Which cans are you using and why?:)
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Which cans are you using and why?:)
Sennheiser HD650 because they were the first I bought.
Sennheiser HD540 Reference II, because they don't have the bass lift of the HD650.
Hifiman Sundara as I fancied some planar magnetics.
nuraphone's.. bluetooth or cabled, and learn and adapt to your hearing ... best ive heard, and i usually use on bluetooth tbh. ive a longrange dongle on my pc and i can walk all over most of house. not cheap but good.. about 350 i think or were.
https://www.nuraphone.com/cdn/5b2c8a...NP-Image-1.png
Bowers and Wilkins P3 - comfortable (for my head!), sound good and portable (take on holidays for poolside/beach listening)
Alessandro Music series one (2009 version), leather headband and Sennheiser yellow ear pads - I found the Sennheiser pads more comfortable than standard "Grado" or the doughnut shaped foam pads (I used to love my old Sennheiser HD400 'phones and got the idea of using the yellow pads from using them, not sure why they are better, just feel less scratchy and take longer to overheat my ears).
Effectively a Grado headphone (SR80?) but cheaper to buy in UK (the Alessandro's come from Canada and they don't mind selling to UK, if you want Grado you have to buy in UK at inflated price compared to US retail).
Dynamic, good base - can be a little strident at times/with some source material.
For me comfort is the deciding factor, I tried several headphones before buying the B&W's but couldn't put up with them on my head for long enough to decide whether I liked the sound:)
Vintage Koss PRO-4AAAs [Well I bought them yesterday and they're on their way:D]:
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/p3MdeM.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/Lkxe8Y.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/wTeqH7.jpg
Why? Because I like the 'voicing'/tone of high-quality vintage speakers, and so headphones come into that category! Therefore, I generally prefer how they present music, compared with modern speakers or headphones.
Plus, I've always wanted an original pair of Koss PRO-4AAA, as back in the day they were used in top recording and broadcast studios around the world. For me Koss were the definitive headphone company (the original American one) and their designs had a unique sound, which was always unfailingly musical, and also transparent to the recording, giving voices and instruments a vibrancy and realism that was always very addictive :)
Grado headphones are a bit like that too, and also possess that 'buttery' mellifluous midrange, but without the visceral low-end punch and attack of the Koss. I guess that I just love how American 'cans' sound.
And, as a diehard 'SPPV' guy, I like owning gear that delivers maximum 'bang for your buck'.
I paid £210 for the above (near-mint condition) examples, which isn't an insignificant amount for a pair of 40 year-old headphones, but I know that with the build quality, design prowess and materials used, it will allow them to compete with many of today's designs, at least up to the £500 mark, and likely well beyond.
Plus, if you like retro [count me in], they look cool!:cool:
If I was buying brand new, high-end headphones, but still at a 'sensible price', then I'd go for these Audio Technicas:
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/BjgKt8.jpg
Details here: https://www.audio-technica.com/en-gb...ed/ath-ad2000x
A) Because I love the 'airy' and very natural sound of high-quality open-backed headphones, and B) because AT have the experience, technical prowess and wherewithal to design some of the very best headphones on the market, whilst still charging 'sane' prices, and I think that the ATH-AD2000X, on the end of a top-notch headphone amp, would be capable of true greatness!
Marco.
Aww... Have you got a delicate wee head? Bless!:D;)
Don't think I've ever used a pair of headphones that I couldn't tolerate the feel of, to the extent that I wasn't able to wear them for long. Yes, ultimately, comfort is important, but no more so than of course sound quality.
Not much point in having something that's 'comfy', but sounds shite (or mediocre)... Therefore, for me, if a pair of headphones sound amazing, but aren't the last word in comfort (although still acceptable enough in that area), then I'll put up with a little bit of discomfort, over long-term listening, for the sonic reward:)
The Koss come under that category, as they're heavy buggers... Luckily though, my head (and neck) are thick enough to cope!:eyebrows:
Marco.
A pair of Oppo PM3 which are very good, also a pair of Sony WH-1000XM3 Bluetooth phones which I also find very good, and no faff with cables. :-)
Bought a decent Bluetooth transmitter-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The Sonys suffer little in comparison to the Oppo IMO, a little less detail, but more bassy which is what I was looking for, being accustomed to the 18" drivers on the Bastanis.
Got Oppos myself and Sonys, although the sony 900's. both good cans.
good dongle here... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Avantree-Bl...rkle_td_asin_1