The most overrated and underrated headphone you tried?

[frogmeat69]

Headphones I don't get the popularity for: Beyer DT-990 or T-90, like dental drills in my eardrums. You can toss the 880 in there, too, just a bit less harsh.
Headphones that should get more attention: Audio Technica ATH-R70x, like many have said, smooth sounding not unlike the Senn HD600, but with a bit more bass, at least to my ears, like them a lot.
And I gotta give some love to the Nighthawks, so unique sounding, most speaker like cans I've heard.

 

[ChickenChaser]

Underrated, but an accessory rather than a headphone:

The Subpac M2X.

Split your DAC into 2 amps, plug the Subpac into one, control the volumes separately. It rumbles with perfect tactile transparency from bass down to super-low subbass frequencies, anything that's on the track you're playing. People use it for gaming because it enhances gunshots and explosions, etc. But it's seriously underrated as part of a hifi headphone setup. It solves what, in my opinion, is the only true weakness of headphones compared to speakers -- the subbass impact that can't be sent through sound waves into your ears no matter what.

I played back a recording of myself playing guitar while wearing this thing. I had it on my chest instead of my back like it's supposed to be worn, I looked like a fucking dork, but man... it felt like my guitar was right there resonating in my arms. Crazy stuff.

 

[LTig]

Underrated, but an accessory rather than a headphone:

The Subpac M2X.

Split your DAC into 2 amps, plug the Subpac into one, control the volumes separately. It rumbles with perfect tactile transparency from bass down to super-low subbass frequencies, anything that's on the track you're playing. People use it for gaming because it enhances gunshots and explosions, etc. But it's seriously underrated as part of a hifi headphone setup. It solves what, in my opinion, is the only true weakness of headphones compared to speakers -- the subbass impact that can't be sent through sound waves into your ears no matter what.

I played back a recording of myself playing guitar while wearing this thing. I had it on my chest instead of my back like it's supposed to be worn, I looked like a fucking dork, but man... it felt like my guitar was right there resonating in my arms. Crazy stuff.

More expensive, and for drummers: products by porter and davies: https://www.porteranddavies.co.uk/products/

 

[bobbooo]

Overrated: Sennheiser HD650, Momentum over-ears, Focal Clear, Oppo PM3, every Bluetooth and ANC headphone

Underrated: Koss ESP/95X, HiFiman HE4XX, Focal Spirit Classic, Sony MH755, Samsung EO-IG955 (tuned by AKG)

 

[bobbooo]

But it's seriously underrated as part of a hifi headphone setup. It solves what, in my opinion, is the only true weakness of headphones compared to speakers -- the subbass impact that can't be sent through sound waves into your ears no matter what.

Totally agree, and I suspect it's this missing tactile bass that's behind the fact that most people prefer more bass with IEMs than over-ear headphones - the latter can sometimes offer a slight tactile effect on the skull/pinna, whereas the former don't offer any.

I actually recently ordered the Woojer Strap Edge (terrible name I know), which is a more discreet and mobile-friendly alternative to the Subpac M2X. I had the original version which was surprisingly effective when placed on the sternum or hip-bone, as it works via bone conduction, and the new one claims to be even more powerful and nuanced.

 

[Rockfella]

Can't really agree more

Overrated: Sennheiser HD650, Momentum over-ears, Focal Clear, Oppo PM3, every Bluetooth and ANC headphone

Underrated: Koss ESP/95X, HiFiman HE4XX, Focal Spirit Classic, Sony MH755, Samsung EO-IG955 (tuned by AKG)

 

[thewas]

Most overrated I had till now was the Audioquest Nighthawk without EQ, with EQ it could be transformed to something very good.

 

[ChickenChaser]

Totally agree, and I suspect it's this missing tactile bass that's behind the fact that most people prefer more bass with IEMs than over-ear headphones - the latter can sometimes offer a slight tactile effect on the skull/pinna, whereas the former don't offer any.

I actually recently ordered the Woojer Strap Edge (terrible name I know), which is a more discreet and mobile-friendly alternative to the Subpac M2X. I had the original version which was surprisingly effective when placed on the sternum or hip-bone, as it works via bone conduction, and the new one claims to be even more powerful and nuanced.

Looks promising.

The metronome on the app may actually be useful too for someone learning to sing (me). But how hard would it be to connect to a desktop PC with a headphone connected to an external amp? That's tricky with the Subpac, and it looks like this only connects via Bluetooth.

 

[Frank Dernie]

every Bluetooth and ANC headphone

Since I dislike listening on headphones and therefore only use them on bus or train that rules out all the convenient ones for me
Anything requiring me to be wired to something is no longer considered and my wired headphones are largely gathering dust.

 

[bobbooo]

Looks promising.

The metronome on the app may actually be useful too for someone learning to sing (me). But how hard would it be to connect to a desktop PC with a headphone connected to an external amp? That's tricky with the Subpac, and it looks like this only connects via Bluetooth.

It has both 3.5mm and USB-C inputs, and 3.5mm output (Bluetooth is optional).

 

[bobbooo]

Since I dislike listening on headphones and therefore only use them on bus or train that rules out all the convenient ones for me
Anything requiring me to be wired to something is no longer considered and my wired headphones are largely gathering dust.

I don't follow - why would mobile listening require wireless headphones? The pairing problems, latency, limited battery life, and unstable stream connection and quality of Bluetooth headphones are all incredibly inconvenient compared to the simple convenience of just plugging in your headphones and listening at maximum fidelity without worrying about anything else.

 

[solderdude]

All wireless devices require new batteries after 5 to 7 years so are essentially consumables.
Mostly not consumer replaceable (some older ones were) so throwing away or DIY remains.
By that time the often non replaceable pleather pads have fallen apart as well and after a few years spare parts aren't available anymore.

Convenience, however, is very convenient for most and often want something new after a few years anyway.

 

[ChickenChaser]

It has both 3.5mm and USB-C inputs, and 3.5mm output (Bluetooth is optional).

Oh right, I see that now. I wonder if I'd need to get an R2R splitter and a second desktop amp again in order to reliably control the headphone/Woojer volumes separately to prevent clipping on the Woojer. I tried using Voicemeeter Banana to let me plug the Subpac right into the PC and control that volume separately from my headphone amp, but could never get that working.

 

[Dialectic]

Sennheiser Orpheus, original and current. Heard the original and was left scratching my head.

The kind lady at Harrods, where I saw the new Orpheus, very helpfully explained that it was 'top of the range.' Because I was wearing rubbish clothes that day, she wouldn't let me listen, explaining that the $50K+ headphone system was very fragile because the 'electricity' passes through 'glass tubes.'

 

[Frank Dernie]

I don't follow - why would mobile listening require wireless headphones? The pairing problems, latency, limited battery life, and unstable stream connection and quality of Bluetooth headphones are all incredibly inconvenient compared to the simple convenience of just plugging in your headphones and listening at maximum fidelity without worrying about anything else.

Duh!
THE CABLE.
I am sitting on the bus or train with NO CABLE in my, or anybody else's way with my phone in my pocket.
Latency? On audio????
Incredible inconvenient, you must have very poor quality kit.
I use an iPhone and have B&W PX, B&O ear buds and very early Earin buds. They all paired with my phone without trouble and connect immediately every time I use them.
One of the Earin ones dropped out sometimes but it was early days.
They are the diametric opposite of inconvenient.
They are probably not quite so good SQ as wired headphones but not something I would notice on the bus or train where the HUGE gain in convenience is well worth an inaudible sliver of reduced SQ.
I have never been on a journey long enough for the battery to be exhausted, or at least not one that I listened for long enough rather than sleeping.

 

[bobbooo]

Duh!
THE CABLE.
I am sitting on the bus or train with NO CABLE in my, or anybody else's way with my phone in my pocket.
Latency? On audio????
Incredible inconvenient, you must have very poor quality kit.
I use an iPhone and have B&W PX, B&O ear buds and very early Earin buds. They all paired with my phone without trouble and connect immediately every time I use them.
One of the Earin ones dropped out sometimes but it was early days.
They are the diametric opposite of inconvenient.
They are probably not quite so good SQ as wired headphones but not something I would notice on the bus or train where the HUGE gain in convenience is well worth an inaudible sliver of reduced SQ.
I have never been on a journey long enough for the battery to be exhausted, or at least not one that I listened for long enough rather than sleeping.

You can just run the cable under your shirt/pullover/jacket like I do and it won't get in the way of anything - DUH! Latency can be a problem when watching videos or gaming, which mobile headphones double as for a lot of people. Most Bluetooth in-ears wouldn't last a long-haul flight without having to recharge them, which is a huge inconvenience for a lot of people. The sound quality is poor, which most audiophiles and people on this site who care about good audio reproduction would consider a big drawback, especially when streaming already lossy compressed, low bitrate music, which many do on the go. In fact, Bluetooth transmitters like your iPhone don't even pass internal AAC streams losslessly - stupidly they re-encode them for wireless transmission, degrading quality even further, even though they use the same AAC codec for Bluetooth.

The fact is Bluetooth headphones are mostly a marketing gimmick, fooling people into thinking they need some new futuristic technology, when in reality it's a step backwards in sound quality and longevity, and is just pushed by companies to sell more expensive headphones with a larger profit margin, and yet another disposable device that has a battery which will degrade over time, forcing consumers to - you guessed it - spend more money to replace things they never really needed in the first place. It's primarily a con, and unfortunately it looks like most people are falling for it.

 

[Frank Dernie]

You can just run the cable under your shirt/pullover/jacket like I do and it won't get in the way of anything - DUH! Latency can be a problem when watching videos or gaming, which mobile headphones double as for a lot of people. Most Bluetooth in-ears wouldn't last a long-haul flight without having to recharge them, which is a huge inconvenience for a lot of people. The sound quality is poor, which most audiophiles and people on this site who care about good audio reproduction would consider a big drawback, especially when streaming already lossy compressed, low bitrate music, which many do on the go. In fact, Bluetooth transmitters like your iPhone don't even pass internal AAC streams losslessly - stupidly they re-encode them for wireless transmission, degrading quality even further, even though they use the same AAC codec for Bluetooth.

The fact is Bluetooth headphones are mostly a marketing gimmick, fooling people into thinking they need some new futuristic technology, when in reality it's a step backwards in sound quality and longevity, and is just pushed by companies to sell more expensive headphones with a larger profit margin, and yet another disposable device that has a battery which will degrade over time, forcing consumers to - you guessed it - spend more money on things they never really needed in the first place. It's primarily a con, and unfortunately it looks like most people are falling for it.

I disagree with everything profoundly apart from the battery.
I slept if I could on the many long haul flights I went on though I was stuck with wired ones back then. The the battery life of the ones I have is longer than I can tolerate listening on headphones anyway.
The degradation is minimal IMO and quite negligible for use on a bus or train which is the only place I voluntarily listen to headphones. After flying once a week for 35 years I avoid airports now..
I hate batteries, but we are stuck with them now, I have them in phone, laptop and car.
I do not consider headphones for serious music listening anyway so we come from different directions.
For me personally wireless headphones are a BIG step forward in convenience for what is, admittedly, for me a very much secondary method of listening. Convenience is massively more important than SQ in headphone listening for me.

 

[Blujackaal]

The fact is Bluetooth headphones are mostly a marketing gimmick, fooling people into thinking they need some new futuristic technology, when in reality it's a step backwards in sound quality and longevity, and is just pushed by companies to sell more expensive headphones with a larger profit margin, and yet another disposable device that has a battery which will degrade over time, forcing consumers to - you guessed it - spend more money on things they never really needed in the first place. It's primarily a con, and unfortunately it looks like most people are falling for it.

The only time BT headphones can shine is when, a new bluetooth standard allows lossless codecs to used instead of 256kbps AAC. Since double compression is a issue, if your music on your phone is already mostly 192kbps AAC/Vorbis files.

 

[Frank Dernie]

The only time BT headphones can shine is when, a new bluetooth standard allows lossless codecs to used instead of 256kbps AAC. Since double compression is a issue, if your music on your phone is already mostly 192kbps AAC/Vorbis files.

The music on my phone is all lossless. The loss of SQ using 256AAC is tiny, so completely inaudible on a bus or train where noise cancellation is a much bigger gain in enjoyment than a totally masked by noise potential increase in sound quality.
Having travelled using the original Walkman headphones, which were on ear with zero attenuation of background noise, big closed back over ear 'phones then, for very many years, Etymotic ER4S originally with their silicone tips and then custom moulded ones I can attest that effective noise cancellation, I have wired and blutooth choices, is the biggest improvement in sound quality for on the move listening over the 40 years I have been doing it.
Not needed for listening at home, of course.

 

[Asylum Seeker]

...The pairing problems, latency, limited battery life, and unstable stream connection and quality of Bluetooth headphones ...

Those problems have been largely overcome. Don't get me wrong. I still use and like wired, but you are overstating the case against BT.