The Audeze EL-8 Closed Back are very nice indeed! With slightly less clarity and spaciousness than the Open Back on the music I listen to (mostly classical piano, but lots of other modern stuff too), but perfectly fine headphones in general!
I would have preferred to get the Open Back for that spaciousness, but since my primary listening is now when I am working at my desk in an open office environment, I had to get the Closed Back. But, I am not unhappy at all!
I think you can now get them for around $350 or so - at which price, they beat anything in that price range by a wide margin. I remember seeing them discounted at the Audeze website some time back … but am not sure they still have them.
My current favorite is my Sennheiser HD600. I’d love to try the HD800. The good thing about not trying them is that right now I’m happy with the HD600, even with all the discussion of the “veil”. I’m afraid if I try the HD800, I won’t be as happy with the ones I have. I also have the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, but to be honest, I haven’t even tried them yet. For travel, I have the Bose Quiet Comfort 25. As far as headphone amps, I have an Audioengine 24-bit DAC, SoundBlaster Omni, and Schitt Magni 2 Uber. What I don’t have is more than 2 ears to use them all. Now all I need is music to see how everything works.
I’ve been using the same Headroom Micro amp and DAC for ten years. I love the crossfeed circuit. I use mid range headphones, currently wearing Sennheiser HD598.
Chief that is an awesome list and that doc you listed at the end is a brilliant document. How are Beyerdynamic’s and Grado’s? I’ve been really itching to try those out but not sure about putting the money for them.
I like the Utopia’s better personally. The Focal Clears do sound pretty good but for me tend to be a bit on the bright side. The Bass response on the Clears are fickle around the 70Hz and 100Hz frequencies. The Focal Clears though, at least in my opinion, are very resolving and sound is very “Clear” as the name would suggest. If you prefer a brighter headphone, the Clears are pretty good. The build quality is also top-notch.
Home: Sennheiser HD 595
Work: Shure SRH 440
In between: Shure SE215
Hoping to change all of these up soon. I’ve had the sennheisers for nearly 8 years and looking for a beefier set up. The SE215 cord wire piece that raps around the ear keeps breaking. The Shure 440’s are just too heavy for someone that looks down at a laptop all day and make my neck hurt.
Thanks, Focal!! (is that really your first name? ). That’s what I’m afraid of. If I know me (and I think I do), I’ll break down and try them. No will power.
DecWare CSP3 feeding DecWare Taboo UFO (both maxed out for upgrades)… or Grace Audio m903b…
Oppo PM-1
Senn HD800
Senn HD650
ZMF Omni (Cherry)
(Upgraded cables all around)
If anyone takes anything out of this post let it be that they want to check out DecWare and ZMF. Biggest bang(s) for the buck I have ever spent on my audio obsession. And nice people!
My latest obsession is bird dogging the upcoming HPA from Benchmark. I think I can hear it already
Synology NAS 2TB>Thinkpad w/Crucial 1TB SSD w/JRiver 24>Resonessence Concero HD>Bryston BHA-1>Focal Elear & Sony MDR Z1R.
It’s been an evolution of sorts. Really happy with this current set up.
What a variety of headphones folks are using! Lots of experience to benefit us all!
Here’s my current setup:
Home: MrSpeakers’ Aeon Flow, Sennheiser HD600, or Etymotics ER4 driven by Chord Mojo
Desktop PC: Emotiva Stealth DC-1 optical with the above or driving JBL LSR305’s with sub
Travel: Etymotics HF-5 with Chord Mojo
Lots of previous stuff, now sold.
This hobby extends back to the very early '70’s for me, when I had Koss Pro 4A’s and Telefunken cans imported directly from Germany that took weeks to get. Sure made CD’s (which were a new invention then!) and 12" optical discs sound great!
I find IEM’s to be uncomfortable for general extended use, but OK for travel. I’ve had the best comfort with my Ety’s using their stock silicone 3-flange tips, and I’ve tried a bunch including Comply. Of the several IEM’s I’ve had, I like the Ety’s sound the best. I choose either the Aeon Flows (closed) or HD600’s (open) depending on genre and my mood! They are both satisfying to me, in different ways.
I even experimented making my own cast ear molds using Amazing Mold Putty and a sacrificial pair of older IEM’s. Great experiment, I don’t recommend it… Good results but some things are best left to a professional…
Open-back: PC -> USB -> Sony UDA-1 -> Beyerdynamic Amiron Home & Sennheiser HD 660 S
Closed-back: PC -> USB -> Sony UDA-1 -> Project Sunrise 3.1(12BH7AEH tube) -> Beyerdynamic DT 480 - 8 Ohm
Grados other than the GS and PS and RS1e are honestly mostly the same. There are slight differences between them but if someone is interested in a Grado I’d recommend them to not go higher than an SR60 unless they really, really like them. The RS1 and RS2 are really pretty but the value proposition isn’t really there. They’re also pretty genre-limited. They have forward, shouty upper midrange and elevated distorted midbass which can sound warm. I actually like the Grado sound for when I’m in the mood for it, but I only like it for driven music.
Beyers are a mixed bag; I don’t quite remember if I mentioned it in the doc but I’ve owned two T1’s. The first one was pretty bright, midbass was on the thin side (probably due to the loosened clamp), and the midrange was on the dry side. It was kind of like a brighter DT880 but less dry. It was fine but nothing amazing. The second one I got was wired out of phase so I had to fix that. It was also really hazy sounding and had some channel imbalance. It wasn’t very good. It was fine when I wasn’t paying attention, but it sounded like it was in the wrong price range.
The T90 was bright, but was surprisingly decent other than that. It had amazing channel balance and a pretty flat upper midrange. My biggest issue with it other than the treble was that the midbass was a bit too elevated for how much distortion it had so it sounded overly thick and obfuscated the upper midrange at times.
I really, really dislike the DT990. Every time I use them I feel like I’m going to develop a headache, but I’m pretty sensitive in that treble area.
The DT770 is pretty good for the ~$100-120 region. I prefer it to the M50X because it sounds less congested, but some people may find the treble to be a bit too harsh and the midrange to be too recessed.
I haven’t heard the DT1990 so I can’t put too much weight into this, but while I’m personally not a fan of it, the DT880 600ohm may be their least objectionable current production headphone. It’s a dry sound, which I’m not too much a fan of, but the treble is more reasonable than the T90 and first T1 I had, the bass isn’t too thick, and the midrange, other than dryness, has decent enough tone. I’m shocked it’s so (relatively) cheap now.
Currently use Westone 4 for exercise, Westone 8 (custom) for critical IEM use, Audeze LCD-X for night-time opera and classical music videos, and B&O noise cancelling IEM for airplane travel. The Westone 8 and Audeze are driven by a Pass Labs HA-1.
). That’s what I’m afraid of. If I know me (and I think I do), I’ll break down and try them. No will power.