Headphone lovers, what do you love, what do you have, Head-Fi fans 2015 edition.

Shure SRH 940 do the trick for me.

 

I haven't gotten the chance to get into home stereo systems because my living setup somewhat disallows for one (either living in my college dorm or spending time at home with my family.) So, aside from an iHome that I use every once in a while to play music loud (does not sound impressive by the way) I've had to use headphones all my life. When I was young, I started out by using Sony over ear earphones (don't remember the model number but they're cheap and common.) Sounded ok, I was faithful to them, until I got Apple EarPods, which I had used for about two years. Thought the difference was quite large.

Only recently, since I've gotten much more serious about my music listening I decided to try legitimate headphones that cost more than 50 dollars. I went with one of the most acclaimed out there right now: Audio Technica's ATH-M50x. Again, a huge leap in difference. I love these things. Clear, wide, and robust. I've been reading that they have a touch extra of bass compared to other models that provide flat sound but that's okay because I like a little more bass so they're perfect: the highs are clear and the bass is strong and tight but not overpowering. Nicely priced, too. I also like the design. They're a little big but they're comfortable and they look sleek. They even block outside noise pretty well, despite not being a "noise-canceling" headphone. Certainly one of the best purchases I've made in the last year. I've had them for close to four months now.

My mother got a Bose system similar to the iHome for the house that sounds quite nice as well.

But I love headphones. I like being tied directly to the music, hearing spreads of stereo across my head. I'll be satisfied with the M50's for years I hope.

Apologies for rambling

 

I have a wonderful pair of Grado SR80I that I've used for home listening for a while now. Listening is primarily through my iPod so I've just invested in my first portable amp so I have a PA2V2 on it's way right now to beef up the sound. Excited to hear how that works out.

 

Denon AH-D7000 on Graham Slee Solo SRG amp. No intention to upgrade whatsoever: perfect for me.

 

I have my AKG-701, but no real high end headphone amp as of yet. Drive them from the out of my Yamaha and Mackie mixers, but I did buy a Art headphone box to up my outputs to 4 headphones at a time, those usually are the Sony 7506s I have around.

I also have a pair of grado 80s I like along with a pair of Koss PortaPros for portable listening. I did just buy a pair of Shure SE-215s that I am really liking for only $99 from Sweetwater Sound. Great bang for the buck. I really enjoy them when listening to 2496 files out of my Tascam DR-2ds.

 

I have the Grado RS-1 with the Grado battery preamp. They are perfect for me....

 

I use HD650s with a Beresford Bushmaster MK2 DAC and the new Beresford Capella Headphone Amp.




....the great thing about the Capella Head Amp is that it (uniquely I think) provides a range of controls to tailor your Headphone sound. You get Gain, Damping, High Frequency (HF) and depth controls as well as balance. This is a fine sounding, very clever and affordable Head Amp. Another great product from the ever inventive Stanley Beresford. More details on the Capella at this link :-
http://www.homehifi.co.uk/S/tc-7110 f.htm

 

Great headphones are a more cost effective way to get high quality sound than with speakers of a similar level. I am very happy with my AKG Q701's and was very happy with my old Grado RS-125's until they fell apart... For portable use, I have been using Monster's Gratitude-Earth Wind & Fire branded in-ear phones. These have great bass and darn good detail for the price. I love the imaging on the AKG Q701's.

 

Interesting unit. Thanks.

 

Just because they are considered flagship models doesn't mean they sound the best. To an individual perhaps. All headphones have their own sound just like speakers and everyone has different ears. Comfort, portability and build quality factor with some people as well. Sennheiser HD800's are rather good for dynamic driver headphones. Nicely resolving but to articulated in the treble at times. If they would remove the treble spike and add just a touch more low bass boost provided they didn't color the sound as they now seem to do (in other words make them more timbre correct) then I think they would be to my liking. The looks on the other hand...they are too big for starters. The HD600/650's are where it's at currently if you want as close to the source sound from currently made dynamic driver headphones from what I have listened to so far. The Shure SHR 1540's are good for a closed back headphone but they could gain from a little tweaking in their sound quality as well. Other flagships that are nice but not perfect (for me) Beyerdynamic T1, Fostex TH-900. The Hifiman HE-6 and HE560 are good as well. Interested in listening to the new HE-1000 when they are ready. The AKG K812 I thought were so not worth the price better off sticking with the 701/702 or get the KXX versions. As for the classic Sony MDR-V6? I find the ones I have listened to aren't good. I'd much prefer the MDR-7506 but better still would be the Sony MDR-CD900ST all from the same line/look but where the V6 and 7506 fold up the CD900ST don't although it may be possible to modify them to allow for that. The Audio Technica ATH-M50X and ATH-M40x are rather decent options as well as the PSB M4U 1, NAD Visio HP50, Focal Spirit Classic and Focal Spirit Pro. The Audeze LCD-3 is ok but something about the treble isn't to my liking. I haven't listened to the LCD-X or LCD-XC yet but am interested in doing so. Haven't been able to listen to any Stax headphones yet. The only Grado's I have thought were ok are the PS1000 horrible fit and uncomfortable earpads however. The oppo PM-1 are very nicely built but need a little fine tuning in the sound quality for me. I'd take them over the AKG K812 though.

 

Right now, I too have the AKG K701's, as well as the K601's, Audio Technica ATH AD700's, and Byer Dynamics. Waiting on the new Audioquest Nighthawks. Use a Parasound Zdac V.2 for my main headphone amp, but also have an Audioquest Dragonfly for listening to Tidal and a Headroom Micro Amp w/ DAC for traveling.

 

I own Sennheiser HD 650 and Grado 225's. I prefer the Grados, but I suspect that is because I don't own a high quality headphone amp. My headphone listening is done through an Audioquest Dragonfly or a FiiO X3 with an E-12 portable amp. I don't think either of those systems do the high impedance Sennheiser's justice.

 

These sound like similar meh kind of reactions to the Hifiman 560. I wasn't keen on the Audeze because of the darkness and had a bit of the same concern about the regular Hifimans. The 560 was supposed to address that as well as the weight so I am concerned at the half hearted reaction. Any further thoughts about it? Thanks

 

The 560 isn't that bad. Just seems more harder edged than the older Hifiman's when listening to it. It sounds a lot more open but with a more forward soundstage as well. So it's not a dark sounding headphone at all. Maybe more like the Audeze LCD-X of which I really haven't listened to in a proper audition yet which is supposed to be brighter. It took some getting used to for me at first. It seems to have a more sub bass response yet more subtle than the mid bass punch of the older Hifiman's. It may be worth looking at to see for yourself how the Hifiman's sound is evolving. It seems to keep itself from being the flagship of Hifiman somehow. Makes sense as the HE-1000 is still being finalized and is supposed to be their flagship. Interested in listening to it. Sorry I can't offer much more detail about it. Overall it just didn't completely groove with me. Still a better headphone than the AKG K812. The 560's are probably lighter in comparison to the HE-500/HE-6. Not sure if I like the HE-500/HE-6 better than the 560's or vice versa as they are just different sounding from each other. What other headphones are you considering?

 

Received the Schiit Valhalla 2 amp today to possibly replace the Asgard 2. I expect it to more of a tweaking of the music than anything dramatic. Also in the tweak category I have en-route both the lambskin and velour ear pads to possibly replace the synthetic lambskin pads the Oppo PM-2 came with. They're getting a bit warm and sweaty now that winter is over. Or is it that I'm a too active headbanger?

 

I own Sony MDR-V6 since the 90's, I just bought replacement ear pads as the original had started to flake off.

 

The HE-560 is still very meh. I've got the Focus-A pads on it now instead of the stock Focus pads. It's better to me, but still very meh. Still too much midrange bump or some other problem going on. I still don't like them and wouldn't keep them if they remain like this.

I'm going to a meet in a couple weeks. There may be someone there who has a modded HE-560. I'll talk to them and listen to the headphones and from that make a decision whether to proceed with mods that require getting inside the headphone. I don't want to be opening them up unless I know they'll end up as something I will like and actually use.

 

I just got a pair of Sennheiser HD800s last weekend. My HD650s sound completely different so I'm getting used to the Senn's flagship model (excluding that really expensive edition that requires a special amp?) both in terms of sound quality and comfort. Actually, the phones are quite comfortable, it's just that the ear pieces are so flipping big that it's sometimes hard to get it set on my head just right. I find myself pulling back and forth on the headband just to get the right balance for about 10 minutes each listening session before just relaxing enough to enjoy the music.

Initially, I was a little underwhelmed with the sound quality after hearing all the superlatives but for the first time tonight, they are sounding pretty good to me. I don't know if these particular cans require a break-in but I played them on and off all weekend and for a couple hours tonight. So maybe I'm warming up to them and not the other way around. I don't find them at all bright like some do, although I would describe them as revealing. I wish there was just a tad more bottom end; but only just a little. These are definitely not headphones for bass heads. But I'm really liking the way they image and the detail is really quite amazing.

 

I got very very burned out on headphones in the 'eighties when I was in bands and recording the bands I was in and also another band. I just no longer wanted to wear them and really didn't for decades. I even avoided the whole portable audio craze as a result.

Now I'll be moving into a smaller situation and with someone who won't want to listen to music quite as much as I so I'm preparing a headphone system as a second system. I am using one of my Decware CSP2+ preamp/headphone amps and bought a pair of Oppo PM-1 headphones. Really like them. Not at all harsh, very neutral sounding imo.

 

Just proves how sound is so subjective, and in addition to that with headphones you have the comfort factor.

After years as a happy AKG K701 user I jumped at the chance to upgrade to the K712. They were a significant step up in sound quality. Unfortunately the combination if the saggy headband and former memory foam cushions were a deal breaker for me as I couldn't wear them for more than hour without discomfort.

I've since been on a headphone merry-go-round. Have a pair of Sennheiser HD650s but find them too polite and colored. Grabbed a pair of HD700s and while they're the most comfortable headphone I've had on my head the sound quality just didn't seem right. Demoed a pair of Oppo PM-1 with original leather pads. Very nicely built and comfortable for their weight but by far the most colored headphone I've ever heard. The bass dominates making the mids congested and the highs roll off far too quickly.

I have a pair if their PM-2 coming with a few different pad options through their Head-Fi loaner program in a few weeks. At that point I'll take them to the dealer to compare them to the Audeze EL-8 open. If neither impresses I'll probably ask the dealer to give me a listen to the HD800.

I want to hear the K812 as well as I like the AKG house sound more than that of Sennheiser.

Lately I've been curious about trying the entry level Stax SRS-2170 combo as well.

Bill

 

Wow Bill my PM-1s sound NOTHING like that. Bass is even a little light, highs are there but not prominent, so perhaps a bit rolled back but what's there is clear, and they're quite dynamic. I'm using a very transparent OTL tube preamp as a headphone amp. Will be interesting to hear what you think of the PM-2s.

 

Don't the PM-2 sound very similar to the PM1? Same headphone with different construction materials. I'm sure the material could affect the sound, but I have heard that it hasn't.

I demoed the PM2. Decent enough, but much preferred the LCD2. I think I would prefer my Grado 225e as well. I had to go off of memory to compare to the Grados though as I got them well after hearing the PM2. That's always a bit dicey.

 

Thanks for the detailed reply and the inquiry. I have had a Sennheiser 600 and Cayin HA 1A for a number of years. I had upgraded my 3 other systems satisfactorily and was looking to do the same with the headphone system. It didn't occur to me that that would be difficult.

The Sennheiser 600 appears to be one of the most widely used headphones and even Mr Hoffman and I believe John Atkinson use them. I am puzzled that a sort of plain vanilla headphone would have that status. I would think that a headphone system would be much easier to develop great speaker drivers and amps for and yet there appear to be all kinds of issues with both including significant impedance mismatching.

The planar models seemed to me to have lots of potential but the ones that I have heard didn't strike me as all-around headphones. In addition they tend to require SS amps which I am averse to using. Again there should be no problem in using tube amplification in such low power circumstances. I had sort of bet everything on the Hifiman 560 because it was supposed to have a better frequency balance. Yet the reaction has been underwhelming. I am really at a loss at this point as to what the upgrade path is.

 

What pad do you find you like best?

All of my auditions have been with the Oppo HA-1. At the dealer where I demoed the PM-1 against the K712 it was purely as a headphone amp using the DAC section of a Marantz SR8005. Source material was various CDs, SACDs, and 16/44 AIFF files. At home it's been 16/44 or higher AIFF files off of my Mac Mini running iTunes & BitPerfect and connected via optical.

Bill

 

From everything I've read the different pads can make a noticeable difference in the sound signature. Oppo's shipping me the PM-2 with stock leatherette pads, PM-1 original leather pads, and the velour pads.

I'm interested to see how they stack up to the EL-8.