[gooeyrich]

Just wanted to see what people think. Seem to be a lot of "under $500" lists but I was wondering what it would look like by expanding to include ones like the Amiron, Elex, 1990 etc.

I'm not that experienced so I'll refrain from posting one.

 

[Deolum]

I think very few people heard so much headphones that they could rank that properly.

 

[siruspan]

1. Stax SR-L500
2. Stax SR-507
3. Stax SR-407
4. Stax Lambda PRO
5. Stax Lambda Signature
6. Stax SR-L300
7. Beyerdynamic T1 (1st gen)
8. Audioquest Nightowl
9. Beyerdynamic DT990 Edition 600ohm
10. Sennheiser HD600

 

[MalinYamato]

T60RP argons ...those are even way well below 1000K

 

[bagwell359]

1. Stax SR-L500
2. Stax SR-507
3. Stax SR-407
4. Stax Lambda PRO
5. Stax Lambda Signature
6. Stax SR-L300
7. Beyerdynamic T1 (1st gen)
8. Audioquest Nightowl
9. Beyerdynamic DT990 Edition 600ohm
10. Sennheiser HD600

most people don't have amps suitable for Stax on hand, that has to be added to the cost.

 

[bagwell359]

I think very few people heard so much headphones that they could rank that properly.

too open ended - just tempted to give my personal; list, with my biases, and also my supporting equipment.

How about genre, tastes, headphones liked and not liked, equipment available, etc., so we can have a framework.

 

[dougms3]

I understand that some people don't like the focal house sound, its not for everyone but for those that do like it the Focal Clear is the best under $1k imo.

Great all around headphone and scales really well with gear.

Other worthy mentions.

Denon D7200
Hifiman Arya
LCD X / XC

 

[Shane D]

Just wanted to see what people think. Seem to be a lot of "under $500" lists but I was wondering what it would look like by expanding to include ones like the Amiron, Elex, 1990 etc.

I'm not that experienced so I'll refrain from posting one.

This will be a very subjective list for everybody. I wonder if we ALL made a top ten list, would there be Any identical lists?

I am cutting and pasting a post I made on another thread. I am Very happy with my current collection and it meets your criteria:

1) Grado GH2's - $679.00
2) Focal Elex's - $599.00
3) HiFiman HE6se V2's - $599.00, but Very amp dependent!
4) iBasso SR2's - $479.00
5) Focal Clear's - $839.00
6) Focal Radiance's - $990.00
7) CFA Cascades - $799.00
8) Grado Hemps - $420.00

 

[Saberpunch]

Are we really doing this for a 2-year-old thread? F it, let's revive this thread.

What I look for in a headphone is Natural Vocal Reproduction > Instrumental Timbre > Sweet Sounding (not a big fan of analytical sounds) > Music Weight (Don't want the music to sound thin) > Sub-bass > Clarity > Soundstage (I only want soundstage in classical music). All of the headphones I listed except the AKGs and maybe the Hifiman are easy to drive and sound great with an amp. I remember loving the HD600 using the dragonfly Cobalt and the HD600 has the ability to soar to further heights with a better amp.

1. Onkyo A800 (My personal favorite headphone of all time)
2. Audio Technica W10VTG (Best looking headphones under $1000)
3. Sennheiser HD580 Jubilee (This headphone started a legendary series)
4. Sennheiser HD600 (Best first-time audiophile headphone for me)
5. Audio Technica AD2000 (Speed the game, AD2000 is the name)
6. Sony MDR-CD3000 (Genes of a king, sounded different from his father but it still good)
7. Sony MDR-MA900 (Pretty dang solid for under $500, my favorite go-to portable headphone)
8. AKG K240 Sextett EP (Amazing sound performance for under $200 used, not too sure how much this retail...)
9. AKG K340 (Red Driver Version) (Same as the K240, but more of an acquired taste)
10. Hifiman Edition XS (headband was too uncomfortable, but remember it sounded nice)

 

[pbui44]

OP posted this 2.5 years ago, but that was when COVID had only a handful of variants, so this is not really a necro-thread for now.

I think that I have been to enough meets and CanJams to make 2 lists: one with the wider-soundstage-sound-signature and one with the more-intimate-sound-signature that still some kind of variant for under $1k as of this posting, unless noted and most likely needs a more powerful or higher quality amp:

wider-soundstage-sound-signature
1.) Hifiman HE-6 (SE Adorama Edition current)
2.) Beyerdynamic T1 (2nd gen 600 ohms most recent)
3.) Audeze LCD-2 (Classic currently)
4.) MD x Hifiman Edition XX (XS currently)
5.) Stax SR-L500 mki (mkii currently; SRM-252 electrostatic amp used is $250)
6.) Koss ESP-950 (E90 energizer amp comes with it)
7.) Sennheiser HD700 (NLA; HD660S and HD660 S2 have the same driver)
8.) Sennheiser HD425 (NLA; many other variants that are also NLA)
9.) Hifiman HE-4 (NLA; Drop x Hifiman HE-X4 is a successor)
10.) Monoprice M1060 (still available, but M1070 is the successor)

more-intimate-sound-signature
1.) Beyerdynamic T5p
2.) Focal Clear OG
3.) Hifiman HE-500 (NLA; Hifiman HE-560 V4 Adorama Edition is a successor)
4.) Sennheiser HD600
5.) Sennheiser HD650
6.) Drop x Sennheiser HD6xx
7.) Sennheiser HD250 Linear I (NLA; many other variants that are also NLA)
8.) Campfire Audio Cascade
9.) Audio Technica ATH-W1000x (NLA; ATH-W1000z as successor, but also NLA)
10.) Denon D5000 (NLA; D5200 currently)

Hope this helps.

Edit: Forgot that I had the CA Cascades on a week-long loan!

 

[Saberpunch]

wider-soundstage-sound-signature
1.) Hifiman HE-6 (SE Adorama Edition current)
2.) Beyerdynamic T1 (2nd gen 600 ohms most recent)
3.) Audeze LCD-2 (Classic currently)
4.) MD x Hifiman Edition XX (XS currently)
5.) Stax SR-L500 mki (mkii currently; SRM-252 electrostatic amp used is $250)
6.) Koss ESP-950 (E90 energizer amp comes with it)
7.) Sennheiser HD700 (NLA; HD660S and HD660 S2 have the same driver)
8.) Sennheiser HD425 (NLA; many other variants that are also NLA)
9.) Hifiman HE-4 (NLA; Drop x Hifiman HE-X4 is a successor)
10.) Monoprice M1060 (still available, but M1070 is the successor)

more-intimate-sound-signature
1.) Beyerdynamic T5p
2.) Focal Clear OG
3.) Hifiman HE-500 (NLA; Hifiman HE-560 V4 Adorama Edition is a successor)
4.) Sennheiser HD600
5.) Sennheiser HD650
6.) Drop x Sennheiser HD6xx
7.) Sennheiser HD250 Linear I (NLA; many other variants that are also NLA)
8.) Campfire Audio Cascade
9.) Audio Technica ATH-W1000x (NLA; ATH-W1000z as successor, but also NLA)
10.) Denon D5000 (NLA; D5200 currently)

I forgot about the Koss ESP-950, that’s a good headphone to get into estat.

 

[bagwell359]

I understand that some people don't like the focal house sound, its not for everyone but for those that do like it the Focal Clear is the best under $1k imo.

Great all around headphone and scales really well with gear.

Other worthy mentions.

Denon D7200
Hifiman Arya
LCD X / XC

Only on Headphones.com, OG Clears on closeout for $890, new model $1499 everywhere - FYI. I like the OG's - best of the Focals IMO.

Arya and LCD X are over $1k new. Like the X-2021 the best. I just heard it finally, and it's the best value proposition in the Audeze line IMO - new purchase. Its better than the Arya (any model), esp. since its a bit cheaper. It's my new pick for cans at/just over $1K. Not sure of the used market, but if its say $675-700, and you can get the sales slip from an authorized dealer, its a major option at that range.

Others to toss out:

Used: HE-500, HE-6 6 screw, HD-800 or S
New: HE-6 SE, XS, HD-600

among many choices