Your Top 5 Favourite Headphones

Headphones General Headphone Discussion
41

Those are the two I’m looking at acquiring. Leaning more towards the RAD-0 at the moment.

The Audeze LCD-4 is too heavy for me. May just have to work up my neck strength over time but until then, no LCD-4.

As for the HEKSE, not a fan of the teardrop shape of the cups. I don’t have a long enough neck to prevent them touching my shoulders on movement. Plus, it looks like it’s better suited for Elves heh.

42

All the HifiMan teardrop style cans look ridiculous. Not just the earcups, either. The headband creates a square above the head that invites comparisons to Kid 'n Play.

Well, really just Mr. Kid, I suppose.

image (1)__01
image (1)__01677×1024 130 KB

IMG_20200419_142845__01
IMG_20200419_142845__013049×2984 1.52 MB

13 Likes
43

Or a Simpsons character…

image

9 Likes
44

I can’t stop laughing at this.

2 Likes
45

After the Rad-0 getting, when I had the Hifiman Ananda, it just felt dry; I was worried about that other Hifiman cans had this trait until I picked up the HE-1000SE. It really holds its own against the others. I have used a few others Hifiman with the sideburns but they did not catch my fancy. Now I have to give Susvara the node for overall performance. I was big surprised the delta was smaller between 1000-SE and Susvaria, the former is easier to drive.

RAD-0 and Susvara are my two top planners currently. They are nice counterpoints to each other. RAD-0 can be used on almost any device and is fantastic with Blue, Rock, and with more intimate recordings.

I still like to listen to LCD-4, but I began to really appreciate the comfort of headphones less then 600 Grams. LCD-4 is the one on the bubble, does it stay in the stable.

I know the AB-1266 PHI TC must sound great, but it looks more like a clamp to hold head straight.
AB-1266 PHI TC

5 Likes
46

Of the headphones I have or have had these are my favorites:

  1. Verite Closed (VC) - With a well recorded track, these just “wow” the hell out of me. Stage and imaging are fantastic. Was tough for me to put anything above the LCD-3 for my listening pleasure but these have a habit of make me feel like I haven’t really “heard” a track until I put them on.

  2. LCD-3 - These are warm and relaxed in all the right ways for me with strong bass, especially for an open back. The sound isn’t for everyone, but it absolutely is for me. I can put these on and listen for hours… just puts me in that mood. They resolve very well, though not to the level of something like a Focal.

  3. Emu Teak - I’ll call them my “fun” cans. V-shaped without being as offensive to me as some of the Fostex and other forks of the same design can be. If I’m in a hip-hop mood… these are my cans.

  4. Aeolus – Aeolus were the second headphones I heard that I was like “I gotta have these” (first was the LCD-3, most recent was the VC). I often describe my feeling listening to them as “Live at the concert”. If I’m listening to some Prince, MJ, or the like … Gimme!!!

  5. Focal Elegia - The fifth spot was tough… debated between the LCD-X and the Focal Elegia, and I’d probably put them close to a tie but I’ll give the slight edge to the Elegia for comfort and how it resolves.

9 Likes
47

I’m not going to write anything but list what are my favorites.
Abyss 1266 phi tc
Susvara
HE6se
RAD-0
HEDDphone

9 Likes
48

I can tell that you are a bass galore, based on your list, you seem to love that clean bass in abundance!

49

I do love bass… it’s because of the music I enjoy. If I didn’t have a family I’d still have my car system.

3 Likes
50

The HEDD has the least amount of bass out of my fav’s. Even though it sounds amazing everywhere else.

51

Of the ones I’ve had a chance to review, the following are my favorites:

  1. HiFiMAN Susvara - Checks all the boxes for me, and one of the few headphones that doesn’t have a trade-off somewhere, whether in FR, comfort, technical performance etc.
  2. ZMF Verite - There’s just something so unique about this headphone, and hearing it on the Pendant was such an amazing experience. I really wish I had the Verite C as well, maybe something for the future.
  3. Focal Stellia - One of my favorite closed-back headphones. Super comfy as well. It’s also a lot more neutral than I think people imagine when they see the FR. The bass bump is there but it’s surprisingly neutral for the rest of the FR.
  4. Focal Utopia - Still probably the most detailed dynamic driver headphone out there, with a classically ‘audiophile’ tuning as well. Gotta love the Focal flagship.
  5. HiFiMAN Arya - I would have put the HEDDphone on here, because I think it does perform better, but because the Arya is so much lighter, it’s the other headphone that I think is a bit of a benchmark at this price - if the choice is limited by weight that is.

Stuff I’ve only heard briefly (in no order because… well I only heard them briefly):

  1. DMS Diana Phi - The other lightweight no compromise headphone. I wasn’t a fan of the original Diana Phi I reviewed but with DMS’s modifications, this headphone was really good.
  2. Stax SR-007 2.9 - The most interesting estat I’ve heard. As @metal571 says “it has sub-bass!”.
  3. Shangri-La Sr. - The most open headphone out there, crazy amount of detail.
  4. Shangri-La Jr. - I didn’t spend as much time with this one but for some tracks I preferred it. It almost had a bit more grunt to it, more lower energy.
  5. AB1266TC - Right up there with LCD4 and Susvara for detail. Comfort was odd, but not as bad as I was expecting. Not being as crazy heavy as other flagships helps (even though it is over 600g). The only downside for this one is that the tonality still wasn’t to my taste. It reminded me a lot of an LCD4 actually.
17 Likes
52

Andrew
I could almost predict your top 5 headphones being your ardent follower on YouTube.
Loved your compare the ‘Best closed back’ video
And was made curious by Ananda vs Arya …
But I really thought Ananda will make it to your top 5 coz of value :slight_smile:
I got Ananda after your review though :slight_smile:

4 Likes
53

My current owned top 5

  1. Stax SR-009S - simply amazing but they could also destroy songs you love.
  2. Abyss 1266 TC - amazing bass, the bass, did I mention the bass? Like having a sub in the room.
  3. Audeze LCD-2rev2 - better than most its predecessors
  4. Sony MDR-Z1R - so much fun, comfortable, the build quality, listen to these forever set of cans.
  5. Senn HD650 or HD800S - these should be required listening, round one - start here
9 Likes
54

Yeah but “You ain’t gonna hurt nobody…” :rofl:

2 Likes
55

My favorite Top 5 headphones that I have reviewed:
Sennheiser HD600
MrSpeakers Ether C
Hifiman Ananda
VibroLabs Curly Maple
Focal Elex

5 Likes
56

Never heard of the curly maples. Cool name and nice look.

1 Like
57

These are top five but the 1266 didn’t make the pic.

image
image4032×3024 2.9 MB

8 Likes
58

Where’s the HEDD??? :thinking:

59

Whats the first headphone on the left?

1 Like
60

Heres my 5

1 HarmmonicDyne Helios
2 Hifiman Arya
3 ZMF Auteur
4 DT990
5 Sendy Aiva