In my experience sub $1000 headphones are virtually all in the realm of *crap*. They might do some specific things well, they might have aspects of the tuning that are enjoyable or good detail in certain areas of the spectrum, but compared to top of the line they are from my perspective (as...

I've personally never heard a headphone that was what I would consider perfectly natural in terms of tuning out of the box all the way across the spectrum. Just hasn't happened. Maybe something like the Susvara gets close, I found the Empyrean to have absolutely magical mids and vocals on the...

Really like the review, I've attempted a similar EQ to his recommended on my ADI DAC but not totally sold yet. I think at the moment my preference is for a simple reduction at 3k and then a minor tweak on the bass/treble setting. I really feel like I am finding just SO much more every time I...

I personally don't like the comparison of not reaching a live performance. Recordings are specifically designed NOT to sound like like performances even from 60s-70s rock bands who are closest to that ethos of recording simplicity. Headphones are for immersion into the studio environment and...

Finding after a few days it seems clamp force has marginally reduced. Leather still has that nice brand new luxury car smell as well.

Perhaps its only because I was coming from the Empyreans and HD800s prior, but I would say these are a large step down in comfort. Probably the realisation that no matter the money spent on a headphone there are inevitable compromises, but I still am somewhat disappointed from the build and...

If that's the case I'll be incredibly ****ed off considering this is where I ordered from over two weeks ago.

Could you tell me which Aussie retailer you bought from? I ordered literally days after the announcement from a retailer here and still haven't heard anything.

Usually I don't like resorting to "first world problems" as an insult because it tends to seem a little virtue signally and reductionist, but I really think if someone is more than vaguely annoyed over not being able to immediately receive a headphone they can afford at a full $4500 then there...

There are no audible difference between FLAC and hi rez like DSD. Any differences noted are a result of separate mastering for specific editions, not compression. Its not up for debate. In terms of FLAC vs MP3, at the age where people can afford a Susvara or LCD5 their hearing will no longer be...

Factor in EQ to the 800s and the clear isn't even in the same universe. A more balanced headphone in terms of tuning? Sure. But who cares when with a competent digital EQ to edit the lack of bass extension and treble peak it sounds massively more resolving across the spectrum and still retains...

An Empyrean owner, I absolutely loved the build (wish the 5s had the magnetic pads), comfort and tuning but the lack of detail meant it never felt quite endgame for me. Partly my crypto gains are also suggesting that endgame might be a little further on. The weight relief on the LCD5 is a big...

Do you actually believe that's an intelligent response? Nothing *needs* EQ, but most headphones and particularly something like the 800s would be universally preferred with it. In regards to different devices if you're desperate to use your HD800s with an iPhone then I don't even know what to...

I mean you did an absolutely massive, probably multi-hour long writeup on the headphones which multitudes of different sections. But five minutes on trying a free EQ program and using something like an Oratory preset isn't worth adding as a single section? I don't really buy it. If it were as...

In my experience the 800s and headphones in general even at the top-end have problems that make them borderline unlistenable/massively compromised without using EQ. The 800 is probably one of the most significant headphones like this, taking the Oratory EQ and tweaking to personal preference...