Most Beautiful Headphone designs

[tvrgeek]

Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder.

Yea, people actually bought Pacers and Aztecks.

 

[pavuol]

Spotted these beauties in a colorful world of first Blade runner movie, don't know exact model though..

Spoiler: full scene

 

[bloodshoteyed]

i still fancy the look of these, maybe even more since they were my first pair of slightly more serious hp's

 

[Atratusnex]

Spotted these beauties in a colorful world of first Blade runner movie, don't know exact model though..
View attachment 177400

Spoiler: full scene

View attachment 177401

Im not sure if this are even headphones...

 

[nagster]

 

[Helicopter]

I am a sucker for rose gold. If only audio was a female dominated hobby, I could choose from a large variety of cutesy designs.

I agree, I do not find stax to be good looking at all... The 009 look eh but not terrabad like some of the other ones. Ofc just giving my 2c, if you like it then more power to you.

I got my wife These. Agree rose gold is nice. I would love to see a feminine Focal headphone. They have done some clearly gender neutral ones that look great like Celestee, and to a lesser extent, Clear original, Clear MG, and Stellia.

 

[BoredErica]

I got my wife These. Agree rose gold is nice. I would love to see a feminine Focal headphone. They have done some clearly gender neutral ones that look great like Celestee, and to a lesser extent, Clear original, Clear MG, and Stellia.

ooo, those look pretty good! It'd be even better if it didn't have the logo on the earcups.

 

[AyeYoYoYO]

These look like a brown hydraulic lowrider with gold 20” 6-spoke rims lol

 

[AyeYoYoYO]

Personally I quite like the original wired P5 :
View attachment 110335

These look like a vacuum cleaner in a black and white 1940’s film. And a brand new dentists chair from the 1960’s.

 

[AyeYoYoYO]

Actually better than I remembered. I dug them out and had a listen against the AKG-702s.

The bass response is phenomenal. In a whole other league to the AKG-702s. Absolutely hits notes I've never heard on some tracks.
But the mids are 'cuppy' sounding and a little too laid back for my tastes.
The treble is fine, the two way design allows for clean treble but I don't think it is as extended as the AKGs.

Power handling seems beyond anything I am prepared to throw at them. No distortion, rattles, buzzes or anything, but this pair is in time-warp condition. ABsolutely as new, including the foam, pads cable etc. Hard to believe they are nearly 50 years old (1973/4).

Anyway, here's a few pics:

The badge across each rear padded cup is a die-cast metal piece:
View attachment 176851View attachment 176852


Hinge point covers are metal with a black insert:
View attachment 176853

The concentric control knobs are solid anodized aluminium:
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Frame is stainless spring steel
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Why can't modern vinyl leatherette last nearly half a century like these?
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Headband is perfect
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I wonder if these vintage pioneers preceded the “Tie Fighter” ship design from Star Wars ?

 

[AyeYoYoYO]

Pioneer Monitor 10 II. Sound good, highs could be better but they are heavy. Cone material used whose much ahead their time.
View attachment 176866

Always thought these were the grandfather of the Sony MDR 90’s studio monitors.

Has anyone heard the re-launched Monitor 10 which was basically an MDR with more silver ?

 

[ZolaIII]

Always thought these were the grandfather of the Sony MDR 90’s studio monitors.

Has anyone heard the re-launched Monitor 10 which was basically an MDR with more silver ?

They have cone material which is very similar to what Yamaha used in Ns-5000 some 47 years later and it distorted less than best paper cones. Hardly anyone will make anything similar.

 

[Ilkless]

DCA Aeon series.

Just tried an Aeon 2 open - really nice and ergonomic and comfortable. I was worried my ears would touch the pads or be squeezed but nope. Pressure for my noggin was spot on and distributed nicely. LCD-2 was awful in that regard. Also love the sparkly gloss finish.

Quick listening notes: spectacular for garage rock, vocal harmonies, excellent piano timbre. Cellos sound a bit thin. Some cymbals a bit too tizzy. Could be the 6kHz emphasis, had the same problem with HD800. A bit too little rumble down deep but clean.

 

[tknx]

Man. This tells me how different aesthetic taste really is.

Meze Empyrean Jet Blacks are the best looking IMO. Shame that the sound isn’t up to the looks.

 

[PenguinMusic]

There was a range, the SE-205/305/405 and 505. Only the 405 and 505 had controls. The 505 is a two way and was TOTL (apart from a super expensive electrostatic).

In reality, the SE-505 is listenable, but not remotely close to modern headphones. The isolation is incredible (they are like earmuffs). I have quite a collection of vintage headphones picked up decades ago. Back when I was telling everyone in-ear headphones were garbage and big cans would be cool again. Now look what happened.

Hi,

Sorry to dig out this old post/thread.

I got onto a pair of those Pioneer SE-505 that I got for about 80 dollars in really nice condition.
Even the inner foam is still intact...

I took those after I gave a listen at the smaller SE-305 at a friend of mine.

I must say that I really like their sound.
Maybe they do not compete with modern headphones.
But if you ask me, that is even questionable.

To my taste, modern headphones tend to emphasize bass a lot.
Maybe even a bit too much.
Sometimes to a point where the bass eats up the rest of the sound.
So to listen to modern headphone I need to use EQ/PEQ.
I don't feel that urge with the SE-505.
I can live with it with no EQ.

About the mids, those are really nice to my ears.
Even the highs are quite good even if they will not rip your ears off like some other modern headphones will.

Of course, you'd say that headphone that are 50 years old cannot compete with modern cans when it comes to precision.
Maybe that is true, but I must say that I find I am not missing a lot of details even on overheard tracks that I know by heart.

I really think they're worth a try. Even the SE-305 is worth a try.

I've set the volume knob to the max and I've tune trimmed down the "highs" a little.
Really like how they sound that way

Regards.

 

[PenguinMusic]

Actually better than I remembered. I dug them out and had a listen against the AKG-702s.

The bass response is phenomenal. In a whole other league to the AKG-702s. Absolutely hits notes I've never heard on some tracks.
But the mids are 'cuppy' sounding and a little too laid back for my tastes.
The treble is fine, the two way design allows for clean treble but I don't think it is as extended as the AKGs.

Power handling seems beyond anything I am prepared to throw at them. No distortion, rattles, buzzes or anything, but this pair is in time-warp condition. ABsolutely as new, including the foam, pads cable etc. Hard to believe they are nearly 50 years old (1973/4).

Hi,

Agreed on that
And sorry for the previous post, I did not see this at the time of writing

I think they really sound pretty nice.
But they are indeed quite heavy...

Funny thing is I own some of the heaphones listed here.
And I think ALL my headphones are listed here... Except the Dan Clarks

Regards.

 

[computer-audiophile]

Gotta be these:

View attachment 112148

View attachment 112149

Yes, I had one of these for some years. And I also know the latest design of Jürg Jecklin what he made, before he passed away.

 

[PenguinMusic]

I want one of these to walk in the street... At least I am sure people will be looking at me

 

[Count Arthur]

I've no idea what they sound like, but I like the overall look and the single sided cable:

 

[usersky]

I've no idea what they sound like, but I like the overall look and the single sided cable:

View attachment 335189

They sound and look and feel wonderful indeed. Picture doesn't do justice to how nice the metal parts look and feel.