Best Dynamic Driver Headphones
$0-$99.99 Koss Porta Pro
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99 Philips Fidelio X3
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99 Audio Technica ATH ADX5000
$3000 and above
Best Planar Magnetic Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99 Shoeur S12
$250-$499.99 Hifiman Edition XS
$500-$999.99 Snorry NM-1
$1000-$2999.99 Kennerton Thror
$3000 and above Hifiman Susvara
Best Electrostatic Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99 Stax SR-L500 mk2
$1000-$2999.99 Perun Ultimate Live Sound
$3000 and above Stax SR-X9000
Best AMT Headphones (not many but here it is)
$0-$99.99
$100-$29.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99 Heddphone One
$3000 and above
Perun electrostatic are the diy thing but its kinda known and is actually being sold all over the world. But there are many points of uncertainity about these so I'd understand if this model isn't counted.
My overall rating of best cans of what I've personally heard is the following:
Stax SR-X9000
Perun ULS
Stax SR-009S
Stax SR-009
Heddphone One
Sennheiser HE-1
Hifiman Shangri-la JR
Hifiman Susvara
Abyss AB1266 PHI TC
Myst Gatling
Audeze CRBN
Stax SR-L500 mk2
Stax SR-L700
Hifiman Jade II
Perun Live Sound
Stax SR-007 mk2
Perun V5
Mrspeakers Voce
Sonoma Model 1
Abyss AB1266 OG
Snorry Trion
Snorry NM-1
Abyss Diana PHI TC
Abyss Diana PHI
Kennerton Thror
Hifiman HE1000SE
Audeze LCD-5
Hifiman HE-6 (6pin)
Hifiman HE-6SE
Hifiman HE-6 (4pin)
Audeze LCD-4Z
Audeze LCD-4
Meze Elite
Audio Technica ATH ADX-5000
DCA Expanse
All the rest is either that I havent heard or isn't worth mentioning imo.
I haven't heard (that imo possible could join the list): d8000/d8000 pro, sr-omega, he-90, he-60, utopia 2022, shanrgi la sr, any zmf, sonoma m2, spirit torina pulsar (actually, I do see this for the first time), new yamaha thing.
Somebody needs to give some love to the Japanese Audio circuit other than Stax & AT-- specifically the vastly underappreciated Pioneer and Final gems
Best Dynamic Driver Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99 Pioneer SE-Monitor 5
$1000-$2999.99 Final Audio Piano Forte X ("earspeaker") & Pioneer SE-Master 1
$3000 and above Final Audio Sonorous X!
Best Planar Magnetic Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99 Hifiman X/Arya
$3000 and above
Best Electrostatic Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$699.99
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99
$3000 and above
Best AMT Headphones (not many but here it is)
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99
$3000 and above
Best Planar Magnetic Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99 Hifiman HE400SE
$250-$499.99 Dan Clark Audio/Drop Aeon Closed X
$500-$999.99 Hifiman HE6SE
$1000-$2999.99 Hifiman Arya Stealth
$3000 and above Dan Clark Audio Stealth
Best Electrostatic Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99 Stax SR-L700 Mk2
$3000 and above Stax SR-X9000
Best AMT Headphones (not many but here it is)
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99 HEDD HEDDPhone
$3000 and above
Best Dynamic Driver Headphones
$0-$99.99 Koss Porto Pro
$100-$249.99 Sennheiser HD6XX
$250-$499.99 Emu Teak
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99
$3000 and above
Best Planar Magnetic Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99 Hifiman HE-400SE
$250-$499.99 Fostex T60rp
$500-$999.99 Hifiman Ananda
$1000-$2999.99 Meze Empyrean
$3000 and above
Best Electrostatic Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99
$3000 and above
Best AMT Headphones (not many but here it is)
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99
$3000 and above
Hey guys, just letting you know we've decided to keep the poll open for a further week. Voting will now close on Saturday, 21 January. Please invite everyone you know to register their votes...the more we have the better the results for everyone. Happy voting!
Best Dynamic Driver Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99 Drop HD6XX
$250-$499.99 Drop Beyerdynamic DT177X GO
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99 ZMF Atrium
$3000 Focal Utopia
Best Planar Magnetic Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99 Hifiman HE 400i
$250-$499.99 Hifiman Sundara
$500-$999.99 Audeze LCD-2C
$1000-$2999.99 Hifiman Arya Stealth
$3000 and above
Best Electrostatic Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99
$3000 and above Audeze CRBN
Best AMT Headphones (not many but here it is)
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99 HEDD HEDDphone
$3000 and above
Best Dynamic Driver Headphones
$0-$99.99 Koss Porta Pro
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99 Sennheiser HD 650
$500-$999.99 Focal Clear OG ($890).
$1000-$2999.99 Audio Technica ADX 5000
$3000 and above
Best Planar Magnetic Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99 Rosson Designs RAD "0"
$3000 and above Final Audio D8000 Pro
Now just a headphone is in a certain price category doesn't mean it's better than or worse than the others subjectively.
@ChrisOc : there are some apparent errors in the price groups. Should the second price group in each category be $100 - $299.99 (not $29.99), or $100 - $249.99 (if the third category was meant to start at $250)? The third category (regardless of whether it starts at $300 or $250) should max out at $499.99, not $599.99 or it overlaps the base of the fourth category.
Ok, that explains it somewhat. As much as I'm old skool, I'd shell out $29.99 for a pair of dropified HD 650s. But by the time they get past customs and I pay misc. fees, charges, taxes, ransom, etc. they'd blow over the 299.99 limit, so in the end... nah
Best Dynamic Driver Headphones$100-$29.99 Drop/Sennheiser HD-6XX
Best Dynamic Driver Headphones
$0-$99.99 Koss Porta Pro ($49)
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99 Focal Clear OG ($890)
$1000-$2999.99
$3000 and above
Best Planar Magnetic Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99 Oppo PM-1 ($1099)
$3000 and above HifiMan Susvara ($6000)
Best Dynamic Driver Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99 - Sennheiser HD 58x Jubilee
$250-$499.99
$500-$999.99
$1000-$2999.99
$3000 and above
(I've deleted the rest of the categories, as I haven't heard anything from them)
The HD 58x were $180 from Drop and are pretty balanced, with a slight bass boost to compensate for them being open-backed. They sound great, are a good value and don't make the ears sweat.
Best Dynamic Driver Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99 Sennheiser HD 660s
$500-$999.99 Meze 109 Pro
$1000-$2999.99 Sennheiser HD 800s
$3000 and above
Best Planar Magnetic Headphones
$0-$99.99
$100-$249.99
$250-$499.99 Hifiman Sundara
$500-$999.99 Hifiman Ananda Stealth
$1000-$2999.99 Meze Empyrean
$3000 and above
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