So, you were researching this headphone...and wondered: "Should I go for it?"   Do you like acoustic, vocal or classical music? Well, if you do, firstly, I would say you should probably pull the trigger before someone else does. And then you may continue reading this - in a more relaxed matter :) You should pay attention the condition though, some of the pairs I've seen here had a rough life, and might not be a faithful representative of what these are capable of. Killing a Stax is not easy, but it is possible unfortunately. Mine was't in a...

Some love it, some don't but there is little doubt that this is one of the top-tier headphones out there and one that is not so rare, so if bought second-hand the price of the headphones and amp are very much comparable to a top-level dynamic/planar setup which makes these a compelling option.   The fit is a little tricky at first, but once it is set up it feels very comfortable on the head. It is important to position the transducers close to the ears. The build quality is pretty solid and the finish looks great apart form the cable entry which...

Revised 2011/06 These were studio monitors made between 1991-1995 and 2000-2007 (wonder if they brought them back on request). Some changes were made during production so not all pairs sound quite the same and they didn't apply HD600 levels of quality control either, which means that in some pairs the drivers might not be as closely matched as with others. Let's being with the most surprising aspect, which is the bass. Amazing punch, depth and extension when the recording demands it, but with much less colouration and muddiness that is...

The review is written of a modified Yamaha YH-1 which is very similar to the HP-1 but they might not sound completely the same. Despite the supra-aural phones, the headphones are very comfortable thanks to their light weight.   The main attraction of these headphones is the midrange which is very involving and "human".   Unfortunately they are not up to today's technical standards of clearness, soundstage (although the separation is quite good) or extension but nevertheless they are pleasant to listen to. Feeding them a healthy amount of...

A surprisingly capable headphone under 60$ (which includes the AKG velour pads, much more comfy and changes the sound slightly and some useful accessories are provided in the box as well) with a reasonably balanced and detailed sound and it sounds surprisingly clear at its price point which is impressive at first listen.  But it is far from perfect: it is let down by a midrange that is thinner than I'd like and that it is not a very energetic or extended sounding headphone. The soundstage could be bigger as well, although the imaging is very good...