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Rank the Headphones that You Own.
Jun 26, 2013 at 2:26 AM Post #3,121 of 8,138
Quote:
takato14 said:
Hell, the MSRP was $500. The way people extrapolate things like that baffles me.
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Yeah because people are greedy. Because some thing purchased originally for $500 and all of a sudden it is discontinued it gives them a qualified reason to sell the headphone at $1000. But yet again this doesn't limit to just headphones.
 
Jun 26, 2013 at 3:46 AM Post #3,122 of 8,138
Quote:
defqon said:
Yeah because people are greedy. Because some thing purchased originally for $500 and all of a sudden it is discontinued it gives them a qualified reason to sell the headphone at $1000. But yet again this doesn't limit to just headphones.
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Look here: 
 
http://www.amazon.com/AKG-K501-Hi-Fi-Headphones/dp/B0000D8BM7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372232744&sr=8-1&keywords=k501
 
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Jun 26, 2013 at 4:08 AM Post #3,123 of 8,138
Jun 26, 2013 at 5:56 AM Post #3,124 of 8,138
Less than a decade ago you'd be hard pressed not to find a K1000 at a meet. Of all the TOTL out-of-production headphones they enjoyed the most production and sales AFAIK.
 
Jun 27, 2013 at 12:27 AM Post #3,126 of 8,138
Koss Pro DJ 100 / Tony Bennett (I now have both!)
I like it's nice and full mids, good low bass and lack of an annoying mid-bass hump. It's treble is also very smooth to me.
Strangely this has benefited more from amp/dac changes than my Q701 and K400. About as much as my HD-650. Call me nuts if you want!
If I had to live with only one headphone this would be it. Oh yeah, despite the ugly graphs, I find it to have slightly emphasized upper mids (like a Grado!).
 
AKG Q701
Better sounding than the Anniversary, K400, K501, Sextett and K601 IMO. If this didn't exist I'd keep the K601 or K400 with K601 pads.
Possibly the only perfect headphone I've owned. Not even my precious DJ100 is perfect (stupid pads!). I think it doesn't need any more warmth or stupid bass.
 
Sennheiser HD-650
This one sounds very flat and has just a tiny bit more low bass extension than my Q701. No mid-bass hump or lack of treble here.
It does sound warm, but not too warm. The HD-600 definitely had more mid-bass. Weird. I had two pairs a few years back and they were dark and had more mid-bass.
Maybe I have a crappy pair
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I love it though. I gave this headphone a second chance after not liking the old pairs. Not sure what happened. Same gear mostly.
 
Sennheiser HD-598
 
Amazing soundstage but the sound is grainier than the HD-650. I've found it to have more treble and to be a little more detailed.
It's smooth sounding yet still fun and energetic(!). I especially love it for female vocals. They do sound more forward and clearer though on the Q701.
Since I have the Q701 and prefer that, this gets almost zero use. Mine is recabled with Mogami W2893. Yes, it was worth the $10
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I don't think this is at the same level as the HD-598, but I love how easy it is to drive.
 
AKG K400
 
I generally find it to be a bit thin with my setup. My amp isn't warm or cold really. To get past that it does sound better with K601 and K702 pads.
It's the 2nd headphone that actually WOWED me when playing acoustic music. The first was the ATH-AD2000.
 
I actually think this has more treble than my Q701! It does have a larger soundstage too.
 
KRK KNS-6400
 
Not enough time to listen to this. I also had the 8400 but accidentally destroyed it. Oops.
 
Jun 27, 2013 at 1:11 AM Post #3,128 of 8,138
I thought I'd update my top 5 since I recently made an upgrade to my gear, which impacted my headphone rankings. 
 
Tie 1) Beyerdynamic T1 - Now that I have upgraded my amp/DAC, these phones have clearly taken a step up in performance. I'm now hearing more of their potential, and they've pulled even with my beloved Grados. 
 
Tie 1) Grado PS500 - These headphones never cease to amaze me with how beautiful they sound even from a source as simple as my Kindle Fire. I've been a fan of the Grado sound since my first listen to my SR80s about a year and a half ago, and the 500s just tick all the boxes for me. 
 
3) Grado GS1000i - Although higher in the pecking order than the 500s and having a much more attractive appearance, they fall a bit short of my favorite Grados. 
 
4) Beyerdynamic DT1350 - Dollar for dollar, these phones are nearly perfect, IMO. The only area I have picked on them about was comfort, and they are addressing that with an updated model coming out in August of 2013. I love that the current pads keep my ears nice and cool, but I typically have about a 2-hr max with them until I need a break. But in terms of sonics, I don't know what more I could ask for at this price point. 
 
5) Grado SR80s - These are the phones that started it all for me. After initially being let down by my first headphone purchase (Sennheiser 518), these 80s were the spark that proved to me that I could find aural bliss outside of my speaker rig. 
 
 

 
Jun 27, 2013 at 9:26 PM Post #3,129 of 8,138
As of right now my preference goes: my self modded T50rp > Vsonic GR01 > AKG Q701. 
 
My preferences have changed since spending more time modding my T50rp. My T50rp beats my Q701 in every area except for soundstage width, but in reality the Q701's soundstage width might be too much really. It is far wider than it is deep. The T50rp images much better and has better depth, and sounds just as good or better in every other aspect of SQ. I have also been spending a lot of time with my GR01 in ears lately since getting my new Samsung Galaxy S4 and the sound has also regrown on me. The GR01 sound very similar to the way I have my T50rp tuned. My T50rp has better bass extension though. The GR01 actually makes the Q701 sound a tad bass light and thin now as well. 
 
Jun 27, 2013 at 9:29 PM Post #3,130 of 8,138
Bose AE2
Sennheiser HD 558
Sennheiser Momentum
 
I rank the bose higher than the Hd 558 because they're more portable. The sennheiser momentum is just a huge disappointment.
 
Jun 28, 2013 at 1:07 AM Post #3,132 of 8,138
1. Sony MDR-EX600 ($150 bought a year ago) - it took a while for these to come up on top. They are the most dynamic of my headphones. I'm listening to some psy-trance on these at moment and they are immensely enjoyable. The bass extends deep, and is very detailed. I've had them for about a year and its taken that time to appreciate them. I played around for ages trying the various tips, and something wasn't right. Just recently realized that one of the interconnects was not on perfectly, and it subtly messed with one of the channels. Not sure about burn in, but I've gone from thinking these were too sharp, and not bassy enought to being familiar with it. These are my first choice for music, but depending on genre will become fatiguing. Their design, a bit unusual, is very comfortable. Oh and I wouldn't even think of using these for gaming, bullets will sound like they are peircing your ear drums.

There are times listening to these headphones I can pretend I have an audiophile system in my room.

2. Shure SRH-840 ($100 purchased 4 years ago)- for my large head these are very comfortable. The pads are perfect and I can wear them for ages. These are just great studio headphones, and they are also the best of my headphones for gaming, better than the Koss TBSEs (I know tdockweiler loves these, but the Shure I feel is even better for this application). I've heard this headphone described as trebly but I think they are just fine. They can't match the low extension of the EX600, but have better bass than than the Koss TBSE. They have a great tonal balance. Detail is there. They have a more full, luscious quality than the Koss TBSE.

3. Koss Tony Bennett Signature Editions (bought this past week) - these are good headphones. I just switched them on from going from the Ex600, and it doesn't have near the impact. Running through my Rotel, I get a bit more impact, and I'll take tdockweilers word that these improve with better equipment and source, which unfortunately, I do not have at my disposal. Now oddly, after listening to these for a matter of minutes, you acclimatize to them, and you start forgetting some of their deficiencies. I do like these headphones quite a bit. For a closed headphone they have pretty good imaging a bit better than the 840. They aren't as comfortable as the 840s, and put a bit of pressure on my larger ears. I have a fair bit of DJ experience, and I wouldn't have a problem using these for that purpose. There is something both cheap and classy about these headphones. All in a good way. They are the least fatiguing sonically of my headphones, isolate pretty good, and have replaced my EX600 as my work headphone (the swivel cups making it much easier to listen to colleaugues, or take a phone call).

Listening to Wes Montgomery Impressions the Verve Sides, no problem picking out the background room sounds, conversations and glasses being shaken, and sounding quite real.

I picked the TBSE up for $30, and that is a steal for what may be an under appreciated somewhat average, unoffensive, all-rounder. It won't get in the way of enjoying your music, but it won't reveal all there is. Seems a number of head-fires that own these have technically better headphones yet keep these around. Pretty much says it.

Oh and they come with a great case and detachable cable.

4. JVC FX66 - tons of muddy bass, a whole range of frequency missing. Good if you are at the gym, not really listening. Isolate quite well and are quite comfy. You can listen in bed with these with an ear to the pillow. Forgettable.
 
Jun 28, 2013 at 8:13 AM Post #3,133 of 8,138
Senneiser IE80s stunning sound for virtually all genres of music
 
Sennheiser HD580s great for all my orchestral classical stuff
 
Shure SRH840s keeps the guys at work at bay - lovely sound from my laptop
 
Sennheiser HD280s My 'lets keep the airplane noises at bay' cans but the IE 80s may replace them for this - I'l find out in 3 months when I fly to Perth
 
Sennheiser HD540 MkII Reference Golds. Great technology when I first bought them as the Senn flagship model but sadly outdated, even with amplification.
 
Sony MDR D77 - the famous Eggos - still a good set of cans!
 
 
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