If HD800 And T1 Are Overpriced, What Are The Cheaper Alternatives That Compete With These Two Flagship?

[BeyerFan]

In the review below, ASR mentioned that the HD800 and T1 do not perform in the $1k category of headphones. Since the thread is locked, I would appreciate if ASR or anyone can recommend headphones that perform at their price point. Are there any headphones that sound almost similar to HD800 or T1 but cost between $500-$1k since ASR felt that both these headphones should be around this price range?
 
The link to the thread and summary as below. Any thoughts, opinion or recommendations would be appreciated.
 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/511201/review-beyerdynamic-t1-vs-sennheiser-hd800
 
Summary

The HD800 and T1 both turned out to be fine-sounding headphones and have a lot of qualities that many people would probably like. Neither was the last word in headphones that I've heard though, and as is always the case in headphones, there are always trade-offs. At the same time, I found both of these headphones to be less than stellar - but then again, out of all of the headphones that have ever been made, few are truly stellar anyway, so I guess that's not that bad. But at the >$1K price range I think one could probably find better headphone or earphone investments, because honestly I think the HD800 and T1 are both overpriced and don't belong in the >$1K category based on their sound. If they were more around the $500-$1K range I would probably call them more fairly priced relative to the competition.

 

[Chefguru]

The Ath- AD2000x (which imo is not even close to the t1 or hd800) and the Stax sr-507 (which might actually be better).
 
 
 

 

[tdockweiler]

HTF-600
 
But only with a tube amp. Try the WA22.
 
By my estimates it's about 95% of the HD-800 sound.
 
Make sure your chain costs at least $8,000 or you won't hear it like I do.

 

[BeyerFan]

Thanks for the prompt response. Much appreciated. So ASR prefers the Denon ATH-AD2000X. Another friend suggested that the top-range Denon models(D5000 and D7000) are much colored than Beyerdynamic models, in other words inferior sounding. Looks like everyone has their own sets of opinion. Guess I will need to listen to the Denons as well other than the HD800, T1, LCD2 and DT880/600 which are already in my shortlist when I audition these in the store early next month.
 
Thanks for the Stax SR-507 recommendation. Will do some research on this one although I am more or less set on a pair of dynamic headphones.
 
Cheers.

 

[BeyerFan]

Quote:

Make sure your chain costs at least $8,000 or you won't hear it like I do.

 
Uhmm.. $8000 partnering equipment with Panasonic HTF-600 that costs about $50-60? My ancillary equipment to match with headphones costing between $500 to $1000 will cost about $500 only. Anyway thanks for the information. HTF-600/WA22 coming close to 95% of HD800 sound. Wow. The HTF-600 must be something special

 

[SONIC BOOM]

I would not call them over priced, they are almost unmatched in sound quality, but the cheapest set up I have listened too that rivals them is the dt990 pros with a fiio e9 amp and a peach tree audio dac it( you could probably go with a cheaper dac).

 

[SanjiWatsuki]

Quote:

 
Uhmm.. $8000 partnering equipment with Panasonic HTF-600 that costs about $50-60? My ancillary equipment to match with headphones costing between $500 to $1000 will cost about $500 only. Anyway thanks for the information. HTF-600/WA22 coming close to 95% of HD800 sound. Wow. The HTF-600 must be something special

tdockweiler is being facetious, he's just making fun of some of the hype FotM headphones like the HTF-600 has on the forum.
 
Realistically speaking, a budget used Stax system is the cheapest way into high end audio. 

 

[SONIC BOOM]

Quote:

tdockweiler is being facetious, he's just making fun of some of the hype FotM headphones like the HTF-600 has on the forum.
 
Realistically speaking, a budget used Stax system is the cheapest way into high end audio. 

+1 used stax headphones and stax amp are a great way too get fantastic sound.

 

[SONIC BOOM]

and what exactly is your budget? 

 

[BeyerFan]

Quote:

tdockweiler is being facetious, he's just making fun of some of the hype FotM headphones like the HTF-600 has on the forum.
 
Realistically speaking, a budget used Stax system is the cheapest way into high end audio. 

 


So the HTF-600 is a facetious recommendation. I would have thought so as anything below $100(to me) are not worth looking at anyway.
 
Perhaps I am alone. I will not consider used headphones for specific reasons. I do not have issues with used equipment such as DAC or amps though. 

 

[BeyerFan]

Quote:

and what exactly is your budget? 

$1000 tops although I can push up to $1200. If there are other cheaper alternatives that sound almost(if not nearly) as good as ASR has implied, I would gladly consider them.

 

[BeyerFan]

FWIW I may even consider the DT880/600 as some thought there isn't much between this one and the flagship T1. An audition will sort that out.

 

[obobskivich]

Thanks for the prompt response. Much appreciated. So ASR prefers the Denon ATH-AD2000X.

It's not a Denon. It's an Audio-Technica. There's Denon AH-D2000 (which is ~$350), Audio-Technica ATH-A2000X (which is a new closed model, it looks "chromed" (it's not) and costs around $600), and the Audio-Technica ATH-AD2000 (which is an older open model, and costs around $750 - it also measures better than a LOT of other headphones, and was popular a few years ago). I've read and seen absolutely nothing about the A2000X, they look neato in pictures, but not "lets spend $599.95 with no chance of a return to give this a wack" neato.

Here's the AC links:
http://www.audiocubes.com/product_info.php?cPath=23_36&products_id=2565
http://www.audiocubes.com/product_info.php?cPath=23_36&products_id=1088

AD2000 was FOTM like three-four years ago, when it was still sold in the US (I think it was Guitar Center) and only ran around $500.

Overall I would say that "sounds like T1 and HD800" is a flawed premise, that assumes they have an "ideal sound" (or are similar) - instead I would look at "most accurate headphones" and based on a combination of experience and having "been around" for a while, there's a list of potential candidates I'd refer you to:

- Audio-Technica ATH-AD2000 (talked about above)
- Beyerdynamic DT48 (see the huge thread)
- Sony MDR-SA5000 (recently ended production)
- Koss ESP/950 (Koss' answer to STAX, been around for ~20 years, and they're proper as hell)
- Various Grado models (GS-1000, RS-1, HP-1000, Magnums) (see assorted threads)
- Various STAX models (Basically every Lambda) (see assorted threads)
- Probably others I'm forgetting + other things already mentioned

I have owned/heard many (but not all) of these, and feel that after a certain point (which is not always based on cost), you get to a "good enough" level, and you're simply picking at nits for little differences between various models ("preferred sound signature" if you will). I'm not saying any of the above are "better" or "worse" than HD 800 or T1. They all cost less though (the most expensive item on the list is the GS-1000, at $995, but if you knock it off you're talking $700 or less; roughly half the price of an HD 800 - some of the models up there are also a lot easier to drive (the GS-1000 being another prime example)).

Some of the complaints I have seen about the T1 specifically include poor driver matching and resonance that seems to be common among all of the Tesla products (T90 I don't know about). The HD 800 doesn't seem to carry any of these criticism, but I'm guessing that people feel it to be a poor value proposition along the lines of the GS-1000; "sure it's great, but it costs as much as a a house!" (Okay, that's an exaggeration, but you get the idea). I don't think you'd be going "wrong" with either of the current "best ever" headphones, but I do feel that in recent times (since I started reading/posting on Head-Fi again), the idea of "top of the line" has shifted from this very long and diverse list of headphones to a pyramid with the T1 and HD800 sitting on top. I don't think that reflects reality quite as much as it should, but I think the relative scarcity and obscurity of other top models has necessitated such a shift.

Finally, I would caution you against married to the idea of a singular "best headphone" - there's "most accurate" (which we can vaguely quantify) and then there's "best for you" - if you like a specific sound signature, that's your own business. I'd say concentrate on the later, and forget the former. If your specific taste is towards accuracy, everything on my list + the models you've already mentioned and been referred too, would be where I'd start looking. However that doesn't mean any of them will tickle you - if you find something you like, stick with it.

 

[BournePerfect]

Quote:

$1000 tops although I can push up to $1200. If there are other cheaper alternatives that sound almost(if not nearly) as good as ASR has implied, I would gladly consider them.

 
Well being as you can buy the HD800 for $1140 shipped worldwide from Meier Audio, I guess you now have no excuse.

 
-Daniel

 

[gopanthersgo1]

how bought akg k702?  im loving mine. someone said that they sounded like his 800's and t1