Rank the Headphones that You Own.
Aug 30, 2017 at 4:33 AM Post #5,942 of 8,131
Time to update again my ranking, since at last I've decide to buy the Z1R

Utopia is still my favourite hp, it really has everything I'm looking for, extremely live and dynamic, good timbre, excellent resolution.
Second is the Denon D7200, vey linear, extended bass, punchy without being boomy, good midrange and highs,
Tied for second place is the HEK v2, I've changed the driver tube on the custom amp, and now these cans have new life.
Third HE6, good overall can, but simply not at the same level as the others.
Tied for third place is the Sony Z1R. These cans have the best bass I've ever heard, but unfortunately lack in resolution and mids are too recessed.

1. Focal Utopia
2. Denon AH-D7200 / Hifiman HEK v2
3. Hifiman HE6 / Sony MDR Z1R
 
Aug 30, 2017 at 4:55 AM Post #5,943 of 8,131
1. IE800
2. Audio technica ANC40HT.
...thats all i own :p
 
Aug 30, 2017 at 11:35 AM Post #5,944 of 8,131
Jvc dx1000
Sony mdr-sa5000.
Msur n550 (modded)
Bosshifi b7(modded)

If from owned before:

Jvc dx1000
Sony mdr-cd3000
Beyrdynamic T1 first gen
Audio-technica w1000x
Beyrdynamic t5p
Sennheiser hd600
Beyrdynamic dt880
Msur n550 (mods)/bosshifi b7(mods)
Beyrdynamic 990/dt770/ hm5, takstar pro80...
 
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Aug 31, 2017 at 9:52 AM Post #5,945 of 8,131
Added some new headphones, so here is my list updated.

Koss ProAA. The oldest I have and at the bottom of the list, uncomfortable, very narrow soundstage, rolled off and polite bass. Also way to heavy.

Stax SR-X 3 mk III. Second oldest pair I own. Sound is very dependent on the amp driving them. They have a channel inbalance that is very common in electret headphones. Not much in the way of low end impact.

The next ones all have good sound and not necessarily in order of which one is best

Apple ear pods. Nice semi in ear, it allows outside sounds leak in, which is nice for when I am walking or need to be aware of outside noise. Deep bass and clear highs, while it does not compete with top shelf IEMs it still offers great bang for the buck.

Koss UR20. This one runs circles around the Koss ProAA, deeper bass, more sparkle in the highs better impact. Soundstage while wider than the ProAA it still is narrow. Not the best to be had, but a nice cheap pair of heard phones that are not hyped up in the bass or treble like many cheap phones can be. Maybe a contender for best budget headphones

Cyberdrive Impacr Bass. Like they named it, it has a tilted bass response, which with many DAPs can be helpful, not the greatest iem, but worth the price of admission

Auvio iem. I got these on a radio shack clearance sale about 8 years ago. Balanced armature driver that excels in low level detail extraction, the seal and tips can influence the highs. The bass is full, but not as loud as the Cyberdrive iem's decent dynamics, nice over all iem to turn up the music and turn off the outside noise.

Koss KSC75 with Parts Express headband. The killer in budget headphones. While the ear clips work, I find them a bit annoying so I like using them with the Parts Express headband. Bass is a little clearer than the PortaPro's, but not as deep or impactful as them. Nice clear highs that can extract detail good, a very balanced overachiever.

Koss PortaPro The classic! You have all have read the reviews. Still love these little fellows

Here is my favorite and best sounding headphones:

Koss ESP-950. The king! Nice warm sound, not bright not bass heavy, but smooth across the range. These are the headphones that let me figure out what song was playing at the very end of Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon, as the final heartbeats are fading out you can hear an instrumental version of Ticket to Ride (think 101 strings version) on the MFSL gold cd. Soundstage champs with a very wide stage, and some good depth to it as well. Behaves nice with foobar2000 using the bass exciter dsp add on. Very comfortable to wear, and very light on the head, also the clamping force is just right. Can be portable in a pinch.

I am exploring Planar headphones for my next pair. Looking at the Monoprice M560 or M1060, I also would like to try the Audeze isine 10 iem planars.
 
Sep 2, 2017 at 10:03 PM Post #5,949 of 8,131
1. Focal Utopia

2. Nothing comes close to #1, really.
3. Audeze LCD-X
4. Audeze LCD-XC, Beyerdynamic T-1
5. Sennheiser HD650 (rises to tie with #4 with specific after market cable)
6. Various AKG models
 
Sep 3, 2017 at 1:01 AM Post #5,950 of 8,131
Portables:
  1. MDR 7520
  2. Beyerdynamic Custom Studio w/dekoni standard leather pads
  3. Shure 1540 w/alpha pads
  4. AKG K545 w/brainwavz round pads
  5. Audio Technica M50X
  6. HD598cs
  7. Monoprice 8323 w/dt250 pads and attenuation ring

Home use pleasure listening:
  1. THx00 Ebony w/th900 sheepskin pads and attenuation rings
  2. AKG K712
  3. K240 Sextett 600 ohm
  4. HD600
  5. DT990 600ohm
  6. K240 Monitor 600ohm
  7. Grado sr60e
  8. K240 DF 600 ohm
Gaming:
  1. AD700x
  2. K7xx red edition
  3. HD598
  4. Hyperx Cloud w/brainwavz hm5 pleather pads
  5. akg k240 studio w/nvx xpt straight pads
In the mail: dt1990, sheepskin pads for hd598cs(might make them isolate better and clean up the graininess?)

sold: HD650(600 was what I really wanted), m40x(k545 made them redundant and inferior)
 
Sep 3, 2017 at 1:33 AM Post #5,951 of 8,131
1. AKG 812 Pro
2. AKG 872 Pro
3. AKG 712 Pro
4. Denon AH-D 7000
5. Various AKG models
 
Sep 3, 2017 at 5:15 AM Post #5,952 of 8,131
Time for an update:

1. DT1990 (these things became Godlike for me after having them for a good while now. Like a fine wine. B- pads, of course.)
2. DT880/600
3. DT990/600
4. DT770/80
 
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Sep 18, 2017 at 12:08 PM Post #5,953 of 8,131
Hifiman HE-1000 V2
Fostex TH-900 MK2
Sennheiser HD-800S
Sony MDR-Z1R
Audeze LCD-3F
B&W P9
Denon AH-D7200
Shure SE846
Sennheiser IE800
Audeze iSine 20
Sennheiser HD-630VB
Audio Technica DSR9BT
B&W P7 Wireless
Hifiman HE-400i
Thinksound ON2
B&O H9
Bose QC35
Sennheiser HD-1 In-Ear Wireless
Bose SoundSport Wireless

Great collection! Would you mind if I asked you some questions about headphones both of us own and their "next steps" up in terms of SQ/price?

If I were looking for an upgrade on my current B&W P7 Wireless, what's a good sub $1500 pair with similar sound? The genres that I love using these with are Electronica of all varieties, Pop, and Hip Hop. These are great for heavily-produced music IMO. I like the very tight bass that is emphasized over other frequencies. I wish the mids were less recessed, though.

Same question for the B&O H9's. I love them for instrumental and vocal music in the classical, jazz, and singer/songwriter genres, they bring the higher frequencies to the forefront while still having decent bass presence (but a bit more muddled than the P7 Wireless). Great for mic'd music that is less-produced.

They do not have to be wireless.
 
Sep 18, 2017 at 6:23 PM Post #5,954 of 8,131
Sennheiser HD600 fairly obviously the best, Sublime natural tonality and balance for 90% of my music.
The only headphone anyone really NEEDS

(((beyerdynamic DT440 for the other 10% This most underrated of headphone has a simply beautiful light spacious airy sound that the Sennheiser wouldn't recognise, with certain recordings

Sennheiser HD25 Classic. Very good to superb source dependent..... Edit THE undisputed best alround headphone on planet earth

Jays V Jays & C Jays. Never in the field of headphones has ssooo much HiFi sound been emitted from such a tiny lightweight headphone. The v is ultimately the better. Airy precise with very surprising bass. The c on medium pads is more comfortable and less forward,. relaxing.. No Grado required when you have these little gems

Musical Fidelity MF100 THE most detailed and precise sounding headphones I've heard. Get used to their nature and anything else sounds a bit dull. Zero improvement with any amplification. Walkman or mobile all that's needed

Sony MD10 RC Comfortable, Smooth. And Sophisticated. Won't stay on my head and inefficient. Like the Musical Fidelity though an amazing £30 odd bargain



 
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Sep 18, 2017 at 7:50 PM Post #5,955 of 8,131
I've been doing a lot of buying and selling but to not have a huge post of all of those past headphones, here's my ranking of my current cans:

- Hifiman HE-500
- Sennheiser HD580
- Audio Technica ATH-AD2000* (Modded)
- Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 ohm (dampened with pleather pads)
- Focal Listen (slightly modded)
- Yamaha YH-3
- Fostex T20v1
- Yamaha YH-2
- Audio Technica ATH-2* (Modded plus Dekoni Beats Solo 2 pads; would rank a lot higher when EQ'd)
- Audio Technica ATH-M50S
- Realistic Pro 50
- Pioneer SE-L40 (they do look very pretty though)
 
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