[TWerk]

Current LCD-2, awful, dull, boring sucks the fun out.

Is that a pre Fazor version? I don't like the Audeze sound signature either as I agree it can be boring, but I think the LCD 2 fazor is better than the pre razor.

 

[panoptikon]

Probably the LCD-3f. Had it for a couple of months, and aside from a minor construction issue I also I found its warm timbre and signature lessening the emotional impact of music. To its defense though, it may not have been the best pairing with my heed audio setup.

Interesting that the Elear is the main pick of this thread so far, but with the arguments 'why' still to be uncovered.

 

[TWerk]

I'll also say Focal Elear. Honestly for me, most of the post HD800 "mega-buck" headphones have been disappointing for me. I get a weird feeling that they are priced as they are simply because people are willing to pay for them. Eat a chunk of salt though because I'm a cynic.

I agree, low-mid fi is where the value is at. I've gone through many higher end cans and ended up selling them just because I didn't think they were worth it.

 

[Svatopluk]

Probably the LCD-3f. Had it for a couple of months, and aside from a minor construction issue I also I found its warm timbre and signature lessening the emotional impact of music. To its defense though, it may not have been the best pairing with my heed audio setup.

Interesting that the Elear is the main pick of this thread so far, but with the arguments 'why' still to be uncovered.

I'm guessing someone looking for a relaxed set of headphones with dialed back treble may find the Elear disappointing.

 

[obobskivich]

Sony MDR-SA5000. I've owned them twice (different examples) and both times I regretted buying, and later selling, them. Overall I just don't think they lived up sonically to their build/aesthetics (or price). That said, I also miss them, because they did offer a relatively unique presentation that I've never gotten from any other headphone since.

 

[TWerk]

I'm guessing someone looking for a relaxed set of headphones with dialed back treble may find the Elear disappointing.

Actually, it was the opposite for me. I was expecting a really impactful bass and dynamically powerful sound and that was not at all what I got. What I heard instead was just that, a more relaxed headphone with bass that did not impress me and treble that was dialed back. My ultrasone headphones and JVC DX1000 have better, more impactful bass. They just did not do anything special for me. They sounded fine, but not 800 dollars fine.

A decent all-rounder perhaps, but my Beyer T1 is a much better sounding all rounder for half the price. It's more resolving and clear at half the price. More comfortable too. I don't really see a place for the Elear with the HD6xx available for 200. To me, they have a very similar sound signature and the HD6xx is more comfortable at on quarter the price.

 

[TWerk]

I'd be interested hearing from others here why Elear was disappointing for them as well.

 

[Gibson59]

HD800 for me. As I entered this crazy world of hi-end headphones they seemed to be the headphone I read about most that was unanimously considered totl. By the time I had a chance to try them out I had already heard a number of other totl options, and the HD800 was utterly disappointing to me with the exception of the classical genre. Did not like the look either and aside from being quite comfortable the build quality (mostly materials) left me unimpressed.

On another note, I had always been curious about the Elear. This thread has dampened that curiosity a bit. Interesting reading the dislike for it.

 

[Svatopluk]

Actually, it was the opposite for me. I was expecting a really impactful bass and dynamically powerful sound and that was not at all what I got. What I heard instead was just that, a more relaxed headphone with bass that did not impress me and treble that was dialed back. My ultrasone headphones and JVC DX1000 have better, more impactful bass. They just did not do anything special for me. They sounded fine, but not 800 dollars fine.

A decent all-rounder perhaps, but my Beyer T1 is a much better sounding all rounder for half the price. It's more resolving and clear at half the price. More comfortable too. I don't really see a place for the Elear with the HD6xx available for 200. To me, they have a very similar sound signature and the HD6xx is more comfortable at on quarter the price.

So I was wrong in assuming from my experience with Utopia that Elear has anything at all in common with it. I do however agree with your assessment of the T1, it may be one of the most underrated headphones around.

 

[TWerk]

So I was wrong in assuming from my experience with Utopia that Elear has anything at all in common with it. I do however agree with your assessment of the T1, it may be one of the most underrated headphones around.

For the price to performance, if you want that audiophile high fidelity signature, I haven't found anything to beat the T1 V1. So much resolution and clarity. Price is way too low on it nowadays for what you get IMO, not to mention it being a supremely comfortable headphone too.

So you found the Utopia to be too much in the treble?

 

[GU1DO]

Elear to me has mediocre sound at every level , no punchy bass as described by some
also lack in the presence area made it so so boring + small sound stage + comfort was not that good ,
and hell a lot of distortion and clicking with high volume or bass ,,
for the sound i would not pay more than 200$

i only which the M1060 had the same material & design quality as the Elear ,, i would easily pay 1K $ for it ..

 

[TWerk]

HD800 for me. As I entered this crazy world of hi-end headphones they seemed to be the headphone I read about most that was unanimously considered totl. By the time I had a chance to try them out I had already heard a number of other totl options, and the HD800 was utterly disappointing to me with the exception of the classical genre. Did not like the look either and aside from being quite comfortable the build quality (mostly materials) left me unimpressed.

On another note, I had always been curious about the Elear. This thread has dampened that curiosity a bit. Interesting reading the dislike for it.

Was HD800 just too sterile and clinical for you? I kind of have the impression I would not like them either very much from descriptions since I'm more into the "fun" signatures rather than the clinical ones. Of course it depends upon the music you listen to as well.

 

[TWerk]

Elear to me has mediocre sound at every level , no punchy bass as described by some
also lack in the presence area made it so so boring + small sound stage + comfort was not that good ,
and hell a lot of distortion and clicking with high volume or bass ,,
for the sound i would not pay more than 200$

i only which the M1060 had the same material & design quality as the Elear ,, i would easily pay 1K $ for it ..

True. Sound stage was very lacking for an open back headphone and yeah, boring is a good word. Not at all how many people described it so idk.

 

[Svatopluk]

For the price to performance, if you want that audiophile high fidelity signature, I haven't found anything to beat the T1 V1. So much resolution and clarity. Price is way too low on it nowadays for what you get IMO, not to mention it being a supremely comfortable headphone too.

So you found the Utopia to be too much in the treble?

No, not at all. IMO the Utopia is the best all-rounder I've had the opportunity to own over the past 35 years or so, just assumed the Elear was close but not quite on the same level.

 

[AudioThief]

I agree, low-mid fi is where the value is at. I've gone through many higher end cans and ended up selling them just because I didn't think they were worth it.

T1 and HPDX1000 aren't low mid-fi cans my friend