[yuchengxx]

HE90 and R10.

 

[electrathecat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardstyler /img/forum/go_quote.gif Are any of these headphones good for electronic dance music? Perhaps only PS1 and L3000?

Don't know about the PS-1 (though its base is legendary), but the L3000 is terrific for rock (not sure about electronica). I think the best can for electronic dance music is likely the Qualia due to its ultra-resolution and dazzling speed (as well as very solid bass).

 

[Quaddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by facelvega /img/forum/go_quote.gif Be careful what you ask for. How about FOUR speakers strapped to your head?

thats duggeh is it not?

lol

 

[MoodySteve]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardstyler /img/forum/go_quote.gif Are any of these headphones good for electronic dance music? Perhaps only PS1 and L3000?

Bear in mind that I've been an EDM DJ for a long time and love my tough stomping beats as much as anyone...also been on the production side of the game.

With that said, I will candidly tell you that using hi-fi equipment to play EDM is like using a 10,000 DPI scan to scan a 3000 DPI image. Dance music is produced to have most of the voices very upfront and salient and without much in the way of subtleties, mainly because the playback system that they're intended for (high-power PA) would completely obscure and smear these details. If you also listen to electronic genres like ambient, that's a completely different story. But as far as house, trance, tech, breaks, jungle, psy etc. go...they're produced for mid-fi equipment at best, and hi-fi equipment won't really reveal anything special in it like it can with other genres of music.

EDM was made for decent loudspeakers, in my opinion. NO headphone can give you that bowel-shaking low end that we all have felt and loved.

 

[nnotis]

As an electronic music listener and maker, I'd absolutely love to hear the Qualias. From what I've read, they'd be the holy grail for electronic music.

I do have a pair of K1000s. Despite limited bass extension, they're excellent for the genre. Fast, detailed, with a huge soundstage. They handle hard to do high frequency digital noises with fantastic clarity.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quaddy /img/forum/go_quote.gif thats duggeh is it not? lol

Correct! The crazy Scotchman...

 

[boomana]

I agree with the lists in many of the previous posts, but it should also be noted that no matter the quality of the headphone, once you step out of entry-level headphones, it's more about the total system. foo_me ranked the K1000s at the top, but he's done significant mods to them (removed part of the cage, recable, etc.), and has discovered what many consider to be the ultimate amp for K1000s with an impressive source as well. I prefer R10s to K1000s, but at this time, my rig favors them, yet I've heard both sound better in others' rigs. Those who are able to do it choose a headphone or two or three, and build systems around them. The 650s in killer rigs will best the K1000s in weak rigs, yet the 650s will sound like mediocre headphones at best in lesser gear. Etc., etc. The "best" headphones are agreed upon by most, but the gear that surrounds them is what often makes the difference, as well as personal preference (electrostatic/dynamic).

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boomana /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree with the lists in many of the previous posts, but it should also be noted that no matter the quality of the headphone, once you step out of entry-level headphones, it's more about the total system. foo_me ranked the K1000s at the top, but he's done significant mods to them (removed part of the cage, recable, etc.), and has discovered what many consider to be the ultimate amp for K1000s with an impressive source as well. I prefer R10s to K1000s, but at this time, my rig favors them, yet I've heard both sound better in others' rigs. Those who are able to do it choose a headphone or two or three, and build systems around them. The 650s in killer rigs will best the K1000s in weak rigs, yet the 650s will sound like mediocre headphones at best in lesser gear. Etc., etc. The "best" headphones are agreed upon by most, but the gear that surrounds them is what often makes the difference, as well as personal preference (electrostatic/dynamic).

I would think HD600 > Veil/HD650.

So, try the HD600 on a good amp like the SP SDS. However, I don't see many HD600 owners willing to spend that kind of money for the SDS.

 

[boomana]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3x331m /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would think HD600 > Veil/HD650. So, try the HD600 on a good amp like the SP SDS. However, I don't see many HD600 owners willing to spend that kind of money for the SDS.

I have both the 600 and the 650. The veil doesn't exist once amped and sourced correctly.

Most who go for the SDS also have other headphones (thinking R10s) that sound gorgeous with that amp. Getting to enjoy the Senns at their best as well is just a bonus.

 

[purk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom hankins The two that stand out far above everything else for me are the Sony R10 Senn. HE90 the next level would be L3000 K1000 HE60

X3. I would also like to add the Qualia to my own ranking. Also the O2 should have amazing potential too.



Quote:

HE90/HEV90 is the best I've ever heard. It's simply pure magic - not necessarily the most accurate system mind you, but magical all the same.

Yes, very true. The combo is very pure magic.


Quote:

A Qualia 010 in the right system or a Sony R10 in the right system can come close.

Agreed, but in my system the R10 performs better than the Qualia with the SDS-SE.

Here are my rankings:

1) HE-90 + HEV-90 or ES-1 (HE-90 w/ the ES-1 is actually better).
2) MDR-R10 (both versions) + SDS-SE (GE 12AY7/Tungsol 2C51 + Sylvania 6BL7GTs)
3) ATH-L3000 + SDS-SE
4) Qualia w/ SDS
5) Senn HE-60
6) Senn HD-650 W/ Zu

The HE-90 and R10 are good bit better from the rest. The Qualia with the right system probably will over take the L3000 for number 3 ranking. I have yet to try the K1000 in a higher end system, so I'm not including them in this list.

 

[Duggeh]

No-one has yet mentioned the Ergo AMT. As the only person with his own headphone featured in this thread, I'd like to add it to the contenders. I'm very greatly looking forward to hearing it from the Pass Labs Aleph that I've just bought. No amp I've used so far has done well enough with it.

 

[hardstyler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoodySteve /img/forum/go_quote.gif Bear in mind that I've been an EDM DJ for a long time and love my tough stomping beats as much as anyone...also been on the production side of the game. With that said, I will candidly tell you that using hi-fi equipment to play EDM is like using a 10,000 DPI scan to scan a 3000 DPI image. Dance music is produced to have most of the voices very upfront and salient and without much in the way of subtleties, mainly because the playback system that they're intended for (high-power PA) would completely obscure and smear these details. If you also listen to electronic genres like ambient, that's a completely different story. But as far as house, trance, tech, breaks, jungle, psy etc. go...they're produced for mid-fi equipment at best, and hi-fi equipment won't really reveal anything special in it like it can with other genres of music. EDM was made for decent loudspeakers, in my opinion. NO headphone can give you that bowel-shaking low end that we all have felt and loved.

Well that is good to hear

770 and 990 should be more than enough for me since I only listen to EDM.

 

[daveDerek]

feh, all these responses are so predictable!

i'll give you an easy one that has yet to be mentioned (since someone already beat me to the bose line). custom iems-> the ultimate ears ue-10 (the 11 is a little more bumped up on the bottom end by the graphs posted on the ue site). pure, linear, and designed for each individual's ears.

 

[Icarium]

Having owned or heard pretty much everything in optimal or close to optimal systems (Except for SR-Omega (O1s) and the Taket H2).

I'd tier in no particular order:
Tops: K1000/HE90/Qualias/R10 in the same tier
Second: O2/L3000/HP1000/PS-1/HE60 (PS-1 might be in top depending on how well it scales haven't really tested that part out yet)
Third: Random other Stax/Ed9 maybe somewhere here maybe lower

The UE10 is a damned good headphone I'm sure, but... it's frequency response range is pretty weak as it is an armature design so it has the 16kHz cut off.
20 to 16,000 Hz <- etc from UE's website. I can for sure hear at least up to 18kHz..