What headphone(s) do you own ?

[Leejb1970]

I’ve just acquired the Hifiman HE1000SE at a great price. These join the Utopia 22 (no issues), Meze Liric, AKG K701, AKG 550 MKiii, AirPods Pro 2, Sony WH1000M3 and WF1000XM4. Happy for now!

 

[Snarfie]

I’ve just acquired the Hifiman HE1000SE at a great price. These join the Utopia 22 (no issues), Meze Liric, AKG K701, AKG 550 MKiii, AirPods Pro 2, Sony WH1000M3 and WF1000XM4. Happy for now!

Qurious do you parametric EQ your headphones.? If so what is your experience.

 

[Leejb1970]

Qurious do you parametric EQ your headphones.? If so what is your experience.

I’ve just started to use PEQ on Roon. EQ definitely sounds different but is it better? I don’t want to change the sound too much from what makes the headphones great, so the jury’s still out.

 

[Snarfie]

I’ve just started to use PEQ on Roon. EQ definitely sounds different but is it better? I don’t want to change the sound too much from what makes the headphones great, so the jury’s still out.

I got 2 headphones both making use of PEQ. Got same Sony WH1000 series but than the XM2 instead. Im using the Wavelet app (freeware) which has access to Oratort1990 hugh data base it basis is the Harman Curve. Reasons to use Wavelet you can use linear as much or less PEQ for maximale (personal) transparency. i like around 70% correction sometimes more depending how the music is recorded. Basicly i can't listen anymore to a headphone that is not corrected the difference is IMO so obvious or they probably must be by design neutral (based on the Harman Curve) so you don't need PEQ or the intended original recording/mastertape is by purpose EQed.


A poll would be interesting if people making use of PEQ or not regarding headphones.

 

[Robbo99999]

I got 2 headphones both making use of PEQ. Got same Sony WH1000 series but than the XM2 instead. Im using the Wavelet app (freeware) which has access to Oratort1990 hugh data base it basis is the Harman Curve. Reasons to use Wavelet you can use linear as much or less PEQ for maximale (personal) transparency. i like around 70% correction sometimes more depending how the music is recorded. Basicly i can't listen anymore to a headphone that is not corrected the difference is IMO so obvious or they probably must be by design neutral (based on the Harman Curve) so you don't need PEQ or the intended original recording/mastertape is by purpose EQed.


A poll would be interesting if people making use of PEQ or not regarding headphones.

View attachment 391539View attachment 391540

Just on that last point you mentioned re a poll, when I first joined ASR back in late 2019 it was one of the first things I did was to create a thread/poll asking if people thought EQ'ing headphones was a worthwhile thing to do (I was only just starting to find out about & use parametric EQ) - headphones is how I got into ASR, following is a link to the poll and most people at that time thought EQ was worthwhile for headphones:

Is EQ'ing headphones worth it?

I have SoundblasterX G6 -> JDS Atom Amp -> AKG K702 headphones....and I'm happy with the setup but I've been reading about EQ'ing headphones to 'reach the ideal'. I found a website that seems to have the measurements and subsequent recommended EQ curves for over 700 headphones. I've played...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I've learnt a fair bit about EQ since then and don't run the same EQ that I used to do back then for my K702 headphone, mostly because K702 has been measured by Oratory since that time.

 

[Snarfie]

Just on that last point you mentioned re a poll, when I first joined ASR back in late 2019 it was one of the first things I did was to create a thread/poll asking if people thought EQ'ing headphones was a worthwhile thing to do (I was only just starting to find out about & use parametric EQ) - headphones is how I got into ASR, following is a link to the poll and most people at that time thought EQ was worthwhile for headphones:

Is EQ'ing headphones worth it?

I have SoundblasterX G6 -> JDS Atom Amp -> AKG K702 headphones....and I'm happy with the setup but I've been reading about EQ'ing headphones to 'reach the ideal'. I found a website that seems to have the measurements and subsequent recommended EQ curves for over 700 headphones. I've played...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I've learnt a fair bit about EQ since then and don't run the same EQ that I used to do back then for my K702 headphone, mostly because K702 has been measured by Oratory since that time.

Whooo thats almost 92%. Got the impression that people are more traditional/reluctant using PEQ or for that matter using DSP Correction in general. Publishing such poll on ASR could be a bit biased.
Putting the same poll on a die-hard Vinyl forum (no digital Interference) would be reversed i guess.

 

[Svperstar]

Right now my daily driver is the Stax X9000, I have tried the leather-free Audeze LCD pads and today I put the leather LCD pads I got when I refurbished my LCD-2.

I think I one of the only people in the world to pad roll the X9000. Great bass with these pads.

 

[Dazerdoreal]

I (ab-)use this topic to short-review any headphone I have formed a (subjective) opinion about. If not mentioned otherwise, I own them. But I also included headphones which I do not own and I just spent some time with. So, some of these are just "first impressions".

Headphones:
In Use:
AKG K371 (My last purchase. I bought them after trying them out in a Hi-Fi store. Great comfort and timbre to my ears. I wear glasses, so I likely hear them slightly less bassy than measurements imply. I hear some slight peaks and dips on the tone generator in the treble, but somehow I dont mind them much.)
AKG K702 (It lacks bass by default, and I often have to reposition them on my head when using the stock pads. Stock pads + the right EQ sound quite great though, very open and spacious. The 712 pads fit my head way better. I'd like to find a good EQ preset for the AKG 702 with 712 pads.)
Rode NTH-100(M) (I mostly use the headset version for my work. The cooling pads are very helpful, but it is a bit heavy on the head. Very smooth sound signature. A bit boring in stock, but great with Oratory1990s EQ. Measurements imply rather high distortion, but people overestimate how noticeable this is on normal volume. They always sound closed-in though.)
Sennheiser HD 560S with @solderdude filter (The head band is slightly uncomfortable, and the filter turned out to filter a bit too much in the 6-8k region for my taste. I could EQ that but I ended up using other headphones most of the time.)
Sennheiser HD 600 (Bought them after the 560s when Sennheiser sold them refurbished for 219 Euro. I exchanged the headband for the Dekoni for better comfort. The build quality is great. Sound-wise I expected even more on a "technical level" as they are praised so much. Good macro-tonality, but closed in and actually even slightly peaky in my ears. I did not find the perfect EQ settings for them yet. Unit variation seems to be rather high.)
Sony MDR-M1ST (An on-ear headphone I bought used online out of a whim. I shouldnt have done that. Very light, stylish, sturdy build quality, not too comfortable though. Sounds fine with EQ.)

Used to own / Not in use / Listened to them elsewhere:
Hifiman Deva Pro (I recently had an accident with them, now the headband is a little deformed. Maybe I can fix them somehow. I like the comfort and the fact that I they are an open-back Bluetooth headphone. They sound very open. Hard to EQ because of resonances in the treble. I still think they offer a lot for the price. They are for nerds who are willing to invest some time into EQing.)
Beyerdynamic DT 880 32 Ohm (Gave them away to a friend. Sometimes I regret that. It sounded great with EQ. Even without EQ it did not sound as peaky in my ears as some people said. A bit intimate though, with and without EQ. Rather comfortable, even though the round pad shape did not to fully sorround my ears.)
Denon AH-D9200 (A friend owns these, and I was able to spend a few hours with it. They are not neutral, but I think they have a super fun warm U-Shaped sound signature. They cost too much though. High build quality, which should be expected for the price.)
Sennheiser HD490 Pro (I listened to it in a hi-fi store with my own music for ~15 Minutes. I would recommend these to most people. Slightly smoothed neutral. Somehow I perceived them as just as clear as my HD 600. Potential "endgame" if you are not crazy like many of us. Personally I did not like the style of the headband, but most people will likely love the comfort.)
Neumann NDH-30 (I listened to it in a hi-fi store with my own music for ~20 Minutes. Impressive bass and soundstage. Also a good comfort for my specific head shape. The HD490 is a safer choice though. The treble changed a bit depending on how you wear them. This seems to be a typical "big round ear cup"-problem, as I perceived the same with my AKG 702.)
Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X/900 Pro X (I listened to both in a hi-fi store with my own music for ~5 minutes each. I found them less comfortable than the old Beyers. Sound-wise they were better. The 700 Pro X was especially good for a closed-back. Neither of them sounded sharp in the treble on first impression.)
Austrian Audio X60/65 (I listened to both in a hi-fi store with my own music for ~5 minutes each. Good comfort, but peaky in the treble to my ears. I quickly ended up prefering and buying the cheaper & similarly-designed AKG K371.)
Superlux HD 660 Pro 150 Ohm (These can sound surprisingly good with EQ. I had to put in some work though, most measurements did not suit my experience. They are a bit damaged though so they usually stay in my closet.)
Sennheiser HD 555 (My first "serious" headphone as a kid. By the time I thought it was the best thing ever, but it probably wasn't. Broke a long time ago. I might buy it again someday out of curiosity.)
Teufel Aureol Massive (Horrible headphone. Too much bass which bleeded into the mids.)
Teufel Aureol Real (I hardly remember, but I think it was a quite good and comfortable open-back. The pads wore out and I didnt find adequate new ones. Sound Profile: Neutral with boring bass.)
Teufel Aureol Real Pure (Gave it away to a friend. Actually very different from the "non-pure". Closed Back, very different build, bassy V-Shape.)

IEMs (I dont EQ IEMs.):
In Use:
Etymotic ER4XR (Bought them used online. I mainly use them for travelling. The tonality works great for me for most tracks. I especially like them with classical music. I am going to check out the ER2XR as well.)
Letshouer Cadenza 4 (I hoped to find my "end game" IEM with these. But they ended up being another shape of "fine, but not perfect". A bit too thin. Upper Treble is impressive with the right ear tips.)
Truthear Zero RED (Relaxing tonality, great for pop and old rock music. The amount of bass is just perfect for my taste. A bit boring though.)
Tripowin x HBB Olina SE (Bought them used online. My "upgrade" over the 7hz Salnotes Zero - a bit less bright but still just as clear. Perfect "fun" tonality to my taste. I think a lot of people would love these.)
CCA Trio (Similar and better than the KZ D-Fi. Very "impressive" sounding, bassy and analytical at the same time. Great for electronic music. A well-rounded tonality overall, not shouty.)
Truthear Gate (Bought them because they are cheap and the FR should be right up my alley. It seriously lacks treble extension though.)
Moondrop Space Travel (Amazing offer for the price; a good christmas present for a friend. It is hard to get a good seal, otherwise good tonality.)

Used to own / Not in use:
7hz Salnotes Zero (Gave it away to a friend recently. Very good tonality for the price. Slightly harsh in the treble.)
KZ D-Fi (Gave it away to a friend recently. Lacks a bit 500hz region and presence range, but it is pretty good. The shell looks great but is a bit clunky.)
Shure SE 215 (My first "serious" in-ear. Used them for like 10 years. I lost the first one, the second one was stolen. I can hardly compare them by now but by the time I thought they were good. I think they lacked clarity in retrospect.)
Tin T2 (I bought them after the SE 215. I remember them to be better than the Shure sound-wise, but I dont use them anymore. No subbass. The AutoEQ/Oratory1990 EQ profiles sound off to me.)
Tin T2 DLC (Gave it away to a friend recently. Same shells as the T2. Most people will prefer these. A bit shouty.)

 

[Adamant11746]

Headphones that I currently own:

• Sennheiser HD 620s - My most recent purchase, after trying a whole bunch of headphones and IEMs at CanJam SoCal, both the most comfortable closed headphone I found there and the most affordable of the 3 possibilities I had been thinking about getting.
• Sennheiser HD 580 Precision - Borrowed from my father because I needed headphones that fit, they currently have Brainwavz oval pads on them that sound worse but improve the comfort. I will be giving these back to my father soon now that I have the HD 620s, and am planning to ask whether he wants to pay for new OEM pads or try the Brainwavz ovals first.

IEMs that I currently own:

• 64 Audio A3t - When I realized how tiny my ear canals were I got these, but I've had a really hard time getting them to fit. After almost a year of back and forth (and some waffling on my part, which cost me an extra $300 because I missed the refit window) they're getting close to fitting properly, but I have a feeling I will never get that "almost forget they're in your ears" comfort some people end up with. I think I just don't get along with deep fitting IEMs in general. I do have an EQ based mostly on measurements by the reviewer Precogvision, so at least they sound good.
• Tangzu Ze Tian Wu - These sound great to me without any EQ whatsoever, but are too big for my ears. I thought they fit with the Spinfit CP155 tips when I first got them, but after trying other IEMs with properly tiny tips I realized these just don't fit well enough.
• ZiiGaat Nuo - A recent experiment during the time I was struggling to decide whether to pursue more adjustments to the A3t. They sounded decent but are a bit too big.
• CCA CRA - Another attempt to find a good fit, purchased a bit over a year ago because they had a small nozzle. Unfortunately the nozzle is nice and small but the shells are big.
• Moondrop Quarks - My current best-fitting universal IEM. With EQ they sound good, but the nozzles are a bit big and combine with the lack of a front vent to somewhat reduce comfort.
• KZ ZVX - Fits and sounds decent, but the cable connectors are angled out for some reason so I can't put the cables over my ears. Also sometimes fades out on one side, possibly a moisture buildup issue.
• Truthear Zero Blue - Bought as my second IEM ever, and sounded fantastic compared to what I had tried before. Unfortunately the nozzles are long and nearly 7mm thick, which is about as wide as the narrow dimension of my ear canals. There just isn't any room to add an eartip without pushing them completely out of my ear.
• Letshuoer S12 - My first IEM that I purchased rather than borrowing from my father, the first IEM I ever tried that mostly conformed to a target as well. Was never particularly comfortable.

Headphones that I've tried but don't own or no longer have:

• Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back - I bought these at a large discount, but returned them once the pads started to break in and I realized that they were collapsing onto the top and bottom of my ears. Other than lack of space for my ears, they were decent headphones. The cable felt cheap though, and I couldn't find a brand name on any of the connectors (which I looked for because the XLR connector wouldn't connect to an XLR to 3.5mm adapter that used a Neutrik XLR).
• Audeze LCD-5 - My father won these in a raffle, and I got to try them. They don't fit me that well, and the premium cable they come with is extraordinarily tangly and has a ton of memory. The connectors are great though, Neutrik on the amp side and REAN on the headphone side, with a perfect fit on whatever you connect them to.
• Hifiman HE-560 V1 - Another of my father's headphones, and the one he currently uses daily. I used it for a while, but the round pads just don't have enough height for my ears.
• DCA Aeon Closed RT (and the Aeon 2 Noire) - I tried both of these at CanJam SoCal, and nearly ended up deciding to either buy the RT immediately or the Noire in a couple months. However, the pads are just barely shallow enough that my ears brush the cover over the driver, even without any tuning pads in place. It's not a dealbreaker, but the HD 620s fit slightly better.

IEMs that I've tried but don't own or no longer have:

• Tangzu Chang Le - My previous best-fitting universal IEM. If the left side hadn't suddenly become very quiet and not recovered they'd still be my best-fitting universal IEM.
• Sennheiser IE 200 - The IEM I will likely get if I both need one and can't get the A3t to fit. They're some of the only IEMs that fit properly in my ears, although they do need EQ.
• Akoustyx R-120 - An IEM I tried at Canjam SoCal, they need EQ but are tiny and easy to adjust with said EQ. However, they have a deeper insertion and aren't quite as comfortable as the IE 200. They isolate extremely well, as expected of an IEM intended for live performance.
• Fatfreq Maestro Mini (and Scarlet Mini)- Another IEM I tried at CanJam SoCal, and the only ones besides the IE 200 and the R-120 that fit me properly. They're the most expensive and least easy to EQ of the ones that fit, however, so I never seriously considered it.
• Audeze Euclid - These are another raffle prize my father won, albeit a couple years before the LCD-5, and they don't sound that great or fit me at all.
• Ultimate Ears UE900s - I borrowed these from my father a very long time ago, before I realized what size tip i needed to use. I took them out again more recently and discovered something had happened to the bass drivers (or possibly the crossovers) on both sides. They have very little under 100 hz now, and are too old to get fixed. They also never sounded that great in the first place, but they were relatively small so had a decent fit.
• Some Shure IEM that I never found out the name of - My first IEM ever, a hand-me-down from my father, but the plastic nozzle was brittle with age and pieces of it kept breaking off. My father tried to demonstrate how to clean it and broke some more of the nozzle off. I don't know if he still has them, but they likely wouldn't have lasted long.

 

[Svperstar]

• Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back - I bought these at a large discount, but returned them once the pads started to break in and I realized that they were collapsing onto the top and bottom of my ears. Other than lack of space for my ears, they were decent headphones. The cable felt cheap though, and I couldn't find a brand name on any of the connectors (which I looked for because the XLR

You should have tried them with new leather free pads. Audeze headphones are very pad dependent and the leather free pads leave more room for your ears

 

[Adamant11746]

You should have tried them with new leather free pads. Audeze headphones are very pad dependent and the leather free pads leave more room for your ears

Those are the stock pads. Leather isn't an option on the LCD-2 classic or LCD-2 closed back. The real problem is that I have very sensitive ears, especially towards the top and back, so what would have been a tolerable amount of rubbing for most people was much more annoying for me. I could have tried Dekoni pads, which have 3mm more height and some extra depth, but I didn't want to take the risk of them not helping and then being stuck with the headphones. Plus they would have changed the sound quite a bit, an I had no way of predicting how.

It doesn't really matter now anyway, I'm fairly happy with the Sennheiser HD 620s.

 

[Svperstar]

Those are the stock pads. Leather isn't an option on the LCD-2 classic or LCD-2 closed back. The real problem is that I have very sensitive ears, especially towards the top and back, so what would have been a tolerable amount of rubbing for most people was much more annoying for me. I could have tried Dekoni pads, which have 3mm more height and some extra depth, but I didn't want to take the risk of them not helping and then being stuck with the headphones. Plus they would have changed the sound quite a bit, an I had no way of predicting how.

It doesn't really matter now anyway, I'm fairly happy with the Sennheiser HD 620s.

Ah ok, I tried Dekoni pads on my LCD-2 and they ruined the sound signature.

 

[fotoalan]

Amazon Prime deals day, so in addition to the current collection I am about to own:

1. Linsoul 7Hz Timeless. I wanted to try some properly excellent IEMs at some point, and these are currently a hundred euros cheaper than Blessing 3's
2. Linsoul 7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2. Because for 20 bucks why not?
3. Apple Airpods Pro 2. I need a replacement for my current hiking & biking bluetooth phones, and my son assures me that in transparent mode these let in enough ambient noise to be safe in traffic

(Also adding a bottle of Lagavulin 16 to the emergency supplies)

 

[olds1959special]

Beyerdynamic DT990 - 600 ohm powered by an Antique Sound Lab MG Head OTL

 

[DEF]

I have a Focal Utopia, Focal Clear and a few lower end Sennheisers. By far the Dan Clark E3 is the best. The Utopia clips at low volumes.

But I am hesitant. The DCA E3 has glued guts. You can't service it. It is critical in position on the head. How can you recommend them so much?

 

[HoJ76]

Sennheiser HD650, FiiO FT1, Hifiman Ananda Stealth Magnet and Hifiman HE-R10D

 

[PSKTNML]

ATH-R70x mostly over my ears (what a great reference cans for checking mixes/masters after completed with Tannoy's monitors), closed side's covered by Sony MDR-1AM2 (my fun cans) and for leaving house I mostly use my self tuned Moondrop Chus or Sony MDR-EX650APs!

 

[TheKongoEmpire]

Just to show you how additive this hobby is, I want to let you know that I've purchased at least nine headphones including IEMs as well over the past week. And all I do is listen to old school hip-hop, some jazz & salsa and a few rock songs. and sim racing. Here's the list:

• Moondrop CHU II - $18.99
• Samson SR850 - $29.95
• Philips SHP9500 (Used) - $39.99
• Philips Audio Fidelio X2HR - $64.00
• FiiO JT1 - $49.99
• Sennheiser HD558 (Used twice) - $29.00
• Sennheiser HD560S (Used) - $94.00
• Artti T10 IEM - $ 51.43
• Koss KSC75 - $18.79

Total: $396.14

As you can see, I clearly have a problem. I should've preface by saying that I have a bad habit of finding a way to damage or break my cheap headphones. Hopefully spending almost $400 will force me to be mindful and take better care of my headphones.

 

[Ken Wood]

Headphone that I currently own are:

• Sennheiser HD800S
• Sennheiser HD560S
• Sony WH-1000XM3
• Apple AirPods Max
• Apple AirPods Pro 2

Headphones that I have tried and returned:

• Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (both 80 and 250 ohm)
• Sennheiser HD660S2

I would like to try the Neumann NDH 30 and Electrostatic headphones like Stax. I prefer open back headphones with an immersive soundstage and clarity since I love Jazz, Classical and Classic Rock music. I also like EDM now and then and the AirPods Max and XM3 are perfect for that. EDM sucks on the HD800S.
For podcasts listening I use the 560S at the desktop and the AirPods Pro on the go.
Any headphone that I would want to buy next has to be better than the HD800S and driven by the RME ADI-2 DAC FS (using Sharp filter), Chord Mojo 2 and Audioquest Dragonfly Red. With the HD800S I am thinking I might have achieved my endgame, both for music listening and playing (singleplayer) games.

 

[herr.jemine]

new toys:

Moondrop Blessing 3 + Moondrop FreeDSP / EVO