[farstar]

I love (mostly) my HD800s they are high maintenance though. Needs a good amp (I using the Matrix M-Stage) some mod it to handle the 6khz spike, etc , etc.
 
I would like a fun set of cans I can take with me to the office each day when I don't like carting the whole setup there. Open and somewhat easy to drive are a must. No V shaped sets either. Flat, comfortable, detailed, forward mids for vocals and Pianos with a big sound-stage  are my cup of tea. Replaceable cables are nice. 
 
I like what being written about the Fidelio X2s. They aren't the nicest looking set though. AKG makes nice looking sets. The 812s looked promising, but it seems from reviews it tries to be another HD800 but doesn't do it as well. I listen to 30% classical 30% Game soundtracks. 30% Rock 10% Jazz/Blues/Ambient-Chill.
 
I would prefer to not spend more than $400. 

 

[billybob_jcv]

The answer seems obvious to me: HD600 or HD650...

 

[farstar]

The answer seems obvious to me: HD600 or HD650...

I am considering the HD600s as they are on sale at buysonic, but it begs the question. In the last 14+ years has no-one developed a better set of open headphones in this price range ?

 

[billybob_jcv]

You are thinking like a consumer, not like a marketeer! The HD600 was, at one time, one of the best headphones in the world. The top of the Sennheiser line. So, what does Sennheiser do? They didn't create a new headphone to replace the HD600, instead, they created new price brackets *above* the HD600. All the big money engineering now goes into $1000+ headphones. I have no doubt they will keep stacking more & more headphones at the top, pushing yesterday's TOTL down farther in the line.

$300 seems to be the crossover point. It's kind of the top of the closed-back headphones (with some exceptions like the Fostex and the LCD-XC), and it's the start of the more serious quality open headphones from Sennheiser, AKG, Beyer, etc. The wild cards are the guys like Philips that are doing some very surprising things. I hope they keep shaking things up - we need companies that are willing to put out good sounding products for fair prices, just to keep the big brands honest.

 

[farstar]

You are thinking like a consumer, not like a marketeer! The HD600 was, at one time, one of the best headphones in the world. The top of the Sennheiser line. So, what does Sennheiser do? They didn't create a new headphone to replace the HD600, instead, they created new price brackets *above* the HD600. All the big money engineering now goes into $1000+ headphones. I have no doubt they will keep stacking more & more headphones at the top, pushing yesterday's TOTL down farther in the line.

$300 seems to be the crossover point. It's kind of the top of the closed-back headphones (with some exceptions like the Fostex and the LCD-XC), and it's the start of the more serious quality open headphones from Sennheiser, AKG, Beyer, etc. The wild cards are the guys like Philips that are doing some very surprising things. I hope they keep shaking things up - we need companies that are willing to put out good sounding products for fair prices, just to keep the big brands honest.

Thanks for your through and insightful reply. I decided to order the X2s on Amazon. They are backordered until Feb this year which gives me some time to consider things. I like the lower impedance and the innerfidelity review were the deciding factor.

 

[b0000]

Grats! i would've went for planars myself though, in the form of the hifiman he400.

 

[farstar]

  Grats! i would've went for planars myself though, in the form of the hifiman he400.

I did want to dip my toes in the planar world, but I want something that is easy to drive comfortable. Planars seem to be heavier as a rule. I also felt that buying at bottom of the price range in the planars might not give me a good show of what they are capable of. 
 
If it could be driven by my IPod classic in a pinch or my FIIO E12 Monte Blanc and is *reasonably* comfortable then please feel free to correct me. I still have a lot of time to cancel my Fidelio X2 order.

 

[b0000]

The new generation hifimans should have fixed their comfort issues. (he400i) Also, even though the he-400i is a budget planar, it's still really good. It's basically a more comfortable he500, which easily has summit-fi worthy sound.
 
this should be an interesting read: http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared-update-audeze-lcd-2-revision-2-6-4-13
 
IMO, i think you dont really need to cancel and worry about anything. When headphone veterans are saying that the X2 is just as good if not better than the sennheiser hd650/600, then you know you just got yourself a hell of a pair of cans. (i havent heard the x2's myself)