[elvergun]

Overall, I've heard better HPs in this price range, and although the amount I paid ($650) is fine for what it does, I just don't feel like it's a flagship quality. It sounds like a good headphone from 10 years ago. Gotta say I'm a bit disappointed, but I'm not gonna give up yet. I'll put some more hours in and report back with any new findings.

Well, it is a good model from ten years ago.

What are some of the better headphones in this range that you've heard?

There is always something better out there...and if does not exist right now, it will be released very soon (and it will surely become the FOTM and you will just have to buy it). I don't think the T1 is an endgame model. Most of the user pictures that have a T1 in them are always surrounded by other headphones. It is a really good headphone though - I wish I still had one in my collection.

 

[Malevolent]

Well, it is a good model from ten years ago.

What are some of the better headphones in this range that you've heard?

There is always something better out there...and if does not exist right now, it will be released very soon (and it will surely become the FOTM and you will just have to buy it). I don't think the T1 is an endgame model. Most of the user pictures that have a T1 in them are always surrounded by other headphones. It is a really good headphone though - I wish I still had one in my collection.

I guess the same can be said for my T5p (2nd Gen). It is surrounded by newer, and a few more expensive, models, but it is the headphone that I use the most, actually. It is not the most technically adept, but it has a pleasant signature with decent technicalities. It's a great match for my tastes.

 

[KPzypher]

Well, it is a good model from ten years ago.

What are some of the better headphones in this range that you've heard?

There is always something better out there...and if does not exist right now, it will be released very soon (and it will surely become the FOTM and you will just have to buy it). I don't think the T1 is an endgame model. Most of the user pictures that have a T1 in them are always surrounded by other headphones. It is a really good headphone though - I wish I still had one in my collection.

Well for one HD650, also from 15 years ago, and for that matter most of Sennheiser's mid-range cans sounds a lot better to my ears than these T1s, which the gen 2 is a slight refresh from only a few years back, correct? Some mid-range Hifimans (planars so not fair comparisons I guess), some Audio Technica classics, mid range grados, lower end Focals, Nightowl..... But these are all subjective of course so it doesn't really matter to you or any others.

No doubt there are always something better around the corner. The problem is these are still Beyer's flagship so to speak. And personally, I would never have paid $1K for these. I'm just glad they go for a lot less these days.

But like I said, to each his own. I don't dispute what others hear. I'm just sharing my experience, nothing more.

 

[KPzypher]

I guess the same can be said for my T5p (2nd Gen). It is surrounded by newer, and a few more expensive, models, but it is the headphone that I use the most, actually. It is not the most technically adept, but it has a pleasant signature with decent technicalities. It's a great match for my tastes.

I totally understand. For me, HD650s are your T5Ps. Even though I have more technically capable HPs, I cherish these the most. They were my first good pair of headphones, and what got me into this hobby. Not only do I like the sound, but it holds strong sentimental value.

 

[elvergun]

Well for one HD650, also from 15 years ago, and for that matter most of Sennheiser's mid-range cans sounds a lot better to my ears than these T1s, which the gen 2 is a slight refresh from only a few years back, correct? Some mid-range Hifimans (planars so not fair comparisons I guess), some Audio Technica classics, mid range grados, lower end Focals, Nightowl..... But these are all subjective of course so it doesn't really matter to you or any others.

No doubt there are always something better around the corner. The problem is these are still Beyer's flagship so to speak. And personally, I would never have paid $1K for these. I'm just glad they go for a lot less these days.

But like I said, to each his own. I don't dispute what others hear. I'm just sharing my experience, nothing more.

I do not like the HD600 and I really didn't like the HD650. I owned the HD650 twice, just to make sure. I sold them very soon after buying them. I think the T1 sounds MUCH better than those two Sennheiser models. I only sold the T1 after I purchased my HD800.

I agree with you about Grado. I do own an RS2e and not a T1, after all. But that does not make the T1 a bad headphone -- I just like that Grado a little more than the T1. I have not heard a mid-range Hifiman or Audio Technica that was better than the T1 (to my ears).


And of course as always, YMMV.

I'm not saying you are wrong either. You just didn't like this model very much. I didn't like the HD650 at all, yet I know that it is me (too many people like it) and not the headphone. I wonder if you are influenced by the price or the age of the T1. What does that have anything to do with how a headphone sounds? It either sings to you or it does not.

 

[elvergun]

I guess the same can be said for my T5p (2nd Gen). It is surrounded by newer, and a few more expensive, models, but it is the headphone that I use the most, actually. It is not the most technically adept, but it has a pleasant signature with decent technicalities. It's a great match for my tastes.

I'm also listening to my T5p right now. The sun is pissed and the air conditioner is going at full blast...without the T5p I would not be able to listen to music during the summer days.

 

[KPzypher]

I do not like the HD600 and I really didn't like the HD650. I owned the HD650 twice, just to make sure. I sold them very soon after buying them. I think the T1 sounds MUCH better than those two Sennheiser models. I only sold the T1 after I purchased my HD800.

I agree with you about Grado. I do own an RS2e and not a T1, after all. But that does not make the T1 a bad headphone -- I just like that Grado a little more than the T1. I have not heard a mid-range Hifiman or Audio Technica that was better than the T1 (to my ears).


And of course as always, YMMV.

I'm not saying you are wrong either. You just didn't like this model very much. I didn't like the HD650 at all, yet I know that it is me (too many people like it) and not the headphone. I wonder if you are influenced by the price or the age of the T1. What does that have anything to do with how a headphone sounds? It either sings to you or it does not.

Well good thing there are countless of headphones to suit all our needs. No need to be stuck with any one of them. Well at least I have a good gaming headset now. I didn't want to spend HD800 money for a gaming headphone so overall, I'm content with these for now. I used to own HD820 which lot of folks didn't like, but I loved it. I had it paired with HDV820 and it was great. But ultimately I ended up removing from my collection because it overlapped with my Stellia/Arche combo.

At the end of the day, we just need to respect each other's preferences and leanings toward "ideal sound" and just enjoy the music.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It's always interesting to see how different we all hear things.

 

[Slim1970]

So, I just received this set from Amazon about an hour ago. These were never on my radar, and it was an impulsive buy after noticing the reasonable asking price of $650. And while waiting for delivery, I sifted through 223 pages of this thread, and oh my the first impressions are all over the map. It was kind of extreme, but I guess it shows how different we hear things.



Starting with fit and finish, it's more aesthetically pleasing in person than what i'd expected from viewing pictures. Simple packaging with a nice carrying case. It feels lighter than 360g on my head and although the underside of the headband has plenty of padding, I wish it was a bit wider. I got the black ninja edition, and I'm liking the subdued and mature look. The earpads are on the smaller side though. They don't fully cover my ears, and the top and bottom of my ears are pushed down slightly. The upside is, they are still fairly comfortable.

Moving to the sound, my initial impression is that I find them overall a bit incoherent. I don't feel they are well balanced across the FR.

But first, I want to say this HP is very amp dependent. And I'm not just talking about power requirement. I was surprised how the overall sound/tonality changed quite a bit from amp to amp. On my Topping A/D 90 stack, it had lot more air and overall had a lighter weight to the sound. On my Focal Arche, it was much fuller and felt more balanced. The Schiit stack was a bit different too. I'm curious to see how it'll sound on the tubes. I'll test that once I receive my ZMF Pendant, hopefully next week. So I think this contributes to inconsistent first impressions on this forum.

I don't find the treble 'hot' or harsh, but on some occasion, I do feel its emphasized in an unnatural way, particularly with less than ideal recordings. I feel like Beyer wanted to put strong emphasis on clarity and air, they forcefully achieved this in an unnatural way. I don't consider these a bright set, but the tonality is on the lighter side and I find very little weight to the overall sound.

The mids are quite difficult to put it in words. I can't quite place it. Sometimes the vocals seem way recessed but other times, feels quite forward. Gonna have to put some more hours into it with tracks that i'm more familiar with.

The lows are nothing to right home about. I don't find the quantity lacking, but wish they were a bit tighter all around.

I'm also detecting a slight channel imbalance (left bias), but will need to test more to be sure.

Soundstage is what surprised me the most. I've read lots of comments comparing these to HD800s, but to me they sounded way boxed-in, even compared to the HD650s. It was way too intimate and felt more like a closed-back than its semi-open design.

On the other hand, Imaging and instrument separation is quite good.

Overall, I've heard better HPs in this price range, and although the amount I paid ($650) is fine for what it does, I just don't feel like it's a flagship quality. It sounds like a good headphone from 10 years ago. Gotta say I'm a bit disappointed, but I'm not gonna give up yet. I'll put some more hours in and report back with any new findings.

And of course as always, YMMV.

EDIT: These are exceptionally good for gaming, particularly for competitive FPS. And I kinda bought it for that reason, so in that regard, I'm extremely happy. I just wish it was the same for music.

I felt the same way initially about the T1.2's right out of the box. They sounded flat and boring. You should definitely start by getting the balanced cable to access the detail and improved frequency response that going balanced brings. Next, the T1.2's need some time to break the drivers in to be enjoyable. Lastly, they don't sound good with bright sources as you are finding out.

 

[KPzypher]

I wonder if you are influenced by the price or the age of the T1.

I don't think i'm influenced by price. I'm usually a staunch defender of "expensive does not equal better." I've been in lots of battles with other members about this and if you look at my collection, it's all over the price range. These days, I like mid-tiered components that measure well. If anything, I give high score to the T1s for not costing an arm and a leg. And the reason why I bought it in the first place, due to its reasonable price. I hate how inflated the hifi market is these days, for no other reason than BS marketing, snake-oil, unnecessary hype-train, and uninformed buyers. And HD650 being over 15 years old and is still my favorite can, I don't think age is a factor in my decision either.

 

[elvergun]

I hate how inflated the hifi market is these days, for no other reason than BS marketing, snake-oil, unnecessary hype-train, and uninformed buyers.

Amen to this.

I remember thinking, "holy crap, these are expensive" when the HD800 and T1 came out. Now $1500 is a low end model from some of the manufacturers.

And HD650 being over 15 years old and is still my favorite can, I don't think age is a factor in my decision either.

And so affordable. I really wish I had liked this headphone. But hey, I've got Grado to keep me happy. I absolutely love my $30 SR60.

 

[KPzypher]

I felt the same way initially about the T1.2's right out of the box. They sounded flat and boring. You should definitely start by getting the balanced cable to access the detail and improved frequency response that going balanced brings. Next, the T1.2's need some time to break the drivers in to be enjoyable. Lastly, they don't sound good with bright sources as you are finding out.

You're right. I rarely say 'wow' on first impressions. I guess the term 'first impression is the last impression' doesn't really apply to this hobby.

I'm kinda on the fence with balanced cable. I'm getting plenty volume on SE, and not sure if I want to cough up another $150 for an incremental improvement, if that. The stock cable/termination seems pretty well-made too. But i'm tempted to try it out.

And I'm not a huge believer in burn-ins. There may be some minor/incremental improvements, but nothing ever to change my mind drastically. I think what plays a more significant role for me at least is readjusting and getting used the sound after listening to other headphones for a long time.

Oh i'm with you on bright sources though. Problem is I don't want to bring a tube amp to my desktop setup, where these cans will be primarily used, due to heat issues. My PC/monitors puts out lots of heat and don't want to add to that.

 

[elvergun]

And I'm not a huge believer in burn-ins. There may be some minor/incremental improvements, but nothing ever to change my mind drastically.

I used to think this too until I heard the change in a couple of models I purchased new. Now I believe most (almost all) headphones do not change much after burn-in...but some headphones do change...and they change drastically.

 

[Slim1970]

You're right. I rarely say 'wow' on first impressions. I guess the term 'first impression is the last impression' doesn't really apply to this hobby.

I'm kinda on the fence with balanced cable. I'm getting plenty volume on SE, and not sure if I want to cough up another $150 for an incremental improvement, if that. The stock cable/termination seems pretty well-made too. But i'm tempted to try it out.

And I'm not a huge believer in burn-ins. There may be some minor/incremental improvements, but nothing ever to change my mind drastically. I think what plays a more significant role for me at least is readjusting and getting used the sound after listening to other headphones for a long time.

Oh i'm with you on bright sources though. Problem is I don't want to bring a tube amp to my desktop setup, where these cans will be primarily used, due to heat issues. My PC/monitors puts out lots of heat and don't want to add to that.

Makes sense. I've seen some sound improvements come from burn-in, but for the most part the sound signature stays the same. New drivers can be quite stiff. Playing music through them or using a burn-in disk loosens them up for a better representation of what they will become. It could also be that over time you've become accustomed to their sound. Either way the something has changed for the better to make the headphone more listenable.

Cable on the other hand are incremental upgrades. I just prefer balanced cables. On most amps the balanced outputs have more power, which majority of headphones can benefit from. Plus the signal gets separated for the best possible sound. Other times it's the aesthetics of the cable that I like. Although, it's hard to knock the benefits of a good silver cable. Especially with a warm sounding headphone like the T1.2's.

 

[Malevolent]

I'm also listening to my T5p right now. The sun is pissed and the air conditioner is going at full blast...without the T5p I would not be able to listen to music during the summer days.

And the damned mosquitoes, too. Don't forget about these infernal creatures. Summer + mosquitoes = living hell.

I remember thinking, "holy crap, these are expensive" when the HD800 and T1 came out. Now $1500 is a low end model from some of the manufacturers.

Amazingly, yes. I was in a discussion (on Reddit) a couple of days ago, and a user mentioned that $1,500 is decidedly a mid-range price now. Thankfully, not every manufacturer has been swayed by the insane price tags of some TOTL models; however, if history teaches us anything, it's that prices of new and shiny tags will never drop, it will only rise.

 

[KPzypher]

After further listening, one thing I can say is that I'm not experiencing any "treble fatigue" or "harshness" that so many people associate with Beyer HPs. They don't sound the most natural to me, but nothing piercing.

And one thing I really like is the headband 'rebound' when you flex it. It's a satisfying stretch and makes it comfortable to wear with the right amount of clamp on my melon.