[FrenchGuy]

The Philips is $75 and the HIFIMAN is $100
Which one would be best to start listening music in a more "audiophile" way?
I mainly listen female vocals.....
OR is there another much better choice for not much more $$
I'm not decided yet and what amp/dac to use though.....
Thanks

 

[tudedude]

I'd choose the hifiman. The hifiman will get you into the world of planar magnetics and all their wonders.

 

[cradams1020]

I would tell you to save a bit more and get the Sennheiser HD6XX from Drop if you want a more audiophile sound. You can buy new for just over $200 or used for around maybe $150ish. They will far exceed the sound quality of the other two you mention. Alternatively I would go with the refreshed SHP9600 which is under your budget and "fixes" some of the issues with the 9500s if you wanted to keep it between the Philips and Hifiman. Amazon has them for $85 one-day shipping right now

 

[dunring]

I've had both recently and like the SHP9500 much better. The 400se cable is so thin like fishing wire and would need to be replaced when you see how cheap it feels. It also doesn't scale with quality, which is ok if your never going to get an amp, but the 9500 did sound better when I plugged it into a nice stack. Also it's more comfortable and lighter.

 

[oakparkmusicguy]

I agree about saving for the 6XX. Much better than the others.
I’ve owned the SHP9500 and Hifiman HE-X4 and 4XX.
For me the Hifiman are much more comfortable with the deeper ear pads and the sound is clearer.
I disliked the 9500 so much I gave them away. (But that did make a cousin very happy.)

 

[Gavanater7]

I own a pair of Hifiman 400se. They are the more neutral headphone. Hm they do need a amp though to reach good volume. Instead of the Phillip 9500s. Hm on a budget Samson sr850, Superlux 668B, Akg k240, Koss ur40, are also really good entry level phones.