Seamless Sounds
Previously known as HeadFi Fanatic
If you could choose a headphone for dynamic, orthodynamic, and electrostatic, what would your choices be? You can only pick one for each type. Reviews are optional.
Dynamic: Sennheiser HD800 - for it's analytical and wide soundstage sound signature. Very comfortable. Its light weight wins in all other transducer categories. If I want to pick out the details, these are my pick. They're much better in the bass department compared to my current K701.
Orthodynamic: Audeze LCD-2 rev.2. I could've chosen its bigger brother, the LCD-3, but for twice the price, it's simply not worth it for me for such a tiny improvement (I've listened to both of them at a meet). You can't go wrong with either one though. The LCD-2 are more laid-back than the HD800 due to the suppressed treble, which means less ear-fatigue. If I want a non-analytical, warm and smooth sound signature, these would be my pick and would compliment the HD800 well. The sub-bass is where it stands out compared to the HD800. It goes very low whereas the HD800 slightly rolls off in the sub-bass. These headphones are flat from the sub-bass to the mids. I emailed Audeze and asked them if it's possible to make them lighter. Will wait and see.
Electrostatic: Stax SR-007 mk2. I've heard these back in CanJam 2010 (paired with a Woo Audio amp, don't remember the model). I've also heard the SR-009 (amped with a Cavalli Liquid Lightning) at a recent meet, but for more than double the price of its predecessor, it's something (like the LCD-3) cannot justify spending that much. Most of the things I'll say for the SR-007 will also apply to the SR-009; that means you can't go wrong with either one. The SR-007 (and 009) transient response is insane! That's the first thing that came to mind when I first heard them, then again with the 009. It's very controlled from the very lows to the very highs. The sound is very refined and crystal clear. I just have to try them with a Smyth Realiser someday to see just how transparent they are with reproducing the source. It's been 3 years since I've heard the 007, but the 009 I've heard recently performed well beyond my expectations, and I had similar feelings with the 007 at the time. If I wanted my mixes to translate well on headphones (paired with a Smyth Realiser), this is every sound engineer's dream.
Those are my 3 picks for those categories. What's yours?
Dynamic: Sennheiser HD800 - for it's analytical and wide soundstage sound signature. Very comfortable. Its light weight wins in all other transducer categories. If I want to pick out the details, these are my pick. They're much better in the bass department compared to my current K701.
Orthodynamic: Audeze LCD-2 rev.2. I could've chosen its bigger brother, the LCD-3, but for twice the price, it's simply not worth it for me for such a tiny improvement (I've listened to both of them at a meet). You can't go wrong with either one though. The LCD-2 are more laid-back than the HD800 due to the suppressed treble, which means less ear-fatigue. If I want a non-analytical, warm and smooth sound signature, these would be my pick and would compliment the HD800 well. The sub-bass is where it stands out compared to the HD800. It goes very low whereas the HD800 slightly rolls off in the sub-bass. These headphones are flat from the sub-bass to the mids. I emailed Audeze and asked them if it's possible to make them lighter. Will wait and see.
Electrostatic: Stax SR-007 mk2. I've heard these back in CanJam 2010 (paired with a Woo Audio amp, don't remember the model). I've also heard the SR-009 (amped with a Cavalli Liquid Lightning) at a recent meet, but for more than double the price of its predecessor, it's something (like the LCD-3) cannot justify spending that much. Most of the things I'll say for the SR-007 will also apply to the SR-009; that means you can't go wrong with either one. The SR-007 (and 009) transient response is insane! That's the first thing that came to mind when I first heard them, then again with the 009. It's very controlled from the very lows to the very highs. The sound is very refined and crystal clear. I just have to try them with a Smyth Realiser someday to see just how transparent they are with reproducing the source. It's been 3 years since I've heard the 007, but the 009 I've heard recently performed well beyond my expectations, and I had similar feelings with the 007 at the time. If I wanted my mixes to translate well on headphones (paired with a Smyth Realiser), this is every sound engineer's dream.
Those are my 3 picks for those categories. What's yours?
