[GirgleMirt]

I'm considering getting some Koss ESP/95X electrostats... :\ Already have 400i, Q701, HD 598se, 990s, SR80, etc... (Also Schiit stack & Toppin A30 amp) Never heard the Koss. I've always been after just high fidelity; transparent, detailed, etc., I'm really wondering if it's worth it... What would be the competition around that price and how would it compare? To buy, or not to buy?

 

[GirgleMirt]

Just to try to answer my own question, looking in the rank the headphones you own thread; (I won't link all individual post, just quick copy paste resulting in koss search results)

Spoiler: Long list of rankings

===============================
Stax Omega II
Stax Lambda Pro
Stax SRXIII
AKG 701
Senn 650
Ety ER4S
Koss ESP 950
Senn 580
Senn PX100
===============================
My list:
1) Sennheiser HD650
2)Grado RS-1
3) audio technica w5000
4) Koss esp 950
5) alessandro ms1
===============================
1- Sennheiser HD650
2- Denon AH-D2000
3- Sennheiser HD600
4- Beyerdynamic dt 880 pro
5 - Koss esp 950
6- Grado RS2
===============================

1) Stax SR-Sigma
------------------------
2) Koss ESP-950
2) Stax SR-303
2) Stax SR-Lambda
------------------------
3) Yamaha YH-1 (ericj modded)
3) MB Quart Phone 85
3) Stax SR-001MK2
------------------------
4) Ety ER4-P/S
4) Koss A/250
4) Beyer DT880
4) Fostex T20v2 RP
4) Jecklin Float II
------------------------
5) Stax SR-Gamma
5) Audio-Technica ATH-A900
5) Yamaha YH-1
5) Magnavox 1A9217
5) MB Quart Phone 70
------------------------
6) Sennheiser HD600
6) AKG K280
6) AKG K340
------------------------

I do not, but it's very nice and I like it a lot. I also don't prefer SR-404 to SR-303 or SR-303 to SR-Lambda. I think that original normal bias Lambda is one of the best. But I am strange, I like Lambda Pro and Lambda Signature less than LNS and Lambda. If I had to rank all stats I heard this would be the ranking:

Stax SR-Sigma
Koss ESP-950
Stax SR-LNS
Stax SR-Lambda
Stax SR-404 / Stax SR-303
Stax SR-Lambda Signature
Stax SR-202
Stax SR-Lambda Pro
Stax SR-001MK2
Stax SR-Gamma
Magnavox 1A9217
SR-X Mk3
Stax SRD-4 & SR-40

===============================
1) Denon AH-d5000
2) Beyerdynamic Dt880 Pro
3) Sennheiser HD600
4) Koss Esp 950
5) Akg K701
6) Akg K501
7) Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro
Just sold Sennheiser HD650
~~~
Originally Posted by Faust2D /img/forum/go_quote.gif
You like DT880, HD600 and AH-D5000 more than ESP950. Well this just once and for all shows me that people look for completely different things in sound.
~~~
The Koss esp 950 is a great cans, I like it a lot with singers like Sara K or Patricia Barber.But 90% of my cd collection are Rock cds, so I like cans with more bass and dynamics then 950, this is the only reason the Koss is not at the top of my list.
===============================
1. Koss ESP/950
2. Koss ESP/10
3. AKG K701
4. Beyerdynamic T70 (before they failed; no idea what caused it)
5. Kenwood KH-K1000
6. Sony MDR-F1
7. Sennheiser HD 580
===============================
1) HD800
2) Stax SR-507
3) Koss ESP-950
4) AKG K-701
5) Audeze LCD-2 r1
6) Hifiman HE-5LE
7) Denon MD5000
8) Koss Porta-pro
9) Denon D1001
===============================
1. Koss ESP/950
2. Grado RS-1i (yes they moved back down)
3. Ultrasone PRO2900 (I'm certain)
4. Bose QC15-LE
5. Sony MDR-F1
6. Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9
7. Koss MV1
8. Bose AE2w
9. Koss TBSE
10. Koss Ruk50
11. Koss KTX Pro (only because of fit - sound/value should see them up there in the middle)
===============================
Koss ESP/950
Grado PS1000
Mrspeakers Mad Dog (Dog Pads)
Beyerdynamic T5p
Sennheiser HD650
Grado SR60i
Fischer Audio FA-003
Klipsch S4i
===============================
1. Koss ESP/950
This has been my absolute favorite all-rounder since I first got it, and is the only headphone in my collection I've never really considered selling. Though build quality is a bit shoddy, the sound signature of this classic Koss combines all the best aspects of a 'stat with the warmth and involvement of the HD650.
2. Sennheiser HD650
Speak of the devil, here comes my favorite dynamic headphone under $1000. While I've heard an Alpha Dog and acknowledge that it's technically better, the warmth and intimacy of the HD650 is more in tune with what I like to hear. My pair hasn't hit the hundred hour mark yet, so I only expect it to get better
3. Mad Dog V3.2
My go-to headphone if I need something closed. About the same level of resolution as the HD650 (except when driven by a high-end rig, in which case the HD650 has an edge), but imaging isn't quite as accurate and bass doesn't have quite the hit.
4. Denon AH-C400
A versatile, fairly neutral IEM with top-notch build quality. Portable casual listening bliss, no amp required.
5. AKG K67
A bright, sparkly portable for those times when I don't want something in my ears. Much more resolving than you would expect from a DJ headphone, and actually a bit bass light for my tastes.
===============================
1. Audeze LCD 2.2 specifically when driven by DecWare Taboo II
2. Koss ESP 950...fast, smooth a bit lacking in slam.
3. HifiMan HE500... driven by DecWare or Headroom Home with built in DAC. Not as comfortable, but still sound good.
4. Senn. HD700/HD650...each have their strengths. HD650's on Bottlehead Crack. HD700's were higher on the Woo WA2
5. Denon 7100...good for listening to movies at night. Strong bass, comfortable pads
6. Grado 225i....punchy, little sub bass, hard to listen to on poorly recorded rock. Work well with iPad.
===============================
Audeze LCD-4
Hifiman HE-1k
Audeze LCD-3F
Sennheiser HD-800S

Rankings of headphones that I once owned or heard
Same as above then...
Hifiman HE-6
Hifiman Edition X
Zmf Omni Cherry
Sennheiser HD-800 DuPont mod
Fostex TH900
Audeze Lcd-X 2016 drivers
Hifiman HE-560
Stax L-700
Koss Esp 950
Audeze LCD-2F
Mr. Speakers Ether-C v1.1
Mr Speakers Ether
Dharma 1000
Mr. Speakers Alpha Dogs
Hifiman HE-400i

Then much lower rated...
Sennheiser HD-800 no mods
McIntosh MPA-1000
Beyerdynamics T1
Audio Technica ATH-W5000
Audioquest Nighthawks
Fostex TH-X00
==========================================
Top Echelon:
Stax SR-L700
Focal Clear
Sennheiser HD800S
Grado GS2000e

Very Good:
Fostex TH-900 MK1
Sennheiser HD800
Sony MDR-Z1R
Beyerdynamic Xelento
Hifiman Edition X V2
Audeze LCD-X
Beyerdynamic T1 1st gen
Audeze LCD-2

Pretty Good:
Denon AH-D5000
Grado RS1e
Audioquest Nighthawk
Grado PS1000e
Beyerdynamic DT880 250 ohm
Focal Elear
Philips Fidelio X1
Sennheiser HD650

Ehhhh:
Koss ESP-950
AKG K601

No Thank You:
Shure SRH1840
===============================

1. Koss ESP-950 - Still top dog. For kicks I run the energizer out of the headphone out on the amp. Picks up a little bit of the tube sound, but the effect is pretty minimal. The headphones themselves have the most godly mids I've ever heard. Not a huuuuge soundstage, but still nice, and imaging that can't be beat. Maybe lacking in bass extension just a little, but still a fantastic all-rounder.

2. Beyerdynamic T5p Rev 1 - Again, another great all-rounder. Huge soundstage for a closed headphone, great imaging, and tonal balance is overall pretty even. There's small peaks and dips across the spectrum, but the WA2 fills in the most noticeable dip: the lower mids. They are just a touch thin down there, but the WA2 really smooths that out. Some stuff can still be a little too bright for relaxed, easy listening, but that translates into a really dynamic and energetic listening experience when I'm just wanting to jam out.

3. Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 - This headphone, far and away, got the largest gains from the WA2. It's almost a different headphone. It's sorta reminiscent of an Audeze with this amp. From top to bottom it's a more refined experience. Bass picks up the amp's beautiful texture, the upper bass transitions a little more smoothly into the low mids, and even soundstage opens up a little. It's such a lively and engaging experience with basically anything I throw at it now, even softer material. It would be silly to recommend the WA2 to someone who solely owns the DT770 Pro, but if you have the opportunity to audition a WA2, definitely bring them along!

4. Sony MDR-CD900ST - I still love this headphone, and I'd recommend it to any mid-head who's looking for end-game quality, but my taste in music is expanding out from my small rock and folk arrangements. It also picks up remarkably little from the amp, which is somewhat of a disappointment. Might give it a little more love in the coming days though, as it got precious little outside of an initial audition.

5. Ultrasone HFI-580 - Another one that picks up very little of the amp's sound. Still a fantastic headphone for those wanting a big, bassy sound.

6. Koss Pro DJ100 - Has seen almost no ear time lately, but initial impressions on the WA2 were still impressive. Really picked up on that bass texture, and maybe a little more open sounding.

7. AKG M220 - A solid 7/10 headphone. Upper mids are a little too recessed, treble is really odd, in that some frequencies are really high, some are really low. Decent imaging and soundstage.

8. Koss Porta Pro - Not the biggest fan. Way too dark for my tastes. Bass is a little loose. I think the KSC-75 is a superior sounding headphone.

9. Sennheiser HD-25 - I used to really like this headphone. Build quality is fantastic, isolation is very good, bass and mids are fairly competent, but the treble just really kills me. It's really unpleasant with a lot of my music. Soundstage and imaging also kinda suck.
============================
Abyss
HE-500
Ether-C
HD-800
Koss ESP-950
K872
RS1
HD-6xx
HE-400
K240 Sextett
HE-400S
Meze 99 Classics

So basically, I think it's hard to conclude anything from this list as it seems to be a little bit all over the place... For some it's the best, others a 701 or 650 is better...

 

[jksoon]

I'm still considering these. For the money, you could buy them, try them out and flip them for close to what you paid if you don't like them as I have seen them around the same price 2nd hand and even more on the bay, at least the non 9xx labeled ones. So, I guess you could basically use them for a while and not take much of a hit if you decide they aren't for you. Only thing holding me back is that the earliest ships are April 5, 2019. I've listened to these in the past and I would definitely take them over the 701. They also have the famous Koss lifetime warranty.

 

[Brahmsian]

I'm still considering these. For the money, you could buy them, try them out and flip them for close to what you paid if you don't like them as I have seen them around the same price 2nd hand and even more on the bay, at least the non 9xx labeled ones. So, I guess you could basically use them for a while and not take much of a hit if you decide they aren't for you. Only thing holding me back is that the earliest ships are April 5, 2019. I've listened to these in the past and I would definitely take them over the 701. They also have the famous Koss lifetime warranty.

Agree with jksoon. Buy them, give them some time. If you don’t like them, just sell them. You can probably recover most of your money.

I’m thinking about buying these myself. Can any owners chime in on whether they are the same in sound as the regular version? If so, it’s quite a deal.

Stats are supposed to be especially good with classical. If they have a shortcoming, I hear it’s in the bass department, in which case my planars might beat them. The HE-560 has excellent bass for classical. Very present and textured but extremely tight (a good thing for the genre).

 

[GirgleMirt]

Yeah I guess selling would be an option... Also with massdrop, don't they often put up the same product at a lower price at a later date? Btw, if you google 'Koss ESP/95X measurements' you'll find some measurements with the newer vs older pad version.

Saw this referenced the 950; https://headfonics.com/2018/05/mrspeakers-voce-review/2/ so just being somewhat comparable to the 3k voce seems good. I'm just worrying whether 'the upgrade' is really worth 500$. I mean it has some shortcomings; bass, dynamics, slam, from the review/comments it can be sibilant, so it has limitations, I guess I'm just wondering also whether there's a better overall performer. Like if the Koss scores 10 in detail but 5 in slam and 7 in bass, something (like Elex maybe? Sundara? etc.) which scores 9 in detail but 8 in bass & slam might just be better overall; without such glaring weaknesses that you would prefer a Q701 over it on average...!

500$ also is quite a bit of money for something you've never heard and might not even like. If only they were universally loved, but as I mentioned, when you see dt880, hd600, 701, etc., ranked above them, well, really makes you wonder if it's really worth putting 500$ on them...

 

[Brahmsian]

Heck yeah they are worth $500. That’s an amazing price for an electrostatic pair of headphones with its own amp and a lifetime warranty. Whether its sound signature is one you will like and whether its strengths suit the kind of music you listen to is a different issue. As somebody who listens to classical music, stats have often been recommended to me. But if you mostly listen to hip hop they might not be the best match for you.

BTW I’d be surprised if Massdrop dropped the price on these much lower.

 

[GirgleMirt]

No hip hop, rap or country for me, as I only listen to good music wink wink. Mostly rock, alternative, classical, and mix of genres (ex; OSTs, orchestral with voices, drums & other modern instruments, etc.).

I've been reading more articles about the 950, I've not really seen one which has been close to negative, most seem really to praise its value & performance, so I think I'm sold. Think I'll peruse the 950 a bit more and likely place an order in the next few days. Getting them soon would be a plus but getting them in April isn't the end of the world..

Thanks!

 

[GirgleMirt]

Haha hifiman and Massdrop just threw a curve ball!

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/massdrop-x-hifiman-edition-xx.892112/
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-hifiman-edition-xx-headphones

Sigh! Now it's two days to try to figure out which of following it should be:
1) Koss 950
2) Hifiman Edition XX
3) neither / wait

Reading the 950 thread, a few things which were a tad bit negative;
1) on sale for $599cdn on amazon.ca in 2014. Not really an issue per se, but, this was with case & battery pack, paying more now without the extras seem not as good of a deal.
2) comments on the power supply & amp being weak. (ex; I'm glad that regulated power supply from Mouser made such a big difference.) Yeah they're good as is, but reading that getting a new power supply, using a Stax amp, etc., really improves them, is a bit annoying... Also since electrostatics are so expensive, new energizer amp isn't really foreseeable, plus they're surely quite expensive... If you could initially splurge for a better amp from the get go...
3) although I did say that I was after detail, resolution, neutrality, etc., comments like these make me wonder;

I have the Hifiman HE560 (and too many other cans to list now...definitely too many for my wife...), have to say, the Koss bests it in some areas (detail, soundstage), the 560 bests the Koss in some areas (impact/drive/solidity of instrumental color), and it often depends what I'm listening to as to which I prefer. I probably reach for the 560 more, more of an overall performer imo, but I'm pleasantly surprised when I go to the Koss. Pretty much a wash, Hifiman more "fun", Koss more detailed/"accurate" in its way.

It might not be realistic as I understand it's often about trade-offs, but if I splurge more than $750cdn for a pair of headphones (taxes, shipping, currency exchange, etc.), i would like it to improve everything on my current 200-300$ headphones!

Also when splurging that much money, it might not be very reasonable, it just seems to get to a point like throwing in another 3 or 400$ isn't all that much. Also I tend to be more of a what does it do wrong instead of what does it do great. Like the best system would be the system with the least flaws, not the system that does 2-3 things great and 2-3 things not so great... The ESP950s seem to be more of a specialist type rather than does everything great... But yeah, it's always tradeoffs and compromises. Like photography; zoom vs prime, aperture, image quality, weight, cost, etc., there just never seems to be just one that does everything, especially on a budget.

Bleh! The worse is buying blind, at least if you could hear them... Now... Just reading comments, looking at possible competition, I'm leaning on skipping. MD said 950 drop is limited to 713, but they're at 385, so I'm sure we'll see the drop again. So I think I'll pass, take more time to read and think about it... Maybe at one point actually hear a pair... But yeah, I actually really don't need another pair of headphones lol I think was really more of 'this is a great deal!' impulse buy, and I seem to be thinking myself out of it... Sigh...

 

[GirgleMirt]

But yeah anybody knows how it should compare to the Edition XX? I'm still not certain I'll not get them... It seems to be pretty damn close to what I'm looking for...

Spoiler: XX vs ESP950 FR graphs

 

[SilverEars]

Looking at your music taste, I'd say start out with HD6XX if you haven't done so.

 

[GirgleMirt]

I actually tried to order the 1st drop of the 6xx but didn't make it, ended up getting the 400i instead. I was going to say I never heard the 650 but actually I just remembered I did and was not impressed... Just searched for my posts about them;

Spoiler: 650 ramblings

--------
I've heard the 650s on a HDVD 800 D/A Headphone Amplifier, only for a few minutes, and I was quite disappointed.. So much so I think there might have been something wrong with the setup, it's true that right next to them were the hd800 and hd800s, so maybe that's why they sounded so 'lowfi' (contrary to what many have said); quite dark sounding, not very detailed/controlled, at least next to the 800s, they sounded quite bad to me, but many love them, so maybe it was just the 800s shining & eclipsing them.

For the 400i, the 400i are planars and extremely 'fast'. Their precision and detail is very impressive, and the details in the bass, how cleanly it plays, and everything you can hear, is quite astonishing. It's really a level well above the AKG Q701 for instance, which seem to be comparable to HD650 (http://www.head-fi.org/t/768698/sennheiser-hd650-vs-akg-q701-is-the-hd650-worth-getting). I guess maybe that's why the 650 were disappointing, in terms of precision/clarity, the 400i is really on a different level. Soundstage and imaging are really good. Bass is definitely present and as I was saying extremely clean, but unlike others, it's definitely not emphasized. The 650 bass I remember, and overall detail/clarity, wasn't anywhere near in terms of quality...
--------------------------------------------------------
I had the chance to compare the Sennheiser HD650, 800 and 800s, and all 3 were connect to a 3000$ sennheiser amp, hdvd-800 I think. Anyway, the 650 were not close to the 800 line... The clarity/detail/musicality was just not there, the 650s sounded so muddy and bloated in comparison... Absolute let down. Now, it's just a pure impression as I didn't have the 400i to compare, and was listening to their music, but although some have said that the 400i is comparable to the 650 in terms of clarity/detail, I find that hard to believe...

As I mentioned though, the amp powered 3 headphones at once, so maybe the 650s weren't driven properly or something, but my quick impression would be that the 400i sound quality is a bit closer to the 800 line than the 650... Like if the 800 line was the reference at 10/10, and the 650 was a 6/10, the 400i would likely be like a 7.5 or 8/10. I'd say maybe the 650 would be more comparable to AKG's Q701, the AKG is no slouch, but vs the 400i it's just not as transparent/fast/detailed... Bit more 'lowfi', which is more how the 650 sounded to me...

Also heard the Beyerdynamic T1p, and it was driven by a small portable fiio or something, it also failed to impress, I'd say the amp was likely the culprit as their pricepoint is quite higher than the 400i, but yeah, it was ok/nice, just not impressive when thinking of it vs 400i. The Senn 800 line was amazing though...

Also heard the Hifiman 560, driven by some ridiculous Chord amp, with the silly name of 'Dave' it looks like (not kidding!!! http://www.whathifi.com/chord/dave/review) and wow now THAT was something. Smooth sound, detailed, nothing bad stood out, very pleasant sound! But then, I'm seeing 899$US for 560 where I got the 400i for 240$US... Definitely a sweet setup though, hard to tell which of headphone or amp added some magic, but my guess is that both were doing a great job. Definitely a good step up vs 400i, but then who knows how much better the 400i would also have sounded on that crazy dac/amp...!

The Sennheiser Orpheus HE-1 was also fun to listen to. I almost bought it, but then realized it would not fit on my desk, also they only had it in white soo, I had to leave it there...
-----------------
I kinda regret now not getting the Sennheiser Orpheus HE-1, it sounded pretty nice... I didn't get it because it would not fit on my desk, but now I have a new desk... :\

Yeah so for 650, I think they're overall at least comparable to the 400i, and I remember scavenging the Rank your headphones for 400i and them doing very well vs hd650 & others, so in part why I took a risk with them. Ex, just from RYH thread's last page;

Out of my current crop of headphones:
1. Focal Elex
2. HE 400i with ori pads
3. HD 650
4. HD 600
5. Audioquest NH
6. E-MU Teak

For 950, it's just not encouraging when reading that say the 600 or 650 are preferred to 950... So much contradictory info! Ex;
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/koss-esp-950-thread.581491/page-114#post-11299098
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/koss-esp-950-thread.581491/page-114#post-11299232

So yeah I think I'm leaning on passing the 950 for now... I think I really want just a solid upgrade; a great all rounder, which in the best case would at least match the 400i in resolution/bass/imaging/soundstage/etc., and then at least improve a little on everything; smoother sound, no brightness/sibilance, etc., just something that would make me want to get rid of my current 6 pairs of headphones... Focal Clear comes to mind, although I've not heard it, Innerfidelity's Tyll comments about it being the 1st 1000$+ HP he'd really recommend sounds interesting, but yeah it's still a bit of a ridiculous pricing for me, guess I'm slowly working my way up... Shish $1900cdn lol There's Focal Massdrop Elex at $699, but yeah over 1k$cdn after 15% taxes... Not even sure it would do the job... Would it?! Then there's a potential HFM Edition XX at 599$.... Sigh... DECISION, Y U SO HARD!

 

[Mach3]

I own the HD600, HD650, HD700 & HD800. Have also audition HD800s. Prefer the HD800 over the HD800s because it loses on micro details. The biggest problem with the 950 are the earpads. Too thin and does not seal well. The other problem is the crappy amp. Compare to even the basic Stax SRM-252s it a joke. I post some pictures later of the best setup IMO for the 950. In stock form it not a true giant killer. With a little mod, iit' pretty impressive.

 

[GirgleMirt]

Just soo much contradictory info... I was reading about the 950, some commented that if the amp was in a nice aluminum case instead of plastic, people would rave about it... (Implying that the amp's bad sound would be more placebo than actual sound quality). After going all over the place on the 950s, think I'll keep an eye out, and if I see them in Canada for $5-600cdn I might grab a pair... From the 950's page, supposedly Koss often does 40% off on black friday, which would likely be cheaper than massdrop, plus battery pack and case, and since the MD deal ships in like 6 months anyway...

And btw how would the Elex compare to the ESP950 or even 400i? Is the Elex worth looking into or if you're interested in planar/electrostatic sound then Elex should be out of the question?

And yeah obviously, anything else I should be looking into? Not sure what happened but Hifiman prices are down by a ridiculous amount since just a few years/months... $220us for 400i?! Ridiculous deal! MSRP $449 for 560 now? That's half of what they cost two years ago! And open box 329$!

 

[SilverEars]

I actually tried to order the 1st drop of the 6xx but didn't make it, ended up getting the 400i instead. I was going to say I never heard the 650 but actually I just remembered I did and was not impressed... Just searched for my posts about them;

Spoiler: 650 ramblings

--------
I've heard the 650s on a HDVD 800 D/A Headphone Amplifier, only for a few minutes, and I was quite disappointed.. So much so I think there might have been something wrong with the setup, it's true that right next to them were the hd800 and hd800s, so maybe that's why they sounded so 'lowfi' (contrary to what many have said); quite dark sounding, not very detailed/controlled, at least next to the 800s, they sounded quite bad to me, but many love them, so maybe it was just the 800s shining & eclipsing them.

For the 400i, the 400i are planars and extremely 'fast'. Their precision and detail is very impressive, and the details in the bass, how cleanly it plays, and everything you can hear, is quite astonishing. It's really a level well above the AKG Q701 for instance, which seem to be comparable to HD650 (http://www.head-fi.org/t/768698/sennheiser-hd650-vs-akg-q701-is-the-hd650-worth-getting). I guess maybe that's why the 650 were disappointing, in terms of precision/clarity, the 400i is really on a different level. Soundstage and imaging are really good. Bass is definitely present and as I was saying extremely clean, but unlike others, it's definitely not emphasized. The 650 bass I remember, and overall detail/clarity, wasn't anywhere near in terms of quality...
--------------------------------------------------------
I had the chance to compare the Sennheiser HD650, 800 and 800s, and all 3 were connect to a 3000$ sennheiser amp, hdvd-800 I think. Anyway, the 650 were not close to the 800 line... The clarity/detail/musicality was just not there, the 650s sounded so muddy and bloated in comparison... Absolute let down. Now, it's just a pure impression as I didn't have the 400i to compare, and was listening to their music, but although some have said that the 400i is comparable to the 650 in terms of clarity/detail, I find that hard to believe...

As I mentioned though, the amp powered 3 headphones at once, so maybe the 650s weren't driven properly or something, but my quick impression would be that the 400i sound quality is a bit closer to the 800 line than the 650... Like if the 800 line was the reference at 10/10, and the 650 was a 6/10, the 400i would likely be like a 7.5 or 8/10. I'd say maybe the 650 would be more comparable to AKG's Q701, the AKG is no slouch, but vs the 400i it's just not as transparent/fast/detailed... Bit more 'lowfi', which is more how the 650 sounded to me...

Also heard the Beyerdynamic T1p, and it was driven by a small portable fiio or something, it also failed to impress, I'd say the amp was likely the culprit as their pricepoint is quite higher than the 400i, but yeah, it was ok/nice, just not impressive when thinking of it vs 400i. The Senn 800 line was amazing though...

Also heard the Hifiman 560, driven by some ridiculous Chord amp, with the silly name of 'Dave' it looks like (not kidding!!! http://www.whathifi.com/chord/dave/review) and wow now THAT was something. Smooth sound, detailed, nothing bad stood out, very pleasant sound! But then, I'm seeing 899$US for 560 where I got the 400i for 240$US... Definitely a sweet setup though, hard to tell which of headphone or amp added some magic, but my guess is that both were doing a great job. Definitely a good step up vs 400i, but then who knows how much better the 400i would also have sounded on that crazy dac/amp...!

The Sennheiser Orpheus HE-1 was also fun to listen to. I almost bought it, but then realized it would not fit on my desk, also they only had it in white soo, I had to leave it there...
-----------------
I kinda regret now not getting the Sennheiser Orpheus HE-1, it sounded pretty nice... I didn't get it because it would not fit on my desk, but now I have a new desk... :\

Yeah so for 650, I think they're overall at least comparable to the 400i, and I remember scavenging the Rank your headphones for 400i and them doing very well vs hd650 & others, so in part why I took a risk with them. Ex, just from RYH thread's last page;

For 950, it's just not encouraging when reading that say the 600 or 650 are preferred to 950... So much contradictory info! Ex;
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/koss-esp-950-thread.581491/page-114#post-11299098
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/koss-esp-950-thread.581491/page-114#post-11299232

So yeah I think I'm leaning on passing the 950 for now... I think I really want just a solid upgrade; a great all rounder, which in the best case would at least match the 400i in resolution/bass/imaging/soundstage/etc., and then at least improve a little on everything; smoother sound, no brightness/sibilance, etc., just something that would make me want to get rid of my current 6 pairs of headphones... Focal Clear comes to mind, although I've not heard it, Innerfidelity's Tyll comments about it being the 1st 1000$+ HP he'd really recommend sounds interesting, but yeah it's still a bit of a ridiculous pricing for me, guess I'm slowly working my way up... Shish $1900cdn lol There's Focal Massdrop Elex at $699, but yeah over 1k$cdn after 15% taxes... Not even sure it would do the job... Would it?! Then there's a potential HFM Edition XX at 599$.... Sigh... DECISION, Y U SO HARD!

I realized Sennheisers take a bit of time to get used to the sound. HD6XX is an odd headphone due to the upper-mids (it may take time for ears to adjust due to this nature as other headphones maybe dipped in comparison). If you compare with a lot of headphones, it skews how recordings are present (or the other headphones do). It may just be correct in the mids, boosted, or represents the mids tonality of studio monitors perhaps (which maybe why recordings are represted the will they are with it?)? I tie the relation to studio monitors because mids pop out with recordings you hear as a bit flat with other headphones.

I think the most electrostatic sounding dynamic headphone I heard was HD800. Personally do not like the treble peaks and lean nature though. I think it moves treble air more than electrostatic is the reason why I find it piercing.

 

[Whitetriton]

... From the 950's page, supposedly Koss often does 40% off on black friday, which would likely be cheaper than massdrop, plus battery pack and case, and since the MD deal ships in like 6 months anyway...


If I recall correctly, Koss has often excluded the ESP950 from their 40% coupons in the past. That's not proof they will in the future. Just saying to check the fine print if/when they announce it.