[purk]

A wonderful work David.  A truly epic review.  My question to you is:  Did you ever achieve a proper fit with the Qualia?  Our taste in headphones are quite similar and I would place my Qualia at the fifth spot, one just below the R10s.  Note that the Qualia fits me perfectly thanks to a small size headband.  What you are describing in your review really indicate that you are having fit issues.  For around $600, a small size headband is still available from Sony.com.  

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

A wonderful work David.  A truly epic review.  My question to you is:  Did you ever achieve a proper fit with the Qualia?  Our taste in headphones are quite similar and I would place my Qualia at the fifth spot, one just below the R10s.  Note that the Qualia fits me perfectly thanks to a small size headband.  What you are describing in your review really indicate that you are having fit issues.  For around $600, a small size headband is still available from Sony.com.  

Thanks Purk!
 
It may be something I'd consider.  You know though, even when using a sponge, I don't hear an improvement. I would surmise, that a small headband and a sponge should achieve a similar height.  My gut tells me the medium headband is best for me.  Do you aim the drivers at the ear canal?

 

[purk]

Quote:

Thanks Purk!
 
It may be something I'd consider.  You know though, even when using a sponge, I don't hear an improvement. I would surmise, that a small headband and a sponge should achieve a similar height.  My gut tells me the medium headband is best for me.  Do you aim the drivers at the ear canal?

 
Not really.  It is kind of difficult to explain but when I first auditioned the Qualia with medium headband...I had your results.  Have you tried moving the earpiece back and forward?  The second the Qualia fits you, it will transform from a holly-disappointment to a world class status.  90% of the people I know has better results with the small headband.  It's worth a try.  I suspect that you will have to revise your ranking once you do though.  

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

 
Not really.  It is kind of difficult to explain but when I first auditioned the Qualia with medium headband...I had your results.  Have you tried moving the earpiece back and forward?  The second the Qualia fits you, it will transform from a holly-disappointment to a world class status.  90% of the people I know has better results with the small headband.  It's worth a try.  I suspect that you will have to revise your ranking once you do though.  

I would certainly revise it! Don't know if i am willing to spend $600 on a headphone that has cost me so much and disappoints me on that premise.  I'll think about it  I've spent hours moving the qualia around... literally dozens of hours. with a screw driver, with a sponge, towards the back, towards the front, up down every which way.... i was never won over.

 

[madbull]

Well, this gotta be the Orpheus of all headphone reviews! Thank you very much for you effort and congratulations for your amazing collection!

 

[purk]

Quote:

I would certainly revise it! Don't know if i am willing to spend $600 on a headphone that has cost me so much and disappoints me on that premise.  I'll think about it  I've spent hours moving the qualia around... literally dozens of hours. with a screw driver, with a sponge, towards the back, towards the front, up down every which way.... i was never won over.

 
Please give it a try.  If the small headband doesn't work out, you can always sell the headband to me.  Just to put thing in perspective with the small headband, I achieve a perfect fit every time without any fiddling around and it took me at least 30 mins to replicate results with the medium headband.

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

 
Please give it a try.  If the small headband doesn't work out, you can always sell the headband to me.  Just to put thing in perspective with the small headband, I achieve a perfect fit every time without any fiddling around and it took me at least 30 mins to replicate results with the medium headband.

do you have a link to the headband for sale?

 

[gelocks]

Wow David!!
Truly epic!
 
I have been waiting for this for a while (from your previous thread) and I really thought that it was going to be long but not this expertly organized and detailed! KUDOS truly!! Love the layout, and your clear impressions.
 
Anyway, thanks for this massive contribution.
Hopefully you'll keep editing it as you keep adding more headphones to your collection as I'm pretty sure this will become one of those threads where everyone will send people with questions to!
 
Thanks again!
 
 
P.S. Easily spent way more than 1 hour reading it!!! lol

 

[ZMZB]

Quote:

Well Dave could rename the thread "Battle of the Flagships and support gunners" and include some non-flagship high performance cans too, without messing with the whole naval warfare theme. Heh.

How about "Head-Fi Heroes and their trusty Sidekicks" ?
 
Anyhow, after such an incredible write-up, I too would love to have your take on LCD2r2, HE-400, modded T50rp and DT990.

 

[steve2151]

Dave, this is absolutely brilliant. Seeing that the 7 of your top 10 are out of production and in the $5000 price ballpark means that I'd better start squirreling money away.
 
I prefer the HF2 and PS500 to the RS1 and RS2. In my book, they are about as aggressive as you can get while still remaining relatively non-fatiguing. Do they not crack your top 50 or did you not have one on hand to compare?

 

[cheuh]

Nice review David!
 
Quote:

Would like to see other high performing ones like modded T50RP and HE-400 added, since ones like HD700 and HE-500 were never flagships.  I can agree with most of the points presented here, though I havn't even heard 90% of the listed headphones, but based on interpolation you have very trustworthy impressions.  The latest Rev2 LCD2s might be a justifiable replacement for the Rev1 in the list.

 
I would also be interested in seeing a review and ranking of these very popular headphones.

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

Wow David!!
Truly epic!
 
I have been waiting for this for a while (from your previous thread) and I really thought that it was going to be long but not this expertly organized and detailed! KUDOS truly!! Love the layout, and your clear impressions.
 
Anyway, thanks for this massive contribution.
Hopefully you'll keep editing it as you keep adding more headphones to your collection as I'm pretty sure this will become one of those threads where everyone will send people with questions to!
 
Thanks again!
 
 
P.S. Easily spent way more than 1 hour reading it!!! lol

Thanks!!! I hope to add at least a few headphones in the upcoming year or two
 
Quote:

How about "Head-Fi Heroes and their trusty Sidekicks" ?
 
Anyhow, after such an incredible write-up, I too would love to have your take on LCD2r2, HE-400, modded T50rp and DT990.

I'd like to include these. Hopefully I will
 
Quote:

Dave, this is absolutely brilliant. Seeing that the 7 of your top 10 are out of production and in the $5000 price ballpark means that I'd better start squirreling money away.
 
I prefer the HF2 and PS500 to the RS1 and RS2. In my book, they are about as aggressive as you can get while still remaining relatively non-fatiguing. Do they not crack your top 50 or did you not have one on hand to compare?

Thanks!! Yeah it does suck that so many good ones are out of production.  They're not all worth the hassle, cost and risk.  I wish Sony would bring back the R10 though.  It really was a beautiful work from them. 

I spent a bit of time reviewing the PS500 earlier this year.  I liked it a lot, but I ultimately didn't purchase it for my personal collection. It wasn't even that I didn't like it, because I did very much in fact.  But I opted for the PS1000 instead at the time.  I would say they have similar sound signatures, but the PS500 is a better value for sure.  It seemed to me that the PS500 with larger pads sounded remarkably similar to the way I perceive the PS1000.
 
Quote:

Nice review David!
 
 
I would also be interested in seeing a review and ranking of these very popular headphones.

Hopefully I'll get to add in a few headphones soon. Thanks!

 

[DavidMahler]

just fixed the LCD-2 link

 

[Sniping]

I don't know how to respond to the last picture.

 

[Brooko]

Quote:

Thanks brooko, that's a generous offer?  What's different about them?  haven't heard much about them

 
Concensus (from the available reviews) has them sounding slightly smoother with less roll-off in the highs.  I only heard the SE535 briefly (a couple of hours) and never got the chance to compare side by side sadly.
 
I just noticed your comments on the standard 530 and 535 - and thought that if I was in the neighbourhood - it might be a good chance to have a listen.  Once I get my timetable worked out, I'll pm you.