[aertus]

I was thinking of this because there doesn't seem to a proper one. Also, I chose IEms and headphones since they are the most widely used. 
 
For beginners, I think value and quality are the two most important things. I also think it's important to come up with something that is a good repesentation of said company. I think most newbies probably haven't tried many audiophile companies so I think its important to compile a list of products from all major audiphile companies like: Sennheisers, AKG, bang and olufsen, etc
 
Maybe at least two products from each company that is a must for any newbie coming into to this to try out. Kind of how when there is someone new to a genre of music or Movie. you come up with a recommendation list for them to check a must see list of movies. Or think of someone who wouldn't normally like a certani kind of music or movies you have to think of movies that would change their mind. I hope that makes sense.
 
thoguhts?
 
I 

 

[Beyakusenn]

Are you not looking for something like the Head-fi Buying Guide?
 
http://www.head-fi.org/a/head-fi-buying-guide-introduction

 

[aertus]

  Are you not looking for something like the Head-fi Buying Guide?
 
http://www.head-fi.org/a/head-fi-buying-guide-introduction

nope I don't think its an official one I think many users should vote on it here. 
 
also maybe vote on the best pair of headphones from each major brand? That way if someone wants a good deal they knwo what to get regardless of the brand. The buying guide is incomplete imo

 

[Beyakusenn]

I think it's hard to make a system that works well with so many different headphones. Besides, the best pair of headphones can be different for each brand depending on the use and price range. A search function for that would be needed too.
 
What I think is most difficult to make work well is voting for headphones, as sound is something very subjective and the use of the headphones something very personal. For example, many praise the Sennheiser Urbanite, but I really dislike them for their sound. the NAD Viso HP50 has a class leading sound within it's price range, but it's uncomfortable to many. The same issues could be found for many other headphones. Personal preference can make a great difference on the perception of quality of a certain audio product. By leaving it up to the votes, a large group of people with a preference that differs from the 'average' is not taken into account.
 
The way the headphones are used also strongly influences the final choice. Is it for home listening and does the partner not mind some sound leakage? Is it for commuting? Is it for travelling? Is durability a main concern? Is comfort a main concern? Does size matter to the buyer?
 
To avoid problems like these, the headphones could be grouped in many different categories, but it would be quite complicated to make that work with a voting system at the same time. Also, beginners would have a difficult time understanding the difference between categories.
 
Having a lot of choice can make choosing more difficult, unless there is something that really stands out. Choosing the best (at certain price points?) from different brands will also result in more questions for the beginner.
 
I am not trying to say it's impossible and I think your initiative might have some potential, but first there needs to be figured out how to do it. it's certainly not as easy as it originally may seem. If you have an idea of how to make it work, I'd gladly hear about it and try to think about it in greater detail.
 
A list of all the main brands and an average Head-fi user score for the most popular headphones might be a good first indication. However, if the taste differs from the average Head-fier, whatever that list indicates might turn out to not be the best choice. That is why I think this 'Introductions, Help and Recommendations' forum is so crowded and so useful.

 

[aertus]

You bring up a lot of interesting and valid points which i have acknowledged before bringing this up. However, there are some things that can be highly regarded despite the individuals subjective opinionins. And sometimes, people's subjective opinions can be quite bad. 
 
It's akin to making a list of the greatest movies of all time. Although making it for headphones is kind of more complicated because there are brands all with different models. but the greatest average here is going to be valued more than individual because we are trying to capture as many people as possible. 
 
 
Closed backs are the obvious choice here. Open backs are for audiophiles and people working at home studios. there is a reason why beats being the most popular headphones are not open back (not that they sound good) because they are not practical for the average user. 
 
my idea is to categorize with price and make it exlcusively closed back. Maybe there will be another list for open back.
 
We need to make a list of things that a beginner should try. For example under 100 the athm40x or the 50x are probably a great buy. Another would be sony mdr756. you know make it so that neither would be a bad buy. Basically include all the competitors in this price range and vote which one would be a good introductory item for a beginninger but also a good quality at the same time. for the 200 range you have a lot of variety and AKG headphone in that price range would be a must and just vote 1 or 2 models.
 
Its like making a great movie lists and including shawshank redemption. its a no brainer. Something like that is what im thinking. 

 

[Beyakusenn]

When you limit it to closed back headphones, it becomes much more feasible. You could try making a ranking like that.
 
The structure I have in mind is:
> Price range
   > Over-ears
      > Ranking
   > On-ears
      > Ranking
   > IEMs
      > Ranking
 
With a poll for each of the rankings.
 
There should be a clear disclaimer that listening experience is very subjective, and that listening before buying is always best.
 
I can make a list of headphones from which I think they should be in the list. I'm not sure how it could work with the structure of these forums on Head-fi, but maybe you can contact the admins with a more detailed proposal. They might be able to help you on that front.