I just got back to my PC and read the thread and it looks like Neruda, eric, budgie and tyll have already given you a pretty good rundown. But it was so fantabulous (good word Neruda) and being basically a newbie compared to the other guys I had kind of a different take on the whole experience that I had to share my thoughts.
First of all, having Tyll back that trailer up to your garage and start unloading is incredible - Think of all the metaphors you can and double them - died and went to heaven; the candyman brought the whole candy store - it's truly amazing. I think he might have more headphones than joelongwood. I don't think Neruda and eric mentioned anywhere near all of them and the amps, but it's like Neruda said there's not enuf time. You're back to being 6 yrs. old in the toy store. So - beg, bribe, plead, grovel, tell him your mother's on her deathbed and has to hear the Orpheus before she passes, whatever it takes to get Tyll to bring his show to your town. And, by the way, we're really lucky to have someone of Tyll's enthusiasm about this subject in the group. I guess not everyone agrees about everything all the time, but he's so damn into it it's fun to watch.
Anyway a newbies' impression: (remember up to now my experience was limited to the Senn 600s and Grado 325s) #1: Listening to the Orpheus was like stepping into the concert hall or sitting down in the middle of the band. I went back 3-4 times after listening to selections of the others in between and the effect was the same each time - compared to ANYTHING ELSE it is the ultimate. Absolutely true response across the spectrum, wide soundstage, just right in every way and soooo beautiful a piece of gear. And the phones were the most comfortable of any - absolutely light as a feather - the first ones I've ever tried that I think I could forget I had on. #2: My next phones are k1000s. I didn't think they were as uncomfortable as I guess neruda did, but they do make look pretty geeky, but for that sound who cares. If the Orpheus hadn't been there, for me they were ultimate. In a way i wish I'd saved my Senn money to put toward them. Altho' it didn't seem to matter how the earpieces were angled the sound stage definitely opens up when they're angled out. Obviously for many applications the leakage would be just unacceptable. #3: (at this point I'm just trying to remember stuff - this isn't in any order) the Rs-1s and 2s are right in there with the 1000s, but I couldn't see any reason to pay extra for the 1s. I expected the wood to make them heavier and therefore more uncomfortable than my 325s, but it was the opposite. #4: Final thought - applies to phones and amps and might be most valuable to another newbie. Since one of my motivations in being there was to find out if all this hype about ya' gotta have an amp was true or just hype I tried to pay special attention to the difference between the amps. While there wasn't enuf time (and I don't know enuf about them to start with) to make specific comments about different ones I started noticing that the more expensive ones sounded better than the cheaper ones. Well, DUH you say, but I mean A LOT better. Everyone's auditioned gear in an audio store and you can tell the $2000 speakers are better (or at least different) than the $1000 ones, but twice as good???????? But with the amps I felt, in most cases like I was, for the first time, hearing something that sounded twice or more times as good. For example, I was very disappointed in both Creeks after listening to some of the others (thru several different cans). I'm sure they have good points, but now I'm glad I haven't given in and bought one 'cause I'd much rather put the money toward something better and get a significant improvement in clarity, fidelity, etc. Then I realized I was feeling the same way about the phones too. Since they're so different and everyone is going to react to them very differently I can't say everyone should buy better than they can afford, but I do think now nobody should ever hesitate to upgrade as soon as you can 'cause this is one area where you'll hear the difference (unlike in my opinion in many cases a CD player or tuner upgrade). #5: Real final thought and here I'm just patting myself on the back for passing my first headphone test. When I thought no one was looking I tried the Sony 600s 'cause I was scared to death I was going to think they were ok and then I'd have to resign from head-fi and never listen to music again, but I honest to god involuntarily jerked them off my head'cause they were so bad. Almost hurt my ears. And Tyll sees me, makes a megaphone out of his hands and in a distorted bass yells "SONY HEADPHONES SOUND LIKE THIS" RUMBLE, RUMBLE, RUMBLE.
And Neruda I drank your beer man and it was great.
