HD650, not really what Im looking for. Radiance looks amazing BUT my budget is max max max $1000.
I got the Anandas for $450 because of my local shops mistake on their website, great customer service. I really appreciate the clarity and detail retrieval so something different is preferred. That said, Id rather them not be Planar to switch it up but thats not a must.
So they can be dynamic and my max is $1000.
open box for 890. May get some back in stock eventually. Sign up for the notification. If you don’t want to wait, I see some pop up used around the same price.
Have you heard a hd650?
I really don’t like the Audeze LCD-2 closed back. It was sent to me to review when the community review program was active, and I found the sound of the closed back made it almost unlistenable. Writing the review was extremely difficult because I disliked listening to them. In the end the only thing I liked on them was Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells. You can find my ghastly review in the LCD-2 Closed Back thread.
On the other hand I really like the Audeze IEMs.
I’d look into a used Aeolus
Yes, if you’re EQing any headphone could be warm. And also yes, LCD-2F would be a nice companion to that. It might also be worth considering even just an HD650 to get a sense of that reference point - or HD6XX, since it’s cheap. In the high end, a lot of folks also like Aeolus for that, but I haven’t personally reviewed that one.
It’s so hard to tell anyone not to get the HD6xx. Everyone should have a pair. They’re lovable, and everyone refers to other phones in comparison to them. They’re kind of baseline awesome. Doesn’t mean you have to or anything, just that it’s a $179 on sale / used kind of “just do it if you’re gonna be in the hobby” kind of purchase. They still get a fair bit of listening time, even though I’ve moved on to some headphones that cost 10x the price. They were really my first “love” and so with a lot of folks.
Will the RAD-0 ever appear on your list?
I totally forgot! Thanks for reminding me.
Agreed. The HD6xx are a relatively inexpensive reference that can help you (someone) level-set. They are not, IMO, something you will listen to exclusively, but are more of a palate cleanser :). And I am always surprised at how decent they are when I go back to them - the sound is pure, if unexciting, and does reveal details that I would otherwise ignore. They help me figure out what I am hearing when I listen to my more “opinionated” headphones. I regard them as a low cost luxury.
I never get that when people say this, once I moved on to higher end gear I saw zero reasons to keep or listen to my 6XX
I go back to my HD 600 as a reference: What did I get for my upgrade money? How has my taste changed over time? It gets a fraction of my listening time, but still useful.
I use a Beyer DT 800 600 ohm despite its many, many, many limitations. This is because it’s absolutely brilliant with smooth vocals and the mid range. Not much deep bass, not much treble extension, got to work around treble spikes with pads/EQ…but the midrange is great. Again, narrow but useful.
Finally, I like to keep some cheap standards around (e.g,. HD 6XX; HD 58X) to keep in touch with entry-level budgets and users. The headphone hobby shrinks and become strange and intimidating to new users if people talk only about $2K, $5K, or $10K systems. One can achieve very good performance for a fraction of the price that some pay, and some high-cost setups aren’t very good. Young buyers often don’t have the money and even the 6XX is out of reach.
Last paragraph — Amen, bro.
I don’t think anything you said is wrong, it just doesn’t fit my philosophy and how I choose to spend my listening time. The 6XX blew my mind when I first listened to it and it was the best I heard at that point in time.
Yeah, maybe for me it is about memory and recalling how I learned. The experience of the amazement you describe is something we all want to recapture. So I go back to what once wowed me and March my way back up the chain.
That plus the fact that the Folkvangr pairs so wonderfully with the HD6xx. But I agree, no wrong answers. I lend out my HD6xx a few times a year with an old Fulla. And I’m always happy when it comes home.
@prfallon69 Thank you, I appreciate the warm welcome
Thanks @resolve … why do you suggest the LCD-2F over the Classic? Ive tried to google the difference to death and Im still not understanding the difference between the too as far as sound quality goes BUT from Audeze’s website, they describe them as warm.
For the record, Im 110% okay with EQing
@pasterofmuppets I will look back into Aeolus and ZMF as a whole, thanks
@pk500 I think I will just have to try the LCD-2C, thank you for the help/priceless information. Are you suggesting Classic or Closed, for the C?
@rhodey I think I will also try the radiance, I kind of want to be “one and done” and Endgame it (for the near future, ha!) I think the Radiance could be my daily driver and I can sucker my girlfriend into the game as well. Radiance seems to have aesthetic and sound quality I’m looking for.
@Rynos In the $1000 price range, have you also considered the Focal Elex or Clear? The Audezes will have larger sound stages and a warmer sound out of the box (without EQ), while the Focals will have more bass punch. As Resolve mentioned, you can EQ in some bass warmth on the Focals.
@Nuance Thanks, at this point, staying under $1000 may not seem as possible as I would like but that is okay since I would like to Endgame for a while. Im thinking Focal might be the move, I will add Clear to the list, Clear MG looks wonderful but the price kind of hurts my feelings to even consider it 
Radiance looks great but hard to find and no returns at all on Headphones.com
I’d definitely recommend Elex or Clear. Didn’t mention it because you said you wanted warmer. But would work with your music most likely.