[Windsor]

Quote:

 
Anyway, the TH900 seems to be not the R10 killer I waited, especially considering i am listening classical around 80% of time.. 
 

 
If you listen to classical 80% of the time I'd highly recommend you at least audition the Sennheiser HD 800 which is the 'best' headphone I've ever experienced with classical music. The HD 800's sound staging (especially) and detail retrieval trump every other headphone I've heard. (I've not heard the Stax SR-009)

 

[Windsor]

Quote:

... The HD800 has a lot of genuine R&D invested in its design, but it's focused on specific areas like detail retrieval and not an overall holistic approach like their past flagships, the HE60 and HE90. The HD800 is technically a very impressive headphone, and in some respects its able to stand up to the best of the electrostatics, but without further modifications it's simply not an enjoyable listen in my opinion ...

 
To me the stock HD 800 is an impressive musical microscope but not that enjoyable for casual music listening. Since I switched the cable to a Moon Audio Black Dragon and began using Amarra's great value Hifi software, the HD 800 has really transformed to the most enjoyable and detailed listen I've ever experienced (with the exception of the Orpheus and probably R10). The Black Dragon tames the HD 800's treble and fills out the bass and Amarra Hifi increases the overall sonic impact in a way that to me is very pleasing with pretty much every recording I feed the HD 800.
 
I still find the HD 800 to be so detailed that something as non-fatiguing as the LCD-3 is very welcome to my ears. I look forward to trying the LCD-3 with some new cables this coming week. And I would certainly welcome the opportunity to hear the TH900 some time soon. 

 

[Ahzari]

Quote:

 
To me the stock HD 800 is an impressive musical microscope but not that enjoyable for casual music listening. Since I switched the cable to a Moon Audio Black Dragon and began using Amarra's great value Hifi software, the HD 800 has really transformed to the most enjoyable and detailed listen I've ever experienced (with the exception of the Orpheus and probably R10). The Black Dragon tames the HD 800's treble and fills out the bass and Amarra Hifi increases the overall sonic impact in a way that to me is very pleasing with pretty much every recording I feed the HD 800.
 
I still find the HD 800 to be so detailed that something as non-fatiguing as the LCD-3 is very welcome to my ears. I look forward to trying the LCD-3 with some new cables this coming week. And I would certainly welcome the opportunity to hear the TH900 some time soon. 

I think because of the HD800s transparency the cable, source, and amping can change the sound signature quite a bit.. I've heard HD800s that sounded cold and lifeless and others that sounded warm and rich - same headphone just everything between the headphone and the music was different..

 

[MuppetFace]

Not so sure about cables myself, but the amp makes a HUGE difference with the HD800 in my experience. Also if one is running it off of a tube amp, the selection of tubes matters quite a bit as well.
 
I would like to hear an Anax modded HD800, as it's said to really tame those highs.
 
Like I've always said, the HD800 is a technically impressive headphone, and I can certainly see the appeal of it for some.

 

[Modwright01]

Quote:

 
If you listen to classical 80% of the time I'd highly recommend you at least audition the Sennheiser HD 800 which is the 'best' headphone I've ever experienced with classical music. The HD 800's sound staging (especially) and detail retrieval trump every other headphone I've heard. (I've not heard the Stax SR-009)

Hello.
 
Thanks for the advice. I listened the HD800  and I was not very in love with it. 
 
I have maybe to retry but I don't really like opened design anyway, and I found the HD800 soundstage larger than the R10  but less natural, less deep, less real.
 
I far prefer the R10 for vocals too, and the R10 is much more comfortable than the HD800.

 

[MuppetFace]

Credit where credit is due, vocals on the R10 are astonishingly nice.

 

[Modwright01]

Quote:

Credit where credit is due, vocals on the R10 are astonishingly nice.

 
Yeah.
 
For opera, I never felt that with any headphones or speakers. 
 
It is just breathtaking.
 
Yesterday I listend Cecilia Bartoli (Gluck) on my R10 : ok, I saw Bartoli in live to Pleyel, I was sitting in the fourth - center front of her. All i can say is when I listen with the R10, i feel the same "alive voice" sensation if I close my eyes.
 
This is truly amazing and for me, that's why it is not totally crazy to spend so much money on the R10 : for vocals.

 

[MuppetFace]

Quote:

This is truly amazing and for me, that's why it is not totally crazy to spend so much money on the R10 : for vocals.

 
FWIW, I don't think spending $4000 or even $7000 on a pair of headphones is too crazy (considering some people spend six figures on speaker setups). The questionable aspect for me is the fact that the R10 isn't aging very well and can't be repaired easily. Even with pairs that have been well cared for and coddled all their lives, the foam rings surrounding the drivers simply deteriorate over time. It's inevitable. For most people, it's just not a viable option to spend $7000 on a pair of deteriorating headphones, no matter how amazing they sound.
 
If Sony started manufacturing the R10 again and offering maintenance on older sets, then I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. They're a thing of pure, unadulterated aural beauty.

 

[shimmer n roar]

it's not a viable option for most people to spend $7000 on a pair of headphones period. 

 

[MuppetFace]

That's my point: it's already far into the realm of absurdity for most, and the deterioration only adds to that. However even within the niche of individuals willing to spend that much on headphones, the deterioration puts them in the same category as the first group.

 

[shimmer n roar]

it's also far more than most people would ever contemplate spending on a pair of loudspeakers, which makes it seem even further removed from reality. 

 

[BrainFood]

Quote:

 
FWIW, I don't think spending $4000 or even $7000 on a pair of headphones is too crazy (considering some people spend six figures on speaker setups). 

 
That depends on your perspective  If you lived in a third-world country and had to worry about your next meal, instead of (I assume) the US, you might think very differently 

 

[MuppetFace]

There are always going to be big spenders and people forking over crazy sums for things other people wouldn't consider, and while they're in the minority, there's quite a variable range in this hobby. You've got people spending $500 on headphone cables alone, spending $5,000 USD on phono cartridges, spending $100k+ on speaker installations. As far as head-fi goes, an Orpheus rig will set you back $25,000 USD or thereabouts. And there are people willing to pay this.
 
I've spoken to quite a few head-fiers who have said they'd buy an R10 if it weren't for its risk factor. If Sony were to release another limited run of them at $4000 USD---or even $6000 USD---I'm pretty confident they'd all sell out in a year or two.

 

[MuppetFace]

Quote:

 
That depends on your perspective  If you lived in a third-world country and had to worry about your next meal, instead of (I assume) the US, you might think very differently 

 
Honestly, that sort of thing seemed obvious enough to not merit a mention. I think there are MANY things that would seem "crazy" in that instance, not just a pair of expensive headphones. Like the governments in those countries withholding resources from their own people.
 
The world is a crazy, broken place in many ways. This is only the tip of the iceberg.

 

[pcf]

Quote:

it's also far more than most people would ever contemplate spending on a pair of loudspeakers, which makes it seem even further removed from reality. 

Depends on how we define " most people". A few thousand dollars will only get you some mid price speakers in Hi Fi terms. For the same amount of money you can buy one of the best headphones ever made.