[elvergun]

Now I just think it's OK.

This is what I always thought of the HD650...that it was just okay.

But what the HD650 has become is the reference point by which we judge other headphones since everybody and their sister has owned or heard this model.

 

[ChoColostrum]

Why are other people questioning others ranking? I think it's already a known fact that sound is subjective and people hear differently..

 

[BobG55]

Why are other people questioning others ranking? I think it's already a known fact that sound is subjective and people hear differently..

Possibly makes them feel better about the money they spent and what they believe to be their superior acquired knowledge.

 

[ducanh712]

1. A+T Solitaire P
2. Focal Utopia
3. LCD 3
4. Hifiman Edition X V2
5. Hifiman HE-560
6. ATH R70X

 

[Mortsnets]

1. AQ Nighthawk Carbon pleather pads and Sonneteer the Bard's Headspace gizmo
2. Massdrop Sennheiser HD58X Jubilee
3. Oppo PM-3
4. Grado SR-60
5. Koss Portapro, KSC75 on Parts Express headband
6. Sony MDR-7506
7. Howard Leight Sync
8. Bose QC25

 

[GREQ]

This is what I always thought of the HD650...that it was just okay.

But what the HD650 has become is the reference point by which we judge other headphones since everybody and their sister has owned or heard this model.

Oh definitely.
This is why I still own it.
That, and it's probably the most non-fatiguing/polite headphone money can buy for sound and comfort.... at least for me personally.

 

[tabness]

.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Only have a couple of headphones, so I think better if I make my list for headphone that I had as it's more useful information :

1. Focal Utopia
2. ZMF Aeolus
3. Focal Elear
4. MrSpeaker Aeon Open
5. Oppo PM1
6. ATH AD1000 PRM
7. Alessandro MS-Pro
8. ATH W1000
9. Sennheiser HD650
10. AKG K701
11. Alessandro MS1i

What I do miss right now actually are: Utopia, Elear, and PM1

 

[ThanatosVI]

1. Meze Empyrean
2. Hifiman Arya
3. Hifiman Edition Xv2
4. LCD-2C
5. LCD-2 Closed back

The meze is ahead by miles though. 3-5 are pretty even in Performance

 

[DesignTaylor]

-------- (the top three trade spots on the regular) ---------
1. Hifiman Ananda
2. LCD-2C
3. Focal Elex

-------- (not really a performance ranking between these guys, mostly mood) ---------
4. Fostex TR-X00
5. ModHouse Argon Mk3

-------- (best of the rest, they all come out to play every once in awhile) ---------
6. Sennheiser HD 6XX
7. Grado SR80e
8. Beyerdynamic DT-880 (might rank higher but my pair is pretty used up at this point)
8. Hifiman HE400i

 

[ilikebananafudge]

I recently sold the HD650s, so I'll include them. I understand why people like their tonal balance, but they sound quite smeared and imprecise compared to all of the others on this list.

1. Focal Clear
2. Koss ESP/95X (slightly modified)
3. Stax Lambda (Normal Bias)
4. Audeze LCD-2 rev2 (pre-Fazor)
5. Focal Elegia
6. Sennheiser HD650

 

[kinkling]

Sennheiser HD600
NAD Viso HP50
Sennheiser HD660S
Focal Elegia
Sivga P-II
Sennheiser PX-100II
Sennheiser HD598SE
Monoprice Retro
ATH-M40
ATH-M50

 

[CDJ123]

I have Hifiman HE-560 which are “good” but I want something better. I was leaning toward getting the Meze Empyrean or Focal Utopia. After seeing these rankings, and the fact that the Meze makes very few of these lists, it makes me wonder. Any comments on why you do not have them or why you do have the Focals? Both seem to have a very similar frequency sweep with the Meze being a little warmer.

 

[GREQ]

I have Hifiman HE-560 which are “good” but I want something better. I was leaning toward getting the Meze Empyrean or Focal Utopia. After seeing these rankings, and the fact that the Meze makes very few of these lists, it makes me wonder. Any comments on why you do not have them or why you do have the Focals? Both seem to have a very similar frequency sweep with the Meze being a little warmer.

Empyrean is simply quite boring.
Small soundstage and very 'polite' tuning.
It's almost 'too perfect' in the way it doesn't add anything to the music. It literally adds nothing... not even a little spark of excitement.

Of course YMMV.
Some people are looking for exactly that kind of music reproduction.
But I like hearing all the colourations and BIG soundstages, and deep thunderous sub-bass.

Focals, on the whole are tuned warmer, aside from the Utopia which is the most 'classically neutral' (too much treble) of the bunch.

 

[ThanatosVI]

I have Hifiman HE-560 which are “good” but I want something better. I was leaning toward getting the Meze Empyrean or Focal Utopia. After seeing these rankings, and the fact that the Meze makes very few of these lists, it makes me wonder. Any comments on why you do not have them or why you do have the Focals? Both seem to have a very similar frequency sweep with the Meze being a little warmer.

The Meze and Focal have very different types of Presentation, if anything I'd consider them complementary instead of directly competing.

Depending on your personal music taste you likely will strongly gravitate towards one or the other.

The Meze is unique in the sense that among the flagships it has more of a "fun" than "linear analytical" tuning. Therefore it is not universally liked by many audiophiles.
It still has all the Detail there is, it simply doesn't throw it in your face.