[KR...]

check it out, from back when they reviewed Headphone stuff more often :

Headphones & Headphone Accessories

A Class

Cary Audio Design CAD-300SEI: $3395
Sennheiser Orpheus HE 90/HEV 90: $12,900
Sennheiser HE 60/HEV 70 headphone amplifier: $1795
Stax SR-Omega headphones: $4500
Stax SR-Lambda Pro Signature: $2000 *

B Class

Etymotic Research ER-4S: $330
HeadRoom Supreme portable headphone amplifier: $399 $$$
Home HeadRoom headphone amplifier: $599
Koss ESP/950: $799.99 $$$
Melos SHA-1 headphone amplifier: $1095 *
Sennheiser HD580: $349 $$$
Stax Lambda Pro 3: $1200 *
Stax Lambda Pro Classic: $850

C Class

Grado SR-60 headphones: $69 $$$
Stax SR-34 Professional: $200 $$$ *

D Class

Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro: $159 *
Sennheiser HD540 II: $199 *
Sennheiser HD560 II: $289 *
Sennheiser IS 850 Digital Infrared Wireless Headphones: $1395

 

[bootman]

I found a 1999 list. Nice to compare too.

Headphones & Headphone Accessories

A

Cary Audio Design CAD-300SEI: $3995 *
Grado Reference Series One headphones: $695
HeadRoom Max headphone amplifier: $1333
Melos SHA-Gold headphone amplifier: $1995.
Sennheiser HD 600: $449.95
Stax Lambda Nova headphones: $780-2860
B

Etymotic Research ER-4S: $330 *
HeadRoom Supreme portable headphone amplifier: $449 $$$ *
Home HeadRoom headphone amplifier: $599 *
Melos SHA-1 headphone amplifier: $1095 *
Sennheiser HD580: $349 $$$ *
Musical Fidelity X_CANS headphone amplifier: $249.95
C

Creek OBH-11 headphone amplifier: $199
Grado SR-60 headphones: $69 $$$

D

(None)


I wonder why no "D" stuff?

 

[KR...]

More old school goodness :

STEREOPHILE'S RECOMMENDED COMPONENTS 1993

Headphones & Headphone Accessories

A Class

Grado HP 1 $$$
Koss ESP/950 $$$
Stax SR-Pro 3 *
Stax SR-Lambda Signature *

B Class

AKG K-1000
Stax SR-34 Professional $$$
Stax Gamma
Stax Gamma Professional
Stax ED-1 diffuse-field headphone equalizer *

C Class

Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro *
JVC HA-990 Digital Reference $$$
Sennheiser HD540 II *
Sennheiser HD560 II

D Class
Nakamichi SP-7

 

[KR...]

last one :

STEREOPHILE'S RECOMMENDED COMPONENTS 1997

Headphones & Headphone Accessories

A Class

Cary Audio Design CAD-300SEI: $3695
Grado Reference Series One headphones: $695
HeadRoom Maxheadphone amplifier: $1333
McCormack Micro Integrated Drive: $795
Melos SHA-Gold headphone amplifier: $1995
Sennheiser Orpheus HE 90/HEV 90: $14,900 Sennheiser HE 60/HEV 70 headphone amplifier: $1799
Stax Lambda Nova headphones: $799.95-1699.95

B Class
Etymotic Research ER-4S: $330
HeadRoom Supreme portable headphone amplifier: $449
Home HeadRoom headphone amplifier: $599
Melos SHA-1 headphone amplifier: $1095 *
Sennheiser HD580: $349

C Class

Grado SR-60 headphones: $69

D
(None)

All of these lists were taken from : http://home1.pacific.net.sg/~axiom13/index.html

 

[Voyager]

Thanks for the info guys!

 

[grrr223]

When did the HD600 come out? I only see it on the 1999 list.

Wow, this is so cool, I never thought I could own any Stereophile Class A component, EVER. Especially for only $232 (I got my HD600 from Jan Meier). I've always been hoping that one day I could get Class C stuff.

 

[sackley]

grrr223, my sentiments exactly.

 

[chych]

Hm, whats up with the Koss electrostatic headphones?

How come no one here has tried them, or at least, I have not heard anyone tell something about them?

 

[cmoy]

Stereophile has not reviewed a headphone in years. Apparently, they believe that their readers only care about speaker setups. Many of the phones on their earlier recommended lists have been discontinued. No more HD580, no more Stax Gamma, no more HP-1. And the same is true of the amps: no more Melos, no more McCormack, etc.

Chych, the Koss electrostatics used to have reliability problems, which may or may not have been resolved in the latest versions. But then Koss raised the price to $1000, and competes directly with Staxes. Between the two, many audiophiles seem to enjoy Stax sound more. The Kosses tend to have more bass.

Darth nut actually owns Stax Omegas and the Kosses and would provide a detailed comparison. He hasn't been posting recently though.

 

[JMT]

Quote:

D Class Nakamichi SP-7

Wow, I own a "D Class" pair of headphones from 1993.

 

[KR...]

Quote:

Stereophile has not reviewed a headphone in years.

It's rare these days, but they did review the Stax Omega 2 w/ both top SS and Tube amps in the July 2001 issue. But, before that, the Cary amp was reviewed as a headphone amp at the end of last year. But, you are right in that they need to review more headphone related things. I hope they review the Blockhead at one point.

Quote:

But then Koss raised the price to $1000

You can still get the KOSS ESP 950 for $599.99 at http://www.jandr.com/

 

[cmoy]

Did they do a review of the Omegas? What did they say? I haven't seen the latest issue.

Even so, one headphone review per year is hardly much. Especially since the Omegas have been available for over a year and there have been numerous reviews of this headphone already.

 

[KR...]

It was the issue before the current one. The lastest issue has the Krell Lat-1's on the cover. The one that reviewed the Stax's has the Martin Logan Prodigy on it's cover.

There was a thread about this review when this isssue came out. Here's the link :

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...ighlight=Omega

I really do wish there was more Headphone related reviews. Maybe if many of us ask for them they will do more. Maybe they think that most audiophiles don't care about cans. I'm sure most of them have no clue just how good headphones sound these days. Haven't you notice that many times when someone does review one that they start talking about headphones from the 70's or worst. So wonder they don't want anything to do with headphones. Well, here's John Atkinson's e-mail address :
atkinsoj@emapusa.com

He's the big cheese, the Editor of the magazine.

Let's see if we all can make a difference. There's enough of us here and at Headwize to do so, I would think.

 

[MessierObject]

Quote:

Originally posted by cmoy ... the Koss electrostatics used to have reliability problems, which may or may not have been resolved in the latest versions. But then Koss raised the price to $1000, and competes directly with Staxes. Between the two, many audiophiles seem to enjoy Stax sound more. The Kosses tend to have more bass....

A long time ago, I acquired Koss ESP-7 and, separately, ESP-9, dirt cheap (a high-end shop's going-out-of-business sale). Sorry, but these were still bad value for the price. Their definition relative to dynamic phones of the 70's was obvious, but both phones were astringent in the highs - possibly aggravated by the dawn-age solid-state electronics I was using....or more probably aggravating them, since the phones connected to the power amp, and had the usual weird electrostatic impedance loading.

The top-of-the-line ESP-9s in particular were miserably uncomfortable. The combination of their vast weight crushing the top of your head like a Kids-In-The-Hall routine, and obnoxiously tight, sweat-assisting earcups guaranteed a state-of-the-art listing session could last for any amount of time - so long as it wasn't more than eight minutes . And, frankly, electrostatic, high-voltage phones wrapped too tightly around ears full of salty water ... wellll, let's say, the whole picture makes you think...especially when you're embedded in it...

They did, however, get me into high-end phones...I bought the Stax SR-X MkIIIs, which were easier on the ears in both dimensions - sound and comfort. Perhaps, three dimensions, if you count the avoidance of unwanted electroconvulsive shock therapy....

 

[thomas]

Obvioulsy headphones from the '70s are no indication of the quality of a company's present day products. And considering that it is rated by stereophile to be in league with the best headphones proves this point.

Several reveiws claim reliability problems, but those were with 'phones bought from J&R at half the regular price. Many people have gotten opened/used/defective sets of ESP950s from them.

Every reveiw i've seen about its sound quality has been positive.

I think many audiophiles simply will not buy these because they're ugly and aren't sold by a small elitist company.