[tvrboy]

Quote:

 
But at the end of the day, like you said, the HD800 really is most at home with acoustic music.  With that concert hall soundstage, it really excels with live music too, which is where I feel the orthos fall short.  It would probably make sense to own one of the current top-tier dynamics (HD800 or T1) and one of the current top-tier orthos (HE-6 or LCD-2) for that reason...if one's wallet can take that kind of a hit

 
 

Actually the Stax 507 is the best choice (IMO) for a "does-it-all" headphone within a realistic budget. It's well-balanced and does everything right. Maybe it's not the absolute best in every area, but it's much better-balanced than other competitors. I would rather have it than live with the flaws of the LCD-2, HE-6, or HD-800. I found the T1 well-balanced too, if not the last word in realism.
 
Regarding the LCD-2 discussion, I really like this headphone, but I don't consider it as realistic as its competitors. The tone is certainly beautiful and lush, and most of the time I found myself reaching for it over the HE-6. But compared to a real concert, the timbre and tonal balance are not as accurate as the senn, hifiman, or stax.
 

 

[K3cT]

I really have to try the SR-507 one of these days. I just hope it's not going to be another 404LE and no, there is no way the 404LE is in the same league as either LCD2 or HE6. Too flawed in many areas.

 

[Currawong]

I've fairly decided that I'm going to get a pair of 507s as well, if not O2s or the new SR-009 eventually. I didn't end up keeping the 404LEs in the end, as they didn't have the bass performance I wanted.

 

[K3cT]

I've fairly decided that I'm going to get a pair of 507s as well, if not O2s or the new SR-009 eventually. I didn't end up keeping the 404LEs in the end, as they didn't have the bass performance I wanted.

Do all of us a favor and get the 009, Curra.

This SR-507 must be really, REALLY exceptional if it really goes toe-to-toe against the 007 as either O2 pretty much trounces the 404LE in every area except that spacious/airy feel that's unique to the Lambda.

 

[sinae]

What about the Koss ESP-950?
 
It seem nobody talk about that one but on paper and from what i've read it seem to be an excellent choice for the price and it's sooo light compared to others... I'm producing electronic music so i'm headbanging a lot
 
How the bass quality/quantity of the koss compare to others

 

[dukja]

I have the T1, sr-407, and HE-6 for some time.  They are quite different animals and took me a long time to make my own opinion among them.  T1 was my primary phone. It was excellent with classical and new age instrumental music. The tonal quality, treble, and soundstage was great. 
 
Then, I got sr-407.  The bass depth and ample volume totally overthrew the impression of "bass" in my headfi history.  I never imagine bass can be so articulate and massive at the same time.  The upper bass may not be as snappy as T1, but 407's bass has its own amazing spot.  The only interesting thing about 407 is the treble is not shinny or sparky at all.  However, the details was still there but take a back seat.  Still, if there is any siblance in the recording, 407 will show it all.
 
When I got He-6, it was difficult to tell since it requires a high-end speaker amp, which I didn't (and still doesn't) have.  However, even many of my amps do not present the full strength of HE-6, I can see some aspects of it through various amps.  The strong point of HE-6 is its immense soundstage and life-like dynamic range.  Compare to it, all my previous headphone introduces some artificial reverberance (unreal reflection from headphone body), which greatly reduce the "real-life-like" presentation of large scale music.  Still, HE-6 has its own issues.  The high is less purified than T1 and 407.  And the bass texture is not as good as 407.
 
So it is really hard to choose only one phone for all music.  At this moment, I choose 407 for wide-range genre and HE-6 for life-like presentation.  Hopefully, a good amps for 407 and HE-6 will reduce any regret of letting T1 go.

 

[K3cT]

Quote:

What about the Koss ESP-950?
 
It seem nobody talk about that one but on paper and from what i've read it seem to be an excellent choice for the price and it's sooo light compared to others... I'm producing electronic music so i'm headbanging a lot
 
How the bass quality/quantity of the koss compare to others

 
The bundles amplifier is really crappy and it requires some ****-ing around to get it to work with Stax energizers. Its level seems to be between the 404 and 404LE once fed with proper power. 

 

[bada bing]

 
Quote:

What about the Koss ESP-950?
 
How the bass quality/quantity of the koss compare to others

The ESP950 sound is more tilted towards bass than any of the Lambdas with
typical electrostatic speed but not as airy a presentation as typical for the lambdas.
The ESP950 tonality and presentation is closest to the the HE60 to my ears and it
would make a good "poor man's" substitute HE60. The HE60 is definitely a better,
more refined phone but the tone is very similar.
 
The ESP build quality is nothing to write home about ~ pretty plasticy
The bundled energizer really holds them back. It is a bit of hassle to get them
cabled to run off of Stax gear. Driven by a better amp, they are good competition
for the 404 and 404le. I prefer the sound of the ESP950 to the 404 and 404le,
but that is more a matter of taste than an outright win for the ESP950.
 
I'm a long term owner of the ESP950, HE60, and O2 but have only a few hours
head time with the 404 and 404le.
 
 

 

[DavidMahler]

As I see it right now:
 
HE90 (still waiting for my Aristaeus but it's pretty **** close to perfection out of my BHSE)
R10 bass heavy (awesome sound tilted in the bottom a bit, but still beautifully refined.....this is still in some ways my favorite)
R10 bass light (wonderfully detailed mids....some resonances lack ultimate transparency...i wonder if this is due to age and deterioration of interior foam, but the overall sound is near-flat and totally euphonic)
HD800 (it's grown on me a bit in recent times)
LCD2 (would like to hear the newer version)
007 Mk1 (a hint on the dark side of perfection)
507 (beautiful sound....on the same plain as the much more prestigious Omegas)
HE-6 (wish they were easier to power as some piano transients still clip, but overall it's a wonderful headphone)
K1000 (I love the concept, but I dislike some of the rattle which happens as a result of a very little discussed design flaw... even still, it's a great headphone when not rattling)
T1 (exceptionally balanced headphone just slightly edged out by the ones above)
007 MK2 (a bit darker than the Mk1, and I'm not sure that it benefits the sound, but it's still a beautiful sounding headphone)
 
 
Those are my top 10 as of right now as I am waiting on the SR009.  
 
Top contenders which didn't make the cut so far: JH16, D7000, Edition 8, W5000.... I am waiting for the JH13 and ES5.  The JH16 was simply too bassy for me. 
 

 

[Guss2]

David, the Aristaeus takes the HE90's to another level IMO. I listened to BHSE prototype at Canjam next to my Aristaeus and it was no contest. It's easily the best amp I've heard paired with the HE90"s and I think you will be very happy. Gary
 
P.S. I'm looking forward to your comparisons of the 009's and the HE90's especially out of the Aristaeus.

 

[sinae]

What would you choose between ESP950 vs T1 in terms of sound. I need textured bass, neutral but with lots of prat for eletronic music. Im hesitating between both or the new tesla T70

Koss is a lot cheaper but also plastiky.. but still i wonder how the sound compare with good matching amp..

Also wonder if the soundstage and imaging is as good as the T1.