Phiaton PS200

Frequency Response (4.63)

UPDATE: We originally wrote this section using incorrect numbers, which were lower than the PS200’s actual results. The responsible parties were made to sit in the corner and wear a large, conical hat. This error not only applies to this section, but also the comparison sections.

The PS200’s frequency response was ever-so-slightly better than average. The bass got a good level of emphasis without being boomy. The response trends downward as it approaches the middle frequencies, falling slightly below our limits. This means vocals or other mid-range sounds might not get the emphasis they deserve. The sudden boost at around 7kHz is likely to make drums sound a bit more crisp (7kHz is around where the attack of a snare drum is, where ‘attack’ is probably more easily recognized as ’that initial sound of impact between the drum stick and the drum).

The main problem area is that dip in the middle of the graph. The reason it’s a problem isn’t necessarily because it goes below the bottom limit – it falls about 3dB below the limit, which isn’t a large margin – but rather due to the fairly sudden shift in emphasis. An instrument that uses those frequencies might sound a bit strange. Otherwise, however, the PS200s response wasn’t bad.

Click here for more information on our frequency response test.

Distortion (4.10)

The Phiaton PS200s had slightly less than average audio quality. There is distortion at virtually every level until the very, very high end, but at no point does the graph stray far above 1%. The level at which distortion gets ‘bad’ is 3%. This is the point at which most people would think distortion is obvious. We routinely see headphones that straddle the zero line, which have, for human earing, no distortion. While the PS200s have very little distortion, is does not have a negligible amount. We’d say these heapdhones are perfectly fine for the average consumer, but people who are particularly picky tay well below that line, which means most people won’t be able to notice the distortion levels.

Click here for more information on our frequency response test.

Tracking (8.26)

The PS200s’ tracking wasn’t atrociously off. They seem to be slightly louder in the right channel than in the left. This could be fixed with positioning, potentially; the difference is a not-terribly-noticeable 4dB louder in one channel. This is at its worst in the low end, and then gradually increases back to a nominal level, at which point it scribbles out. Take this scribble with a grain of salt: it isn’t 100% accurate since our testing equipment can’t measure these decibel levels with 100% accuracy. The reason we didn’t just chop it off the graph is because you can judge the trend using them. It looks like, in the high end, the decibel level goes towards the left channel even more, overall.

The differences between the channels is never significantly more than 4dB, which isn’t so bad it’d annoy you. If you were to look at this graph to the right, you should know that the headphones are not perfect, but, unless you’re particularly finnicky, they’re good enough.

Click here for more information on our frequency response test.