Thank you for the suggestion. Looked them up and they are reasonably priced. Have you used their interconnects or have other recommendations ?
Just their power cables.
For interconnects I other make my own, or use DBS-equipped AudioQuest cables in my main rig (some World’s Best “Gotham” stuff in the “budget” rigs I used to play with/review).
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Your recommendation lead me to try that interconnect. Surprised that it made as much difference as it did.
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Thats good to know. I got the exact same ones recently as an upgrade from my current monoprice one. Haven’t had a chance to listen to them.
Was wondering if I should get a pair from one of the boutique cable makers (Cullen, Maze, Takefiveaudio) to do a comparison.
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I upgraded from Bezos basics myself.
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Terrific recommendation. 
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Sennheiser HD 5 Series - Which one should I buy?
Hello, I m looking to buy one of the Sennheiser headphones, I narrowed the choice to the HD 5 Series.
I spent countless hours research and the more I spent the more lost I feel when it comes to picking, so hopefully, with this post, my doubts will disappear.
Note, after that you will surely grab your head, but yes I m going to plug it into the motherboard…(Msi Z170a Gaming Pro) I know, I know, but can’t really afford DAC and AMP.
I m not an audiophile, I want to upgrade my old Superlux headphones to the point where ill be happy for the next 10 years. I m not gonna lie, I m looking for headphones that will do everything best at the same time, just because I have no experience with audio. Headphones that will open my eyes to the world of music. Headphones that won’t hurt after having them for 8 hours a day on the head.
Well, we have a choice between these 559, 570, 599, 560S. The further we go, the more expensive they become, so I wonder where is the peak for the best value? Many people recommend 560S, because they are the newest and most expensive of the series, but I heard reviews where the sound is even too technical to enjoy on regular usage. So I started to wonder if it is worth spending so much money at all for 560S, or is it not even a disadvantage? (keeping in mind I m a regular mobo user)
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My son gifted me a pair of HD560s for my birthday.
I really like them.
Apart for a little spicy treble they are very balanced.
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The Sennheiser HD560S is a very good compromise. If someone does not know what different headphones sound like and thereby not know which direction to go, the Sennheiser HD 560S provides a middle of the road sound that should be pleasing to most everyone.
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If one is on a budget, the Sennheiser HD560S is a great contender for those seeking to stay under $200. If by some chance the budget can be increased, finding a $299 Hifiman Sundara open box deal or just paying $350 full price, brings genuine high end sound at an incredibly low price. It would be worth sacrificing money that had been budgeted on an amplifier to upgrade from the Sennheiser HD560S to the Hifiman Sundara and maybe even go ampless.
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Why the 560S instead of an HD-580 (Drop version HD-58x)? I know it’s newer. Haven’t seen someone do a head to head comparison.
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Headphone for TV, PS5 Gaming and hifi listening.
Open or Closed.
$1000 USD budget.
Comfort is paramount! So no Audeze monsters or anything else that’s 500g …
The Aeon Noire looks near ideal, but @resolve verdict of “without dynamics” puts me off. They need a good impactful sound.
Other options?
I have spent most my last few years dabbling in higher end stuff, haven’t tried a lot of the sub 2k market.
As @Resolve stated the Aeon Noire lack of dynamics.
I own them and I bought them for some very specific music I listen to and study and that doesn’t need at all dynamic on reproduction (Alvin Lucier, Phill Niblock, Éliane Radigue).
If you need punchier headphones I believe you will be fine with Focals but you have to keep in mind that in exchange of a great punch you will have a significant soundstage reduction.
If you can live with it I believe Clear OG for opens and Celestee for closed will serve you well and will be very comfortable to wear.
Ah. Should has stated. Focal headbands give me a headache. Hotspot badly.
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I’m sorry for that.
I have some problems with Focals too, more from the spring loaded cups.
Have you tried some Hifimans?
I have a pair of Sundara and to me they are comfortable but a lot of people finds them not so comfortable, especially for the headband.
Ananda would be a good headphone for your needs if the headband style isn’t an issue.
Otherwise the only very comfortable headphone that comes to my mind is Sennheiser HD800s but it has its peculiarities and isn’t for sure a punchy one.
Maybe HD660s?
They don’t cost a lot and while the soundstage is very intimate the dynamics are to my ears very good. I find them comfortable too.
It’s a very subjective argument so the best possible advice would be to go out and try things until you find what better suits your needs.
Enjoy
I have a 6xx here. Is the 660s a significant improvement?
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Different tuning but if you already have a 6XX I won’t buy a HD660s.
Since you have a good dynamic driver headphone you probably get advantages getting a planar magnetic one as complement.
Try and see if you can find something that will be comfy for you.
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Ananda/Arya are fine comfort wise. Build quality sort of crap and both fairly lean in the bass. Price and rest of their technical performance is good though.
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I bought an open-box Sundara and loved the overall sound, but also felt it lacked in the bass department. I was running it from a Fiio K5 Pro or Schiit Magni 3+. It seems to go low, but didn’t provide much rumble or slam.
I recently bought an ifi iDSD Signature, because I wanted something that would provide more power, but also work with the dozen or so IEMs I have. The iDSD really makes the Sundaras a completely different experience for me. They shine with that much power (4100mw) and the XBass is great implementation of bass boost, providing a good bump without making them sound boomy or muddy.
The Sundara/iDSD signature was just under $1000 for the pair and, in my opinion, there aren’t a lot of headphones that can beat the Sundara at anywhere near the price. I don’t know if it’s right for you, but it really helped me quite a bit. Good luck.
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For me they not really are available in Poland, it’s hard to get anything in Drop without crazy cost, so I didn’t even consider them.
I never had problems with Hifiman stuff.
Maybe I’ve been lucky, maybe they changed they quality controls.
While the built doesn’t look like the sturdiest they are strong enough to last in time IMO.
Ananda has slightly more bass than Arya but also less soundstage if this can help.