top tier - what is the absolute best headphone?

[acidtripwow]

Kelly, I've spent more time with this system than any other so that's why I voted for it. The RKV II is not meant for low impendance headphones but the combo sounds fantastic to me. I haven't heard the HP1 yet, but am currently seeking one to round out my collection.

 

[tanfenton]

A Linn Sondek CD12 feeding a mod-ed Melos SHA Gold Reference (balanced) driving The R10, of course.

NGF

 

[markl]

I like the way tanfenton thinks!

Obviously, I'd want the R10, but I'm not so sure about the Homes-Powell. I'll get to hear it at the upcoming Headroom tour.

What about R10 with Blockhead?

What about R10 with Mesa Tigris (would love to hear that)?

What about R10 and Ear HP4?

I'm sure there are other killer amps I'm forgetting.

markl

 

[coolvij]

kelly: The HP-2 is supposed to actually sound better than all the other HP-1000 cans.....except for HP-1s with *upgraded* cables, which then sound *as* good as HP-2s.....both cans have the same drivers, if I recall correctly.

The HP-1s do have those phase switches, tho.....

(looks at K501s)


(sobs uncontrollably)

 

[Audio-Me]

Matt, are you the lonesome crazy mofo who chose Vertigo's setup?

 

[Voyager]

The phase switches make the HP-1 so much better than the HP-2. Well, not really, but they make the HP-1 feel much more exclusive. I'd like to see the HP-1s with a balenced reference cord with the Blockhead. I'd also like to listen to them with the Krell headphone amp that I can't find too much about. If I had to use tubes though, I'd like The DCT-1 with the HP-1.

 

[FlurkingShnit]

Quote:

Originally posted by kelly Acid You wouldn't rather have an HP-1 than an HP-2? And you really think the RKV is THE ideal amp to run a low impedance can like the HP-2? Keep in mind, this is the absolute best you could possibly get (unlimited budget). Flurking I thought about putting an Etymotic on the poll but wasn't sure if anyone considered them in the same ranks as Omega II, Orpheus, etc. If so, what is the ideal amp for the Etymotic? Sugden? Cosmic Reference?

While it may be true that the Etys won't be compared to the Omega II or Orpheus (which headphone can?), the Etys are definitely in the same league as the HD600, and those made the list.

I'm really not sure which high end amp would match the best with them, since I haven't really had that much experience with high end amps. Some suggest the Headmaster, many like the MG head. HmMm...I don't know........A Blockhead?

 

[Audio-Me]

If I may say so, I think the HD600 belongs in its own league by itself, at the very top.

 

[kelly]

Flurking

One thing that most of us seem to agree on with the HD600 is that it gets a lot better with better amps. I'm not sure what all you've heard the HD600 with but I've never heard it with the Blockhead, for example, and tend to think there's a reason Headroom picked it to go with their $4000 amp.

Obviously when I made the list I did think the headphones listed were in a similar league. If you think the Stax or Orpheus are better than the Etymotic, please vote for the Stax or the Orpheus.

A Krell Headphone amp?? I'm rather fond of Krell. I must research this.

 

[shivohum]

If I had a truly unlimited budget just for headphones, I would undoubtedly get some engineers to modify one of the top-notch headphones to my taste or design a new one

. Heck, they could design my whole audio system for me

.

 

[Flumpus]

Bump, I'm just curious to see if people think that highly of the R10...

BTW, I did vote for that myself.

 

[Audio-Me]

*bump
Vote damn it!

 

[Beagle]

For many of us who have not heard all of these combos, we tend to go with what we know, which is probably not the ultimate best combo. So our votes may be meaningless and inaccurate. Unless of course, the supposed expensivo gear is simply different sounding rather than better. Of the phones I own, I am hesitant to submit the Sennheiser HD600 because I find them simply too veiled and laid back, compared to the AKGK501 and the Grado SR325. Or, to put it more accurately, it's colorations are not quite my cup of tea. When I listen to the K501 with the RA-1 amp, I feel like I am seated midway back in a concert hall, listening to an actual performance (especially with classical music).

But again, having not heard the best Stax, or Orpheus, nor the Holmes-Powell or EAR amps, I have no idea what the ultimate headphone experience might be.

 

[Flumpus]

I don't think this poll is about what we've heard, it's about our opinions of the really high end stuff we probably don't have...

 

[Audio-Me]

The original post asks: which do you think is best based from what you've been told and have read about? This means haven't tried it, but try to make an educated guess.

I voted for the only combo on the list that I've heard, but I still think it's the best based on all the info out there about it.