Now that I’m at a real keyboard, I’m replying to myself. The Sennheiser. PX-100 It was a gateway drug into audio. I bought 4 of them. One for me. That wore out and another one for me. Two I gave away to people that had only listened to Gen1 Apple Earbuds or maybe Cassette Walkman headphones. The PX-100 was like a Porta-Pro upgrade. It folded, but neatly, and was a bit more robust. Sound made me smile, especially with a Headroom Airhead amp. When I finally destroyed my last one in 2012 - it got wrapped on the halo vest that was holding my head on my broken neck and something else, they were no longer around.
There was a PX-200. Roughly the same price, $89/99. Instead of getting that, I got my first GRADO, an SR80e. That’s also a good value - but needs some mods and has issues with people who find the high end a bit too hot. The Sennheiser PX-100 was much much more balanced, lacking sub-bass and probably most bass below 50, but still Harman fun.
I’ve been buying PortaPro Koss since forever. With an in-line mic, they are awesome for phone calls. With Yaxi pads, they’re almost cool. I think I have 3 pair now, keep them wherever I make phone calls. And I’ve given away at least 6 pair. My grandnephew, age 15 next month, has treasured a pair for 3 years.
This list doesn’t have IEMs on it. My current value favorites are the DUNU Titan S and the TRUTHEAR Zero:Red. Traveled light this Christmas, have been listening to the Zero:Red with a bit of EQ. It lacks authority from the Apple Dongle, but sounds like a value leader when pushed by an iFi Go-Link. So $59 x 2 for the chain, not counting a phone or tablet because I need one of those. That would probably be my value recommendation if I had to put in an iEM. TOTL iEM? I got my Audeze LCDi4 when they had their annual sale. Paid $999. Retail is what, $2500? I don’t need no other high end IEM ever. I don’t give a damn that other people might hear it a bit, or that it sticks out of my ears. Next best thing to a headphone, and it has actual soundstage.
I’ve had a soft spot for eStat sound since the 1980s when I first auditioned and bought my STAX SR-5n. The lesser STAX at the time were well, lesser. And at $495 in what, 1983 or so, I didn’t feel like going higher for the Lambdas. Which still look a little funny. For a couple of years before Headphones.com was founded, they’d gotten less use because of some intermittent fuzz-garbage I was hearing. Finally motivated to get them fixed, I sent them to STAX USA only to find out that it was my SRD-6 adapter that was bad. Having entered the rabbit hole a second time (thanks to @generic @ProfFalkin, @tmarshl, @pwjazz, @PaisleyUnderground, @tmarshl, @TylersEclectic, @Torq, @antdroid and other fine folk here), I “fixed” the adapter problem with a Mjolnir modified STAX SRM-T1S hybrid amp. And since THAT had both standard and Pro bias, I was tempted when the boutique HIVE came along.
I haven’t regretted that at all. It is still tied with the Rosson for my favorite headphone.
So the HIVE is clear on the value list.
One other mention. In wireless, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 can be found as a great value. Half the price of the Apple AirPod Max, and 1/3 of the Focal Bathys, it gives 85-90+% of the sound. Superb battery life. Wired mode is excellent. A winner for the Sennheiser again.
I haven’t mentioned the usuals - Yes, I have a Drop (was the Massdrop) Sennheiser HD-6xx, and I still have my original HD-580s from about a year after they came out. Good values, yes, but lacking that extra something that makes them a standout. They remind me of the BMW salesman I talked to recently. I told him I did not want a white, black, silver, or grey car. “Ahh, the BMW Rainbow, he said.”