Headphone lovers, what do you love, what do you have, Head-Fi fans 2019-21 edition.*

This year, I have been mostly listening through... Fostex TH900mk2 headphones:



TH900mk2 : Premium Stereo Headphones

I think I might actually prefer these to my Sony MDR-Z1R headphones, and might be tempted to try the open-backed TH909 headphone that Fostex make too.

 

It might be a better bet to go for the KGSSHV Carbon. Expensive, but I bet that one would be wonderful. The original Stax T2 - not a good idea to buy now. If you could get a reliable, quality builder to do the KG version of the T2, or the Megatron, might be a far better bet.
Stax gear, IMHO, has always allowed indifferently produced albums to sound better, and well produced albums to shine even more brightly. This is what excellent gear should do. I've had Stax gear continuously since 1972.

 

My HPs in order of listening pleasure over the last year are
Stax L300 Ltds
Mjolnir rebuilt and upgraded to Pro bias Stax SR-X mk3 ...both these run through Stax SRM-353 80th Anni energiser
Audioquest NightHawks
MrSpeakers Ethers

like others have said the Stax provide incredible musical detail within even average productions... i listen mainly to CDs and some Records rather more than computer sourced music

 

Just to get the perspective, are Stax headphones considered expensive back then? Are they common to find in the local hifi stores or we need to fly to Japan to try one?

 

They were very expensive back then. I got mine via mu parents visiting Singapore and picking up a set (Stax SR-3, IIRC). I upgraded via Encel Electronics in Richmond, Melbourne, when it was a real high end store (they had the Stax CPY/ECP1 Electrostatic phono cartridge and the huge ELS- 8 speakers!!!)

 

Decided to overhaul my headphone gear essentially and landed on five headphones/IEMs I really enjoy and use regularly, plus a new amp and DAC than what I had before. Most of these are new, purchased within the last twelve months and only one of these things I had owned for a longer period (which would be the HD6XX).

Top, Left to Right: EMU Ebony > AKG K371 > Etymotic ER4XR > Hifiman Sundara > Sennheiser HD6XX

Bottom, Left to Right: Topping E30 DAC (it was shy that day) > Drop x THX 789 Amp

 

I hear you, but to be honest I’m very happy with the KGSSHV Mini. I daresay the Carbon might be a modest improvement but I suspect I got the lion’s share of the improvement when I went from 006T/007mk1 to Mini/007mk1. I had a pair of 404 Signatures at that point as well, and Mini/404S was probably better in many ways to 006T/007mk1, although of course Mini/007mk1 was the best.

Truth be told, I’ve spent enough money on audio and probably have *too much* money invested in the headphone rig (and everywhere else) relative to how much time I have to listen to any of it. So I’m basically done

 

I sold my Stax Sigma Pro headphones and Stax SR007 Mk1 because I had too many. Now I have a reasonable spread of 3 different headphones of various types and all very good.

 

I use Beyer DT-1990 Pro. I’ve been happy with them, well built and comfortable. The treble is a little bright. I recommended my friend the Philips Fidelio X2 which were about half the price and aside from the headband being a bit flimsier than mine I would say they’re just as good.

 

Two pair of AudioQuest Night Owl Carbons, Two pair Apple AirPods Pro, 1 pair Bose QC30 and 1 pair Bose QC35. I owned one pair of Night Owl Carbons which I use for critical listening and took advantage in their half-off sale last year when they discontinued them. The AirPods are what I use on the the go. It is nice how you can now use 2 pairs of AirPods on the same iOS device with separate volume adjustment possible. I will add that my SugarCube SC2 Mini now makes listening to LPs on headphones something I do a whole lot more.

 

Vintage (1980) Stax SR5 w/ srd6 amp. Stax stand. Amazing how well they perform still after so many decades. Not a lot of bass response but boy do they sound liquid and transparent.

 

ESS 452H two way system with Heil AMT, wired, needs a very low Ohm output amp. Schiit works very well.
My wife has a Sennheiser PXC 550. The ESS blows it away sound wise, but okay, no noise cancellation.
Just turn up the volume ya

 

I'm gonna have to switch my vinyl setup to headphones only in a couple months. I'm a student, so my budget is basically as cheap as possible while still getting good sound. Any recommendations for headphones?

 

The ESS 452 cost only about 200 bucks (order from the factory) and a Schiit Magni 100 bucks.
Price/Value is amazing ...
But it will not satisfy your needs probably - are you taking it with you all the time?

 

Yeah I already had my eye on the Schiit Magni, looks perfect for what I need. I'll be having my headphones in my room and that's all, not going anywhere else. The vinyl setup stays wherever I put it, including the headphones.

 

I picked up a pair of Hifi Man He400i headphones, my first ever planar headphone earlier this year. The value is incredible, really good sound for not a lot of cash.
I typically use these with a portable Schitt Fulla Amp, connected to my ipad. Usually streaming from my home server or Qobuz.

My main rig is a pair of Sennheiser HD 650’s, powered from my Schitt Jotunheim DAC/Amplifier.

I’m waiting on my newest, and hopefully last dynamic headphone to arrive. I ordered the Focal Elex, and I’ll see how they compare to the old warhorse, the HD 650.

 

Grabbed a pair of HD600 since I felt the need to hear them again. My tastes may have changed and I have much higher end amps and dacs now. I think I like them better than 650 or at least as much.
Also have a pair of JARHD600 on the way. 4 senns in the stable lol, 6xx a minty 2014 650 as backup, HD600 and JARHD600. Will get JARHD650 eventually. LCD2F for when I need a change did not like LCD2 classics even with velour pads so I sold them. Recently spent 2 weeks with ZMF AEOLUS for the $1200 asking price + what the better pads cost I was VERY unimpressed.

 

Bought a pair of AKG semi-open K240 for home use and love them. Would the closed back K92 be a reasonable equivalent for the office or public transport when I don't want sound leakage?

 

New toy today
Monolith by Monoprice Liquid Gold X balanced headphone amp by Alex Cavalli
Sounds very nice so far. Cleaner and tighter than the Liquid Platinum and Liquid Fire. But no tube bloom mixed in, for better and for worse. Different yet similar to the Cavalli hybrids. It's going to be a good compliment to the hybrid amps.

 

Can't wait to hear what you think after a while. congrats on the new edition. I am curious about the gain and if there's any difference in sound at same volume. It's cool they added gain switch, how's the DAC compared to your usual ?

 

I haven't tried the internal DAC yet.

I'll need to play around with high gain (6x) and low gain (4x) some more to figure out the sonic differences. It seems the 4x gain sounds better to me. I've only used my LCD-2 Classic with the amp so far. Haven't tried any other headphones yet.

 

I like lower gain on my asgard 3 with lcd2 and then use more volume, I think it sounds better. Is it a similar situation with more or less feedback involved ?

 

Generally the lower gain setting is done by having more negative feedback to lower the overall gain. So usually with most amps the lower gain setting will have more feedback. But not all amp designs are like that. I don't know what the Liquid Gold circuit is doing.

 

Just picked up a pair of Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Open. Upgraded from Sennheiser HD 280. Whilst the 280s are a lovely pair of headphones and have lasted for years, what an upgrade. These are fast, crisp and clear, and dynamic. They actually sound similiar to the Dynaudio X38 floorstanders in our living room. Just, super clean and engaging to listen to with loads of slam and definition, but not at all tiring to listen to. I’m running out of superlatives here