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Worst "high-end" equipment you've heard - Page 3  

post #31 of 435
8/6/08 at 1:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by guzziguy View Post
For me, it's Grado RS-1s. I heard jp#s' balanced pair out of his EC amp with 909's Reimyo as the source. The amp and Reimyo are top notch. I also know that jp#s loves his RS-1s. For me, the treble was ear piercing. It was like having needles being driven into my eardrums. However, it's just a matter of taste.
did it have bowls or flats - makes a big difference. of course, if the highs were that distasteful, then maybe would not persuade you. i assume also not vintage.

Quote:
Now the Grado HP-2s are a different story. I heard jp#s' and fell in love with them. They're mine now! Thanks John.
i might actually prefer vintage RS1 to HP1000 (more musical, warmer and better texture) - but the latter is also very good.

Quote:
Originally Posted by catscratch View Post
Not going to be a popular sentiment, but for me it has to be the R10. ... The R10 has a certain magic to its midrange, a stark realism of tone together with a very romantic liquid presentation, but for a headphone that sells over $4k I'd expect more. I'd say it performs at the $1k pricepoint.
i agree about price. not wallet friendly. but putting that aside, it sounds like you think very high of them. the R10 just seems to be so perfect for classical music. if that is your genre of choice then, despite its cost, i could not imagine someone being dissatisfied with them.
post #32 of 435
8/6/08 at 1:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by vcoheda View Post
did it have bowls or flats - makes a big difference. of course, if the highs were that distasteful, then maybe would not persuade you. i assume also not vintage.

i might actually prefer vintage RS1 to HP1000 (more musical, warmer and better texture) - but the latter is also very good.
They had flats and were vintage. Well, I believe that to be the case. JP can correct me here if I'm wrong. To me, there was nothing "warm" about them except the fire in my ears. Actually, it really was more like needles being driven into my eardrums. They can't work for me.
post #33 of 435
8/6/08 at 1:49am
I'd personally define "high-end" by sound quality, not price or appearance, thus I wouldn't consider anything that sounded that bad "high-end". It's really more of a "most overpriced" equipment thread.
post #34 of 435
8/6/08 at 1:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by catscratch View Post
Not going to be a popular sentiment, but for me it has to be the R10. Not that it's a bad headphone, far from it, but it doesn't justify the price IMO. A balanced HD650 (in a good balanced rig mind you) will outperform the R10 in most areas except midrange tone and will cost much less. The R10 has a certain magic to its midrange, a stark realism of tone together with a very romantic liquid presentation, but for a headphone that sells over $4k I'd expect more. I'd say it performs at the $1k pricepoint.
Sorry, but I have to completely disagree with this statement. From my SDS-XLR, I can't even listen to my HD650s any longer. The sound is so muddled, unrefined and thick, it's just not enjoyable (and i have tried different tube combos). In comparison, the L3000 and R10, especially the R10 are on par with my ES-2/HE90 combo. The music is exquisite, with a great soundstage and excellent tonality, especially on the strings and guitar. In my limited experience, there is no better phone than the R10 for classical.

Now, whether it is worth 10x the price of the HD650 is another question. It is certainly worth it to me .

IMO, the HD650 does not belong in the high end category. I used to like it before i heard other gear. I used to think i liked a lot of bass, it's dark signature, until i heard music in all its detail through the HE90 and R10.
post #35 of 435
8/6/08 at 2:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by blubliss View Post
Sorry, but I have to completely disagree with this statement. From my SDS-XLR, I can't even listen to my HD650s any longer. The sound is so muddled, unrefined and thick, it's just not enjoyable (and i have tried different tube combos). In comparison, the L3000 and R10, especially the R10 are on par with my ES-2/HE90 combo. The music is exquisite, with a great soundstage and excellent tonality, especially on the strings and guitar. In my limited experience, there is no better phone than the R10 for classical.
.
It seems that your dissatisfaction with the HD650 could also remedied with the HD600. Would you also condemn this phone of the same evils on the XLR?
post #36 of 435
8/6/08 at 2:34am
As far as Headphones go I think that one of the worst "High End" products is the Audio Technica ATH-L3000 leather heads. Possibly the best looking headphone, but to my ears it so colored (as in midrange centric) that it's un-listenable. Oh and the wings hurt my head.
post #37 of 435
8/6/08 at 3:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tkam View Post
How could I forget the Ultrasone Edition 9, easily one of the worst headphones ever made, and absolutely abysmal at their asking price. Overly bassy, extremely colored midrange and surprise surprise another headphone that gets tonality completely wrong.
X2.
They would be ok for watching movies if they were not so uncomfortable....
post #38 of 435
8/6/08 at 3:03am
The Grado GS1000.
It failed to impress. Especially considering its price tag of USD 2,300 (NOK 12,000).

That said. Sound quality is one of the main factors when giving a product the "High-end" grade. So those who fail on the sound part will never be graded "High-end" from me, regardless if it cost $100,000
post #39 of 435
8/6/08 at 3:06am
Sorry Guys,

The Qaulia's to me are super sharp and just make things sound really nasty.

I have to say that while B&W can make some great stuff, most of the low end and midrange leaves me looking at ML's going - what? They charge this when you can get twice the speaker for the same price off of a major brand?

Overhyped.....The Xin amps. I know that Xin heads will kill me , but the prices that they go for is insane.

Then there are the many headphones that have gotten ridiculously priced and while they are excelent, they are being overpriced.....HF-1, HP1+2's, etc.

The R10's are king, though If I had 6k to spare, I would put it to a Modded d500 and DX100 system. Then, donate the rest or use it to buy parts!
post #40 of 435
8/6/08 at 3:10am
^^^ Speaking of the R-10 and the JVC DX1000 in the same thread. I know this is opening a can of worms, but how would you compare the two?
post #41 of 435
8/6/08 at 3:55am
GS1k- Bright and sibilant to my ears. I'd take the SR-60 over this any day.
post #42 of 435
8/6/08 at 4:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yikes View Post
As far as Headphones go I think that one of the worst "High End" products is the Audio Technica ATH-L3000 leather heads. Possibly the best looking headphone, but to my ears it so colored (as in midrange centric) that it's un-listenable. Oh and the wings hurt my head.
L3000 is certainly NOT colored at all to my ears. It is not as transparent and open as R10 or some other open headphones. But it has the rare ability of mimic speaker presentation, lush and warm feeling yet with delicate details, best bass I've ever heard from any headphone. It is one the few cans that I can listen to for prolonged period of time.

My take of worst hi-end headphone:

Beyer DT990, may not qualify for "high-end", but nonetheless flagship from that manufacturer. Its so sibilancy, I can't stand it for more than 5 seconds! Completely unlistenable.

Edition 9 is another candidate. I've never owned one, only listened at various meets so my impression may not be very comprehensive. But from those brief auditions, I certainly feel a very very strange sound presentation that I can't describe. Bass does have volume but lack of control and texture as L3000.
post #43 of 435
8/6/08 at 4:48am
How can you say X is not coloured, and then go on to say that it's not as transparent as Y?
post #44 of 435
8/6/08 at 4:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by milkpowder View Post
How can you say X is not coloured, and then go on to say that it's not as transparent as Y?
by "colored" I meant something like 'sugar coasted' like tonality. R10 is probably the best example of great transparency, but the sound is a tad colored, or "beautified"
post #45 of 435
8/6/08 at 8:37am
Worst .... the Ultrasone Edition 9 ..... to bassy, extremely colored and unnatural midrange and a weird frequency response that makes the headphones tonality sound all wrong. In fact, that is my opinion of all the Ultrasones I have heard or owned to date. Bad is bad regardless of the price.

Runner up GS1000 .... a piercing treble, hollow midrange and a thick overly warm upper bass and lower midrange. I cant stand this headphone and the Grado/ Alessandros are my favoriter headphones.


I dont think the Meridian GO8 and Headroom Max sound bad. But the sound quality to price ratio is very low. You can get products that sound as good or better for a fraction of the cost. Maybe this thread IS partly about the most overpriced equipment as ID alluded.
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