List of the Best Headphones In Da World

[purk]

Neilpert,
Where will you list the Baby O? I agree with most of your list there. The CD3K Silver Dragon earn the Tier 2 status for me.

 

[NeilPeart]

I haven't heard the HE60 (Baby O) for quite awhile, but when I heard it connected to the KGSS, SRM-T1, SRM-007t and SRM-717 it was very fast and had amazing detail and clarity. In that regard I like it even better than the Omega II, but the Omega II has more and better bass (deeper, slightly more impact) and has a darker sound. I'll take the HE60 over the Lambda Pro or SR-404 any day, but the Omega II is still a better headphone IMO. I guess my statement places the HE60 in Tier 2 with some slight Tier 1 leanings. I can only imagine what the HE90 sounds like...

 

[bangraman]

The tiered approach is interesting. As a matter of interest, how long did you own each phone Neilpeart, and which ones did you directly A-B against each other?

 

[NeilPeart]

I haven't owned these 'phones but I lived with my dad when he did. He owns or owned at one point:
K1000
A1000
W1000
W2002
MS-Pro
RS-1
HP-1
HP-2
MS-2
SR325
SR100
SR200
SR300
HD280 Pro
HD600
HE60
MDR-CD3000
SR-404
SR-007 Omega II

I have owned:
K501
W100
DT531
DT880
MS-1
SR225
HD580
HFI-650
HD25-1
MDR-V6
Some others I cannot recall ATM and some canal phones

I have spent enough time listening to the L3000, to know that it represents a large improvement over the W2002, and enough time with the R10 to know that it’s what I want in a headphone. The PS-1 is also another ‘phone I don’t own but have heard multiple times. I have heard the above cans at 4 separate meets (they’re all Alex’s in Berkeley). I heard the L3000 & W2002 with a modded and stock Sugden Headmaster, the PS-1 with the EAR HP4, modded Melos SHA-Gold and Gilmore Reference. The R10 sounded amazing through the Supra but also very decent through the modded MPX3 at the SoCal meet. While I may not own all those headphones I still feel I spent enough time with them to gain some insight into their performance. Of course I would love to own all these headphones simultaneously for years so I can really understand their sound and character and do proper A-B comparisons, but I cannot at this point. My tiered rankings are simple observations and opinions. I’m lucky to have grown up with a crazy audiophile dad and now I live within the vicinity of Alex (ayt999), who is a Head-Fi meet in his own right.

 

[raif]

[size=xx-small] Quote:

Originally Posted by bangraman The tiered approach is interesting. As a matter of interest, how long did you own each phone Neilpeart, and which ones did you directly A-B against each other?

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hmmm, I think I know where this is going.

[size=xx-small] Quote:

Originally Posted by bangraman True, in terms of numbers there are far more people doing what I really hate, that is commenting authoritatively on things/phones/amps which they know nothing about. It creates a "pyramid scheme" of erroneous phone recommendations, caused by one guy who doesn't know what he's talking about but has read someone else's review, followed by everyone else who reads the same thing and piles in with a recommendation. It discourages people like us who have actually owned the gear and tested it in the field from posting as one differing opinion isn't going to make a difference amongst the sea of uninformed/half informed "buy xxx, it's the sh!t" recommendations.

[/size]


Forgive me if I am barking up the wrong tree, but I have seen this attitude alot lately in your sigs and posts. I am really glad that you dedicate the time to such lengthy trial ownerships as your reviews are quite detailed, however, I don't think you need to listen to a phone for a solid two weeks to write a one sentence opinion about them.

 

[bhd812]

my top ten in my heart,,,,,,not my ears but my heart

grado sr 325
grado sr 325
grado sr 325
grado sr 325
grado sr 325
grado sr 325
grado sr 325
grado sr 325
grado sr 325
grado sr 325



lol ok its a joke but i love the 325's.....heart not sound wise

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilPeart I haven't owned these 'phones but I lived with my dad when he did. He owns or owned at one point:

Can I be adopted into your family please?

 

[NeilPeart]

All he has now are:
K1000
HP-1
HE60
Omega II

I keep bugging him to look for the R10 and HE90 but he doesn't care anymore because he loves that damn Omega II. One day I want to give him the HE90 for a special occasion (perhaps his retirement). The fact that he's in Israel makes visiting him quite an effort, however.

 

[bangraman]

Thanks for the detailed list Neil!


Quote:

Originally Posted by raif hmmm, I think I know where this is going. Forgive me if I am barking up the wrong tree, but I have seen this attitude alot lately in your sigs and posts. I am really glad that you dedicate the time to such lengthy trial ownerships as your reviews are quite detailed, however, I don't think you need to listen to a phone for a solid two weeks to write a one sentence opinion about them.

Raif onto your post. Let me answer in some detail, because I'm probably coming off as some sort of grumpy codger in this respect. I've made the mistake, although in my defence I've qualified my lack of experience in the same posts, and the important thing is that when you're trying a phone at a meet for example, you're not trying it from the perspective of an owner, which is what people buying phones will end up as. That requires time. It's why you haven't heard anything definitive from me about the K501, K1000, R10, Orpheus, HP-1, SR225, CD2000, DT860, etc... and it's clear from many of the posts that many people would be perfectly happy to do so with the same time I've had on those phones and quite simply, be wrong on a fairly fundamental level.


As for the 'two weeks to write one sentence opinion' raif, I think you virtually do. I don't have anything against vague one-word opinions

qualified by the appropriate disclaimers. The more phones I own, and the more phones I 'hear' then own, the more I feel this to be the case. Burn-in aside, A total of 9 hours pretty contiguously (but obviously not 9 hours in a go) is a start. 18 is getting reliable. 50 spaced over three weeks is pretty reliable IMO. Some phones have idiosyncracies both in fitting and use (canalphones are a good case in point, if you've never used them before) and should be treated with even more caution.

 

[raif]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangraman As for the 'two weeks to write one sentence opinion' raif, I think you virtually do. I don't have anything against vague one-word opinions qualified by the appropriate disclaimers. The more phones I own, and the more phones I 'hear' then own, the more I feel this to be the case. Burn-in aside, A total of 9 hours pretty contiguously (but obviously not 9 hours in a go) is a start. 18 is getting reliable. 50 spaced over three weeks is pretty reliable IMO. Some phones have idiosyncracies both in fitting and use (canalphones are a good case in point, if you've never used them before) and should be treated with even more caution.

All very true.

I suppose, for me, this brings up an issue I have had with head-fi lately. Because of our growing numbers, it seems lines are becoming drawn deeper and deeper between the semi-experienced-but-still-newbie "heard" recommendations and the more detailed analysis of the "older" members.

I would like to think that it is still ok to say "it[the ps-1] IS a tad overwhelming in the bass department; I grew tired of its approach rather quickly" as it seems quite obviously an opinion based statement, and it really doesn't take more than a few seconds to figure out that the ps-1 is a bass monster.

Of course, I might have posted a bit prematurely, as maybe your issue was not within the comments but rather the "tier" system established thereof. I can understand taking offense upon seeing one's favorite can "X" placed below another, despite the reviewer not having owned either.

Regardless, I do agree with your "hate heards" platform. I might have jumped the gun though, on what I observed to be an undiscriminatingly applied policy, most likely due to my high opinion of neilpeart's aural perception.

 

[NeilPeart]

I understand the problem with quickly listening to a headphone and making a snap judgment based on some fleeting experience. However, I established these rankings simply as a quick reference for others who are curious; by no means should my opinions and thoughts be taken as anything more than just musings. I never liked the Stax Omega II but I was always aware of their unique presentation; this was true upon my first listen and it’s still true today. Even after hearing the Omega II with my dad’s SRM-T1, 717 and 007t I never appreciated what they had to offer. The SoCal meet featuring one of the original zzz KGSS and Justin’s WEEBL with upgraded tubes still didn’t affect me. However, listening to Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing” on ayt999’s system (PS Audio P300->Accuphase DP-85->WEEBL) finally convinced me of the OII’s status as a world-class can. This proves that your theory is correct but it also dictates that one can gain a basic understanding of a headphone’s character and performance potential from a decent listen. I know you are a W2002 fan and perhaps my placement of the W2002 in Tier 3 is was your incentive to question my experience/thoughts, but that headphone isn’t in the same class as the HD650 to me (and I speak only for myself). It surprises me that you haven’t sampled the L3000 yet as it truly improves upon the W2002 and would probably destroy the HD650 in your estimation (and perhaps contend with the Omega II – who knows). I admit that this last year with the HD580 really has bonded me with the Sennheiser sound so much that the difference between it and the HD650 is more than subtle IMO.

Let's forget the rankings/tiers and I'll list the top ten that I've heard (though not personally owned), in alphabetical order:
K1000
W2002 (for Bangraman)

L3000
DT880 (I've actually owned this one for several months so I guess it's the only one I can lawfully list)

HP-1
PS-1
HD650
HE60
MDR-R10
Omega II

 

[WulfmanJax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilPeart I understand the problem with quickly listening to a headphone and making a snap judgment based on some fleeting experience. However, I established these rankings simply as a quick reference for others who are curious; by no means should my opinions and thoughts be taken as anything more than just musings. I never liked the Stax Omega II but I was always aware of their unique presentation; this was true upon my first listen and it’s still true today. Even after hearing the Omega II with my dad’s SRM-T1, 717 and 007t I never appreciated what they had to offer. The SoCal meet featuring one of the original zzz KGSS and Justin’s WEEBL with upgraded tubes still didn’t affect me. However, listening to Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing” on ayt999’s system (PS Audio P300->Accuphase DP-85->WEEBL) finally convinced me of the OII’s status as a world-class can. This proves that your theory is correct but it also dictates that one can gain a basic understanding of a headphone’s character and performance potential from a decent listen. I know you are a W2002 fan and perhaps my placement of the W2002 in Tier 3 is was your incentive to question my experience/thoughts, but that headphone isn’t in the same class as the HD650 to me (and I speak only for myself). It surprises me that you haven’t sampled the L3000 yet as it truly improves upon the W2002 and would probably destroy the HD650 in your estimation (and perhaps contend with the Omega II – who knows). I admit that this last year with the HD580 really has bonded me with the Sennheiser sound so much that the difference between it and the HD650 is more than subtle IMO. Let's forget the rankings/tiers and I'll list the top ten that I've heard (though not personally owned), in alphabetical order: K1000 W2002 (for Bangraman) L3000 DT880 (I've actually owned this one for several months so I guess it's the only one I can lawfully list) HP-1 PS-1 HD650 HE60 MDR-R10 Omega II

Well, suffice it to say i'm an absolute n00b when it comes to headphones and stuff, but, would you people please start putting the BRANDS before the model? It's really confusing for folks like me. Just use abbreviations if it's too much to type.

And i see your an Opeth fan. Very cool. They're easily my favorite band of all time. Blackwater Park, while an EXCELLENT album isn't my favorite. That honor belongs to Morningrise with Still Life not far behind. Then My Arms Your Hearse and BWP are probably tied for third. Anyway, just glad to meet an Opeth fan on here.

 

[ayt999]

AKG K1000
audio-technica ATH-W2002
audio-technica ATH-L3000
beyerdynamic DT880
Grado HP-1
Grado PS-1
Sennheiser HD650
Sennheiser HE60
Sony MDR-R10
STAX SR-007 (also known as the Omega II)

and look, they still are in alphabetical order.

 

[Mr.Radar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WulfmanJax Well, suffice it to say i'm an absolute n00b when it comes to headphones and stuff, but, would you people please start putting the BRANDS before the model? It's really confusing for folks like me. Just use abbreviations if it's too much to type.

Alright, I put the brand names in bold.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilPeart AKG K1000 Audio Technica W2002 (for Bangraman) Audio Technica L3000 Beyerdynamic DT880 (I've actually owned this one for several months so I guess it's the only one I can lawfully list) Grado HP-1 Grado PS-1 Sennheiser HD650 Sennheiser HE60 [the Baby Orpheus, the less expensive version of what many consider to be the best headphone ever: the Sennheiser Orpheus (HE90 + HEV90)] Sony MDR-R10 Stax Omega II

From all that I've read about it, I think the new Sony Qualia 010 also deserves a spot on that list.

 

[NeilPeart]

Quote:

From all that I've read about it, I think the new Sony Qualia 010 also deserves a spot on that list.

But I haven't heard it. In my original post I said it probably dwells in Tier 1 or 2; perhaps I will hear it one day (I'm talking to YOU, ayt999)...

The reason the HE90 (Orpheus) isn't on my top 10 is because I have yet to hear that beauty as well.