What are your go-to headphones?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Penny24, Jan 19, 2021.

  1. RobbieBear

    RobbieBear Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northants, UK
    AKG Q701 and, more recently, AKG 712PRO
     
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  2. Penny24

    Penny24 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Francisco, Ca
    How do they sound? I've heard that they have great bass, but I've also heard that it can be overwhelming for some.
     
  3. drobo

    drobo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    Beyerdynamics DT990 Pro
     
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  4. razerx

    razerx Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sonoma California
    It was the Grado SR225 and now it’s the Airpod Pro Max.
     
  5. Migas

    Migas Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portugal
    They sound OK, balanced from low to high frequencies. I don’t find the bass to be overwhelming, but it’’s not shy either, at least comparing to my Campfire Polaris II. For the price, I find the Meze 99 Classics very good.
     
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  6. Penny24

    Penny24 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Francisco, Ca
    The Meze 99 Classics have powerful bass. However, it was nowhere near as overwhelming as some made it out to be. It was perfect IMO
     
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  7. wavethatflag

    wavethatflag God is love, but get it in writing.

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    I just got a pair, and I think the trick is that they seem to have a V-shaped frequency response, but, and this is a big but, without the usual midrange suck out. The midrange is right there. So to call it V-shaped is inaccurate. But the bass and treble response are as if they are coming from a V-shaped frequency response.

    I was looking for an album to showcase these, tried some Led Zepp, Dire Straits, a Phish instrumental (that I use for my "appropriate bass levels" test), and I think for me it's the Grateful Dead's In The Dark CD, expanded bonus tracks edition. Bass, midrange and treble all brilliantly accounted for.

    The Meze is very different from my Massdrop Senn. HD 6xx and Sennheiser HD 569 closed backs, which I may not need anymore, although they have better sound isolation than the Meze, which are closed but not even close to claustrophobic. I shouldn't even use that word. And it's possible the Senns both have a midrange edge. Well, actually it's likely. And that's not a knock on Meze, it's just the Senns seem to be super good at midrange. But the 569s don't have the best bass or treble known to ears. And as far as the open HD 6xx, bass in an open back is what it is. Admittedly I like bass tuned just a tad "up," and some folks do love neutrality.

    The Meze 99 Classics (the headband says "Classics," plural) is a great headphone, maybe even brilliant.
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2021
  8. 16hz lover

    16hz lover Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cornelius, NC
    +1 and mine are close to 30 years old
     
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  9. aunitedlemon

    aunitedlemon Unity is in the pith.

    Location:
    Oregon
    Philips Fidelio X2HR. I'm not much of a headphone connoisseur but I appreciate these.
     
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  10. AndyCC72

    AndyCC72 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Mezze 99 Classics for home use

    AKG N60 for commuting/work
     
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  11. Black Elk

    Black Elk Music Lover

    Location:
    Bay Area, U.S.A.
    Those Meze headphones are way off neutral:

    Oratory Grapher

    An ideal compensated response would be a flat line at 30 dB!
     
  12. Neonknight1

    Neonknight1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Olympia
    I own two sets of headphones, one pair of open back electrostats and a pair of sealed. The reasoning is having a pair available when I cannot disturb anyone else in the room.

    So I have a pair of Focal Stellia and a pair of Stax Lambda Pro along with the SRM-1 MK 2 amplifier.

    I am not a huge headphone collector, and have found that these two pair meet my listening needs.
     
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  13. wavethatflag

    wavethatflag God is love, but get it in writing.

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Yeah, they’re supposed to be a “fun” headphone, not a neutral one. Personally, I think it’s good to have a neutral or close to neutral pair and then a pair that takes chances. When I get tired of one, I can go to the other.
     
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  14. AndyCC72

    AndyCC72 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    I like them. I had the AKG 712 Pro prior to the Mezze Classic’s and they very clinical, exchanged them for the Classics
     
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  15. Mindhead1

    Mindhead1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Illinois
    Very similar to my cans. My go to are the Sejm 6xx and Hifiman 4xx. I also really enjoy my Meze 99 Noir when traveling or for portable use.
     
  16. PoetryOnPlastic

    PoetryOnPlastic Forum Reedmaker

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Focal Clear fed by an Icon Audio HP8. I am very, very impressed by this combo, and my main speaker rig seldom bests it.
     
  17. DiabloG

    DiabloG City Pop, Rock, and anything 80s til I die

    Location:
    United States
    Good to know that the mids aren't sucked out. I just bought the Classics on Monday and they should be arriving tomorrow. I'm looking forward to hearing them.
     
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  18. Maxym

    Maxym Active Member

    Location:
    Europe
    Senheiser GSP 500 for daily use (mostly because I wanted something with a microphone for remote meetings, and it's very comfortable)

    Alternatives
    - Senheiser GSP 600 if I'm in an environment where I want closed back
    - Audio Technica M50x if I want more neutral response curve (but I don't find it comfortable at all otherwise I would use it more)
    - When walking Shure SE-420 (or maybe 425 I don't remember) (earphones)

    I feel like I still may upgrade in the future, open to suggestions.
     
  19. Standingstones

    Standingstones Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Central PA
    I am using the Sennheiser HD660S since the beginning of this year. I feel they are a step up from the HD650 I was using previously.
     
  20. Black Elk

    Black Elk Music Lover

    Location:
    Bay Area, U.S.A.
    Depends on your definition, but the bass is heavily boosted and the treble is shelved up too:

    Oratory Grapher


    (a match to the target response would be a flat line at 30 dB)
     
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  21. wavethatflag

    wavethatflag God is love, but get it in writing.

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    I doubt you won't like them. I'd say all the positive reviews are correct. Good drivers. Plus, they are very comfortable, in my opinion.
     
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  22. JamesRR

    JamesRR Trashcan Dream

    Location:
    NYC
    Sony MDR-7506
     
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  23. DiabloG

    DiabloG City Pop, Rock, and anything 80s til I die

    Location:
    United States
    I figure if I can't handle the bass on these, I can always return or sell them. Not sure if getting different pads would be worth it yet, I need to see if I can live with the stock ones first. Regardless, they're probably going to be more of a secondary pair if I keep them. My current go-to cans are Sennheiser HD599s.
     
  24. wavethatflag

    wavethatflag God is love, but get it in writing.

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    I have two pairs of Senns, one open back, and I don't consider the Meze secondary, just a different approach. Personally, I get bored with any headphone after a while, and then switch to another pair, or IEMs. None of them are perfect in my opinion, so may as well have variety.
     
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  25. VapourTrailUS

    VapourTrailUS Internet “Person”

    Location:
    California
    I find the Mezes (I have the noirs) muffled.
    I'm a HiFiMan Sundara and TRI Starlight 4 IEM man. I also like the Ikko OH10 (currently on sale at Drop).
    The 6xx are also good. But I think I prefer planars.
     

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