[speCD]

Campfire Solstice. Just immediate 'wow' these are quality. Detail, separation, sound ... they were just ... nice. I eventually decided not to go the custom route so that I can share my IEM's with my partner but I was really tempted.

Audeze MX4. Again, first impression. Wow. The holographic soundstage and instrument separation. Lush, warm, fun mid vocals. If not for the huge size, head clamp I would have bought them on the spot. And sounded great out of a headphone jack of my DAP.

Campfire Andromeda. See comments for Solstice except not quite as nice. There are a few minor fault(s) mostly to do with the mids. Not quite as analytical as a well balanced HD800S nor as complete as the other two which are an entire new category.

But back in the day, it was the Etymotic ER4P and Shure 530's ... that gave me hours and hours of listening joy.

Really miss the days with er4p. They don't sound the same now but they gave me more pleasure in the old days then TOTL cans give me now.

 

[HBen]

maybe 2 decades ago (and still going strong): HD580

Over a decade later (and still great): T90

about 5 years ago (and still amazing): HD800

in the last few years: Susvara, Abyss, several STAX', Utopia can all be pretty "wow" in different ways but also an LCD4Z, LCD3, HE1000 or and Edition X (V2) or even a HE560 can still wow me sometimes

The IEM that restored my faith in iems again: Shure KSE1200/1500

 

[richie60]

i'm done now, very happy with both the Beyerdynamic T1's and my go-to, the DT1990. Both are powered with the La Figaro 339i.

 

[JES]

Grado SR60.

Purchasing my SR60 back in 2001 (long before the days of the SR60e or even the SR60i) were my first real audiophile experience that led me into this world.

I still sometimes listen to that same pair nearly 20 years later.

Similarly, my first real ”wow” speakers were a set of Paradigm Titans along with an accompanying subwoofer and center channel. I bought them not long after the SR60s I still use that 5.1 system in my living room.

Almost the same for me. SR80s bought in 2001. I still have em and use em on occasion.

 

[OspreyAndy]

Major WOW for me comes in 4 phases since 2006:

- KOSS The Plug!
- Alessandro MS1
- Etymotic ER4S
- STAX SRS-001

And today I am still WOWed by Etymotic ER4SR on daily basis, my primary cans and the only one I am truly attached to

I am in the process of getting back into STAX with either SRM-002 or SRM-D10 and also getting Alessandro MS Pro this time

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

HD650. It sounded so great and it was so cheap. I had no idea that something so cheap could end up costing me so much over time.

 

[chrisdrop]

ZMF anything, especially ZMF Verite Closed

 

[MikkiT]

Had a chance to listen to a pair of Meze Empyreans at length in Singapore about 18 months ago. Almost life-changing when played through a Chord Hugo 2.

 

[schmalgausen]

Porta Pro

 

[paradoxper]

The first headphone that wow'ed me and perplexed my thinking of how good sound could be let alone out of a headphone was the STAX SR-007.

A special consideration to note:

The Abyss TC as it does everything as a whole better, bigger, more speaker-like than all "headphones."
The SR1a surpassing STAX in speed, resolution, surpassing all in stage, imaging and overall technicality.
The benchmark for a true reference sound.

 

[TWerk]

Ultrasone Edition 8.

They are incredible. The low end tight bass, incredible highs, incredible imaging.

To my ears, they are my favorite. Absolutely give me that wow effect.

 

[Mightygrey]

I know it's a bit of a meme, but having been lucky enough to spend some proper time with the Sennheiser HE-1 I can say that they are truly special.

But in all seriousness, the more *attainable* headphones that have wowed me the most in terms of immediate excitement and all-round 'specialness' are:

- Audio Technica ATH-ADX5000
- Focal Stellia

 

[Ivan4you]

It must not always expensive.The Sony MDR1AM2 is a good allrounder.

 

[whirlwind]

The Grado 325 was my first wow moment.
Now days I gravitate toward ZMF VC & LCD-4

 

[speCD]

But in all seriousness, the more *attainable* headphones that have wowed me the most in terms of immediate excitement and all-round 'specialness' are:

- Audio Technica ATH-ADX5000
- Focal Stellia

What amp did you use when you tried them?