Philips SHP9500 vs Thinksound ov21

Short answer: the Philips SHP9500. It ranks #80 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.9/5, at $94.99; the Thinksound ov21 ranks #93, rated 3.8/5, and costs $97, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.

The case for the Philips SHP9500: A preference score of 80 and a deviation of only 2.2 dB make the open back response smooth for the money, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz and the lower mids within half a dB of target. The tradeoff: Sub-bass is about 9 dB below target under 60 Hz, so electronic and cinematic bass lacks rumble and slam.

Why pick the Thinksound ov21: Sub-bass under 60 Hz sits about 4 dB above the Harman target and the 60 to 200 Hz bass about 2 dB above, so kick drums and bass lines have real weight and rumble. Watch for: A dip of about 6 dB near 7 kHz followed by a 5 dB peak near 12 kHz leaves cymbals and sibilance uneven, dull in one place and glassy in another.

Buy the Philips SHP9500. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Thinksound ov21 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.

Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.

Specifications Side By Side

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Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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The Two Headphones In Full

Philips SHP9500: $94.99 Amazon eBay

Pros: A preference score of 80 and a deviation of only 2.2 dB make the open back response smooth for the money, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz and the lower mids within half a dB of target. It is very easy to drive at 32 ohms and 101 dB sensitivity, so a phone runs it fine, and it weighs just 320 g. It costs far less than most headphones with a comparable score.

Cons: Sub-bass is about 9 dB below target under 60 Hz, so electronic and cinematic bass lacks rumble and slam. Presence is lifted about 2.3 dB, and a 6.7 dB peak near 6.2 kHz followed by a 4 dB dip near 7.7 kHz adds some edge to vocals and cymbals. The open back leaks sound and gives no isolation.

Full Philips SHP9500 review and specifications →

Back	Open
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.17 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 50mm dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	12Hz - 35kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	80 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	32 ohms
Sensitivity	101 dB
Sub-bass Extension	Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-10.3 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	+0.47 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0.7 lbs (320 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+6.5 dB	0.70
Peak	5,734 Hz	-5.7 dB	2.84
Peak	110 Hz	-3.0 dB	0.81
Peak	2,130 Hz	+3.7 dB	2.76
Peak	412 Hz	+1.0 dB	1.39
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-2.4 dB	0.70
Peak	1,113 Hz	-0.6 dB	2.07
Peak	7,370 Hz	+2.1 dB	5.98
Peak	4,477 Hz	-1.7 dB	6.00
Peak	3,566 Hz	+1.3 dB	6.00

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Philips SHP9500 (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Philips SHP9500 vs Audio-Technica ATH-M40x
  • Philips SHP9500 vs Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
  • Philips SHP9500 vs Yamaha RH5Ma
  • Philips SHP9500 vs Sony MDR-ZX310
  • Philips SHP9500 vs Mackie MC-250
  • Philips SHP9500 vs Tanchjim Rita

Thinksound ov21: $97.00 Amazon eBay

Pros: Sub-bass under 60 Hz sits about 4 dB above the Harman target and the 60 to 200 Hz bass about 2 dB above, so kick drums and bass lines have real weight and rumble. At 50 ohms and 99 dB/mW it runs loudly from a phone or laptop without an amp. The closed back isolates from room noise, and an inline microphone allows calls.

Cons: A dip of about 6 dB near 7 kHz followed by a 5 dB peak near 12 kHz leaves cymbals and sibilance uneven, dull in one place and glassy in another. Low mids are about 2.5 dB under target, which thins male vocals and guitar body. At 453 g it is the heaviest of its closest rivals, and the Audio-Technica ATH-M40x holds a higher rating at a similar price.

Full Thinksound ov21 review and specifications →

Released	Nov 2021 (4 years ago)
Back	Closed
Built-in Microphone	Yes
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.79 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 45mm dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	5Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	50 ohms
Sensitivity	99 dB/mW
Sub-bass Extension	Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+6.0 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	-0.12 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	1 lbs (453 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -4.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	-4.2 dB	0.70
Peak	241 Hz	+5.0 dB	0.79
Peak	122 Hz	-4.5 dB	1.90
Peak	2,933 Hz	-4.2 dB	1.60
Peak	5,637 Hz	-4.4 dB	5.53
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-7.2 dB	0.70
Peak	8,185 Hz	+3.2 dB	2.20
Peak	1,045 Hz	-1.7 dB	2.30
Peak	57 Hz	+1.3 dB	3.71
Peak	498 Hz	+0.8 dB	2.38

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Thinksound ov21 (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Thinksound ov21 vs Audio-Technica ATH-M40x
  • Thinksound ov21 vs Tanchjim Rita