New Headphones help

[JediMa]

I have Arya SE, HD600, ATH 70rx and Meze 109 pro, in a way they are all very good and I'm not planning to sell any. Which are the best headphones, open backs, to make a significative step up about sound quality? Or other option something with a very different sound style.

 

[staticV3]

Are you using EQ with your headphones?

 

[JediMa]

Are you using EQ with your headphones?

Yes I do

 

[Rayman30]

I am in the same boat, I only have 3 "Audiophile Headphones" if you don't include Airpods and various cheap IEMs. I have Sennheiser HD650, Aeon Noire X and Audeze LCD-X, with a ton of different DAC/AMPS, but just like you I have the basis covered, these 3 cans measure so well and provide their own unique experiences, I just don't understand how there could be better objectively, maybe subjectively? how many headphones can a person reasonably wear? after hours of the Noire X at work, I don't go home and listen to headphones, I listen to my Vanatoo monitors with sub.

Putting myself in your shoes, I would be interested in the HD800 (For soundstage) or the Modhouse Tungsten (Out of curiosity) maybe you could try one of the new Hifiman Unveiled products. I am not even convinced any of these are better from a measurements perspective, but maybe they offer something different. That's where I think we are now, its just something different, and for how much money $? yikes! absolutely first world problems here. While I also use PEQ, there is something about new headphones that is not replicable with EQ, I find that EQ can improve the headphones but the sound will always sound like those headphones (If that makes sense) its like ordering a pizza from a pizza joint, changing the toppings and expecting a different pizza experience, it will only get you so far.

 

[solderdude]

Which are the best headphones, open backs, to make a significative step up about sound quality? Or other option something with a very different sound style.

There is no 'significant' step up in sound quality. There are some headphones that do certain aspects a little better. The thing is not all people care about the same aspects and many of these aspects are not captured in measurements either.

The best sounding headphone I ever heard was the HE-1 and the best quality was that I was not listening to a headphone but to music. I can only describe it as 'effortless'.
Next best thing was the Sonoma model 1 but that one could not play impressively loud.
For me the Susvara (and by extension the HE6SE v2 with some EQ) were amongst the most enjoyable ones but others may not prefer them as much.
Too expensive for my taste... I use a (2nd hand) HD800 with EQ which is hard to beat.
In the $/€ 500 range perhaps (for me) the HD550 and OLLO S5X/X1 work for me.

Even though I heard/measured over 200 headphones I have not heard/measured many of the current TOTL or 'rare' headphones and there might be some absolute gems in there.

If anything ... headphones are very personal and other people's opinions are just that.
There is no 'best' but there certainly are plenty 'best headphones' for each and everyone. They just are not likely to be the same model or even brand.

 

[respice finem]

Provided the existing headphones fit well, probably the best procedure would be to keep them and EQ them "to taste".
There are almost always small deviations from the measurement based EQ curves, because of the individual ear form.

 

[Subob]

As you own the Meze 109 pro, have you tried the Meze Elite?

I also own the Meze 109 pro, and a couple of other headphones, but the Meze Elite remains my 'end game' from all of the headphones I've heard to date.

All the above means bugger all to you, though. It's all wholly subjective. There is no such thing as the 'best' headphones at all.

 

[Overseas]

Maybe try Focals openback.