[hibuckhobby]

After owning three orthodyamic sets of cans, I came to the conclusion
that in spite of the things they do exceptionally well, I'm still a dynamic phones kind of guy.  So I sold the HiFiMan HE500's and
used the money to buy a mint set of Denon 5000's and a 15 ft Cardas cord for my Senn. HD650's.   Are they as competent in every area?  No.  Do I find them more enjoyable to listen to on a wide variety of materials and recording qualities?  Yes...I do.

Maybe I'll have to turn in my audiophile card, but for me it's about what I enjoy most and find comfortable for long sessions.
Hibuck...

[DaveNote]

Keep your audiophile card, Hibuck. Planars are wonderful headphones and I know my LCD2 is very enjoyable. But audiophiles each look for something different. Right now, as my other posts here show, I'm looking for accuracy, linearity, and high resolution, which at least in the case of the LCD2 doesn't, IMO, do as well as the HD800, which I don't like, or even my new AKG K550, which I do like.

I've read nothing but good things about the D5000, except for durability. I am surprised that you seem to be implying that you didn't enjoy your HE500s. First time I have heard that. What did you find wrong with them?

I'm keeping my audiophile card because I meet the basic standard - totally nuts spending far too much to achieve marginal differences.

Dave

[hibuckhobby]

It's not that I didn't like them, they did many things amazingly.  I prefer a more lush upper midrange, but there's no question the HE500 is more revealing and neutral.  I listen to a lot of older electric blues and rock, which is often less well recorded and hard to listen to on the two sets of HiFiMan cans I tried.  It's like some home systems that are so revealing you can only enjoy the best recordings on them.

The D5000 is a bit fat in the bass...which I find less bothersome than a slightly
aggressive upper midrange/lower treble.  The multiple tonecontrols on my SX-1250 are very synergistic with the Denons.
regards,
Hibuck...

[dB Cooper]

hibuck- Have you ever heard the LCD2? Lush is a very good way to describe the mids. I heard both those and the HD800s for the first time at CAF.  They 'wowed' me in different ways, the HD800 being more, oh, 'analytical', and the LCD 'warmer'. Not sure I didn't like the Audeze better...

[hibuckhobby]

Heard them once...and certain will again at the next Chicago area get together in Nov.   I agree they are a warmer, fuller sound.  I heard them with the big Ray Samuels setup and a Boulder player and they were wonderful.  Also heard the HD800 with the Headroom BUDA balanced setup and thought they had a great soundstage and better bass than some of the reviews would indicate.  OTOH, they were not (to me) as engaging as the LCD-2.

I'm retiring in a year and trying to get my headphones down to 4 or less (in number) by then  and have them be cans I can live with for a long time.  Yeah...I know   
Hibuck...

[JohnR]

Hi hibuck - interesting developments, what prompted you to buy the D5000s?

[DaveNote]

I'm retiring in a year and trying to get my headphones down to 4 or less (in number) by then  and have them be cans I can live with for a long time.  Yeah...I know   
Hibuck...

Good luck about that! I've bought more and spent more on audio since my retirement than the total of what I acquired and spent before I retired!

There may, in fact, be a whole new market catering to audiophiles who have retired: Afterlife Audio. I can just see maniacs like us looking into the best systems for our coffins and what headphones work best on a naked skull.   

Dave

[eclein]

hibuck your doing what I guess a bunch of us do. I have super duper IEMS that sound perfect but I use my Sennheiser $30 ones and my Sony $19 Playstation Vita ones all the time instead because they are just more musical and enjoyable.

Same with my HE-5LE's which I use a couple times a month for critical listening. The planar sound is wonderful each time I use them and fresh, as for everyday use I grab my modded Grado's or $24 Sennheiser 203's......I love to mix things up so I always hear something slightly different each time keeping things fresh and newish longer. Enjoy!!

 

[ajzepp]

You go, hibuck...

I think it's great when people pass on the headphones/speakers that "should" be better, or those that most people would consider better, and instead just follow their musical heart and stick with what they most connect with. Even though I prefer not to sell my T1s, I have a love affair with a pair of headphones less than half their price that I will usually choose first (Grado PS500s). The T1s are amazing headphones, but the Grados connect with me on an emotional level. If I ever did come to the point where I sold one, the T1s would be the ones I'd part with.  So I can 100% understand where you're coming from. Besides, those Denons and Senns are fantastic headphones! 

[ajzepp]

hibuck your doing what I guess a bunch of us do. I have super duper IEMS that sound perfect but I use my Sennheiser $30 ones and my Sony $19 Playstation Vita ones all the time instead because they are just more musical and enjoyable.

Same with my HE-5LE's which I use a couple times a month for critical listening. The planar sound is wonderful each time I use them and fresh, as for everyday use I grab my modded Grado's or $24 Sennheiser 203's......I love to mix things up so I always hear something slightly different each time keeping things fresh and newish longer. Enjoy!!

I have to give my brother Ed a ton of credit for helping me to see the light with regard to mixing it up. When I first came on here I was beating myself up trying to decide which pair of headphones to go with...Ed helped cure me of that and today I enjoy a nice little collection of goodies that I rotate through on a consistent basis. Makes the hobby more enjoyable, IMO. I can't really see myself having a bunch of flagships in here, but I get a ton of enjoyment out of the lower to mid priced gear.

[hibuckhobby]

Hi hibuck - interesting developments, what prompted you to buy the D5000s?

Couple of things.  First, see previous posts in this thread.  Secondly, I got a very good deal on a pair that is, for all intents and purposes new.  Third, I'm a sucker for wood cans.  Fourth, reviews on inner fidelity talkd about lush sound...which caught my interest...so, I took a chance.

Azepp...I have a pair of DT990/600's that with a bit of EQ, I like a lot.  Still looking for a chance to hear the T1's because I think I'd like them.  The 5000's are here to stay, as are my audio technica woodies.
regards,
Hibuck....