[SomeGuyDude]

  no problem.  i wasn't hating on people striving for flat response, i was just saying that it's kind of a will-o'-the-wisp ghostly idea that doesn't mean a lot when it comes to what you hear.  our ears aren't the same, our sound processing isn't the same.  there is  no objective measure that will serve us all equally.  so yes, get the specs. and yes, look at the response curve.  but don't get carried away with the numbers.  their significance and utility is limited. 

 
100% spot on. We don't all have the same internal frequency response. Go by your ears. There's a reason the most lauded headphones tend to have some coloration to them: we like it. 
 
There's a reason studio monitors are considered a separate entity from "listening" headphones as well. 

 

[ToddTheMetalGod]

Yes, it really comes down to personal preference and it's understandable. Technically though, studio monitors with a flat response are more accurate. That's all I was saying.

It's not like it matters though, even the most serious of subjects usually come down to subjectivity anyway.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Oh I wasn't arguing that, I just meant that it's not by chance that people don't like to listen through studio monitors. The way music is mastered isn't necessarily the way people want to listen to it. It's mastered to be as flat and neutral as possible, but that doesn't mean it's how it "sounds best". It's how it's the flattest so people can take that and EQ it as they see fit. 
 
Someone once said "if the studio wanted the bass blown out they'd record it like that". Except they wouldn't, because there's no way to "master" an album to have the kind of bass that a big subwoofer creates out of flat speakers. If they tried to do that, it would sound overdriven and blown out. The idea of a recording is to avoid all of that coloration and let the end-user do that on their own. Otherwise the best headphones would all be studio monitors. Anyone ever noticed that's not the case? Why don't people flock toward studio headphones? Hmmmm.

 

[dahan]

HD800 - I'm pretty happy with my current rig, I think I'm done upgrading my headphone systems...

 

[514077]

I've reached the endgame with a Hugo and LCD-x for home, Grado 325i for transportable with the hugo and TF10s for bus or train.  Waiting for red series cable from Wywires for the X.

 

[Byrnie]

More like a collection of endgames for different genres.

. . . Still could use an HD600 for harpsichord records.

There I go agreeing with Claritas again (I'm just making light of our past disagreements). My TH900's are wonderful for classical (I just started getting into this genre the other night) and EDM and most rock. I plan to complement my TH900s with a pair of T1's. My wallet hopes that this will be my headphones (maybe with a new amp too lol). Keep in mind I still have yet to hear the k701/2 or 712 or hd800 or LCD3.

 

[Justin_Time]

Strangly enough I dont know what my end game headphone would be but I KNOW what it would sound like. 

Sound stage equal too or greater than, T1 




Bass and speed equal too or greater then HE-500 




so if some one could combine those too headphones into some sort of hybrid it would be perfect. 

The HE-6 with Copper Venom cable from Toxic Cables and either the GS-X or the EAR HP-4 or the Woo WA5 will have a soundstage greater than that of the T1 (though not nearly equal to that of the HD-800) and a very tight and quick bass that is quite superior to that of the HE-500 (though not quite as thunderous as the slower, more ponderous
bass of the LCD2/3).

If you dabble with Audio long enough you'd realize that nothing is perfect. Just like life itself, the point is not the destination but the journey...

 

[Byrnie]

  HE-6 for me (for now), I've owned most stuff apart from the high-end Stax gear, and spent time with the stuff I haven't actually owned and yet to find anything as well matched for my hearing and tastes as the HE-6.

What amp do you use with your HE-6?

 

[AyeVeeN]

Just got the HD650s. My end game would be the sound of the HD650s with regards to it's mids and treble (I like either neutral or rolled off since I'm pretty sensitive to treble with regards to pain) coupled with the bass, soundstage, and imaging of the HE-400 if there was a headphone at this price range... Any suggestions otherwise for an eventual upgrade?

 

[62ohm]

  Just got the HD650s. My end game would be the sound of the HD650s with regards to it's mids and treble (I like either neutral or rolled off since I'm pretty sensitive to treble with regards to pain) coupled with the bass, soundstage, and imaging of the HE-400 if there was a headphone at this price range... Any suggestions otherwise for an eventual upgrade?

 
LCD-3
 
Ruler-flat bass to midrange, exceptional imaging (though condensed soundstage IMO), and rolled-off treble, also IMO.

 

[AyeVeeN]

   
LCD-3
 
Ruler-flat bass to midrange, exceptional imaging (though condensed soundstage IMO), and rolled-off treble, also IMO.

 
Alright thanks! I'll see if I can demo them whenever I get the money to actually purchase them.

 

[62ohm]

 

   
LCD-3
 
Ruler-flat bass to midrange, exceptional imaging (though condensed soundstage IMO), and rolled-off treble, also IMO.

 
Alright thanks! I'll see if I can demo them whenever I get the money to actually purchase them.

 
Why not just demo them first to see if you actually like them or not? And if you do, buy them with credit card and worry later 

 

[allets]

I'm going to have a go at this headphone sound wishlist. Please don't mind my lack of terminology.
 
HD600 makes everything else feel muddy so I'll take the HD600 from low-mid to the highest highs. I like the soundstage too, so equal to this or greater.
Q701 seems to have this feel of 'quick' transient response? I don't know what to call it, but I like it.
With the bass of D2000 or HE-500
And most importantly to me, something that's hard to break like my HD600

 

[AyeVeeN]

   
Why not just demo them first to see if you actually like them or not? And if you do, buy them with credit card and worry later 

 
Because I'm 18, I have no job, and I'm heading out to college so.. $2k is quite a bit for me haha.
 
Edit: None-the-less I hate paying interest and the fact that because of my age and the rather Beats / Skullcandy-infested school I grew up in and due to my location (SoCal) and lack of license, I am unable to demo anything. I got lucky with the HD650s (and HD700s for that matter) being at a BestBuy Magnolia, of all places.

 

[Justin_Time]

   
LCD-3
 
Ruler-flat bass to midrange, exceptional imaging (though condensed soundstage IMO), and rolled-off treble, also IMO.

I love the LCD2/3 and consider them among my favorite headphone but I would respectfully disagree with you on the description of their sound.The LCDs sound great though not "simply" flat in the bass -midrange. They also do not just roll off in the trebles. Their frequency response are far more complicated than that, which makes them so enjoyable and musical. Below is an estimate of the LCD frequency response based on what I "hear" from specific instruments and voices, not based on measurements..
 
A.  The LCD2/3 are flat but both up by at least a few dBs in the deep bass (about 20-50 Hz) resulting in a solid "body" to the bass to use pipe organ term.
 
B.  The sound is up again a few more dBs above 0 from the mid-bass through the upper bass and to the lower mid-range (50-300 Hz) resulting in a "full" (or slightly ripe) bass..
 
C.  The LCD2/3 then roll off sharply if unevenly below 0dB from about 1KHz or so (flute) and is down by at least 5dB around 2-5KHz  in the upper end of the midrange (picolo; string & voice overtones) robbing the sound of some "presence." On the positive side, the LCD2/3 have minimal problems with sibilance (5-10K).
 
D.  By 10KHz (overtones for violin, woodwinds and brass; cymbals), the LCD is considerably rolled off by probably more than 10 dBs robbing intruments of some richness and sheen (reduced overtones)..
 
E.  Fortunately, the LCD response is back up to near neutral or flat (0 dB) by 20K, restoring sonme of the much needed air to the sound.
 
C & D may be the reasons why some --I include myself in that camp--find the LCD sound a little dark, not unpleasant or un-musical mind you, just dark.  Many find this dark, sweet, caramel-coated sound addicting.  I do on some music but not all.
 
I do not intend to contradict you on the great sound of the LCD2/3, I just want to state that their sound is far more complicated than just flat in the bass-midrange and rolled off in the trebles. I do completely agree with you, however, on the small soundstage though I can find no simple explanation.
 
Cheers,
 
Justin_Time (ST)