Matajuro has been nagging me to post my impressions from the meet. While these may not be the most fresh impressions, at least I've had PLENTY of time to think about what I heard that day (and listen to my new RE262's!).
I shall just shotgun these out....considering I'm already working on a semi-lengthy review of the RE262.
HD800:I really didn't know what to expect from this pair and I really tried to put my personal distaste for all things Sennheiser away and give them a "fair shake". After spending about ten minutes with them, I simply wasn't impressed. They have a very similar level of great detail like the PS1000 and the T1, but are a little to laid back for my taste. I'll admit that they sound very good and I'm sure that there are plenty of people who are more than happy with the pair, it simply wasn't my cup of tea.
PS1000:Same great sound as last year. Didn't blow me away like last year, but it was certainly great to hear them again. After putting it up against our other competitors (HD800, T1) however, I wasn't nearly as impressed considering their hefty price tag. While it is a great headphone and deserves its place among the current flagships, it is simply too expensive for my tastes.
T1:I have found "it"...my true "holy grail". I cannot express how much I loved this headphone. It is by far one of the best I've ever heard. Call me a Beyer-fanboy if you will, but this is EXACTLY what I was looking for in a headphone. Great seperation, huge soundstage, amazing level of detail, excellent midrange, and comfortable as all get out. Frankly, it makes my DT880 sound like crap. To pull a quote from 'Wayne's World': "Someday, it will be mine...oh yes...they will be mine..."
HD25-1: This is the first Sennheiser that I have heard that I sincerely loved. These are definitely in my future as well (most likely in the near future). They just have a great, decently balanced sound coupled with comfortable pads and a fairly solid level of isolation. Everything that I'm looking for in a portable on-ear. THE SURPRISE OF THE MEET!
AD700:These really are great for under 100 USD. I was greatly impressed by their soundstage, smooth sound, and great amount of air that existed between instruments. Definitely bass-light, but had plenty of treble extension. One of the great surprises of the meet.
DX1000: Good to give these another listen. While I didn't get to spend nearly as much time with them as before, they still have that very organic sound, very natural sound for classic rock. And, they are still giant coconut headphones....and I love them for being just that.
DT-250:You know, I really wanted to like these, but I found them way too boring for my taste. They are clearly for professional use and simply not my liking. They weren't even what I would call neutral...just boring. Perhaps I simply didn't find any synergy with an amp...but they are definitely out and the HD 25-1 are in!
SRH840:These were an interesting pair of headphones. They remind me a lot of the Denon house-sound where they are dark-sounding but with a fairly good level of detail. I'm really not sure what I think of them or what I would listen to with them, but they didn't sound bad....probably just my broken ears.
That's it, guys. I want to thank James (Aynjell) for organizing the meet and getting all the great loaner gear. Speaking of loaner gear, I would like to thank ALO, Whiplash audio, Head-Direct, Comply, Head Room, NatureSpace, Spirit World, and Custom Electronics for all their great loaner gear, donated prizes and content, and demo tips. The combination of your support and James' hard work really made this a great and memorable meet for me. Again, Thank you!
...You may notice I only gave my impressions for headphones this year...I really didn't get to spend enough time off my own setup this year to get a good test of other amps/DACs/turntables. Therefore, next year I'll have to test out more kit and less 'phones.
-Nylan
Edited by nylan8301 - 11/4/10 at 7:59pm
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