[kothganesh]

Quote:

So call me a geek (I 'r engineer), but I came up with a way to 'Plan' my purchases base on David's list.  I use it as a guide and then decide which headphones to try out.
What I did was put both of his lists in excel and put numbers to the Value and Sound Quality Chart.  Then summed the numbers and sorted by the results.  Pretty simple no fancy weighting or anything just straight addition.  If there was a tie the emphasis went to Value. 
 
 
The results are in the attached pdf:
 
   
I also highlighted the A+, A, and A- ranked phones.  I was also surprised at how many out of production ones there were so I highlighted them also.
 
The second sheet is the ones I picked out for my wishlist to get started, but of course, it will be a dynamic list.  I bought the top two off the list to test and so far I am happy with them both.
 
Check it out and let me know what you guys think.  Maybe this will help someone buy more phones:

Oh no, you should not have done this. 

 I have three in your "top 10" and was determined to stay away from the Senns. You, my friend, have no concern for thy neighbor's wallet

 

[RustA]

Quote:

So call me a geek (I 'r engineer), but I came up with a way to 'Plan' my purchases base on David's list.  I use it as a guide and then decide which headphones to try out.
What I did was put both of his lists in excel and put numbers to the Value and Sound Quality Chart.  Then summed the numbers and sorted by the results.  Pretty simple no fancy weighting or anything just straight addition.  If there was a tie the emphasis went to Value. 
 
 
The results are in the attached pdf:
 
   
I also highlighted the A+, A, and A- ranked phones.  I was also surprised at how many out of production ones there were so I highlighted them also.
 
The second sheet is the ones I picked out for my wishlist to get started, but of course, it will be a dynamic list.  I bought the top two off the list to test and so far I am happy with them both.
 
Check it out and let me know what you guys think.  Maybe this will help someone buy more phones:

 
HD800 FTW!

 

[catspaw]

Its Interesting, thou a bit deciving. 
People have different priorities when buying so i guess the actual final ranking may vary .

 

[bearFNF]

Quote:

Its Interesting, thou a bit deciving. 
People have different priorities when buying so i guess the actual final ranking may vary .

Yep, you still have to do your research, that's why my personal list on the second pages has phones that are no wher near the top of the list.  It all comes back to preference and what you like.  This was just a fun way to 'crunch the data'...  I also did one that compares this review to David's earlier round up of twenty odd headphones to see how his preferences changed.  

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

Hi David,
 
Do you know if the new Hifiman Jades are definitely in development?
If so, any ideas on a release date or pricing?

There is a new electrostatic in the works.  I don't know about pricing or release date.  What I do know is that if Fang and his team address the issues which plagued the original Jades, they will have something that competes nicely with the SR009 and Orpheus.  I intend to acquire this headphone and have it be the final headphone which I will review for several years.
Quote:

So call me a geek (I 'r engineer), but I came up with a way to 'Plan' my purchases base on David's list.  I use it as a guide and then decide which headphones to try out.
What I did was put both of his lists in excel and put numbers to the Value and Sound Quality Chart.  Then summed the numbers and sorted by the results.  Pretty simple no fancy weighting or anything just straight addition.  If there was a tie the emphasis went to Value. 
 
 
The results are in the attached pdf:
 
   
I also highlighted the A+, A, and A- ranked phones.  I was also surprised at how many out of production ones there were so I highlighted them also.
 
The second sheet is the ones I picked out for my wishlist to get started, but of course, it will be a dynamic list.  I bought the top two off the list to test and so far I am happy with them both.
 
Check it out and let me know what you guys think.  Maybe this will help someone buy more phones:

This is awesome and very flattering!  I think its pretty spot-on with my overall feelings too which is nice!
Quote:

Yep, you still have to do your research, that's why my personal list on the second pages has phones that are no wher near the top of the list.  It all comes back to preference and what you like.  This was just a fun way to 'crunch the data'...  I also did one that compares this review to David's earlier round up of twenty odd headphones to see how his preferences changed.  

Yes, my preferences definitely changed/evolved.
 
As of very recent, I reach for the Jade quite often and I would probably move it up a spot above the HD800, but then I often come back to the HD800 and reverse that opinion.  Nothing is as carved in stone as a definitive list would suggest   It's good that you keep the other list in mind as well, even if I should feel differently today.

 

[Silent One]

HD800 - I wonder if anyone has found a way (modification) to make them swing; sound a bit more soulful. If so, I'd get 'em before dinner!

 

[Maxvla]

They already do, no mods required.

 

[Silent One]

On 

 what day?! Personally, the cans impressed me with its technical abilities. But, I wasn't moved to toe tapping or singing along.

 

[brokenthumb]

Quote:

They already do, no mods required.

 
Agree 100%

 

[rgs9200m]

Dear BearBNF, nice analytical work (maybe you can use it for a job interview-- I'd sure hire you if I was a hiring manager), but save yourself some trouble and,
if you find them comfortable (the big determining factor), just get yerself the LCD3s and a decent tube amp. Yeah, maybe 009s do some special things and are better in ways, but,
the LCD3s seem to me to be the top of the heap sonicswise and certainly from a price/quality ratio standpoint after a lot of listening and ownership. Just my 2 cents. 
Try'em out from Audeze for comfort, and the sonics just go over the top after a good 6-months to a year of break in. You probably want a good cable too like a Q-audio or a Moon Silver Dragon (my favorite).
 
(Currawong said the LCD3s were the best bargain of the phones out there I think, and it sounded strange for a $2K phone, but now i fully understand and I'm a believer.)

 

[BenWaB3]

Quote:

 I intend to acquire this headphone and have it be the final headphone which I will review for several years.
 

The best plans of mice & men oft go astray

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Quote:

There is a new electrostatic in the works.  I don't know about pricing or release date.  What I do know is that if Fang and his team address the issues which plagued the original Jades, they will have something that competes nicely with the SR009 and Orpheus.  I intend to acquire this headphone and have it be the final headphone which I will review for several years.
 

 

 

[RustA]

Quote:

Dear BearBNF, nice analytical work (maybe you can use it for a job interview-- I'd sure hire you if I was a hiring manager), but save yourself some trouble and,
if you find them comfortable (the big determining factor), just get yerself the LCD3s and a decent tube amp. Yeah, maybe 009s do some special things and are better in ways, but,
the LCD3s seem to me to be the top of the heap sonicswise and certainly from a price/quality ratio standpoint after a lot of listening and ownership. Just my 2 cents. 
Try'em out from Audeze for comfort, and the sonics just go over the top after a good 6-months to a year of break in. You probably want a good cable too like a Q-audio or a Moon Silver Dragon (my favorite).
 
(Currawong said the LCD3s were the best bargain of the phones out there I think, and it sounded strange for a $2K phone, but now i fully understand and I'm a believer.)

 
LCD-3 are hardly a bargain if you can have HD800 for 1/2 of their price in Europe (1200USD vs 2400USD appr.)...

 

[Argybargy]

There is a new electrostatic in the works.  I don't know about pricing or release date.  What I do know is that if Fang and his team address the issues which plagued the original Jades, they will have something that competes nicely with the SR009 and Orpheus.  I intend to acquire this headphone and have it be the final headphone which I will review for several years.
 
Thanks David, that would be an awesome exclamation point to a marvelous accomplishment.

 

[bearFNF]

Quote:

Dear BearBNF, nice analytical work (maybe you can use it for a job interview-- I'd sure hire you if I was a hiring manager), but save yourself some trouble and,
if you find them comfortable (the big determining factor), just get yerself the LCD3s and a decent tube amp. Yeah, maybe 009s do some special things and are better in ways, but,
the LCD3s seem to me to be the top of the heap sonicswise and certainly from a price/quality ratio standpoint after a lot of listening and ownership. Just my 2 cents. 
Try'em out from Audeze for comfort, and the sonics just go over the top after a good 6-months to a year of break in. You probably want a good cable too like a Q-audio or a Moon Silver Dragon (my favorite).
 
(Currawong said the LCD3s were the best bargain of the phones out there I think, and it sounded strange for a $2K phone, but now i fully understand and I'm a believer.)

Heh, no need for a job interview but thanks, I like what I do right now.  This is really no trouble either, it's just a normal phenomena of the engineers brain, it's always working out problems.  And like I said it really is not that complicated or really that analytical (just simple math).  I could have gone a lot deeper and made weighting factors for all the categories within the list (this would have been my opinion of what is more important).  The way I did it was just straight scores from David's opinion (which is much more refined and experienced than mine). 
But with that being said, I take all the reading I have done (reviews, forums, sale literature) and adding my own opinion, make my own call.  Which is what we all should do.  My list is just another way to look at it.
 
I did look into the LCD3 but the price was above the limit I set for myself for now.  If in the future, if I find someone with a pair and listen to them, we'll see.  It's like the HE6's I listened to this weekend, they were not on the list due to the amping issues and the cost, but may be added... But the HE500 did make it on the list because they fit my criteria for now.