Headphone Upgrade Path: Electrostatic vs Dynamic vs Planar

[watchnerd]

If I want a major upgrade from the midrange headphones I have now (HiFi Man 400i, Sennheiser 6XX, AKG K7XX), what's the best upgrade path to make a major improvement, as opposed to a minor incremental one?

Current ability to drive headphones comes from either an RME ADI-2 Pro or Devialet Expert 400.

Assume budget up to about $4k (less would be fine), including hew amp, if needed.

 

[Cahudson42]

This will be interesting. I am at a complete loss on how you get a major improvement from where you are - both the HE400i (my own primary cans) and the RME ADI-2 (which I wish I owned). Perhaps if you have not yet optimised fr profiles for each HP using RME PEQ? (0$, bunch of time). Really anticipating others recommendations - and reasons for!

 

[solderdude]

I don't think the upgrade comes from the driver principle.
The Raal and Hedd are also different in principle.
They all sound different, have different comforts and efficiency.
I heard good and poor TOTL headphones where others comparing the same ones heard them quite differently.

There are good ones in all driver principles. All I can say is EQ and or audition some if possible.

So I cannot vote on the poll unless I can tick all 3 boxes.

 

[LTig]

I'd get a HD800S and use the EQ in the RME to tame the 6 kHz peak. It's the one with the widest open stage I've listened to so far, and its weight is still bearable for me.

 

[Colonel Bogey]

I'd get a HD800S and use the EQ in the RME to tame the 6 kHz peak. It's the one with the widest open stage I've listened to so far, and its weight is still bearable for me.

Would the similar be true also for a combo of RME and the Focal Clear Professional? Slightly cheaper and has some fans out there.

 

[solderdude]

Would have different comfort and different EQ. But sure Focals are also excellent headphones.
Many headphones can possibly be an upgrade. The question is how much and to who ?
Some like a certain headphone while others hate it.

Nothing as personal as a headphone, both in comfort and sound, regardless of operating principle.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

Budget is “up to” 4 k? I read you well?
The Higiman HE6 Original is IMO,the best headphones out there, I think the Devialet should drive from the speaker output ,else you need a small powerful speaker amplifier.
Audeze LCD 4
STAX 007 with Stax 007T amplifier

These 3 are in the pantheon of greatest headphones IMO.
The HE6 if you can find it, is my favorite overall. The Stax with a bit of EQ in the bass comes a close second.

I haven’t heard any better headphones yet. The pandemic has not helped. So no experience with the HEDD, RAAL or other TOTL. Soldedude could comment on those choices.

Like Soldedude, I would vote for all 3. So, I didn’t cast my vote

 

[JohnYang1997]

Ananda sounds wonderful. Hedd sounds bad. To ME.

 

[Jimbob54]

Good electro are too rich for my blood. I'd get a Clear and a good planar (lcd 3 maybe) The RME would cope fine with both. That's as good as it gets

 

[SpinifexV]

Variety is nice, so I would recommend the Koss ESP/95x to dip your toes into electrostatic headphones. They are very good, especially if you changed their pads, even if they are not TOTL anymore.

There is a cost to 'stats and their impressive speed and detail retrieval, and that is the lack of slam and bass presence. So before you invest in a $4k Stax system, a sub $500 system that is a good way to check if you like the tech.

 

[watchnerd]

Hi

Budget is “up to” 4 k? I read you well?
The Higiman HE6 Original is IMO,the best headphones out there, I think the Devialet should drive from the speaker output ,else you need a small powerful speaker amplifier.

These HE6's?

https://www.hifiman.com/products/detail/294

I'm not seeing anything in the spec that says I should use a speaker output instead of the RME, but maybe I'm missing something. Unless you're referring to the 2W recommendation due to low sensitivity.

Or did you mean a different headphone?

 

[Jimbob54]

These HE6's?

https://www.hifiman.com/products/detail/294

I'm not seeing anything in the spec that says I should use a speaker output instead of the RME, but maybe I'm missing something. Unless you're referring to the 2W recommendation due to low sensitivity.

Or did you mean a different headphone?

That's the ones. Rare!

 

[JustAnandaDourEyedDude]

These HE6's?

https://www.hifiman.com/products/detail/294

I'm not seeing anything in the spec that says I should use a speaker output instead of the RME, but maybe I'm missing something. Unless you're referring to the 2W recommendation due to low sensitivity.

Or did you mean a different headphone?

The link is to the 'se' or second edition. FrantzM referred to the original, which many of its owners prefer to the se. You would have to buy a used version of the original. You almost had me whipping out my credit card.

 

[solderdude]

I think FrantzM indeed meant the originals but the SE is more efficient (96dB/V, just like the Susvara as both are 83dB/mW)
The original is 88dB/V is quite inefficient and to reach loud levels (110dB peak) it requires 14V = 4W
RME reaches 10V so would be enough even for loud listening.
The older versions are lower in impedance so draw a little more power at the same volume (loudness)

14V in 4 Ohm = 50W so when people connect it to a 50W (in 4 Ohm) specified amp they are just feeding it with 4W (max) instead of 50W (which they assume they are feeding it with).

The HE6, indeed is an excellent headphone... if you don't mind the weight and don't want to connect it to your phone.
The new version, because it is more sensitive of course is easier to drive and RME is more than enough even in SE mode. In balanced mode the old one would be perfect as well.

 

[FrantzM]

These HE6's?

https://www.hifiman.com/products/detail/294

I'm not seeing anything in the spec that says I should use the speaker output instead of the RME, but maybe I'm missing something.

Or did you mean a different headphone?

This is the HE6SE.. different for the extremely difficult to drive HE6. I don't know much about it. The original HE6 is considered by many as one of, if not, The best headphones out there. It is a low sensitivity beast. The Atom plays it but not that well IMO.

I see people have replied ...

Seeing the demand for the original HE6, , I would think Hifiman would have remanufactured a few, at the original price of course unless the HE6 SE is superior in which case it is a formidable headphone.

 

[Zensō]

If I want a major upgrade from the midrange headphones I have now (HiFi Man 400i, Sennheiser 6XX, AKG K7XX), what's the best upgrade path to make a major improvement, as opposed to a minor incremental one?

Current ability to drive headphones comes from either an RME ADI-2 Pro or Devialet Expert 400.

Assume budget up to about $4k (less would be fine), including hew amp, if needed.

In my opinion you’ve already reached the point of diminishing returns. Improvements in detail retrieval would be found in the Focal Utopia and Sennheiser 800S for example, but to call the improvements “major” would be a stretch. Your time (and dollars) may be better spent using your ADI-2 to its full potential.

 

[Vini darko]

I voted electrostat. Since you already have dynamic and planar stuff.

 

[bobbooo]

Variety is nice, so I would recommend the Koss ESP/95x to dip your toes into electrostatic headphones. They are very good, especially if you changed their pads, even if they are not TOTL anymore.

There is a cost to 'stats and their impressive speed and detail retrieval, and that is the lack of slam and bass presence. So before you invest in a $4k Stax system, a sub $500 system that is a good way to check if you like the tech.

What pads did you get for your ESP/95X? Great headphones, but I'm looking for pads that will seal better than the stock ones.

 

[outerspace]

Researches shows that you can get major improvement only by making personal equalization of headphones. Other things don't make any major improvements in sound quality. Even trained listeners can't prefer one good equalized headphones to another.

 

[bobbooo]

This is the HE6SE.. different for the extremely difficult to drive HE6. I don't know much about it. The original HE6 is considered by many as one of, if not, The best headphones out there. It is a low sensitivity beast. The Atom plays it but not that well IMO.

I see people have replied ...

Seeing the demand for the original HE6, , I would think Hifiman would have remanufactured a few, at the original price of course unless the HE6 SE is superior in which case it is a formidable headphone.

The 6SE has a huge dip between 1 and 3 kHz. The HifiMan Sundara would be a more neutral headphone.