[BournePerfect]

29 pages in less than 3 days. EPIC.
 
-Daniel

 

[preproman]

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The only headphone I miss in this review is the JVC DX1000...
 

 
+1 yes - I'm very interested in these as well.

 

[DavidMahler]

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You have used both Master of Puppets AND Close to the Edge(Quite possibly my all-time favorite albums, and the albums that define their subgenres IMHO) as test albums, and for that alone you have earned my eternal respect.

Great albums
 
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The only headphone I miss in this review is the JVC DX1000...
 

I do intend on adding this one at some point
 
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Excellent review. It has been a pleasure reading it, thank you!
May I ask for advice? I currently own a rather early (bought in 2006) AKG K701 and a Schiit Lyr (source is a Naim DAC and a Clearaudio analog rig). The plan was to upgrade to an LCD2 or an HE500. However after having heard a pair of HD650, having read your review and having found an almost new, used HD600 at a great price, question is if buying the 600s makes any sense. I liked the 650s a lot and I heard through a much worse amp and with a worse source, however do you think that these HD600s would be an upgrade over my K701s (I mostly listen to jazz). Many thanks!

It's tough to say whether it would be an upgrade, because its all opinion-based.  I prefer the HD600's sound overall, as reflected in my review.  I think the HD600 is a headphone that can satisfy most listening preferences, whereas I do not feel that way about the K701.  If you found a good condition HD600 at an attractive price, I would consider it.  
 
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oh my god, in the"order by SQ" list, the Grado HP2s is a step-up above my belove LCD-2s

It really amazes me (of course besides the massive top tier headphones collection 

) 
Because of  oppotunities listening the Rs1s and some Grado's mid/low-end headphones in past. I have always kept in mind this brand is one of the worst audio manufactory in the world =.= To me, their headphones have a "wild",multi-flaws and cluttering sound, feels like the handmade products from a craft company lacking the modern or technical machines.

While I don't share quite the extreme criticisms of your view on Grado, I do try to talk very much about some of the key points in your post.  The HP1000 is a bit of a different animal from the RS1, but I don't think the RS1 is horrible by any means.

 

[mikek200]

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Yes,& then ,comparing them with different amps..
Surprised it only took him 6 months.,would have taken most people 1 year,maybe longer.

Well, it did actually take a total of about 18 months if I were to consider everything (the complete writing took longer than six months).  The short hand notes I took were essentially the core of the comparative listening (this took six months as well).  I would usually go through a few phases. Obviously, you can't help but be more familiar with certain headphones than others by the nature that you own some longer than others.  I would always start with extremely casual listening just to allow my ears to ease into the sound.  This casual listening would involve just sitting in a chair, web-surfing. I'd do this for an hour, sometimes two (particularly if I was unfamiliar with the headphone).  I did this, because if I began with extreme focus my brain, I would probably be too aware of what I didn't like about the headphone, or conversely, if I favored the headphone too much coming into the listen, my opinions may be too abrupt.  (Brain burn-in essentially)

Following that I would put on a series of familiar songs and listen with complete attention.  This is where the short hand opinions would begin.  I kept a tower of CDs nearby at all times and several headphones nearby at all times for quick A/B listening.  As I switched between amps and headphones, I would return to the headphone for which was my focus at the time and then I'd assess which amplifier the headphone sounded best to me.  

Then using that amp (or sometimes 2 amps) I would go through a series of CDs (this would often take days) and attempt to put my findings into shorthand words.  This involved extreme focus and was tedious at times, especially many months into it.  In this time I would often find myself returning to several other headphones for reference purposes.  I came up with all these weird abbreviations for things writing in complete code by the end...

 
Well David,
A fantastic thread,and extremely thorough., will keep it as a reference page,for learning more about the few headphones that I have my eye on.
Oddly enough ,I have a similar system ,with lossless files  on music ranging from Brahms,Beethoven...to ..Albert Cummings to..Zander Zon..to ..Tchaikovsky's Hymn of the Cherubim
I pick a pair of headphones,listen to the above music,sometimes for days,to decide what headphones I prefer,for what type of music
Currently,I'm hooked on the He-6/emo speaker amp/ combo...seems to give me excellent results,no matter what I throw at it.
 
Again,thank you ,for your hard work..

 

[zeinharis]

Glad to see both the DT880 and the HE-500 have a good scores on this review.

I'm not sure if this already mentioned, this thread is not only epic, but also this thread is going to be reference on a high-end setup if this continues by reviewing another flagship i.e the JVC DX1000 and the EX1000
 

 

[Lan647]

The only headphone I miss in this review is the JVC DX1000...

 

It sucks so it has no reason to be on that list

 

[amigastar]

This comparison is out of this world. excellent

 

[sonance]

David: I was most interested in your closed headphone impressions, as I think that might be my next purchase. The Fostex is most intriguing (as is the W3000), but I question the value proposition, having not heard these 'phones. I was wondering if you've spent much time with the L3000, and where it falls in the pantheon of flagships.

 

[DavidMahler]

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David: I was most interested in your closed headphone impressions, as I think that might be my next purchase. The Fostex is most intriguing (as is the W3000), but I question the value proposition, having not heard these 'phones. I was wondering if you've spent much time with the L3000, and where it falls in the pantheon of flagships.

i haven't spent any time with the L3000.  It is one of the few headphones I really struggled to find at a reasonable price.  I intend to be adding it at some point.  However, not for a while.

 

[madbull]

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It sucks so it has no reason to be on that list

 
It is a great can, much better than many ones on that list...

 

[Kashtan]

Greatest review all time! Taket H2 not going to listen to?

 

[big-man]

honestly, this is the greatest review of anything i have ever read! its quite inspiring really to think you spent that much time on it...also makes me feel oddly proud to be a part of this community =)

 

[DavidMahler]

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Greatest review all time! Taket H2 not going to listen to?

Thank you!
 
I'll make a list of all the headphones that I'd ultimately would like to include in order to make evaluation list even more complete.  At this time, I'm taking a break both from the writing and the spending  But I'd ultimately like to include the following headphones/earphones
 
Audio Technica: L3000
Beyerdynamic: DT990
Denon: AH-D7100
Grado: PS1
Grado: PS500
HifiMan: HE400
JVC: DX1000
Sennheiser: HE60 (Baby Orpheus)
Sony: CD3000
Stax: Sigma Pro
Taket H2+
 
Maybe also a few other in-ears as well....I used to own quite a few etymotics, other UE's and Sonys...
 
The problem is, within the next 5 years, i suspect there will be between 10-20 worthy addition new contenders and as such.... the project will never end


Edit: also the Koss ESP950

 

[LugBug1]

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oh my god, in the"order by SQ" list, the Grado HP2s is a step-up above my belove LCD-2s

+1
 
But it's a marmite thing with Grado's. Maybe if he had heard the Rev2's...?
 
(Fantabulous thread and reviews. Mr Mahler should receive some kind of award me thinks!)

 

[TMRaven]

David,
 
Could you comment on the bass extension and impact of the LCD2 vs the HE-6?