What are the best headphones on the market in 2014?

[Blackened7]

Hey there. Just a topic I feel would be good for some friendly discussion.
 
In your opinion, what is the best pair of headphones available to buy in 2014?
 
And what is the price? And why are they the best?
 
Also...In my opinion, I haven't used many great-audiophile headphones so far, but I'm thinking of purchasing the Sennheiser 650's or the Sennheiser 800's. I've heard they're the best you can buy. Are they?
 
Thanks.
 

 

[linglingjr]

HD650 and HD800 are almost polar opposites when it comes to their sound signatures.   
 
The best headphones in the world as of this year are still (considered by many) to be Sennheiser Orpheus, Stax SR009 or other electrostats.  They're all very expensive.  If you google "best headphones in the world you'll find several other topics asking the same question on this and several other forums too.

 

[ToddTheMetalGod]

There really is no best, everything is personal taste. In terms of recently released headphones I've heard great things about the FAD Pandora Hope VI and Hifiman HE-560.

 

[linglingjr]

There really is no best, everything is personal taste. In terms of recently released headphones I've heard great things about the FAD Pandora Hope VI and Hifiman HE-560.

New releases I'd also consider Audeze's LCD X and Mr Speaker's Alpha Dog although I guess they aren't exactly new anymore.

 

[lin0003]

The Stax SR-009 is considered the best headphone right now, but to build a rig around them would cost you over 10K. 

 

[moriez]

It's probably because I haven't heard those uber flagships but I can't agree to whatever is considered ''best''. First, one can only say what's best if he has heard all headphones himself. Given that's an impossibility for 99.9% of us leaves us with no definite answer. I don't think the 0.1% that did have the chance can represent the majority. There must be a larger group to reach a reliable general agreement right?
 
@OP, you may have found an answer or your headphone already but to give just another opinion about your question 650 vs 800, you shouldn't think in terms of best. What's best to you is not best to me or the next man and vice versa. There's only one way and that's to listen to gear yourself. Read and ask questions about the item you're interested in and then jump on it. The For Sale forum is the way to go if you want to try things out and not pay a premium new price.

 

[lin0003]

The FS forums are great, because if you buy something and sell it you won't suffer a huge loss. 

 

[listen4joy]

Check this out
http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared-update-audeze-lcd-2-revision-2-6-4-13

 

[lukem5]

Why can't some Chinese people just take a pair of 009's/Orpheus and clone it/ sell it for 1k a piece and make bank?
 
Me thinks audiophiles are deluded (inb4 hate/BS reasons why it can't be done even though it probably can be done with relative ease)

 

[Ishcabible]

  Why can't some Chinese people just take a pair of 009's/Orpheus and clone it/ sell it for 1k a piece and make bank?
 
Me thinks audiophiles are deluded (inb4 hate/BS reasons why it can't be done even though it probably can be done with relative ease)

 
Well, Fang tried to make a headphone similar to the Orpheus (the Jade). 

 

[zachchen1996]

   
Well, Fang tried to make a headphone similar to the Orpheus (the Jade). 

 
And he is supposedly working on a successor to the Jade.

 

[Ishcabible]

   
And he is supposedly working on a successor to the Jade.

 
Well, not a successor, but another electrostat. Fang isn't aiming for it to sound like a better Jade from what I can tell.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Goowd der solid goowd.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TjymETrQt0U

 

[SomeGuyDude]

  Why can't some Chinese people just take a pair of 009's/Orpheus and clone it/ sell it for 1k a piece and make bank?
 
Me thinks audiophiles are deluded (inb4 hate/BS reasons why it can't be done even though it probably can be done with relative ease)

 
Because the kind of people who are even glancing at products on that level won't settle for a knockoff. 
 
However, I do like that you have zero knowledge of how to do something but are claiming it can be done with "relative ease". Tell you what. Go find some proof that it's "relatively easy" to clone an Orpheus and then come back to us.

 

[erikfreedom]

dynamics: sennheiser hd 800, akg k812, beyerdynamic t1.
 
planars: hifiman he-6, audeze lcd3, abyss ab-1266.
 
stats: stax sr-009, airbow sr sc21, stax sr-007
 
piezo: taket h2+
 
 
pick your poison.
 
there are others cans to consider , but they are no longer in production.