What headphone(s) do you own ?

[The Equalizer]

Sony MDR-V6 - for many years my only pair. Eventually it dawned on me that they were really tipped up on top so I decided to get something else for general listening. I still find them useful for editing and identifying stray noises or other problems in a recording, though, or for monitoring while recording my own voice. When the factory pads got nasty and started splitting and flaking off bits of black plasticky coating, I replaced them with new factory pads. When it happened again, I found some much nicer Beyerdynamic pads that fit the Sonys.

Grado SR80i - I like them for casual listening, but they aren't all that durable. The little black caps that act as stops sometimes pop off, which leads to hunting around on my hands and knees on a dark-colored floor to find them. Once I had to send the Grados back to the factory for repair after one channel started cutting out intermittently. I tried fitting them with the open cup style Grado L pad, which does make them sound a bit different. Not sure if it's better or just different. In any case, the L pads kept falling off, so I ditched them.

Apple AirPods (first generation), for convenience, portability, and freedom of movement. They sound okay, but they don't seal out external sound to any significant degree. Sometimes this is good, sometimes not. I wish I could fit a pair of hearing protection earmuffs over the AirPods without dislodging the Pods from my ears, but I've tried, and it just doesn't work. Maybe it would if could find some earmuff protectors with oversized cups.

Etymotic hf5, mainly for airline travel and yard work. With squishy foam tips these shut out external noise better than any noise cancelling headphones I've tried.

Not a very exciting list, but what can you do. I lived with a pair of Beyerdynamics for about a week that didn't work for me, and before that there was a pair of factory refurbished Sennheisers I had to send back due to a buzzing sound in one channel. Maybe someday I'll try another Sennheiser.

 

[BeatleBob5]

Senns HD600 & HD650
Grado RS1 w/buttons, GS1000i
Hifiman HE500
Beyer DT880/ 600 ohm

 

[Roasty]

Headphones are my relaxation wind down station at the end of a long day at work and after getting the kids to zzz...

Focal Utopia
Meze Empyrean
64audio A12T

Have ordered the ZMF Verite cocobolo and should be a good few weeks before it arrives.

Am thinking I will evaluate the Verite, then keep maybe just one of the three full sized cans, sell the other two, and try get an Abyss 1266 TC for the end game.

Had the HD650, HD660S, and LCD2 but sold them recently as they were no longer getting any play time.

 

[Jawks]

Right now I just own a pair of HD650s.

I’ve previously owned and sold:

Beyerdynamic T1.1
Audeze LCD3
Sony MDR-ZR1
Denim AHD7000
Grado SR60

I’m contemplating an upgrade for the HD650’s but not sure if there are any models that are worth the extra dough and will be considerably better.

 

[Roasty]

Right now I just own a pair of HD650s.

I’ve previously owned and sold:

Beyerdynamic T1.1
Audeze LCD3
Sony MDR-ZR1
Denim AHD7000
Grado SR60

I’m contemplating an upgrade for the HD650’s but not sure if there are any models that are worth the extra dough and will be considerably better.

I had the HD650 for about 13+ years. I thought they were the best headphones ever. For the price they can be had for now, they're hard to beat. But allow for a bigger budget, and then there are just so many headphones out there that just outshine the HD650 in so many ways.

 

[Fluffy]

For home listening, Focal Clear and Audeze LCD2C. I have also a Hifiman HE4XX that I'm hoping to sell soon because the Audeze is their replacement.

For travelling it's the Meze 99 Classics.

I work in location sound recording, and there I'm using the Audio Technica ATH-M50X as my monitoring headphones.

Hoping to get an electrostat one day, and that will probably be my final purchase. Though it's tough finding one that delivers the amount of bass I want.

 

[Jawks]

I had the HD650 for about 13+ years. I thought they were the best headphones ever. For the price they can be had for now, they're hard to beat. But allow for a bigger budget, and then there are just so many headphones out there that just outshine the HD650 in so many ways.

Yes that may be so! I’m trying to figure out which ones are worth considering!

 

[jaco61]

Verum Audio 1
Audioquest Nighthawk with HM5 Pads and dampening of the driver

On visit: HD650, HD58X, Hifiman Sundara, HE-4XX, E-MU Teak, Massdrop Fostex THX00, AKG K812, K702, K401

 

[Batty]

AKG Q701, HiFiman 4XX massdrop and just bought a pair of Bose QC35 for travelling.

 

[Vintage57]

Sony MDR-V6, like new, seldom used other than to verify what I’m hearing or not from my speakers.

Wouldn’t spend more as I don’t like headphones much. I am lucky there’s a lot of room between my neighbours and my house.

 

[JJB70]

I'm back down to my antique Sennheiser HD580, along with Etymotic ER4 SR, Sony MDR Z7, Audio Technical ATH MSR7 and Oppo PM-2. My AKG N90Q has gone, performance was excellent and I think the concept of an active digital headphone will increasingly become common in high end headphones in the same way that the mainstream is now dominated by wireless headphones but I lost confidence in them and sent them back.

 

[Duke650]

Current:
Headphones: Focal Elegia and Oppo PM-3
IEMs: Astell&Kern Angie by Jerry Harvey 1st gen. and Tansio Mirai TSMR-3 Pro

Past:
Sennheiser HD555, Sennheiser HD475, Koss GT/5, Denon AH-D 2000, NAD Viso HP50, AKG K551...
Yuin PK2, Yuin PK1, Sennheiser CX300, Phonak Audeo PFE, Hifiman RE-400, Brainwavz S1, Brainwavz R2, Westone 4R, Ultimate Ears UE900S...

 

[Martin]

99% of my listening is through speakers. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 598 that I use on occasion. I also have a pair of Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 that I use when I travel. I love the sound of the Plantronics but I find the Sennheisers to be a little thin on the bottom end.

I’d like to find a pair of high quality headphones with more bass impact than the HD 598’s. I’ve been considering Audio-Technica ATH-M50x but worry they may be a step sideways. Planars are intriguing. Need to find some time to audition a few.

Martin

 

[HLee]

Sennheiser HD600
I want to try Final's flagship headphones, some day

 

[Raul Nicconti]

Up until now all my headphones have been decidedly bargain basement.

Chronologically, these have been:
Koss KSC75 which sound good but are too uncomfortable to actually use;
Sennheiser px100ii with the yellow hd414 pads to temper the overwhelmingly muddy bass with the original pads,
Goldring dr150 which are my current overall favourites;
Soundmagic E30 iems for when I’m out and about, and which sound ok but have an icy cold treble;
Philips Downtowns which are my favourite portables despite the obvious colouration, and just recently;
AKG y50 which are fine but I prefer the Philips so gave these to my daughter.

But, in looking for replacements for the Downtowns (now that the material has started peeling off the earpads in big flakes) this very thread inspired me to look for some used NAD hp50s, with the result that there is a new-old stock pair coming my way for £70.

Later in the year I’ll have a bit of money to spend and I’m strongly considering getting a JDS atom amp and sennheiser hd58x, if I can convince myself the package will be noticeably better than the goldrings.

I have the NAD Hp50s with the JDS Atam and a Topping d50s and the app and Dac are great the NAD are ok. I have HD 600 and they are not in the same league. The ear pads are small and they hurt after 30 minutes. (I have a big head) The head ban hits the tap of my head also. (same big head problem) I would pass on them and save your money for something better some day.

 

[ashleydoormat]

Have had a pair of HD650s I got over a decade ago but never really listened much to until now because of lack of proper amplification. They have good sound stage and tonality but nothing exciting to write home about. Then I got a pair of used dt1990 pro which have been a PITA to wear because of the clamping force. I later changed to el cheapo sheepskin brainwaves pads and they became much more comfortable. The sound is more punchy and exciting comparing to HD650s. Now I mostly listen to the Shure SRH1540s (got a good Amazon warehouse deal recently) which are exceptionally comfortable and the sound is very punchy and exciting to my ears. They're not as airy as dt1990s and don't have as good sound stage and imaging as the HD650s but I love their comfort and the mid/low bass punch.

 

[eliash]

Used to listen via Beyerdynamic´s DT880S headphones more often some 10-30y ago, they are still ready to use and properly sounding. For many years I thought they sound pretty neutral and appreciated them a lot. They are not, but only moderately amplifying bass and treble.
After optimised speaker positioning, some bass adaptation and other room treatment, I prefer listening to speakers.
For analysis purposes, as "Ear-Glasses", I use Stax L700 with SRM-353X amp, big enough for my concha (...the only ever growing human organ, I guess I´ll be save with the L-700 for one or two more decades...). Sometimes it is pleasant to listen through them as well.
When changing between loudness matched Stax headphones and Dynaudio speakers, there is not much difference in treble and mids, bass of course, due to room influence. Then, the L700, at least in combination with my concha, exhibits a very slight "tube-alike" sound, fortunately being compensated by "brain-eq" after a few seconds.

 

[snowsurfer]

Small update, got my HD660s in yesterday. For the moment (after 3-4 hours of listening) I am VERY, VERY happy with my purchase. Oh and in regards to the clamping force, just one night spread over my JBL LSR305 monitors and they are already much more manageable. And I have a big noggin'!

 

[minusnine]

I have the NAD Hp50s with the JDS Atam and a Topping d50s and the app and Dac are great the NAD are ok. I have HD 600 and they are not in the same league. The ear pads are small and they hurt after 30 minutes. (I have a big head) The head ban hits the tap of my head also. (same big head problem) I would pass on them and save your money for something better some day.

In the end I did pay £70 for a 'new' pair (and they seem to be as new) of the NAD Hp50. And I agree with you. Compared to my Goldring DR150s they are rather uncomfortable and (inevitably due to closed-backedness) don't have the same air and space that the open-backed Goldrings do. The NADs are still the best closed back headphones I've heard (as well as by far the most expensive at retail prices), and I have a use for closed-back headphones sometimes, so they'll stay, but I still prefer the Goldrings and wonder how far they are away from the Sennheiser HD5** & 6**s.

I should also say that @solderdude's passive filter for the NAD does exactly what he says it will - reduces the (to my ears overdone) mid-bass hump and evens out the freq response overall. So thank you @solderdude!

 

[Marutks]

I got ZMF Verite few days ago. They are fantastic!
I have got older LCD-2 cans as well. I love how they sound but they are not comfortable at all.