Also... how many price "ranges" do you see between $0-$1500 ?
Which headphones do you think punch above their price range ?
- Thread starter ZoomB
- Start date
I've tried almost every popular closed back under $1000 and the AKG K371 is a steal for the price. They offer great sound quality, especially compared to other closed back headphones in the same price range
jonathan c
Headphoneus Supremus
~ Interesting question. Punching above “price range” (or weight class in pugilistic terms) implies exceeding expectations. This possibility seems more likely to occur at the ‘lower’ end rather than the higher end of the price spectrum.
~ Put another way, can a $6000 headphone punch above its ‘range / weight’? The risk is that the high price itself sets high expectations of the headphone by the buyer.
~ With that said, my answer to the thread question is Sennheiser HD-600. Its sound and its real improvements when used with higher and higher quality gear make the HD-600 the obvious choice.
~ Put another way, can a $6000 headphone punch above its ‘range / weight’? The risk is that the high price itself sets high expectations of the headphone by the buyer.
~ With that said, my answer to the thread question is Sennheiser HD-600. Its sound and its real improvements when used with higher and higher quality gear make the HD-600 the obvious choice.
hd600 and hd58x, done deal
bagwell359
Headphoneus Supremus
Tough question:
Senn HD-600: $299 - classical, even FR. Easy listen. More involving on OTL amps.
HFM HE-Sundara $349 - pop, jazz, rock, much metal. A lot better than any HD-400* model but no match for the 500/600. Not purist. Blue collar. Note: seemingly bettered by XS, and for sure by HE-6se v2 ($555).
HFM HE6se v2 $699 - crushes the Ananda and everything else under $1k. Needs power. The v1 was pretty good, this version is more complete.
Pretty dead $700-1500 range. Arya may be the best - but only with EQ if so. The Audezes don't cut it. Lots of stuff around $2k and a bit above. But if thats your range, go listen!
Senn HD-600: $299 - classical, even FR. Easy listen. More involving on OTL amps.
HFM HE-Sundara $349 - pop, jazz, rock, much metal. A lot better than any HD-400* model but no match for the 500/600. Not purist. Blue collar. Note: seemingly bettered by XS, and for sure by HE-6se v2 ($555).
HFM HE6se v2 $699 - crushes the Ananda and everything else under $1k. Needs power. The v1 was pretty good, this version is more complete.
Pretty dead $700-1500 range. Arya may be the best - but only with EQ if so. The Audezes don't cut it. Lots of stuff around $2k and a bit above. But if thats your range, go listen!
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Hd600, emu-teak, hifiman he500 (used prices), focal elex, mrspeakers alpha dog/prime.
Uebelkraehe
500+ Head-Fier
D9200, at least as far as closed backs are concerned. If you can get an even further reduced open box pair, it's an exceptional deal.
Kammerat Rebekka
1000+ Head-Fier
Sennheiser HD58X, HD600, HD650/6XX
Audio Technica ATH-R70X
AKG K371, K612, K245
Hifiman HE4XX, Sundara
Superlux HD681
Koss Porta Pro
Audio Technica ATH-R70X
AKG K371, K612, K245
Hifiman HE4XX, Sundara
Superlux HD681
Koss Porta Pro
Sub-1,000, it's the E-MU Teak.
Mid-1,000, it's the Denon AH-D9200.
IMO, of course.
Mid-1,000, it's the Denon AH-D9200.
IMO, of course.
Far exceeding their pricepoint are HD650, HD600, HD250 and K702.
HD25, K371, Ananda and Clear do perform very well at their price. They are what i'd expect. The AH-D9200 also to some extend but i think it's pretty tough to justify the 1500% price increase over the HD25 and K371 so either these two are also overperforming or all other expensive closed backs are underperforming. I tend to think the latter.
HD650, HD600, HD250, K702, Ananda, Clear and D9200 (only compared to closed backs) are around the same league for me.
Above that only one league is left in that i'd put the Utopia, Susvara and SR009S.
Below the HD650... league are two leagues.
The first one below is for some strange headphones like most of Audeze, some Beyerdynamics, strangely tuned japanese things and also bluetooth headphones like Bose QC, Airpods Max etc.
The second one below is for complete failures like AKG K872, Sonus Faber Pryma and Ultrasone Edition M to mention a few and for free airplane headphones.
Thats how i personally categorize headphones.
HD25, K371, Ananda and Clear do perform very well at their price. They are what i'd expect. The AH-D9200 also to some extend but i think it's pretty tough to justify the 1500% price increase over the HD25 and K371 so either these two are also overperforming or all other expensive closed backs are underperforming. I tend to think the latter.
HD650, HD600, HD250, K702, Ananda, Clear and D9200 (only compared to closed backs) are around the same league for me.
Above that only one league is left in that i'd put the Utopia, Susvara and SR009S.
Below the HD650... league are two leagues.
The first one below is for some strange headphones like most of Audeze, some Beyerdynamics, strangely tuned japanese things and also bluetooth headphones like Bose QC, Airpods Max etc.
The second one below is for complete failures like AKG K872, Sonus Faber Pryma and Ultrasone Edition M to mention a few and for free airplane headphones.
Thats how i personally categorize headphones.
JackarlTwo
100+ Head-Fier
HD650, HD600, HD58X, LCD-X. Old school Denon AH-D5000, if only it was still available.
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TYATYA
Headphoneus Supremus
Moded ibasso SR1.
Cable: silver, balance, $280
Pad: PT1 (ibasso stuff).
Make 8 pin hole on acoustic sealing, 0 cent.
Cable: silver, balance, $280
Pad: PT1 (ibasso stuff).
Make 8 pin hole on acoustic sealing, 0 cent.
Steven31
AKA SonyFan121, Audio Aficionado, Audioholic123, JVC steven, and others
Creative Aurvana Live. The CAL was a rebrand of the biocellulose Denon AH-D1000 (or was it the AH-D1001?). CAL's can be had for less than £50 in my country! and so for that price or less you get a headphone with Foster Electric biocellulose drivers, that provides a well balanced, detailed sound with a better than average soundstage for it's size, and better than average imaging for it's price.
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