[TateCooper]

Hello all! Long time lurker, first time poster, help me out with your opinion if you want. I always enjoy the posts and debates in the forums from you all.

Let me state up front, I am not looking at any Sennheisers because I know I'll see lot of 650/800 suggestions in this range. Here is the situation:

Primary Source: Tidal HiFi via A&K AK300 Secondary Source: CD Rip//HiFi Download via AK300

Type of Music: Classical, mostly Baroque (e.g. J.S Bach, Vivaldi, Albinoni, LeClair)

Headphone qualities I'm looking for:

Good neutral tonality
Good instrument separation especially at the mid-bass (cello) and lower to upper mids (oboe)
Somewhat wide soundstage but does not need to be super expansive.
Headphones that can be adequately driven by an AK300.

$500-$1000
Audeze EL-8 Open $699
Focal Elear $999
HiFiman HE560 $899 ($529 on sale)
Audioquest Nighthawk $599 ($349 on sale)

$1000-$2000
Mr. Speakers Ether Flow $1799
Audeze LCD-X $1699

 

[TateCooper]

Just an update here - auditioned the Nighthawk, EL-8 closed, Focal Elear, and LCD-X and decided on the LCD-X.