Mitchell and Johnson GL2 Portable Electrostatic Headphones

Look very nice but not very comfortable and the sound quality while pretty good is NOT as smooth and well balanced as good planar magnetic phones or full electrostatic phones. I was expecting better.

Functionally amazing. Amped by the FIIO E10k mids are almost overbearing depending on the music, but overall the sound is killer.Unfortunately the clear coat on one of the ear cups has already bubbled [less than 2 months of ownership in a climate controlled house] and the underside of the right ear cup looks absolutely horrible. I can live with the aesthetics, I suppose, but for the price I guess I expected a little bit better construction.

One of the best most-portable and comfortable headphones I've ever tried! The sound quality of these special electrostatic drivers is fantastic! Very detail-revealing and crystal clear!!I ended up choosing the Beyerdynamic DT-1770 Pro over these simply b/c of the wider soundstage. IF comfort is an issue for you, you could upgrade to the  BRAINWAVZ Sheepskin Leather Memory Foam Earpad - Suitable for Large Over The Ear Headphones - AKG, HifiMan, ATH, Philips, Fostex , which can be made to fit, and you will get a more comfortable feel + wider soundstage, but then they won't fold-in anymore they say, so that's something to consider as well. Still, it might be worth it to keep them anyway and just get a slight bigger case.

Not as comfortable as I had heard & there was a good 3 weeks or so before the wood settled in & revealed the true tones of the cans.There is roll off @ both ends but the soundstage & imaging are not bad for portable cans. I replaced the earpads with Brainwavz & added padding to the suspension, now I can listen all day without any discomfort. Still not worth the price.

Bought as gift that unfortunately wasn't opened until after the return period. They came out of box with one channel not working. Manufacturer (really, the marketer) website gives zero help--you can register headphones for warranty purposes but no indication is given how one might actually get support. Sound out of the one working side is abysmal--choked treble, almost non-existent bass. A pathetic excuse for headphones. They feature a poor head fit, lightweight construction, and apparently a wire gauge thinner than human hair. If the option were only music through these headphones or never listen to music again, I wouldn't listen to music. Stay far far away.

While the sound quality of the headphones was good, and as expected, there was still a big problem. Within one or two days of using the headphones, the wire started shorting out and cut off the right channel. I ordered a replacement and the same thing happened with the replacement. Sadly, despite the good sound quality, the quality of the wire was not as great.

These headphones get a two star rating because both times I ordered them, the sound went out on one side within a month of owning them. 5 stars for customer service, 1 star for quality. They were comfortable however so if the technical issues are worked out they would be a nice pair of headphones.

Excellently priced electrostatic headphones that have an elegant design and great build qualityBass deepness is not distorted and these retain a delicate soft textured depthInstruments sound natural and have great soundstage placement.Mids are clear and vocals have a welcome natural aspect to them. The precise level of detail on most instruments is pretty impressive.Treble is very pleasant and does not feel harsh, fatiguing or sibilant at all.Overall frequency spectrum cohesion is well balanced.These are quite refined and easy to drive. - Recommended!

The "Mitchell and Johnson MJ2 Over-Ear Headphones" are unusual in that they utilize a rather square wooden enclosure (cherry in this instance), a headband that is partly of metal and well-padded, and a detachable, unusually short 1m-long Y-cable to connect with a portable media player or advanced smartphone; the earphones are clearly labelled L and R on the inside of the mounts but the twin connectors are not labelled and it is irrelevant which connector is plugged into which side although a true stereo image is created. A 3.5 to 6.3 mm adapter as well as an airplane adapter are included. The phones fold for storage thanks to hinges at the lower end of the headband and are fit well within the case.They are extremely comfortable to wear and quite light; they surround the ears and are effective in excluding exterior sounds and almost prevent their own sounds escaping to the exterior. Their quoted impedance is only 32 ohms so the volume with most sources should be sufficient. However, a DAC-headphone amplifier will provide several benefits although incurring additional expense; for audiophile listening, one will be indispensable.Unlike true electrostatics, these are self-powered by using internal transformers to raise the low-level audio voltages to a much higher level; that avoids expensive specialized amplifiers and power units. The short lead is ideal for use outdoors, when travelling or during work breaks although a 1m extension cable will offer more convenience. A longer 2-to-5m extension lead will be needed for less-restricted leisure listening indoors. From later investigation, there was a realisation that there are no available replacements should its cable ever be damaged; a compromise solution is possible without the need to cut and join anything. A small semi-hard case is included and there is room within for its lead and an extension cable; it lacks a carry handle but offers good protection.With past experience by owning entry-level electrostatic headphones (later irreparably damaged during a house removal) and via frequently customizing an audio dealership whose demonstration room featured large electrostatic speakers, there was an expectation of what to expect from these and they deliver that out-of-the-box; their reproduced sound quality is superior to anything at the price-point! As usual, a realistic burn-in period (50+ hours of discontinuous, mid-volume playback employing sessions of about 5 hours each over 10-12 days with as wide a variety of music styles as possible via FM or DAB radio or a computer will improve later listening experience by smoothing any rough performance edges that may initially exist and mellow its results.Although there is little documentation included and zero relevant technical data other than on its packaging, it was learned elsewhere that a very extended frequency range of 6 Hz to 50 KHz is to be expected. While the extremes will not be heard, they will be appreciated by allowing high-order harmonics and sub-bass frequencies to be reproduced. The realism of the original performances is retained and no need for its designers to artificially boost bass or treble ranges.It was only learned post-purchase and when drafting this review that Mitchell & Johnson, a highly respected British brand of premium audio products whose ethos was to use affordable high-end design and technology, ceased trading late 2019 citing real pre-Brexit problems as their reason; recent reports from UK businesses suggest the decision was well-anticipated. These 'phones then retailed at circa £500 and remain on sale in the USA at $499! M&J's phones are unique for their designs but especially their technology. They differ from most brands' often similar designs while also providing an opportunity to appreciate the unique qualities available when using electrostatic sound reproduction while avoiding the typical multi-thousands expenditure normally involved.An opportunity not to be missed while still possible!ADDENDUM - the DP1 model was subsequently purchased; its pricing was only £5 higher (it retailed at £599 in 2017!). Its bass performance is more pronounced and ideal for those whose musical interests lie mostly with pop and other modern genres, possibly also extending to jazz and blues but not necessarily classical where the MJ2 excels. Were you to purchase one, either will be an excellent choice and unlikely to disappoint.

I purchased the headphones less than a month ago but I am already seduced by the overall quality on offer. They are obviously elegant and sit very comfortably for prolonged listening session. Most importantly, the new hybrid technology advertised does deliver when it comes to sound creation. Piano pieces for example really take a new life when heard through the headphones, there is a balanced and precise rendering of the instrument accompanied by a warmth which is notoriously hard to deliver. The headphones also deal very well with more complex mixes where several instruments interact, it is always possible to distinguish every melodic lines yet the soundscape is always naturally balanced and never tends towards clinical. A fantastic product by Mitchell & Johnson.

Habe den Kopfhörer im Juli 2018 gekauft. Nach einem dreiviertel Jahr bei wirklich sachter Behandlung ist bereits der linke Kanal defekt und fällt immer wieder komplett aus. Große Enttäuschung, nachdem ich mir viel erwartet habe, zumal es sich ja um einen elektrostatischen Kopfhörer handelt. Der Klang ist nicht schlecht, aber die Verarbeitung ungenügend. Dann ist das Kabel auch unangenehm kurz, nur mit Verlängerung zu gebrauchen. Habe mit 15 Euro-Kopfhörern bessere Erfahrung gemacht.