What headphone(s) do you own ?

[andreasmaaan]

I want to really like the HP50s but something about them holds them back from being my favourites. I know they are possibly the most neutral headphones I own but they still sound too "rock'n'roll". Some recordings I enjoy a lot with them but many of my classical recordings have me reaching for the DT880 or the AD900.

I think there are two reasons: dynamics and distortion. They sound a bit flat with some recordings and I have noticed some compression with dynamic orchestral pieces. There is also some lack of clarity in the high frequencies which I think may be attributed to distortion.

That said, my other headphones all have failings, too, so perhaps it is all a matter of what I am willing to tolerate or compromise in my listening preferences. If I am making mixing decisions, I would trust the DT880s with some Sonarworks EQ but would also use the NAD HP50s as a check or for laying down tracks, much like I would use near field monitors.

Also, the leather on the pads on my HP50s is disintegrating. Does anyone know of a source for replacements?

Thanks, sounds pretty in keeping with my impressions, although I don't have a better pair of headphones to reference them to atm. I'm not sure I'd characterise the "flatness" in the high frequencies as due to distortion/compression as all the measurements I've seen seem to show that they are very low distortion. Perhaps it's related to the fact that they're closed headphones and there may be some odd internal reflections going on up there. But yeh, they don't play high frequencies like I recall the HD650 doing so there's something lacking up there IMO.

I also EQ the NADs slightly when using them as a check for mixing. I EQ down the upper bass 1 to 2dB, and also EQ down a little bit at 4.9KHz, where I get a clear perceived boost when playing test tones - not sure if this is more due to the headphones or to my personal HRTF, but a 1.5dB high-Q drop just there seems to even out the highs for me.

No idea about replacement pads. Something I can look forward to I guess

 

[jsmiller58]

Headphones:
MD x Focal Elex
HifiMan Sundara
Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro
MrSpeakers Aeon Flow Closed
Senn HD660s
MD x Senn HD6XX
MD x Senn HD58X Jubilee
TH-X00 Ebony
E-mu Teak
AQ NightOwl
Monoprice M1060
MD x AKG 7XX
NAD Viso HP50
Sony WH1000XM2

Wired IEMs:
Shure SE846
Audio Technica ATH-E70
Westone W30
Shure 215
Echobox Nomad
MD Universal Plus
MD EDC3
Strabrick Beryllium BE4
Westone W50 (an abomination which we never, ever, speak of...)

Wireless IEMs:
Jaybird X3
Zolo Liberty+
CKCOM Alien

 

[bakker_be]

Headphones:
MD x Focal Elex
HifiMan Sundara
Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro
MrSpeakers Aeon Flow Closed
Senn HD660s
MD x Senn HD6XX
MD x Senn HD58X Jubilee
TH-X00 Ebony
E-mu Teak
AQ NightOwl
Monoprice M1060
MD x AKG 7XX
NAD Viso HP50
Sony WH1000XM2

Wired IEMs:
Shure SE846
Audio Technica ATH-E70
Westone W30
Shure 215
Echobox Nomad
MD Universal Plus
MD EDC3
Strabrick Beryllium BE4
Westone W50 (an abomination which we never, ever, speak of...)

Wireless IEMs:
Jaybird X3
Zolo Liberty+
CKCOM Alien

You seem to be a hoarder

 

[jsmiller58]

True ‘dat...!

Actually will be clearing the decks, putting about half of what I have up for sale in the next week or two. Have too many to really enjoy, and many more than I ever could use.

 

[JJB70]

One of the things I find interesting is the different approaches to industrial design of headphones. As much as I like my Beyerdynamic T5p headphones I have to say they look very home spun and like something I might design, as if the decided to add a bit of style to the metal ear cup covers as an afterthought to give them some sort of visual signature. On a more positive note, the fact they weren't stylish to start with mitigates the risk that they'll become unstylish. Beyerdynamic seem to be at the opposite end of a spectrum from the self consciously stylish high end Sennheisers which have obviously received lavish attention to their design. The headphones I really like in terms of design (although I'm not so keen on their sound) are the AKG K812 which seem to have a very elegant and stylish design which manages to have a sense of style without going over the top. I also liked the under stated style of Oppo headphones too, yet many called them boring.

 

[frogmeat69]

Headphones I own -
AKG K7XX
Audeze LCD-3
Audeze LCD-2
Audeze EL-8 open
Audeze SINE
Audeze iSine 20
Audioquest Nighthawk
Audioquest Nightowl Carbon
Beyerdynamic T1 2nd Gen
Beyerdynamic Amiron Home
Creative Aurvana Live!2
HiFiMan HE560
HiFiMan HE400i
Onkyo ES-CTI300
Philips Fidelio X2
Sennheiser HD700
Sennheiser HD650
Sennheiser HD600
Sennheiser HD58X Jubilee
Shure SRH1840
Various IEMs I rarely use

Headphones I have sold -
AKG K240
AKG K553
Audio Technica ATH-M50x
Beyerdynamic T90
Beyerdynamic DT990
Beyerdynamic DT880
Creative Aurvana Live!
Oppo PM 1
Sennheiser HD202
Sennheiser HD439
Sennheiser HD598SE
Sony MDR7506
Soundmagic HP200

Hoping to make the top list shorter and the bottom list longer, just need to figure out what I want to sell.

 

[jsmiller58]

Headphones I own -
AKG K7XX
Audeze LCD-3
Audeze LCD-2
Audeze EL-8 open
Audeze SINE
Audeze iSine 20
Audioquest Nighthawk
Audioquest Nightowl Carbon
Beyerdynamic T1 2nd Gen
Beyerdynamic Amiron Home
Creative Aurvana Live!2
Creative Aurvana Live!
HiFiMan HE560
HiFiMan HE400i
Onkyo ES-CTI300
Philips Fidelio X2
Sennheiser HD700
Sennheiser HD650
Sennheiser HD600
Sennheiser HD58X Jubilee
Sennheiser HD202
Shure SRH1840
Various IEMs I rarely use

Headphones I have sold -
AKG K240
AKG K553
Audio Technica ATH-M50x
Beyerdynamic T90
Beyerdynamic DT990
Beyerdynamic DT880
Oppo PM 1
Sennheiser HD439
Sennheiser HD598SE
Sony MDR7506
Soundmagic HP200

Hoping to make the top list shorter and the bottom list longer, just need to figure out what I want to sell.

OMG!

I bow to your awesome greatness!!

 

[frogmeat69]

OMG!

I bow to your awesome greatness!!

It's called insanity, nothing great about it, lol.

 

[jsmiller58]

It's called insanity, nothing great about it, lol.

I really, really want to be like you .

What do you think about the HE560 headphones? I can pick them up v3 version) from Adorama for 300.00. I already have the Sundara, and have been thinking about the Ananda or the Edition X v2, so would need to see the 560 is going to be different enough, at least compared to the Sundara...

Thank you!!

 

[frogmeat69]

I really, really want to be like you .

What do you think about the HE560 headphones? I can pick them up v3 version) from Adorama for 300.00. I already have the Sundara, and have been thinking about the Ananda or the Edition X v2, so would need to see the 560 is going to be different enough, at least compared to the Sundara...

Thank you!!

Never tried the Sundara, and haven't owned the 560 for all that long, but don't find them all that much better than the 400i, which yours are supposed to be an upgrade of sorts. They are nice cans, just not a huge improvement compared to the 400i, to my ears at least.
$300 is a decent price for the new version, considering the original price for the 560 was way higher, and you have a lesser chance of the yolks giving out, but I would really put some thought into if you actually need them since you have the Sundara.
And Adorama has gotten lots of my money, lol, damn deals always get me.

 

[Sal1950]

just need to figure out what I want to sell.

Easy, the ones your not listening to.
I'd keep the Senn HD 650s and sell the rest.

 

[frogmeat69]

Easy, the ones your not listening to.
I'd keep the Senn HD 650s and sell the rest.

The Nighthawks will never leave me, I will be cremated wearing them!!

 

[Kgtree]

HiFiMan 400i
Panasonic RP-HTF600-S (Ear cup foam removed)
Sennheiser HD650 (Sold)

 

[Sal1950]

Sennheiser HD650 (Sold)

You'll be buying a new pair soon.

 

[Kgtree]

You'll be buying a new pair soon.

If anything terrible ever happens to my Panny's then I might have to.

 

[trl]

I mostly listed to planars, because I find them very musical and with a good bass impact:
- Hifiman HE-560
- FOSTEX T50-RP mk3

But sometimes I need to return to dynamic cans flavor, so I rarely listen to:
- AKG K701
- Beyerdynamic DT880 (600 Ohms)
The two cans I also use them when I need to see how powerful is a headamp and if there're distortions or not.

But when I want to test some DAC or headamp I need more sensitive cans to "listen" for the background noise, like:
- Superlux HD-381F (16 Ohms IEM)
- AKG K550 (32 Ohms, very sensitive; I bought it after reading some articles wrote by Frans)
- BEATS Solo2 (extremely sensitive around 50-60 Hz, so using it mostly to check for mains hum)

At the office I'm using Superlux HD-662 BK Evo, because Frans wrote on his blog that these can actually sound good. I trusted him and paid the money and I need to thank him for that. Closed back cans, to not disturb others around, and with some easy modding these cans can sound really decent. Also, audiocheck.net likes Superlux cans for being cheap and pretty flat sounding.

I also have a pair of GRADO SR-60i, but I use it very rarely, mostly because it's lacking bass.

 

[Pavano]

hm, you guys have an awful lot of great cans!
Currently, my 'home'phones are
AKG Q701
AKG K280 parabolic (really old, but for some sessions I still use them)
Beyerdynamic DT990 (600Ohms)
Sennheiser HD600 (would the HD6xx be a sensible addition or replacement?)
and my new love the Focal Clear

on the go
AKG K550 (not so much on the go after all)
VModa V100
Sennheiser MM100

 

[JJB70]

I have just added the Oppo PM-2 to my collection. I've loved the Oppo headphones for a while (pretty much since they came out) but they weren't cheap. Given that Oppo have withdrawn from the market for headphones there is now a limited chance to but unless you go second hand, and I noticed some pretty attractive discounts (maybe as dealers want to clear their final stocks) so I took the plunge with the PM-2. I'd love PM-1's but they're still pricey and I find that the difference between the PM-1 and PM-2 is much more about the luxury packaging and materials than sound. And it's not like the PM-2 feels cheap.
Why buy another pair of pricey headphones? I travel a lot and as much as I love my T5P's and despite Beyerdynamic marketing them as being for portable use they're anything but portable and they're actually household closed back headphones designed for use with mobile devices rather than being portable themselves. The Beyerdynamic carrycase is very nice but it's awfully bulky to carry around the world. And the Sony MDR Z7 is worse in that respect (although I still like the Sony's). I have some Sony 1000X M2 noise cancelling headphones, they have fantastic noise cancelling for inflight use and their passive sound is OK but if I'm in a hotel for a few nights sometimes I miss my better headphones.
The Oppo PM-2 isn't for in-flight use or train use as it is open, but its carry case is compact enough to carryaround without it taking too much space, they pretty light and easy to drive (certainly for good planar magnetic models) and don't need a separate amplifier or DAC. I'm finding they can be driven to an adequate volume by my smart phone not lose anything (I find the DAC and amp of my smart phone are very transparent and more than good enough for serious listening, apologies if that admission gets me kicked out of the audio enthusiasts union.....). The Oppo's feel very finished, a lot of audiophile gear feels a bit half finished and flakey, but these are beautifully finished and display an attention to detail that indicates some very serious effort went into their design.
Sound is funny, the first time I listened to Oppo PM-1 and PM-2 headphones when they came out was a bit underwhelming and it was like meh. However, and this may be counter-intuitive and sound silly, I find that is often a good sign with headphones. A lot of models are tuned with exaggerated highs and a booming low end which makes an immediate impact and say's "look at me, aren't I great!!!" but which becomes very tiresome very quickly. The Oppo laid back, smooth and rather neutral sound is a bit of a slow burner but very easy to live with and a sound that I think I'll love for the long haul long (although in fairness I still like my MDR Z7's despite them being a bit bass heavy and tuned to make an impression after having had them for about two and a half years despite people assuring me I'd tire of them quickly).
Spending a lot on another pair of headphones is probably a dumb move, but it was my birthday and I'd wanted these for a while, you only live once so may as well enjoy it.

 

[poimandres]

Quite a few of you have some really nice collections. During my head-fi days (years ago) I had quite the collection as well.

Currently I have 2 pairs of PSB M4U-4’s. I really enjoy the sound out of them. PSB recently had a promo (google it it may still be active for those interested) 30% off most of their headphones. My second set of 4’s cost 111 with taxes shipped via 2nd day air.

 

[March Audio]

Oppo PM1 - the only cans I found that made me want to move away from my old Sennheiser H650
Oppo PM3 - don't normally do closed, but these simply sound neutral, no hint of the box
MD HD6xx - just about to arrive, silly cheap hd650
Westone 4R iems for travel