[bronxers]

For me, hands down best purchase I ever made was the Onkyo A800 -- a headphone that most have not even heard of. Outclasses every headphone in my collection (see signature) and retails for much less than many of them. I have an HE-560 waiting at my door right now, and look forward to comparing, as I expect the HE-560 to be a good value from a price/quality perspective also.

 

[ScareDe2]

For me, hands down best purchase I ever made was the Onkyo A800 -- a headphone that most have not even heard of. Outclasses every headphone in my collection (see signature) and retails for much less than many of them. I have an HE-560 waiting at my door right now, and look forward to comparing, as I expect the HE-560 to be a good value from a price/quality perspective also.

The HE560 is good but you need massive power to drive it. It need more power than an planar Audeze in my experience. I need to crank my lyr 2 to 10-11 oclock at high output.

 

[harrylks]

I don't think it's fair to include the Massdrop headphones...... but I am going to do it anyway.

I currently have the HE 4xx, AKG 7xx, HD598, Sony MDR1A, Bose QC35 running off the iFi Nano BE > Arcam rhead (fantastic amp btw)

The HE4xx wins it for me. Soundstage isn't the biggest, but its my favourite: intimate soundstage, but not too tight to feel claustrophobic, but not too wide to feel as though you are in a concert hall. More like a bar. Bass is tight and responsive, with enough oomph, highs are smooth, mids are clear. Everything just sounds right and nice.
AKGs second. In my opinion, not as fun a sound as the Hifimans, but I use it more for gaming anyways.
MDR1As third. Surprisingly, great sounding set of closed cans which looks good for going out. Plus, I got it on sale from Amazon.

Kinda dislike the HD598s. It shares the characteristics of the AKGs but simply doesnt draw me in enough to warrant long listening sessions. It's just too boring.

Bose cant be compared cos they are simply for travelling.
But, I do have the HD6xxs coming so not sure how those are going to change things up
Thinking of the Fidelio X2s as well.

 

[chillysalsa]

I'd also agree on the HD600 / HD6XX / HD58X line of thought.

At the lower end of the scale, the Audio Technica ATH-M30x is a good value, along with Sony MDR-V6.

At the upper end, Beyer T1 is really something, especially 1st gen used, which people start to pass by now, making it a stellar value for likely under $500.

 

[BrokeSkoolBoi]

Thinksound On2. Gets the most use out of me when I'm around in New York city

 

[alota]

I forgot hifiman he-6. Last high-end headphone with human price. But really hard to drive and out of stock

 

[FastAndClean]

second hand HifiMan HE500 is the best thing you can buy right now

 

[alota]

second hand HifiMan HE500 is the best thing you can buy right now

Agree 100%.when i had both hifiman i used more he-500

 

[audiomonkey777]

The Sennheiser HD600 - also got the Sennheiser HD 800 but the 600 are still the ones I am drawn to.

 

[colinallcarz]

I owned the HD6XX for a while. I'd say that was the best bang for my buck headphone-wise.

 

[richard51]

I listen to the AKG K 340 for sometimes now,i heavily modify them, and my audio system is heavily modded also, and this headphone now sound so good that they are absolutely no comparison between it nude right out of the box or modified in a clean audio system... Defects that many people report are there no more,or way less evident, after cleaning the electrical grid of your audio system and modify the AKG (principally grid mods,and damping with sorbothane and stones and adding some meodymium magnets n 52 to the exterior cups WOW) Their principal sound quality is holographic depth imaging like my speakers with a sound so natural that they kill my Stax lambda, Stax SR-5,AKG 701,hifiman he 400 and beyer DT-150,i listen no more to them and upgrading is for me a foolishness I smile at now...But anybody who listen them nude ,in a non cleaned system, does not know them....This is the reason that they are sold often at 100 bucks,because people does not know how to modify and damp them,and almost all audio system are not cleaned ... They must also be drive by a SS amplifier with quality power or tube amp...I think that short of Stax omega or many thousand dollars headphones they cannot be beaten...I does not search headphones anymore ...i pay them 100 bucks...Must i say i steal them?

 

[hemipowered007]

If you already have a powerful clean setup. The he4, new it was 300 or 350 I can't remember now. Also, when the t50 could be had for 60 bucks, then minor mods added brought that to a whole different league.

 

[quisxx]

Takstar pro 80

 

[omniweltall]

Senns HD6X0 (600, 650, 6XX) and HD800 definitely.

 

[AzraelDarkangel]

Beyer DT880 pro 250ohm. I paid $230 when I got mine several years back. Worked great even on my phone. I never really heard the infamous high frequency peak. Had the smoothest and most accurate tonal balance of any headphone I've heard. Wish I had heard it on a good tube amp, the mids were missing a little oomph. Lightly modded the dampening for a touch better bass. Wish I never sold it.