[Focux]

There are actually quite a few, but on the top of my head, Sony Z1R and QDC Anole VX comes up.

liked the VX alot but don't think the SRP is very well worth it

try the QDC Fusion, that i feel is awesome for the price

love the Z1R tho

 

[GU1DO]

I'd say most expensive IEMs sound disastrous. To me, rarely are multi-thousand dollar IEMs tuned well.

tell me about that , LCDi4 was sooooo disappointing , i should have staied with the isine 10 which sound better and cost appropriately

 

[Currawong]

This Head-Fi place is a little like a gossip colony where people love reading bad reviews from trusted writers about new $4000 IEMs being junk.

The counter to that argument are the numerous examples of people being unhappy with a purchase, but getting flamed out of impressions threads about them by fans of the headphones when they post about it.

I find it interesting to hear from people who were disappointed in headphones or IEMs I think are excellent. If I can duplicate the experience with the music they like (or much of it, given it might simply be the FR of their ears combined with that of the headphones) then something can be learned from it.

 

[Redcarmoose]

In school once the teacher was talking about a “cause” having effect on human emotion. Be it political or value based, scientific or of a personal nature, it’s is something that evokes a response.

The cause could motivate beyond financial, or health preservation. And it’s somehow the exact feeling some may feel about an audio product.

So when a new member with 10 posts shows up with an attitude and explains how the $1200 DAP sounds no different than a $400 DAP, people get their feathers ruffled. Yet normally people are still polite until this poster decides that he will insult the group by calling them “company worshipping suckers” or buying a name. Somehow, either the poster truly is confused as to the sound quality or feels threatened by the group consensus? Maybe a troll?

 

[Redcarmoose]

The counter to that argument are the numerous examples of people being unhappy with a purchase, but getting flamed out of impressions threads about them by fans of the headphones when they post about it.

I find it interesting to hear from people who were disappointed in headphones or IEMs I think are excellent. If I can duplicate the experience with the music they like (or much of it, given it might simply be the FR of their ears combined with that of the headphones) then something can be learned from it.

The respect of subjectivity could be the ultimate leap for reviewers. The best reviews have said what’s bad about a product in a smooth yet un-opinionated way. At first this may seem to undermine the true value of a truthful review, when in fact the reviewer is leaving out the element of opinion, simply suggesting and describing tone for the sake of describing tone.

 

[Darksoul]

I think you're underestimating the materials cost. That said, the cost to produce headphones also needs to account for R&D, Sales, Support, etc.

I never understand the complaints around cost - vote with your wallet. If they are more than you feel is appropriate, don't purchase.

Granted. I used to work in manufacture for a spell, after a while I saw bulk economy? I think that's the term, that's why I think the material costs of some of the pricy stuff doesn't exceed the two digit mark; emphasis on "some". I only did considered material costs, didn't see R&D and the entire machinery that's need to get a product to a market.

However, my cynicism is going to show. From what I gather, R&D, marketing and similar costs are "paid off" during the life cycle of the product. I wager; with limited information mind you, that the investment of a high end headphone is paid off on its first 2 years, from there on it should be mostly profit and operation costs. That's why I'm still skeptical about these limited editions of 4 digit IEM or headphones who charge an arm, a leg, your pets, your offspring for things that allegedly are never going to be seen again. Maybe in that very limited run, they can make bank without worrying about keeping the production running.

 

[bfreedma]

Granted. I used to work in manufacture for a spell, after a while I saw bulk economy? I think that's the term, that's why I think the material costs of some of the pricy stuff doesn't exceed the two digit mark; emphasis on "some". I only did considered material costs, didn't see R&D and the entire machinery that's need to get a product to a market.

However, my cynicism is going to show. From what I gather, R&D, marketing and similar costs are "paid off" during the life cycle of the product. I wager; with limited information mind you, that the investment of a high end headphone is paid off on its first 2 years, from there on it should be mostly profit and operation costs. That's why I'm still skeptical about these limited editions of 4 digit IEM or headphones who charge an arm, a leg, your pets, your offspring for things that allegedly are never going to be seen again. Maybe in that very limited run, they can make bank without worrying about keeping the production running.

Just about every product segment has halo/luxury lines that are relatively low volume/high profit items. Given that, personally, I don't understand the frustration that the same exists in headphones. If there weren't plenty of choices in the low and mid price ranges, I would understand but the reality is, there are more choices in every price segment than ever.

If people weren't purchasing, companies wouldn't be putting high cost IEMs into the market.

 

[silversurfer616]

Back to topic...
All the Grados I had were disappointing to me( PS500e the only one I could live with... if I had nothing else). Also, LCD3 when I first heard them ( with rather uneducated ears and lacking associating equipment); now I prefer them to LCD4.
Mr.Speakers doesn’t gel with me as they give the feeling of no substance/body at all in the music.
TOTL headphones always need a second chance as most of them will grow on you over time and with changing gear.

 

[attmci]

The counter to that argument are the numerous examples of people being unhappy with a purchase, but getting flamed out of impressions threads about them by fans of the headphones when they post about it.

I find it interesting to hear from people who were disappointed in headphones or IEMs I think are excellent. If I can duplicate the experience with the music they like (or much of it, given it might simply be the FR of their ears combined with that of the headphones) then something can be learned from it.

I am waiting for someone who will complain the Abyss 1266 TC.

 

[LCMusicLover]

...I never understand the complaints around cost - vote with your wallet. If they are more than you feel is appropriate, don't purchase.

I’m pretty sure that’s a direct quote from the Utopia thread

My biggest diasappointments:

- Beyer T1g2 ... hurt my ears!
- HD-800S ... just not magical. Nothing wrong with them but they couldn’t displace any of my other cans. I’d have kept them if they were my only cans. Sort of a linear upgrade from the HD-6XX ‘they don’t do anything badly.’

 

[Arniesb]

I’m pretty sure that’s a direct quote from the Utopia thread

My biggest diasappointments:

- Beyer T1g2 ... hurt my ears!
- HD-800S ... just not magical. Nothing wrong with them but they couldn’t displace any of my other cans. I’d have kept them if they were my only cans. Sort of a linear upgrade from the HD-6XX ‘they don’t do anything badly.’

HD800S is super revealing. you need everything to be exceptional from source to amp. Anything average and it will sound like it.
Headphones with colorfull sound signature may need less care cause they have more of a character.

 

[Redcarmoose]

I'll answer the original question.............though...............it is based on sound preference taste for the most part. Nothing wrong with the headphones on my list, they just were not a sound I was looking for. In order with slot 7 being the worst.

1) Top tier qdc IEM line before the VX emerged.
Don't even remember the exact name, but all of the qdc top line seemed too mid-centered for me. They were probably very close to flat and offered great technicality but I felt there was no soul there. Of course hearing the qdc VX was a great experience. Added charisma, all while doing everything right. To me it was a big step for them introducing a very polite signature with just enough warmth and just enough detail. While people looking for reference are still into the qdc past flagships, the VX delivers the fun!

2) 64 Audio N8 Universal (only comes as CIEM, though stores have universals to try)
It wasn't that it did anything really wrong except had an overpowering bass. I could see bass-heads falling in love, and it added a natural integrated additive of all the rest of the spectrum in a very analogue way? Still not worth all the money?

3) CA Cascade
Not sure if it's considered a TOTL, though due to it's form factor and price.....I'll add it in. What were they trying to do, make a portable headphone sound like an all BA IEM? Probably the mids jumping out at me again. I would not pay $100 for it. lol

4) HD800
Besides the AKG K1000, the HD800 was one of the most expensive headphones I had heard at the time. Add to that I tried it on a couple amps as well as spent about 45 minutes listening to the limited edition 180 gram pressing of TDSOTM. Somehow the equipment leading to the HD800 was a special cable attached to a $100,000 usd tube amp and vinyl playback arraignment? So I gave it every chance, but found it both stale and finicky?

5) AKG K1000
I do get the ideas. It's a chance to make a new way of doing things. Only I can't comprehend how people don't hear everything that's tizzy in the treble. I'm not listing the AKG k701 as I feel AKG took their ideas to a better place with the AKG k701.

6) Sony R-10
My God, it was a $5000 headphone in todays money, which is way more drastic when you consider what was for sale at the time. TOTL yes, but the MDR-Z7 and MDR-Z1R make it look like a too polite and anemic attempt at a TOTL headphone. There is stuff missing, but somehow many don't think so. It out of anything on this list goes to show how headphone listeners are able to trick themselves into thinking they are listening to music in the correct way, by what's in the mids. The greatest thing was a changing of that era of Sony engineering to now with what cool cats we have in place today.

7) Noble Audio Khan Universal
Creativity is a double edged sword. What chances makers take to introduce some excitement into the marketplace can be the same strangeness that can put folks off. Noble Audio has a history of building amazing gear. The K-10, the Encore, the Katana all were built well and offered a new style of character to the community. The Khan shows up with a staggering $2300 price and offers a detailed midrange which separated it from many TOTL flagships. Though if you didn't want that attempt at technicality overload it all became very annoying fast. Add to that and they looked like a melted mess. Two pin sockets somehow melted away and cables fell out. There was also other issues, but I've said enough.

 

[tungdd]

From my experience with the HD800S + HDV820 combo, it is more than likely that the source is the problem rather than headphones. HD800S just makes a lot of my music sounds very poor, however, switching to lossless stuffs changes the whole game (I should note that even the quality of the lossless music varies, some are much better mastered than the others). Maybe this is also the case with the other headphones here. If a headphone is to be criticized, then at least the situation (e.g. the setup, the source) in which you experience that should be clarified. Moreover, it's not like you could love every headphones on the first try.
Despite saying all that, my experience with LCD-2 Classic, Meze 99 Classic is not so good, I can see the positives but they're over-hyped. You could not count them as TOTL headphones though, so maybe at their price ranges they're considered very good. The HD800S is certainly very good, however the HDV820 is way over-priced. It is considered the best amp for HD800S by many, but at that price I'd advise against getting it, honestly.

 

[silversurfer616]

The HDV820 is sublime with the HD800S...when as mentioned your source material is up to it.

​

 

[TheAttorney]

I am waiting for someone who will complain the Abyss 1266 TC.

Too ugly, too heavy and too fiddly to adjust.
And it would be nice if they could be a bit more efficient.

Apart from that, they sound great