[bagwell359]

Owned/long term loan (modded):

HE-6 - Masterpiece
HE-500 - Younger brother of the HE-6, better in some ways
HD-600 - with BH Crack it's a religious experience
HD-800S - so great in so many ways, has headaches
HEX v2 - champion relaxer

Exposed to:

Voce - Not quite right for rough and tough music, but sonic classics - hell ya
Phi - homely bettering ram which does it all
LCD4 - Big, smooth, detailed
007/009 - detail masters, too much so
HEK SE - its pretty great
Arya - cheapest to near greatness
Clear - or is the Clear?

 

[F208Frank]

For me maybe biased but LCD4, HD600, LCD X, HD600, Abyss TC 1266

 

[Dan Lee]

Not as many high end cans on this list as I would've expected. I see the HD800S is popular. I would like any input you all might be able to provide me as to whether or not its a worthy investment after reading my list.

1. Stax SR-009 and SR-009S - If the sound pressure level in the cups wasn't getting to me I would still own these as they are by far the best audio experience I have had to date.

2. Hifiman Susvara - I don't find this headphone to be as perfect as the rest of the world seems to think, but it does have an incredible sound to it and doesn't do anything wrong sound wise. Hifiman does seem to have issues with quality as all are aware on here. I hate the pads but can deal with it for the sound which to my memory is the best planar I've heard.

3. Meze Empyrean - By no means is this the best sounding headphone I've heard, but nothing about it is offensive in any way. Though the sound quality is just not anywhere near that of the above 2 it is by far the best headphone on the market for just relaxing and losing yourself in the music. Comfort and build quality are simply the best I've seen on any headphone to date.

4. Focal Utopia - These were absolutely incredible... that is once you set the stock cable on fire and got a new one. You could say this about the Susvara cable which may actually have been worse.

5. Not sure yet - Looking forward to trying the 800S if it gets good endorsement from you kind folks. Also can't wait to hear the Heddphone. Also I've owned an Ether 2 in the past and remember that being amazing so I may purchase one of those again. I've owned basically every Audeze can they've made including the LCD-4 (twice) and the LCD-4z. They sounded great until I would hear them against some stiff competition only to realize I've likely never owned an above average version of them as there tends to be so much variation from one to the other. My favorite Audezes were the MX4 and the X.

Im open to suggestion or input from anyone.

Thanks guys

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

1) ZMF Verite
2) Sennheiser 800S
3) Hifiman he1000se
4) HEDDphone
5) Hifiman Edition X V2

 

[Dan Lee]

@Hifiearspeakers you put the 800S about the 1000SE and HEDDphone. Would you mind telling me a little about the differences and why you prefer the 800S?

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

@Hifiearspeakers you put the 800S about the 1000SE and HEDDphone. Would you mind telling me a little about the differences and why you prefer the 800S?

I am an admitted soundstage junkie and the 800S doesn’t take a backseat to any other headphones when it comes to that. I also prefer its slightly better tonality to the other two.

The he1000se is kind of like the planar version of the 800S. But it has a little too much energy in the air regions of treble, so it can sound a little bright and etched at times.

The HEDDphone is the most intimate and immediate sounding of the three, so it can sound the most exciting. But it has a mid range bump around 1-2K that can make vocals too forward and energetic, and that collapses the stage, which can make things sound a little congested. It also has a little too much air as the treble extends towards 20 kHz.

 

[DenverW]

Going to limit this to what I've actually owned, or been able to extensively demo:

1. HD800 (with SDR mod)
2. HD800S
3. E-MU Teak
4. Beyerdynamic Amiron Home
5. Quad Era 1

Honorable mention: Mrspeakers DIY Alpha Dog (just cause it was fun!)

Did not make the list: Lcd2, Lcd2c, Hd6xx, Hifiman Sundara, Mrspeakers Aeon closed or Ether Cx, Nightowl carbon or Nighthawk carbon, Dt 990, dt177x, Focal Elear or Elex, Alpha Dog, HD600 (thought I love it), Sony Z7M2, Fostex X00 Ebony or Mahogany...I think that's my ownership history; i'm probably forgetting a few!

 

[Playstation]

I was sad until I read "price is irrelevant".

I'm poor, so I haven't had the luxury of experiencing truly HiFi headphones, unfortunately.

DT 990 pro 600Ohm
DT 770 pro 80Ohm
Fidelio X1
Fidelio X2HR
HD 598

 

[ListenThis]

..

 

[ThanatosVI]

Headphones I actually own.

Hifiman Arya
Hifiman Edition Xv2
Audeze LCD-2C
Audeze LCD closed back
Hifiman Sundara

I will always be tempted to try the Susvara or LCD-4 at some point, but they cost as much as my whole collection.

 

[cocolinho]

He500 : when planar were pretty uncommon, they are a fantastic headphones nowadays for a bargain price.
Hd800: technically set the bar for so long...
Hd600/650: the Legend. Scale so well.
Grado sr80: So much fun for low money.
Andromeda : raised the bar for IEM. Unanimously (very) positively reviewed everywhere.

 

[Dan Lee]

I am an admitted soundstage junkie and the 800S doesn’t take a backseat to any other headphones when it comes to that. I also prefer its slightly better tonality to the other two.

The he1000se is kind of like the planar version of the 800S. But it has a little too much energy in the air regions of treble, so it can sound a little bright and etched at times.

The HEDDphone is the most intimate and immediate sounding of the three, so it can sound the most exciting. But it has a mid range bump around 1-2K that can make vocals too forward and energetic, and that collapses the stage, which can make things sound a little congested. It also has a little too much air as the treble extends towards 20 kHz.

Thanks for that info man. I was really leaning toward the Hedd and may still end up with one at some point, but prolly gonna get the 800S first. As far as the SE goes I have the Susvara and was able to compare the two at home for a week or 2 thanks to @mixman for lettin me borrow his SE's. The SE's are great but to me the Susvara adds just enough refinement to justify purchasing them over the SE's if you can get them for under the $4k mark.

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

Thanks for that info man. I was really leaning toward the Hedd and may still end up with one at some point, but prolly gonna get the 800S first. As far as the SE goes I have the Susvara and was able to compare the two at home for a week or 2 thanks to @mixman for lettin me borrow his SE's. The SE's are great but to me the Susvara adds just enough refinement to justify purchasing them over the SE's if you can get them for under the $4k mark.

If you have the Susvara, your journey is over! That’s endgame!

 

[mixman]

Thanks for that info man. I was really leaning toward the Hedd and may still end up with one at some point, but prolly gonna get the 800S first. As far as the SE goes I have the Susvara and was able to compare the two at home for a week or 2 thanks to @mixman for lettin me borrow his SE's. The SE's are great but to me the Susvara adds just enough refinement to justify purchasing them over the SE's if you can get them for under the $4k mark.

If you have the Susvara, your journey is over! That’s endgame!

Hah, I am trying to get Dan to consider the Abyss TC, then, along with the Susvara, he will be at complete endgame. Not sure the HD800 is for him since he likes his bass.

I will wait till I get the HEDD and VC before adding my choices to this thread.

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

Hah, I am trying to get Dan to consider the Abyss TC, then, along with the Susvara, he will be at complete endgame. Not sure the HD800 is for him since he likes his bass.

I will wait till I get the HEDD and VC before adding my choices to this thread.

I’m not a fan of Abyss. My purchase of the Diana V2 was regretful. They were terribly uncomfortable and not worth the price for the sound quality. All he needs is Susvara and Verite

Or just Susvara.