Rank Your Headphones

[Dusty Chalk]

Now that's a refreshing font.

[Guest sacd lover]

maybe that's it, i never owned the Senns when i had anything less than pretty damn great gear.

I have your old 650 and Oracle cable and I still prefer the 600 .... or even the 580 with 600 screens and a 650 cable. The 650 sounds to colored.

[ojnihs]

I have your old 650 and Oracle cable and I still prefer the 600 .... or even the 580 with 600 screens and a 650 cable. The 650 sounds to colored.

While i miss my HD650's quite a bit, I must say that the HD580 with 600 screens and 650 cable get rid of the nostalgia very quickly.

[Guest sacd lover]

see, i consider the 600s to be more colored than the 650s, as they have that treble bump that live music generally doesn't

they dont have a treble bump .... they have treble.

[deepak]

I think both are equally good

I like that little extra low end though

[boomana]

I found the 600 to sound a little bit more balanced on mid to low gear, and the 650 sounds better when driven well with strong upstream gear.

This has been my experience exactly. I bought the 600s thinking I was going to choose between them and the 650s, but the 650s sound stunning in my main rig (I prefer them over the 600s there), but not so hot with anything else: sorta foggy, especially in the bottom end. The 600s sound dang decent even with my PRII, SR-71 and Canamp as a bedroom rig. I ended up keeping both. I also think it's why so many amp builders use the 600s as opposed to the 650s at meets.

[hirsch]

Below represent my personal preferences only. I will only refer to headphones that I own, used to own, or had in my possession for an extended period.

Da Best:

Sennheiser HE90

Sony MDR-R10

Sony Qualia 010

Reference Cans:

AKG-K1000

Grado PS-1

Stax Omega II

Ultimate Ears UE10-Pro

Good ones that don't quite reach the top:

Audio-Technica L3000

Sennheiser HD-600

Sennheiser HD-650 (balanced only)

Grado HP-1000

Grado RS-1

Sennheiser HE60

Stax Lambda Pro

Stax Sigma Pro

Etymotics ER-4s

Alessandro MS-Pro

Decent headphones that sound good in some rigs:

Stax SR-404

Sennheiser HD-650 (single-ended)

AKG K-701

Audio-Technica ATH-W100

Denon 5000

Ergo 2

Ergo AMT

Grado HF-1

Junk:

Audio-Technica ATH-W2002 (prettiest piece of crap I know of)

Audio-Technica ATH-A100Ti

Grado RS-2

Grado SR-325

Koss Cheesephones

Audio-Technica ATH-W100 (not an error that this appears in two categories. There are two types of driver for these. One of the driver sets bites the big one. The other is decent).

Stax Alpha Aperio

I'm sure I've forgotten several of them. That edit window is a bitch.

[philodox]

The RS-2 is junk and the RS-1 doesn't quite reach the top? I've yet to hear the RS-2's myself, but I'll keep that in mind. What is it that made them so much worse for you?

I can see placing the PS-1's above the RS-1's, but in an entirely different category? What is it that the PS-1's have that give them that extra edge in your mind?

Also, on that front, did you find the RS-1 and MS-Pro to be very similar? A few of us compared them at a recent meet and found them to be nearly identical.

[grawk]

I can see placing the PS-1's above the RS-1's, but in an entirely different category? What is it that the PS-1's have that give them that extra edge in your mind?

To my ears, the PS1s get tone right, and the RS1s don't. For the things RS1s work for, they're amazing. But PS1s aren't so limited.

[Nanoha]

Haha, all I have to say is that the PS-1 obliterates the stock RS-1 for all the music I listen to. As a matter of fact, I think the strength of the PS-1 is in female vocals as well as rock (what I listen to most of the time). I was absolutely surprised by the superbly beautiful mids. It's also surprisingly good for classical. Hmmmm.

[oicdn]

1. Senn 600

2. Denon D2k

3. Shure E500

4. Westone UM2

5. Grado HF1

6. Beyer DT990

7. JVC Marshmallows

8. Senn 650

9. Beyer DT770

10. Koss KSC75

11. Grado SR125

12. Grado SR80

13. Grado SR60

14. Ety ER6i

15. Darth Beyer V2 Paduak

16. AKG K26P

Now keep in mind, this is my opinion/ears.

Whoa...Darths FAR below MARSHMALLOWS??? I love my mallows, but that's a statement. I haven't heard Darths, but it's even far below the normal DT770...

Can I ask why? Especially given the response people have on them over that head-fi....or, is that just head-fi? lol.

[grawk]

Whoa...Darths FAR below MARSHMALLOWS??? I love my mallows, but that's a statement. I haven't heard Darths, but it's even far below the normal DT770...

Can I ask why? Especially given the response people have on them over that head-fi....or, is that just head-fi? lol.

I'd guess it's because he doesn't have an amp that can power them.

[nickknutson]

Whoa...Darths FAR below MARSHMALLOWS??? I love my mallows, but that's a statement. I haven't heard Darths, but it's even far below the normal DT770...

Can I ask why? Especially given the response people have on them over that head-fi....or, is that just head-fi? lol.

I hated the V2 Darth's...suck outloud would be a better description of them. The bass was bloated, uncontrolled, need I keep going?

And yes, I do love my Mallows...that's what I rock at the gym and at work. They are a $15 version of the E500, IMO.

[nickknutson]

I'd guess it's because he doesn't have an amp that can power them.

Would amping them with a PRII be considered underpowering them?

[grawk]

good chance.

[oicdn]

Hmm...well, that killed my curiousity about the Darths. I like DT770's but the mods actually made it WORSE? Or was it because you had to spend extra moneyz that really didn't do anything?

Is there a smaller tip I can put on the mallows and keep the same sound? I have 7 year old girl sized ear canals, and the diameter of them when pushed in, while it doesn't hurt it's a slight relief when I'm done listening after even an hour of listening...

[nickknutson]

You're about right. The price justification isn't there for the Darth's sonically...IMO, of course. I really liked the stock DT770's except the highs can get a little shrill at times. The stock DT770 cans can be a fun listen. It's like a dance club around your head. Too bad they couldn't get some young club girls in small skirts to dance around you while listening to them.

And remember, these were V2 Darth's I used to own, not the current V3's...he might have fixed things.

[grawk]

Hmm...well, that killed my curiousity about the Darths. I like DT770's but the mods actually made it WORSE? Or was it because you had to spend extra moneyz that really didn't do anything?

Is there a smaller tip I can put on the mallows and keep the same sound? I have 7 year old girl sized ear canals, and the diameter of them when pushed in, while it doesn't hurt it's a slight relief when I'm done listening after even an hour of listening...

My v1 open darths were a big step up over stock. Amping them is a requirement, tho. You need power to control the bass. They were better than 501s by far, for example.

[Dusty Chalk]

It's like a dance club around your head. Too bad they couldn't get some young club girls in small skirts to dance around you while listening to them.

You don't get young club girls? I do...but that's probably more than you needed to know about my imagination.

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

I can see placing the PS-1's above the RS-1's, but in an entirely different category? What is it that the PS-1's have that give them that extra edge in your mind?

Well I'm not Hirsch, but this is how I compare them:

PS-1 > RS-1:

PS-1 is better at resolving subtle details, has a smoother frequency response, has less of a bass hump, sound stage is a more laid back and 3-d, highs are more accurate and under control, no sibilance problems, bass is more detailed and goes lower

RS-1 > PS-1:

RS-1 tone for wood and stringed instruments sounds more true to life, quantity of bass is more accurate

And I still listen to them both.

Biggie.

[philodox]

Thanks for the comparison Biggie. Sounds like [other than the bass] the RS-1's are more different than the PS-1's when compared to my K340's. I'll probably still have to give the RS-1's and MS-Pro's another listen before I buy, but I'm pretty sure that is the next headphone for me. The PS-1's are out of my price range anyways, so it makes the choice easier.

Nanoha - The PS-1 obliterates the RS-1? I'm going by memory here, but I just don't see it.

[Nanoha]

Nanoha - The PS-1 obliterates the RS-1? I'm going by memory here, but I just don't see it.

Gah, I keep forgetting I've only heard the RS-1 with bowls.

[philodox]

I preferred them with bowls once I got the positioning right. Too much bass with the flats on some music, though on music without much bass it was very nice.

[postjack]

I preferred them with bowls once I got the positioning right. Too much bass with the flats on some music, though on music without much bass it was very nice.

Yeah, unfortunately the trick with the RS-1 is that it simply isn't great for all music. \ I think it is impossible to beat for well recorded jazz, with flats. Wow, just beautiful. I miss mine. but when it returns it will be better then ever, and beta22 ready.

[aerius]

I preferred them with bowls once I got the positioning right. Too much bass with the flats on some music, though on music without much bass it was very nice.

You need to learn to love the bass. Bass is good, bass is your friend.