N
nhatlam96
Guest
I am interested in your headphone/IEM tier lists, please post here.
I will begin with my own (subjective) headphone tier list.
Other headphone tier lists you can check out: Crinacle, Gary Chen (YT), Joshua Valour, DMS
I do not consider myself as an audiophile or an expert in audio.
Everyone has different taste and biology, that is why every headphone tier list is controversial.
The ranking is from best to worst. So, the first headphone you see, is the best headphone I have listened so far, while the last headphone on this list is the worst headphone I have listened.
I will not talk about comfort, because everyone has different head shapes and sizes,
this tier list is mainly focused on sound.
Here you can see some gear I have owned: pictures.
Desktop Setup: Topping DX3 Pro v2 -> Focal Clear
Mobile Setup: Earfun Free Pro (Oluv Edition)
Source: Spotify
S Tier – summitFi, world best headphones
Focal Clear OG [favourite Focal] – 900€ (special discount)
+++ clean and organic tuning
+ good soundstage width, better than HD600.
+ depth and layering like HD600. It’s not as thick, but cleaner. Notes spread out a little wider than HD600 and a lot wider than DT1990.
+ instrument separation better than DT1990
+ nice dynamics and punch
--clipping issues with bass, depends on the song you are listening.
Fortunately for me, this affects only 1% of my music library.
Preamp: -3 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 17 Hz Gain 3 dB Q 0.48
Filter: ON PK Fc 192 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 0.75
Filter: ON PK Fc 1264 Hz Gain -2 dB Q 1.45
Filter: ON PK Fc 2245 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 2.95
Filter: ON PK Fc 6000 Hz Gain -0.5 dB Q 4
Filter: ON PK Fc 11319 Hz Gain -2 dB Q 2.5
Filter: ON PK Fc 19581 Hz Gain -2.9 dB Q 2
A Tier – HiFi experience
Focal Clear MG [better than Clear OG, but only on smaller soundstages] – 1500€
Vocals: OG == MG
MG vocals are more forward and detailed, but sometimes slightly too hot in the upper region.
OG vocals are more natural sounding, but less forward.
Bass: OG == MG
MG bass is punchier and smoother, but less detailed and can be boomy.
It's like you would hump up the bass and make it smoother, losing detail/quality in the process.
OGs bass are less present/dynamic, but it is more detailed.
Dynamics/micro dynamics: MG > OG
The dynamics/micro dynamics are better on the MG, but it sometimes sound wonky. A little less dynamics or humped bass would help. OG is more laid back, lighter and less fatiguing.
Spatial recreation: OG == MG
Soundstage: MG is more intimate and forward, while the OGs soundstage is placed further away.
Width: MGs width is about HD600 level or even less (!!!). OGs width is significantly wider.
Layering and instrument separation: MG have less layers, but the instrument separation works very well. OGs have more layers, but the instrument separation is not as good.
Detail and conclusion: MG == OG
Due to MGs more forward/intimate soundstage and better dynamics, it is easier to pick up detail, but enjoyment with MG is limited on songs with small soundstages.
On songs with greater soundstages, the MGs width is noticeably too lacking.
The stage feels cut off and crammed.
I find the HD600/650 soundstage size to be acceptable, but MG is worse than that.
I personally rate it like this:
On music with smaller soundstages: MG >> OG > Elegia > HD600.
On music with greater soundstages: OG > Elegia > HD600 == MG.
My personal winner & recommendation: Focal Clear OG.
If you can tolerate much less width and soundstage, then the MG is recommend.
Focal Elegia with Dekoni Sheepskin Pads [fun and fresh] – 600€ (+100€ for pads)
This headphone has a lot in common with Focal Clear.
+ mid forward headphone, without claustrophobic feel. Bass rumbles and the treble is fresh.
+ good dynamics and punch
+ instrument separation like Clear, but less clean
+ technicalities slightly less than Focal Clear
+ very nice imaging
0 acceptable soundstage, like Clear
0 good resolution, but mid bass bleed negatively impacts it (probably due to the sheepskin pads)
+ closed back
Technicality wise it’s slightly worse than Clear. It takes a little hit in resolution from the mid bleed. Tuning wise this is more mid forward without being shouty, which is more fun.
I would still consider the Clear as an upgrade, even if I prefer the Elegia’s mid forward tuning.
Preamp: -4.3 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 17 Hz Gain 3.1 dB Q 0.48
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 192 Hz Gain -2.2 dB Q 0.75
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1264 Hz Gain -4.4 dB Q 1.45
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1316 Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 0.22
Filter: ON PK Fc 8497 Hz Gain 2.9 dB Q 1.78
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 2245 Hz Gain 2.0 dB Q 2.95
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 3637 Hz Gain -2.6 dB Q 1.04
Filter: ON PK Fc 4461 Hz Gain 4.9 dB Q 3.52
Filter: ON PK Fc 11506 Hz Gain 1.6 dB Q 1.37
Filter: ON PK Fc 19581 Hz Gain -10.9 dB Q 0.43
Sennheiser HD800S [DT1990 upgrade] – 1500€
+++ Instrument layering, oh man, this is great
++ more organic than Ananda / Arya, while cleaner than Focal Clear
- slightly at the thin side
-- excessive treble, semi fixable. If you want to find faults in recordings, get this or the DT1990.
- bass needs more ohmpf and size, semi-fixable.
HD800s vs DT1990:
The HD800s is like an upgraded version of DT1990, but with real soundstage and great imaging, while the DT1990 has fake soundstage and bad imaging.
They both have problems with hisses, excessive treble and slightly thin sound.
The DT1990 is better at bass, but you can balance that out with EQ.
Preamp: -10 dB
Filter: ON LS Fc 40 Hz Gain 7 dB Q 1
Filter: ON LS Fc 75 Hz Gain 2.4 dB Q 1
Filter: ON PK Fc 1702 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 2.13
Filter: ON PK Fc 3286 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 3.95
Filter: ON PK Fc 5648 Hz Gain -4 dB Q 3.94
Filter: ON PK Fc 10533 Hz Gain 2.2 dB Q 1.17
Filter: ON PK Fc 19366 Hz Gain -11.6 dB Q 0.38 // ß much needed
After EQ we have balanced tonality with amazing spatial qualities.
Problem lies in thickness, rumble and hiss.
In FPS-Shooter like CSGO, the localization is good. On the other hand, various sound effects like gun shots or taking the knife out sound harsh.
Hifiman Arya [three different things]
++ adds verticality
++ soundstage, very enjoyable headphone for orchestra
+ clean sound, like Sundara, but without being too clinical. DT1990 is still more organic.
+ the bass is very nice, like it more than on Focal Clear
0 excessive treble, but it’s easily fixable.
- sounds thin at times, for example the vocals don’t embrace me
- it’s like Joshua Valour said, the Arya is like three headphones in one headphone.
For my case it doesn’t feel right. The bass, mids and highs feel disjunct and not cohesive, there is something wonky about the placement.
Hifiman Ananda [Sundara upgrade] – 900€ (special discount)
++ adds verticality
+ clean sound, like Sundara, but without being too clinical. DT1990 is still more organic.
0 Due to planar, I expected better instrument separation than Focal Clear, which wasn’t the case.
Technicalities are mostly the same, but due to Planar the Ananda sounds cleaner.
--- Unfortunately, soundstage width is like Sundara, otherwise I would have rated it higher than Arya.
- EQ adjustments:
Filter: ON LS Fc 20 Hz Gain 4 dB Q 1 // ß great bass feeling
Filter: ON LS Fc 40 Hz Gain 2 dB Q 1
Filter: ON PK Fc 90 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 1
Filter: ON PK Fc 209 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 1.06
Filter: ON PK Fc 568 Hz Gain -1.1 dB Q 2.99
Filter: ON PK Fc 975 Hz Gain -2.2 dB Q 7.04
Filter: ON PK Fc 1617 Hz Gain 2 dB Q 2.3
Filter: ON PK Fc 2200 Hz Gain 1.1 dB Q 0.57
Filter: ON PK Fc 3216 Hz Gain -4.4 dB Q 2.32 // ß sharp, boosted and distorted mids (semi-fixable)
Filter: ON PK Fc 8100 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 3 // ß excessive treble 1
Filter: ON PK Fc 12000 Hz Gain -4 dB Q 3 // ß excessive treble 2
B Tier – good headphones
Earfun Free Pro (Oluv Edition) [a more engaging Starfield] – 60€
Tuning: Inoffensive and engaging at the same time.
This has more treble than Starfield, but I still prefer a little more treble energy.
The mid forwardness is good, the vocals stand out, which I like.
The bass is dynamic and punchy, with nice sub bass extension.
Technicalities: Unfortunately, due to limitations of the IEM housing, the sound presentation doesn’t feel grandiose like full sized headphones.
I’m aware that’s an IEM, but the Samsung SM-R140, Tin T2s, Starfields etc. all have a bigger sound.
Detail is good for mids and lows, but I miss detail from treble. Maybe due to lack of treble extension.
Conclusion: Tuning wise, I would prefer more treble extension. Technicality wise the Earfun Free Pro are too tiny to make big enough sound for me. I wish that someone would give Oluv a bigger headphone to tune, that would be interesting.
Elear / Eclair [HD600 upgrade] – paid 650€ at eBay
The Elear is placed more at the front with mid forwardness,
where it can become shouty at times.
- layering/depth.
-The resolution is not on par with the newer Focals.
--clipping issues with bass, depends on the song you are listening.
Preamp: -2.6 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 17 Hz Gain 2.6 dB Q 0.79
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 193 Hz Gain -3.1 dB Q 0.56
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1108 Hz Gain -2.1 dB Q 1.46
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 1589 Hz Gain -1.3 dB Q 4.23
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 2122 Hz Gain 2.0 dB Q 3.61
Filter: ON PK Fc 5747 Hz Gain -2.9 dB Q 3.03
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 6854 Hz Gain 2.8 dB Q 3.30
C Tier - okay headphones
ZMF Auteur [warm and echoing]
+ warm and organic
0 Soundstage is placed further away
0 it has a similar wet towel effect like the LCD-X, but not as strong
- much reverb
- vocals sound a little dull
Audeze LCD-X [wet towel]
+ clean
++ instrument seperation
0 soundstage is placed further away
-- it’s like the sound goes through a wet towel.
HD600/650 [great starter] – 300€
+ pleasing tonality, very smooth. Sennheiser veil is not that strong.
+ depth and layering, the depth may be faked due to the smooth and thick tuning, but it works
0 acceptable detail/resolution/imaging/instrument separation
-soundstage a little small, but better than HD650
With little more resolution and clarity, it would have been A-Tier.
Wouldn’t recommend this headphone for studio use, due to the Sennheiser veil.
(modified autoEQ)
Preamp: -2.4 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 25 Hz Gain 2.3 dB Q 0.88
Filter: ON PK Fc 60 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 2.11
Filter: ON PK Fc 5959 Hz Gain -1.9 dB Q 5.4
Filter: ON PK Fc 19499 Hz Gain -4.8 dB Q 0.42
Filter: ON PK Fc 573 Hz Gain 1.1 dB Q 1.18
Filter: ON PK Fc 3227 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 3.43
Filter: ON PK Fc 6591 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 2.48
DT1990 [DT770 with more resolution] – 400€
The B-pads suck sound wonky and unbalanced, the A-pads are more balanced.
--- Unbearable peak at 7.6k.
So this review is with the A-Pads and modified autoEQ:
Preamp: -5.7 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 18 Hz Gain 4.8 dB Q 0.69
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 44 Hz Gain 1.6 dB Q 0.62
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 208 Hz Gain -2.6 dB Q 1.42
Filter: ON PK Fc 4039 Hz Gain 1.1 dB Q 1.67 /*<-- don’t EQ this more than 3dB, otherwise ridiculous mid sharpness/bleed.*/
Filter: ON PK Fc 19249 Hz Gain -6.7 dB Q 0.12
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 902 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 1.59
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 2218 Hz Gain 1.9 dB Q 2.32
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 2694 Hz Gain -1.9 dB Q 2.82
Filter: ON PK Fc 7117 Hz Gain -4.8 dB Q 4.65
Filter: ON PK Fc 7624 Hz Gain -3.5 dB Q 1.51
(If you delete the last two parameters of the EQ, then the treble spike becomes strong,
which you can use for studio purposes like mastering your recordings.)
+ the decay of the reverb is kept to a minimum, creating a very fast attack. Faster than Focal Clear
+ due to the fast attack, everything feels pinpoint precise. Fast guitars, strings or everything that plays fast, is handled.
+ good resolution, that is what I was missing from the DT770-880-990.
+ nice punch and slam
+ incredibly clean, cleaner than Focal Clear… maybe too clean?
- can be thin at times, lacking the girth or texture.
0 mediocre detail retrieval, don’t get fooled by that treble peak.
+ very open sounding, but…
- … it creates a fake vast soundstage with subpar depth/layering/instrument separation
- due to the tuning of the driver, the edges stay a little sharp, no matter the EQ setting.
In comparison to HD600:
DT1990 is clean + precise and the dynamics/punch are fun. DT1990 has higher resolution than HD600, but the big soundstage is fake, while the instrument separation/depth/imaging/layering ties with- or is slightly worse than HD600. I would recommend to try both out.
Comparison between EQ’d DT1990 and EQ’d DT770:
The biggest difference is the upgrade in resolution and it is very noticeable, like 720p -> 1080p.
Focal Radiance [LOUD] – 1300€
The overall sound presentation is loud, but never shouty.
This loudness is fatiguing even after little time.
The Radiance has the highest resolution of all Focals.
--- Negative aspect would be the narrow sound.
Filter: ON PK Fc 19822 Hz Gain -3.3 dB Q 0.39
Focal Celestee [honest closed back] – 1000€
The Clear has more thickness and spatial qualities.
--- Drawbacks would be narrow sound and thin mids.
Preamp: -1 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 95 Hz Gain -1.9 dB Q 2.11
Filter: ON PK Fc 3294 Hz Gain -1 dB Q 2.11
Filter: ON PK Fc 5740 Hz Gain -1.7 dB Q 7.11
Filter: ON PK Fc 869 Hz Gain -0.9 dB Q 0.8
Filter: ON PK Fc 1767 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 4.08
Filter: ON PK Fc 250 Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 1.41
Filter: ON PK Fc 4102 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 1.52
Moondrop Starfield [solid, but too inoffensive and tame] – 100€
Bass: Smooth, mildly thick and present. It’s not the highest resolution or defined bass,
but it’s appropriate for IEM.
Mids: It’s a bit on the warmish neutral side, the vocals stand a little too forward for my taste.
I would decrease the mids by a few db.
Highs: Very agreeable, it doesn’t stand out. I would have a little boost on it.
Misc: I don’t know what I'm doing wrong, but these iems don’t respond well with EQ.
Overall sound impression: Agreeable Tonality. Smooth and present bass, slightly too forward vocals, treble is just there. It can come off as a bit boring.
Build: The art looks good, but I would rather have a simple housing and not worry about accidently damaging the paint. Medium weight, somewhere in-between T2 and Blon.
Value: 4/5, It’s a slightly boring headphone, needs more energy.
Abyss Diana Phi [weird…]
+layering
+nice detail, but that’s due to weird tuning?
-Small soundstage
-thin, missing some thickness
- could need more lower mids + bass
Overall it’s weirdly tuned headphone with nice technicalities, missing some bottom frequencies.
(I am very surprised about this outcome, I will listen to that headphone again with different gear and see if anything changes my opinion.)
DT770 80 Ohm [solid closed back for your studio booth] – 100€
FR problems: treble spike at 5k and mid recession at 3.5k.
++ realistic and balanced tonality
+ closed back design
0 acceptable resolution
-slightly thin/hollow
-sharp treble edge, not as much as DT990
-ok bass, at least not distorted like DT880
Doesn’t take EQ well (heavy distortion and resolution hit), therefore only slight adjustments for gain:
Preamp: -1.6 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 57 Hz Gain -2 dB Q 0.63
Filter: ON PK Fc 205 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 3.04
Filter: ON PK Fc 461 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 0.39
Filter: ON PK Fc 3531 Hz Gain 2.4 dB Q 4.15
Filter: ON PK Fc 5444 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 1.26
Filter: ON PK Fc 19233 Hz Gain -13 dB Q 0.62
Filter: ON PK Fc 140 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 6.63
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 2312 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 4.75
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 6335 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 1.18
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 7299 Hz Gain -2.1 dB Q 3.88
Tin T2 [cheap and cheating] – 50€
Bass: Would greatly benefit from a bass boost. After adding a few dB on 31 – 250 hz, the bass sounds smooth and more present. It’s still stays on the light side, even after EQ.
Mids: The upper part of the mid spectrum is well done. Vocals sound angelic, but lack thickness.
Highs: Good extension of the highs and the soundstage is great. However, the highs can get tiresome after a few hours. I therefore subtracted a few dB on 4k hz – 16k hz, which cools the treble down.
Misc: Technicalities are a step above the Blon bl03, but the stereo imaging still isn’t good.
Overall sound impression: Angelic presentation of the music, I would highly recommend a bass boost and decrease in the treble region. Technicalities and resolution punches above its price.
Build: The housing feels rigid and stable, but also very lightweight.
Value: 5/5, can't do anything wrong in the sub 100€ range with these. I prefer these over RHA T20i.
D Tier – acceptable
Anker Soundcore Life Q30 [too boomy] – 60€
The bass is boomy and the treble is harsh and low quality.
The main problem is the unfixable boomy bass, which was the most apparent in NC mode.
In normal mode it was still slightly too much. The rest of the frequency response was good:
Nice clarity and neutral mids.
Depth was alright, but the imaging, soundstage and layering was subpar, but that is not important, because it is a Bluetooth headphone and not meant for HiFi at home listening.
It’s unfortunate that they had to resort to unnecessary boomy bass for their product,
otherwise I would have considered it better than Moondrop Starfield.
DT880 250 Ohm [wonky and bright] – 100€
+dynamic and punchy.
0 acceptable detail and resolution.
-sounds feels uncontrolled and not as cohesive, same problem like DT990
-even after EQ, the tonality is bright
-sub bass distorts even with little EQ
Preamp: -1.9 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 30 Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 0.43
Filter: ON PK Fc 700 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 2
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 2967 Hz Gain -1.7 dB Q 3.40
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 5490 Hz Gain 1.3 dB Q 1.89
Filter: ON PK Fc 5898 Hz Gain -8.3 dB Q 4.32
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 84 Hz Gain 1.4 dB Q 4.16
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 209 Hz Gain -1.1 dB Q 1.51
Filter: ON PK Fc 506 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 3.78
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 10991 Hz Gain 2.6 dB Q 1.46
Filter: ON PK Fc 19786 Hz Gain -13.4 dB Q 0.41
AKG K712 Pro [good for orchestra, classic] – 200€
If you only listen to classic or orchestras, it’s okay.
+The soundstage is great
0 acceptable resolution and imaging
- layering and detail is subpar
-Not good for pop, metal, EDM etc.
It’s better than Sennheiser 6xx for orchestras.
HiFiMAN Sundara [too cold for my taste] – 300€
+resolution is great
+very nice instrument separation, everything sounds neat
+clean tonal balance
-the soundstage and stereo wideness is small, smaller than HD600.
-layering or depth is flat
-little punch or dynamics
--clinical or cold sounding, not organic - I can’t get used to it.
Preamp: -2 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 20 Hz Gain 2 dB Q 0.81
Filter: ON PK Fc 5815 Hz Gain 0.6 dB Q 2.92
Filter: ON PK Fc 234 Hz Gain -1.7 dB Q 1.27
Filter: ON PK Fc 1148 Hz Gain -2.4 dB Q 1.15
Filter: ON PK Fc 19828 Hz Gain -9.6 dB Q 0.36
If you can get past that cold and clinical sound signature, then this is probably the best budget headphone.
F tier – I do not recommend
ATH M40-X [where is the soundstage?] – 80€
++great out of the box tonal balance, just very slight EQ here:
Preamp: -1.6 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 33 Hz Gain 1.6 dB Q 0.35
Filter: ON PK Fc 195 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 0.61
Filter: ON PK Fc 361 Hz Gain 0.8 dB Q 0.89
Filter: ON PK Fc 19745 Hz Gain -8 dB Q 0.28
Filter: ON PK Fc 986 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 2.21
Filter: ON PK Fc 1326 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 1.52
0 slight bad resolution
--- The soundstage is even worse than HD650.
Soundstage is like SHP9500, minus the open feel.
DT990 250 Ohm [treble spikes, even after eq] – 100€
Too much treble like DT880 - This review is going to be with autoEQ.
+It’s not as thin or hollow as DT770, but also not as smooth or thick as HD600.
I tried to make the DT770 sound thicker with something like this:
Filter: ON PK Fc 461 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 0.39
It got thicker, but not by a lot. Any more than 1.5 dB will noticeably increase distortion.
-lively and punchy, but wonky. Similar to DT880.
-BIG MINUS F: the treble spikes are hilariously too strong
Preamp: -3.7 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 21 Hz Gain 3 dB Q 0.95
Filter: ON PK Fc 177 Hz Gain -2.4 dB Q 0.66
Filter: ON PK Fc 461 Hz Gain 3 dB Q 0.39
Filter: ON PK Fc 701 Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 3
Filter: ON PK Fc 19917 Hz Gain -14.9 dB Q 0.19
Filter: ON PK Fc 1246 Hz Gain -1 dB Q 2.05
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 2328 Hz Gain 1.8 dB Q 0.79
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 2791 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 3.10
Filter: ON PK Fc 5804 Hz Gain 0.9 dB Q 1.26
Filter: ON PK Fc 5822 Hz Gain -4.1 dB Q 4.35
HD660s [where is the treble extension?] – 400€
+ like an EQ’d HD600, with more clarity
- small soundstage. Orchestras sound like a small room unfortunately.
-- 1/4 of the treble extension is missing, feels weird and incomplete.
EQ settings:
Preamp: -3.2 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 24 Hz Gain 3.4 dB Q 0.4
Filter: ON PK Fc 207 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 0.38
Filter: ON PK Fc 2423 Hz Gain 1.1 dB Q 2.15
Filter: ON PK Fc 1223 Hz Gain -1.6 dB Q 3.98
Filter: ON PK Fc 4543 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 5.15
Filter: ON PK Fc 5576 Hz Gain -3.7 dB Q 3.96
Filter: ON PK Fc 6408 Hz Gain 1.4 dB Q 5.86
ATH R70-X [music behind your head] – 300€
+Resolution and detail are nice
-missing volume, notes take little space
+open sounding
0 mediocre spatial technicalities
--- the whole front imaging is kind of missing?
Somehow, the rear has more presence than the front image, which weirdly creates an impression of “music behind your head” => Dealbreaker
0 bright tuning that can be overly excessive at times, overall music impression is “reference like”.
-shy and polite bass
Preamp: -2.1 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 22 Hz Gain 2.1 dB Q 0.97
Filter: ON PK Fc 175 Hz Gain -1.8 dB Q 0.71
Filter: ON PK Fc 3459 Hz Gain -0.1 dB Q 1.02
Filter: ON PK Fc 3704 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 2.81
HD560s [no detail] – 200€
+Tonality like HD600 with less veil
+takes EQ quite well, autoEQ on this no problem
-worse bass and resolution capabilities than HD600
BIG MINUS F: I’m not sure if I imagine things, but I somehow only hear HALF of the detail???
SHP9500 [too flat, no layers] – 200€
without EQ the upper mids or lower treble is too glaring
+resolution on par with HD600
+nice tonal balance after EQ
+open sounding, dynamic
0 sub bass doesn’t take EQ great
-BIG MINUS F: layering and soundstage is non-existent. There is maybe like 1-2 layers, even the HD600/DT770 have more layers available.
MDR-ZX110 [great tonality…] – 10€
amirmEQ is used for this review.
Imaging is like non-existent, but the tonality is nice. Guitars and Bass sound dynamic, but the resolution suffers a lot,
due to this the bass or treble spikes often sound harsh.
For a little more money you can get the Tin T2s, with better resolution and stock tonality.
Blon BL03 – [horrible] – 40€
Bass: fast and punchy, but lacks thickness.
Mids: hollow and shouty.
Highs: There is some strange peak somewhere and that is the only thing you can hear from the treble range lol. It feels like that it only plays a specific part of the treble range and the rest is recessed.
Misc: Stereo imaging is nice. Lacks definition and resolution.
Overall sound impression: Low quality presentation of music, feels like YouTube 480p. The wonky tonality is tiresome, EQ won’t fix this.
Build: Simple design, which is a good thing. Medium weight.
AKG K371 [no resolution] – 200€
Bass: Slightly thick, but punchy. Quality wise it’s bad.
Mids: Vocals are emphasized, but it doesn’t sound good. It’s shallow and sharp.
Highs: There is an annoying treble peak somewhere.
Quality wise it’s comparable to the Blon BL03, but at least it extends further...
Misc: Intimidate sounding headphones, but not like HD650. Subpar – mediocre technicalities, wouldn’t even call it appropriate for the price range.
Overall sound impression: Bad
Comfort: Ears are touching inside. I wish for thicker and bigger earpads. Wouldn’t wear it for more than 1 hour. It’s very lightweight.
Build: Lightweight and sturdy, it’s well made for studio use.
Value: 2/5, for studio or music enjoyment I prefer DT770.
For mobile use I go with ATH-M50X or Tin T2s/Moondrop Starfield.
I did not like the AKG K371 BT either.
I would like to remind again, that everything here is purely my own experience. If you happen to not agree with my experience, then that may mean that we are built differently. Otherwise please write a comment and we can discuss.
I will begin with my own (subjective) headphone tier list.
Other headphone tier lists you can check out: Crinacle, Gary Chen (YT), Joshua Valour, DMS
I do not consider myself as an audiophile or an expert in audio.
Everyone has different taste and biology, that is why every headphone tier list is controversial.
The ranking is from best to worst. So, the first headphone you see, is the best headphone I have listened so far, while the last headphone on this list is the worst headphone I have listened.
I will not talk about comfort, because everyone has different head shapes and sizes,
this tier list is mainly focused on sound.
Here you can see some gear I have owned: pictures.
Desktop Setup: Topping DX3 Pro v2 -> Focal Clear
Mobile Setup: Earfun Free Pro (Oluv Edition)
Source: Spotify
S Tier – summitFi, world best headphones
Focal Clear OG [favourite Focal] – 900€ (special discount)
+++ clean and organic tuning
+ good soundstage width, better than HD600.
+ depth and layering like HD600. It’s not as thick, but cleaner. Notes spread out a little wider than HD600 and a lot wider than DT1990.
+ instrument separation better than DT1990
+ nice dynamics and punch
--clipping issues with bass, depends on the song you are listening.
Fortunately for me, this affects only 1% of my music library.
Preamp: -3 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 17 Hz Gain 3 dB Q 0.48
Filter: ON PK Fc 192 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 0.75
Filter: ON PK Fc 1264 Hz Gain -2 dB Q 1.45
Filter: ON PK Fc 2245 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 2.95
Filter: ON PK Fc 6000 Hz Gain -0.5 dB Q 4
Filter: ON PK Fc 11319 Hz Gain -2 dB Q 2.5
Filter: ON PK Fc 19581 Hz Gain -2.9 dB Q 2
A Tier – HiFi experience
Focal Clear MG [better than Clear OG, but only on smaller soundstages] – 1500€
Vocals: OG == MG
MG vocals are more forward and detailed, but sometimes slightly too hot in the upper region.
OG vocals are more natural sounding, but less forward.
Bass: OG == MG
MG bass is punchier and smoother, but less detailed and can be boomy.
It's like you would hump up the bass and make it smoother, losing detail/quality in the process.
OGs bass are less present/dynamic, but it is more detailed.
Dynamics/micro dynamics: MG > OG
The dynamics/micro dynamics are better on the MG, but it sometimes sound wonky. A little less dynamics or humped bass would help. OG is more laid back, lighter and less fatiguing.
Spatial recreation: OG == MG
Soundstage: MG is more intimate and forward, while the OGs soundstage is placed further away.
Width: MGs width is about HD600 level or even less (!!!). OGs width is significantly wider.
Layering and instrument separation: MG have less layers, but the instrument separation works very well. OGs have more layers, but the instrument separation is not as good.
Detail and conclusion: MG == OG
Due to MGs more forward/intimate soundstage and better dynamics, it is easier to pick up detail, but enjoyment with MG is limited on songs with small soundstages.
On songs with greater soundstages, the MGs width is noticeably too lacking.
The stage feels cut off and crammed.
I find the HD600/650 soundstage size to be acceptable, but MG is worse than that.
I personally rate it like this:
On music with smaller soundstages: MG >> OG > Elegia > HD600.
On music with greater soundstages: OG > Elegia > HD600 == MG.
My personal winner & recommendation: Focal Clear OG.
If you can tolerate much less width and soundstage, then the MG is recommend.
Focal Elegia with Dekoni Sheepskin Pads [fun and fresh] – 600€ (+100€ for pads)
This headphone has a lot in common with Focal Clear.
+ mid forward headphone, without claustrophobic feel. Bass rumbles and the treble is fresh.
+ good dynamics and punch
+ instrument separation like Clear, but less clean
+ technicalities slightly less than Focal Clear
+ very nice imaging
0 acceptable soundstage, like Clear
0 good resolution, but mid bass bleed negatively impacts it (probably due to the sheepskin pads)
+ closed back
Technicality wise it’s slightly worse than Clear. It takes a little hit in resolution from the mid bleed. Tuning wise this is more mid forward without being shouty, which is more fun.
I would still consider the Clear as an upgrade, even if I prefer the Elegia’s mid forward tuning.
Preamp: -4.3 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 17 Hz Gain 3.1 dB Q 0.48
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 192 Hz Gain -2.2 dB Q 0.75
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1264 Hz Gain -4.4 dB Q 1.45
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1316 Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 0.22
Filter: ON PK Fc 8497 Hz Gain 2.9 dB Q 1.78
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 2245 Hz Gain 2.0 dB Q 2.95
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 3637 Hz Gain -2.6 dB Q 1.04
Filter: ON PK Fc 4461 Hz Gain 4.9 dB Q 3.52
Filter: ON PK Fc 11506 Hz Gain 1.6 dB Q 1.37
Filter: ON PK Fc 19581 Hz Gain -10.9 dB Q 0.43
Sennheiser HD800S [DT1990 upgrade] – 1500€
+++ Instrument layering, oh man, this is great
++ more organic than Ananda / Arya, while cleaner than Focal Clear
- slightly at the thin side
-- excessive treble, semi fixable. If you want to find faults in recordings, get this or the DT1990.
- bass needs more ohmpf and size, semi-fixable.
HD800s vs DT1990:
The HD800s is like an upgraded version of DT1990, but with real soundstage and great imaging, while the DT1990 has fake soundstage and bad imaging.
They both have problems with hisses, excessive treble and slightly thin sound.
The DT1990 is better at bass, but you can balance that out with EQ.
Preamp: -10 dB
Filter: ON LS Fc 40 Hz Gain 7 dB Q 1
Filter: ON LS Fc 75 Hz Gain 2.4 dB Q 1
Filter: ON PK Fc 1702 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 2.13
Filter: ON PK Fc 3286 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 3.95
Filter: ON PK Fc 5648 Hz Gain -4 dB Q 3.94
Filter: ON PK Fc 10533 Hz Gain 2.2 dB Q 1.17
Filter: ON PK Fc 19366 Hz Gain -11.6 dB Q 0.38 // ß much needed
After EQ we have balanced tonality with amazing spatial qualities.
Problem lies in thickness, rumble and hiss.
In FPS-Shooter like CSGO, the localization is good. On the other hand, various sound effects like gun shots or taking the knife out sound harsh.
Hifiman Arya [three different things]
++ adds verticality
++ soundstage, very enjoyable headphone for orchestra
+ clean sound, like Sundara, but without being too clinical. DT1990 is still more organic.
+ the bass is very nice, like it more than on Focal Clear
0 excessive treble, but it’s easily fixable.
- sounds thin at times, for example the vocals don’t embrace me
- it’s like Joshua Valour said, the Arya is like three headphones in one headphone.
For my case it doesn’t feel right. The bass, mids and highs feel disjunct and not cohesive, there is something wonky about the placement.
Hifiman Ananda [Sundara upgrade] – 900€ (special discount)
++ adds verticality
+ clean sound, like Sundara, but without being too clinical. DT1990 is still more organic.
0 Due to planar, I expected better instrument separation than Focal Clear, which wasn’t the case.
Technicalities are mostly the same, but due to Planar the Ananda sounds cleaner.
--- Unfortunately, soundstage width is like Sundara, otherwise I would have rated it higher than Arya.
- EQ adjustments:
Filter: ON LS Fc 20 Hz Gain 4 dB Q 1 // ß great bass feeling
Filter: ON LS Fc 40 Hz Gain 2 dB Q 1
Filter: ON PK Fc 90 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 1
Filter: ON PK Fc 209 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 1.06
Filter: ON PK Fc 568 Hz Gain -1.1 dB Q 2.99
Filter: ON PK Fc 975 Hz Gain -2.2 dB Q 7.04
Filter: ON PK Fc 1617 Hz Gain 2 dB Q 2.3
Filter: ON PK Fc 2200 Hz Gain 1.1 dB Q 0.57
Filter: ON PK Fc 3216 Hz Gain -4.4 dB Q 2.32 // ß sharp, boosted and distorted mids (semi-fixable)
Filter: ON PK Fc 8100 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 3 // ß excessive treble 1
Filter: ON PK Fc 12000 Hz Gain -4 dB Q 3 // ß excessive treble 2
B Tier – good headphones
Earfun Free Pro (Oluv Edition) [a more engaging Starfield] – 60€
Tuning: Inoffensive and engaging at the same time.
This has more treble than Starfield, but I still prefer a little more treble energy.
The mid forwardness is good, the vocals stand out, which I like.
The bass is dynamic and punchy, with nice sub bass extension.
Technicalities: Unfortunately, due to limitations of the IEM housing, the sound presentation doesn’t feel grandiose like full sized headphones.
I’m aware that’s an IEM, but the Samsung SM-R140, Tin T2s, Starfields etc. all have a bigger sound.
Detail is good for mids and lows, but I miss detail from treble. Maybe due to lack of treble extension.
Conclusion: Tuning wise, I would prefer more treble extension. Technicality wise the Earfun Free Pro are too tiny to make big enough sound for me. I wish that someone would give Oluv a bigger headphone to tune, that would be interesting.
Elear / Eclair [HD600 upgrade] – paid 650€ at eBay
The Elear is placed more at the front with mid forwardness,
where it can become shouty at times.
- layering/depth.
-The resolution is not on par with the newer Focals.
--clipping issues with bass, depends on the song you are listening.
Preamp: -2.6 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 17 Hz Gain 2.6 dB Q 0.79
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 193 Hz Gain -3.1 dB Q 0.56
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1108 Hz Gain -2.1 dB Q 1.46
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 1589 Hz Gain -1.3 dB Q 4.23
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 2122 Hz Gain 2.0 dB Q 3.61
Filter: ON PK Fc 5747 Hz Gain -2.9 dB Q 3.03
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 6854 Hz Gain 2.8 dB Q 3.30
C Tier - okay headphones
ZMF Auteur [warm and echoing]
+ warm and organic
0 Soundstage is placed further away
0 it has a similar wet towel effect like the LCD-X, but not as strong
- much reverb
- vocals sound a little dull
Audeze LCD-X [wet towel]
+ clean
++ instrument seperation
0 soundstage is placed further away
-- it’s like the sound goes through a wet towel.
HD600/650 [great starter] – 300€
+ pleasing tonality, very smooth. Sennheiser veil is not that strong.
+ depth and layering, the depth may be faked due to the smooth and thick tuning, but it works
0 acceptable detail/resolution/imaging/instrument separation
-soundstage a little small, but better than HD650
With little more resolution and clarity, it would have been A-Tier.
Wouldn’t recommend this headphone for studio use, due to the Sennheiser veil.
(modified autoEQ)
Preamp: -2.4 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 25 Hz Gain 2.3 dB Q 0.88
Filter: ON PK Fc 60 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 2.11
Filter: ON PK Fc 5959 Hz Gain -1.9 dB Q 5.4
Filter: ON PK Fc 19499 Hz Gain -4.8 dB Q 0.42
Filter: ON PK Fc 573 Hz Gain 1.1 dB Q 1.18
Filter: ON PK Fc 3227 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 3.43
Filter: ON PK Fc 6591 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 2.48
DT1990 [DT770 with more resolution] – 400€
The B-pads suck sound wonky and unbalanced, the A-pads are more balanced.
--- Unbearable peak at 7.6k.
So this review is with the A-Pads and modified autoEQ:
Preamp: -5.7 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 18 Hz Gain 4.8 dB Q 0.69
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 44 Hz Gain 1.6 dB Q 0.62
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 208 Hz Gain -2.6 dB Q 1.42
Filter: ON PK Fc 4039 Hz Gain 1.1 dB Q 1.67 /*<-- don’t EQ this more than 3dB, otherwise ridiculous mid sharpness/bleed.*/
Filter: ON PK Fc 19249 Hz Gain -6.7 dB Q 0.12
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 902 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 1.59
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 2218 Hz Gain 1.9 dB Q 2.32
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 2694 Hz Gain -1.9 dB Q 2.82
Filter: ON PK Fc 7117 Hz Gain -4.8 dB Q 4.65
Filter: ON PK Fc 7624 Hz Gain -3.5 dB Q 1.51
(If you delete the last two parameters of the EQ, then the treble spike becomes strong,
which you can use for studio purposes like mastering your recordings.)
+ the decay of the reverb is kept to a minimum, creating a very fast attack. Faster than Focal Clear
+ due to the fast attack, everything feels pinpoint precise. Fast guitars, strings or everything that plays fast, is handled.
+ good resolution, that is what I was missing from the DT770-880-990.
+ nice punch and slam
+ incredibly clean, cleaner than Focal Clear… maybe too clean?
- can be thin at times, lacking the girth or texture.
0 mediocre detail retrieval, don’t get fooled by that treble peak.
+ very open sounding, but…
- … it creates a fake vast soundstage with subpar depth/layering/instrument separation
- due to the tuning of the driver, the edges stay a little sharp, no matter the EQ setting.
In comparison to HD600:
DT1990 is clean + precise and the dynamics/punch are fun. DT1990 has higher resolution than HD600, but the big soundstage is fake, while the instrument separation/depth/imaging/layering ties with- or is slightly worse than HD600. I would recommend to try both out.
Comparison between EQ’d DT1990 and EQ’d DT770:
The biggest difference is the upgrade in resolution and it is very noticeable, like 720p -> 1080p.
Focal Radiance [LOUD] – 1300€
The overall sound presentation is loud, but never shouty.
This loudness is fatiguing even after little time.
The Radiance has the highest resolution of all Focals.
--- Negative aspect would be the narrow sound.
Filter: ON PK Fc 19822 Hz Gain -3.3 dB Q 0.39
Focal Celestee [honest closed back] – 1000€
The Clear has more thickness and spatial qualities.
--- Drawbacks would be narrow sound and thin mids.
Preamp: -1 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 95 Hz Gain -1.9 dB Q 2.11
Filter: ON PK Fc 3294 Hz Gain -1 dB Q 2.11
Filter: ON PK Fc 5740 Hz Gain -1.7 dB Q 7.11
Filter: ON PK Fc 869 Hz Gain -0.9 dB Q 0.8
Filter: ON PK Fc 1767 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 4.08
Filter: ON PK Fc 250 Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 1.41
Filter: ON PK Fc 4102 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 1.52
Moondrop Starfield [solid, but too inoffensive and tame] – 100€
Bass: Smooth, mildly thick and present. It’s not the highest resolution or defined bass,
but it’s appropriate for IEM.
Mids: It’s a bit on the warmish neutral side, the vocals stand a little too forward for my taste.
I would decrease the mids by a few db.
Highs: Very agreeable, it doesn’t stand out. I would have a little boost on it.
Misc: I don’t know what I'm doing wrong, but these iems don’t respond well with EQ.
Overall sound impression: Agreeable Tonality. Smooth and present bass, slightly too forward vocals, treble is just there. It can come off as a bit boring.
Build: The art looks good, but I would rather have a simple housing and not worry about accidently damaging the paint. Medium weight, somewhere in-between T2 and Blon.
Value: 4/5, It’s a slightly boring headphone, needs more energy.
Abyss Diana Phi [weird…]
+layering
+nice detail, but that’s due to weird tuning?
-Small soundstage
-thin, missing some thickness
- could need more lower mids + bass
Overall it’s weirdly tuned headphone with nice technicalities, missing some bottom frequencies.
(I am very surprised about this outcome, I will listen to that headphone again with different gear and see if anything changes my opinion.)
DT770 80 Ohm [solid closed back for your studio booth] – 100€
FR problems: treble spike at 5k and mid recession at 3.5k.
++ realistic and balanced tonality
+ closed back design
0 acceptable resolution
-slightly thin/hollow
-sharp treble edge, not as much as DT990
-ok bass, at least not distorted like DT880
Doesn’t take EQ well (heavy distortion and resolution hit), therefore only slight adjustments for gain:
Preamp: -1.6 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 57 Hz Gain -2 dB Q 0.63
Filter: ON PK Fc 205 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 3.04
Filter: ON PK Fc 461 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 0.39
Filter: ON PK Fc 3531 Hz Gain 2.4 dB Q 4.15
Filter: ON PK Fc 5444 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 1.26
Filter: ON PK Fc 19233 Hz Gain -13 dB Q 0.62
Filter: ON PK Fc 140 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 6.63
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 2312 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 4.75
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 6335 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 1.18
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 7299 Hz Gain -2.1 dB Q 3.88
Tin T2 [cheap and cheating] – 50€
Bass: Would greatly benefit from a bass boost. After adding a few dB on 31 – 250 hz, the bass sounds smooth and more present. It’s still stays on the light side, even after EQ.
Mids: The upper part of the mid spectrum is well done. Vocals sound angelic, but lack thickness.
Highs: Good extension of the highs and the soundstage is great. However, the highs can get tiresome after a few hours. I therefore subtracted a few dB on 4k hz – 16k hz, which cools the treble down.
Misc: Technicalities are a step above the Blon bl03, but the stereo imaging still isn’t good.
Overall sound impression: Angelic presentation of the music, I would highly recommend a bass boost and decrease in the treble region. Technicalities and resolution punches above its price.
Build: The housing feels rigid and stable, but also very lightweight.
Value: 5/5, can't do anything wrong in the sub 100€ range with these. I prefer these over RHA T20i.
D Tier – acceptable
Anker Soundcore Life Q30 [too boomy] – 60€
The bass is boomy and the treble is harsh and low quality.
The main problem is the unfixable boomy bass, which was the most apparent in NC mode.
In normal mode it was still slightly too much. The rest of the frequency response was good:
Nice clarity and neutral mids.
Depth was alright, but the imaging, soundstage and layering was subpar, but that is not important, because it is a Bluetooth headphone and not meant for HiFi at home listening.
It’s unfortunate that they had to resort to unnecessary boomy bass for their product,
otherwise I would have considered it better than Moondrop Starfield.
DT880 250 Ohm [wonky and bright] – 100€
+dynamic and punchy.
0 acceptable detail and resolution.
-sounds feels uncontrolled and not as cohesive, same problem like DT990
-even after EQ, the tonality is bright
-sub bass distorts even with little EQ
Preamp: -1.9 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 30 Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 0.43
Filter: ON PK Fc 700 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 2
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 2967 Hz Gain -1.7 dB Q 3.40
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 5490 Hz Gain 1.3 dB Q 1.89
Filter: ON PK Fc 5898 Hz Gain -8.3 dB Q 4.32
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 84 Hz Gain 1.4 dB Q 4.16
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 209 Hz Gain -1.1 dB Q 1.51
Filter: ON PK Fc 506 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 3.78
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 10991 Hz Gain 2.6 dB Q 1.46
Filter: ON PK Fc 19786 Hz Gain -13.4 dB Q 0.41
AKG K712 Pro [good for orchestra, classic] – 200€
If you only listen to classic or orchestras, it’s okay.
+The soundstage is great
0 acceptable resolution and imaging
- layering and detail is subpar
-Not good for pop, metal, EDM etc.
It’s better than Sennheiser 6xx for orchestras.
HiFiMAN Sundara [too cold for my taste] – 300€
+resolution is great
+very nice instrument separation, everything sounds neat
+clean tonal balance
-the soundstage and stereo wideness is small, smaller than HD600.
-layering or depth is flat
-little punch or dynamics
--clinical or cold sounding, not organic - I can’t get used to it.
Preamp: -2 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 20 Hz Gain 2 dB Q 0.81
Filter: ON PK Fc 5815 Hz Gain 0.6 dB Q 2.92
Filter: ON PK Fc 234 Hz Gain -1.7 dB Q 1.27
Filter: ON PK Fc 1148 Hz Gain -2.4 dB Q 1.15
Filter: ON PK Fc 19828 Hz Gain -9.6 dB Q 0.36
If you can get past that cold and clinical sound signature, then this is probably the best budget headphone.
F tier – I do not recommend
ATH M40-X [where is the soundstage?] – 80€
++great out of the box tonal balance, just very slight EQ here:
Preamp: -1.6 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 33 Hz Gain 1.6 dB Q 0.35
Filter: ON PK Fc 195 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 0.61
Filter: ON PK Fc 361 Hz Gain 0.8 dB Q 0.89
Filter: ON PK Fc 19745 Hz Gain -8 dB Q 0.28
Filter: ON PK Fc 986 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 2.21
Filter: ON PK Fc 1326 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 1.52
0 slight bad resolution
--- The soundstage is even worse than HD650.
Soundstage is like SHP9500, minus the open feel.
DT990 250 Ohm [treble spikes, even after eq] – 100€
Too much treble like DT880 - This review is going to be with autoEQ.
+It’s not as thin or hollow as DT770, but also not as smooth or thick as HD600.
I tried to make the DT770 sound thicker with something like this:
Filter: ON PK Fc 461 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 0.39
It got thicker, but not by a lot. Any more than 1.5 dB will noticeably increase distortion.
-lively and punchy, but wonky. Similar to DT880.
-BIG MINUS F: the treble spikes are hilariously too strong
Preamp: -3.7 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 21 Hz Gain 3 dB Q 0.95
Filter: ON PK Fc 177 Hz Gain -2.4 dB Q 0.66
Filter: ON PK Fc 461 Hz Gain 3 dB Q 0.39
Filter: ON PK Fc 701 Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 3
Filter: ON PK Fc 19917 Hz Gain -14.9 dB Q 0.19
Filter: ON PK Fc 1246 Hz Gain -1 dB Q 2.05
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 2328 Hz Gain 1.8 dB Q 0.79
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 2791 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 3.10
Filter: ON PK Fc 5804 Hz Gain 0.9 dB Q 1.26
Filter: ON PK Fc 5822 Hz Gain -4.1 dB Q 4.35
HD660s [where is the treble extension?] – 400€
+ like an EQ’d HD600, with more clarity
- small soundstage. Orchestras sound like a small room unfortunately.
-- 1/4 of the treble extension is missing, feels weird and incomplete.
EQ settings:
Preamp: -3.2 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 24 Hz Gain 3.4 dB Q 0.4
Filter: ON PK Fc 207 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 0.38
Filter: ON PK Fc 2423 Hz Gain 1.1 dB Q 2.15
Filter: ON PK Fc 1223 Hz Gain -1.6 dB Q 3.98
Filter: ON PK Fc 4543 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 5.15
Filter: ON PK Fc 5576 Hz Gain -3.7 dB Q 3.96
Filter: ON PK Fc 6408 Hz Gain 1.4 dB Q 5.86
ATH R70-X [music behind your head] – 300€
+Resolution and detail are nice
-missing volume, notes take little space
+open sounding
0 mediocre spatial technicalities
--- the whole front imaging is kind of missing?
Somehow, the rear has more presence than the front image, which weirdly creates an impression of “music behind your head” => Dealbreaker
0 bright tuning that can be overly excessive at times, overall music impression is “reference like”.
-shy and polite bass
Preamp: -2.1 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 22 Hz Gain 2.1 dB Q 0.97
Filter: ON PK Fc 175 Hz Gain -1.8 dB Q 0.71
Filter: ON PK Fc 3459 Hz Gain -0.1 dB Q 1.02
Filter: ON PK Fc 3704 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 2.81
HD560s [no detail] – 200€
+Tonality like HD600 with less veil
+takes EQ quite well, autoEQ on this no problem
-worse bass and resolution capabilities than HD600
BIG MINUS F: I’m not sure if I imagine things, but I somehow only hear HALF of the detail???
SHP9500 [too flat, no layers] – 200€
without EQ the upper mids or lower treble is too glaring
+resolution on par with HD600
+nice tonal balance after EQ
+open sounding, dynamic
0 sub bass doesn’t take EQ great
-BIG MINUS F: layering and soundstage is non-existent. There is maybe like 1-2 layers, even the HD600/DT770 have more layers available.
MDR-ZX110 [great tonality…] – 10€
amirmEQ is used for this review.
Imaging is like non-existent, but the tonality is nice. Guitars and Bass sound dynamic, but the resolution suffers a lot,
due to this the bass or treble spikes often sound harsh.
For a little more money you can get the Tin T2s, with better resolution and stock tonality.
Blon BL03 – [horrible] – 40€
Bass: fast and punchy, but lacks thickness.
Mids: hollow and shouty.
Highs: There is some strange peak somewhere and that is the only thing you can hear from the treble range lol. It feels like that it only plays a specific part of the treble range and the rest is recessed.
Misc: Stereo imaging is nice. Lacks definition and resolution.
Overall sound impression: Low quality presentation of music, feels like YouTube 480p. The wonky tonality is tiresome, EQ won’t fix this.
Build: Simple design, which is a good thing. Medium weight.
AKG K371 [no resolution] – 200€
Bass: Slightly thick, but punchy. Quality wise it’s bad.
Mids: Vocals are emphasized, but it doesn’t sound good. It’s shallow and sharp.
Highs: There is an annoying treble peak somewhere.
Quality wise it’s comparable to the Blon BL03, but at least it extends further...
Misc: Intimidate sounding headphones, but not like HD650. Subpar – mediocre technicalities, wouldn’t even call it appropriate for the price range.
Overall sound impression: Bad
Comfort: Ears are touching inside. I wish for thicker and bigger earpads. Wouldn’t wear it for more than 1 hour. It’s very lightweight.
Build: Lightweight and sturdy, it’s well made for studio use.
Value: 2/5, for studio or music enjoyment I prefer DT770.
For mobile use I go with ATH-M50X or Tin T2s/Moondrop Starfield.
I did not like the AKG K371 BT either.
I would like to remind again, that everything here is purely my own experience. If you happen to not agree with my experience, then that may mean that we are built differently. Otherwise please write a comment and we can discuss.
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