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85% would recommend to a friend 
GermanMAESTRO GMP 8.35 Mobile Headphones
01 / 09
GermanMAESTRO GMP 8.35 Mobile Headphones
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Product Description
Based in Obrigheim, Germany, GermanMAESTRO has a long tradition of building high-quality headphones for recording engineers and music lovers alike. Take the GMP 8.35 Mobile: a closed-back headphone known for its rugged, nearly indestructible design Read More
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keyboard_arrow_downMaverickAH
747
Nov 9, 2018
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I've been living with the German Maestro GMP 8.35 Mobile headphones for 2 months now. I really love, love, love these headphones. Their sound signature is very studio-like. They're like having a pair of super HD 25's. Passive noise isolation is pretty good. Efficiency is above average & the frequency response is fairly flat across a wide range. They eerily sound like they could be in the Sennheiser family of headphones. They have the same wonderful midrange of the HD 25's but with greater extension on both ends of the frequency range with much better efficiency & a bigger soundstage. They are even more bulletproof & make for great travel companions. Because of their "studio" performance, I trust what I am hearing from them no matter what the genre of music. With the stock pads, the sound is ever so slightly on the warm side making them a very listenable pair of headphones.
Negatives? Some may find them uncomfortable due to the clamping force. Personally, I find them to be fine & they have only gotten better as they have loosened up a bit over time. They also don't wear well off the head since the cups don't fold flat. I would also say that when compared to better, more expensive headphones, they lose some micro detail in the bass & treble.
In summary, these are great all-around performers. They just don't do much of anything wrong. Their efficiency is as good as an IEM. A separate amp is not necessary. What I have found is that since the cord is detachable, pairing them with a .5m cable & a Bluewave GET is an absolutely wonderful combo!
UPDATE!!!
It is now 13 months after I wrote my original review which means that I've now owned these for a total of 15 months. I'm writing this update because I finally decided to make a change to them based on some suspicions I had & I think that everyone who owns them or is thinking of owning deserves to know.
First things first, these cans are truly bulletproof! It's one set of headphones that I own (along with an og set of Senn HD 25's) that I don't worry about having a carrying case for. Just throw them in a bag & go! Not only are they durable as heck, they still look like they were just taken out of the box so they also wear well. The only negative I've experienced is that their grip is firm & it might be uncomfortable for some after an hour or two. They can also be sweat monsters if you live where there's high temps & humidity.
Now on to the update. As good as they sounded, I always suspected that the stock pads were choking some their performance. The stock pads are on the thin side of things & they also cover part of the drivers. The earpads definitely keep your ears closer to the driver & to compensate, the integrated foam on the earpad is fairly thick & dense. Also my stock pads do not look like the provided pics. They look & feel like they were made from Dekoni foam tips. Very spongy & grippy. I always felt that I was being robbed of some treble performance. I was definitely losing some isolation since I wear glasses & wasn't getting a full seal.
Anyway, I took advantage of BF & bought some Brainwavz Round Pads in Sheepskin Leather. Upon installation, the effect was immediate! The plushness of the leather allows for a better seal. The integrated foam is thinner & less dense & the thickness of the pads keep your ears further away from the drivers. The bigger earpad opening does not block any of the drivers. The results of all of this are better isolation, better bass & treble extension. The soundstage has greatly improved in both width & depth. Image separation has also improved especially in the treble. The little bit of "sparkle" that was missing is now there. The warmth is still there but now it's tempered with a little bit more energy in the upper mids & treble.
Highly recommended!
UPDATE 12/17/19
After spending some more time with the Brainwavz pads, they definitely open up the soundstage in a positive manner. The only negative for me is that while treble is extended some may find it to be a slightly aggressive. I certainly do! The foam on the original pads is much, much thicker than what's on the Brainwavz & I think that they aided in quelling some of the highs. I've ordered some foam tuning pads (2mm & 4mm) but they won't be here for a few weeks (China). Hopefully these will attenuate the little bit of brashness I'm detecting (I can be treble sensitive).
UPDATE 1/9/20
The tuning pads arrived a couple of weeks ago. I installed the 2mm pads & they fit perfectly. They did exactly what I hoped they would do & brought the treble back into line. It wasn't that it was actually offensive before. It was just that it could get a bit aggressive when the volume was turned up. I'm now getting a smoother response. It's cutting just a touch more of air than I'd prefer but the pads do allow me to turn the volume up without any of the fatigue that I was experiencing without them after about an hour or so & turning up the volume does give you back some of that air. Installing the pads do require you to raise the volume a notch or two but because these cans have iem-like efficiency, it's not a big deal.
Even without the changes, I really like these headphones. With the changes, they impress even more & I rank them slightly ahead of the HD 58X. In fact, they make for a killer combo if you're interested in a budget friendly set of open/closed headphones for indoor/outdoor use. I think that you'd have to spend significantly more to beat them on a real world level.
BTW...… I've tried pairing the GMP 8.35 Mobile, a cheap 12" 3.5mm cord & a Radsone Earstudio ES100 with great results.
UPDATE 8/4/20
This is probably going to be my last update regarding these headphones. These are one of the headphones that permanently stay out next to my main listening rig. With stock pads, they can serve well as studio monitors. The cup diameter is 100mm & the Brainwavz Round Pads are a perfect fit. As I said above, if you swap in the Brainwavz, you will need to add in some 90mm wide, 2mm thick tuning pads. Now the Brainwavz have a depth of 30mm which, in my opinion, is just a touch too deep. Dekoni pads designed for the Beyerdynamic DT Series have a diameter of 102mm & a depth of 25mm will also fit nicely. The depth on the Dekoni's are better to me but because the price premium on the Dekoni's is so much higher, I can live with the Brainwavz.
I'll have more to say on these when I write my Panda review.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
eddiezr
107
Apr 4, 2021
I completely understand your skepticism with my description of the 58X's mids as it's more so my personal impression as opposed to their actual empirical performance. For example, the mids in my old trusty Sony MDR 7506s seem to me more forward, more neutrally balanced although, of course, overall those cans are less defined, detailed and full. They're fine for my cellphone.
Perhaps that's the reason I wasn't too impressed with the HE 800 S. It certainly is a refined, clear, precise sound with mids perhaps properly balanced with the bass & trebles, but they just struck me as severely dry, clinical and, um, cold. Or more accurately, cool. It's a joyless experience.
Now, the Focal Clear, on the other hand, offers a similarly balanced signature with the mids equally prominent as the bass & treble but with wonderfully detailed, full and natural vocal reproduction and more importantly, a warmer, more refined or "elegant" upper end. Not clinical and ruthless but revealing and musical. It appears to me that the Clear are confidently accomplishing what Sennheiser generally are striving for.
Also, the Focal Clear create the amazing impression that one's listening to full size loudspeakers as opposed to puny headphones. The 800s definitely never let you forget you've got cans on your skull. Neither do the 58Xs, but there's a more dynamic, more robust, more fun sound pounding your eardrums. I think. 😉
P.S. With regards to the 58X's wonky lower midrange, I agree. I usually use an equalizer of some kind and notch out a bit of those lower mids, 150 - 300Hz down approx 3 dbs. That cleans up the congestion although I do lose a bit of bass from male vocals. A minor concession.
MaverickAH
747
Jul 17, 2022
MaverickAHUPDATE 7/17/22
I didn’t envision doing another update on these headphones but I feel that it’s necessary to inform others either owning or interested.
First, they’ve continued to perform flawlessly. They’re still my cost to performance champion. Yes, I do have better performing headphones but when I factor in how much more they cost and how close these come to them in many aspects, these are wonderful especially when you realize how durable they are.
Secondly, I’ve discovered that my foam pad filter modification is not necessarily the best thing for them. It’s adequate but not the best because it does attenuate the higher frequencies a bit too much and foam degrades over time requiring replacement. On intuition and a whim, I purchased a set of ZMF Acoustic Titan Mesh: Radial Vented filters. They are well made & don’t require replacement. Best of all is sonically, they’re perfect with no negative downsides. They attenuate the upper mids just the right amount without affecting soundstage or spatial characteristics.
So for an additional $20 (ZMF) plus $24 (Brainwavz) I think that you can bring out the best in these making them a better than good option for anyone needing a reasonably priced all-around closed back.
frivoflava29
147
Oct 11, 2018
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I'll start by saying that I think there are many more accessible pairs to try in this price range that others would find more enjoyable. I'll get to why in this review, but it's going to take more than a few words if you can bear with me. I couldn't find many reviews on the GMP 8.35 and I actually really like them for my particular use case. Frankly, I bought these because they're easy to drive and near indestructible. I travel and record and wanted a good pair on the go that I wouldn't feel terrible about abusing and also wouldn't require me to bring an amp around. For reference, my daily drivers are a Focal Elex driven with a Massdrop x Cavalli Tube Hybrid and I have also owned the 6XX, 58X, and 4XX. Yes, I love Massdrop collabs.
I'll try to make this review as straightforward as possible, mainly addressing sound and comfort.
THE PADS
I've tried both the stock pads as well as the velour pads which come with the "advanced" edition. They do sound noticeably different, mostly due to the foam used in the stock pads. The stock pads sound better to me, but it's more difficult to get a proper seal; I found rotating the cups about 45 degrees helped the pads conform to my ears better. They're still awfully shallow though. The velour pads are a little more comfortable, but they're round as opposed to ear shaped and somewhat large. Getting a good seal is surprisingly difficult for me. If I don't push them forward, I end up with a small gap by my neck. While I'm partial to the stock pads, each has pros and cons. I still find myself switching back and forth after months of ownership.
THE SOUND
As mentioned, I prefer the sound of the stock pads. With a decent seal, the bass is controlled and punchy with some slight emphasis. They don't extend especially low, but the bass that's there is awfully good. I would think along the lines of the 6XX here with maybe a touch more emphasis, but I haven't done a side by side. The mids are well balanced and offer decent clarity in this range. It's hard for me to speak here because I'm mainly comparing them to the likes of the 6XX and Elex, so it's not quite fair. I was surprised by the treble -- it's actually pretty great with the damping material! Soundstage is decently wide for a closed back with no "cavern" effect like some closed backs suffer from. Bigger than the 58X/6XX for certain. I can't think of much to touch on other than this. Overall, I'd describe the sound as at least above average in just about every category without being really impressive at any one thing.
Many seem to feel the velour pads sound better. The bass and mids are similar as the stock pads, but the treble is much brighter with the velour pads. I'm not treble averse -- I don't mind the 4XX or KZ ZS6 which are both notoriously bright -- but the proximity between my ear and the drivers makes the treble uncomfortable for me over an extended period. This is why I prefer the stock pads. I've yet to try a foam mod with the velour pads, but I've been planning to.
MISC
- These are probably easier to drive than some of my IEMs.
- You could run these over with your car and I'm pretty sure they would still function.
- The left driver is about a decibel louder. Not especially noticeable but it's there. I'm sure Massdrop or German Maestro would have happily replaced my pair.
- The clamp is a little tight. Oddly, it feels tighter on one side of my head than the other.
FINAL THOUGHTS
These have already survived 10 flights packed in a duffel bag with absolutely minimal signs of wear. I will say that all four of the other pairs I mentioned at the beginning of this review have superior qualities in certain categories, but there's nothing the GMP 8.35 Mobile is really bad at by any means and there are many things it does better than particular headphones. For general use, I believe this is an unassuming pair that could use a little more attention. I could see myself using these a lot more if better pads were available.
(Edited)
Yames12
60
Dec 8, 2019
i got these pads in sheepskin and man, what a difference. at first i was like its expensive but i got them on sale for 27 bucks. it is a beautiful change indeed. these sound very good for the money and i find them hard to beat.
MaverickAH
747
Feb 13, 2020
Don't get those pads. They're too big!
The cup diameter on the GMP 8.35's is 100mm & the Brainwavz XL pads are 110mm. Too big..... The standard Round pads (100mm) fit perfectly. I'm using a set of Round Sheepskin pads along with these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Thin-Thick-Inside-Foam-Disk-Ear-Pads-For-DT880-DT860-DT990-DT770-Headphones/251563851228?var=550466531733 to help quell the high end a bit. These tuning pads have a diameter of 90mm so they fit perfectly. They come in 2 sets of 2mm & 4mm thickness. I'm using the 2mm. The only downside is the 4-6 week wait as they ship from China.
(Edited)
SL75
66
Oct 17, 2018
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I bought these specifically for use on the go. I don't baby my portable cans, so they eventually die on me. I needed something that can survive 4 seasons and rain and snow and stretching and shoving into bags and pockets without care. Usual points of failures on other cans are cables, pivots and gimbals, and everything plastic used in stress areas. I've broken enough 'nicer' headphones that I started buying and replacing cheap ones for mobile use, but when I saw these, I was hopeful that I found something durable at a reasonable price. Sound quality is justified at that price, but was a secondary consideration for me. And I do like the design and retrofuture styling. It would not look out of place during the Nostromo boot sequence.
I've only had the GMP 8.35 about half a year, but so far so good. Standard single side detachable cable is a big plus, because it pops free when snagged instead of snapping or dragging the whole thing off. Replaceable when it wears out (I've lost cables to cold weather, which makes them noticeably stiffer and more prone to flex fatigue and intermittent shorts). The plastic accordion covers over the expanding part of the headband is a plus (I've lost cans to water infiltrating the earcups through gaps used by headbands or exposed L/R wires, another common snag/snap zone). The cups don't fold for compactness, nor are they particularly adjustable for comfort, which is a minus, but that also means no joints to wear out or crack. Personally, that's a net plus since joint failure is usually the first and final can killer in my own experience.
The main downside is that lack of adjustability. I've got a big noggin, and at full extension, these would just barely fit on me if i'm wearing a cap or a fro. I also prefer wearing the headband just a little bit forward to prevent them slipping off the back if i am doing anything active, so I wish these had a touch more angle on the cups. And the cups aren't deep or wide, so may be a problem for the big eared or glasses wearers. Definitely not as comfortable or sealing as larger circumaurals, and so not as good at isolation either.
Overall pleased, and if they can last a few years, I'd buy them again for my use case if they needed replacing.
I've only had the GMP 8.35 about half a year, but so far so good. Standard single side detachable cable is a big plus, because it pops free when snagged instead of snapping or dragging the whole thing off. Replaceable when it wears out (I've lost cables to cold weather, which makes them noticeably stiffer and more prone to flex fatigue and intermittent shorts). The plastic accordion covers over the expanding part of the headband is a plus (I've lost cans to water infiltrating the earcups through gaps used by headbands or exposed L/R wires, another common snag/snap zone). The cups don't fold for compactness, nor are they particularly adjustable for comfort, which is a minus, but that also means no joints to wear out or crack. Personally, that's a net plus since joint failure is usually the first and final can killer in my own experience.
The main downside is that lack of adjustability. I've got a big noggin, and at full extension, these would just barely fit on me if i'm wearing a cap or a fro. I also prefer wearing the headband just a little bit forward to prevent them slipping off the back if i am doing anything active, so I wish these had a touch more angle on the cups. And the cups aren't deep or wide, so may be a problem for the big eared or glasses wearers. Definitely not as comfortable or sealing as larger circumaurals, and so not as good at isolation either.
Overall pleased, and if they can last a few years, I'd buy them again for my use case if they needed replacing.
frivoflava29
147
Dec 15, 2018
SL75You may have already figured this out, but you can rotate the cups forward -- that's what I did and it's way more comfortable.
SuperScope96
290
Dec 4, 2020
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The most durable headphones I've seen
Finally, a product endures that's in-line with what this site was originally all about: affording a great deal on an enthusiast product that would otherwise be far more expensive and difficult to attain. GermanMaestro's web shop lists these cans at Nearly $250, excluding tax & shipping from the EU...not to mention that the advanced edition upgrade would cost you over $50 from their site, as they charge over $40 for the velour pads alone.
Construction: I own nearly 40 pairs of on & over-ear headphones, spanning from the first pair of stereo headphones (Koss SP/3), straight through things manufactured this year. In my collection, some vintage pairs get close, but nothing quite matches these things' confidence in durability. The steel & plastics used are top-notch, and there isn't a single "weakest link" I can feel in the way these things are built. I like to find cases for all of the pairs of headphones I plan to travel with (and these are certainly one of them), but this is the first that genuinely doesn't need a case. Something that stood out to me is the fantastic 3.5mm jack port: it's gold-plated, substantial, flush with the housing, and lets you use virtually any 3.5mm cable, unlike so many studio headphones in this price/performance bracket that either have attached wires, proprietary connectors, or DEEP 3.5mm jacks that all but the factory-included cables fit.
A quick word on the cable: It's great. A supple, flexible braided cable, with slim jack housings that I've found myself using on a bunch of my other cans. It makes getting the advanced edition upgrade (which includes an extra) worth it!
Comfort: On the STOCK pads, these are adequately comfortable for long listening sessions and travel; I have a larger than average head, and on the stock pads, the headphone just *barely* seals properly when fully extended. There aren't any severe or noticeable pressure points to speak of, considering that the stock earpads are shallow (albeit, made out of a comfortable material) and these are what I'd call a "Hybrid" fit of on/over ear.
On the "Advanced Edition" Velour Pads, comfort increases considerably: it's much easier to get a proper seal, there's more space for a larger head for these to fit comfortably over, and they are, as you'd expect, proper over-ears. Keeping this in mind, I still reverted to the stock pads when I heard how the velours changed the sound.
Sound: Many people tend to categorize studio monitoring/mixing headphones separately from those they listen to music for pure enjoyment - however, I find that I also like to listen to studio headphones that possess flat clean, natural sound signatures. This pair hits that mark - I can confidently monitor Vinyl Rips and instrument recordings, and enjoy my music both while travelling or just around the house on both my phone and my ifi Hip DAC. Soundstage is what I'd call appropriate for studio headphones - tight, but precise. Being "Mobile," these low-impedance cans will get up o decent volume levels off of most smartphones. The Velour Pads - I installed them on the first day I had the GMP's due to their added comfort, but it was only when I switched back to the stock pads that I realized I preferred the stock pads' sound so much more that I prefer to leave the stock pads on. I found the soundstage less accurate and the treble bumped up (which I usually prefer, but not in this case), while mids and bass dipped past recognition. I can comfortable recommend that if you decide to grab a pair of these, go for the "Advanced edition" upgrade regardless - you might prefer the sound of the velours, plus the extra cable WILL be useful elsewhere in your collection/setup.
At this price point, I can easily recommend the GMP 8.35's if long-lasting durability is your chief concern when choosing a pair of professional/travelling studio headphones. I'd note that at under $100, the Koss Pro4S are an even more affordable consideration that also possess an enjoyable, accurate sound signature, more premium-looking and feeling (albeit less durable) construction, twin 3.5mm jacks, include a very nice case, the LEGENDARY Koss lifetime warranty (which I can attest to), and more comfortable on more and larger heads on its stock pads compared to the GMP's stock pads. While you can wait for it to drop again here (I was part of the last product run...it was cancelled due to not enough buyers), you can get it shipped in a couple of days from Amazon.
Recommends this product? Yes
perisantavsan
17
Oct 11, 2018
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My favourite iem is ER4SR and my favourite headphone is this :)
Jakob
378
Mar 21, 2020
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Wow, pretty impressed.
Just an initial observation.
Just tore them out of the box while listening to Tool Lateralus on my LG V30 via my very good Nuforce Hem8 and swapped them out for these, fully anticipating some disappointment considering the vast differences in value.
Not really the case. There is no boomyness. The cymbals are quite clear, relatively clear and imaging well. Not huge soundstage but not bad at all for closed. Vocals are upfront, not at all distant. Nothing jumps out as being dominant as far as bass, mids, highs, pretty flat. Bass is great, tight, and punchy.
They are not fleshing out micro details like higher end iem but these are not those and perform above what I would expect for the cost.
A really good balance of being fun while being respectable accurate which is hard to find at this price point.
Build is self explanatory, you could literally step on them without concern and I love the industrial purpose built appearance. V Moda like to claim their headphones are military grade blah blah blah. I had their M80s, the right driver died in less than 2 years and sounded weak compared to these.
Update.
Some might class these as splashy, they just place treble like cymbals more forward which I like. I think it's better than most which seem to bury those details, makes for a more defined sound.
What surprises me is, as an Iron Maiden fan, these play Steve Harris's bass more clear than just about any headphone I have.Its crazy how much detail is presented because these are not really bass heavy headphones. Seriously, if you have these, listen to Powerslave, Somewhere in Time, it's so enjoyable listening to his incredible bass playing. Will bring more observations as time goes by.
Very happy.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
producerdk
4
Jan 18, 2021
checkVerified Buyer
Never imagine before hear it.
Sound: 5
Design: -1
Recommends this product? Yes
jaybattle
76
Aug 4, 2020
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I bought a pair of these from Drop a while back. The sound pretty good out of the box, but are a little bright for my tastes. The 8.35s have a big treble peak at 8-10k. If you use a little eq on that peak they improve quite a bit. The midrange is especially good. Overall, I liked them. However, I have larger than average ears and I could never get a comfortable fit on the factory pads or aftermarket ones (Brainwavz). Eventually, I sold my pair. If you have average to small ears, these are an solid choice.
Recommends this product? Yes
jaybattle
76
Aug 7, 2020
QwervyNo, I didn't try anything. At this point, I don't even consider a headphone with round cups. Human ears aren't round. Sennheiser and Dan Clark Audio have the right idea.
cooljoe123
59
Mar 22, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
Solid build, transparent sound
These are probably the best mixing headphones I've ever owned, and they especially excel in synth/keyboard heavy situations. High end can feel cramped while doing casual listening, but the rolled back mid-lows and extended subbass are amazing for films or live recordings. Currently my daily driver, and I have I'm surprised at how good these giant cans look! Also, these things are efficient as hell, expected from the "mobile" name, but surprised at how well these work on pretty much any piece of equipment.
Recommends this product? Yes
cooljoe123
59
Mar 22, 2020
cooljoe123Also! stock leather pads are an absolute no-go. The seal is very very bad and theyre pretty uncomfortable, which is disappointing given the large diaphragm, however, a pair of any standard brainwavz pads do absolute wonders.
JJDeviloper
191
Mar 19, 2020
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They are very lightweight, and don't seem to have any real weak points or fragile parts. It's not a tank, no one should should try to break these, but it is probably safe to put them in a backpack without a hard case. They actually sound good, not Hi-Fi, but good, with surprisingly more detail that expected. They are of better sound quality, overall, than a cheap pair of over-ear Koss headphones. But I would not compare them to legends like the KSC75 or KPH30i. They do not have the warmth, width, or soundstage of those. But they are good for gaming and music. If you are certain you will not lose them (because at that price, they're still not cheap, more expensive than a pair of M40X or even M50X from Audio-Technica), then they are a top choice for an over-ear travel pair. The pads do touch the ears, but it is not bothersome, even for someone who usually does not like on-ears. Buy.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
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