[mnemonix]

Just tossing this out there as a kind of straw poll. I've owned many headphones, open, closed back and IEMS which I can easily discern the difference between. I'm not a big believer in the audible differences between dacs, amps, cables,un/ balanced and the like however (I'm not looking for an argument either). I listen to a very wide range of music, jazz, folk, electronica, j-pop, hiphop, rock, you name it. I do get the itch to try new stuff and have been kicking around on this forum for years, but honestly, I'm trying to tame that impulse and just settle on one setup to really listen to music on (as opposed to listening to the performance of the headphone on).

So, given a choice between a Senn HD6-- (insert your preference here, they're all variations on a theme) + a solid, neutral dac/amp combo like the o2/odac, OR a Stax L-- (700 probably but again variations on a theme) + similar DAC, which do you think would make the best, reasonably neutral but enjoyable system for a few years use? I know, massive price difference but I've picked them because in a wierd way I think either might deliver what I'm looking for.

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

I’ve listened to both set-ups quite extensively and would much rather roll with an HD600/650 over an L300/500/700. Now you mention ‘reasonably neutral‘ yourself and if that is what you are aiming for, you can’t beat the Sennheisers. The Staxes all have a significant peak around 1k which ultimately make them a far cry from neutral.
If on the other hand treble detail is high on your check list..there is probably nothing better than a Stax.
Said another way: I would strongly recommend anyone curious about Staxes to audition before purchasing. There is a world of difference between the ‘I can hear god’- z review and actually listening to these cans yourself with your own music

Edith: Speaking from a personal viewpoint here but I would take something like a Sundara over any of the above mentioned Staxes. It harnesses some of the same traits as the electrostats though with a far more agreeable tuning...and a bass that stomps all over any Stax you can buy.

 

[mnemonix]

Thanks! the point to test them for myself is well taken, it's just impatience and the ongoing covid situation that tempts me to spend before I hear but I will take your advice. I'm sure the Sundara is a great headphone but one of the factors in my choice here was the desire for a 'classic' setup with the proven ability to stand the test of time and changing fashions.

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

My pleasure.
As an aside: I love the Sennheiser 6 series and find them to be the most natural sounding headphones out there (along with a rare few)...but I’m not sure that either the 600 or 650 will be your best bet. Looking at your eclectic tastes my guess is that you, like me, would fair better with an ATH-R70x, which basically is Audio Technica’s answer to the HD600. They’re both tuned flat, both share a wonderful sense of naturalness and realism, but whereas the old Sennheiser rather quickly runs out of steam in the low basement notes (just like the 650), the R70x reaches deep and does so with a clarity wholly missing from the Sennies. I mention this because you listed hip-hop and K-pop and I would imagine you listen to other such stuff where the deep bass often is represented. Over the R70x you get all of that.
I tend to think of it like this:
Music recorded before ca 1990: 600
Music recorded after ca 1990: R70x
Main difference? The Audio Technica generally does old school music better than the Sennie does ‘new’ (with a few exceptions).
Anyhoo just a friendly suggestion. Good luck.

Edith: If you really want a Sennie with deep bass and still want to keep things on the neutral side of the fence, then I’d go with an HD58X and do the curtain mod aka buy some very cheap curtain material and replace the foam from the inner cups with it. Gets you a neutral Sennie with great subbass abilities