[Beagle]

1977. I auditioned a Yamaha HP-1 and bought them after about 5 minutes of listening. So warm, so full, so musical and natural.

 

[jerryg]

for me, It was senn HD-433 with creative live 5.1 sound card 4years ago.

 

[Leporello]

My brother-in-law's Sennheiser HD250 Linear in 1987(?). Compared to my Yamahas (which I generally liked) the Senns sounded amazingly detailed.


Regards,

L.

 

[fr4c]

HD580 hooked up to a PPA.

those were the days

 

[firefox360]

My recently purchased Sennheiser HD477's were the first headphones that WOW'ed me. The sound quality was impeccable compared to the other can that I've heard. They were also the most comfortable headphones that I've ever placed on my head. I just bought it 2 weeks ago

, and I'm thrilled about it.

Although it was also the first headphone I ever bought for over $60 bucks CDN. With tax and everything from my local store it costed me $103... I would have gotten the 497's if it was possible, but the store I was at didn't carry them. Plus it would have been way over my price range (which was $100)...

 

[darkSilencer]

my first sorta wow was the hd202 for my birthday 2 years back, then i knew there was something better so i found this place and bought me the koss ksc75 which was the real wow, soon i will be wowed more with more purchases heh

 

[Kenny12]

ksc-50 after a 10 hr break in

 

[THESANTINI]

my friend's hd 560s i think it was. I own the hd570s after having heard the one step down pair. that was awesome =]

 

[boodi]

..the first on ksc35 really .. i started discovering the headphone world then .
..the biggest trying a not burned Headphile repl. senn cable with hd650 ( it made em sound with terrifics soundstage and heights , mind my first test on it was Vangelis Blade Runner ost )

 

[Zindrla]

I'd have to say my first "WOW" came in 1998 when I got my first PJB which came packaged with a pair of Porta-Pros. I had listened to mostly stock earbuds until then - I was shocked at the difference.
The only other "WOW" came when I got a pair of E5s. I had been using Etys and was happy - but never happier than when I got those E5s.

 

[sgrossklass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by THESANTINI my friend's hd 560s i think it was. I own the hd570s after having heard the one step down pair. that was awesome =]

BTW, the HD560 is in no way "on step down" from the HD570. These were Senn's top of the line dynamic cans before the HD580 came along. Generally reputed to be a bit overdone in the highs (but otherwise pretty good); the HD565 fixed that. Judging from the specs, the HD570 was more like a successor to the HD525, maybe HD535.

I can't remember whether or how much I was wowed by the HD590s when I got them (a Christmas present in 2000); I still was a fairly... undiscerning listener back then.
As for smaller surprises, I was just listening to a Santana CD (older stuff, Samba Pa Ti et.al.), freshly ripped to hard disk. Last time I heard this was off my CD player, now the source was my trusty Aureon 5.1 Sky and EQing was being used, with amp and cans being the same. I couldn't help thinking, "I never heard it as good as THIS before".

 

[mysticaldodo]

I wasn't initially wowed but slowly impressed as my HD 595 break in. Off course when I upgraded from multimedia speakers, I had no idea what instrument separation, tone and soundstage are. The HD 595 has been a great learning tool

 

[flecom]

my first wow was the clarity of the AKG501s that replaced my $5 no name headphones... this was pre-head-fi so no amp... then my next wow was a pair of Beyer DT990's i was blown away at how much bass they had... i was content, then i found headfi and put together a millet amp, wow again!

my biggest wow (and happiest so far) was at a meet, the first time i listened to the AKG K1k's... been in love with them ever since

 

[memoryblues]

Grado SR80's about 1.5 months ago. After I listened to Coldplay - Don't Panic on those babies...wow. I felt tingly all over. Sold it soon after though because I needed a more portable solution. Now looking to get that Grado sound back.

 

[Angelic]

My addiction to the world of headphones sound began 15 years ago with pair of Russian isodynamic headphones named TDS - 15. I was blown away by pristine highs, tight bass, warm sound and details. Still didn't heard this clear highs as I remember in any other headphone < 100 USD, but my trip at head-fi lets say just began.