stipulations are ....

- market value of $3500
- has to be 3 different pairs, can be IEM, Full Size, or Portable (can't consolidate for one pair)
- not taking amp, dac, recabling into consideration


the reason why i thought about this was because i have quite a few cans laying around and i really don't want to keep more than 3 because i feel that any more than 3 the others wouldn't get much use AND i feel that 3 pairs would give you a good variety of sound signatures for just about any type of music .... plus the wife would prefer me to keep the number of toys to a lower minimum

1) HD800 - i love the sound now that mine's nice and burned-in and even though it's on a stock cable and the highs are a bit bright for jazz, classical, soft rock they sound absolutely amazing

2) Ultrason Edition9's - can go portable yet have full size sound, love the bass extension and goes great with hiphop/rap/pop/trance

3) ???

i'm not sure on the 3rd choice though as i want something with a completely different sound than the other 2. i've considered another D7000/LA7000 for full slamming bass but i feel the edition9's do a similar job and has the plus of being portable.

Ultrasone Edition 8's are another contender as they just sound so sweet .... but once again i think it's similar in sound to the HD800 without the huge soundstage but it does give the music much more "life". but if i had to choose i would pick the HD800's intimate feel

so ......

what would you pick as your 3 and why?

4070/K1000/HD800..IEM? Portables? Don't use..

Best way to guarantee they all get used is to get one for different venues. Like an IEM to go with your DAP or laptop when you leave the house, maybe a portable DAC-AMP too because tehy can be pretty sensitive with the high freqs. Then there's the absolute best headphone you can fit in that budget with a dedicated rig, ie, CDP/CDtransport source+DAC, then an amp. Maybe balanced too. Then a good single-ended cans+cheap but good DAC+amp with your home PC workstation.

Total value of them has to be $3500?

1. Beyerdynamic T1/HD800 - Not sure which one because I'm no where near this level. But one of them would act as my main neutral headphones.

2. JH13 Pro - They'd be my portables, and maybe more.

3. HF2/RS1 - Would have to hear the RS1 before I decide on this. But I love the Grado sound too much to forsake it for strict neutrality.

I'm surprised you didn't list three models of the DT48, kool bubba.

Please see my sig. for my three full sized headphones.

Very hard to decide....
I havent seen any headphones at that price range, except for the "ULTRASONE Edition 9" and the "Sennheiser HD 800"

I think I would pick the d7000 as well for a nice middle ground between the ed9 and the hd800. (I would replace the hd800 for the t1)
Mine don't really do the same job as the ed9. The ed9 are my favorite sounding cans but I find that they are only good for short listening sessions.
I find the sound of the d7000 a bit more refined and laid back than the ed9 with less warmth and a bit less punch as well but still enough to help keep them involving I also find them much more comfortable to use for long listening session than the ed9.

$3500 total of the three? either way stuff like sennheiser orpheus and sony r10's are out of the running.

if it's $3500 each... :3
stax O1
stax O2
then maybe a k1000 or qualia

Beyerdynamic T1
Denon D7000
Grado PS1000

I don't have any experience in this price range. I did put in an order for a pair of T1's though

K1000
HD800
JH13

I really have no business even thinking about such things...

This is easy!

• SR-007 (MKI)
• SR-007A (MKII)
• Sennheiser HD 800

HD800
JH13
modded KSC35

sourced by gamma2 > EHHA
or Sansa Fuze with extra 16gb SDHC

There should be enough change left for some music.

Too many high end cans I haven't heard for me to speculate this yet!

But if I were offered an HD800, Beyer T1 and K1000 I would take them with open arms having not heard them, but knowing I would most likely love at least one of them!

i guess a T1 and a K1000 are on my to try list

1. HD800 (heard them at the meet and liked it more than the PS1000/GS1000 or the ED9's)
2. K1000 (with a good power amp)
3. RS1 or maybe Symphones Magnums