Must have headphones

[MayaTlab]

K371: to get a good idea about what the Harman target curve sounds like without having to get into EQ. And if you don't like it, it won't hurt you too much financially when you want to re-sell it.

It varies enough because of sealing issues that I'm not sure that what a lot of people are hearing with these is representative of Harman's intent with their over-ears target.
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-4/graph#1671/4007
https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/akg/k371/
There may also be quite a bit of channel imbalance and sample to sample variation with them.
We have a small dozen at work and I also have my own pair (the latter of which I've tried to measure on my own head with in concha mics below 1khz). The ones at work which pads have been crumpled because of poor packaging design I just can't even use as I get no seal with them. My own copy also has fairly asymmetrical pads and I'm struggling a lot more with them to get decent channel matching on my ears than with other headphones.
I think that EQing a pair of HD6XX/650/600 to Harman is a better bet if one wants to hear what the target was meant to sound like... and even then pad ageing may throw off the results.

 

[RHO]

It varies enough because of sealing issues that I'm not sure that what a lot of people are hearing with these is representative of Harman's intent with their over-ears target.
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-4/graph#1671/4007
https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/akg/k371/
There may also be quite a bit of channel imbalance and sample to sample variation with them.
We have a small dozen at work and I also have my own pair (the latter of which I've tried to measure on my own head with in concha mics below 1khz). The ones at work which pads have been crumpled because of poor packaging design I just can't even use as I get no seal with them. My own copy also has fairly asymmetrical pads and I'm struggling a lot more with them to get decent channel matching on my ears than with other headphones.
I think that EQing a pair of HD6XX/650/600 to Harman is a better bet if one wants to hear what the target was meant to sound like... and even then pad ageing may throw off the results.

Maybe I just have a really good pair. No issues here with the pads. No crumpling or differences between left and right.
Sample to sample variation is an issue with any model of headphones I suspect.

 

[Robin L]

Maybe I just have a really good pair. No issues here with the pads. No crumpling or differences between left and right.
Sample to sample variation is an issue with any model of headphones I suspect.

Right now I've got three headphones I regularly use. The Philips Fidelio has the best imaging but the worst frequency response and its flaws can't really be eq-ed out. The Drop 6XX have the best response from 100hz on up, but they require both eq and additional power to sound right. The AKG K371 requires little power and no eq. I haven't have problems with the pads or hinges, tend to use the K371 'phones more than the other two. I suspect that the hinges/headband arrangement flummoxes some as it feels loose, but once you get used to it, it's no longer a problem. I can imagine a large enterprise like AKG having some issues with physical construction [the K167 headphones were made out of plastic that was too easily broken], but my sense is that the K371 headphones will be regarded as a classic in time. No other headphone does so much for so little money.

 

[SOULKAT]

Hi guys,
Name 5 must have headphones for headphone enthusiast.
This could be categorized by price to performance or expensive ones too.
Just something that is so good and exceptional or even unique for its kind.

I have had my Sennheiser HD 650 for wow too many years 20 at least and they still work but not as good as before as i overloaded by mistake & they have never worked as before
What do i get to replace them in 2021 about the same price as these Now { I'm tempted to re buy them as i loved them so much but Technology must have moved on since } Any thoughts ?? I am using Topping E30 Dac and will buy a headphone amp soon. Should i buy the L30 Or go for the iFi one ??
Thanks Dan

 

[Sharur]

I have had my Sennheiser HD 650 for wow too many years 20 at least and they still work but not as good as before as i overloaded by mistake & they have never worked as before
What do i get to replace them in 2021 about the same price as these Now { I'm tempted to re buy them as i loved them so much but Technology must have moved on since } Any thoughts ?? I am using Topping E30 Dac and will buy a headphone amp soon. Should i buy the L30 Or go for the iFi one ??
Thanks Dan

Headphones seem to be a weird category where technology improvements over time don't have much to do with quality. There's a reason so many people are still using HD6X0 series headphones. You might like the HD 560S a lot since they are very similar to the HD650 but offers better bass extension.

 

[URS]

AMKAM,

If you want to burn your money real quick, but very inefficiently – BUT WITH A RETURN ON INVESTMENT WITH LOTS OF FUN !!!
go STAX, or FOCAL…

My suggestion for OPEN Phones:
Stax 009(S)
Stax 007
(the other models I don’t know)

Here in Europe – besides the already stated Sennheiser - FOCAL is popular brand (Utopia being the Top Model)
There is also HIFIMAN, with SUSVARA a top contender

For CLOSED:
Focal STELLIA

In Ear Monitors.
There are too many to mention– I currently just got an 64 Audio TIA FOURTE.

And don’t forget:
Whichever phones you’ll buy: A dedicated HP Amplifier is a must…..

BTW: I’m talking about stationary phone use, NOT mobile;.


Regards

Urs

 

[THW]

I think if one does a fair comparison between a HD600 and any other dynamic headphone on the market today, one will be shocked at how cheap you can get what is essentially top of the line sound quality in most aspects, especially for classical/jazz/acoustic music - anything with real instruments, really.

hard agree on the HD600, had that for quite some time and I am loathe to change to anything else because they just work and they work really well. and well, because changing to anything else requires me to spend money.

every time I get the itch to buy new shiny thing, all I have to do is sit down and think: “ye but is that really better than my HD600/DX3 Pro V1”. and then it goes away like voodoo magic.

i will likely be using the above until they literally break or become unusable in some way.

 

[Marc v E]

Sennheiser HD650: because they sound right and last long. I've owned them for at least a decade, maybe even 20 years.
Bose qc35: for convenience and enjoyment outside home these are hard to beat.

 

[Robin L]

AMKAM,

If you want to burn your money real quick, but very inefficiently – BUT WITH A RETURN ON INVESTMENT WITH LOTS OF FUN !!!
go STAX, or FOCAL…

My suggestion for OPEN Phones:
Stax 009(S)
Stax 007
(the other models I don’t know)

Here in Europe – besides the already stated Sennheiser - FOCAL is popular brand (Utopia being the Top Model)
There is also HIFIMAN, with SUSVARA a top contender

For CLOSED:
Focal STELLIA

In Ear Monitors.
There are too many to mention– I currently just got an 64 Audio TIA FOURTE.

And don’t forget:
Whichever phones you’ll buy: A dedicated HP Amplifier is a must…..

BTW: I’m talking about stationary phone use, NOT mobile;.


Regards

Urs

I guess this scrambles together the most recent responses. I did own Stax Lamada Pro headphones, thought they were the greatest, used them for 30 years. Now I've got Drop 6XX 'phones and the Topping E/L 30 stacklette. I'd never go back to the Stax "earspeakers". The Stax ability to have so much presence now sounds like exaggerated treble, the EQ-ED Drop 'phones have solid bass and smoother treble. I paid something like $500 for Drop/Topping, the Stax gear [including energizer/amp] cost $2000. I'm sure some would continue to favor Stax gear, but not me.