[pp312]

  Three things I want to say:
 
1. Nothing is perfect in this world and I am sure OP knows this too. In other words, he already knows the answer to his main question.
 
2. Regarding the "perfect" headphone, a headphone that excels in gaming, movies, all genres of music, being comfortable, isolating a lot of noise, not leaking a lot of noise, and finally being detailed and fun sounding at the same time. These are purely my opinion, but let's go through the list one by one. A characteristic that a good headphone must have for gaming and movies is soundstage. In order to achieve a good soundstage, you will typically need an open back headphone. In other words, it will not isolate much and it will leak a lot of noise. Next, I personally think certain genres of music requires certain emphasis on certain frequencies. For example, I don't think a lot of people would enjoy listening to hip hop or dubstep with a neutral headphone. Often times, people will want the headphone to have a tight, impactful, and an emphasized bass. On the other hand, if you are listening to an acoustic track or a piano, having a good bass can't hurt but it might not be the main thing that you are looking for. As for comfort, that depends on person to person. I know a lot of people that find Audio Technica's 3D wing system to be comfortable, and AKG K701 to be uncomfortable. It is the complete opposite for me. Finally regarding detailed and fun sounding, correct me if I am wrong, but when you say detailed do you mean analytical? From what I know, analytical and fun are kind of like an opposite. One is very musical but boring, and the other is not musical but fun.
 

 
Hmmm, I think you've just defined why a: these forums are of limited use in terms of recommendations and can often mislead the innocent, and b: whenever a recommendation or review is posted it's essential for the poster to state what kind of music he/she listens to. A trance enthusiast raving about a certain headphone is likely to lead the classical music enthusiast up the garden path and vice versa. A reviewer should also state the kind of sound he favours--bright and analytical, warm and musical etc. You'll find the best professional reviewers always making clear their own preferences up front.
 
Also, reading between the lines is a good art to develop. I prefer neutral phones, so when I see people complaining about a phone being 'boring' or 'sterile' my ear (eye?) pricks up. This happened with the HD595 and DT880, both of which I like. The definition of hi-fi is 'closest to the original sound', but in this age of electronic bop and beat there often is no original sound, so all bets are off. However, that doesn't alter the fact that some headphones are vastly more accurate than others, and that that ought to be recognised even as we all rush to grab our personal preferences. As far as determining which are the truly accurate phones, at least subjectively, nothing suits as well as acoustic music, classical/orchestral or jazz. Doesn't mean you have to like it, just that it's the only real subjective yardstick.
 
Of course if you just want to make bebopper diddley or whoever sound punchier, you won't need to be concerned with such arcane terms as accurate.     

 

[nicolasete]

Seems like isolation/leaking is having a big impact on the answers. So, taking only sound-quality into account would you guys choose some other headphone when looking for the perfect can for all genres of music, games and movies? If you think budget would have a big impact in the answer, it would be great if you could name the hands-down best option alongside the reasonably priced one 

.
 
 
By the way, to all the people suggesting the DT150, is the suggestion made with budget up front in the selection process or are they truly what you would pick even if you could chose from a wider -and more expensive- range of headphones?
 
 
Quote:

   
However, that doesn't alter the fact that some headphones are vastly more accurate than others, and that that ought to be recognised even as we all rush to grab our personal preferences. As far as determining which are the truly accurate phones, at least subjectively, nothing suits as well as acoustic music, classical/orchestral or jazz. Doesn't mean you have to like it, just that it's the only real subjective yardstick.

 
That's interesting. Which would be your headphones of choice for those genres? The HD595/DT880 you mentioned above?

(Btw, i always wondered, when you guys recommend headphones for acoustic/classical/orchestral music, would that include purely piano music such as Chopin or is the sound signature different enough to justify different headphones?)
 
 
 
 
That said, I never understood why people regard "accuracy" and bass "punchness" as opposite things. I played in an orchestra for loads of years and also play the piano and things like double bass pizzicato (i.e. in jazz songs), the cello string vibration or the lower notes of a piano can be very punchy (that kind of thing that makes your chest tremble). I love accurate music, but i don't like to sacrifice that air vibration, that "punch", that's why i look for all-rounders. I do feel that the lack of bass can be detrimental for the accuracy of even the classiest song, and in some cases make it lack sentiment, which in the end is all what music is about.
 
I guess some other way to formulate my question would be... "which headphones get closer to make you feel as if you are standing right in front of a real cello, double bass or piano player (or a singer for that matter), vibration and all?"

 

[pp312]

  Quote:

   
However, that doesn't alter the fact that some headphones are vastly more accurate than others, and that that ought to be recognised even as we all rush to grab our personal preferences. As far as determining which are the truly accurate phones, at least subjectively, nothing suits as well as acoustic music, classical/orchestral or jazz. Doesn't mean you have to like it, just that it's the only real subjective yardstick.

 
That's interesting. Which would be your headphones of choice for those genres? The HD595/DT880 you mentioned above?

(Btw, i always wondered, when you guys recommend headphones for acoustic/classical/orchestral music, would that include purely piano music such as Chopin or is the sound signature different enough to justify different headphones?)
 

 
 
Good question--with no real answer. Both phones are neutral in a relative sense but stand at opposite ends of the spectrum, the 595 being a little dull and lacking bass, the 880 being a touch bright but with good (but unemphasised) bass. The 880 is no doubt the better phone technically, and is capable, with a little tweaking (tone controls--EQ) of astonishing realism for a mid-tier phone--IOW, you'd be hard pressed to tell that you weren't listening to a $1000+ phone. However, that's under sympathetic circumstances and with acoustic material; I have no idea how well it performs with rap, trance, heavy metal etc (nor any desire to find out

). I would dearly love to try out the T1, but somehow doubt it would represent a sufficient advance on the 880 to justify the cost. However, I'm not afraid to be proved wrong.
 
As far as using solo instruments to judge sound, some people swear by it but I personally prefer a full orchestra/band. I certainly wouldn't buy a phone on the strength of a Chopin piano sonata. It might sound fine, but what does it tell me about how it will sound with a Shostakovich symphony? If the symphony sounds good, I reckon the sonata will too.

 

[toolio]

As far as using solo instruments to judge sound, some people swear by it but I personally prefer a full orchestra/band. I certainly wouldn't buy a phone on the strength of a Chopin piano sonata. It might sound fine, but what does it tell me about how it will sound with a Shostakovich symphony? If the symphony sounds good, I reckon the sonata will too.

Interesting point, and one that relates to the idea of a "perfect "headphone. I would probably buy headphones based on a Chopin piece if I spent most my time listening to piano sonatas and concertos. I have bought headphones based largely on female voices because I listen to a lot of female jazz singers. And I certainly have phones that do a far better job with complete orchestras then they do with female jazz singers. I bought those principally because of this reason. This all gets back to my previous assertion that there is no perfect headphone.

 

[xaval]

The perfect headphone could be defined as anything midfi you buy just as long as you stay away from audio forums and blogs. It's hard to find a bad headphone once you star getting into midfi cans in the 150€ or so and up. It's the comparos and what ifs that ruin it for most. I know loads of people with under 50€ cans that just love their music out of their smartphones. They don't "question" if their rig is perfect because there is no doubt.
 
The trouble is... they're not like us 

 

 

[pp312]

 This all gets back to my previous assertion that there is no perfect headphone.

 
There is in a perfect world.

 

[pp312]

  The perfect headphone could be defined as anything midfi you buy just as long as you stay away from audio forums and blogs.

 
Like you're doing now, you mean? 

 

[vid]

  The perfect headphone could be defined as anything midfi you buy just as long as you stay away from audio forums and blogs. It's hard to find a bad headphone once you star getting into midfi cans in the 150€ or so and up. It's the comparos and what ifs that ruin it for most. I know loads of people with under 50€ cans that just love their music out of their smartphones. They don't "question" if their rig is perfect because there is no doubt.
 
The trouble is... they're not like us 

 

 
I don't think people in general do enough questioning, whether they're the ones buying $10, $300, or $5000 headphones. I love several headphones that cost less than 50 euros used, and frankly, even objectively, they're high-end as far as sound fidelity goes. For sure, if you're paying more than 50 euros for your phones just to get better sound quality, chances are you've not asked enough questions.

 

[toolio]

There is in a perfect world.

Yes, and in a perfect world Angelina Jolie lusts after me and Warren Buffett has realized that I should get all of his fortune, not charity.

 

[xaval]

   
I don't think people in general do enough questioning, whether they're the ones buying $10, $300, or $5000 headphones. I love several headphones that cost less than 50 euros used, and frankly, even objectively, they're high-end as far as sound fidelity goes. For sure, if you're paying more than 50 euros for your phones just to get better sound quality, chances are you've not asked enough questions.

I concur that my "universe" in headphones is way shorter than reality.
 
I respect your knowledge with vintage stuff, so if you'd care to list a few of those gems I'm interested 

 

[xaval]

   
Like you're doing now, you mean? 

I'm a hopeless soul in a cursed place.

 

[Lorspeaker]

That's interesting. Which would be your headphones of choice for those genres? The HD595/DT880 you mentioned above?


(Btw, i always wondered, when you guys recommend headphones for acoustic/classical/orchestral music, would that include purely piano music such as Chopin or is the sound signature different enough to justify different headphones?)




That said, I never understood why people regard "accuracy" and bass "punchness" as opposite things. I played in an orchestra for loads of years and also play the piano and things like double bass pizzicato (i.e. in jazz songs), the cello string vibration or the lower notes of a piano can be very punchy (that kind of thing that makes your chest tremble). I love accurate music, but i don't like to sacrifice that air vibration, that "punch", that's why i look for all-rounders. I do feel that the lack of bass can be detrimental for the accuracy of even the classiest song, and in some cases make it lack sentiment, which in the end is all what music is about.

I guess some other way to formulate my question would be... "which headphones get closer to make you feel as if you are standing right in front of a real cello, double bass or piano player (or a singer for that matter), vibration and all?"

There's a new Song closed can ..z7 ....70mm drivers...u should feeeel something I reckon

 

[Lorspeaker]

The DT150 sounds very natural..scales very well with "better" gears...
tried it off my laptop..max out the vol, sounds not bad..
plugged it into my ss dac amp, sounds dynamic..
add in pre amp n tube amp, the sound is life like... 
HolyColeTrio  sitting 6ft away...almost. lol

 

[toolio]

The DT150 sounds very natural..scales very well with "better" gears...
tried it off my laptop..max out the vol, sounds not bad..
plugged it into my ss dac amp, sounds dynamic..
add in pre amp n tube amp, the sound is life like... 
HolyColeTrio  sitting 6ft away...almost. lol

I must admit, all this talk in this thread about the DT150 has made me curious. I have never heard them. I am in Brazil at the moment, but will check them out when I visit Canada in a few weeks.