This is really what I needed to hear, I feel as if lately I've been looking for that next headphone like a consumer addiction. When it comes down to it, I could be completely happy with something modest like a HE400i 2020 version and may eventually get to it one day. Lately, it's gotten to the point where I have 7 different headphones and honestly, two of them I don't even really like (HD6xx, HD58x) as much as I've tried to, so I plan on selling those. It's just not worth keeping stuff around that you aren't excited to use even if they're so heavily referenced and loved online. You eventually know the stuff you love because you're reaching out to listen to it.
Something else I've found about TOTL headphones is that while I do agree that a lot of headphones do get technically better as you move up, most of them are tuned somewhat bright rather than neutral - almost as if with every brand as you move up in price they just keep getting brighter and brighter and brighter (perhaps they tune them this way assuming the only people who can afford TOTL are older people who can't hear as well into the treble regions perhaps? or maybe to trick people into thinking there is more detail than there actually is?). I prefer my stuff to sound reasonable without having to touch an EQ - with an EQ being an optional thing if I decide to do it, and in the case of bright headphones like most of the ones TOTL or thereabouts, it's literally uncomfortable for me to listen to them without EQ which is something that personally puts me off of them. The only cans that I've been able to enjoy in the higher end have been Audezes and the Hifiman Edition X V2 - and even Audezes are susceptible to the 'treble creep' theory I have, just have a look at the LCD2C, to the LCD2 to the LCD3, they clearly keep getting brighter and brighter as you go up in price.
Something else I've found about TOTL headphones is that while I do agree that a lot of headphones do get technically better as you move up, most of them are tuned somewhat bright rather than neutral - almost as if with every brand as you move up in price they just keep getting brighter and brighter and brighter (perhaps they tune them this way assuming the only people who can afford TOTL are older people who can't hear as well into the treble regions perhaps? or maybe to trick people into thinking there is more detail than there actually is?). I prefer my stuff to sound reasonable without having to touch an EQ - with an EQ being an optional thing if I decide to do it, and in the case of bright headphones like most of the ones TOTL or thereabouts, it's literally uncomfortable for me to listen to them without EQ which is something that personally puts me off of them. The only cans that I've been able to enjoy in the higher end have been Audezes and the Hifiman Edition X V2 - and even Audezes are susceptible to the 'treble creep' theory I have, just have a look at the LCD2C, to the LCD2 to the LCD3, they clearly keep getting brighter and brighter as you go up in price.
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