For the main hifi system, I use Audeze LCD-2s (2016 version with an upgraded LCD single ended cable) into an Audeze Deckard Amp, or Sennheiser HD600s into a Little Dot MKIII amp. The HD600s are for when I want to hear a very accurate representation of acoustic instrument timbre. The LCD2s are for when I want fun, beautiful, and enveloping warmth. I also have Audeze iSine20s which are remarkable plugged directly into my iPad or iPhone with their Cypher cable. I use these at home but also bring them whenever I travel (which normally is a lot.) Amazing to be able to have a serious hifi experience in any hotel! I also have a couple of IEMs - Westone W60 and Westone ES60 - which get used with various DAPs or Apple products/portable DACs when I travel/commute. Most recently, I bought a pair of Apple Air Pods Pro which sound surprisingly good. They’re my go-to for walks and shorter subway commutes.
PSB M4U1. Held together with Gorilla tape courtesy of the terribly designed headbands. I have a perfect set in a sealed box for when my original pair give us the ghost completely.
Open: Audeze LCD3 pre Fazor Closed: Audeze LCD XC Out of Violectric V200 HPA. Various cables incl Lee Weiland blue, Moon Audio Dragon. Love em. I probably use the LCD3 the most.
HD-6XX are my only headphones, used in a computer > DAC > amp setup. I’ve had them for a few years and am happy with them, but I’ve also been curious about trying out something else.
I love my Grado GH4 with Schiit Modi multi-bit, original Vali amp, and Eitr. I'd really like to get an Audeze (LCD-X, 2, or 3) in the future along with a Woo Audio or Cavelli tube amp.
I have those as well. I don't use headphones all that often but I find those tonally quite pleasant... Been thinkin' about getting Senns (600 or 650) as well, but it's not high on the priorities list and just haven't had the impetus to make the move yet.
Look for deals on Focal Elegia headphones. They normally run about $1K. However, the model has been discontinued and you can occasionally find them deals on them for $500-$600. I picked up a pair on Amazon a few months ago for $540. They sound great for the money.
I've my Audeze LCD-X combined with a Cavalli Liquid Fire (as suggested by another member here). Funny is I thought also about to purchase a woo (WA7). It's still on my list to do so. So at a certain day...
The Audeze LCD series are on the thick and dark side of the spectrum. I don't consider any of the LCD series to be a neutral headphone. Some of the LCD series get closer to neutral than others, but all are tilted somewhat to the thick and dark side. The trick with the Audeze headphones is thoughtful amplifier and DAC pairing. With the right style of amp they sound less thick, more like open headphones, and the frequency response will sound more natural (though still not neutral). With the right amp the Audeze headphones are very nice. With the wrong amp and DAC all of the complaints about the Audeze house sound are true. What the Audeze headphones can do very well is texture, layering, imaging (though compact rather than expansive), soundstage, and what just feels like natural wholesome sound even though it's not neutral. For example, the Audeze headphones allow me to hear a difference between lossy and lossless. Also allow me to hear a difference between CD and high-res. There are more expensive headphones that don't let me hear those things. I hear lossy as being closed-in and flatter in imaging than lossless. I hear similar differences with CD vs. high-res. That's one of the sound characteristics that Audeze headphones are very good at and better at that than some $3K+ headphones I've tried.
Buddy, you've just sold me on the LCD series better than the advertisements from Audeze themselves. I don't want a neutral sound. I want pure thickness and darkness. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm still going through my entry level stage, in terms of DACs + Amps. I have a JDS Atoms stack. Will that work well with the LCD-2C or are they incompatible with one another?
Sennheiser HD600 has served me well for 10+ years, both for listening and in the studio. Curious about the HD800.
Sennheiser HD600 are my best sounding cans. Oppo PM3s are for when I need closed backs, and either of my AirPods Pro or B&W PX come out when I want wireless (most often when I am needing the microphones for a Zoom or Teams meeting). All bases covered!
They sound fine and are comfortable. I just prefer listening to music via speakers. I pretty much only use them if everyone else is asleep and I want to listen to music but that's not too often.
For my "big" headphones, It would be either my Senn 600 or Audeze LCD 2.2 as my top "go to" or "most listenable" headphones. However, that Senn 600 is strongly challenged and in some cases beat by my heavily modded Hifiman HE-400, which sounds like a more intricate, more organic yet sharper sounding Senn 600. For my smaller more "portable" headphones, it would be my ATH-m40x.
Had to find a new pair last year not so easy when the shops were not all open and listening tests harder with cleaning etc after use....Found my local dealer 5 miles away very helpful........ Tried Quad ERA1...AT ATH-A990Z...Focal Elegia....Grado 325e.....Meze 99 Neo...all at the same place with the same tracks...ended up the grado's.....for my ears and the sound and type of music I like they fitted the bill. Initially I found them not quite as comfortable as my old Sennheiser phones but I've now 'broken them in' so to speak and still love them...listen with them mainly with my Cyrus DAC attached to my desktop with Win 10....no complaints from me. The Quads were nice but the sound was too polite...the AT was OK but didn't grab me sound wise, the Focals were nice but out of my price range and I could not justify a £500 difference between them and the Grado's. The Meze's to me were the least best performing.... once the 2 left (Grado's and Focals) were then subject to several tracks of different types of music, and as I said above with £500 I can do quite lot...
Ultrasone Edition 11 I kinda have an urge to go back to STAX (007 or 009) in the near future - just need to take out a mortgage for them
I'm more of a speaker person, but I have owned the following: Grado SR60 Grado SR80e with Sennheiser ear cups (the yellow looks cool in a vintage way, and some people report better sound) Denon AH-D2000 Shure 215 Shure 425 Sony WH-1000XM4 Apple AirPods The Grados sounded too bright for my taste, and leaked sound in a way that still disturbed people around me - I might as well have been listening to speakers. The Shures sounded great, but lack of comfort was always a distraction... I never liked how the wires went over my ears (I wear glasses). The Denons are the best sounding of the bunch, hands down, and they're most comfortable to me as they're over ear. But, the Sonys get the most use by far. They sound great, cancel noise, and the lack of wires is a huge bonus for walking the dog. The AirPods are only used for Zoom meetings and mowing the lawn (or snowblowing this time of year!). I'd be willing to sell the SR80s or either of the Shures if you're interested. Like I said - I'm more of a speaker person.
My default headphone is the Sennheiser HD 598SR. I am quite fond of them. I recently purchased a pair of Sennheiser/Drop HD 58X. The enhanced bass is impressive, but I find the recessed upper-frequency range is not to my taste.