Two simple questions but might be hard to answer for some folks.
What are the top 3-5 headphones that you ever heard?
What are the top 3-5 headphones you love the most?
Happy weekend listening to everyone!
6 Likes
In Order:
-
Koss Porta Pro
They are compact, they are comfy, and I can have them with me for most things I do (and need headphones for) -
AKG K-872
The best pair I own. -
AudioTechnica ATH-AD500x
The only headphone I can forget I am wearing, they are that light!
6 Likes
I think the Koss’s and the HD6__ series will garner a lot of “love”.
2 Likes
Warwick Aperio, X9000, Sony R10 bass heavy.
These 3 have the best sound out of everything I’ve heard but each have some drawbacks that hold them back from being in the “love the most” category. The aperio was uncomfortable, one of the most uncomfortable headphones I’ve ever worn, the X9000 on my current setup sounds a bit lean at times but I know it can scale more. And the R10 is rare, fragile, and expensive.
Aurorus Borealis and Focal Utopia. Not sure about a 3rd one, I really like the Raal sr1b but it’s tricky to use, I love the look of my ZMFs but the Borealis sounds better for the most part. There’s also the Aurorus Australis which is a bass cannon and a lot of fun so maybe that would be the best 3rd pick for myself. I also enjoy the Kinera Loki IEMs but haven’t used them much recently.
3 Likes
Raal SR1a 
Focal Utopia OG
Mysphere 3.2
ZMF Verite
Focal Stellia
3 Likes
Best heard is part of below but add the Lcd 2PF I also own
Most loved are ,
Abyss Diana V2. just so perfect for me
Kennerton Gjallarhorn. Closed back and just different
Sennheiser HD650 Just because TOOOBS!!!
3 Likes
Best I’ve heard:
Focal Stellia – hands down the best I’ve heard.
Audeze LCD-X 2021 – own and love them.
Grado 325x – own and love them.
Cans I love:
My current lineup – Audeze LCD-X 2021, Grado 325x, HD 6XX, AKG N400NC (TWS buds).
Honorable mention – Audeze LCD-2C, HiFiMan Edition XS, HiFiMan HE400se.
2 Likes
I think these are my answers:
Best I’ve heard:
- X9000
- Shang Sr
- Susvara
- Honorable mentions: HE1, Aperio
Most loved:
- Susvara
- Utopia OG
- Trying to decide between D8KP LE, Atrium and LCD-5
4 Likes
I wont say best, but most loved:
- LCD-2.2pf w/ OG suede pads
- Radiance, it just fits my portable needs so much
- hmmm, prob not the Utopia, prob not the 800s though theyre a workhorse for me, i tend to moss my Atrium Open. But i think it has to be the simplicity of the hd600 on the BHC.
2 Likes
I say in order, probably could switch around 2 or 3:
- Shang Sr. On Grand Cayman
- Stax X9000 On RSA B-21 Raider
- Sennheiser HE-1
- Mysphere 3.2
- Sony MDR R10 (Don’t remember which version)
I will probably not buy most of them because it’s out of budget for me. I guess I could save up for them or sell my current collection, but they honestly don’t really strike amazingly well with my preference for music (especially for price-to-performance ratio and I really like bass) so it wouldn’t be worth it for me. But with the music they do work well with, it’s beyond amazing and it’s definitely an experience when you try them.
- ATH-L3000
- Mysphere 3.2
- Onkyo A800
- Raal SR1a
- Hifiman Susvara
I pretty much explained it in the other thread. If you are curious, you can just give it a read with the quote below.
̶I̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶g̶r̶a̶v̶i̶t̶a̶t̶e̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶A̶T̶H̶-̶L̶3̶0̶0̶0̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶O̶n̶k̶y̶o̶ ̶A̶8̶0̶0̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶.̶ ̶M̶a̶y̶b̶e̶ ̶b̶e̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶I̶’̶v̶e̶ ̶b̶e̶e̶n̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶m̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶l̶o̶n̶g̶e̶s̶t̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶h̶o̶n̶e̶s̶t̶l̶y̶,̶ ̶d̶r̶u̶m̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶e̶l̶e̶c̶t̶r̶i̶c̶ ̶g̶u̶i̶t̶a̶r̶ ̶s̶o̶u̶n̶d̶s̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶g̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶e̶a̶r̶s̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶s̶e̶ ̶2̶ ̶h̶e̶a̶d̶p̶h̶o̶n̶e̶s̶ ̶o̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶s̶.̶ ̶B̶u̶t̶ ̶I̶ ̶a̶m̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶b̶r̶a̶n̶c̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶g̶e̶n̶r̶e̶s̶ ̶n̶o̶w̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶T̶r̶a̶p̶ ̶m̶u̶s̶i̶c̶,̶ ̶J̶M̶u̶s̶i̶c̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶n̶o̶w̶ ̶E̶l̶e̶c̶t̶r̶o̶p̶o̶p̶ ̶I̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶n̶k̶.̶ ̶S̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶h̶e̶a̶d̶p̶h̶o̶n̶e̶s̶ ̶o̶r̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶m̶a̶y̶ ̶c̶h̶a̶n̶g̶e̶ ̶d̶e̶p̶e̶n̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶h̶o̶w̶ ̶m̶u̶c̶h̶ ̶I̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶o̶s̶e̶ ̶g̶e̶n̶r̶e̶s̶.̶ ̶A̶l̶s̶o̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶S̶e̶n̶n̶h̶e̶i̶s̶e̶r̶ ̶H̶D̶5̶8̶0̶ ̶J̶u̶b̶i̶l̶e̶e̶/̶H̶D̶6̶0̶0̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶t̶o̶p̶ ̶5̶,̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶M̶y̶s̶p̶h̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶3̶.̶2̶ ̶m̶i̶d̶r̶a̶n̶g̶e̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶k̶i̶l̶l̶s̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶n̶o̶s̶t̶a̶l̶g̶i̶a̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶l̶o̶l̶.̶ ̶I̶t̶s̶ ̶h̶a̶r̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶p̶i̶c̶k̶ ̶u̶p̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶H̶D̶5̶8̶0̶ ̶J̶u̶b̶i̶l̶e̶e̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶n̶ ̶I̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶M̶y̶s̶p̶h̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶3̶.̶2̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶n̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶e̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶m̶i̶d̶r̶a̶n̶g̶e̶.̶ ̶ ̶
I re-edit my list. Now that I think about it, I do pick up the Mysphere 3.2 more than my other collection. Honestly, that is because its one of the only headphone (my first was the Onkyo A800) that makes me want to relisten to my entire collection to see what sounds amazing on it and what sounds just good on it. I think its more fair to put it on my #2 for now at least. But the Mysphere 3.2 is still my favorite sounding headphone, but the way ATH-L3000 makes rock music sound can’t be beat.
1 Like
I don’t have 2 of these and I really miss the first one but here is my list in the order I used them most when I had all 3
- Abyss 1266 TC
- Susvara
- Atrium open (still have this)
3 Likes
Susvara
D8000pro
1266 Phi TC
LCD-5
Stellia
Susvara
TH909
HEKv2
LCD-24
HE6se v2
5 Likes
Mysphere
Shang Sr
HE90
Susvara
Aperio
Honorable mention: R10 Bass Heavy
Mysphere
ESP950
D8KP
KSC75
TH900 MK2
Honorable mention: HE6 6S
6 Likes
Yeah, that D8KP it’s all about a fitment issue - but it was a really nice HP and I think if I had a better cable and my system was as mature as it is now (not that its grand but is better than it was when I had the D8KP i.e., pwr cables , ICs, source etc.) I might be more inclined to try to work out, or around the fitment. But it was too distracting at the time.
1 Like
-Sennheiser HE-1
-Hifiman Susvara
-Raal SR1a
-ZMF Caldera
-Audeze LCD-5
-Raal CA-1a
-ZMF Auteur Classic
-Focal Clear OG
-Senn HD600
-Koss KPH40i
The first is a list of the who’s who of things I’ve had exposure to, whatever that’s worth. Just wanted to accentuated the usability/comfort factor, which to me is what fuels love and a long fulfilling marriage. The KPH40i probably sounds the worst of the Koss lot, but is so cheap/light/durable/comfortable. The circumaural Raal was so impressive - not as much as the standard, BUT I’d like to actually wear them and listen to them for periods of time. LCD-5 was hyper impressive, but my last listen — I wouldn’t grow old with them. The best partners set reasonable expectations, offer comfort keep you enjoying things and can grow with you.
It’s a fun exercise, lots of ways to assess.
3 Likes
Curious, wouldn’t TH900 and LCD-4 be better for bass?
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I used to own LCD-4 and the bass was on the same level as Atrium but with a bit more control and texture. The Australis doesn’t have the most resolving bass but it has a lot of it and it’s very fun. It terms of bass quantity it has more then any headphone I’ve heard including 1266 and the LCD-4 and Atrium. ETA O2 is another cheap bassy headphone but has a tricky fit since it’s on ear and needs to seal.
I heard the th900 briefly at a canjam but don’t remember much about it so can’t comment on that one.
1 Like
Sorry for breaking the rules, but only 2 for me…
Best & most loved:
- #1 Yamaha YH-5000
- #2 MYSPHERE
Honorable mention to the audioquest nightowl. Sounds like crap now but at the time when I knew very little, it was glorious lol
5 Likes
Best I’ve ever heard:
#1 Sennheiser Orpheus/HE90
#2 Hifiman Shangri-La Sr.
#3 Stax SR-Omega
Honorable mentions: Warwick Aperio and Sennheiser HE-1
Top I love the most:
#1 Sennheiser Orpheus/HE90
#2 Hifiman HE-6 (og 4-screw)
#3 Koss KPH-30i
6 Likes
What are the top 3-5 headphones that you ever heard?
Raal SR1a
Mysphere 3.2
Utopia OG
What are the top 3-5 headphones you love the most?
Above Plus: Audeze LCDi4
3 Likes