The Drinking Fountain - Full-Size Headphone Discussion

[TheMiddleSky]

Went straight to open this thread as I thought would discussed about combination of gentleman drink and headphone lol.

Nice to see the counterpart of watercooler here.

For favourite headphone list:
1. ZMF Caldera / Meze Elite (please don't make me have to choose which one has higher rank)
3. Abyss Diana TC (with bass ported pad)
4. Focal Utopia 2022
5. ZMF Verite Open

 

[HiFiWar]

Went straight to open this thread as I thought would discussed about combination of gentleman drink and headphone lol.

Nice to see the counterpart of watercooler here.

For favourite headphone list:
1. ZMF Caldera / Meze Elite (please don't make me have to choose which one has higher rank)
3. Abyss Diana TC (with bass ported pad)
4. Focal Utopia 2022
5. ZMF Verite Open

You can discuss Gentleman drink if you'd like haha. High West and Smooth Ambler are a couple of my favorite Bourbons right now. To...y'know...enjoy with music.

 

[SolarCetacean]

I don't have 10 headphones in my collection, so I can't make a top 10 list, but I'll rank mine (or those in my house as I've given a few of my headphones to my wife).

1. Hifiman Shangri-La Jr.
2. Sony MDR-Z1R
3. Stax SR-L700mk2
4. Sony MDR-Z7M2
5. Hifiman R7DX
6. Hifiman Sundara
7. Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed with perforated earpads

I'll bend the rules and add some headphones and include some headphones that I spent a few hours listening to in a private demo (so more experience than just show/meet conditions).

1. Stax SR-X9000
2. Hifiman Shangri-La Jr
3. Hifiman Susvara
4. Sony MDR-Z1R
5. DCA Corina (on BHSE)
6. Stax SR-L700mk2
7. Yamaha YH-5000SE
8. Sony MDR-Z7M2
9. Sennheiser HD800s
10. Hifiman R7DX

The X9000 stood above every other headphone I heard in 2023. I first heard it at CAF (there were 3 units there at different exhibitors) and I really liked all of them (so unit variation isn't a big issue here). I then listened to it, the Susvara, Corina, and HD800s for over 3 hours in a private demo at HeadAmp, and I loved it even more there. I'll most likely add the X9K to my collection within a few months.

The Yamaha was the most interesting headphone I heard in 2023. It's quite hard to characterize, kind of odd, yet very intriguing. Quite avant-garde in its tuning, but I'd love it give it another listen.

 

[HiFiWar]

I don't have 10 headphones in my collection, so I can't make a top 10 list, but I'll rank mine (or those in my house as I've given a few of my headphones to my wife).

1. Hifiman Shangri-La Jr.
2. Sony MDR-Z1R
3. Stax SR-L700mk2
4. Sony MDR-Z7M2
5. Hifiman R7DX
6. Hifiman Sundara
7. Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed with perforated earpads

I'll bend the rules and add some headphones and include some headphones that I spent a few hours listening to in a private demo (so more experience than just show/meet conditions).

1. Stax SR-X9000
2. Hifiman Shangri-La Jr
3. Hifiman Susvara
4. Sony MDR-Z1R
5. DCA Corina (on BHSE)
6. Stax SR-L700mk2
7. Yamaha YH-5000SE
8. Sony MDR-Z7M2
9. Sennheiser HD800s
10. Hifiman R7DX

The X9000 stood above every other headphone I heard in 2023. I first heard it at CAF (there were 3 units there at different exhibitors) and I really liked all of them (so unit variation isn't a big issue here). I then listened to it, the Susvara, Corina, and HD800s for over 3 hours in a private demo at HeadAmp, and I loved it even more there. I'll most likely add the X9K to my collection within a few months.

The Yamaha was the most interesting headphone I heard in 2023. It's quite hard to characterize, kind of odd, yet very intriguing. Quite avant-garde in its tuning, but I'd love it give it another listen.

No worries, no one said it had to be a Top 10 list anyway haha. That's a really solid demo you did there - many of the top headphones in the world - Nice!

 

[Lindholdt]

Alright Drinking Fountain, time to rank your favorite headphones of 2023 - we're about 10 days late already. To rank, you must have owned them for any period of time in 2023.

My list:

1. JM Audio XTC Open V1
2. Rosson Rad-0
3. DCA Ether 2
4. Hifiman HE1000v2
5. Hifiman Ananda Nano
6. Focal Bathys
7. Focal Celestee
8. Sendy Aiva
9. Beyerdynamic BT1990 Pro

I started the hobby in 2023, so I haven't owned that many, but I have quite a bit, when I was deciding which headphone would be my 40th birthday present for myself
I'll add the ones I only auditioned, but mark them, otherwise the list will be quite boring

1. HiFiMAN HE1000 Stealth
2. Sennheiser HD800S (not owned)
3. Meze 109 Pro (Not owned)
4. HiFiMAN Arya Stealth ( Not owned)
5. Focal Clear MG (Not owned )
6. Audeze MM-500 (Not owned)
7. HiFiMAN Ananda Nano (Not owned)
8. Sennheiser HD650
9. HiFiMAN Sundara
10. Denon AH-D9200 (Not owned)

So a lot of exciting stuff, but unfortunately I did not get to keep much of it

 

[Albinosaurus]

Nice choices there. Went through a Beyerdynamic stint huh?

I started with the DT880 and liked it a lot. But I have to expand my horizon a little before I end up with 256 different Beyers.

My favorite headphones of 2023, splitting between open-back and closed-back as it's hard to properly rank them for me otherwise.

Open-backs:

1.) Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 3
2.) Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
3.) Sennheiser HD 660S2
4.) Kaldas RR-1 Conquest
5.) Altiat Cal.1H
6.) Sennheiser HD 660S
7.) Sennheiser HD 650
8.) AKG K612 Pro (needs new pads and some tlc)
9.) AKG K245

Closed-backs:
1.) Beyerdynamic DT 480 - 25 Ohm (modded)
2.) Audio-Technica ATH-A990Z
3.) AKG K275

Nice with some Beyers on top! What do you like more about the R70x compared to 660S2?

 

[kman1211]

I started with the DT880 and liked it a lot. But I have to expand my horizon a little before I end up with 256 different Beyers.


Nice with some Beyers on top! What do you like more about the R70x compared to 660S2?

There's multiple reasons I like the R70x more than the HD 660S2, the S2 is thicker sounding with a more relaxed upper midrange, but the R70x sounds more natural and realistic with better vocals, it has better imaging, it's less fatiguing sonically, and it has that special something that makes it sound more right and complete to me. I also find it more comfortable. The bass is a bit more consistently present on the HD 660S2, whereas on the R70x it's bass is more likely to come out of nowhere but with just as much dynamic force behind it. Still determining where I place the two in terms of resolution compared to each other, after recently upgrading the cable on the R70x, I'm not so sure if I find the 660S2 is more resolving or not anymore, but I do think the S2 will still win resolution wise. Just have to spend more time. Using an audiophile ninja cable on both.

One reason I often prefer Beyers to Senns, always found Senns lacking something compared to Beyers. I feel the same about the Senns lacking something compared to the R70x. It could be how the Senns handle treble, I'm beginning to realize I don't really like how the HD 6xx series both new and old present and handle treble, just doesn't sound right to me and I find it grating. It’s not always noticeable at first but it always creeps up on me with extended use.

 

[YtseJamer]

Alright Drinking Fountain, time to rank your favorite headphones of 2023 - we're about 10 days late already. To rank, you must have owned them for any period of time in 2023.

My list:

1. JM Audio XTC Open V1
2. Rosson Rad-0
3. DCA Ether 2
4. Hifiman HE1000v2
5. Hifiman Ananda Nano
6. Focal Bathys
7. Focal Celestee
8. Sendy Aiva
9. Beyerdynamic BT1990 Pro

First time contributing to this thread, really enjoying it!

Here's my top 5 picks for 2023:

1. ZMF Atrium
2. Grado GH1
3. Sennheiser HD660S2
4. Grado RS2x
5. Grado Hemp

 

[Philimon]

Alright Drinking Fountain, time to rank your favorite headphones of 2023 - we're about 10 days late already. To rank, you must have owned them for any period of time in 2023.

Who buys more than 10 headphones in a year? Where is the intervention thread?

Headphones I purchased in 2023 top ten ranking.:
* post-mods and eq, irrespective of price
1. Grado PS500e
2. Grado SR325is
3. Stax SR507
4. Monoprice AMT
5. Sennheiser HD650
6. Fostex T50RP - 50th anniversary
7. Stax SR-Xmk3
8. Grado RS2x
8. Grado SR60/80
10. Yamaha YH-1
(Not listed but I purchased more in 2023 sadly)

Now remove the mods and eq and the list would look very different because all of them would be sold because they are not good stock except maybe YH-1. Only stock headphones from 2023 liking enough to own unmodded and unmolested were ETA O2.

 

[Albinosaurus]

There's multiple reasons I like the R70x more than the HD 660S2, the S2 is thicker sounding with a more relaxed upper midrange, but the R70x sounds more natural and realistic with better vocals, it has better imaging, it's less fatiguing sonically, and it has that special something that makes it sound more right and complete to me. I also find it more comfortable. The bass is a bit more consistently present on the HD 660S2, whereas on the R70x it's bass is more likely to come out of nowhere but with just as much dynamic force behind it. Still determining where I place the two in terms of resolution compared to each other, after recently upgrading the cable on the R70x, I'm not so sure if I find the 660S2 is more resolving or not anymore, but I do think the S2 will still win resolution wise. Just have to spend more time. Using an audiophile ninja cable on both.

One reason I often prefer Beyers to Senns, always found Senns lacking something compared to Beyers. I feel the same about the Senns lacking something compared to the R70x. It could be how the Senns handle treble, I'm beginning to realize I don't really like how the HD 6xx series both new and old present and handle treble, just doesn't sound right to me and I find it grating. It’s not always noticeable at first but it always creeps up on me with extended use.

Thanks a lot! It might explain why I liked the 1990 over the 6xx or other Senns. Now I'm really curious about the R70x but the 660S2 is still high on the list of what I want to buy. Think I'll end up buying them both this year or next year when a good deal presents itself.

 

[HiFiWar]

Who buys more than 10 headphones in a year? Where is the intervention thread?

Headphones I purchased in 2023 top ten ranking.:
* post-mods and eq, irrespective of price
1. Grado PS500e
2. Grado SR325is
3. Stax SR507
4. Monoprice AMT
5. Sennheiser HD650
6. Fostex T50RP - 50th anniversary
7. Stax SR-Xmk3
8. Grado RS2x
8. Grado SR60/80
10. Yamaha YH-1
(Not listed but I purchased more in 2023 sadly)

Now remove the mods and eq and the list would look very different because all of them would be sold because they are not good stock except maybe YH-1. Only stock headphones from 2023 liking enough to own unmodded and unmolested were ETA O2.

Thanks to everyone who has submitted. I'll try and aggregate them all today and see if we have some top picks for the Drinking Fountain.

 

[HiFiWar]

Well, it's obviously not as impressive as the Water Cooler's end of year rankings since this is a brand new thread, but here is the Drinking Fountain's 2023 end of year ranking results (I'll do it differently next year):
Listed as people's #1 in no order:

Grado PS500e
ZMF Atrium
HiFiMAN HE1000 Stealth
HiFiMan Shangri-La Jr.
Stax SR-X9000
ZMF Caldera
Meze Elite
JM Audio XTC Open V1
HiFiMan Sundara
Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 3
Beyerdynamic DT 480 - 25 Ohm (modded)
Stax SR-007a (port modded)

The most mentioned top sets in numerical and alphabetical order:

3x BeyerDynamic DT 1990 Pro
3x HiFiMan Sundara
3x Sennheiser HD650

2x Grado RS2x
2x HiFiMan Ananda Nano
2x HiFiMan HE-1000v2
2x HiFiMan R7DX
2x HiFiMan Shangri-La Jr.
2x Sennheiser HD660S2
2x Sennheiser HD800S
2x Sony MDR-Z1R
2x Sony MDR-Z7MR
2x Stax SR-L700mk2

HiFiMan appears to be our manufacturer of the year with 13 mentions!

 

[arielext]

My personal fav's by the end of the year were:

1. Stax SR-007a (port modded)
2. SASH Très SE
3. Meze Elite
4. Meze Liric
5. Beyerdynamic Amiron Home

I've seen and sold almost eveything between the DT770 till the Elite from Audeze till Ultrasone and from the list above I have rebought the 007, the Liric and and the Amiron Home. I think I got a feeling for what I look into a headphone. From these though it's the SASH très SE that is extra special to me: A custom made to order planar from Ukraine built for < €500 by just 1 man and the thing can compete easily with the Meze Elite for top tier planar in my collection.

 

[HiFiWar]

My personal fav's by the end of the year were:

1. Stax SR-007a (port modded)
2. SASH Très SE
3. Meze Elite
4. Meze Liric
5. Beyerdynamic Amiron Home

I've seen and sold almost eveything between the DT770 till the Elite from Audeze till Ultrasone and from the list above I have rebought the 007, the Liric and and the Amiron Home. I think I got a feeling for what I look into a headphone. From these though it's the SASH très SE that is extra special to me: A custom made to order planar from Ukraine built for < €500 by just 1 man and the thing can compete easily with the Meze Elite for top tier planar in my collection.

The SASH looks cool, too bad they don't have a normal payment processor or I'd grab a pair.

 

[kman1211]

Thanks a lot! It might explain why I liked the 1990 over the 6xx or other Senns. Now I'm really curious about the R70x but the 660S2 is still high on the list of what I want to buy. Think I'll end up buying them both this year or next year when a good deal presents itself.

Yeah that's why it's good to have so many options, there is no headphone that works perfectly for everyone. Both the S2 and R70x are excellent headphones, honestly which you prefer will depend on personal preference and how your ears play with them. The R70x is harder to drive than the HD 6xx line so that is something to keep in mind as well. While I prefer the R70x, the S2 is very close and is one of my favorite headphones. I wouldn’t be surprised if I swap around on whether I like the R70X or S2 more every few months, depending on my mood, the system, etc.