[JaZZ]

There's an old thread with the same topic, but it doesn't hurt to create a new one -- since many people will have auditioned new headphones in the meantime.

It would be nice if you could follow these rules:
The headphones you currently own are bold; the headphones you have owned are bold and gray; the headphones you have intensively and extensively heard in your setup or in a familiar setup with a good reference to your own gear are normal; the headphones you have heard under unfamiliar circumstances but would like to rank anyway are in accolades () and italic. Brief comments are welcome.

I'm starting with my own list:

1. AKG K 701 (not perfect, but closest to my sonic ideal to date; low coloration, excellent detail and soundstage)
2. Sennheiser HD 650 (with Zu Mobius) (lusher variant of the sonic-ideal approach)
3. Electrostat 1 (angled Lambda Pro drivers)
4. Electrostat 2 (angled Signature Pro drivers)
5. Sennheiser HE 90 (amps: mod. SRM-T1 / SRM-007) (accuracy in person, but slightly dry, lacking treble sparkle, flow and low-bass impact)
6. Stax SR-404 (very accurate, but a bit too colored for my taste)
7. AKG K 1000 (excellent detail, quite neutral, but no low bass to speak of; awfully uncomfortable)
8. Sony R10 (smooth and extended, unconspicuous)
9. Beyerdynamic DT 880 (2003 version) (unnatural treble accentuation, but never harsh)
10. Sennheiser HD 600 (with Zu Mobius or Silver Dragon) (no glaring flaws)
11. Etymotic ER-4P (modified) (ultimate bass extension, transient king, neutral, slight metallic sheen in the treble)
12. (Stax 4070)
13. AKG K 501 (quite neutral and organic, but slightly hard lower treble and lacking low bass)
14. Sennheiser PX 100 (on iAudio 7 with equalizer almost on ER-4 level -- without equalizer on 26th position)
15. Sony SA 5000 (detail and upper mids emphasized, good bass, slightly hollow, neither organic nor homogeneous)
16. (Sony CD 3000)
17. Sennheiser HD 595 (somehow «musical» and snappy, but also unrefined and somewhat midrangey, lacking extension)
18. Grado RS 1 (typically Grado: upfront, mid-bass and -treble emphasis)
19. Stax SR-007 (amps: mod. SRM-T1 / SRM-007) (smooth, excellent resolution; boomy, obtrusive bass, slight hollowness; uncomfortable)
20. Grado PS 1 (the hyper-Grado -- streamlined version; slightly metallic)
21. (Shure E500)
22. Audio Technica L 3000 (homogeneous, extended bass, but dull, life- and soundstageless)
23. Grado SR 225
24. Grado SR 325
25. Sony F1 (spacious, warm and colorful midrange, wooly treble, lacking extension at both ends; comfortable)
26. Sennheiser PX 200
27. Beyerdynamic DT 860 (smooth and extended, but awful treble spike)
28. AKG K81DJ (smooth and extended, but much too much bass and hollow characteristic)
29. Grado SR 80
30. Koss PortaPro

(I could go on, but decided to only list the headphones which have at least some qualities I appreciate.)
.

 

[Socrates3000]

I am one of the few people who like the K701, RS1, and HD650 about equally. They are all just different.

 

[facelvega]

it does hurt to create a new thread: if this one takes off, it will double the time it takes for people considering a new headphone to search how head-fiers ranked it against other possible choices. Why not just bump the old thread?

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by facelvega /img/forum/go_quote.gif it does hurt to create a new thread: if this one takes off, it will double the time it takes for people considering a new headphone to search how head-fiers ranked it against other possible choices. Why not just bump the old thread?

Because the old thread is old and possibly outdated. That was my consideration. And finding two threads with the same topic doesn't take much more time if you take reading the posts into account. -- Thanks for your post anyway! I hope it doesn't keep people from posting.
.

 

[tom hankins]

HE90/Singlepower ES-1
HE90/HEV90
Sony R10/Singlepower SDS or SDS-XLR
HD650/Zu-XLR cable/ Singlepower SDS-XLR
L3000/with either matching amp or the Singlepower SDS

 

[milkweg]

That's an awfully high rating for PX100 and not one I would agree with at all. Even Sony V500dj's sound better.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkweg /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's an awfully high rating for PX100 and not one I would agree with at all. Even Sony V500dj's sound better.

Note the equalizer! Also consider that I exclusively use it on the go, which may be an important factor (real-life multi-sense effect).
.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom hankins /img/forum/go_quote.gif HE90/Singlepower ES-1 HE90/HEV90 Sony R10/Singlepower SDS or SDS-XLR HD650/Zu-XLR cable/ Singlepower SDS-XLR L3000/with either matching amp or the Singlepower SDS

But that's not all you've heard, Tom, is it?
.

 

[Duggeh]

The old thread wasn't out of date as many people regularly updated their rankings and opinions, thus not only letting people see a lot of contextual preference, but a progression of that preference. How old will this thread have to be before it too is too outdated?

The colour coding rules are a nice touch, but they could be added to the existing material.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duggeh /img/forum/go_quote.gif How old will this thread have to be before it too is too outdated?

I think 1½ years is enough. After all today is the day the new Sennheiser generation will be launched...

Quote:

The old thread wasn't out of date as many people regularly updated their rankings and opinions, thus not only letting people see a lot of contextual preference, but a progression of that preference.

I just checked the old thread, which was opened in June 2006, the last post dating July 2006. I couldn't find any edited posts (to verify the regular updates you're mentioning); maybe the edit info has got lost during the forum crash? Nevertheless, I've added a link to the old thread to my first post; I hope all is well now.
.

 

[Capunk]

1. Yuin PK-1 (Sweet, musical, big soundstage, 3D imaging, the best earphone ever)
2a. ATH W1000 (Shine on Classical, has better Mid than K701, but less bass than K701)
2b. AKG K701 (Wide soundstage, sharp & detailed high, refined bass extension)
3. Denon D2000 (Big bass, dark background, slightly cold, but great mid)
4. Westone UM2 (Big sound from small IEM, nearly similar to PK-1, but slightly flat)
5. ATH AD700 (Comfortable, big soundstage, but thin Bass)
6. Alessandro MS-1 (Great for Rock, energetic, but narrow staging)
7. Sennheiser MX550 (Cheap earbud but big sound, great bass, i love the signature sound)
8. Koss KSC-55 (Great bass, mid, but the plastic enclosure really hurt my ears, very tight)

I've tried HD650, AD900, KSC75, RS-2, MS-2, but for very short time, so I can't put my judgment yet, but if I must rank my ER-6i, I would put in the last of the ranking number possible, I hate it so much.

 

[purk]

Quote:

HE90/Singlepower ES-1 HE90/HEV90 Sony R10/Singlepower SDS or SDS-XLR HD650/Zu-XLR cable/ Singlepower SDS-XLR L3000/with either matching amp or the Singlepower SDS __________________

That is pretty much my opinion on the best headphone system too.

Here are my rankings:

Tier 1: HE-90, R10 (both versions), and Qualia respectively. (I suspect the K1000 will be in this tier too, but the best I've heard of them was with the RKV MKII)

Tier 2: HE60, L3000, SR-007II, Lambda Pro, W2002 w/ L3000 drivers, HP-1/2, K1000, and HD-650.

Tier 3: W2002, W5000, K701, W11JPN, Ediiton 9, JVC DX1000, CD3000, RS-1, RS-2, SA5000, HD-600, D5000, and W10VTG.

Tier 4: DT880, HD-580, CD1700, A1000, SR-325i, HF-1, A950LTD, A100ti, E500, and Ety ER-4s/p.

Tier 5: E5c, DT-531 SR-325, SR-225, and HD-590.

Tier 6: SR-125, SR-80, MDR-E484, MDR-V7 & MDR-V6, HD-280pro, JVC HA990, and Denon D950.

Tier 7: KSC35, E2c, MDR-E888, PX100, and E565.

Tier 8: Bose stuffs, Sony MDR-NC11, and EX70LP.

I still can't believe that I've owned and auditioned all of the above headphones in my system. It has been a great journey for me.

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duggeh /img/forum/go_quote.gif The old thread wasn't out of date as many people regularly updated their rankings and opinions, thus not only letting people see a lot of contextual preference, but a progression of that preference. How old will this thread have to be before it too is too outdated?

I guess about 60 years when we can no longer hear anything, because some of us still use vintages those are 30-40 years old, older than many members in these forums.

 

[facelvega]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just checked the old thread, which was opened in June 2006, the last post dating July 2006.

Ah, I believe Duggeh and I were thinking of this thread, which is very much alive. Technically it's only for headphones owned and not heard, though some have mentioned heard as well. I use that thread as a resource all the time, and as you will see have contributed recently. We've run into problems with the Stax thread that we started a new one back when page numbers wouldn't condense (and thus made each page many screens wide), but then the forum got updated, the page number problem solved, and we were left always having to search two threads when we needed obscure information about some old Stax unit.

 

[kevg73]

wow everyone has better lists than me... ohh well im new to hi-fi

1. Goldring DR150
2. Sennheiser HD590
3. Sennheiser HD515
4. JVC Marshmallows
5. iBuds