[RushNerd]

Quote:

 
So far this is my conclusion also, that the HD500 is more neutral but the LCD-2 is more pleasant to listen to. As I only intend to keep one, this leaves me in a quandry. A more neutral phone is always going to be more consistent recording to recording; a more euphonic phone is going to sound brilliant on some recordings and less so on others. Trouble is, the LCD-2 sounds brilliant on so many recordings that one can forgive those few recordings on which it sounds a little wayward--and by wayward I mean its colourations lead to a touch more listener fatigue than with the HE-500. Believe it or not but the LCD-2 Rev1 is actually capable of glare. A quiet glare, mind you, and not at the extreme treble but in the upper mids, with flutes and so forth. Probably this is related to its sounding more open than the HE-500. The HE-500 to me sounds like there's a lightly tinted perspex canopy over the orchestra; the LCD-2 removes that canopy but at the expense of the glare. It's all very subtle, and may be equipment related, but I can only speak as I hear.
 
And I don't have perfect pitch either, so there!  

Buy the HE-400 to get both worlds and save yourself 100's of dollars?

 

[gjohnst4]

I just read this for almost three hours straight.

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

Hmmm in the under $2000 market,
 
The HD800, HE6 would be my top 2 outside of the out of production or uber-expensive cans.  It seems silly to suggest that the HD800 and HE6 are not super expensive, but since we're talking about the Orpheus, R10 and SR009 in comparison....
 
The T1, HE500, SRH1840, DT880, SR507, K701/2 and HD600 are also top contenders.  The HD700 has its merits with classical too.
 
In the closed back market, I don't believe I've heard better than the DT660 (for classical music, particularly for the money).
 
EDITED for clarification

 
Seems like we have very similar tastes. I want an SR009 and Orpheus now.

 

[amham]

Finest piece of audio reviewing I've read in over 50 years in this hobby...CONGRATULATIONS and of course, many thanks!

 

[soonhau2000]

Thanks, David. I bought an used HD 600 two years ago with the foam removed on both sides. I thought its a bit bright and fatiguing without the foam.

I think it's time to bring my HD600 back to the Sennheiser office to get the foam back into the headphone. I'm excited on how good it would be with the foam back into its place.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

omg i dunno where to even begin...

 

[hdwjc521]

.....The only word that I can use is GREAT....

 

[lyrill]

u most hate the idea of collection

 

[pp312]

Quote:

Buy the HE-400 to get both worlds and save yourself 100's of dollars?

 
You mean this?
 

 
Sorry, but I'm one of those who tends to "hear" the frequency response, so I think that wouldn't suit me.

 

[pp312]

Quote:

You can always just EQ the LCD to make it neutral.

 
I wouldn't want to be jumping on you specifically, but there's an assumption here that we all listen to music from our computers. Many of us still have our computers and hi-fi systems completely separate, so advice like this, which is given quite frequently, is not especially useful.
 
I also have an intrinsic resistance to EQing. I want a headphone that sounds right without me tampering with it.

 

[Wharfrat]

Hey David, wonderful write-up.  I originally used your Top 20 list back in 2010 to get my DT-880/250, HD-650 (Thanks to DaveDerek), a prototype HE-6 and HE-5, D-7000, AKG-501 and 702 in my collection.  My personal fave is the ATH-AD2000. 
 
However, I am inclined to agree that since then, the newer flagship models I have heard at meets are significantly better in various ways, especially the HE-6 and LCD-3, when properly driven.  The fact you have several high quality sources and amplifiers to work with allows you to find the best qualities of the ones that come out to the forefront of the pack.  I daresay its a gestalt one must take into consideration when looking at the rankings you have made.
 
Once again, a truly herculean and much needed effort....so warm thanks are due.....

 

[TMRaven]

Quote:

 
Sorry, but I'm one of those who tends to "hear" the frequency response, so I think that wouldn't suit me.

 
Frequency response graphs can't be 100% trusted.
 
For example:

 
 
 
Which headphone has the more sucked out upper midrange?  Hint, it's not the hifiman.

 

[Darkbeat]

Quote:

Buy the HE-400 to get both worlds and save yourself 100's of dollars?

 
The HE-400s are considerably less neutral than the LCD-2s. They are also less detailed/transparent than both the LCD-2s and HE-500s, why would you recommend he downgrade? 

 

[RushNerd]

Quote:

 
Frequency response graphs can't be 100% trusted.
 
For example:

 
 
 
Which headphone has the more sucked out upper midrange?  Hint, it's not the hifiman.

He has a point. But the graph for the 400 looks more or less how it sounds. Either way it's nice to look at but the sound is where it's at and I think the 400 has a unique voicing that I find detailed,exciting, and pleasing at the same time. It's not neutral of course, but unlike the Denons, it doesn't sound unbalanced. 

 

[TwinQY]

Quote:

 
The HE-400s are considerably less neutral than the LCD-2s. They are also less detailed/transparent than both the LCD-2s and HE-500s, why would you recommend he downgrade? 

Huh? I've got the HE-400 and LCD-2s side by side right now. I wouldn't call them "considerably less neutral than the LCD-2s" by any means. I wouldn't even consider the LCD-2s to be completely neutral They are transparent in their own ways, the LCD-2s with their smoother treble and better timbre, and the HE-400s with their less congested and clearer presentation. A sidegrade, perhaps, but definitely not a massive downgrade as the price tag would suggest.