There is not any headphone can reproduce the type of sound similar to Sonus Faber, you need to pair an amp to tune the sound. I found that the DT880 + Opera is somehow has the sonic signature as Sonus Faber - warm and good defined, mellow in treble. Isn't it the type you like?
I think that Stax probably comes closest to the B&W sound. I don't think the Senns 600 series sound like B&W's. To me, Senns sound most like Revel Ultima speakers.
IMO, the closest you can come to Sonus Faber sound is probably with the Senn HE90's. Alas, at $6000 a pop + 2-3k for electrostatic amp, it's quite an investment.
I agreed that HD600 doesn't sound like the B&W. While Sonus Faber sounds more classical like the sound from violin, double-bass etc., not too many headphones can reproduce this type of sound except those can have outstanding performance when playing chamber music. This can narrow down the options.
Ok, so a very old thread and apologies for bringing it back to life but there is some interesting advice in here and I'd really like to hear more opinions / experiences if anyone has them....from my own part, I have some SF Cremona Auditor speakers and absolutely love their sound so would really like to hear more opinions.
If you don't know those speakers, they are really quite coloured: very warm upper bass / low mids, to the point where they can be a bit unexciting with rock but sound absolutely lovely with acoustic jazz. - They are from the Franco Serblin era, so their sound is different to the newer SF's (venere / olympica etc.) and actually nothing like B&W to my ears.
From reading reviews, I wondered if LCD-2's would do something similar? I wish Mr. Serblin had made some headphones....
Bringing back a really old horse. Did you make a choice NeoVibe?
Havent heard that specific b&w model but the ones I heard sounded nothing like my electa amators. A lot more 'technical' and bright.
In the sfaber corner I'll put the hd650 (which I own) and the he560. The 560 are prolly closest to my amators... now I finally understand why did they sound so nice & familiar from the first audition.
Reading my post, it's funny to see how things change as our experience progresses. I have a ton more experience with loudspeakers now, in a wide price range. The cheapest ones that made me feel comfortable were actually from Wilson Audio, the Sophia 3 (around 20k in the US I think).
Others I have listed I don't value as much today. Sonus Fabers sound too mellow for me (great for acoustic/intimate recordings but now much else), Proacs are a bit too polite and restrained, B&W's need to be cranked up to sound open, otherwise they are to 'closed in' or too 'hifi' (although driver integration is very good at 802d level).
A Sophia 3 on the other hand is a widescreen experience, uncompressed, expressive and direct as a good pair of headphones.
Thanks for bringing this up, reminded me of how much I changed (although my headphone rig is the same now that I look at my signature).
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