Yea, I agree, it does seem a bit weird. but oh well, just following my heart and ears!
Rank the Headphones that You Own.
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Yea, I agree, it does seem a bit weird. but oh well, just following my heart and ears!
GREQ
Headphoneus Supremus
Havn't posted here in ages.
Just ranking the ones I use the most regularly this time.
JVC HA-SW01 - just magic
JVC HA-D1000 - somehow makes everything sound good
(Mod Project) Beyerdynamic DT990 + Peerless Tymphany 50mm hybrid paper-dome drivers + Hifiman velour pads = V-shaped open back Focal Clear killer
JVC HA-DX1000 soundstage for daaaaaaaaaaays
Hifiman HE-500 modded grills and pads... aggressive, neutral, fun, but too damn heavy
(tier gap)
(these rankings change frequently depending on mood)
Beyerdynamic DT790 modified to DT770 Pro 80 specs - a bit low-res but still lots of fun
Sony MDR-CD1700 midrange and treble god - comfy
Beyerdynamic DT880M + EF800 sometimes treble is a bit sharp - detail god.
JVC HA-MX100-Z a few design/ergonomic problems mar the sound quality - very similar to HA-SW01
NAD RP18 heavily modified
Sennheiser HD650 I actually reach for these more often than some of those above for comfort/relaxing, but they don't give much emotion to music
... and about 50 others not worth ranking.
Sennheiser M2 AEBT somewhere near the bottom of the list
Just ranking the ones I use the most regularly this time.
JVC HA-SW01 - just magic
JVC HA-D1000 - somehow makes everything sound good
(Mod Project) Beyerdynamic DT990 + Peerless Tymphany 50mm hybrid paper-dome drivers + Hifiman velour pads = V-shaped open back Focal Clear killer
JVC HA-DX1000 soundstage for daaaaaaaaaaays
Hifiman HE-500 modded grills and pads... aggressive, neutral, fun, but too damn heavy
(tier gap)
(these rankings change frequently depending on mood)
Beyerdynamic DT790 modified to DT770 Pro 80 specs - a bit low-res but still lots of fun
Sony MDR-CD1700 midrange and treble god - comfy
Beyerdynamic DT880M + EF800 sometimes treble is a bit sharp - detail god.
JVC HA-MX100-Z a few design/ergonomic problems mar the sound quality - very similar to HA-SW01
NAD RP18 heavily modified
Sennheiser HD650 I actually reach for these more often than some of those above for comfort/relaxing, but they don't give much emotion to music
... and about 50 others not worth ranking.
Sennheiser M2 AEBT somewhere near the bottom of the list
It’s been a bit since I posted. This is based on usage, does not necessarily reflect fidelity. Top 3 headphones are also my most comfortable headphones. A list based on fidelity will be in a different order.
This is a tough list for me as everything other than the number 1 headphones moves around on the list depending on my mood.
Headphones I like a lot.
1.) Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 3 - Just sounds right once you get used to it, this headphone sounds the most natural to me with long-term listening. Very resolving and scales dramatically with gear. Good at everything. Very musical and comfortable.
2.) Audio-Technica ATH-R70x - This is my neutral reference headphone; like a better tuned and deeper reaching HD 600 that isn’t boring. Can be a bit tricky to drive to it’s best potential. Super lightweight. This is my most comfortable headphone.
3.) Altiat Cal.1H (Aluminum and Alcantara pads) - This is a warmer, fuller, and more liquid sounding headphone compared to the R70x, in a sense more like the HD 650 but with proper sub-bass. Rich full mids. Very comfortable.
4.) JVC HA-FW01 - An IEM, but I adore the sound of these. Natural, organic, smooth, detailed with deep bass and one of the most musical and euphonic sounds I’ve heard. These are my portable go to’s.
5.) Beyerdynamic DT 480 - 25 Ohm (modding in progress) - Very very fast and detailed. Unrivaled midrange/vocals. Powerful dynamics. Musical. Incredible imaging. Power hungry though, takes a lot of power to bring out the bass fully but is capable of insane bass slam when called for. This is arguably my highest fidelity dynamic headphone but it’s also quite heavy (comfort is good though) and not ideal for long listening sessions. Been working on modding these off and on for a couple years.
6.) Kaldas RR 1 Conquest (pad swapped) - Using modified Nighthawk microsuede pads for comfort and a somewhat warmer/darker sound. The only estat in the list. This is a very resolving, fast, and detailed headphone with the best soundstaging of all my headphones. Fantastic midrange and treble response. I mostly use this for intense music listening sessions and if I want to analyze the music in a different way. A bit on the heavy side.
7.) AKG K612 Pro (Austrian) - Another quite neutral headphone, very spacious sounding and my most difficult open-back dynamic to drive properly. Huge soundstage and good imaging. Bass is a bit weaker and sounds different than most headphones at first but you quickly adjust. Needs a bit of tender loving care and new pads. This is the headphone I’ve owned the longest on this list. Comfortable.
8.) Audio-Technica ATH-A990Z - Warm and full sound, between the T1.3 and R70x in tuning. Not as resolving nor scales as much as the headphones above. Non-fatiguing. Very musical sound and very spacious for a closed-back. Very comfortable.
Headphones I feel kind of meh about.
9.) Apple AirPods Pro - Wireless iem, quite good tuning but sounds a bit artificial, but not that bad. Can’t seem to get myself to really like them some reason. Used mostly for noise cancelling and phone calls.
10.) AKG K245 - Somewhat bad comfort is the main reason these are low but also the sound, while it has a nice tuning similar to the HD 650’s but deeper reaching actually but it’s notably lower fidelity and has some roughness in the lower treble/upper mids that I’m not a fan of. Just feels a bit mediocre to me overall.
11.) AKG K275 - Same as the K245 comfort hurts these. But a little worse here due to being closed. These sound more restricted and leaner than the K245 and has some minor issues sonically to my ears. Seems to scale less with gear than the K245 as well.
This is a tough list for me as everything other than the number 1 headphones moves around on the list depending on my mood.
Headphones I like a lot.
1.) Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 3 - Just sounds right once you get used to it, this headphone sounds the most natural to me with long-term listening. Very resolving and scales dramatically with gear. Good at everything. Very musical and comfortable.
2.) Audio-Technica ATH-R70x - This is my neutral reference headphone; like a better tuned and deeper reaching HD 600 that isn’t boring. Can be a bit tricky to drive to it’s best potential. Super lightweight. This is my most comfortable headphone.
3.) Altiat Cal.1H (Aluminum and Alcantara pads) - This is a warmer, fuller, and more liquid sounding headphone compared to the R70x, in a sense more like the HD 650 but with proper sub-bass. Rich full mids. Very comfortable.
4.) JVC HA-FW01 - An IEM, but I adore the sound of these. Natural, organic, smooth, detailed with deep bass and one of the most musical and euphonic sounds I’ve heard. These are my portable go to’s.
5.) Beyerdynamic DT 480 - 25 Ohm (modding in progress) - Very very fast and detailed. Unrivaled midrange/vocals. Powerful dynamics. Musical. Incredible imaging. Power hungry though, takes a lot of power to bring out the bass fully but is capable of insane bass slam when called for. This is arguably my highest fidelity dynamic headphone but it’s also quite heavy (comfort is good though) and not ideal for long listening sessions. Been working on modding these off and on for a couple years.
6.) Kaldas RR 1 Conquest (pad swapped) - Using modified Nighthawk microsuede pads for comfort and a somewhat warmer/darker sound. The only estat in the list. This is a very resolving, fast, and detailed headphone with the best soundstaging of all my headphones. Fantastic midrange and treble response. I mostly use this for intense music listening sessions and if I want to analyze the music in a different way. A bit on the heavy side.
7.) AKG K612 Pro (Austrian) - Another quite neutral headphone, very spacious sounding and my most difficult open-back dynamic to drive properly. Huge soundstage and good imaging. Bass is a bit weaker and sounds different than most headphones at first but you quickly adjust. Needs a bit of tender loving care and new pads. This is the headphone I’ve owned the longest on this list. Comfortable.
8.) Audio-Technica ATH-A990Z - Warm and full sound, between the T1.3 and R70x in tuning. Not as resolving nor scales as much as the headphones above. Non-fatiguing. Very musical sound and very spacious for a closed-back. Very comfortable.
Headphones I feel kind of meh about.
9.) Apple AirPods Pro - Wireless iem, quite good tuning but sounds a bit artificial, but not that bad. Can’t seem to get myself to really like them some reason. Used mostly for noise cancelling and phone calls.
10.) AKG K245 - Somewhat bad comfort is the main reason these are low but also the sound, while it has a nice tuning similar to the HD 650’s but deeper reaching actually but it’s notably lower fidelity and has some roughness in the lower treble/upper mids that I’m not a fan of. Just feels a bit mediocre to me overall.
11.) AKG K275 - Same as the K245 comfort hurts these. But a little worse here due to being closed. These sound more restricted and leaner than the K245 and has some minor issues sonically to my ears. Seems to scale less with gear than the K245 as well.
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Kukuk
Headphoneus Supremus
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I've had some headphones come and go in the past year, so here's my updated ranking:
1. Hifiman HE-500 - Still the champ; master of all trades, no real weaknesses. Soundstage is maybe not best in class, but that's really the only nitpick I have about them.
2. Audeze LCD-3f - It shares a lot of the same strengths as the HE-500, however its bass extension is weaker, and the more laid-back sound doesn't always resonate with me.
3. AKG K812 - Sometimes these and the LCD-3 will trade places in my ranking. The soundstage on these is basically best in class, with a great 3-dimensional image. Bass extension is also very good for a dynamic headphone. The treble is pretty hot on these, but it really only bothers me on occasion.
4. Hifiman HE-5XX - This is the new entry into my collection, and I'm really blown away by them. If you've been in the 5XX thread you've seen me wax lyrically about them, so I'll spare you that here; I'll just say that while they aren't quite up to par with the HE-500, I think they do a good job of capturing some of its essence. Extremely under rated headphone IMO, and well-worth the purchase if don't want to chase down an HE-500 for twice the price.
5. Hifiman Sundara - While I think this is still a fine headphone, the HE-5XX really highlighted some of the problems I have with it; namely that it can sound a little metallic at times, and its bass isn't great. Still, it's a cohesive headphone, with great mids, great soundstage, and a fairly detailed sound. Not sure I'd recommend it at its price though, considering the HE-5XX is at least $100 cheaper. You'd really have to have a preference for treble-centric sound to choose this over the 5XX.
6. Beyerdynamic DT1770 - These are generally my go-to closed headphone. To me the real noteworthy thing about them is their bass: it's extremely powerful yet very fast and clean. Mids are fine, but treble can be a little hot at times. I don't find it to be fatiguing, but it can come off as unnatural.
7. Sendy Aiva - This has character that other headphones don't really have, so I think it's going to stick with me for a while, but from a value standpoint its a bit mediocre compared to Hifiman's offerings. It ticks a lot of boxes in that it's got a nice soundstage, sweet mids, and decent bass impact, but it's lacking in bass extension really badly, and detail isn't particularly impressive.
8. Beyerdynamiic DT770 Pro 80 - If the comfort of the DT1770 is bothering me I fall back to these when I need a closed headphone. I'd say these are 90% as good as the 1770, with the only real drawbacks being the bass doesn't extend quite as low with as much power, it's a little slower, and the treble is more spiky. The 1770 has more of a broad emphasis on treble, whereas the DT770 has specific frequency spikes. These can be a bit grating with certain music, so typically I'll use these mostly for playing games. I also find the soundstage on these to be a bit bigger than the 1770.
9. AKG K612 - Another jack of all trades headphone. These don't get much use from me lately, but you'd have to pry them from my cold dead hands.
10. Beyerdynamic Aventho - My portable headphones. They are perfectly fine, but comfort prevents me from using them at home for hours at a time.
1. Hifiman HE-500 - Still the champ; master of all trades, no real weaknesses. Soundstage is maybe not best in class, but that's really the only nitpick I have about them.
2. Audeze LCD-3f - It shares a lot of the same strengths as the HE-500, however its bass extension is weaker, and the more laid-back sound doesn't always resonate with me.
3. AKG K812 - Sometimes these and the LCD-3 will trade places in my ranking. The soundstage on these is basically best in class, with a great 3-dimensional image. Bass extension is also very good for a dynamic headphone. The treble is pretty hot on these, but it really only bothers me on occasion.
4. Hifiman HE-5XX - This is the new entry into my collection, and I'm really blown away by them. If you've been in the 5XX thread you've seen me wax lyrically about them, so I'll spare you that here; I'll just say that while they aren't quite up to par with the HE-500, I think they do a good job of capturing some of its essence. Extremely under rated headphone IMO, and well-worth the purchase if don't want to chase down an HE-500 for twice the price.
5. Hifiman Sundara - While I think this is still a fine headphone, the HE-5XX really highlighted some of the problems I have with it; namely that it can sound a little metallic at times, and its bass isn't great. Still, it's a cohesive headphone, with great mids, great soundstage, and a fairly detailed sound. Not sure I'd recommend it at its price though, considering the HE-5XX is at least $100 cheaper. You'd really have to have a preference for treble-centric sound to choose this over the 5XX.
6. Beyerdynamic DT1770 - These are generally my go-to closed headphone. To me the real noteworthy thing about them is their bass: it's extremely powerful yet very fast and clean. Mids are fine, but treble can be a little hot at times. I don't find it to be fatiguing, but it can come off as unnatural.
7. Sendy Aiva - This has character that other headphones don't really have, so I think it's going to stick with me for a while, but from a value standpoint its a bit mediocre compared to Hifiman's offerings. It ticks a lot of boxes in that it's got a nice soundstage, sweet mids, and decent bass impact, but it's lacking in bass extension really badly, and detail isn't particularly impressive.
8. Beyerdynamiic DT770 Pro 80 - If the comfort of the DT1770 is bothering me I fall back to these when I need a closed headphone. I'd say these are 90% as good as the 1770, with the only real drawbacks being the bass doesn't extend quite as low with as much power, it's a little slower, and the treble is more spiky. The 1770 has more of a broad emphasis on treble, whereas the DT770 has specific frequency spikes. These can be a bit grating with certain music, so typically I'll use these mostly for playing games. I also find the soundstage on these to be a bit bigger than the 1770.
9. AKG K612 - Another jack of all trades headphone. These don't get much use from me lately, but you'd have to pry them from my cold dead hands.
10. Beyerdynamic Aventho - My portable headphones. They are perfectly fine, but comfort prevents me from using them at home for hours at a time.
Dailydrive
Head-Fier
1. SR1A (everything but sub-bass, I can live with this sacrifice)
2. SR-SC1+SRM-222 (musical quality bassy eStats (surprise), but still lack something to made me want more
3. HE-4xx (good intro as step up)
4. T1.G1 (comfort but dynamic shows its age against planar, eStats, ribbon)
5. Takstar Pro82 (start my interest in this rabbit hole)
6. IEMs (budget KZs etc) but don't like sticking plugs into my ears. later I learned why; sound doesn't start from ear canals thus my headphone journey
2. SR-SC1+SRM-222 (musical quality bassy eStats (surprise), but still lack something to made me want more
3. HE-4xx (good intro as step up)
4. T1.G1 (comfort but dynamic shows its age against planar, eStats, ribbon)
5. Takstar Pro82 (start my interest in this rabbit hole)
6. IEMs (budget KZs etc) but don't like sticking plugs into my ears. later I learned why; sound doesn't start from ear canals thus my headphone journey
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1 - Focal Clear OG Pro
2 - E-MU Teak
3 - HD800 (original)
4 - Hifiman Edition XS
2 - E-MU Teak
3 - HD800 (original)
4 - Hifiman Edition XS
MalinYamato
100+ Head-Fier
I choose to keep my phone fleet small
1. Denon AH-D9200
2. Modhouse Argon T60rp
3. HFM Sundara
4. Sennheiser Momentum 2 (trying to get rid of this one)
No longer have: B&W P7, AH-D5000, AH-D5200, AH-D7200
Looking at: HFM Arya and DC Aeon 2 Noir
1. Denon AH-D9200
2. Modhouse Argon T60rp
3. HFM Sundara
4. Sennheiser Momentum 2 (trying to get rid of this one)
No longer have: B&W P7, AH-D5000, AH-D5200, AH-D7200
Looking at: HFM Arya and DC Aeon 2 Noir
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Terriero
Headphoneus Supremus
I think that I've asked to you this before (maybe some time ago in 7200s or 9200s thread), but I didn't know that you also had the 5200s.I choose to keep my phone fleet small
1. Denon AH-D9200
2. Modhouse Argon T60rp
3. HFM Sundara
4. Sennheiser Momentum 2 (trying to get rid of this one)
No longer have: B&W P7, AH-D5000, AH-D5200, AH-D7200
Looking at: HFM Arya and DC Aeon 2 Noir
How do you compare the Denon trio (5, 7 and 9) ? Did you have all at the same time?
MalinYamato
100+ Head-Fier
very subjective -- I had AH-D5200 and AH-D7200 at the same time. The 5 didn't do it for me so I returned it during the return window and got a second-hand 7 which I liked and is the best value. After mod it is said to sound fantastic. I got an impulse and bought the 9 as an endgame in order to stop wasting time in finding phones and finding out about mods. I believe it is the best closed back but not as good as Foocal Stelia which I will never buy. 7 is 2D, 9 is 3D, with very good controlled bass and mid.
Terriero
Headphoneus Supremus
What mod did you do to the 7200s?
chesebert
18 Years An Extra-Hardcore Head-Fi'er
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This is a symptom of weak/incompatible amplifier. Try a class A push pull that can output 3w+ at 50ohm.
sennfan83261
500+ Head-Fier
The LCD-3F is easier to drive vs. HE-500 to 120 dB SPL
| LCD-3F | HE-500 | |
| impedance | 110 ohms | 38 ohms |
| sensitivity | 101 dB/mW | 89 dB/mW |
| Power | 80 mW | 1259 mW |
| Voltage | 3 V | 6.9V |
| Current | 27 mA | 182 mA |
chesebert
18 Years An Extra-Hardcore Head-Fi'er
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There is drive and drive well (not how loud, i.e. db gain). I am just saying his description does not reflect what I am hearing. That's all. Could be the amp or dac, most likely the amp given the same dac would be used with other cans.
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sennfan83261
500+ Head-Fier
Depending on when the LCD-3F was manufactured, there was a time when there was quite a bit of unit to unit variation in the early fazor days. Some sounded great, some sounded like ass no matter what's in your chain.
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