[Terriero]

Me and autocorrect don’t really get alone. And my fat fingers are not helping either. Lol
And yeah, I saw the latest from Meze. Nice tease. Anyone have any idea what that might be about?
I hope that tech from OG Empys will scale down to something more obtainable.

I posted this about... But don't know if the tease will be that limited edition...

 

[paradoxper]

The AT is passable and still gets trounced by an SR1a, TC, 009, 007, Susvara, etc but even mentioning the Empyrean is absolutely insulting.

You can be guaranteed the OP purchases off your recommendation for professional work and ends with extreme buyer's remorse.

That headphone isn't even in the $1500 performance range.

OP choose your recommendations wisely.

 

[FYFL]

I posted this about... But don't know if the tease will be that limited edition...

Looks exactly the same. Is it just the color scheme? Meze charges 1K premium for the “Phoenix” red finish. Not sure if that’s what they’re going for with this “mystery” Empys but it doesn’t make me excited, if I have to be honest.

 

[buke9]

Abyss AB-1266 looks to be best on Detail and Clarity. Bit worried on the Neutrality as the reviews I came across all agree on it being treble forward with steep roll-off.

Yep would not call them neutral and would not like them if they were. They can do delicate with acoustic instruments and in the next second a punch in the face with a raw visceral sound and then back again with out missing a beat. Not going to say the best headphone on the planet but they are up there with few others. Depends on how you like your music presented to you.

 

[KING DRANZER]

The AT is passable and still gets trounced by an SR1a, TC, 009, 007, Susvara, etc but even mentioning the Empyrean is absolutely insulting.

You can be guaranteed the OP purchases off your recommendation for professional work and ends with extreme buyer's remorse.

That headphone isn't even in the $1500 performance range.

OP choose your recommendations wisely.

Out of the ones you listed I sadly cannot source in SR1A and TC as none in my circle have them. But can source in 009 and Susvara. We were discussing Empyrean for casual laid back listening. I will still try ADX5000.

 

[KING DRANZER]

This is the list of headphones I will be testing.

1. HiFi Man Susvara
2. Stax SR 009
3. Focal Utopia
4. Audio Technica ADX5000

 

[KING DRANZER]

If any more recommendations please inform me before the end of today.

 

[FYFL]

We were discussing Empyrean for casual laid back listening.

Exactly.

 

[paradoxper]

Out of the ones you listed I sadly cannot source in SR1A and TC as none in my circle have them. But can source in 009 and Susvara. We were discussing Empyrean for casual laid back listening. I will still try ADX5000.

Perhaps I missed the specific context for the Empyrean. Regardless it's an entirely mediocre headphone. Pretty and comfortable.

You pigeonhole yourself into a clear level below.

I'd have to consider this Utopia, Susvara, D8000, Solitaire, HEDDphone, Rognir to start.

I'd likely rank the HEDDphone the most competent, and the most neutral, heavy but more importantly quite uncomfortable.

I personally don't like the Utopia for its metallic timbre, however, if you don't hear this trait, Utopia actually has great dynamic engagement, punch/extension in the bass, remains present in the mid and forward treble extension.

My best pick is the Rognir which is closed and will run circles around most open and is the best closed I've heard.
Equivalent speed, resolution and detail retrieval than the very best, while providing a bit of fun, punched bass (likely its most colored frequency,) with very clear mid presence and perfectly integrated treble with a particular smoothness. Very well balanced. I only feel the 009 and TC surpass it across the board in technicalities.

The answer really still is SR1a though, for pro application and by a mile.

 

[KING DRANZER]

Perhaps I missed the specific context for the Empyrean. Regardless it's an entirely mediocre headphone. Pretty and comfortable.

You pigeonhole yourself into a clear level below.

I'd have to consider this Utopia, Susvara, D8000, Solitaire, HEDDphone, Rognir to start.

I'd likely rank the HEDDphone the most competent, and the most neutral, heavy but more importantly quite uncomfortable.

I personally don't like the Utopia for its metallic timbre, however, if you don't hear this trait, Utopia actually has great dynamic engagement, punch/extension in the bass, remains present in the mid and forward treble extension.

My best pick is the Rognir which is closed and will run circles around most open and is the best closed I've heard.
Equivalent speed, resolution and detail retrieval than the very best, while providing a bit of fun, punched bass (likely its most colored frequency,) with very clear mid presence and perfectly integrated treble with a particular smoothness. Very well balanced. I only feel the 009 and TC surpass it across the board in technicalities.

The answer really still is SR1a though, for pro application and by a mile.

I think I can get my hands on D8000 but HEDDphone and Rognir are out of my reach. But I guess you missed my point I am considering Utopia, Susvara and 009 and will be testing them out tomorrow.

 

[JoachimL]

I'd suggest auditioning Ollo S4X as well. Designed for music production.
I'm well pleased with the sound of mine. I paid a little less than $400 for them.

If you visit the sound science forum on this page, you can find a study that shows
that there's no correlation between frequency response of headphones and their price.
Except that more expensive headphones have better bass response generally.
(The Ollo's have - to my ears - a nice bass response as well).

Also, it's worth keeping in mind that, generally, a higher price tag doesn't necessarily
mean that the product is superior to cheaper products. Companies set the price of
their products, in part, based on which consumer groups they wish to target.

I haven't tried the Focal Utopia. But I've tried the Focal Clear and Focal Elear.
They look very nice, I think. But I wasn't impressed with their sound at all.
I haven't tried the Hifiman Susvara either, but I've tried the Hifiman Ananda and HEX v2.
Didn't like the Ananda much. Liked the HEX v2 more, but there was something weird
about its bass response (wooly sound). Of course, both the Utopia and the Susvara
might be stellar headphones. But I'm a bit skeptic to them, based on my experiences
with the other Focal's and Hifiman's.

 

[Deolum]

Just get the original Focal Clear. Nobody uses Stax, Utopia or Susvara for studio work let alone other names that have fallen in this thread like Abyss. The Clear has everything you need. Accurate, detailed, clear and neutral.

 

[KING DRANZER]

I'd suggest auditioning Ollo S4X as well. Designed for music production.
I'm well pleased with the sound of mine. I paid a little less than $400 for them.

If you visit the sound science forum on this page, you can find a study that shows
that there's no correlation between frequency response of headphones and their price.
Except that more expensive headphones have better bass response generally.
(The Ollo's have - to my ears - a nice bass response as well).

Also, it's worth keeping in mind that, generally, a higher price tag doesn't necessarily
mean that the product is superior to cheaper products. Companies set the price of
their products, in part, based on which consumer groups they wish to target.

I haven't tried the Focal Utopia. But I've tried the Focal Clear and Focal Elear.
They look very nice, I think. But I wasn't impressed with their sound at all.
I haven't tried the Hifiman Susvara either, but I've tried the Hifiman Ananda and HEX v2.
Didn't like the Ananda much. Liked the HEX v2 more, but there was something weird
about its bass response (wooly sound). Of course, both the Utopia and the Susvara
might be stellar headphones. But I'm a bit skeptic to them, based on my experiences
with the other Focal's and Hifiman's.

I am looking for that boring but not so boring resulting headphones. Need them to have presence but need not be too bright or forward or recessed in any regions.

 

[KING DRANZER]

Just get the original Focal Clear. Nobody uses Stax, Utopia or Susvara for studio work let alone other names that have fallen in this thread like Abyss. The Clear has everything you need. Accurate, detailed, clear and neutral.

Okay will check on Focal Clear.

 

[FYFL]

Even studio monitors aren’t linear by default. Not sure you will find that in headphones either.