Looking for a headphone setup.

[mdelrossi]

I’ll be without a proper stereo listening space for another year due to renovations gone wrong. My system Pi streamer, RME ADI-2, Primaluna integrated, Focal 1008be. Love it.

Headphone system:
I’ve got the RME, Hifiman Ananda Nano, Beyerdynamic 770, Sennheiser 580 (yea, I’m an oldie)with me.

Looking for something that would give me more of a speaker experience with headphones. More soundstage, separation, you are there listening to the original tapes feeling.

I like the Hifiman’s better than the other two for the detail and overall presentation.

Budget, 2-3k usd

Thanks for all of your suggestions

 

[dunring]

I've had the Nano and the Arya Stealth I had at the same time was a clear upgrade if you like the fit. Tuning is so good out of the box, they just got it right the second time. The original had sometimes shouty female vocals, the Arya Stealth is just right.

 

[MindBreak]

The Arya Stealth is definitely a good headphone for soundstage and detail. The step up from that world either be the HE1000 Stealth or HE1000se (check out their thread for comparisons).

If you want to connect your RME ADI-2 to a more capable amp I would highly recommend the Schiit Audio Mjolnir 3. It is my current favorite headphone amp due to it being Class A, detailed, and Its ability to drive all headphones I have paired with it effortlessly (the 5 year warranty helps too). It pairs very well with Hifiman headphones (as well as all my other headphones thus far including Arya Stealth and ZMF Atrium Open).

Take my recommendation with a grain of salt, as I am a Schiit Audio fan.

Good luck, and Happy Listening!

 

[Strayngs]

With what you're looking for in your price range I definitely recommend the Austrian audio composer. Great sounds stage and separation.

 

[John Buchanan]

The AKG K812 - it has had a huge price drop recently, so much so that I bought a new one and gave away my previously acquired one to my son-in-law. It's a seriously good phone. It scales up very well with good amplification and I don't really miss a balanced plug with this phone. The Merging Anubis and this phone are a match made in heaven!
Now listening to Further Explorations by Chick Corea, Paul Motian and Eddie Gomez. Wonderful, realistic soundstage and the piano sounds very even throughout the keyboard - all the players are very well recorded.

 

[evanft]

Looking for something that would give me more of a speaker experience with headphones. More soundstage, separation, you are there listening to the original tapes feeling.

Most headphones don't have what I would call great soundstage at all. The big outlier is the HD800S. If soundstaging is something you're really keen on, then that's probably going to be your best choice.

 

[IXOYE]

HD800s, and it pairs well with your RME.

 

[jaifai]

A quite proper Sony 7506
It pairs well with everything and would save you 2-2.9K!

 

[springfield01]

Motu M2 is an excellent pro audio USB interface to use with headphones with mic input. Check it out. Sennheiser HD560S are fairly accurate headphones. Or HD6XX.

 

[RollingStoned]

I’m using an iFi Pro iDSD Signature as my amplifier, but I’d also like to be able to use the headphones with my phone and smart TV. I might consider buying a small amplifier for these devices if I can find a suitable one...

 

[MindBreak]

I’m using an iFi Pro iDSD Signature as my amplifier, but I’d also like to be able to use the headphones with my phone and smart TV. I might consider buying a small amplifier for these devices if I can find a suitable one...

How small is small? Also, tubes/no tubes, remote needed, and do you have a DAC in mind for this amp? The headphones you use would also help.