[Bostonears]

 

grado aint even on the top 15 list

I agree that none of the smaller Grados would come close to making the cut. But I also agree with the earlier poster that the jumbo GS1000 belongs in the top five. Have you ever even heard it?

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

 

I agree that none of the smaller Grados would come close to making the cut.

 Of course not. They don't produce that artificial sense of space which seems to get everyone aroused. They'd probably place their loudspeakers 50 feet apart to try and make their listening room sound like a stadium. But it's all wrong.
 

 

[melomaniac]

FWIW, when I switched from my usual Beyer 880s to a pair of Audez'e (the first generation ones), I was shocked at how much more room they generated for the music. I regret not keeping that pair of headphones... That was quite something. - And yes, the sound-engineered, edited, overdubbed, recording "stage" is just as fake as the space of a movie or a computer game: some quite convincing, others pathetic, yet others playfully flirting with suspension of disbelief.

 

[NeilPeart]

1. K1000 (the widest and perhaps the most natural, but they ARE speakers, after all) - still lovin' my pair
2. HE90 (the best VERTICAL soundstage, in my experience, bettering the K1000 in this regard; still my over-all favorite cans to this day)
3. HE60 (not nearly as amazing as the HE90, but VERY good)
4. SR-Omega (wide but not as natural as the Senns)
5. Omega II (wider than the original Ω, but not as pleasing as the original Ω, IMO).
 
Caveats:
I don't like the GS1000's soundstage
 
I've been away from the 'phone scene for awhile, so I haven't heard any of the new orthos, PS1000, HD800 or Beyer T1 at all (let alone spent quality time with 'em).

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

1. K1000 (the widest and perhaps the most natural, but they ARE speakers, after all) - still lovin' my pair
2. HE90 (the best VERTICAL soundstage, in my experience, bettering the K1000 in this regard; still my over-all favorite cans to this day)
3. HE60 (not nearly as amazing as the HE90, but VERY good)
4. SR-Omega (wide but not as natural as the Senns)
5. Omega II (wider than the original Ω, but not as pleasing as the original Ω, IMO).
 
Caveats:
I don't like the GS1000's soundstage
 
I've been away from the 'phone scene for awhile, so I haven't heard any of the new orthos, PS1000, HD800 or Beyer T1 at all (let alone spent quality time with 'em).

This isn't really Neil Peart is it?

 

[melomaniac]

Quote:

Top 5: My Morning Jacket-Z|Gram Parsons-G.P.|Bach-Cello Suites (Janos Starker 1965 SACD)|Opeth-Ghost Reveries|The Beatles-Revolver (Remaster)

I'd recommend Jean-Guihen Queyras' recording of the same (Harmonia Mundi) - and no, this is in fact on topic: this is a recording that gives a very accurate rendering of the soundstage. Also interesting, although less spacious, is the Martin Zeller rendering (MA Records), conveying the baroque sound in a pristine recording on a Jacobus Stainer cello in a period space. In fact, a good way of testing soundstage in headphones is to use recordings like these.

 

[Torero]

From my collection:
 
1. HD800
2. AKG 701
3. Grado RS1i

 

[jsplice]

One thing that's important to note about soundstage that I haven't seen anyone else mention is that "soundstage" in the real world is all based upon the timing at which a single sound is perceived by both ears, similar to the way depth is perceived by two eyes.  So with speaker systems, soundstage is perceived when the sound from the left speakers is reached by both the left and right ears, and when the sounds from the right speaker is reached by both the left and right ears.  With headphones, you don't get that effect.  This is what the "crossfeed" plugins attempt to accomplish.  A bit of sound from the left channel is fed into the right, and vice versa.  I think soundstage is perceived better in open back headphones because it may be possible for one ear to hear some of the sound coming from the other side.

 

[cedar80]

If you like the K1000's soundstage (or whatever you want to call it), you'll like Sony PFR V1 very much. I think it's a really overlooked headphone. I owned one, and would say its only weakness is its bass-light nature. Its realistic, natural soundstage and pinpoint imaging are unmatched by every other can I have owned (incl D7000, SA5000, CD3000 and K701), as its clarity, speed and precision. I really miss it (had to sell it due to financial issues) and am planning to get one again soon...
 
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The highlight of the CD3000 is most certainly its cavernous soundstage that separates instruments into their own locations better than all but only the very best headphones. The first time I heard these cans, I was mesmerized by the expansiveness and surrounding nature of the soundstage.

Quote:

Sony CD3K deserves a spot in that list.

 
 
Completely agree about the CD3000, its soundstage is super wide and deserves to be mentionned. There is really something magic about theses cans!

 

[leeperry]

 

 
Completely agree about the CD3000, its soundstage is super wide and deserves to be mentionned. There is really something magic about theses cans!

Amen! How can soundstaging get any better tbh? It's an honest question. Yeah yeah, R10 <cough cough>

 

[cedar80]

 
Quote:

 

Amen! How can soundstaging get any better tbh? It's an honest question. Yeah yeah, R10 <cough cough>

 

 
To clarify a bit, I would'nt say that the CD3000 has the best soundstage in a realistic way. The CD3000's ass-kicking wide and deep soundstage and overall presentation are (to me) somewhat dreamy, like your head was in a bubble, or a cocoon, call it what you want, more that any closed or open can I had the pleasure to own or try. A very large and deep cocoon which is terribly addicting. I've never had the chance to listen to an R10, but if it is how I imagine (a CD3000 on steroids), it must be dangerously good!...
 
But if to you soundstaging is all about realism, openeness and top-precise instrument separation, the PFR V1 is way better IMHO.
I know it's not that popular, and the rare reviews don't make it very appealing. And the look and fit are... well, special (and I think that's why people never mention it). But it really deserves attention. When I get one again, I think I'll make a review, comparing it to my other cans.

 

[Deep Funk]

1. AKG K240 DF, very accomplished and the audible sensation of space and distance is just...
1. Pioneer Monitor 10, this headphone does something to me I cannot explain. The placement and separation are just...
2. Pioneer Monitor 10R, sound stage adapts to the recording.
3. JVC HA DX3, sound stage adapts to the recording and for some reason this headphone sounded out of this world.
4. Sennheiser HD425, very wide although a bit more depth would be nice. 
5. Philips SBC HP1000, not the widest but very wide still and the balance between wide and deep is very good.
 
My top 5 (6) of the headphones I listened to. I am not sure how good the Yamaha HP1 is, yet. I should give it a good listen...

 

[Nachash]

what about the ad900?

 

[Deep Funk]

What about it?

 

[Mochan]

Well how about a recabled K701? How much does a recable do? and which recable in particular?