[dematted]

Don't all of these at the moment, but I've owned them all at some point and this is definitely the order I'd put them in...

1. ZMF Auteur (Best tonal balance of any headphone I've heard)
2. ZMF Aeolus (Most fun headphone I've heard)
3. Focal Clear. (Great dynamics and solid detail, but bad timbre)
4. ZMF Verite (Best overall detail and resolution, but bad tonal balance)
5. Sennheiser HD 600 (Great for classical)
6. Focal Elex (Fun but a little artificially edgy)
7. Sennheiser HD 650 (Too sleepy)

 

[Heyyoudvd]

I keep coming into this thread ready to post my list, and every time, I can’t do it because the order keeps changing.

Here’s what I initially wanted to post:

1. Sennheiser HD6XX
2. Apple AirPods Max
3. Audio Technica ATH A900
4. Audio Technica ATH M50
5. Koss KSC75
6. Powerbeats Pro
7. Apple AirPods Pro
8. Grado SR60
9. Koss PortaPro

That was my original order, but mainly because I hadn’t listened to a whole bunch of items on that list in a long time, so I thought they were worse than they actually are.

Now that I’ve spent the past week listening to all 9 of these quite a bit, the only items that stay in their positions are #1 and #2. The rest are all over the place.

For example, I used to love the A900 because they were the most detailed headphones I have, but now that the 6XX have taken that crown, the A900 just sound thin and harsh and echoey by comparison. And so even though they’re more detailed than just about everything else on the list, I’m finding I’m enjoying them a lot less than most, including the SR60. The SR60 has grown on me so much. I absolutely love that Grado sound. It’s just so warm and rich and inviting. Measurements be damned. It just sounds good.

Similarly, I used to hate the PortaPros because they just sounded like a much more bloated, less clear KSC75 to me, but now that I’ve been enjoying the SR60, the PortaPros almost sound like a baby brother to them. The PortaPros have more in common with the Grados then with their actual ‘brother’ in the Koss lineup. I’d still take the KSC75 over the PortaPro, but the gap has definitely narrowed. While the PortaPros are still a little bloated, the KSC75 are starting to sound too thin to me. I think the ideal Koss sound would be somewhere in the middle. I just ordered a KPH30i from Drop, so hopefully that will fill the gap.

Then there are all the Apple headphones. I honestly don’t know where to place them. The APM are #2 because their sub-bass and dynamics are just so good, but I’m torn on the Powerbeats Pro and especially the AirPods Pro. I prefer the APP over the PBP for being more balanced and less bass-heavy, but I do think the PBP are a little more detailed. So it’s a bit of a trade-off. And as far as the APP go, I’m finding that one of their biggest strengths is also perhaps their biggest weakness - they’re inoffensive.

If I had to choose just one headphone to keep on this entire list, I’d probably go with the APP due to their size, convenience, and features, paired with solid sound quality. But as my headphone collections grows and I start to hear more sound profiles, I’m actually liking the APP sound profile LESS because of how inoffensive they are. They‘re not opinionated at all. They’re just kind of smooth and inoffensive. They’re not bad at anything. But they’re not great at anything either. They’re almost like a sound profile designed by a committee. Not in a bad way like how Raycons or old Beats were designed to be a mainstream crowd-pleaser via lots of crappy bass. Rather, i mean that the APP sounds like they’re designed by a committee in that they appeal to everyone and don’t really put a stake in the ground. The detail is too smoothed off, the bass is okay, the highs are decent but not particularly sparkly, the mids are okay. The soundstage and imaging is okay. Nothing is bad. Everything is just okay.

Because of that, I’m really not sure where to place the APP on my ranking. Like I said, if I just had to live with one headphone, even excluding features and convenience factors, I think the APP would be a pretty good sound to have as your only headphone. But when you have multiple headphones, the APP sound signature just becomes kind of boring and forgettable.

That’s my thought process behind all of this.

And so the list at the top of this post is completely wrong. The HD6XX and APM are still my two favorites, but I don’t know how to rank the rest.

 

[knopi]

1-
HE1000 (airy, spacious, pleasant tonally, very comfy, softer dynamic not for all, overal very good compromise)
2+
Perun (pleasent tonally, airy, very comfy, but forward something wrong with soundstage here unsure but still best electrostats for me)
HE60 (great, but so old dont make sense today I also believe sound can be different between models)
2
SR009 (big resolution, clear, very technical, but not good tonally for me)
MS Ultimate (great, universal, airy, open, spacious, comfy, but sure it lacks authority)
L700 (quite universal)
Clear (it has potencial, great dynamic, but not good tonally for me and small soundstage)
LCDX (easy drive, not the best comfy, not ideal but tonally best Audeze for me)
2-
LCD4 (tonally similar to LCD2 but more technical)
LCD2rev1 (darker, but with planar clean so fine)
HE500
HD800 (tonally not good for me, and unnatural soundstage)
MS1000 (so easy drive, great as Ultimate, but worse resolution, it lacks authority as well)
Jupiter (good from mobile, peak on highs, detailed, good soundstage on iem, fine iems)
3+
MS Pro (fine, but not good soundstage)
HD600 (fine, but not good soundstage)
AD2000 (fine, but not good soundstage)
3
SR225 (on certain music fine)
Aeon (darker, also bad dynamic)
JH13
3-
MS1 (entry to overhead heaphone world, bad soundstage)
SR60
UM3X

How I remember it I had at home most of them during years (only not electrostats which I heard in one my friend a few times).
Definitely would like to hear ZMF Auteur which seems like nicely tuned from impressions here.

 

[MisterMudd]

Just getting started!

1) Beyer Amiron Home
2) Hifiman Sundara
3) Meze Classic

Off to a good start I’d say!

 

[mainguy]

1. Bowers & Wilkins P9 - In love with these cans, took a lot of searching which took me down to three for my primarys (HD800S, Clear's and P9) and in the end the P9 has won me over with the sheer brilliance of the vocals it produces.

2. Focal Clear

3. Campfire Andromeda

4. Sennheiser Momentum 3

5. Bowers & Wilkins P5

6. Airpods Pro

7. RHA t20i

 

[tkam]

1. Abyss 1266 TC
2. ZMF Verite Closed
3. Meze Empyrean
4. ZMF Aeolus
5. HD 6XX
6. Focal Elear
7. Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed

 

[marillion64]

1-ZMF Verite open
2-ZMF Aeolus Ziricote
3-Sennheiser HD800s
4- ZMF Atticus Black limba

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

I had a little fun with a friend of mine yesterday. He’d brought along all of his headphones and we each immersed ourselves in the other person’s stash.
It’s a little funny actually as we have very different tastes...and wouldn’t you know, our preferences in the end made that very clear

His ranking of my 4 headphones:
Elex (the only can that he genuinely liked)
K371 (passable...but closedback)
.
.
.
HD650 (how can you listen to this thing?!!?)
HE500 (ditto!)

My ranking of his 5:

Sundara (wonderful headphone)
DT880 (almost ditto except for sounding a tad thin per my ears)
.
.
.
Arya/HD800s (hurts my brain)
DT1990 (hurts my teeth)

 

[Slim1970]

Here's my latest revision in order of best sounding (to my ears ):

Full-Sized Headphones:
1a. Abyss AB-1266 Φ TC
1b. Hifiman Susvara
2. Hifiman HE1000se
3. Audeze LCD-4z
4. Sennheiser HD800S
5. Audeze LCD-XC
6. DCA Ether 2
7. Sony MDR- Z1R
8. Hifiman HE6se V2
9. Quad Era-1
10. Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
11. Sennheiser HD600
12. Oppo PM-3
13. Denon AH-D600
14. Mod House Argon MKIII (Balanced)
15. Koss Porta Pro

Wireless Headphones:
1. B&W P7 Wireless
2. Bose HP700
3. Bose SoundSport Wireless
4. Apple AirPods Pro

IEM:
1. Audeze LCDi4
2. Shure SE846
3. Hifiman RE-2000 (Silver)
4. Etymotic ER4XR
5. Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10
6. Final Audio Design E500

 

[Terriero]

Here's my latest revision in order of best sounding (to my ears ):

Full-Sized Headphones:
1a. Abyss AB-1266 Φ TC
1b. Hifiman Susvara
2. Hifiman HE1000se
3. Audeze LCD-4z
4. Sennheiser HD800S
5. Audeze LCD-XC
6. DCA Ether 2
7. Sony MDR- Z1R
8. Hifiman HE6se V2
9. Quad Era-1
10. Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
11. Sennheiser HD600
12. Oppo PM-3
13. Denon AH-D600
14. Mod House Argon MKIII (Balanced)
15. Koss Porta Pro

Wireless Headphones:
1. B&W P7 Wireless
2. Bose HP700
3. Bose SoundSport Wireless
4. Apple AirPods Pro

IEM:
1. Audeze LCDi4
2. Shure SE846
3. Hifiman RE-2000 (Silver)
4. Etymotic ER4XR
5. Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10
6. Final Audio Design E500

Have you finally got Denon AH-D9200? I would like to see a ranking of your amps (now that you purchased the Violectric and the Formula S, to compare to your modified FA 10 )

 

[Slim1970]

Have you finally got Denon AH-D9200? I would like to see a ranking of your amps (now that you purchased the Violectric and the Formula S, to compare to your modified FA 10 )

They are on my to get list for sure. I'm doing some tweaking right now. I have an OPTO-DX coming and I just upgraded some cables trying to dial in the sound. What I can say is all three amps are on par with each other. The Formula S even without the Powerman is an incredible amp. Once I get the Powerman, it would probably boost it to the top spot. My modded FA-10 and V281 are so close in performance and fighting for that #2 position. It really depends on what headphone I'm using as each amp has its own strengths. One thing I can say is it's great to have a nice collection of headphone and amps. Having a nice rotation keeps the sound fresh and lessens the need to sell off gear to try something else.

 

[mainguy]

1. Bang and Olufsen H6 2nd gen.
2. Bose SoundTrue mk1.
3. Apple AirPods Pro.
4. Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2.
5. Bowers & Wilkins PX.
6. Bose SoundTrue Ultra
7. Sony MDR-100A hear.on
8. Sony MDR-NC60
9. Master & Dynamic MH40
10. Monster DNA on ear
11. Beats Solo2 on ear.

Man wild to see the Airpods Pro so far above the MH40, I'm a big airpods pro fan but must admit switching out (sometimes the same song) I find the MH40 so much more resolving, they seemed a solid notch up to my ears.

 

[MikkiT]

Man wild to see the Airpods Pro so far above the MH40, I'm a big airpods pro fan but must admit switching out (sometimes the same song) I find the MH40 so much more resolving, they seemed a solid notch up to my ears.

I was really disappointed by the MH40s when I bought them. They have outstanding build quality but the sound, to me, is muffled and distant and the clarity is almost non-existent, especially in the mids. Vocals are terrible. My list however has a new number one. Got a pair of Sennheiser HD 560s the other day. Outstanding.

 

[YtseJamer]

1- ZMF Vérité Closed
2- ZMF Aeolus
3- Grado Hemp
4- HFIMAN HE-6SE V2

 

[mainguy]

I was really disappointed by the MH40s when I bought them. They have outstanding build quality but the sound, to me, is muffled and distant and the clarity is almost non-existent, especially in the mids. Vocals are terrible. My list however has a new number one. Got a pair of Sennheiser HD 560s the other day. Outstanding.

Blimey! I think M&D are quite inconsistent, I had the MW65 and they had all the complaints you mentioned (especially the shoddy vocals) so they got returned. I picked up the MH40s as an impulse buy, wired ones, and am actually pleasantly suprised. The clarity is the second best of any cans I own after the focal clears to my ear, so very interesting to hear you're having the opposite vibe - perhaps you have the wireless version. They're not great by any stretch, but beautiful build and for £90 new I wont complain.

Heard very good things about the senns.