Your Top 5 Favourite Headphones

Completely agree: our hearing is the embodiment of the unreliable witness. What I can’t understand is why this afflicts the Clears so much more than any of my other headphones (Sennheiser Momentum, Oppo PM-3, Sennheiser/Drop 6xx, Sennheiser HD 800 S, Oppo PM-1, DCA Ether 2).

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You know something. I miss OPPO. They made some really cool stuff, especially their Blu ray/SACD player hybrids. :wink:

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Oppo made the best DVD player available and since it was discontinued over 2 years ago, there is still nothing as good.

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Agreed. It’s a great shame they’re out of the headfi/hifi game. The Drop Pandas and an array of mediocre phones are a really ill-fitting legacy.

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My standard explanation beyond moody hearing: The Clear is indeed clear. To my ears it carries over transitions from the DAC and amp better than many other headphones. Its metal drivers are prone to brightness and can exaggerate sounds in sensitive frequency bands. This can make it sound edgy, or at least edgier if one is fatigued or otherwise biologically off.

Since the OPPO is gone, I still have two of them (105 & 205) but the Panasonic DP-UB9000 is pretty good when it comes to video.

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Those Oppos are probably worth more on the used market than when purchased new.

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That’s true. It crazy how much these units are selling for on the used market.

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I absolutely agree with you. It will be a very mournful day once the player kicks the bucket.
I’ve had my BDP 83 for nearly 5 years now. I’m guessing I’m gonna get another 10 out of it. :wink:

OPPO is still handling repairs on all their players per their OPPO Product Support website…

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CPP! Thank you friend. I honestly didn’t know that. A nice security blanket for sure.

Enjoy your music today.

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1. Focal Clear OG
Best all-rounder I’ve heard, a straight update from my HD600. Very good resolution, punch and imaging. Bass isn’t as clean or extended as my LCD-2, but very respectable for a dynamic driver. The pads get dirty too easily, a minor nitpick.

2. Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk
Yeah, it’s an IEM, but it gets maybe the most use right now. A bit like Clear a very good overall package that does little wrong. Good comfort, stay put and look pretty cool too. Sound is awesomely tuned with especially pretty mids for vocals. Bass boost in the subs is very smart and keeps things clean down low, although in very noisy surroundings a few more db of bass level overall could be nice.

3. Audeze LCD-2.1
Totally slamming pair for metal and rock, the dipped mids might just help here for long sessions. Bass weight and tightness is the best I’ve had in a headphone, love it. (”Planars don’t slam”, some say… These oldies definitely do!) When tired after work these keep things smooth and warm-ish. Resolution isn’t Clear levels from mids up, but that’s not always what I need. I bought these used 8 years ago and they’re going nowhere.

4. Audeze Sine (with Cipher cable & CAL pads)
Probably one of Audeze’s most balanced tunings. Very enjoyable bass here too. Best portable sound I’ve had yet. The OG pads were uncomfy, luckily I tried my Aurvana Live pads on these.

5. Apple Airpods Pro
Not for sound quality, but ease of use and comfort. The transparency function is actually transparent and ANC works pretty well too. An example of great design that kinda trumps the SQ - these are a total breeze to use, and because of that get loads of ear-time. Most of it is podcasts etc but still.

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I very much enjoyed your comments about your headphones and IEMs (and not just because have and love the original Clear).

That LCD2.1 is a beauty. I’ve been meaning to get one for listening to rock; I’ve got the LCD2-Classic and want to compare them, and I likewise love how it’s great for electric guitars and has better bass, in many ways, than the Clear. I also like it for just mellowing out and having a fun listen after a long day.

What amp do you use for yours? I’ve found my Classic to be very amp-picky. I’ve driven it with tube amps (with no success, because of the low impedance) and the Fulla 2, Magni 3, Massdrop Cavalli Tube Hybrid, and the Jot 2. The Jot 2 was by far the best - it made for a much cleaner sound (with the Reveal plugin), stronger slam, better macrodynamics, a smoother, less grainy or peak treble, and it really opened up the soundstage.

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Thanks! Heh, I use Jot 2 for all my open-backs at home. I use the balanced out for Clear, LCD-2 and HD800. HD600 and HE500 I used single-ended, because of the cables I have basically. I compared the outs when I got the amp and preferred the balanced, so I went with that (and got balanced cables for LCD & 800). It seemed a bit more punchy. Really enjoying the amp and have no craving for a new one.

Edit: I don’t find my LCD to be too amp picky. There might be some more heft in the lows with Jot 2 vs my ADI-2 DAC’s amp, but nothing all that major to my ears.

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• Final Audio D8000 Pro - not taking itself too seriously [[edit: if not clear by putting them first - this is my desert island choice]]

• Raal SR-1a - speed king

• Focal Utopia - best allrounder

• Hifiman Susvara - critical listening

• Focal Stellia - best closed choice

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Great write up, Man!

Thank you. I love Audeze. They’re an awesome company. I have had the LCD XC’s for nearly 4 years and I’m never getting rid of them. :slight_smile:

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I got to hear the Jot 2 on a loaner tour and the only headphones I didn’t like it with were the HD 6XX, and that was because of my specific chain: a slightly dark DAC + warmish amp + mid-bass humptastic warm headphones = overly warm. I’m betting the HD 600 sounds very good with it. The Jot 2 seems like a highly versatile amp, and from what I’ve seen of impressions online, it works especially well with planars.

It’s too funny: we both have the Clear, HD 600, HD 800, and our respective versions of the LCD2. I now need to track down a pair of HE 500!

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  • Susvara - best all rounder

  • Sony CD900st - best for “weeb” music and closed utility without breaking the bank

  • LCD-2pf - My first entry into high end, mostly for nostalgia

  • ETA Genesis G - Most fun headphone. Downward sloping and really engaging. Currently my fav under $1k

  • Empyrean - Fav headphone to hate.

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TC
Sus
SR1a
D8000
Stellia/VC

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Eikon (just good all around for me and if you find it used, it’s a perfect price point)
Aeolus (really close between the Aeolus and Eikon, I prefer the drivers of the Eikon as the metal plate in the Aeolus could be easily damaged and make weird noises)
VO (price point puts it third)
VC (price point, close tie with the VO, would like to hear again)
LCD-X (weight puts it last, would like to hear the new tunings but I’ve always felt the sound was good but it was at the beginning of my adventure into this hobby when I tried them)

Honorable mention to the Arya but doesn’t make the list due to quality control.

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