[Mink]

It's a forum whose name suggests it will be friendly, but this hostility and prejudice was crazy to see.

I know that forum you talk about. They have this British boarding school mentality in where new members can be bullied until they have earned their stripes. Yes I am exaggerating a bit, but I am not fond of that elitist atmosphere. I hate group think in general and that friendly forum is exactly the place where this is very obvious.

 

[KPzypher]

On one forum (not this one) I once saw a highly revered member repeatedy criticizing an amplifier for its thin, boring, analytical sound and then being called out for not actually having heard it. They first tried to dodge the question of whether they'd heard it, then they argued that there was no need to hear it and that would be a waste of their valuable time. Their reasoning was that they were experienced enough to know what this kind of product sounds like before listening, and they harshly attacked anyone who liked the amp's sound, while refusing to listen to it. (Incidentally, it's an amp that has been getting good reviews.)

Instead of dismissing this person's views as unfounded, the other members rallied around them, hounding out one of the amp's defenders with "Do you know who you're talking to?" and eventually banning them for arguing that the amp sounded good. The only person who had listened to it was driven out of town for having a different view from those who hadn't. It's a forum whose name suggests it will be friendly, but this hostility and prejudice was crazy to see.

And then there's the other well known forum where I've seen people arguing that listening is a weakness, when the graphs should tell you all you need to know.

If judging with no experience of the equipment is silly, some people on these forums take it to levels of absolute cult-like insanity.

I respect measurements. But not in every situation. I respect measurements when measuring certain aspects of components, e.g. 'noise.' Although it doesn't tell the whole story, the methodology used is consistent IMO. But when you present FR graphs of HPs and say this is a bad HP due to certain peaks/dips in FR, I don't always agree with that notion. First, we all hear differently, and one's perceived treble peak may not bother another person. case in point, most people disliked the FR of the HD820, but I thought they sounded wonderful. In the end, I had to sell mine due to fit issue (lack of clamp), but with regard to its sound signature, I was quite pleased.

Going back to topic, personally, I find anything over $2K overrated. IMO, the price to performance just isn't there. And I own a few set.

 

[elvergun]

What sounds pleasant to an individual may be dreadful to another.

What may be dreadful to another must be dreadful to all -- everyone else must be convinced about just how much that model and/or brand sucks. Some "audiophiles" are on a mission from God.

 

[easo91]

Some interesting suggestions, easo91. Thank you. Perhaps not coincidentally, I also have a compensated graph of the Sony MDR-7506...



And also a comparison plot of the AT M50x, Sony MDR-7506, and a couple other popular closed studio HPs in a similar price-range...



I don't have a graph of the AKG K553 though, MKII or standard. For some reason, nobody likes doing plots of those headphones. I am well-acquainted with the original K553 Pro with the fixed cable though. And have also listened to the MKII version with the detachable mini-XLR cable at GC recently. I have not listened to the Sony MDR-7506 recently though (because GC never has those on their demo display).

Weighted harmonic distortion for the 5 HPs shown on the above graph...

Beyerdynamic DT-770: https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-4/graph#440/4029
AudioTechnica M50x: https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-4/graph#295/4029
Sony MDR-7506: https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-4/graph#386/4029
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro: https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-4/graph#299/4029
AKG K371: https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-4/graph#1671/4029

Up to $200-250 is okay with me btw, if you have some other suggestions along similar lines. Imo, the M50x and MDR-7506 are probably both a little better at lower volumes, due to the emphasis in the bass and treble. The MDR-7506 appears a little better extended in the bass. And the M50x appears a little a better extended in the treble. Since these are both closed though, some EQ could probably be used to level the playing field a little more between the two, and smooth out a few of the rougher areas on both HPs.

The graphs of the Beyer DT-770 shown above are for the 250 ohm version btw.

So I haven’t heard the K371, but from people who share a similar taste in signature to me, it’s supposed to be a very good all arounder (and supposedly the k361 sounds pretty close to it as well.) From what I’ve heard personally, I really like the Focal Listen Professionals for a closed back. They MSRP for $300, but if you watch eBay and Reverb they come in like-used for under $250 often, the Focal Listens (the standard version) depending on your taste might actually sound better than the pros but they seem to be out of production. They used to go for around $200. I wish I could recommend the Focal Spirit Classics, but their hinges are ticking time bombs that WILL fail and leave you with a useless headphone. And then if you’re looking for a more fun sound and aren’t talking reference, I’m crazy about the Momentum 2, the only reason I don’t have one any more is I think the M3 is a step up in every way, but that’s well over the $250 mark.

 

[Malevolent]

On one forum (not this one) I once saw a highly revered member repeatedy criticizing an amplifier for its thin, boring, analytical sound and then being called out for not actually having heard it. They first tried to dodge the question of whether they'd heard it, then they argued that there was no need to hear it and that would be a waste of their valuable time. Their reasoning was that they were experienced enough to know what this kind of product sounds like before listening, and they harshly attacked anyone who liked the amp's sound, while refusing to listen to it. (Incidentally, it's an amp that has been getting good reviews.)

Instead of dismissing this person's views as unfounded, the other members rallied around them, hounding out one of the amp's defenders with "Do you know who you're talking to?" and eventually banning them for arguing that the amp sounded good. The only person who had listened to it was driven out of town for having a different view from those who hadn't. It's a forum whose name suggests it will be friendly, but this hostility and prejudice was crazy to see.

And then there's the other well known forum where I've seen people arguing that listening is a weakness, when the graphs should tell you all you need to know.

If judging with no experience of the equipment is silly, some people on these forums take it to levels of absolute cult-like insanity.

Head-Fi isn't without its flaws, but it is, IMO, the best personal-audio-related forum on the web. Of the fora available to users, this is one of the friendliest and most accessible. Other forums may function according to the tenets and rules established by its governing, and prominent members; some, unfortunately, adopt a prevailing mission that may seem elitist and/or aloof. I don't think I could enjoy myself on a forum that requires one to "prove his worth". Hence, I greatly enjoy my time on Head-Fi; it is a hodgepodge of myriad opinions, and there is a lot of information to be discovered within its figurative walls.

 

[Malevolent]

What may be dreadful to another must be dreadful to all -- everyone else must be convinced about just how much that model and/or brand sucks. Some "audiophiles" are on a mission from God.

 

[bagwell359]

Are these used price? Or does the LCD2 go on sale for $450-$550, also do you know if Audeze updated it?

Used prices, and the original LCD-2

 

[gooeyrich]

I know that forum you talk about. They have this British boarding school mentality in where new members can be bullied until they have earned their stripes. Yes I am exaggerating a bit, but I am not fond of that elitist atmosphere. I hate group think in general and that friendly forum is exactly the place where this is very obvious.

Edit: nevermind, no need to open up a can of worms we should just avoid.

 

[gooeyrich]

Before my Grado had to be sent to the US i even thought Grado is a german brand.

Sounds like a situation similar to haagen dazs

 

[rocksteady65]

Best I ever heard the HD-600 is on a used BH Crack w/ Speedball which cost my friend about $550. It's so good I bought a kit and extras in April, but its still sitting because I'm working huge OT every week.

I have a Ragnarok 1 ($1695), and having not heard the 600 since about 2012 on anything else, it seems well driven (piano dead on). Not compared to the BHC w/ S. It's a paradigm shift is what it is, and I really don't enjoy tube bass as a rule, nor syrupy tube treble, nor retubing costs. I'm a Class A SS w/ planar guy (look at my list, I don't like ANY closed cans, and very few dynamics). But it is what it is. HD600 is a mighty can, the 650 IMO is a defective relative.

Many people here I watch don't just have the 600 as best can under $350 (or whatever), they have it as a reference can against the best available, Nobody talks about the srh (any of them) in that tone.

"...the 650 IMO is a defective relative." You're Absolutely Right! Those are definitely the MOST OVERRATED HEADPHONES EVER!

 

[ADUHF]

Take some of my plots posted earlier in this thread with a grain of salt btw. Because I'm using a different system now based on diffuse field compensation that I think is more reliable.

Prices also have dropped on planars since this thread was started. So there are now more options in the same or lower price range as the 6XX, including the HFM HE-X4 and HE-400se.

I wish that all headphone measurement and review sites (including both Rtings, and Head-Fi) would post graphs that are correctly compensated with diffuse field compensation btw. Because I think that would make it quite a bit easier to compare their frequency response to the sound power responses of actual loudspeakers.

 

[john2000]

hifiman ananda

 

[Deolum]

hifiman ananda

Funny. Just yesterday i thought the Ananda is pretty underrated.

 

[imurfutur3]

all ifi products

 

[imurfutur3]

Funny. Just yesterday i thought the Ananda is pretty underrated.

i think Ananda is pretty good and worth buying