Headphones that sound similar to Revel M106 speakers?

[chang]

Hi, I'm looking to dip my toe into the headphone world and was wondering if there are any out there that have a similar sound signature to M106 speakers. It took me a while to find those and was hoping to save myself some returns this time around.

Would like to keep it under $400 if possible... lower is even better.

Thanks

 

[Elkerton]

I don't know if this will help because I play M105s. However, I recently listened to Nils Lofgren's Accoustic Live on B&W 801s very loudly and thought, "That doesn't sound like an acoustic guitar." When I returned home, I played the album on my AKG K371s and said, "That does." Then again, on the 105s: same- not a lot of difference between the 2, though I much prefer listening to speakers.

 

[Astoneroad]

Hi, I'm looking to dip my toe into the headphone world and was wondering if there are any out there that have a similar sound signature to M106 speakers. It took me a while to find those and was hoping to save myself some returns this time around.

Would like to keep it under $400 if possible... lower is even better.

Thanks

You can find these new on sale or used under $400.

Dan Clark Audio AEON RT Review (closed headphone)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Dan Clark ÆON RT closed back headphone. It was kindly sent to me by the company for testing and costs US $500. In a sea of similar looking headphones, the ÆON RT manages to distinguish itself with a uniqe shape: This makes the cup smaller...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[goldark]

Look for headphones with a high Olive preference score: https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/blob/master/results/RANKING.md

 

[chang]

I don't know if this will help because I play M105s. However, I recently listened to Nils Lofgren's Accoustic Live on B&W 801s very loudly and thought, "That doesn't sound like an acoustic guitar." When I returned home, I played the album on my AKG K371s and said, "That does." Then again, on the 105s: same- not a lot of difference between the 2, though I much prefer listening to speakers.

Haha, I hear ya. Instrument tone is probably the biggest needle mover for me. The 371's are definitely on the list, now I just have to decide if I want open or closed backs.

 

[chang]

You can find these new on sale or used under $400.

Dan Clark Audio AEON RT Review (closed headphone)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Dan Clark ÆON RT closed back headphone. It was kindly sent to me by the company for testing and costs US $500. In a sea of similar looking headphones, the ÆON RT manages to distinguish itself with a uniqe shape: This makes the cup smaller...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Good call. These seem to get a lot of love. Wish I could demo these somehow, since I'm leaning more open-back than closed.

Have you listened to these?

 

[chang]

Look for headphones with a high Olive preference score: https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/blob/master/results/RANKING.md

Great list. You think higher scores represent more accurate tones?

 

[anotherhobby]

I have DCA AEON 2 (open back) and I have Revel M105s (with 4 subs) in my office. I use Dirac Live with the Revels/subs and oratory1990's PEQ settings (in my miniDSP Flex) on the DCA AEON's. With both being corrected, they sound VERY similar to me. Without the correction, the AEON's have a bit low/midbass bump that makes them sound less similar.

 

[chang]

I have DCA AEON 2 (open back) and I have Revel M105s (with 4 subs) in my office. I use Dirac Live with the Revels/subs and oratory1990's PEQ settings (in my miniDSP Flex) on the DCA AEON's. With both being corrected, they sound VERY similar to me. Without the correction, the AEON's have a bit low/midbass bump that makes them sound less similar.

Much appreciated! I was contemplating getting the Qudelix for the PEQ settings already installed, this might do it for me. Now I just need to find a pair for $400 haha.

 

[goldark]

Great list. You think higher scores represent more accurate tones?

Similar to what they did for speakers, Harman did research into what is most preferred for headphones and IEM's. Due to a variety of shapes/sizes/HRTF's of different people's ear canals, there is more variability in the ideal headphone response. Speakers in a room have stricter standards on what is considered neutral - flat anechoic response with smooth off-axis behavior - due to how our brains interpret sound in a room, but pressed up against your head/ears changes how frequency response is perceived. That's why a flat headphone response will not be perceived as neutral. Having said this, they did develop a curve that on average, most people would prefer (see any of Amir's headphone reviews). The scores outlined in that database show how close the tonality of that headphone adheres to the Harman target for headphones/IEM's (they are different targets so there are 2 different sections for each). Of course, tonality is only part of the equation. Distortion behavior, spatial characteristics, and of course fit/comfort are big parts in judging a headphone as well.

 

[jonfitch]

Revel speakers have very wide dispersion, you will not get that effect in headphones because there is no stereo image. The closest you can get to simulation a large soundstage is headphones with very large internal volume in the earcups like the Sennheiser HD800. Most headphones can be easily EQed to match any target curve because the drivers are pointed directly at your ears, so you don't have to worry about directivity.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I have some time with the M106 and AKG 371s. I would say they are similar. Headphones and speakers are just different, but these have a similar general balance. Closed back however. Also have some earlier Beyer DT880s. Not similar to M106 speakers at all.

 

[chang]

Revel speakers have very wide dispersion, you will not get that effect in headphones because there is no stereo image. The closest you can get to simulation a large soundstage is headphones with very large internal volume in the earcups like the Sennheiser HD800. Most headphones can be easily EQed to match any target curve because the drivers are pointed directly at your ears, so you don't have to worry about directivity.

Yeah, for sure. I'm just trying to find some headphones that come close to the M106's tone.

 

[chang]

I have some time with the M106 and AKG 371s. I would say they are similar. Headphones and speakers are just different, but these have a similar general balance. Closed back however. Also have some earlier Beyer DT880s. Not similar to M106 speakers at all.

Appreciate it. I might give those a try, though I'm leaning towards open as of now.

 

[Elkerton]

I appreciate your thinking of going open back because they are generally more comfortable, but you do so at the expense of low bass response, below 100Hz or so. M106s, however, don't go a lot lower, so...

 

[chang]

I appreciate your thinking of going open back because they are generally more comfortable, but you do so at the expense of low bass response, below 100Hz or so. M106s, however, don't go a lot lower, so...

Agreed, it's a tough call, though I seem to be gravitating towards open since ABing these past few weeks