[ThanatosVI]

To add to @ThanatosVI list as there's quite a few weird omissions.

I'd remove the Meze Empyrean if we're purely talking sound quality as it's nowhere near the rest of that list for performance and doesn't really belong in that company.

I'd also add a few lower tiered options so you're not looking purely at Summit-Fi.

Focal Utopia 2022
HiFiMan Arya Stealth
HiFiMan HE-1000V2
ZMF Verite Closed
Audeze LCD5
Audeze LCD4
Abyss Diana TC

And on the ultra high end

Warwick Acoustics Bravura
Warwick Acoustics Aperio

Feels pretty ridiculous to me that you'd remove the Empyrean but add the Arya and He1000. Empyrean is clearly above Arya, but this just reinforces that there is no consent about "best" and this topic is very subjective.
Anyways, this list was never meant to be complete but just the headphones that came to my mind as worth checking out. The additions from your list are well worth checking out as well.

 

[bagwell359]

Feels pretty ridiculous to me that you'd remove the Empyrean but add the Arya and He1000. Empyrean is clearly above Arya, but this just reinforces that there is no consent about "best" and this topic is very subjective.
Anyways, this list was never meant to be complete but just the headphones that came to my mind as worth checking out. The additions from your list are well worth checking out as well.

I agree the Arya is out of its depth, but he's right about the Emp.

 

[Kevintj604]

Feels pretty ridiculous to me that you'd remove the Empyrean but add the Arya and He1000. Empyrean is clearly above Arya, but this just reinforces that there is no consent about "best" and this topic is very subjective.
Anyways, this list was never meant to be complete but just the headphones that came to my mind as worth checking out. The additions from your list are well worth checking out as well.

I agree with you regarding the "best" as I think the classification needs to be way more defined. I wholeheartedly disagree with you on the Empyrean though. The Arya destroys it for every index excluding build quality. The Focal Clear out performs the Empyrean and that's coming from someone who owned the Empy for over 6 months.

HE1000V2 is one of the best all rounders ever made and out resolves the Elite. I thought putting the Empyrean and Elite there and omitting the Utopia and LCD5 was a weird choice but maybe you're hearing something the rest of us aren't.

 

[ThanatosVI]

I agree with you regarding the "best" as I think the classification needs to be way more defined. I wholeheartedly disagree with you on the Empyrean though. The Arya destroys it for every index excluding build quality. The Focal Clear out performs the Empyrean and that's coming from someone who owned the Empy for over 6 months.

HE1000V2 is one of the best all rounders ever made and out resolves the Elite. I thought putting the Empyrean and Elite there and omitting the Utopia and LCD5 was a weird choice but maybe you're hearing something the rest of us aren't.

I disagree on Arya outperforming the Empyrean, in fact I sold my own Arya after getting the Empyrean.
I also disagree on the He1k outresolving the Elite, although it does push more emphasis on detail and treble. Still the He1k is a headphone worth checking out in it's price bracket.
The original Clear has a very tinny timbre and is horrible imo, never heard the Clear MG tho. Both can't compete with most of the headphones mentioned here.

I omitted the Utopia since I heard them falling out of favor for many in the past 2 years. The new 2022 Edition had very mixed Impressions from Canjam.

The LCD-5 just slipped my mind and should definitely be on the list. Just like the Raal SR-1A and DCA Stealth.

 

[Kevintj604]

I disagree on Arya outperforming the Empyrean, in fact I sold my own Arya after getting the Empyrean.
I also disagree on the He1k outresolving the Elite, although it does push more emphasis on detail and treble. Still the He1k is a headphone worth checking out in it's price bracket.
The original Clear has a very tinny timbre and is horrible imo, never heard the Clear MG tho. Both can't compete with most of the headphones mentioned here.

I omitted the Utopia since I heard them falling out of favor for many in the past 2 years. The new 2022 Edition had very mixed Impressions from Canjam.

The LCD-5 just slipped my mind and should definitely be on the list. Just like the Raal SR-1A and DCA Stealth.

That's cool. Another reason why this hobby is really subjective.

I went the other way and sold my Empyrean after hearing the Arya Stealth. I don't rank the Empyrean and Elite as low as @Resolve and @crinacle and wouldn't say the LCDX 2021 is on par with the Elite for performance but I don't think they are far off in their assessment.

I agree with you on the Focal Clear OG and wouldn't put it on this list but It's still an awesome headphone for its price bracket. I sold mine quickly though for the timbroral problems that you mentioned as we both agree there.

I have a demo booked for Utopia 2022 next week so i'm not sure what they improved but I've heard the 2020 and it's handedly the most resolving dynamic driver I've ever heard and most definitely belongs in a best list.

 

[Dixter]

I think the Hifiman HE1000v2 kinda got a bad rap from so many reviewers ... all of the pointed out defects that was pointed out has been corrected...
the version they are selling today is much different than the original V2 when it first came out...

the version today has the 3.5mm inputs vs 2.5mm inputs...saves me from having to buy 2.5mm cables..
the finish on the ear cup outer screen no longer has machine marks and I would say is on par with the Sus...
the entire head band is the exact same as the Sus, just the HEKv2 is tan leather...
the sus is $6000
the HEKse is priced at $3500
the HEKv2 at $2000

for $2K and how it performs its a great deal... and value...
the TOTL phones are way way overpriced these days...

remember when the HD800 was under $1000... and that was considered expensive in those days....
There was a guy the other day needing to repair a LCD-4 ... his quote to get a matched pair of drivers was $2000 .... come on now

 

[Kevintj604]

I think the Hifiman HE1000v2 kinda got a bad rap from so many reviewers ... all of the pointed out defects that was pointed out has been corrected...
the version they are selling today is much different than the original V2 when it first came out...

the version today has the 3.5mm inputs vs 2.5mm inputs...saves me from having to buy 2.5mm cables..
the finish on the ear cup outer screen no longer has machine marks and I would say is on par with the Sus...
the entire head band is the exact same as the Sus, just the HEKv2 is tan leather...
the sus is $6000
the HEKse is priced at $3500
the HEKv2 at $2000

for $2K and how it performs its a great deal... and value...
the TOTL phones are way way overpriced these days...

remember when the HD800 was under $1000... and that was considered expensive in those days....
There was a guy the other day needing to repair a LCD-4 ... his quote to get a matched pair of drivers was $2000 .... come on now

I agree with you. The HE1000V2 is the best TOTL performer at the $2000 price tag and easily competes and outperforms a lot of the Summit-Fi headphones on the market today.

I do think that they have slightly too much treble energy for my tastes and require a good amp/dac pairing to sound their best. I would've kept mine as I owned the HEKV2 for a few months but the Arya Stealth gets 80% there, costs $1000 less and pairs unbelievably with the iFi Gryphon so it was an easy choice for me to make.

 

[Dixter]

The HEKV2 is amazing on tubes...

 

[TheMiddleSky]

HE1000V2 is great, back when at their first release though. Many other TOTL already passed it now as the whole performance quality. These includes Meze Elite, DCA Stealth, Abyss Diana TC, 1266 TC, Focal Utopia, and of course the bigger sibling Susvara. I agree that Empyrean still below HE1000v2 in term of technicalities.

I understand people may love HE1000V2 so much, unique character, especially for people who love bright and airy sound. Being bright doesn't automatically make HE1000V2 have super resolving qualities to make it above today's TOTL though.

 

[Dixter]

you might be thinking of the HE1000SE... the HE1000V2 isn't "that" bright and can be very dynamic on the right amp... interesting I just watched a reviewer actually saying out loud that the Arya stealth mag sounds better than the Susvara... ??? and some reviewers say the HE1000V2 edges out the Arya... so it seems they are very close to each other...

 

[Kevintj604]

you might be thinking of the HE1000SE... the HE1000V2 isn't "that" bright and can be very dynamic on the right amp... interesting I just watched a reviewer actually saying out loud that the Arya stealth mag sounds better than the Susvara... ??? and some reviewers say the HE1000V2 edges out the Arya... so it seems they are very close to each other...

I've A/B'd all four back to back in the same session. I found the HE1000SE to be brighter than the HE1000V2 as the V2 is quite a bit warmer. The Susvara is noticeably more polite in the treble, some might find it to lack the energy that the HE1000V2 and SE have. I found the Sus to sound perfect but it's definitely a laid back flagship. For my personal preference I think the Arya Stealth's treble the best out of all four with the perfect amount of energy without ever being sibilant. But the rest of the frequency response definitely goes to the Susvara and it's not close.

In an end game scenario I'd own both the Stealth and Susvara but i'm not interested in ending the hobby quite yet and the Susvara requires much better source gear which is a lot more money than i'm willing to spend right now.

 

[Dixter]

whats your thoughts on pairing the Sus/HEKV2/Arya/Stealth with the Burson Conductor 3XGT .... I love the way it looks and all.. just not sure how it pairs and sounds... could be an end game for me if the pairing is perfect... seems to have plenty of power for the Sus and the HE6 and more power than the other would ever need...

 

[Kevintj604]

whats your thoughts on pairing the Sus/HEKV2/Arya/Stealth with the Burson Conductor 3XGT .... I love the way it looks and all.. just not sure how it pairs and sounds... could be an end game for me if the pairing is perfect... seems to have plenty of power for the Sus and the HE6 and more power than the other would ever need...

All my testing was on a Burson Soloist but the opamp was upgraded. All of Burson's line-up is quite warm and sounds great with the Egg shaped HiFiMan's as does iFi because of the Burr Brown chips . I think if you're interested in Sus there are much better pairings and although the Burson can drive them im not sure if it's the most optimized pairing. I'd hop over to the Sus thread to see what owners like but most of the paring's i've seen are uber expensive.

 

[Dixter]

yep... there is a warm place in my heart for the Burr Brown chips...

 

[schsieh]

I own a few people called the best / TOTL headphones, Meze Empyrean, D8000 Pro HD800S and some STAXs, but you know what, I always come back to Fostex TH-909, not for its soundstage, detail or bass, the TH-909 certainly isn't the "best" but it is more enjoyable when listening.