[sonicdream]

Airpods Max are the loudest. Keep in mind I use all Apple products so I can't say the same holds true for other devices. The Dali is the quietest of the bunch. The H95 and Dali are comparable with the H95 a little louder than the Dali.

Thank you @Maukey I order one headphone, but wont tell which one is it till it arrives I was reading a lot about Tidal vs Spotify and bluetooth codecs. We can expect soon an aptX lossless so it would be a game changer in bt headphones (Also Spotify lossless coming). Still i think aptx HD and LDAC is enough. I was thinking about pulling a trigger for no. 5909 but 1000e is just to much price knowing that aptX lossless is coming around the corner and you wish also that no.5909 was "louder"? In terms of the sound if its close to Dali and Dali is close to h95 (and h95 is the loudest), I dont see how no. 5905 justify the price when its build quality on par with h95 and its almost 400e more expensive here in my country (h95 on Easter sale). Even if its 200e more, no. 5909 if I understood doesn't go down as deep as h95 in bass, also we can say that it doesn't have that "dynamic range" which makes also fun listening? Maybe its even clearer and maybe it can separate even more instruments, but is that separation and maybe a little bit better soundstage worth 200e extra? Dali has problem with the seal, also for many they sound lifeless with no bass (possible seal problem that you mention), doesn't have app, paper cone drivers maybe wouldn't be that good longtime durability vise, no app, anc not that good. So overall I see why you liked the H95 the most and put it on the first place when you include everything what you get..... I guess you know now what I ordered...

 

[Ernest Worthing]

Hi @Maukey, thank you so much for this wonderful comparison list! No review on the internet about the subject is more informative than yours!

I was wondering if wired headphones like SRH940 ,AKG K550 ,DT660 ,focal elegia with $100-$200 dac would sound much better than the Dali io-6 . If so, what closed back headphones and dac would you recommend for classical music in similar price range?

I'm a classical music student so detail would be my prior concern (for analysing harmonies , various voicing sections , articulation... ) ; and I normally listen at middle volume for ear health so I wouldnt need the ones that specialized in producing very loud sound.

 

[jturn00]

Thanks for the review. I have the h95s sitting unopened after arriving on monday and was considering sending them back and going with the 5909s. However your feedback on the fact that the h95s are good for travel which is how i want to use them. (I would use them in bed and home listening or watching movies on an ipad). Thus! While there are times the audio quality may be a factor. Your review shows features and connivence are great with h95.

Any thoughts on master and dynamic that are might be comparable?

 

[Maukey]

Thanks for the review. I have the h95s sitting unopened after arriving on monday and was considering sending them back and going with the 5909s. However your feedback on the fact that the h95s are good for travel which is how i want to use them. (I would use them in bed and home listening or watching movies on an ipad). Thus! While there are times the audio quality may be a factor. Your review shows features and connivence are great with h95.

Any thoughts on master and dynamic that are might be comparable?

Not a fan of the M&D I tried a while back. But to be honest, I've never given them an extended trial. Only tried them in store and wasn't a fan of the sound.

 

[BatBoyP]

Thanks for this very interesting comparison. I have a Lagoon ANC that I was pretty happy with until it started completely falling apart. Construction quality is horrible, with cheap plastics that just collapse from normal use. But the sound is great and improves even further when using it wired. It's definitely warm but I like that. I do music production on neutral, transparent monitor speakers. The Lagoon is a nice cross-check how it will sound in normal listening circumstances. One thing it doesn't do is wire up to my iPad. Of course, I can use it wirelessly, but when using iPad synths, this introduces delay which is unworkable. So I'd be looking at getting a DAC like the Dragonfly for that, which is a bit silly for wireless headphones.

I'm using wireless mainly for ease of use in a couch. I'm not using ANC at all. To replace the Lagoon, I was looking at another wireless. Your comparison is very helpful. The H95 is on my shortlist now, as I can get it with a discount at €640. The 5909 sounds very tempting, but it's €1100 here. And both have the same issue with the iPad - wireless OK, but for music production I'd need a DAC. The only one I see that is audiophile and works straight with USB is the unreleased T+A Solitaire T, but that's even more expensive at €1350! So I'm wondering if I would not be better off with a wired set and something like an Ifi Go Blue for wireless+USB connectivity?

What is your opinion on this?

 

[angelom]

Thanks for this very interesting comparison. I have a Lagoon ANC that I was pretty happy with until it started completely falling apart. Construction quality is horrible, with cheap plastics that just collapse from normal use. But the sound is great and improves even further when using it wired. It's definitely warm but I like that. I do music production on neutral, transparent monitor speakers. The Lagoon is a nice cross-check how it will sound in normal listening circumstances. One thing it doesn't do is wire up to my iPad. Of course, I can use it wirelessly, but when using iPad synths, this introduces delay which is unworkable. So I'd be looking at getting a DAC like the Dragonfly for that, which is a bit silly for wireless headphones.

I'm using wireless mainly for ease of use in a couch. I'm not using ANC at all. To replace the Lagoon, I was looking at another wireless. Your comparison is very helpful. The H95 is on my shortlist now, as I can get it with a discount at €640. The 5909 sounds very tempting, but it's €1100 here. And both have the same issue with the iPad - wireless OK, but for music production I'd need a DAC. The only one I see that is audiophile and works straight with USB is the unreleased T+A Solitaire T, but that's even more expensive at €1350! So I'm wondering if I would not be better off with a wired set and something like an Ifi Go Blue for wireless+USB connectivity?

What is your opinion on this?

The 5909 is possible using passively (with cable only) with this 2 options: a) with the 3.5mm cable that is included in package and b) with the charging USB-C to USB- C cable that is included too.

If you are in Belgium, you can buying from Germany or Italy (maybe from Netherlands too) the 5909 for 1000€ and maybe with free shipping and sometimes with little discount too (this is depending in the online shop you choosing), and I remember I see too in eBay for 1000€ 2/3 months ago.

 

[jturn00]

I keep going back and forth between the H95 and 5909. Basically on two areas. Portability (I want to travel with them) but also on sound quality. I would also use them in Bed watching TV or listening to music on my IPAD. I like really like the idea of Passive corded mode (since that is what my headphones are today). But comments around the 5909 size makes me pause. I"m not running / walking with them. Anything that is called out when either someone in the room or next to me on the plane talk to me and I can not have to pull out my in ear headphones is great.

 

[Maukey]

I keep going back and forth between the H95 and 5909. Basically on two areas. Portability (I want to travel with them) but also on sound quality. I would also use them in Bed watching TV or listening to music on my IPAD. I like really like the idea of Passive corded mode (since that is what my headphones are today). But comments around the 5909 size makes me pause. I"m not running / walking with them. Anything that is called out when either someone in the room or next to me on the plane talk to me and I can not have to pull out my in ear headphones is great.

How much do you travel would be my question. I would only choose the H95 over the 5909 if I traveled/commuted frequently. It's definitely more compact and also has a little longer battery life. Any other circumstance I'm choosing the 5909. Better sound, can be used passively while sounding really good doing so, more comfortable overall, and you can still travel and commute with it. It's not like it's an ugly headphone, it's just a little big in comparison to what you typically see in the mainstream travel/commuter headphone market. To be honest, if travel was my main objective/use case, I'd take the new Sony 1000XM5 over any of these. For me, comfort, noise isolation when on phone/business calls, and top notch ANC weighs more than sound when traveling.

 

[jturn00]

I did try the sony's but hated the feel and how they fit on my head. I'm now leaning really towards the 5909s. My trips are around 15 trips domestic flights per year with 2-3 being international.

 

[BatBoyP]

The 5909 is possible using passively (with cable only) with this 2 options: a) with the 3.5mm cable that is included in package and b) with the charging USB-C to USB- C cable that is included too.

If you are in Belgium, you can buying from Germany or Italy (maybe from Netherlands too) the 5909 for 1000€ and maybe with free shipping and sometimes with little discount too (this is depending in the online shop you choosing), and I remember I see too in eBay for 1000€ 2/3 months ago.

Oh, I didn't know the 5909 was also capable of being used with USB-C directly. I don't think any of the competitors can do this? It saves €200 on a USB dongle, so that makes the 5909's price go down to a comparative €800. I can get the H95 for €640 with a current discount, otherwise it's €800 as well. It's starting to look like a much better deal this way.

 

[Maukey]

Hi @Maukey, thank you so much for this wonderful comparison list! No review on the internet about the subject is more informative than yours!

I was wondering if wired headphones like SRH940 ,AKG K550 ,DT660 ,focal elegia with $100-$200 dac would sound much better than the Dali io-6 . If so, what closed back headphones and dac would you recommend for classical music in similar price range?

I'm a classical music student so detail would be my prior concern (for analysing harmonies , various voicing sections , articulation... ) ; and I normally listen at middle volume for ear health so I wouldnt need the ones that specialized in producing very loud sound.

I apologize, I don't know how I missed your post. To answer your question, a proper wired headphone with a quality dac/amp will most always be better than a wireless anc headphone when it comes to pure sound quality. As far as recommending a headphone and dac, I don't quite consider myself a person who would be able to give you proper advice for that as I'm mainly a wireless headphone guy. The only wired headphones I own are the Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X, Sennheiser HD 560 S, and the V-Moda M-100 Master, none of which I use a dac or amp with outside of my SoundBlaster G6 for gaming. I'm just not a sit at a desk and listen to music person except for when I'm working, and I prefer to use wireless anc headphones with a good mic for taking calls in that scenario. If you do want wireless headphone for the convenience, nothing beats the Mark Levinson 5909 for classical in my opinion.

 

[tcheli]

Thank you Maukey for this review and comparaison. And scuse me for my bad English.

I'm searching for a new headphone. I have a Bose 35 for long time, but I don't like the sound. It seem muffled, without life, without consistence. I don't now, if you can understand?
I have tried a momentum 3 wireless, and I was in the music, with the musicians. Whit this headphone, I live the music, I was not only listening the music.
Then I search a new headphone, principally for home.
After your review, I wonder which one is the best for me, Momentum 3 or Dali-IO 6? Or eventually the apple pro max headphones because I have Mac, iPhone and iPad?
Thank you for your advice.

 

[Maukey]

Thank you Maukey for this review and comparaison. And scuse me for my bad English.

I'm searching for a new headphone. I have a Bose 35 for long time, but I don't like the sound. It seem muffled, without life, without consistence. I don't now, if you can understand?
I have tried a momentum 3 wireless, and I was in the music, with the musicians. Whit this headphone, I live the music, I was not only listening the music.
Then I search a new headphone, principally for home.
After your review, I wonder which one is the best for me, Momentum 3 or Dali-IO 6? Or eventually the apple pro max headphones because I have Mac, iPhone and iPad?
Thank you for your advice.

I personally would wait right now. We're in new release headphone season. The new B&W PX7 S2 was just released today. The Momentum 4 is heavily rumored to have an August release date. We also have a new flagship heavy hitter being released in a couple of weeks in the Master & Dynamic MW75. If you can't wait, I would personally choose the AirPods Max out of those 3 simply due to the super convenience with the way they work within the Apple ecosystem.

 

[tcheli]

I personally would wait right now. We're in new release headphone season. The new B&W PX7 S2 was just released today. The Momentum 4 is heavily rumored to have an August release date. We also have a new flagship heavy hitter being released in a couple of weeks in the Master & Dynamic MW75. If you can't wait, I would personally choose the AirPods Max out of those 3 simply due to the super convenience with the way they work within the Apple ecosystem.

Thank you Maukey. I can wait. Concerning the AirPods max, could you say that they have the neutrality of the two others. Because for me, the sound is priority.

 

[Maukey]

Thank you Maukey. I can wait. Concerning the AirPods max, could you say that they have the neutrality of the two others. Because for me, the sound is priority.

I apologize for the late reply. Been in the home buying process all of July so I've been really busy. To my ears, neither the AirPods Max or the Momentum 3 are what I would describe as neutral when it comes to their default eq. The Momentum 3 is fairly neutral in the Mids and lower to mid treble. They're a little recessed in the upper treble and have a bass boost through out the entire bass range. The AirPods Max are a little more neutral than the Momentum 3 overall, but they do have a boost in the sub bass and a weird dip in the lower to mid treble range. Now I will say the Momentum 3 has a high end tuning feature you can turn on that makes them more neutral. With the high end tuning activated, the bass all the what through to the mid treble is pretty neurtral. Only the upper treble is recessed.