[donpablo]

Hello!
I am on Head-Fi since quite of time so far however I have never created my own thread.
I already have and have listened several HPs, most of them were openback. I am on the journey with find the perfect closed back for me, and probably found one with I can live as a happy audiophile however I am interested in yours opinion as well cause I haven't tried every closed back model there is.

What this thread is about is to post your list of max 3 headphones with biggest soundstage and great/at-least-good imaging that you heard. Soundstage/Imaging ratio is the key here, need to be 1 or above in your subjective opinion. Price doesn't matter.

Here is my list:
- Sony Z1R
- Aeon 2 C (that one I've chosen over Z1R because Sony's are bit too dark for me, awesome HPs anyway)
- Kennerton Magister Pro

I listen through: Aune S6 -> Little Dot Mk3 SE with Amperex Bugle Boy 6922/E88CC tubes.


Thank you in advance,
Cheers!

ps. Im waiting for converters to plug Aeons through my balanced cable to XLR amp output (should be brutally good).
ps2. I havent listened to Fostex th610/900, Beyerdynamic T2/T5p, Audeze XC, Audio Technica W1000Z, Denons, and I'm very interested how high you would put these HPs in your list.

 

[audiobean]

I too was pushed into the closed-black arena recently. Here's my input on what I have enjoyed, considering what you're after:

1. ZMF Eikons (hands down a top tier closed-back and holds its weight against TOTL open-backs; in some areas it can be stronger. The imaging is great which lends to the soundstage feeling wide with airy separation between the instruments. Sufficed to say they have one of the wider feeling soundstages I have heard, height wise is solid but not as "wow factor" due to the closed-back design. The tonality is superb, not mid crazy but is balanced very nicely. Notes have weight to them and does not come off sterile or dry sounding.)

Now on to the other closed-backs I have enjoyed. They do have more of a closed-back sound, as they should; that's what they are.

2. Fostex x00 Ebony (It does many things right. Imaging feels right with the instruments coming through the way the engineer intended and a wide soundstage for closed cans. Definitely not a let down because any genre thrown at this headset can sound very good.)
3. Ether CX (They are airy with a solid soundstage but lack dynamics, making some songs lose that "width" when switching to an open back like the Focal Clears (not a soundstage champion)...at a good used price these are hard to beat. Not my favorite closed-back but they try and you get a sense that they are honest sounding with closed-back limitations. Again, very good none the less if you know what to expect.)

Honorable mentions: Campfire Audio Cascade (has decent soundstage but is bass heavy and that has its own problems if not amplified right), Audeze LCD-2 Closed (can be wide with the right songs but lacks the "next level" feeling if you switch back and forth between open and closed-backs and since $$$ isn't a problem there you go).

YMMV!

 

[donpablo]

@audiobean Great post, thank you. I am very interested in ZMF headphones, and Eikons are one of them from what I have read in the reviews it would probably suit my taste. You've just confirmed it There are also ZMF Verite Closed now, but twice as expensive, question is if the difference is worth it, but the answer to that may be very subjective Sadly in my country ZMF headphones are hard to get for a test listening session.

 

[audiobean]

@donpablo I would love to hear the Verite closed and open, they seem to be fantastic. But for the price difference, you could buy 2 great headphones instead haha jk. I am in a spot where testing headphones is very difficult. So I am aware of your predicament. I bought the Eikons blindly and for me, it worked out. Good luck with your search!
Also, since you're into tubes, I understand the HD820 / Fostex x00 Mahogony and the Verite you mentioned would compliment one another very well (Although, I have not tried any of those, so there's that).

 

[joshnor713]

Sennheiser HD 820

 

[525667]

I'm quite new to the audiophile community so take my words with a grain of salt, but I recently tried the Meze 99 Classics and found quite a deep soundstage compared to other things I've demoed. Even compared to my Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro or my Audeze LCD-2C, I felt above-average spaciousness.

 

[Whazzzup]

Th900 then mod the crap out of it at Lawton. Done

 

[scottm18]

I'm one of the few it seems that is a Pioneer HP fan and IMHO the high-end models from them don't get nearly enough respect. I started with the SE-Master1 open and then picked up the Monitor5 closed. After break-in, the 5s sounds nearly as good and is more reasonably priced for sure. Both built like an absolute tank and even though weighty the comfort level is off the charts. I've seen them new for $500 USD.

I agree with everything stated here in this detailed review:
https://www.stereo.net.au/reviews/review-pioneer-se-monitor-5-headphones

 

[Nostoi]

Give the Beyer T5p/2nd gen a whirl, sounds like they'll fit your description. Campfire Cascade with filter filter removed also merits attention.

 

[donpablo]

@Nostoi Yep I have to try them, I love the comfort of Beyerdynamic headphones (already had Amirons and DT990 Pro).

 

[CTR640]

I can confirm what @celphirio said, the Meze 99 Classics has surprisingly very good soundstage. One of my most favorites.
I too love the comfort of Beyerdynamic headphones. I have both Amirons and DT770 Pro.
And I'm kinda in the same boat as you so ordered the T5p.2nd. Got it cheaper than any other webstore here in the Netherlands. It will take a while tho to have it delivered here.

 

[donpablo]

@CTR640 Looking forward to your description of T5p. Apart from that, try Amirons with XLR cable through XLR output (need to have dac/amp with such output and balanced construction inside). They changed dramatically when I tried that

 

[CTR640]

@CTR640 Looking forward to your description of T5p. Apart from that, try Amirons with XLR cable through XLR output (need to have dac/amp with such output and balanced construction inside). They changed dramatically when I tried that

Sure, I'll tell how it sound when I get my T5p. It wasn't easy picking the right one. I use my headphones for everything so XLR is a bit different story But then again, they make turd into gold or better said: the headphones makes everything sounds amazing.

 

[Infoseeker]

1. Jvc-Victor Hp-dx1000, funnest bass headphones ever out-of-box. Something about them is a dirty pleasure. Bass is well controlled, timbre is great, but highs are smooth. Soundstage is amazing.

2. Audeze XC, respond to p-EQ to sound how you like. Want harmonic curve? You can do that or something else. Want smoother sound? Can do that. Plus the soundstage is amazing because of the brute force of having the sound spread out across a huge 106mm driver.

3. Sony Xm3 Bluetooth respond to EQ well if you find a workaround to EQ them while maintaining LDAC codec. Can adjust the subbass after so.

 

[CTR640]

1. Jvc-Victor Hp-dx1000, funnest bass headphones ever out-of-box. Something about them is a dirty pleasure. Bass is well controlled, timbre is great, but highs are smooth. Soundstage is amazing.

2. Audeze XC, respond to p-EQ to sound how you like. Want harmonic curve? You can do that or something else. Want smoother sound? Can do that. Plus the soundstage is amazing because you literally have sound spread out across a huge 100mm driver.

3. Sony Xm3 Bluetooth respond to EQ well if you find a workaround to EQ them while maintaining LDAC codec. Can adjust the subbass after so.

Sony XM3 will sound very horrible in wired mode.