[ajzepp]

I know, I know....of course I'm not cured...but this is the longest I've ever gone (since falling in love with headphones in 2011) without having the itch to get anything new. In fact, my last purchase - the Oppo PM3 - though a very fine headphone, wasn't really anything I needed. I feel pretty sated by my harem right now.

Anyone have any idea if I can bottle this feeling? My wallet would really be grateful.

[mresseguie]

Which is your favorite? Or does it depend on the music?

[dB Cooper]

You're only in remission. The right cans will bring it roaring back. 

Actually, I am glad to hear this. The "grass is greener on the other side" syndrome is very prevalent in audio and many a sideways step is taken in audio to scratch that itch.

[ajzepp]

Which is your favorite? Or does it depend on the music?

My favorite is definitely the Audeze LCD-X...it's just the perfect headphone for me. It's the main reason I'm not really tempted much anymore by the new Audeze LCD-4 or the newer Hifiman phones.

Most of my headphones still see pretty consistent rotation, though...I really enjoy having some variety. But the X just ticks every box based on my personal taste.

[ajzepp]

You're only in remission. The right cans will bring it roaring back. 

Actually, I am glad to hear this. The "grass is greener on the other side" syndrome is very prevalent in audio and many a sideways step is taken in audio to scratch that itch.

I think I've hit the point where I still get really excited when I come across new headphones...case in point, the new Audeze planar on-ear headphone I just posted about...but then at the same time I realize that I'm really happy with what I already have, and while it's fun to buy new toys, will they really advance my enjoyment further than it already has reached? Most of the time that answer has been 'no' lately...I think that's a good thing lol

I hit that point with speakers around 2009 when I bought my current Magnepan 3.6s...but I was so late to the game with headphones that I think it's only just now taking hold.

[Letitroll98]

I'm saving my lust for Can Jam this summer.  After I hear all the new contenders I'll settle on something.  I seem to be falling away from my Hifiman and Grados and mostly reaching for the Beyerdynamic.  Does that mean I'm now settled on one sound, or I need something new to excite me?  Thus instead of an impulse buy, I'm going to audition a lot of examples before my next purchase.  Or maybe I'll get new speakers....

[dB Cooper]

I have the following right now:  Full size open: Sennheiser HD650, HD555; IEM: Etymotic hf5, Apple 'In-Ear' (the two-way balanced-armature model, not the lousy 'el cheapos' that come in the phone box), and Shure SE535.

Here's how & why I choose one:

HD555: Fired these up maybe two or three times since getting my 650's a couple years ago. Essentially no play time any more.
HD650: Jazz, studio recordings in general, classical. Sometimes EQ the highs up a bit on recordings that accentuate the fabled 'dark' tendency. Many headphones I hear seem too 'bright' or peaky' to me so these are a good fit to my tastes. But sometimes there's external noise around so it's off to IEM-land, so I pick from...

Etymotic hf5: Like the HD650, a good balance between detail and smoothness, forgiving when listening to sources like internet radio. Quite a bit more 'top end' than the 650's which is sometimes good, sometimes not, depending on the recording. Very good isolation (esp. with Comply or custom tips) so if someone in the house has the TV up a little too loud, I don't have to listen to my music through it like I would with the open 650's.

Apple IEM: My day-to-day 'on-the-go' IEM because it's cheap to replace if I lose it (and I have lost IEM's; that's why my Shures rarely leave the house), AND because the sound is very good, at least with Comply foam tips. Almost as detailed as the Shures. The best budget IEM you've never heard of.

Shure SE535: Excellent in practically every  way you can name: Detail, bass extension and impact, mids... You name it. A bit tricky to fit and insert. Right now these are getting the most play time and go 'toe-to-toe' with the HD650 in overall SQ but with a somewhat more up-front presentation.

Not that anyone is sitting around wondering what headphone dB Cooper is listening to right now, but my point is that until the perfect headphone is made, they will all sound different, and thus will have different synergy with particular systems, recordings, listeners, and so forth. There are other differences than FR, so EQ doesn't solve it all. That's why I like headphones- my money goes further and my options (kind of like 'tube rolling') are more extensive.

Right now, like ajzepp, I'm not feeling the need to 'build the stable'. I get excellent sound in general, know what my favorite recordings sound like on each, and choose according to that- or my mood.

I have a question for ajzepp: I once posted on the 'Ask the Magnepan factory' thread here asking them if they had ever considered making headphones given the surge in planars and their experience with planar driver technology. Their response was that they felt that headphone drivers could never be as good as their planar speakers. SOOOOoooo, my question: As a listener/user of both, how would you say your Magnepan (speakers) and Audeze (headphones) compare in terms of detail retrieval (or any other characteristic you care to comment on)?

[FullRangeMan]

I know, I know....of course I'm not cured...but this is the longest I've ever gone (since falling in love with headphones in 2011) without having the itch to get anything new. In fact, my last purchase - the Oppo PM3 - though a very fine headphone, wasn't really anything I needed. I feel pretty sated by my harem right now.

Anyone have any idea if I can bottle this feeling? My wallet would really be grateful.

SMT you are tired of HP hi prices and low return.

[ajzepp]

I have a question for ajzepp: I once posted on the 'Ask the Magnepan factory' thread here asking them if they had ever considered making headphones given the surge in planars and their experience with planar driver technology. Their response was that they felt that headphone drivers could never be as good as their planar speakers. SOOOOoooo, my question: As a listener/user of both, how would you say your Magnepan (speakers) and Audeze (headphones) compare in terms of detail retrieval (or any other characteristic you care to comment on)?

This is actually something I have thought about for the last couple of years...I've basically settled on an opinion that it's just too hard to compare speakers and headphones. When I first got into headphones in 2011, I was shocked to find out there actually was such a thing as planar headphones. Being a Maggie guy, I'd always been under the impression that bigger (in terms of surface area) was better, which certainly held true when I moved from MMGs to the big Vader 3.6. So how the heck could they get a small planar driver to do anything that would resemble a full-range sound?

I think the reason why it's so hard for me to compare is that with headphones the detail retrieval is typically superior regardless of whether it's a planar or dynamic driver. They have the unfair advantage of being able to perform in a near-isolated environment as opposed to having the room mucking up their business. So even a lower priced planar, such as the HifiMan HE-400i can sound more detailed than the big Maggies. But then again there are things the Maggies do that *no* headphone will ever be able to do. The audeze LCD-X is a champ at imaging. I get amazing image placement, plenty of detail, nice clean bass...so much to like. But when I fire up the Maggies, they just engulf me with beautiful sound and throw a HUGE soundstage that headphones just can't compete with.

So I guess my opinion would be that ultimately it's just too much of an apples and oranges comparison. The presentations are too different to my ears, and while there is overlap, I just couldn't ever say that a headphone planar driver is better or worse than a large planar speaker driver. Also, and take this with a grain of salt because Im a medical guy, not an engineer, but based on what I've seen of the technology, the Hifiman and Audeze designs are SO much more advanced, intricate and complicated than what Magnepan does. That's not a knock on Magnepan, but when you really break down a Magnepan speaker it's a pretty simple design. Audeze and Hifman are literally state of the art. They are pushing the envelope with every new offering, and I don't see any way a company like Magnepan could ever begin to conceptualize a planar headphone. That's just based on my layman eyes...

What I do know is that I really like both...lol

[ajzepp]

I'm saving my lust for Can Jam this summer.  After I hear all the new contenders I'll settle on something.  I seem to be falling away from my Hifiman and Grados and mostly reaching for the Beyerdynamic.  Does that mean I'm now settled on one sound, or I need something new to excite me?  Thus instead of an impulse buy, I'm going to audition a lot of examples before my next purchase.  Or maybe I'll get new speakers....

How hard is it to evaluate headphones in an environment like that? I've heard some say it's too noisy, while others felt they could get a pretty good idea of the sound. I've never gone to a show myself, so was just curious as to your take.

[ajzepp]

SMT you are tired of HP hi prices and low return.

Prices have definitely hit into the stratosphere in the last couple years....no doubt about that.

[dB Cooper]

Dale's point is well taken. That being said, you can get some idea, maybe not definitive, but some idea. Sealed full size or IEM probably the easiest because they shut out at least some distracting background sound, unlike open cans.  Remember that speaker that impressed you at first but started to fatigue after listening for a while? Sometimes it takes time to make a firm judgment, and never buy anything- even a discounted show sample- without a reasonable return/exchange policy.

At least headphones aren't going to have your impression of their sound ruined by being set up six inches too close to the wall.

[Letitroll98]

How hard is it to evaluate headphones in an environment like that? I've heard some say it's too noisy, while others felt they could get a pretty good idea of the sound. I've never gone to a show myself, so was just curious as to your take.

I don't find the noise all that distracting, when you sit at the table you're already engulfed in the ambient noise so when you put on even an open backed phone it seems like you're shutting out the noise to a great degree.  And while not in your listening room, the noise level isn't all that high.  The Can Jam is usually in a large, high ceiling ball room so competing sounds are muffled into a low level buzz.  The biggest problem is getting seat time for the phones you want to listen to with music you're familiar with.  I go at it as a target of opportunity mission, I grab whatever's open at the table I want to be at, then move over as other phones become open.  I carry a memory stick of my music as that's usually the most universally accepted format and most reps are happy to accommodate you.  However you should avoid shows if you're taking the cure as it does nothing but feed the addiction.

[dB Cooper]

I was surprised at the background noise level in the headphone ballroom at Capital Audiofest year before last. Not music leakage, but there were probably 100 conversations easy going on in the room. I still felt I was able to get a pretty good idea about sound with familiar source material. Nevertheless, I'd still want a "buyers remorse" clause same as if I'd purchased at a store.

When they did the headphone room, I spent most of Day 1 in there while the speaker based rooms were still trying to get their sound "dialed in". None of those issues with cans.

[FullRangeMan]

Prices have definitely hit into the stratosphere in the last couple years....no doubt about that.

Excuse to out of topic: just to mention a example of the huge profits HP makers are having, a 19'' tall semi pocket speaker two way 8'' woofer w/huge bass as Klipsch RB81-II sell to around $500/pair new and you get 97dB, 150Wrms, easy 8 ohms.
I regret had buy my HE400, I consider it as an experiment
http://images.klipsch.com/RB81IIcutsheet_635042118979170000.pdf
Found list price $280/each:
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_714RB81IIB/Klipsch-Reference-RB-81-II-Black-Ash.html?tp=186