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What headphone(s) do you own ?

Caliban

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I "needed" a pair of closed back, and I got myself a pair of Denon AH-D9200 ;
Long story short ; compared to other cans tested at the same time at the dealer.
Sennheiser HD820 -> awful, who would buy these at all after listening to them ?? they really sounded "closed in" - "burkigt" as we
say in Sweden. Really comfortable, but where is the SQ ? cool glass windows btw.
Sony - Z1R - really good indeed, albeit a little lean on the top (I am 57..), really comfortable, and really close to the Denon, but as said - I am 57 years old.
Audeze LCD-2 closed back - Wow, great comfort (hmm..), neutral SQ, incredible drive, should be good for EQ..But they fall off my head
when I lean forward to look at laptop screen to change Qobuz track !!.."NOOOOO" to quote good old Darth Wader.
So - Denon was the only option left, comfortable (I forgot wearing them after an hour), The heights are there as I remember them from
30 years ago- These cans are my end game along with the HPA4 and DAC3B. These cans rock !
 
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poeb

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Open backs:
- Sennheiser HD650
- Sennheiser HD58X Jubilee

Closed backs:
- Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire

IEMS:
- Sennheiser IE600
- Moondrop Variations

For ANC:
- Apple AirPods Pro
- Apple AirPods Max
 

CTRLM

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I'm not a big headphone user but I do use them occasionally for a change. I have the Sennheiser HD650 & HD600.

I much prefer the HD600, probably because of my source gear.
A lot has changed in the last 3 years. I now have 2 headphone setups at home that I use a lot and I EQ all my headphones to some degree:

  • HD600 - very rarely use.
  • HD650 - gave them to my son in law.
  • Denon D9200 - bought and sold again. My try with closed backs, really wonky tuning to my ears that required way too much EQ to make them acceptable.
  • Focal Clear - sound good with some EQ to get rid of the slight shoutiness and metallic timbre. Maybe 10-15% use (if that). I think I prefer planars over dynamic drivers.
  • Hifiman Edition XS - a few EQ tweaks that took me some time to settle on and I love what I hear. It took me a while to get used to the big egg shaped cups and now I love the space around my ears that they provide. I'd be more than happy with just these and nothing else.
 

Robbo99999

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A lot has changed in the last 3 years. I now have 2 headphone setups at home that I use a lot and I EQ all my headphones to some degree:

  • HD600 - very rarely use.
  • HD650 - gave them to my son in law.
  • Denon D9200 - bought and sold again. My try with closed backs, really wonky tuning to my ears that required way too much EQ to make them acceptable.
  • Focal Clear - sound good with some EQ to get rid of the slight shoutiness and metallic timbre. Maybe 10-15% use (if that). I think I prefer planars over dynamic drivers.
  • Hifiman Edition XS - a few EQ tweaks that took me some time to settle on and I love what I hear. It took me a while to get used to the big egg shaped cups and now I love the space around my ears that they provide. I'd be more than happy with just these and nothing else.
Do your ears touch the pad or driver at all with that Edition XS, or does it offer so much space that your ear is "floating freely" within the ear cup? Do you have big ears or small ears??
 

CTRLM

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Do your ears touch the pad or driver at all with that Edition XS, or does it offer so much space that your ear is "floating freely" within the ear cup? Do you have big ears or small ears??
I guess my ears are probably on the the bigger side but sit fairly flat. They definitely float freely in their own space and now it's really hard to put something like the Senns on.
 

Robbo99999

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I guess my ears are probably on the the bigger side but sit fairly flat. They definitely float freely in their own space and now it's really hard to put something like the Senns on.
Yes, on earcup space, I've got the HD600 too, I have relatively small to average ears I'd say, and my ears lightly touch the driver on the HD600 if I remember correctly - I don't use them at all anymore really, because of their poor soundstage, even if they are a very good headphone apart from that soundstage factor. On earcup size I have another headphone, the HD560s, and with that one my ear floats completely freely, not touching any part of the pad or driver - I think that's quite an important factor within a headphone, for me I've related that as one of the variables for good soundstage - that and angled pads or angled drivers. No, but everyone should try to get a headphone where their ear can float freely in the earcup, but I understand that's harder & harder as you get older as your ears keep growing (I'm in my forties), and some people have smaller or larger ears anyway......but for the people reading this, try to get a headphone that will let your ears float free if you can.
 
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@Robbo99999
"everyone should try to get a headphone where their ear can float freely in the earcup, but I understand that's harder & harder as you get older as your ears keep growing (I'm in my forties)"
Are you in for some fun my friend!!!:eek: I am 69 and the other day I was wondering why Dumbo the elephant was in my shaving mirror!
I completely agree with your statement. I don't feel it's just older ears, seems over ear cups are tending to smaller sizes over the last long time... Sony, I'm looking atcha...
 

Brianc

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Sennheiser 6xx- rediscovering their greatness while experimenting with PEQ settings on Qudelix 5k--but limited use as they are open backs
Hifiman Sundara--recently acquired used and waiting on a Hart Audio balanced cable to use with Qudelix. Sold the SE400 (too uncomfortable) so these and the 6xx are my only pair of open backs.
Sennheiser 598cs- bought on a Goodwill auction, replaced pads OEM pads. EQ'd with Qudelix they're a great closed back alternative to noise cancelling headphones.
Audioquest Nightowls-- Most frequently used set. Still love them for their comfort and they are easy to drive and EQ with the Qudelix (sensing a theme here?). Recently sold Beyerdynamic DT150 as I had no use case for them, though they were interesting.
 
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Adi777

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Hifiman Deva Pro
NAD VISO HP70
Tomorrow I will try to compare them using the jack cable, on the Shanling M1 player.
Deva Pro much bigger, much more space for ears, so much more comfortable.
 

Robbo99999

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@Robbo99999
"everyone should try to get a headphone where their ear can float freely in the earcup, but I understand that's harder & harder as you get older as your ears keep growing (I'm in my forties)"
Are you in for some fun my friend!!!:eek: I am 69 and the other day I was wondering why Dumbo the elephant was in my shaving mirror!
I completely agree with your statement. I don't feel it's just older ears, seems over ear cups are tending to smaller sizes over the last long time... Sony, I'm looking atcha...
Ha, I wish more headphone companies prioritised making large earcups for their at home (non-portable) headphones, maybe even for the portable ones, I suppose it makes them a little less portable. To some extent they can't make the earcups ridiculously big because the headphone cup has to seal around the face and jawline, but I guess for a start they could get the increased depth sorted, then try to max out the earcup "radial size" so that it can fit some of the most biggest ears whilst still retaining some seal around the jawline, etc. There's something in that I think, and possibly why some companies have gone for the teardrop type shape of cup as that accommodates length of ear whilst not being too wide for front & back fitment (I don't know, just thinking it through). Either way, I'd like to see more models of headphones from companies where they've really tried to maximise earcup space whilst trying to optimise seal.
 
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@Robbo99999
My history with over ear headphones is limited. ZMF cans look huge but are well balanced and the cups are just roomy enough for my ears. Ditto for Dan Clark Audio's roughly ear shaped cups. Love them both. The Sony WHB 710N wireless over ears I use for nighttime tv rides on the side of my ears no matter how adjusted, and can get a bit uncomfortable after a while. Phooey Sony. If need be I switch to in ear wireless.
Can't say enough how comfortable the
ZMF & DCA cans are! Someday I'd like to get a pair of Senns, which were my exclusive hp brand as a young man...
 
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ShiZo

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6xx and a focal clear I can't get to crackle
 

Adi777

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I would like to test a few or a dozen pairs. I plan a headphone system in the bedroom.
At the moment, definitely DCA Stealth, some Audeze - CRBN Electrostatic, LCD-5, Hifiman Susvara, Shangri-La.
 

Grobbelboy

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Open backs:
Sennheiser HD 560S - Lovely set of cans punching well above their price point. Applied EQ for the peak between 3K and 7K Hz and added 3dB sub bass, but left the FR untouched otherwise. Would pay 200 extra in a heartbeat for a slightly sturdier build.
Sennheiser HD 600 - Using these the least of all but I just don’t want to get rid of them. Acoustic records and other stuff not reliant on (sub)bass just sounds so nice on these.

Closed back:
DCA Noire - Had the Hifiman Arya for a couple of weeks but something in their frequency response sounded just off to me, no matter how I EQ’d them. So I returned them and got the Noires in their place, EQ’d to Harman using Oratory’s filter with some minor deviations to personal preference. Such a well-engineered and fine sounding HP. Can reproduce about 80-90% of what I listen to perfectly well, but some stuff just doesn’t sound quite right on them for whatever reason.

ANC:
AKG NC700m2 - Using these during travel or at home for watching movies on occasion. Came from the Sennheiser Momentum 3, Razer Opus, Sony XM4, Philips Fidelio L3 and Bose QC45 but ended up with these. In the end a good tonality just trumps all the other bells and whistles these ANC cans often have to offer, for me.

IEM:
Moondrop Variations - For use at home or outdoors. Pretty much perfectly Harman tuned and with good imaging so I use for pretty much any genre of music. Every so often I apply a filter on the Qudelix 5K to lower the 3K Hz peak and/or raise the 250 Hz dip just slightly for a more relaxed sound.
Samsung Galaxy Buds+ - Using these mainly for sports now after them being my daily drivers up until about two years ago, but I’m surprised how they remain a reference source to compare other cans against. I just love the tuning.
 
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lain

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For people who owned the HD560S and the HE400SE, which did you enjoy the most in comfort and sound (pre- and post-EQ)? Hope this is the right place to ask!
 

Doodski

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For people who owned the HD560S and the HE400SE, which did you enjoy the most in comfort and sound (pre- and post-EQ)? Hope this is the right place to ask!
It's not such a bad place to ask although if you start a new thread asking your question you will have better results. :D
 
OP
solderdude

solderdude

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For people who owned the HD560S and the HE400SE, which did you enjoy the most in comfort and sound (pre- and post-EQ)? Hope this is the right place to ask!
HD560S > HE400SE (own both)
Of course this is just my opinion. There will be others with a different opinion. That's the problem with opinions. They are just that and unless you compare the headphones yourself you will never know for sure.
 

Robbo99999

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For people who owned the HD560S and the HE400SE, which did you enjoy the most in comfort and sound (pre- and post-EQ)? Hope this is the right place to ask!
HD560s > HE4XX in my experience too.
 

MayaTlab

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For people who owned the HD560S and the HE400SE, which did you enjoy the most in comfort and sound (pre- and post-EQ)? Hope this is the right place to ask!

My sample of the HE400SE is one of the most unpleasant pair of headphones I own, because of major high-Q treble spikes above 8-9kHz making them basically unlistenable.
I also don't like my sample of the HD560S, essentially because of excess energy in the 1-3kHz region and a very uneven response above that, although it lands at the right level with a lot of smoothing. But at least it's listenable.
In both cases I've only ever owned one sample each, so impossible to know whether that's because of sample variation or coupling issues.

Comfort is problematic with both as far as I'm concerned although for completely different reasons (rubbish headband design on the HE400SE, yoke lacking range of motion on the HD560S).
 
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