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Most opposite sounding headphones?

post #1 of 9
8/28/10 at 3:38am
Thread Starter 

Thought it would be fun to do a thread about the most striking differences between any 2 pairs of headphones you've heard and explain why they're so different. IEM's included.

 

This could be any aspect of audio presentation eg. soundstage depth/width/height, slow/fast transient response, bass impact/lightness, leanness of sound, fullness...etc...

 

One caveat is that the category cannot be merely 'bad' and 'good' ie. you can't say that the Apple Earbuds and the Sennheiser HD800 were the most opposite sounding headphones you've heard just because the former was so 'bad' and the latter was so 'good'. We're talking about good transducers here that are more 'sidegrades' from each other than blatant upgrades, if you see what I mean...

 

The most different headphones I've ever heard were the Etymotic ER4P and the Futuresonics Atrio. The ER4P is the fastest, most attacking yet cold, analytical, lean and bass-light sound I've ever heard whilst the Atrio is the richest, fullest, softest, bassiest sound I've experienced.

 

What are the most 'opposite' sounding headphones you've heard, and why?

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post #2 of 9
8/28/10 at 4:54am

hmmmm   Sony XB700 VS AKG K701

 

Highly contrasting soundstage and FR... 

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post #3 of 9
8/28/10 at 5:46am

Grado SR325is and Sennheiser HD600.

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post #4 of 9
8/31/10 at 1:10pm
Thread Starter 

What confuses me is that a lot of people say that the HD650 is the opposite of Grado 'phones in general. But people also very often say that the HD650 is also the opposite of the K701. And, in turn a ton of people say that the K701 is the opposite of Grado.

 

So, what, do we have like a triangle arrangement going on here with Grado, K701 and HD650 at each point?

 

How does that work!?

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post #5 of 9
8/31/10 at 2:15pm

Beyerdynamic DT48 and Denon D5000.

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post #6 of 9
8/31/10 at 6:49pm

senns are not opposite of akgs and  akgs are not opposite of grados. not at all... just slight differences in emphasizing certain areas of mids.  im assuming opposite would mean extreme opposites, highs vs lows and everything else reverse. but reversing bass may seem to reverse soundstage too...


Edited by wind016 - 8/31/10 at 6:51pm
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post #7 of 9
8/31/10 at 7:37pm

K701 and the darth beyer. Talk about total oppisites. One has no bass and a huge airy soundstage and the other one is all bass with a small muddled soundstage.

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post #8 of 9
8/31/10 at 7:47pm

In my experience the W5000's and HD650's are totally polar opposites. The W5000's are as transparent, airy and clear as you can get (paired with HA5000) and the HD650's are warm, more closed in and very laid back. The biggest difference between a set of cans I have ever heard!

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post #9 of 9
9/2/10 at 4:25pm
Thread Starter 

Well let me ask you guys this: which out of HD650, DT880 and K701 is the most similar to Grado? And most different?

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