1. Still hunting ....
2. Focal Stellia
3. HD800
4. Beyerdynamic T5 Gen 3
2. Focal Stellia
3. HD800
4. Beyerdynamic T5 Gen 3
Rank the Headphones that You Own.
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(Reordered some of the top tier based on recent A/B comparisons and added Stax SR-L700MK2)
Stax SR-007A with BluTack mod (best transparency, excellent everything, very smooth sounding, "Stax fart" a little annoying.)
Stax SR-L700MK2 (VERY similar to Focal Clear. Has slightly more mid-bass impact, midrange is not quite as thick. Instruments seem slightly more separated. Soundstage slightly wider.)
Focal Clear Professional (Not the widest soundstage but excellent tonality, dynamics, and extension. Treble could use a little boost.)
Focal Utopia (Slightly wider soundstage than the Clear. Sounds very similar. A little too thick sounding for me resulting in a "wall of sound" and less instrument separation.)
Sennheiser HD800S (Super transparent with more bass than Stax SR Lambda Pro. Lightweight but ear pads are large but don't conform well.)
ZMF Eikon (Similar to the MDR-Z1R but with more even frequency response but less bass extension.)
Sony MDR-Z1R (Closed headphones with great transparency and better bass than HD800S. Amazing for a closed back. Similar to ZMF Eikon but with slight peaks in freq. response that sound a little unnatural at times and better bass extension.)
Sennheiser HD820 (Comes close to the HD800S but isn't as tonally even and soundstage is slightly smaller. Has better comfort, isolation, and bass volume though.)
Sony IER-M9 (A little uncomfortable. Sounds nearly perfect if you can get the fit right. Has more lower-midbass than Z1R which increases impact.)
Sony IER-Z1R (A little uncomfortable. Sounds nearly perfect if you can get the fit right. Could use a little more bass impact.)
Campfire Andromeda (Rivals HD800S / MDR-Z1R in transparency and very even sounding. Good everything, except bass is a bit light. Sound stage is a little smaller than with over ear headphones.)
Audeze LCD-4 (Best bass, good but not great transparency, very heavy, prone to driver failures with pressure changes. Mine had a driver failure.)
SendyAudio Aiva (Great build quality, looks good, good frequency response except bass extension is lacking.)
Audeze Mobius (Some of the best bass I've heard but soundstage is small.)
Audeze LCD-2 closed back (Heavy, bass extension and impact are lacking, isolation is poor for a closed back.)
Stax SR Lambda Pro (Super transparent.)
AKG K7XX (Great value. Elastic may go bad over time.)
Sennheiser HD600 (Slightly more realistic frequency response than HD650.)
Sennheiser HD650
qdc Neptune (Good value, sounds like the Andromeda, but a little more muffled and more bass and bass extension).
Beyerdynamic DT880 (Annoying treble peak, ~8.5 kHz.)
AKG K702 (Painful headband.)
Beyerdynamic DT990
Grado SR-80e with L cushions (L cusions improve sound quite a bit, kind of uncomfortable, tons of midbass, good transparency.)
Denon D2000
Shure SE846 (Terrible value. Sounds similar to the IE80.)
Sennheiser IE80 (Good value, but sound a little muffled compared to higher end stuff.)
Etymotic ER4XR (Good as earplugs. Sound not very impressive.)
Sennheiser HD598 (A little muffled sounding.)
Bose Triport (Good 3D sound positioning. Lightweight. A bit muffled overall.)
Westone W30 (All mid-range. Not very good for listening to music.)
Grado SR-60i (Poor fit, comfort and bass. Decent transparency. Would probably sound better with L cushions.)
KZ ZS6 (Treble is peaky.)
VJJB-V1S (Sound is very good for price.)
ViSang R02 (Sound is very good for price.)
Koss Porta Pro (Very light weight. Sound is pretty good for price. Open back design.)
Panasonic RPHJE120S
Panasonic RP HT355
Stax SR-007A with BluTack mod (best transparency, excellent everything, very smooth sounding, "Stax fart" a little annoying.)
Stax SR-L700MK2 (VERY similar to Focal Clear. Has slightly more mid-bass impact, midrange is not quite as thick. Instruments seem slightly more separated. Soundstage slightly wider.)
Focal Clear Professional (Not the widest soundstage but excellent tonality, dynamics, and extension. Treble could use a little boost.)
Focal Utopia (Slightly wider soundstage than the Clear. Sounds very similar. A little too thick sounding for me resulting in a "wall of sound" and less instrument separation.)
Sennheiser HD800S (Super transparent with more bass than Stax SR Lambda Pro. Lightweight but ear pads are large but don't conform well.)
ZMF Eikon (Similar to the MDR-Z1R but with more even frequency response but less bass extension.)
Sony MDR-Z1R (Closed headphones with great transparency and better bass than HD800S. Amazing for a closed back. Similar to ZMF Eikon but with slight peaks in freq. response that sound a little unnatural at times and better bass extension.)
Sennheiser HD820 (Comes close to the HD800S but isn't as tonally even and soundstage is slightly smaller. Has better comfort, isolation, and bass volume though.)
Sony IER-M9 (A little uncomfortable. Sounds nearly perfect if you can get the fit right. Has more lower-midbass than Z1R which increases impact.)
Sony IER-Z1R (A little uncomfortable. Sounds nearly perfect if you can get the fit right. Could use a little more bass impact.)
Campfire Andromeda (Rivals HD800S / MDR-Z1R in transparency and very even sounding. Good everything, except bass is a bit light. Sound stage is a little smaller than with over ear headphones.)
Audeze LCD-4 (Best bass, good but not great transparency, very heavy, prone to driver failures with pressure changes. Mine had a driver failure.)
SendyAudio Aiva (Great build quality, looks good, good frequency response except bass extension is lacking.)
Audeze Mobius (Some of the best bass I've heard but soundstage is small.)
Audeze LCD-2 closed back (Heavy, bass extension and impact are lacking, isolation is poor for a closed back.)
Stax SR Lambda Pro (Super transparent.)
AKG K7XX (Great value. Elastic may go bad over time.)
Sennheiser HD600 (Slightly more realistic frequency response than HD650.)
Sennheiser HD650
qdc Neptune (Good value, sounds like the Andromeda, but a little more muffled and more bass and bass extension).
Beyerdynamic DT880 (Annoying treble peak, ~8.5 kHz.)
AKG K702 (Painful headband.)
Beyerdynamic DT990
Grado SR-80e with L cushions (L cusions improve sound quite a bit, kind of uncomfortable, tons of midbass, good transparency.)
Denon D2000
Shure SE846 (Terrible value. Sounds similar to the IE80.)
Sennheiser IE80 (Good value, but sound a little muffled compared to higher end stuff.)
Etymotic ER4XR (Good as earplugs. Sound not very impressive.)
Sennheiser HD598 (A little muffled sounding.)
Bose Triport (Good 3D sound positioning. Lightweight. A bit muffled overall.)
Westone W30 (All mid-range. Not very good for listening to music.)
Grado SR-60i (Poor fit, comfort and bass. Decent transparency. Would probably sound better with L cushions.)
KZ ZS6 (Treble is peaky.)
VJJB-V1S (Sound is very good for price.)
ViSang R02 (Sound is very good for price.)
Koss Porta Pro (Very light weight. Sound is pretty good for price. Open back design.)
Panasonic RPHJE120S
Panasonic RP HT355
interweb-tech
1000+ Head-Fier
15 months later...
Full size:
Audeze LCD-4
ZMF Vérité Ziricote
Meze Empyrean
Rosson RAD-0 (#008/100, red marble)
ZMF Aeolus Bubinga LTD
Focal Clear Professional
MrSpeakers Ether 2
ZMF Auteur Teak
Hifiman Arya
MrSpeakers Ether Flow 1.1
ZMF Atticus Padauk
Sennheiser HD 800
Fostex TH-X00 PH
IEMs:
64 Audio U12t (went through at least 2 dozen and sold off all the rest. No comparison)
Last edited:
DivineCurrent
500+ Head-Fier
Open back headphones:
1. Focal Clear Pro - Fantastic dynamics, precise imaging, perfect soundstage for me, not too wide or small. With some EQ, they rival the HD600 in tonal balance, but with much better bass quality and treble detail. My favorite so far of everything I have heard.
2. Hifiman Sundara - Nice open and airy presentation, perfect for classical/instrumental. Extended planar bass, wider and more open soundstage than the Clear and HD600/58X. I also use some EQ to warm things up in the bass and lower the treble, which can get too bright on modern music. Not as dynamic or clean as the Clear, but still enjoyable.
3. Sennheiser HD58X - I prefer the 58X over all the other Sennheisers (HD600, 650, and original 580). They have a wonderful natural tonal balance with the best mids I’ve heard other than the 650 and 600. Most natural stock tonality of my collection, beating out the 600 and 650 because of the more in line upper mids.
4. Focal Elex - My recent purchase of the Clear kind of makes these obsolete, but they sound like a warmer Clear with more mid bass and less treble detail/extension by a noticeable amount (with stock Elex pads. Clear pads add a bit more treble). Still great and would be in top 3 if the Clear didn’t exist.
IEMs:
1: JVC HA-FDX1 - Stock tonality has too much upper mids/lower treble at 4 kHz, but EQ makes them sound amazing. The technical performance is better than even some open back headphones I’ve heard. Clean and punchy in the bass with plenty of slam, sparkling treble, just a wide and natural experience especially for an IEM at any price. This is probably my endgame IEM.
2. Sony MH755 - Maybe the best IEMs you can get at this price. I got them for $10 back when they were easy to obtain, they get close to the $250 FDX1 and $100 Etymotic ER2-SE. I actually prefer them over the ER2SE, because of it's warmer presentation. Bass is very well extended, however the sub bass is too elevated for my tastes, and it can sound loose on certain tracks. Smaller soundstage and less precise imaging than the FDX1, but bigger soundstage than the ER2SE.
3. Etymotic ER2SE - Very clear, clean, and detailed. A little too flat for my tastes with the stock tuning, but with some EQ in the bass and treble, these sound really nice. Very extended in the upper air treble region, almost too detailed on certain tracks. The soundstage and imaging are small, very precise but not the most natural presentation.
On Ears and Earbuds:
1. Koss KPH30i - Really, really good for the $30 price. A little mid bass hump, but zero harshness in the highs, very smooth almost like the Sennheisers. Better than the Koss KSC-75 and KSC-35 to my ears, also I prefer them to the Porta Pros.
2. Koss KSC-35 and KSC-75 - I prefer the KSC-35 over the 75, it sounds warmer and less sharp in the treble. The clip is tighter and stays on the ears better. Really nice all rounder for portable use.
3. VE Monk - My only actual earbuds right now. Not very good technical performance as to be expected from a $5 earbud, but decent tonality in the mids and treble. Very comfortable.
1. Focal Clear Pro - Fantastic dynamics, precise imaging, perfect soundstage for me, not too wide or small. With some EQ, they rival the HD600 in tonal balance, but with much better bass quality and treble detail. My favorite so far of everything I have heard.
2. Hifiman Sundara - Nice open and airy presentation, perfect for classical/instrumental. Extended planar bass, wider and more open soundstage than the Clear and HD600/58X. I also use some EQ to warm things up in the bass and lower the treble, which can get too bright on modern music. Not as dynamic or clean as the Clear, but still enjoyable.
3. Sennheiser HD58X - I prefer the 58X over all the other Sennheisers (HD600, 650, and original 580). They have a wonderful natural tonal balance with the best mids I’ve heard other than the 650 and 600. Most natural stock tonality of my collection, beating out the 600 and 650 because of the more in line upper mids.
4. Focal Elex - My recent purchase of the Clear kind of makes these obsolete, but they sound like a warmer Clear with more mid bass and less treble detail/extension by a noticeable amount (with stock Elex pads. Clear pads add a bit more treble). Still great and would be in top 3 if the Clear didn’t exist.
IEMs:
1: JVC HA-FDX1 - Stock tonality has too much upper mids/lower treble at 4 kHz, but EQ makes them sound amazing. The technical performance is better than even some open back headphones I’ve heard. Clean and punchy in the bass with plenty of slam, sparkling treble, just a wide and natural experience especially for an IEM at any price. This is probably my endgame IEM.
2. Sony MH755 - Maybe the best IEMs you can get at this price. I got them for $10 back when they were easy to obtain, they get close to the $250 FDX1 and $100 Etymotic ER2-SE. I actually prefer them over the ER2SE, because of it's warmer presentation. Bass is very well extended, however the sub bass is too elevated for my tastes, and it can sound loose on certain tracks. Smaller soundstage and less precise imaging than the FDX1, but bigger soundstage than the ER2SE.
3. Etymotic ER2SE - Very clear, clean, and detailed. A little too flat for my tastes with the stock tuning, but with some EQ in the bass and treble, these sound really nice. Very extended in the upper air treble region, almost too detailed on certain tracks. The soundstage and imaging are small, very precise but not the most natural presentation.
On Ears and Earbuds:
1. Koss KPH30i - Really, really good for the $30 price. A little mid bass hump, but zero harshness in the highs, very smooth almost like the Sennheisers. Better than the Koss KSC-75 and KSC-35 to my ears, also I prefer them to the Porta Pros.
2. Koss KSC-35 and KSC-75 - I prefer the KSC-35 over the 75, it sounds warmer and less sharp in the treble. The clip is tighter and stays on the ears better. Really nice all rounder for portable use.
3. VE Monk - My only actual earbuds right now. Not very good technical performance as to be expected from a $5 earbud, but decent tonality in the mids and treble. Very comfortable.
jaboki
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2013
- Posts
- 425
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- 519
Currently:
- ZMF Verite Closed
- Hifiman Arya
- 64 Audio Nio
- Focal Clear
- Focal Elex
- Sennheiser HD800s
- Sennheiser HD650
Terriero
Headphoneus Supremus
...You went deeply into the rabbit's hole
interweb-tech
1000+ Head-Fier
Check my profile for the list that didn't make it....You went deeply into the rabbit's hole
Green Golden Retriver
100+ Head-Fier
Full Size:
Susvara
Elear
HD6XX
HE400
AH-D5000
IEM:
Z1R
MH335 DW SR
Andromeda 2020
SE535
TFZ Queen
Starfield
TFZ Tequila
KZ ZS10
KZ ZST
Earbud:
Lamoon Audio classic lover LM047
Noom Audio T.Rex ti 64
Susvara
Elear
HD6XX
HE400
AH-D5000
IEM:
Z1R
MH335 DW SR
Andromeda 2020
SE535
TFZ Queen
Starfield
TFZ Tequila
KZ ZS10
KZ ZST
Earbud:
Lamoon Audio classic lover LM047
Noom Audio T.Rex ti 64
ChevyMonsenhor
100+ Head-Fier
[Update 10/01/2020]
1- AKG K267 by Tiësto - Dream headphone for a long time, never had the money to pick one up, finally managed to do so, so far this is my favorite headphone of all time;
2- Blon Bosshifi B20 - Exchanged a pair of speakers and a DAC for it, really comfortable to wear, looks really good, feels substantial, weirdly enough they sound somewhat like the K267, but they don't have the same bass "pressure and punch" as those have (i assume it has to do with it being a open back can), so i'd still take the K267 over it any day, although i still prefer the B20s for some genres of music;
3- Sennheiser 4.40BT - Inoffensive, like Tyll described it, a decent, cheap and cheerful Bluetooth headphone;
4- Samsung Earphones by AKG - For something that came for free with my phone (Galaxy S10e), they're awesome, i use them every night before sleep;
5- Koss Pro4AAA Titanium - Tons of detail, sounds really nice with more "conservative" music, unfortunately it can't do rap and one of the cup attachments cracked.
1- AKG K267 by Tiësto - Dream headphone for a long time, never had the money to pick one up, finally managed to do so, so far this is my favorite headphone of all time;
2- Blon Bosshifi B20 - Exchanged a pair of speakers and a DAC for it, really comfortable to wear, looks really good, feels substantial, weirdly enough they sound somewhat like the K267, but they don't have the same bass "pressure and punch" as those have (i assume it has to do with it being a open back can), so i'd still take the K267 over it any day, although i still prefer the B20s for some genres of music;
3- Sennheiser 4.40BT - Inoffensive, like Tyll described it, a decent, cheap and cheerful Bluetooth headphone;
4- Samsung Earphones by AKG - For something that came for free with my phone (Galaxy S10e), they're awesome, i use them every night before sleep;
5- Koss Pro4AAA Titanium - Tons of detail, sounds really nice with more "conservative" music, unfortunately it can't do rap and one of the cup attachments cracked.
My stable shares a lot in common so is largely just different strengths/flavors, but in terms of my current usage from most to least:
- Hifiman HE-500: Just so smooth, natural, and resolving with an open stage but still retaining good treble presence
- Focal Elegia: My closed-back go-to that is on par with the HE-500 in terms of resolution but is a bit more precise and intimate, and I always EQ to add a dash of bass and treble
- Beyerdynamic DT-1990 (A pads): My jam out headphone that has a bit more 'live' sound than the other two and a ton of pop to the sound
Update -
HE-6SE - direct from speaker taps of a Pioneer Spec vintage system and Audeze Vegan pads installed - very close to the original HE-6 with visceral bass and much improved comfort
HD800S - again fed from speaker taps, anyone who says the HD800 series is lacking bass is not feeding them right. Love how lightweight these are and a nice complement to the HE-6SE
Ether2 - you guessed it, fed from the taps via a Norne cable and the velour pads, a great headphone that is super light and punchy
These 3 are in a rotation sequence. All are great and have their own special talents.
Pioneer SE Master 1 - just a hair below the top 3 but the best non-dynamic headphone I've had along with...............
Denon LA7000 - the headphone I've had the longest and will never sell it. Not fed from speaker taps but outstanding bass, comfort and overall sound with all the mods you'd expect from Lawton.
Audeze LCD-2C - this one IS fed from speaker taps like the top 3 and I love it.
Denon MD-2000 - Bubinga cups and Lawton tuning and pads - outstanding
HiFiMan HE-400 with every mod known to man - love this headphone and give it a joyride monthly............and yes, fed from speaker taps. Outstanding bass that pounds.
Ultrasone 840 - great bass and use if for yardwork fed from an iPod and portable amp.
HE-6SE - direct from speaker taps of a Pioneer Spec vintage system and Audeze Vegan pads installed - very close to the original HE-6 with visceral bass and much improved comfort
HD800S - again fed from speaker taps, anyone who says the HD800 series is lacking bass is not feeding them right. Love how lightweight these are and a nice complement to the HE-6SE
Ether2 - you guessed it, fed from the taps via a Norne cable and the velour pads, a great headphone that is super light and punchy
These 3 are in a rotation sequence. All are great and have their own special talents.
Pioneer SE Master 1 - just a hair below the top 3 but the best non-dynamic headphone I've had along with...............
Denon LA7000 - the headphone I've had the longest and will never sell it. Not fed from speaker taps but outstanding bass, comfort and overall sound with all the mods you'd expect from Lawton.
Audeze LCD-2C - this one IS fed from speaker taps like the top 3 and I love it.
Denon MD-2000 - Bubinga cups and Lawton tuning and pads - outstanding
HiFiMan HE-400 with every mod known to man - love this headphone and give it a joyride monthly............and yes, fed from speaker taps. Outstanding bass that pounds.
Ultrasone 840 - great bass and use if for yardwork fed from an iPod and portable amp.
I have the type 4 African wenge cups coming for my TH600 soon so we will have even more in common with our setups! (Powering headphones from speaker taps being the another thing)
Hondadude85
100+ Head-Fier
Updated list:
Sennheiser HD660S and HD58X Jubilee - both rank very high for me because they are so similar. I adore the tuning of these headphones. They remind me of a crossroads where the sound of fun and accuracy converge. The differences between the two, however, are truly minute at best. The 58X is great for a slightly more bassy/laid back experience and the 660S for detail and critical listening. 58X wins without a doubt if price is a factor, though. Also I'm not sure why people say build quality is different. The paint is kinda cheesy looking on the Jubilees and will likely flake/chip after use for a year or two like my 650, but the build quality is identical to any other Sennheiser headphone in this range.
Sennheiser HD650 - love how smooth these are and how easily they scale, paint sucks and chips off.
Sennheiser HD600 - still a classic after all these years, somewhat "thin" sounding compared to Jubilee and 660S, but refreshing if you've been listening to 650 all day. Ugly, but the updated ones look great
beyerdynamic DT880 - nothing comes close for acoustic or "simple" music to my ears. The upper end sounds nearly electrostatic. Not my favorite with more complex music as the mid bass tends to be a little too lacking (who knew that could be a thing?), but simply heaven with the right material. Build quality is excellent, but the headband is terrible. I have the "edition" version, and the headband is sticky and gummy after a year and a half.
Sennheiser HD800S - I know, these should be at the very top. But, I find myself reaching for the others above this way more than these. They're technically brilliant, but difficult to truly love. They remind me of an Audi. Great car in all of its technical abilities but about as stoic as they come. May sell eventually and replace with T1.3 - who knows. Also, the fit is odd. Makes my jaw and ear feel almost numb.
Sony WH-1000XM3 - great noise cancelling, decent sound, super comfy. Excellent all rounders, especially if you're not an audio snob. I recommend these to every single person I know that isn't an audiophile but just wants a kickass pair of headphones.
Sennheiser HD660S and HD58X Jubilee - both rank very high for me because they are so similar. I adore the tuning of these headphones. They remind me of a crossroads where the sound of fun and accuracy converge. The differences between the two, however, are truly minute at best. The 58X is great for a slightly more bassy/laid back experience and the 660S for detail and critical listening. 58X wins without a doubt if price is a factor, though. Also I'm not sure why people say build quality is different. The paint is kinda cheesy looking on the Jubilees and will likely flake/chip after use for a year or two like my 650, but the build quality is identical to any other Sennheiser headphone in this range.
Sennheiser HD650 - love how smooth these are and how easily they scale, paint sucks and chips off.
Sennheiser HD600 - still a classic after all these years, somewhat "thin" sounding compared to Jubilee and 660S, but refreshing if you've been listening to 650 all day. Ugly, but the updated ones look great
beyerdynamic DT880 - nothing comes close for acoustic or "simple" music to my ears. The upper end sounds nearly electrostatic. Not my favorite with more complex music as the mid bass tends to be a little too lacking (who knew that could be a thing?), but simply heaven with the right material. Build quality is excellent, but the headband is terrible. I have the "edition" version, and the headband is sticky and gummy after a year and a half.
Sennheiser HD800S - I know, these should be at the very top. But, I find myself reaching for the others above this way more than these. They're technically brilliant, but difficult to truly love. They remind me of an Audi. Great car in all of its technical abilities but about as stoic as they come. May sell eventually and replace with T1.3 - who knows. Also, the fit is odd. Makes my jaw and ear feel almost numb.
Sony WH-1000XM3 - great noise cancelling, decent sound, super comfy. Excellent all rounders, especially if you're not an audio snob. I recommend these to every single person I know that isn't an audiophile but just wants a kickass pair of headphones.
Green Golden Retriver
100+ Head-Fier
Why do you prefer the clear over the utopia?
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2010
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It's a bit too "thick" sounding for me. The Clear had a thinner sound which made things seem more separated.
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