[klyzon]

Crin is alright, better Chifi is better overall for everyone. Probably not as relevant for this thread tho.

I like his ranking list, it’s a good reference point, like FR graphs. But people need to understand his taste and the kind of sound he likes which to me is a little boring. Lots of people just treating his rankings as gospel and gauging sounds from simply FR imo is poisonous to this community. I don’t want to not have very weird and specialised stuff in future.

 

[gLer]

On the subject of headphones, I hooked my HD650 to the M9 on headphone mode yesterday - best I've ever heard them, very impressed... that said, I felt I was missing the detail and resolution I seek in most IEMs - and it did make me wonder what a good step towards cans might involve... Still reluctant to go there, but I certainly enjoyed the HD650 listening experience yesterday, so comfortable.

Out of interest, if spending say $2k on a set of headphones that will be driven well by the likes of the Shanling M9, and offer the following attributes, what should be considered?

• High resolution
• Good extension both ends - I'll need deep sub, plus sparkling highs
• Mid bass needs to be solid, but I'll take better sub
• Clear, but emotive mids
• Excellent detail retrieval
• Excellent layering / imaging
• Big soundstage
• Non fatiguing, comfort is essential

There's only one headphone I know that fits all your criteria, because they're exactly the same as my criteria. Sony MDR-Z1R. It's also a headphone you can comfortably drive with a DAP, but will continue rewarding you with desktop sources.

Very few, if any open back headphones will give you the depth and weight of sub-bass you seek. Some exceptions include the LCD-3 and Auteur, which is partly why I bought them. Very few headphones will give you IEM-level resolution unless you have super high-end sources. The IER-Z1R easily bests the MDR for resolution, for example, even though MDR is still excellent.

Other than the Abyss 1266, which I haven't heard, most of the summit-fi headphones will let you down in the bass department, and you'll need very powerful amps to drive them. The only one I know that might come close to satisfying your sub-bass and resolution craving is the Solitaire P, but I'd still take the Sony based on your criteria.

You can pick up a mint MDR-Z1R for about €1000, which makes it fairly low risk considering how much you'll need to spend not just on headphones but also amplification for any of the others.

Edit: I like the HEDDphone too for bass, and it has exceptional resolution and imaging, but it's a chonker and needs a nuclear power plant to drive it properly.

 

[Nostoi]

It's probably a big ask! Open is fine and doesn't need to be portable.

2nd hand Final D8000 (non-Pro) would fit the bill in every category except comfort (though comfort is manageable with a headband cover). Otherwise, could be an option.

Rognir planar also checks every box, but it's above 2k (though I think there's one going on classifieds for 2.5k or so).

 

[yaps66]

+1. I don't see the need to rush buying IEMS at the pace that they've been improving.

Have to agree with you there. Ultimately that is why I went with the Traillii as opposed to the Jewel or Annihilator given how much of a milestone the Traillii is. I will then wait to see what next to get if at all. I feel I am at a good place with Traillii, Xe6 and Indigo. Have to stop listening to the FOMO that keeps bugging me!

 

[yaps66]

Here goes my list - I want to add that I decided on these based purely in terms of musical enjoyment of the sound. That is, it isn't a ranking of technical competence, and I have also intentionally not taken comfort into account as that would have discounted several of these (noted this in the list):

IEMs

Oriolus Traillii
64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir
64 Audio U12t
64 Audio U18s
Vision Ears EXT (comfort an issue)
Meze Advar

Headphones

Meze Elite
T+A Solitaire P
Sennheiser HD800
Stax SR-Omega (comfort an issue)
Sennheiser HE60 "Baby Orpheus"
Audio Technica ATH-W11JPN

Love for the Advar! Nice!

 

[HarveyLowis]

On the subject of headphones, I hooked my HD650 to the M9 on headphone mode yesterday - best I've ever heard them, very impressed... that said, I felt I was missing the detail and resolution I seek in most IEMs - and it did make me wonder what a good step towards cans might involve... Still reluctant to go there, but I certainly enjoyed the HD650 listening experience yesterday, so comfortable.

Out of interest, if spending say $2k on a set of headphones that will be driven well by the likes of the Shanling M9, and offer the following attributes, what should be considered?

• High resolution
• Good extension both ends - I'll need deep sub, plus sparkling highs
• Mid bass needs to be solid, but I'll take better sub
• Clear, but emotive mids
• Excellent detail retrieval
• Excellent layering / imaging
• Big soundstage
• Non fatiguing, comfort is essential

+1 for MDR-Z1R , easy to drive with dap, no need amp. And you already have wm1a that have a good synergy with MDR-Z1R

 

[Scubadevils]

Have to agree with you there. Ultimately that is why I went with the Traillii as opposed to the Jewel or Annihilator given how much of a milestone the Traillii is. I will then wait to see what next to get if at all. I feel I am at a good place with Traillii, Xe6 and Indigo. Have to stop listening to the FOMO that keeps bugging me!

Jewel has been an itch I had to scratch since it first arrived on the scene, especially with early impressions of it surpassing Traillii for some... absolute FOMO of the highest degree! Now that I have it, I completely understand the high praise it receives. Here comes the 'however' - I do not think one is better than the other as such, both offer a unique take on top tier audio and absolutely complementary in my collection, I honestly couldn't be happier with how my library is now served between them. I'm not even sure I could rank one above the other tbh, especially now with Martini on Traillii.

 

[Scubadevils]

There's only one headphone I know that fits all your criteria, because they're exactly the same as my criteria. Sony MDR-Z1R. It's also a headphone you can comfortably drive with a DAP, but will continue rewarding you with desktop sources.

Very few, if any open back headphones will give you the depth and weight of sub-bass you seek. Some exceptions include the LCD-3 and Auteur, which is partly why I bought them. Very few headphones will give you IEM-level resolution unless you have super high-end sources. The IER-Z1R easily bests the MDR for resolution, for example, even though MDR is still excellent.

Other than the Abyss 1266, which I haven't heard, most of the summit-fi headphones will let you down in the bass department, and you'll need very powerful amps to drive them. The only one I know that might come close to satisfying your sub-bass and resolution craving is the Solitaire P, but I'd still take the Sony based on your criteria.

You can pick up a mint MDR-Z1R for about €1000, which makes it fairly low risk considering how much you'll need to spend not just on headphones but also amplification for any of the others.

Edit: I like the HEDDphone too for bass, and it has exceptional resolution and imaging, but it's a chonker and needs a nuclear power plant to drive it properly.

I had a sneaky suspicion MDR-Z1R might be the answer, seems logical. Is it comfortable for long sessions - like a couple of hours?

 

[RTodd]

I like your question and am happy to answer it. I have all the products I own in my signature, and I fill up maybe 3-4 Vannuys' 12-compartment organizers, which is shocking. Most of the products on the signature list are still in my inventory; some have been loaned to friends. I used to have more, especially DAPs, such as Shanling M8 M9, iBasso DX300 MAX, and Cayin N8ii, but due to various, They've been sold by me multiple reasons, so they're no longer on the inventory list.

The 12 IEMs and accompanying cables shown yesterday are the ones I've enjoyed listening to the most recently. (Actually, there are other IEMs and cables in the display box, but I only show 12 of them for the sake of taking pictures)

Of course, you see similar products like ERLKöNIG Limited Black Edition and ERLKöNIG, Red Halo, and Le Jardin. I'm a look-alike guy. I don't usually share the same cable between IEMs; I'm terrified of using the female socket so often that it gets loose. You can see I have more than one First TimeS Shielding cable.

At the same time, I like how the same IEM behaves with different cable pairings, like Horus Octa and Pegasus paired with ERLKöNIG. When paired with Pegasus, ERLKöNIG's details will be more prominent, and the high-frequency extension will be better; when I use Horus Octa, the vocals will be warmer, and the low-frequency momentum will be more abundant. The same goes for Orpheus, FTS, and MAS paired with the FS series.

I hope my answer solved your problem.

Yes, you did help me understand where you are in terms of this journey, thank you. It takes me lots of time to get to know an IEM, add to that your cable experience and if I ever leave the stock cable camp that could save me time. Having such a collection gives you a perspective, not many others have reached to sit down and quietly admire. Hopefully you will stick with us and continue to add your voice to our discovery.

Thanks again Todd,

 

[Doug2507]

On the subject of headphones, I hooked my HD650 to the M9 on headphone mode yesterday - best I've ever heard them, very impressed... that said, I felt I was missing the detail and resolution I seek in most IEMs - and it did make me wonder what a good step towards cans might involve... Still reluctant to go there, but I certainly enjoyed the HD650 listening experience yesterday, so comfortable.

Out of interest, if spending say $2k on a set of headphones that will be driven well by the likes of the Shanling M9, and offer the following attributes, what should be considered?

• High resolution
• Good extension both ends - I'll need deep sub, plus sparkling highs
• Mid bass needs to be solid, but I'll take better sub
• Clear, but emotive mids
• Excellent detail retrieval
• Excellent layering / imaging
• Big soundstage
• Non fatiguing, comfort is essential

Denon ah-d9200? B-stock are 750, waiting for a pair myself. Not heard them yet but bass seems to be a big tick in the box for them. M9 might also well be a better pairing then N8ii for upper mids / lower treble.

Focal although easy to drive probably aren't in the running due to lack of bass emphasis, plus the beryllium drivers are very noticeable.

Not sure how easy to drive ZMF are, another favourite.

 

[Whazzzup]

Curious also about a headphone that can do all that for 2k. Open or closed? Portable?

Hd800S of course. One of the most comfortable hp to wear. imo And ymmv. But it’s not as easy to drive as th900. Probably an iPhone can scale those

 

[Nostoi]

Hd800S of course. One of the most comfortable hp to wear. imo And ymmv.

Did think about HD800S, indeed. Though mid-bass less satisfying.

 

[gLer]

I had a sneaky suspicion MDR-Z1R might be the answer, seems logical. Is it comfortable for long sessions - like a couple of hours?

One of the most comfortable headphones I've owned, alongside HD800. Can wear them all day. Magnesium alloy build but ultra light with plush thick sheepskin pads that evenly distribute the weight. Also among the very best build quality I've seen, easily rivaling and sometimes surpassing the so-called summit-fi headphones in build quality. You'll probably want a better cable, but that's a relatively inexpensive add-on compared to IEM cables. I snagged a Kimber Axios CU for ~€300, and @lavricables have outstanding pure silver options too, complete with Sony's clever locking connectors on the headphone end.

 

[Whazzzup]

Did think about HD800S, indeed. Though mid-bass less satisfying.

what is your source, I mean how is it possible hd800S bass isn’t all it should be? I have th900 as a bass cannon and see how it robs the mids to achieve its slam and at the expense added sibilance. For that I can see another sub 2g hp get replaced by 1266 but sheesh.

 

[gLer]

what is your source, I mean how is it possible hd800S bass isn’t all it should be? I have th900 as a bass cannon and see how it robs the mids to achieve its slam and at the expense of some siblance. For that I can see another sub 2g hp get replaced by 1266 but sheesh.

HD800 bass is outstanding - speed, quality and texture. But no source I know of will get it to dig deep into the sub like a closed headphone or nuclear-powered planar.

Bass weight/quantity is not what the HD800 is about. It's a soundstage/imaging/separation/timbre/resolution king for classical, jazz and acoustic music, and still among the very best available today when it comes to those genres.