[RoyaceGA]

 
I kinda did a Beats Pro review... at least I compared Beats Pro to Yamaha Pro 500 and Beats Studio 2013, here: 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/723136/battle-of-the-bassys-beats-pro-yamaha-pro-500-and-beats-studio-2013-compared#post_10634722
 
I am also proudly (stupidly???) including my 4 Beats headphones among my HiFiMAN, Grado and Sennheisers at my setup at tomorrow ChiUniFI headphone meet....
 

 
From that whole collection, which one you think is the best?

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Of the *whole* collection (16 headphones and IEMs), I would pick the HiFiMAN HE-500... while the other headphones are, at best, outstanding either in transparency and impact (i.e., high frequency stuff... like the Grado PS500 and the Shure 535) or in bass so strong you can feel it (e.g., Beats Pro, Beats Studio, or T-PEOS H200 IEM), only the HiFiMAN has BOTH the high frequency excellence AND enough bass for you to feel it.  Others that come close in having both are the Yamaha PRO 500 (strong bass but still good high frequency), the Stax SR-5/SRD-6 (best treble stuff, but very little bass), and the T-PEOS H200 IEM (excellent trebles while still-palpable bass).
 
Oh... and here IS the whole collection, annotated..
 

 

[RoyaceGA]

Thanks for the recommendations and label. Time to start collecting. 

 

[cb3723]

Of the *whole* collection (16 headphones and IEMs), I would pick the HiFiMAN HE-500... while the other headphones are, at best, outstanding either in transparency and impact (i.e., high frequency stuff... like the Grado PS500 and the Shure 535) or in bass so strong you can feel it (e.g., Beats Pro, Beats Studio, or T-PEOS H200 IEM), only the HiFiMAN has BOTH the high frequency excellence AND enough bass for you to feel it.  Others that come close in having both are the Yamaha PRO 500 (strong bass but still good high frequency), the Stax SR-5/SRD-6 (best treble stuff, but very little bass), and the T-PEOS H200 IEM (excellent trebles while still-palpable bass).

Oh... and here IS the whole collection, annotated..

An eclectic mix of some pretty awesome cans for sure.

Eclectic collections = so much win

Is it just the angle/perspective of the shot, but those Yammys look big earcups - are they bigger than the beats pro's?

Is Ms.Grado you or library pic?

 

[Rhamnetin]

Bumping this thread
 
I'm gonna have to say the Fostex TH900 is the most overrated headphone in my opinion.  I auditioned it recently, it was being used with an Ayre Acoustics QB-9 and Headamp GS-X Mk2.  The TH900 sounds incredibly closed in, even for a closed headphone, which is the main reason I couldn't stand it.  

 

[Gagarin]

Abyss headphones- for 5k (+ amp and dac money!) you can get a mid-fi speaker separates system that does the job better. It's also uncomfortable to the extreme.
 
Don't kill me
 
please
 
 

Spoiler: However...

They are incredible sounding and I would not hesitate to recommend them to those with endless pockets.

 

[Rhamnetin]

  Abyss headphones- for 5k (+ amp and dac money!) you can get a mid-fi speaker separates system that does the job better. It's also uncomfortable to the extreme.
 
Don't kill me
 
please
 
 

Spoiler: However...

They are incredible sounding and I would not hesitate to recommend them to those with endless pockets.

 
I mostly agree with you as well, especially about comfort.  With regards to sound, I couldn't possibly recommend them over the Stax SR-009 especially since they cost about $1500 more.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Isn't that the point of the Abyss, though, that they're sort of a concept piece of "what can we do with headphones" along the lines of the Orpheus? 

 

[393699]

For me, one of the most overrated headphones I have owned is the Sennheiser HD 555 that I had about 5 or 6 years ago. The sound was just so veiled. To me, it sounded like I was listening to music that was behind a thick pair of curtains. The bass was lacking, and the treble was far too rolled off. The mids were decent on them though. Since then, I have heard the HD 600 though, which is just light years ahead of the HD 555. I definitely want to get a pair eventually.

 

[Rhamnetin]

  Isn't that the point of the Abyss, though, that they're sort of a concept piece of "what can we do with headphones" along the lines of the Orpheus? 

 
I assume that's what it is.  Or at least "what can we do with planar magnetic headphones".  Regardless of its price I can never recommend it over the Stax SR-009 though.  If you're going after the best, I'd wager you'd find yourself with electrostats.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

   
I assume that's what it is.  Or at least "what can we do with planar magnetic headphones".  Regardless of its price I can never recommend it over the Stax SR-009 though.  If you're going after the best, I'd wager you'd find yourself with electrostats.

 
Seems to be a personal thing. I've seen a few reviewers who have said "if you want headphones and money is no option, Abyss, period," while others say SR-009. But hey, at that point, it's a flip of a coin, I guess. We mortals exist in a different plane.

 

[Hifihedgehog]

Any sealed Sony headphones. Any of them that I have demoed (e.g. MDR-V6, MDR-7506) sound like I am listening to music as if it were a cell phone playing through a seashell. Incredibly overrated, and even more now thanks to this site's so-called professional reviews: http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-150-over-ear-headphones/ The ATH-M40X is leagues better in control, resolution and soundstaging. How anyone could even like those Sony's must hear with their eyes, not their ears. I still remember the occasions of hearing them and thinking how icky sounding those Sony's are. Yuck!

 

[DisCHORDDubstep]

Any sealed Sony headphones. Any of them that I have demoed (e.g. MDR-V6, MDR-7506) sound like I am listening to music as if it were a cell phone playing through a seashell. Incredibly overrated, and even more now thanks to this site's so-called professional reviews: http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-150-over-ear-headphones/ The ATH-M40X is leagues better in control, resolution and soundstaging. How anyone could even like those Sony's must hear with their eyes, not their ears. I still remember the occasions of hearing them and thinking how icky sounding those Sony's are. Yuck!

to me, they sounded extremely harsh and were almost painful to listen to. Very much overrated. They even had the extremely good Yoga CD-880 sitting there.

 

[TMRaven]

Grado RS sereis, Audeze LCD-X and Sony MDR Z7 are on my short list.  

 

[Mink]

  Grado RS sereis, Audeze LCD-X and Sony MDR Z7 are on my short list.  

 
How many reviews and opinions have you read? Not many I reckon, because not many people at head-fi own them and what is written isn't always that positive...
So how can you possibly call the MDR-Z7s overrated?