Firstly I would like to thank Alex Hyland for loaning me this pair of Saturn One headphones.
*disclaimer: This sample was provided on loan for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings
Gear Used:
Yulong DA10 > Saturn One
Audio Opus #2 > Saturn One
https://www.hylandheadphones.com/
Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The Saturn One are built by Alex by hand, he doesn’t have fancy retail packaging but instead his headphones come delivered in a wooden display box with the company logo etched on the lid. This to me is a superb way of protecting the headphones along with giving a premium feel to the whole package when you get them.
These are DIY headphones, and they feel great to be honest. The cups are really well finished and the mesh is expertly tucked in. The headband has a really nice leather pad, and the aluminium gimbals are functional and sturdy. The cups have mono 2.5mm jack sockets on them and the cable is braided but a little on the thicker side. These are a unique and well designed headphone, with generic grado G-cush pads.
Accessory wise they don’t really come with anything apart from the lovely storage case. But to be fair, they really don’t need anything else.
Comfort:
The Saturn One are extremely lightweight and use generic grado-like G-Cush pads which are comfortable for long periods of time depending on your preferences. The cable is a little on the stiffer side, but I haven’t found this to affect the comfort.
Sound:
Lows: The lows on the Saturn One are punchy yet well balanced, there is good impact with toms but kick drums can be a little light from time to time. Articulation is a strong point and bass lines are nice and easy to follow. These are not bass light they just stick to a more neutral quantity which allows finer detail to shine through. The great thing here is that the lows can come out when called for but never overshadow the overall balance of the sound.
Midrange: Here we have an open and detailed midrange with great tonality that neither leans towards being too warm or too cool. Layering is fairly impressive but the centre image is not always the most focused. These have a bit more of a spacious sound, that is great for positioning but sometimes they lose a little focus. Overall there is a good amount of air and detail in the midrange, and the tonality is what stands out here. Amy Lee’s vocals are pitch perfect during My Immortal by Evanescence.
Highs: Here we have a crisp and clean top end that never becomes grating or fatiguing. It has the ability to extend well and fade gently without rolling off too sharply. There is good energy up top but all in good quantities to reduce fatigue. I can’t really fault the top end, except perhaps they have a tiny bit of graininess.
The separation is great as is the soundstaging capabilities with both good width and height yet still retaining a fairly energetic and up-front sound. One thing that is done very well is PRAT, they manage to keep up with anything that you throw at them.
Conclusion:
The Saturn One are a really great looking headphone, they have a quirky DIY feel that makes them very appealing. But looks are not everything with these headphones, as the sound quality is just purely enjoyable. With a great balanced between the frequencies, nothing is too sharp or edgy, yet they are not bloated or uncontrolled either. They have an engaging yet also tonally balanced sound that is really fun to listen to. Each pair are unique, and I can easily recommend these to someone looking for something a little different.
Sound Perfection Rating: 8/10 (A solid headphone, one that is both unique and really enjoyable)