in this area is kept under control. As mentioned earlier vocals are a little forward, drawing in the listeners focus while staying close and intimate. At no time does this sound fatiguing or thin when paired with a good synergy source. In this instance the QLS360 (mod version) dap.
Treble feels less of a focus on these however that does not mean that it is heavily recessed. Cymbals and other quick decaying live percussive instruments are natural sounding but without harshness. The clarity is well balanced but in no way overly analytical, musicality is certainly retained.
Again we at earphonia.com definitely enjoy the versatile sound signature tuning of the JP1 earphones and congratulate Mitchell & Johnson for bringing the electrostat experience and making it accessible to an audience that previously may have been priced out.
We look forward to other interesting product releases in future.
