Lot's of retailers are selling the Focal Clear Pro MG for 200-300 off and I pulled the trigger on them last week. They do have fantastic mid-range focus especially in the vocal area. They aren't warm sounding like you'd get from sennheiser vocals, but in terms of overall detail and analytics, the Pro MG's are just fantastic for picking vocals apart. I love using them for rock and not so much for orchestral music because the timbre/soundstage is lacking for me personally.
@@fisherman9435clear mg is a big departure from elex. Elex is underrated especially for the price. I have Arya stealth and Clear MG. I had Elex and thought it had a driver issue and returned it and got an ananda but came to find out it was my amp… Elex has a better top end imo over the mg which is a lot darker on top without EQ ; MG is also more in your head sound. Wish I would have kept the Elex as ananda is similar to Arya.
this was SUCH a fun video, adding a lot of personality to, as you mentioned, usually slightly boring audio review videos. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing, thank you !
This was a really, really fun video. As far as the under $100 price range, I really do like the HD 569, but the HD 599 is often discounted to $98, I actually got it for $79 on prime day! And the HD 599 is to me the more refined headphone, the best Sennheiser, under 100 when it is under 100.
I can't believe there was actually some love thrown at the HD569. Years ago I picked up those and the K361 because I needed something closed and not too expensive for at the office. I really enjoyed both, but ended up keeping the HD569. Eventually I sold them too, since I've been working from home for years, but we just had to start going into the office so I did another head-to-head battle. Once again, I picked the HD569. I like the tuning and detail on the K361 a bit better, but they are extremely narrow, not quite as comfortable (even with my small ears and head), build quality is not as good, and their sound is very seal-dependent so things get wonky when you move your head around.
I liked my SHP9500's but after watching reviews (including yours) I bought a pair of PC38X's and absolutely love the improved detail and overall sound for any listening need (music, games, etc.).
I’m an ex audiophile for 52 years this is something for you Joshua to try for yourself love your channel too. I’ve owned 30 pairs of headphones in 52 years and there is a headphone sleeper that no one talks about and it’s old and 300 ohms and needs an amp it’s the Sennheiser hd 250 linear these are the best headphones I’ve ever owned or heard period. Dynamic range soundstage there around £100 on e bay and made in the 90’s even Sennheiser reps in the 90’s and factory workers brought them and took them home they are great. I own the hd 250 linear and mk2 I honestly mean this they compare to ANY £600 headphones today peace out
I know everyone is going to roast me as an idiot, but sort of went with the Grado cult ever since the first gen SR-80 wowed me 16 years ago and never really steered away from it. (Staring at my desk.) I was even crazy enough to just mod a pair of SR-225i drivers into the old SR-80 and change the cable instead of spending $200 in buying a new headphone for an upgrade just a week ago. The upgrade worked surprisingly well as a first gen SR-225 replica and I think I can still let my modded SR-80 go strong for another 16 years as my daily driver. I was even a bit upset that I was dumb enough to skip the original first gen SR-225 as everyone said it was only the sweetspot if you don't have enough budget. It wasn't a budget friendly sweetspot and it have it's charm that belongs to itself. Grados just have a weird magic that works on me that I never really found in other brands so I just stuck with the same formula evertime I bought a new headphone for my collection. I mean there was that time when a really sick bargin for a 2nd hand Audeze LCD-2C came out, but the owner of the store also had a displayed Grado GS-2000e on sale. After giving both a fair try, I still ended up bringing a fourth pair of Grado back because I think God almighty really don't want me to miss out my dream target. (I've set my goal on owning a set of GS series of any model as a personal trophy on my early years into the hobby, and it didn't dissapoint.)
Nice quick video list! While the Sundara are understandably the go to recommendation under $500 from Hifiman, for anyone shopping around, the Edition XS can be had for $380 right now and are definitely worth considering at that price!
I may be returning the XS after just a few days with them, this is the first headphone I've had with this much sub bass and so it's actually my first time discovering that I don't like this much sub bass. It's so distracting and fatiguing, everything is excessively rumbling and giving me the feeling of like when your in a car and the wind is buffeting and loudly slapping right into your ear hole, I feel actually discombobulated like I'm being sonicly attacked, so I guess I have an ultra low frequency sensitivity because I otherwise love violent mid bass. I've tried the harmon and other eqs and lowering the bass, but it still isn't enough for some games, videos, or music where I have to crank the volume down too low. I otherwise like them, minus the design and comfort issues. They're the best soundstage I've yet experienced. Anyone who has ever complained that these don't have enough bass has not powered them enough, or wants their ear drums destroyed (you're weird). Edit I returned them and am trying Nanos next 🤞
I've had the Nano for a month now. What I've learned is that the Nano is more elevated and clear in the upper ranges and is almost the exact tune that I need for both competitive and immersive gaming. However some music may sound better on the Nanos, and some will sound better on the XS. I actually miss the deep loooong bass extension and rumble of the XS on many things. The nano has tighter bass but I actually wish I had the knowledge to tune the XS perfectly to my tastes as I would then keep them. BUT. The nano feels more well constructed. The strap angle may or may not be more comfortable for some people, but for me it's at the wrong angle and keeps pushing the cups too forward or back to where I want them. So yeah if you know how to tune headphones I would recommend saving the money and going XS.
what a great and high paced video. I would have loved if you'd have overlayed the actual product name somewhere in the corner as I am not familiar enough with all these great products. they are in the description which is great
Saved up and got the HE1000se. I fricken love it. This wrecked other open backs for me. I have put away all my other headphones including the Utopia. I might be done chasing the open-back headphone dragon. One and done hopefully.
After following you, DMS and Resolve for a year, I pulled the trigger and ordered the HD600 for Xmas. Everyone should own a pair as a reference, right? Up to this point I've only used sub 200 headphones (DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm and AirPods Pro). I'm curious to see how much of a difference I hear with the new headphones.
I couldn’t figure out which connectors and numbers went together. Website was bad enough at explaining any thing that it gave me anxiety and I didn’t order anything.
They really are magnificent headphones: detail retrieval, imaging,spaciousness and bass are seriously good. I've owned mine for around 2 years and they do creak a little but the build seems very good and had no quality-control problems as yet.🤞
@@michaelaskew6025 i had them for 2 weeks. creaked extremely, very lose sitting on my head (medium sized), and just too heavy. not useable for everyday's use. especially when you are learning and trying to focus on something. then it's really annoying to wear these. but sounding wise they were incredible
Awesome video! Though it's not a new headphone anymore, I was surprised to not see the LCD-X on the list, given that it even warranted a follow-up video on how great it still is. Loving the content!
Advice to anyone that buys it: Make sure you strech the head band enough. Keep increasing the length by one on each side and try to find where it sounds best. Don't do too much though. When I first got this I thought 2-3 clicks were enough but I was wrong. 6-8 is best depending on how long my hair is. Once you find the right length, you still need to do micro adjustments (and I really do mean micro). Try moving the headphones in a circular motion to get the music centered. The music shouldn't be in front of you, it should be around your face/head. There's a sweet spot in there somewhere (I'd argue that that there are 3 levels of sweetness, each harder to find than the last), where your songs aren't that screamy. Sometimes even with my own advice I can't find that sweet spot so I still think these are overrated.
Would you say the 560S are worth getting over the 600? I'm torn between the two really. So far I've tested the Edition XS and 560S, and for some reason I actually prefer the 560S, but I was considering getting the 600 to test as well and keep the one I prefer the most.
Joshua, I need some quick advice. I'm retired but have a nice speaker system with Martin-Logan Classic ESL9 Electro statics. I just bought an Aune S17 Class A headphone amp. I have good DACS too. Back around 2016 and later, I bought several pairs of headphones without seeking advice. They are in nice condition but today appear not to be worth more than around $50 each. They are: Sennheiser Momentum Brown leather, NAD VISO HP50, Sony MDR 7506, Phillips Fidelio X2, and Sennheiser HD660S. Which 2 or 3 should I sell and how much would I have to spend to get something better than any of them?
Recently snagged a pair of Sansui SS-100s and man…….these sound great! Of course in older and have lost some levels of my hearing I’m sure but they are keepers.
Highlights 🎧 Best budget option: SHP 9600s for an all-rounder experience. 💰 Great value: K361 offers clean sound for under $100. 🎶 Sennheiser choice: HD 569 is ideal for entry-level audiophiles. 🔊 IM recommendation: Zex Pro delivers solid sound for $40. 🎮 Gaming headset: PC 38x excels in sound staging and microphone quality. 📈 Mid-range winner: HD600 is a staple for audiophiles. 💎 Luxury pick: Imperion 2 stands out as a top-tier headphone.
Was really thinking about the but saw someone say organic were better with rock and metal so I just went for them and got them today, sound really good, don't have the change to try anything I just went by reviews. Now I'm probably going all in crazy in this so next headphones will probably be even more expensive so I would go up to SE, but there will probably be some new version when that happens. Wife would be happy if I would this class of headphones every few months :) but the organics sound great, use fiio m15s for now and it works great.
Would have to agree . Just sent my organics back to Amazon , and got the He 1000's instead . Not disappointed, as the 1000's are less harsh at the top end
I'm glad the lcd 2c is still reccomended. I bought it back in 2020 for 500 thinking it was a steal, now they go for 400. The value is amazing and the raw technicality is on par with some low midrange studio monitors, while still being easy to listen to. Needs eq but with them they are my favorite headphone, only beaten by the stax sr009, lcd 5, and the susvara. Everything else I've tried is only nominally better technicality wise and none have as pleasing a bass response. Its like 85% of the best audio I could imagine possible for 400 dollars.
The timbre of the Arya Organic bothered me when I demoed them. Acoustic instruments sounded plasticy, which is a deal breaker for me. The search continues.
I keep hearing some describe hifimans as sounding plasticy and metallic and I keep trying to listen for it and cant hear it.. maybe I should stop trying if I dont
@@LastAphelion Depends what genre you are listening to. Daft Punk tends to sound the same no matter what I play it on, but if you play and listen to acoustic instruments like me it is painfully apparent the timbre is off. So yea, don't start ABing to try to hear it because once you do it will be hard to go back.
@@harackmw I first listened to Polyphia - Playing God on XS and I was just blown away I felt like I had an ear magnifying glass that let me hear 10x more detail and texture of every interaction between hand and string. I've already returned them because the tuning just wasn't for me (they were all about crazy low sub bass extension that I've never even heard on all of my favorites before I actually found it overblown and distracting, and the mid-uppers were too recessed I like detail forward with more focus on satisfying tight mid bass rather than sub) so I had already ordered the Nano next. Let me know if you find something you like. It really pained me to buy hifiman again after everything I've heard, and the XS I returned even had a loose insecure left jack port. I just don't know what brand/model to try next that has that same combo of dynamic opera house sized sound that still could be powerfully skin tingling intimate.
@@LastAphelion Interesting! That sounds close to what I experienced. For me guitar is my main instrument, for playing and listening, and I can't handle the overly neutral tunings of a lot of headphones, they make the music sound dead and lifeless. I sold all my DCA headphones as a result. The best I have heard as all rounders are still the Sennheiser 800s, but with EQ to my taste. It won't have the crazy bass of other headphones but does not have the other problems you mentioned, so it is a trade off but one I am fine with. For closed back, the Focal Radiance is hard to beat as well, more of an all rounder though that isn't offensive and has enough dynamics to keep me engaged. For acoustic guitar though, the thicker sound of the Peacock and Empyrean really help it out, but that is a very specific genre matching I don't really recommend unless you are into classical/flamenco guitar, or perhaps nylon string jazz like Al Di meola and Pat Methany. The new Empyrean coming out might be interesting to hear at some point, but pricy.
I can't figure out how you like the Clear OGs and don't recommend the Elex enough. Maybe the lack of bass? Frankly I find it refreshing as it lets the mids take center stage in the overall sound presentation. I also suggest to explain the overall sound quality a bit more concisely : e.g. Focal's entire lineup is very punchy, dynamic and rhythmic, Hifimans are airy and wide etc. Love your content creation skills but please be a bit more concise because a lot of us rely on opinion leaders like yourself to guide a meaningful purchase decision.
Like a third of the elexe's broke after less than a year. There are countless examples of youtubers that got them, loved them, and then made a video of them not working and regretting the recommendation. Idk if they have fixed it over the years
Imo IEM's under 1k are way better than headphones, you can get whatever tuning you want at any price range now eg perfect harmon for $15 or whatever you like, then there is the new generation of tws anc earbuds with EQ apps and decent sound quality that are awesome for sports and commuting where audiophile stuff just can't really function (!) Tbf i love hiking, cycling and travelling so iems just fit my life 🤝 current favs are the Mangird Xenns Up, beryllium bass is so liquid (sort of heavy and transparent) and technicalities are all i want, sounds excellent with the ifi gold bar 🥇
Giving yourself 20 seconds (ok and a minute for the big ones) this made the video really fun. While you might have gotten a little stressed, I enjoyed it at least!
The edition XS has dropped in price to $269. With this being the case, would the sundara still be a good choice since they are around the same price or should i go with the edition XS?
Here's the thing: After the Sundara, everything else to me is diminishing returns - and fast. In fact I prefer the Sundara to most other headphones in general regardless of price.
Hi! Have you tried the Edition XS or Ananda Stealth? Intrigued coz obviously, they're the next level up after the Sundara. The Sundara is about $290 where I live, and both the Edition XS and Ananda Stealth can be had for about $75 dollars more. So would you say that spending the extra $75 is worth it to get the XS or Ananda?
@@KmtS9 The XS hyper low sub bass is insane, it's actually too much for me and so I'm actually considering sending mine back and trying the sundara, ananda, or whatever else has less sub bass lol But if you want freakishly low rumble the XS are it. It's just overwhelming the soundstage for me which is otherwise amazing. Update: had to return XS for loose left jack port, and I didnt like the warmer signature, getting the Ananda Nano soon hoping its just the XS but with more upper end clarity and detail
im so surprised that you, and you aren't the only one, are comparing, or even prefering the Empyrean over the HE1, that is just nuts, could you elaborate ?
So you would pick the 560s over the HD58x's? I have both and man was I stoked when I got the 58X's they changed everything for me, plus they are way more comfortable atleast for my big head lol.
I’ll share my journey here if it can help someone chose. So i had the dca open x for three years with a ifi zen dac v2 and thx 789, sound wasn’t for me, fatiguing, sharp… Got a chord mojo 2, the sound improved alot, then got a zmf auteur classic and it is great, no fatigue, amazing sound…. I can safely recommend these cans
My THX 789 had a bad power supply making it sound a little edgy (hard to explain the exact sound). I got a burson power supply and it fixed the edginess at least for me. IMO don't throw that THX789 away , it might just be the cheap chinese power supply.
Well my two high end headphones at the moment are the arya stealth and the lcd 2c. I bought the 2c last year during audeze's b stock sale and absolutely love it. The bass and vocals are insane on it. I recently bought the arya stealth for a change of pace and because I'm really getting into music now as my go to after work. These headphones are insanely comfortable and they sound full. I can tell the vocals are a little more recessed than I'm used to, but everything sounds really filled out. The arya sounds how I expect the music to sound if that make sense. I love them both though and switch them throughout the day. I'm running them off a fiio k7 and loving the experience.
I don't own it sadly so I cannot really comment on it. If I was going to increase my budget that much, I would've gone down the he1000 stealth route instead. When I saw that with the difference I could basically pick up a hd660s2 for fun, I decided on the arya stealth instead.@@mohammedbazhair2000
I just switched to the Maxwell from the HD600 and I agree both are the best headphones in the 200-500 dollar category but dude the Maxwell blows out my HD600 in terms of sound quality for EDM/hip-hop/pop/other modern tracks. HD600s cannot compete and were made for older tracks or those involving heavy acoustics to be honest
I have to STRONGLY disagree about the AKG K371. First, I HAVE owned inexpensive AKGs in the past that I've loved (the old K518LE), but this one to me sounds unpleasantly nasal and congested. They've been generally well-reviewed, so this was a disappointment. By contrast, I have an inexpensive over-ear headphone from a Hong Kong company called OneOdio, their Pro-50, which has a much more balanced and open sound. It has some problems of its own, but overall it's an easier sound to live with. Are reviewers paying attention here to measurements, or the actual listening experience?
May you make a list of open back headphones (not earbuds) for smartphone? I know PC38X/GSP500 and HD599 have no problem with smartphone because I have them
This was a good list but I feel like you slept on a couple really good options. In the just over $100 dollar range, the ThieAudio Ghosts are amazing, especially if you are in to pad swapping, as they seem to sound interesting-great depending on the pads. The pads I left on mine where $15 off aliexpress and they were the 105mm Round velour generic earpads, I love the soundstage and mids with these. In the $500 ish range the Hifiman Edition XS is really hard to beat, it has really good detail retrieval, while managing to stay pretty neutral but still sound fun. Just over $500 depending on when it goes on sale the Focal Elex trades blows with the Focal Clears, I honestly don't really even listen to my clears anymore they stay on the wall and the Elex is usually on my desk next to me. They are an exciting mid forward headphone with more than enough clarity and detail while managing to never be boring and are just amazing and intimate with vocals. These are just my opinions. But I do feel like the Ghosts never get enough attention for the price. Side by side they sound just a little better than the Sennheiser 58x after a cheap pad swap.
Hifiman he400SE's are 109$, and if they're as good as the originals then they're a steal. What else would you buy under 500$, really? Planar base at 109$, and highs to match. Granted you do have to spend a decent amount on a dac and amp to get them to work right, but that's the hobby for you. And the dac/amp will work for pretty much any other set of cans you get, too.
@@jjoohhhnn I don't have the HE400se but I have the HE4XX from drop and they are pretty damn nice, honestly I was not happy with the comfort so I bought a different headband off Aliexpress and put something that fit me better for $18, I think they even look better. But I didn't pay full price for my Edition XS I got them from the website as refurbished for about $300. I really do like them. But the 4XX is a great headphone. I have been thinking about buying a sundara so I could compare them, but the wife has me slowing down on my headphone purchases lately.
You don't think the HE400SE at 109$ is one of the best deals in audio right now? imo, it's the best entry to the hobby. You need a dac and amp to use it, but it's still cheap enough that it's competing with basic headphones, but it's NOT a basic set of cans, from a sonic perspective. Controlled base, decent sound stage, instrument separation, etc. all the goods of being an audiophile in cans barely more than 100$.
I have a request. What Over-Head Headphone and In-ear Earphone/IEM would you recommend for Classical/Orchestral Music; one each within a $1,000 and one each with Money no object. And the recommended Amplifier/DAC for each?
Which model of Sennheiser HD series headset should I choose to comfortably hear my opponents and listen to music while playing FPS games? My budget is $500. I've used the HD 700 before and it was great in games. HD 800 series is very expensive, please do not recommend.
Under 1k: Focal Clear OG, HD600 1k~2k: Arya Organic, HE1000v2 non-stealth, L700mk2 2k+: Susvara, Caldera, X9000 There are other good ones but I haven't heard them so I only recommended the ones I owned.
AKG K702 all the way to $1000 budget my next pair is probably going to be the focal Clear OG. Selling my Elegia which I loved till I got the AKG had the HD700 and its was good but way to V shaped. I might consider the hd800s but we will see
Do you have any experience with RF headphones? I want something with good clarity, wireless and low latency. People don’t review RF or Tv headphones very often and I’m curious If there are any good picks.
Super interesting! I'm curious to know how much better headphones are as the price goes up, assuming we are comparing the best headphone at each price point. Let us say that we give 100 points to a $1,000 headphone. How many points would you then give a $200-300 headphone? 90 points? 60 points? Or is it really a lot worse, so maybe only 30 points? And what about a more expensive headphone, e.g. a $10,000 headphone? Is it 10 % better, so 110 points, or is it twice as good, so 200 points, or...? Thanks a lot!
Is Sony not a good audio brand when it comes to the competition? I kind of expected to see them in this video. I'm new to the whole audiophile thing though..
Hello, thanks a lot for this great video, very useful and full of information! I’m thinking of replacing my Hifiman Ananda with the ZMF Aeolus. Main use would be with a Naim Atom Uniti Headphone amp. Would you recommend this pairing? Would the Aeolus be a noticeable improvement over the Ananda? Grateful for your feedback. Regards, Ignacio
The Monolith m1070's are the best-sounding headphones I own. Got them during the Prime sale for $258; reg. price $399. Comfortable and will enough bass to satisfy.
Although they are hard to find anymore and you can pretty much only get them secondhand now for $500 or less I turn to the Koss ESP95x (headphone and energizer) or if you don't need to include the energizer the Stax SR-l300 (preferably with a pad upgrade). I don't think I touch any other of my sub $1k headphones anymore since grabbing each of those although I am currently looking for some good $500 planar magnetics
Love your vids, you can be hilarious when you're in rare form and this one was no exception. I usually watch Z just for entertainment and you for the real deal on equipment, but you were the whole package today!
why no chapters?
Ikr
@@Moyukso and no titles as well for the headphones. Very odd editing choice!
just use AI bro
Should be added to the Tier List video as well
because money
You should do a similar video but with amplifiers/DACs!
That would be awesome
agreed
Yup that’s one I want too see
Wish granted
Thiiiis. Love my E10k but I think it's time to upgrade
SHP 9600s (timestamp: 2:12)
HD 569 (timestamp: 2:42)
PC 38x (timestamp: 3:22)
Odyssey Maxwell (timestamp: 4:12)
HD 600 (timestamp: 4:42)
Himan Sundara (timestamp: 5:02)
Stealth Arya (timestamp: 5:42)
LCD-2C (timestamp: 6:12)
Aro (timestamp: 6:42)
H1000 SE (timestamp: 7:42)
Vocal Clear MG (timestamp: 8:12)
Imperion 2 (timestamp: 9:12)
Diana Mr (timestamp: 9:42)
Abyss 1266 (timestamp: 12:42)
audeze not odyssey
Lot's of retailers are selling the Focal Clear Pro MG for 200-300 off and I pulled the trigger on them last week. They do have fantastic mid-range focus especially in the vocal area. They aren't warm sounding like you'd get from sennheiser vocals, but in terms of overall detail and analytics, the Pro MG's are just fantastic for picking vocals apart. I love using them for rock and not so much for orchestral music because the timbre/soundstage is lacking for me personally.
@@fisherman9435clear mg is a big departure from elex. Elex is underrated especially for the price. I have Arya stealth and Clear MG. I had Elex and thought it had a driver issue and returned it and got an ananda but came to find out it was my amp… Elex has a better top end imo over the mg which is a lot darker on top without EQ ; MG is also more in your head sound. Wish I would have kept the Elex as ananda is similar to Arya.
Loved them too until the headband randomly snapped. Great sound but the build quality is unacceptable.
this was SUCH a fun video, adding a lot of personality to, as you mentioned, usually slightly boring audio review videos.
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing, thank you !
This was a really, really fun video. As far as the under $100 price range, I really do like the HD 569, but the HD 599 is often discounted to $98, I actually got it for $79 on prime day! And the HD 599 is to me the more refined headphone, the best Sennheiser, under 100 when it is under 100.
That’s such a fire deal. Now it’s $199 lol
K361 breaks up at higher volumes, it wouldn’t be my top recommendation at $100
Wow, 2 videos below 24 hours. That's Insane.
I can't believe there was actually some love thrown at the HD569. Years ago I picked up those and the K361 because I needed something closed and not too expensive for at the office. I really enjoyed both, but ended up keeping the HD569. Eventually I sold them too, since I've been working from home for years, but we just had to start going into the office so I did another head-to-head battle. Once again, I picked the HD569. I like the tuning and detail on the K361 a bit better, but they are extremely narrow, not quite as comfortable (even with my small ears and head), build quality is not as good, and their sound is very seal-dependent so things get wonky when you move your head around.
Notable misses IMO: Edition XS, FOCAL Bathys, HE1000v2, ZMF Atrium, ZMF Verite Closed, FOCAL Clear OG
Never heard the others but Edition XS should definitely be in the $200-500 range.
I wish I could have a 20 sec timer for every time I wanna buy a new headphone
I liked my SHP9500's but after watching reviews (including yours) I bought a pair of PC38X's and absolutely love the improved detail and overall sound for any listening need (music, games, etc.).
I’m an ex audiophile for 52 years this is something for you Joshua to try for yourself love your channel too. I’ve owned 30 pairs of headphones in 52 years and there is a headphone sleeper that no one talks about and it’s old and 300 ohms and needs an amp it’s the Sennheiser hd 250 linear these are the best headphones I’ve ever owned or heard period. Dynamic range soundstage there around £100 on e bay and made in the 90’s even Sennheiser reps in the 90’s and factory workers brought them and took them home they are great. I own the hd 250 linear and mk2 I honestly mean this they compare to ANY £600 headphones today peace out
*I watched till $200-$500 range headphones!*
@@z28yeti *Thank you very much, your invaluable experience would help alot🙏🏻*
I know everyone is going to roast me as an idiot, but sort of went with the Grado cult ever since the first gen SR-80 wowed me 16 years ago and never really steered away from it. (Staring at my desk.)
I was even crazy enough to just mod a pair of SR-225i drivers into the old SR-80 and change the cable instead of spending $200 in buying a new headphone for an upgrade just a week ago.
The upgrade worked surprisingly well as a first gen SR-225 replica and I think I can still let my modded SR-80 go strong for another 16 years as my daily driver.
I was even a bit upset that I was dumb enough to skip the original first gen SR-225 as everyone said it was only the sweetspot if you don't have enough budget.
It wasn't a budget friendly sweetspot and it have it's charm that belongs to itself.
Grados just have a weird magic that works on me that I never really found in other brands so I just stuck with the same formula evertime I bought a new headphone for my collection.
I mean there was that time when a really sick bargin for a 2nd hand Audeze LCD-2C came out, but the owner of the store also had a displayed Grado GS-2000e on sale.
After giving both a fair try, I still ended up bringing a fourth pair of Grado back because I think God almighty really don't want me to miss out my dream target. (I've set my goal on owning a set of GS series of any model as a personal trophy on my early years into the hobby, and it didn't dissapoint.)
Nice quick video list! While the Sundara are understandably the go to recommendation under $500 from Hifiman, for anyone shopping around, the Edition XS can be had for $380 right now and are definitely worth considering at that price!
I may be returning the XS after just a few days with them, this is the first headphone I've had with this much sub bass and so it's actually my first time discovering that I don't like this much sub bass. It's so distracting and fatiguing, everything is excessively rumbling and giving me the feeling of like when your in a car and the wind is buffeting and loudly slapping right into your ear hole, I feel actually discombobulated like I'm being sonicly attacked, so I guess I have an ultra low frequency sensitivity because I otherwise love violent mid bass. I've tried the harmon and other eqs and lowering the bass, but it still isn't enough for some games, videos, or music where I have to crank the volume down too low. I otherwise like them, minus the design and comfort issues. They're the best soundstage I've yet experienced. Anyone who has ever complained that these don't have enough bass has not powered them enough, or wants their ear drums destroyed (you're weird).
Edit I returned them and am trying Nanos next 🤞
The Ananda’s are cheap now too
@yarbgreat1
Yep, Ananda stealth only $399 and sounds more open and better than edition xs and sundara.
ananda nano for 590
I've had the Nano for a month now. What I've learned is that the Nano is more elevated and clear in the upper ranges and is almost the exact tune that I need for both competitive and immersive gaming. However some music may sound better on the Nanos, and some will sound better on the XS. I actually miss the deep loooong bass extension and rumble of the XS on many things. The nano has tighter bass but I actually wish I had the knowledge to tune the XS perfectly to my tastes as I would then keep them. BUT. The nano feels more well constructed. The strap angle may or may not be more comfortable for some people, but for me it's at the wrong angle and keeps pushing the cups too forward or back to where I want them. So yeah if you know how to tune headphones I would recommend saving the money and going XS.
What do you like better about the empyrean 2 over the he-1? I can’t imagine a bmw 3 series being a better drive than an aventador.
Adventadors look like ass tho.
This is one of the most awaited content we were looking for. This is a great concept josh:) Thank you for sharing us your favorites!
what a great and high paced video. I would have loved if you'd have overlayed the actual product name somewhere in the corner as I am not familiar enough with all these great products. they are in the description which is great
Saved up and got the HE1000se. I fricken love it. This wrecked other open backs for me. I have put away all my other headphones including the Utopia. I might be done chasing the open-back headphone dragon. One and done hopefully.
Really glad to hear you love them. May you have many years of listening pleasure from them.👍😊
After following you, DMS and Resolve for a year, I pulled the trigger and ordered the HD600 for Xmas. Everyone should own a pair as a reference, right? Up to this point I've only used sub 200 headphones (DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm and AirPods Pro). I'm curious to see how much of a difference I hear with the new headphones.
The Beyers are far superior in the bass frequencies.
I just bought the HD6XX for USD$169 on Drop. 🎧
You will love them
I couldn’t figure out which connectors and numbers went together. Website was bad enough at explaining any thing that it gave me anxiety and I didn’t order anything.
$200-$500 - Dont forget Hifiman Edition XS.
They really are magnificent headphones: detail retrieval, imaging,spaciousness and bass are seriously good. I've owned mine for around 2 years and they do creak a little but the build seems very good and had no quality-control problems as yet.🤞
@@michaelaskew6025 i had them for 2 weeks. creaked extremely, very lose sitting on my head (medium sized), and just too heavy. not useable for everyday's use. especially when you are learning and trying to focus on something. then it's really annoying to wear these. but sounding wise they were incredible
Forget it.
I can't believe you are releasing videos whilst sick AND with family around. Dude, have a rest, we can wait for your excellent content. REST my man.
Awesome video! Though it's not a new headphone anymore, I was surprised to not see the LCD-X on the list, given that it even warranted a follow-up video on how great it still is. Loving the content!
Also Edition XS is not on the list
What do you think about the He1000 stealth vs arya organic ?
get the he1000 stealth 🙂👍👍👍
HD 560s is $150 on Amazon. Great deal. It's right there with the HD 600 and 650/6XX
Advice to anyone that buys it:
Make sure you strech the head band enough. Keep increasing the length by one on each side and try to find where it sounds best. Don't do too much though. When I first got this I thought 2-3 clicks were enough but I was wrong. 6-8 is best depending on how long my hair is. Once you find the right length, you still need to do micro adjustments (and I really do mean micro). Try moving the headphones in a circular motion to get the music centered. The music shouldn't be in front of you, it should be around your face/head. There's a sweet spot in there somewhere (I'd argue that that there are 3 levels of sweetness, each harder to find than the last), where your songs aren't that screamy. Sometimes even with my own advice I can't find that sweet spot so I still think these are overrated.
HD560s are fantastic regardless of price range
Would you say the 560S are worth getting over the 600? I'm torn between the two really. So far I've tested the Edition XS and 560S, and for some reason I actually prefer the 560S, but I was considering getting the 600 to test as well and keep the one I prefer the most.
@@InfamousNathan I've had the 600 and 650/6XX and the 560s at half the price are just as good. Save your money.
Joshua, I need some quick advice. I'm retired but have a nice speaker system with Martin-Logan Classic ESL9 Electro statics. I just bought an Aune S17 Class A headphone amp. I have good DACS too. Back around 2016 and later, I bought several pairs of headphones without seeking advice. They are in nice condition but today appear not to be worth more than around $50 each. They are: Sennheiser Momentum Brown leather, NAD VISO HP50, Sony MDR 7506, Phillips Fidelio X2, and Sennheiser HD660S. Which 2 or 3 should I sell and how much would I have to spend to get something better than any of them?
Recently snagged a pair of Sansui SS-100s and man…….these sound great! Of course in older and have lost some levels of my hearing I’m sure but they are keepers.
Highlights
🎧 Best budget option: SHP 9600s for an all-rounder experience.
💰 Great value: K361 offers clean sound for under $100.
🎶 Sennheiser choice: HD 569 is ideal for entry-level audiophiles.
🔊 IM recommendation: Zex Pro delivers solid sound for $40.
🎮 Gaming headset: PC 38x excels in sound staging and microphone quality.
📈 Mid-range winner: HD600 is a staple for audiophiles.
💎 Luxury pick: Imperion 2 stands out as a top-tier headphone.
is there a reason you've never really covered ZMF?
For $100 more than the Arya Organic I think the HE 1000 Stealth is a much better choice.
Was really thinking about the but saw someone say organic were better with rock and metal so I just went for them and got them today, sound really good, don't have the change to try anything I just went by reviews. Now I'm probably going all in crazy in this so next headphones will probably be even more expensive so I would go up to SE, but there will probably be some new version when that happens. Wife would be happy if I would this class of headphones every few months :) but the organics sound great, use fiio m15s for now and it works great.
Would have to agree . Just sent my organics back to Amazon , and got the He 1000's instead . Not disappointed, as the 1000's are less harsh at the top end
@@pansophicallighthouse4046didn’t he just call them a bright headphone though ? The 1000s?
Kinda surprised the Clear OGs didn't make it into your $500-$1,000 bracket!
I'm glad the lcd 2c is still reccomended. I bought it back in 2020 for 500 thinking it was a steal, now they go for 400. The value is amazing and the raw technicality is on par with some low midrange studio monitors, while still being easy to listen to. Needs eq but with them they are my favorite headphone, only beaten by the stax sr009, lcd 5, and the susvara. Everything else I've tried is only nominally better technicality wise and none have as pleasing a bass response. Its like 85% of the best audio I could imagine possible for 400 dollars.
where are you finding them for 4-500$ !?? Please share link :)
@@Kl2O I second this, where can I get a $500 LCD-2C
Just got my Dali io 12. Best sounding Bluetooth headset i ever heard.
The timbre of the Arya Organic bothered me when I demoed them. Acoustic instruments sounded plasticy, which is a deal breaker for me. The search continues.
I keep hearing some describe hifimans as sounding plasticy and metallic and I keep trying to listen for it and cant hear it.. maybe I should stop trying if I dont
@@LastAphelion Depends what genre you are listening to. Daft Punk tends to sound the same no matter what I play it on, but if you play and listen to acoustic instruments like me it is painfully apparent the timbre is off. So yea, don't start ABing to try to hear it because once you do it will be hard to go back.
@@harackmw I first listened to Polyphia - Playing God on XS and I was just blown away I felt like I had an ear magnifying glass that let me hear 10x more detail and texture of every interaction between hand and string. I've already returned them because the tuning just wasn't for me (they were all about crazy low sub bass extension that I've never even heard on all of my favorites before I actually found it overblown and distracting, and the mid-uppers were too recessed I like detail forward with more focus on satisfying tight mid bass rather than sub) so I had already ordered the Nano next.
Let me know if you find something you like. It really pained me to buy hifiman again after everything I've heard, and the XS I returned even had a loose insecure left jack port. I just don't know what brand/model to try next that has that same combo of dynamic opera house sized sound that still could be powerfully skin tingling intimate.
@@LastAphelion Interesting! That sounds close to what I experienced. For me guitar is my main instrument, for playing and listening, and I can't handle the overly neutral tunings of a lot of headphones, they make the music sound dead and lifeless. I sold all my DCA headphones as a result. The best I have heard as all rounders are still the Sennheiser 800s, but with EQ to my taste. It won't have the crazy bass of other headphones but does not have the other problems you mentioned, so it is a trade off but one I am fine with. For closed back, the Focal Radiance is hard to beat as well, more of an all rounder though that isn't offensive and has enough dynamics to keep me engaged. For acoustic guitar though, the thicker sound of the Peacock and Empyrean really help it out, but that is a very specific genre matching I don't really recommend unless you are into classical/flamenco guitar, or perhaps nylon string jazz like Al Di meola and Pat Methany. The new Empyrean coming out might be interesting to hear at some point, but pricy.
Lot of people wrote here that:
HE1000 Stealth>Arya Organic
Are you sure not the HD599? The HD569 are closed back Sennheiser's. Very surprised with that choice.
Hey Josh! Awesome video. Thank you for doing this for us while sick. The 20 sec timer was actually really fun.
I can't figure out how you like the Clear OGs and don't recommend the Elex enough. Maybe the lack of bass? Frankly I find it refreshing as it lets the mids take center stage in the overall sound presentation. I also suggest to explain the overall sound quality a bit more concisely : e.g. Focal's entire lineup is very punchy, dynamic and rhythmic, Hifimans are airy and wide etc. Love your content creation skills but please be a bit more concise because a lot of us rely on opinion leaders like yourself to guide a meaningful purchase decision.
Like a third of the elexe's broke after less than a year. There are countless examples of youtubers that got them, loved them, and then made a video of them not working and regretting the recommendation. Idk if they have fixed it over the years
it's been a year, i love the video as all of them, boosted my ego with my own choices.. but.. unusual question. What's that longsleeve? I like it
I'm still at $100-150 range, just got to the Hifiman HE400se.
Please get out of this (collection) hobby while you can😬
Good luck powering that with price appropriate gear
And $800 DAC AMP stack and youre good.
I have the ifi zen can + dac stack
@@SeanLiu4 There's no turning back. I've been in it since 8th grade, 16 years ago. I'll get to the $1000 and up eventually.
No HD800s? That's pretty surprising. Nice list!
He doesn’t like the hd800s, I don’t like it for anything other than classical, opera and gaming
The HD800s aren't a generally recommended headphone from what I've seen. Other than soundstage and specific genres there are better options.
Imo IEM's under 1k are way better than headphones, you can get whatever tuning you want at any price range now eg perfect harmon for $15 or whatever you like, then there is the new generation of tws anc earbuds with EQ apps and decent sound quality that are awesome for sports and commuting where audiophile stuff just can't really function (!)
Tbf i love hiking, cycling and travelling so iems just fit my life 🤝 current favs are the Mangird Xenns Up, beryllium bass is so liquid (sort of heavy and transparent) and technicalities are all i want, sounds excellent with the ifi gold bar 🥇
Giving yourself 20 seconds (ok and a minute for the big ones) this made the video really fun. While you might have gotten a little stressed, I enjoyed it at least!
you missed the HIFIMAN Edition XS for under $500.
Just buy arya stealth
@@princekittipon6510 have you seen the “under $500” text?
You completely missed HE400 series in the $100 range, which beat all your own recommendations.
You’ll have to get your hands on Austrian Audio’s Composer. A highlight from CJ SoCal this year.
I'm so surprised the DT770 pros didn't make it on the list.
And I'm wondering that the DT 1990 PROs are not in his list of favorite headphones anymore.
Well I mean they suck
I own them the treble is super harsh
@@bootattack8which ones?
@---pp7tq man all of them I use the 80ohms one it's it's supposed to be the least sharp but it's still sharp
0:37 that was foul 😂
58x and Edition XS?
The edition XS has dropped in price to $269. With this being the case, would the sundara still be a good choice since they are around the same price or should i go with the edition XS?
No Edition XS... interesting
Here's the thing: After the Sundara, everything else to me is diminishing returns - and fast. In fact I prefer the Sundara to most other headphones in general regardless of price.
Hi! Have you tried the Edition XS or Ananda Stealth? Intrigued coz obviously, they're the next level up after the Sundara. The Sundara is about $290 where I live, and both the Edition XS and Ananda Stealth can be had for about $75 dollars more. So would you say that spending the extra $75 is worth it to get the XS or Ananda?
@@KmtS9 I would say either of those is worth it simply because the build quality and comfort is step up from the Sundara.
@@ABCboy5 thank you!
@@KmtS9 The XS hyper low sub bass is insane, it's actually too much for me and so I'm actually considering sending mine back and trying the sundara, ananda, or whatever else has less sub bass lol But if you want freakishly low rumble the XS are it. It's just overwhelming the soundstage for me which is otherwise amazing. Update: had to return XS for loose left jack port, and I didnt like the warmer signature, getting the Ananda Nano soon hoping its just the XS but with more upper end clarity and detail
@@KmtS9the Ananda simply amazing! Just grab it! Natural (for all rounded), open,airy n wide soundstage. For me Its soo… relaxing.
hi, comfort level is important .. so pls make a vid with references to the comfort level of headphones
I liked the 20 second format, linking to the other longer vids and chapters would help a lot tho
im so surprised that you, and you aren't the only one, are comparing, or even prefering the Empyrean over the HE1, that is just nuts, could you elaborate ?
loving the uploads
Denon AH-D5000, they are simply brilliant...
So you would pick the 560s over the HD58x's? I have both and man was I stoked when I got the 58X's they changed everything for me, plus they are way more comfortable atleast for my big head lol.
For decades only thing used in the studio was Sonys. With that said just picked up some Neumanns
I’m back to the channel after a long time and the quick fire jokes are epic lol, Joshua’s older videos were much more analytical
Not a peep about ZMF? wondering where they fall in your preference range
Review the Audeze MM-100 Please
Great recommnedations...
What are your thoughts on MEZE 99 CLASSICS?
No
Any reason why does no one review Stax?
I would like to ask: What do you think about the Sennheiser HD 800/850?
No Hifiman HER9 modded bu JM Audio Editions? Or his XTRM? 👌🏼
I’ll share my journey here if it can help someone chose.
So i had the dca open x for three years with a ifi zen dac v2 and thx 789, sound wasn’t for me, fatiguing, sharp…
Got a chord mojo 2, the sound improved alot, then got a zmf auteur classic and it is great, no fatigue, amazing sound…. I can safely recommend these cans
My THX 789 had a bad power supply making it sound a little edgy (hard to explain the exact sound). I got a burson power supply and it fixed the edginess at least for me. IMO don't throw that THX789 away , it might just be the cheap chinese power supply.
dt770 pro is just unbeatable for price to value and closed.
Well my two high end headphones at the moment are the arya stealth and the lcd 2c. I bought the 2c last year during audeze's b stock sale and absolutely love it. The bass and vocals are insane on it. I recently bought the arya stealth for a change of pace and because I'm really getting into music now as my go to after work. These headphones are insanely comfortable and they sound full. I can tell the vocals are a little more recessed than I'm used to, but everything sounds really filled out. The arya sounds how I expect the music to sound if that make sense. I love them both though and switch them throughout the day. I'm running them off a fiio k7 and loving the experience.
What about arya organic?
I don't own it sadly so I cannot really comment on it. If I was going to increase my budget that much, I would've gone down the he1000 stealth route instead. When I saw that with the difference I could basically pick up a hd660s2 for fun, I decided on the arya stealth instead.@@mohammedbazhair2000
@@mohammedbazhair2000 Let's put up and buy him one so he can tell us!
You dont recommend HE1000 v2 Stealth Magnet @ $1399? Like in you actually prefer the Arya Organic?
I just switched to the Maxwell from the HD600 and I agree both are the best headphones in the 200-500 dollar category but dude the Maxwell blows out my HD600 in terms of sound quality for EDM/hip-hop/pop/other modern tracks. HD600s cannot compete and were made for older tracks or those involving heavy acoustics to be honest
How series
The Diana TC didn't make the list? You had such a rave review for it.
I need you to try the Harmonicdyne Zeus Elite, def a banger under 500
I have to STRONGLY disagree about the AKG K371. First, I HAVE owned inexpensive AKGs in the past that I've loved (the old K518LE), but this one to me sounds unpleasantly nasal and congested. They've been generally well-reviewed, so this was a disappointment. By contrast, I have an inexpensive over-ear headphone from a Hong Kong company called OneOdio, their Pro-50, which has a much more balanced and open sound. It has some problems of its own, but overall it's an easier sound to live with. Are reviewers paying attention here to measurements, or the actual listening experience?
Some people wrote the same about K371 before, favouring K361 more
I want to buy closed back headphones under 900$. Th610, px8, bathys, Dali IO 12 or maybe something different ? I’m confused 🤔
May you make a list of open back headphones (not earbuds) for smartphone?
I know PC38X/GSP500 and HD599 have no problem with smartphone because I have them
Would it be possible to make separate lists for open-back, closed back and IEM's? Especially open and closed-back are for totally different use cases.
This was a good list but I feel like you slept on a couple really good options. In the just over $100 dollar range, the ThieAudio Ghosts are amazing, especially if you are in to pad swapping, as they seem to sound interesting-great depending on the pads. The pads I left on mine where $15 off aliexpress and they were the 105mm Round velour generic earpads, I love the soundstage and mids with these. In the $500 ish range the Hifiman Edition XS is really hard to beat, it has really good detail retrieval, while managing to stay pretty neutral but still sound fun. Just over $500 depending on when it goes on sale the Focal Elex trades blows with the Focal Clears, I honestly don't really even listen to my clears anymore they stay on the wall and the Elex is usually on my desk next to me. They are an exciting mid forward headphone with more than enough clarity and detail while managing to never be boring and are just amazing and intimate with vocals. These are just my opinions. But I do feel like the Ghosts never get enough attention for the price. Side by side they sound just a little better than the Sennheiser 58x after a cheap pad swap.
Hifiman he400SE's are 109$, and if they're as good as the originals then they're a steal. What else would you buy under 500$, really? Planar base at 109$, and highs to match. Granted you do have to spend a decent amount on a dac and amp to get them to work right, but that's the hobby for you. And the dac/amp will work for pretty much any other set of cans you get, too.
@@jjoohhhnn I don't have the HE400se but I have the HE4XX from drop and they are pretty damn nice, honestly I was not happy with the comfort so I bought a different headband off Aliexpress and put something that fit me better for $18, I think they even look better. But I didn't pay full price for my Edition XS I got them from the website as refurbished for about $300. I really do like them. But the 4XX is a great headphone. I have been thinking about buying a sundara so I could compare them, but the wife has me slowing down on my headphone purchases lately.
Wish there were more closed back recommendations for the $200-$500 range
You don't think the HE400SE at 109$ is one of the best deals in audio right now? imo, it's the best entry to the hobby. You need a dac and amp to use it, but it's still cheap enough that it's competing with basic headphones, but it's NOT a basic set of cans, from a sonic perspective. Controlled base, decent sound stage, instrument separation, etc. all the goods of being an audiophile in cans barely more than 100$.
I just got into audiophile headphones. I got myself SHP9500 and I quite like it.
9600 is good?
@@Leydims Don't have one I'm afraid.
Are beyerdinamic dt990 pro good for 2024?
I have a request. What Over-Head Headphone and In-ear Earphone/IEM would you recommend for Classical/Orchestral Music; one each within a $1,000 and one each with Money no object. And the recommended Amplifier/DAC for each?
i hesitate between arya organic and abyss and tbh without having listened to either i'm not sure if the difference would be worth the price.
Good morning ☕️, I hope that you had a great Thanksgiving and heal up this weekend.
Great cables btw !
Which model of Sennheiser HD series headset should I choose to comfortably hear my opponents and listen to music while playing FPS games? My budget is $500. I've used the HD 700 before and it was great in games. HD 800 series is very expensive, please do not recommend.
What is the best wireless headphone on the market acually?
For under the $100 range...my favourite is the Happy God Lucky Cat (Beets RGB Edition).
Under 1k: Focal Clear OG, HD600
1k~2k: Arya Organic, HE1000v2 non-stealth, L700mk2
2k+: Susvara, Caldera, X9000
There are other good ones but I haven't heard them so I only recommended the ones I owned.
Organic is it bright??
And is it good for POP,,, ELECTRONIC music.
And video gaming?
@@mohammedbazhair2000It is a good all rounder. It is bright, lots of treble engery but still smooth, not peaky. Good slam for a planar.
AKG K702 all the way to $1000 budget my next pair is probably going to be the focal Clear OG. Selling my Elegia which I loved till I got the AKG had the HD700 and its was good but way to V shaped. I might consider the hd800s but we will see
Do you have any experience with RF headphones? I want something with good clarity, wireless and low latency. People don’t review RF or Tv headphones very often and I’m curious If there are any good picks.
i hope u will hear stax sr x9000 with t8000 in the near future, it beat the sus with a good amp or the 1266 in my hearing comparison.
Thoughts on Beoplay h95?
Super interesting! I'm curious to know how much better headphones are as the price goes up, assuming we are comparing the best headphone at each price point. Let us say that we give 100 points to a $1,000 headphone. How many points would you then give a $200-300 headphone? 90 points? 60 points? Or is it really a lot worse, so maybe only 30 points? And what about a more expensive headphone, e.g. a $10,000 headphone? Is it 10 % better, so 110 points, or is it twice as good, so 200 points, or...? Thanks a lot!
Is Sony not a good audio brand when it comes to the competition? I kind of expected to see them in this video. I'm new to the whole audiophile thing though..
Don't worry, the Pecha Kucha 20sec timer is kind of assumed to run out and you just blast on to the next one :)
Hello, thanks a lot for this great video, very useful and full of information! I’m thinking of replacing my Hifiman Ananda with the ZMF Aeolus. Main use would be with a Naim Atom Uniti Headphone amp. Would you recommend this pairing? Would the Aeolus be a noticeable improvement over the Ananda? Grateful for your feedback. Regards, Ignacio
The Monolith m1070's are the best-sounding headphones I own. Got them during the Prime sale for $258; reg. price $399. Comfortable and will enough bass to satisfy.
Although they are hard to find anymore and you can pretty much only get them secondhand now for $500 or less I turn to the Koss ESP95x (headphone and energizer) or if you don't need to include the energizer the Stax SR-l300 (preferably with a pad upgrade). I don't think I touch any other of my sub $1k headphones anymore since grabbing each of those although I am currently looking for some good $500 planar magnetics
Love your vids, you can be hilarious when you're in rare form and this one was no exception. I usually watch Z just for entertainment and you for the real deal on equipment, but you were the whole package today!
not sure, if this is dx5 level then smth like livepro wont cut it and just waste of iem power, this is for smth like hd650 and such