The most overrated and underrated headphone you tried?

[solderdude]

Too complex.
It can only shelf low and high (within limits) and add peak/notch filter in various Q and above 1kHz.

This either needs parametric EQ or modifications to fix (partially) what needs fixing.

 

[Theta]

Overrated: Sennheiser HE1, AKG K1000, AKG K701 and later variations, Audeze anything
Underrated: Stax 007, Stax SR3 (1971 and onwards) still better than any contemporary dynamic/planar magnetic headphone. Etymotic ER4S, Beyer Dynamic DT48, Sony MDR7520, AKG K501, Sennheiser HD600

Please show me the evidence that the AKG's are overrated the K701 is excellent for it's price. As for the K1000 it is the only headset I can tolerate and I own several Sennheisers and a Hifiman.

 

[srrxr71]

Please show me the evidence that the AKG's are overrated the K701 is excellent for it's price. As for the K1000 it is the only headset I can tolerate and I own several Sennheisers and a Hifiman.

What’s funny about the K701 is that when they came out they were something like $450. That was considered expensive for headphones those days. All of a sudden the the market got filled with headphones that cost $thousands.



Well yes I know there were K1000 and Orpheus and Stax. But still $450 was considered expensive.

Btw I wish I could try a K1000. Seems like the perfect headphone design if you care about soundstage.

Also i’m wondering about soundstage. Some people claim the Orpheus can project a soundstage in front of you. Have you had a chance to compare then with the k1000?

 

[pk500]

Please show me the evidence that the AKG's are overrated the K701 is excellent for it's price. As for the K1000 it is the only headset I can tolerate and I own several Sennheisers and a Hifiman.

Why does he need to show evidence? Opinions are subjective. You may love Heineken; he may hate it. Neither of you is wrong.

 

[Theta]

Why does he need to show evidence? Opinions are subjective. You may love Heineken; he may hate it. Neither of you is wrong.

I am just asking, he does not need to show anything

 

[IAtaman]

Overrated
Susvara :they are quite a good pair of cans, but most certainly not the magical masterpieces they are made out to be.
7Hz and Truthear IEMs (Zero, Zero:Red, Zero2, Hexa) : they sound good, great even if you are coming from bass monster IEMS with no tonal balance, but they are most certainly overhyped in my opinion, and are not all there is to be experienced when it comes to sound quality.

Underrated
AKG K245 : An amazing open back that has the bass of a closed back that is also light, portable, easy to drive and cheap. All around amazing cans.
Moondrop LAN and IE200 : A lot more comfortable and ergonomic then the large shell IEMs in my opinion. They sound better too and require less EQ to sound great - and can they be worn for much longer.

 

[pk500]

Overrated
7Hz and Truthear IEMs (Zero, Zero:Red, Zero2, Hexa) : they sound good, great even if you are coming from bass monster IEMS with no tonal balance, but they are most certainly overhyped in my opinion, and are not all there is to be experienced when it comes to sound quality.

I don't think anyone says the 7Hz and Truthear IEMs are the be-all, end-all. But measurements and user experience (more important than any measurements, BTW) indicate both brands offer very good sound for the money.

 

[IAtaman]

I don't think anyone says the 7Hz and Truthear IEMs are the be-all, end-all.

Anyone? Not even a single soul? Well, I should be imagining it then.

But measurements and user experience (more important than any measurements, BTW) indicate both brands offer very good sound for the money.

I understand what you are saying. I disagree. That's why I think they are overrated.

 

[Mulder]

Overrated
Susvara :they are quite a good pair of cans, but most certainly not the magical masterpieces they are made out to be.
7Hz and Truthear IEMs (Zero, Zero:Red, Zero2, Hexa) : they sound good, great even if you are coming from bass monster IEMS with no tonal balance, but they are most certainly overhyped in my opinion, and are not all there is to be experienced when it comes to sound quality.

Underrated
AKG K245 : An amazing open back that has the bass of a closed back that is also light, portable, easy to drive and cheap. All around amazing cans.
Moondrop LAN and IE200 : A lot more comfortable and ergonomic then the large shell IEMs in my opinion. They sound better too and require less EQ to sound great - and can they be worn for much longer.

I bought the Zero Red and use them without any EQ. I think they are nice. Overrated you say. What IEM do you prefer?

 

[IAtaman]

I bought the Zero Red and use them without any EQ. I think they are nice. Overrated you say. What IEM do you prefer?

Moondrop LAN and IE200 are IEMs.

 

[DEALUX]

Most overrated is probably the HD800. Thin, plasticky sound but I guess they have a gimmick with the "wide" sound. Although I don't think it sounds realistic or clear.

Most underrated for me right now is the JBL Tune 710/720 BT. Very cheap wireless headphone that is very compliant with Harman and sounds great. It doesn't really feel like it's missing any details from more expensive headphones.

 

[Rhamnetin]

I've found most high end headphones to be overrated - frequency response oddities and high bass distortion seems to be the norm (the latter mostly for dynamic transducer headphones). Questionable build quality and/or comfort are also too common in high price ranges.

But what takes the cake for most overrated for me are Audeze headphones, including the LCD-4 I briefly owned as well as the LCD-2, LCD-3, and LCD-X. They all have a massive upper mid/lower treble valley that just makes them sound broken to my ears, I can't fathom how anyone can enjoy them. On top of that, they're so heavy. At least they produce really low distortion levels and phase issues are only typical, though so EQ can mostly save them.

While not rated as highly in the West, I can't understand why Audio Technica still make the sorts of expensive headphones they continue to make. It seems the more expensive models just get wonkier and wonkier. The ATH-W1000Z is one of the absolute worst headphones I've ever listened to, too many FR and probably phase issues to count.

I also find the popular Fostex TH-900 to sound absolutely awful. The mid range sounds like it's under water.

I strongly agree with the Sennheiser HD 800, and HD 800S, being named above. They have a less linear sounding frequency response than the HD 600 series, HD 560S, HD 490 Pro, and don't fix the bass distortion problems they have so why should anyone buy one?

As for underrated... although popular here I'll have to name the AKG K371 and the 7Hz IEMs that measure wonderfully like my Crinacle Zero:2. These are very affordable, and when listening to them it's hard to imagine why anyone would spend thousands on a headphone, until I switch to my DCA E3 that is. But even then, the K371 delivers so much for such a good price.

On that note, I may have to add the DCA E3 to my underrated list because I don't think it won any audiophool awards last year and people seem to be forgetting about it already. Perhaps Dan Clark should've made it $6k and added more snake oil to the marketing - then I bet they'd still be talking about it (positively).

 

[muslhead]

Please show me the evidence that the AKG's are overrated the K701 is excellent for it's price. As for the K1000 it is the only headset I can tolerate and I own several Sennheisers and a Hifiman.

so, they must be good if they are the only headset you can tolerate?
Well then, I'll take a dozen

 

[Theta]

so, they must be good if they are the only headset you can tolerate?
Well then, I'll take a dozen

They are OK because they are like ear speakers more than a headset. Sorry not for sale.

 

[MacClintock]

Overrated
Susvara :they are quite a good pair of cans, but most certainly not the magical masterpieces they are made out to be.
7Hz and Truthear IEMs (Zero, Zero:Red, Zero2, Hexa) : they sound good, great even if you are coming from bass monster IEMS with no tonal balance, but they are most certainly overhyped in my opinion, and are not all there is to be experienced when it comes to sound quality.

Underrated
AKG K245 : An amazing open back that has the bass of a closed back that is also light, portable, easy to drive and cheap. All around amazing cans.
Moondrop LAN and IE200 : A lot more comfortable and ergonomic then the large shell IEMs in my opinion. They sound better too and require less EQ to sound great - and can they be worn for much longer.

The Susvara is not only overrated, but just ludicrous for what it costs.
7Hz Zero 2 and Truthear Zero:Red are, I would say, 8.5 out of 10 what sound quality is concerned, the only thing that is missing is the ultimate treble smoothness. What value for money is concerned they are 9.5/10. The only better IEMs what stock tuning is concerned I know of are Truthear Nova and Moondrop Variations.

 

[MacClintock]

Most overrated is probably the HD800. Thin, plasticky sound but I guess they have a gimmick with the "wide" sound. Although I don't think it sounds realistic or clear.

I actually don’t know what “plasticky” does mean as sound is concerned, but maybe you just forgot to use EQ? They come to life fully with it and the soundstage I by no means experience as gimmicky, but simply as the best I have heard on any headphone so far.

 

[markanini]

Overrated: AKG K702
Underrated: AKG K612, Beyerdynamic DT880, Moondrop Lan if IEMs count.

 

[majingotan]

Overrated: any headphones costing $400 USD and above and IEMs costing more than $25 USD

You don’t get better objective sonic performance above $20 IEM. What you get is a different emphasis on narrow peaks that make a listener perceive detail/resolution/slam/dynamics but all those details are already present with SOTA $20 IEMs but are more balanced throughout the frequency range

 

[isostasy]

Overrated: any headphones costing $400 USD and above and IEMs costing more than $25 USD

You don’t get better objective sonic performance above $20 IEM. What you get is a different emphasis on narrow peaks that make a listener perceive detail/resolution/slam/dynamics but all those details are already present with SOTA $20 IEMs but are more balanced throughout the frequency range

I think I agree with you for headphones but for IEMs this is way too reductive because individual fit is a factor. Only deep insertion IEMs fit my ears without constantly falling out but the cheapest Etymotic model is the ER2XR at $130. Not to mention they are still the best isolating IEMs, so however well tuned all these $20 IEMs are, none of them are suitable for someone who wants the best external noise reduction.

 

[markanini]

I think I agree with you for headphones but for IEMs this is way too reductive because individual fit is a factor. Only deep insertion IEMs fit my ears without constantly falling out but the cheapest Etymotic model is the ER2XR at $130. Not to mention they are still the best isolating IEMs, so however well tuned all these $20 IEMs are, none of them are suitable for someone who wants the best external noise reduction.

Excellent point. Even with shallow insert IEMs the insertion varies on an individual basis and a coupler simply is not aware of that. Secondly you can't put a price on secure fit and comfort. If someone is lucky finding a $20 IEM that fits great then congrats, but I for one haven't.