[KT66]

I found it in 1999, HD600s driven by stock X-Cans, being fed by LP12 and Linto.
 
Still haven't heard better

 

[paradoxper]

I'd like to say yes, sadly, I'm a lying hypocrite. I am however enjoying LCD-3 and 
HE-6. 

 

[psamuel01]

I think I have. Audio Technica AD2000. I don't know but I keep going back to it.

 

[K_19]

I've settled with my HD800 and LCD-2 + WA6SE/M3. No longer any urge to get anything else for my primary rigs.

 

[Sven]

Hi all
 
The headphone-nirvana... a very good term and a very good question.
To me it is the Audeze LCD-3 with my Malvalve headamp three powered by an PS Audio PWD dac.
 
From my point of view it is simply a matter of taste and listing preferences where the "nirvana-factor" begins. Being a HiFi/High End fan for about 30 years i heard a lot of fine audio gear over the years. But the improvements especially in headphones are really significant. Coming from some Beyerdynamic headphones in the 80's and 90's, eg: DT880 and DT990 i started over last year with the Denon D7000 with a Lehman BCL amp. Not High-End but fun
 
I still own the Denon D7000 for some sort of music like hardrock his is my first choice. Than i tried the Sennheiser HD800 with is mutch too analytical  for my taste. But from here it is just personal preference.
 
Than i tried the LCD-3 and the Stax SR009 with different amps and dac's (Auralic Taurus, Violectric V200, Red Wine Audio - Audeze Edition) and found "my" nirvana in the components described above.
 
What's the bottom line? Where does nirvana begins, cost wise? 
I think you can be really satisfied with a 1500$ - 2000$ rig with a HD800 or LCD-2. 
To go for a 10k rig like i did and many headfiers too or to go nearly 15k for the ultimate Stax SR009 plus an BHSE or the Cavalli Liquid Lightning can bring you personal satisfaction but to be honest, just 10% or 20% more sound quality. Diminishing returns they call it and that's true.
 
So each and everyone just have to listen and trust your own ears and only your ears. Forget about people trying to imply that only a Stax SR009 can make you a real audiophile.
 
CU
Sven

 

[MorbidToaster]

15k is about right for an 009 rig with a good source but the improvement between that and a 2k HD800 / LCD 2 rig is well over 20% IMO. 
 
Of course YMMV and all that...and I think diminishing returns starts even before you hit 2k.
 
EDIT: The pleasure you can get from an 880 and a decent OTL amp is pretty astounding in the grand scheme of things.
 
Quote:

Hi all
 
The headphone-nirvana... a very good term and a very good question.
To me it is the Audeze LCD-3 with my Malvalve headamp three powered by an PS Audio PWD dac.
 
From my point of view it is simply a matter of taste and listing preferences where the "nirvana-factor" begins. Being a HiFi/High End fan for about 30 years i heard a lot of fine audio gear over the years. But the improvements especially in headphones are really significant. Coming from some Beyerdynamic headphones in the 80's and 90's, eg: DT880 and DT990 i started over last year with the Denon D7000 with a Lehman BCL amp. Not High-End but fun
 
I still own the Denon D7000 for some sort of music like hardrock his is my first choice. Than i tried the Sennheiser HD800 with is mutch too analytical  for my taste. But from here it is just personal preference.
 
Than i tried the LCD-3 and the Stax SR009 with different amps and dac's (Auralic Taurus, Violectric V200, Red Wine Audio - Audeze Edition) and found "my" nirvana in the components described above.
 
What's the bottom line? Where does nirvana begins, cost wise? 
I think you can be really satisfied with a 1500$ - 2000$ rig with a HD800 or LCD-2. 
To go for a 10k rig like i did and many headfiers too or to go nearly 15k for the ultimate Stax SR009 plus an BHSE or the Cavalli Liquid Lightning can bring you personal satisfaction but to be honest, just 10% or 20% more sound quality. Diminishing returns they call it and that's true.
 
So each and everyone just have to listen and trust your own ears and only your ears. Forget about people trying to imply that only a Stax SR009 can make you a real audiophile.
 
CU
Sven

 

[estreeter]

Nirvana is transitory - how many pairs of HD650 / DT880 / K701 'phones now sit idle in various Head-Fier's closets ? I'll admit that the same fate doesnt seem to befall a good Stax rig (hmm ...). but it will be interesting to watch the headlong rush when the LCD-4 arrives. Feng Bian knows a thing or two about releasing headphones to fill the never-ending quest for 'nirvana' - kids in a candy store. 

 

[Gradofan2]

Oh yeah... after trying several of the top phones... I've found... it doesn't really get any better than the following phones:  PS1000's, PS500's, RS-1's, AD2000's, and MD5000's... when... each are matched to the proper set up. 
 

 

[estreeter]

And your recommended rig for the AD2K would be ....... ?  

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

And your recommended rig for the AD2K would be ....... ?  

 
They're great with my WA6 SEm and either my Monarchy Audio M24 Tube DAC, or Marantz SA8001 CDP.  But, are also great with my Millett MiniMax.  Though, I would guess they are best with the ATH HA5000 amp.

 

[estreeter]

I'd like to hear the AD2K with the HA-05 but I fear that amp might be a little too laid-back and mellow. 

 

[ktsai1283]

Quote:

I have the same LCD's and find my final audio Heaven S's a good IEM equivalent, well, they are not the same I know but they convey in a similar way the richness and detail as well as emotion of my LCD's.

Thanks for the IEM suggestion.  I actually remember that we got our LCD-2s at around the same time--I was studying for an exam and to pass the time on my breaks I would peruse the Audeze threads and really enjoyed a lot of your posts.
 
I'm interested in purchasing an IEM within the next month or so.  I've never heard of Final Audio; then again, I'm rarely in the Portable Headphones forum.  I think it's time for an update.  Your description of the Heaven S's sound makes it promising!

 

[stacker45]

For me reaching Nirvana is beeing able to forget about the equipement,and really get ''into'' the music,in ''trance''almost,i can achieve this with my Grado PS1000,and also with my HP1000,my amp is a Musical Fidelity X-CAN V2,and my source is a Yamaha DVD-S 2700.
 
Last spring,i had a chance to listen to some Stax 007 at the Montréal HI-FI show,and the song that was playing was a beautiful version of Hallelujah by Sofia Petterson,and this guy sitting next to me had the 009 on,turns out it was his cd that was playing,anyway i really got ''into it',and when the song ended,the guy turned and looked at me,and i could tell by the look on is face that he was just as impressed as i was with both the song and the headphones.
 
What a great hobby this is.

 

[wuwhere]

I could happily live with my portable - ER4S/UE10Pro, TTVJ Portable hybrid, iBasso DB2, and iRiver iHP-120.
And home rig HE-6, Copland CTA 504, and Oppo 95.

 

[burnspbesq]

A Stax 009 based rig is out of the question as long as I'm writing tuition checks, but I think I will be quite happy for the foreseeable future with my Ayre QB-9, Bryston BHA-1 (when it arrives at the end of the month), and HD-800s with a Cardas balanced cable.
 
The thing I'm really jonesing for right now?  The Audio Desk Systeme record cleaner.