Looking for TOTL (Top of the Line) Headphone Suggestions

[KaminKevCrew]

I can't understand what you're saying but no, it will not make a difference. It will sound the same from a phone and an o2/odac. It might be louder on the o2 but it will sound pretty much the same.

this

[SSL]

you dont think that affects the response?

 

It's not a matter of thinking so much as it's a matter of science.

[pas008]

well I'm talking about something similar to k/q701 

 

impedance changes with frequency which changes the power

 

and to get more out of k/q701 you need alil more power to correctly drive them across the spectrum

 

fyi on painkillers right now for medical stuff so having hard time explaining

[Aaranu]

Modi 2 Uber with Asgard 2 perhaps, works well as a hand warmer too 

 

Also, hi @Aaranu , still playing redeployside 2?

No not atm, might come back to it though

[creatip123]

well I'm talking about something similar to k/q701 

 

impedance changes with frequency which changes the power

 

and to get more out of k/q701 you need alil more power to correctly drive them across the spectrum

 

fyi on painkillers right now for medical stuff so having hard time explaining

 

Ummm....planars' impedance values are basically flat across all frequencies:

 

http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=7&graphID[]=863&graphID[]=3241&graphID[]=3431&scale=30

 

Blue = HD800

Other = planars

 

So how did the EL-8 change its frequency because of impedance difference again?

 

Edit: the 4th headphone, focal spirit one is a fluke. Accidentally clicked it, and can't make it go away

[TheDudeWhoTriesHard]

Have you considered the Fidelio X2's?

[xtroria]

Have you considered the Fidelio X2's?

Seriously? He has HD650, x2 will sound extremely similiar to HD650. Read the title, ToTL

[TheDudeWhoTriesHard]

Seriously? He has HD650, x2 will sound extremely similiar to HD650. Read the title, ToTL

Welp, thats the ToTL that I've noticed in Philips' Fidelio. I thought that'd count.

Okay, back on topic, What about the Oppo PM-1's? or PM-2's since its said that they both sound the same, albeit the PM-2 has "lower quality" materials.

For closed back, Shure 1540s are the only ToTL closed back headphones from Shure based on my research.

[KaminKevCrew]

Welp, thats the ToTL that I've noticed in Philips' Fidelio. I thought that'd count.

Okay, back on topic, What about the Oppo PM-1's? or PM-2's since its said that they both sound the same, albeit the PM-2 has "lower quality" materials.

For closed back, Shure 1540s are the only ToTL closed back headphones from Shure based on my research.

The Oppo pm1 are at the level that I'm talking about. Unfortunately, I don't really like the way they look, so they aren't really on my list.

The Shure 1540s are not top of the line. They are the highest end full size from Shure, but certainly not top of the line.

Think about it this way: a Subaru impreza sti is the top of the line Subaru. Yet, you wouldn't go around comparing it to top of the line cars from people like Ferrari, Lamborghini, koenigsegg, Pagani, Mercedes, etc. (and believe me, I could go on, I love cars!)

What I'm looking at are the top of the line headphones in the category, not the top of the line from a specific company. That's why I don't care about the x2, or 1540, etc.

[xtroria]

The Oppo pm1 are at the level that I'm talking about. Unfortunately, I don't really like the way they look, so they aren't really on my list.

Oppo pm-1 has a really rich mids, male vocal sounds fantastic with it. It's dark sounding though so probably it'll have the same sound sig as HD650

[SSL]

The Oppo pm1 are at the level that I'm talking about. Unfortunately, I don't really like the way they look, so they aren't really on my list.

 

<_< Headphones go on your ears, not your eyes.

[Mistersprinkles]

Please tell me you aren't going to hook $2000 headphones directly to your computer. That's criminal. Get a proper amp/dac.

[SSL]

Please tell me you aren't going to hook $2000 headphones directly to your computer. That's criminal. Get a proper amp/dac.

 

No, murdering someone is criminal.

 

In any case, if you'd read the thread you'd know there will be no usage of onboard for $2000 headphones.

[KaminKevCrew]

No, murdering someone is criminal.

 

In any case, if you'd read the thread you'd know there will be no usage of onboard for $2000 headphones.

Well, I mean, maybe for shits and giggles...

Please tell me you aren't going to hook $2000 headphones directly to your computer. That's criminal. Get a proper amp/dac.

I was actually planning on plugging them into a nokia brick phone from the early 2000s. I hope that doesn't bother you too much

<_< Headphones go on your ears, not your eyes.

That's true. The thing is also that I think they would be so similar to my 650s that I wouldn't really have a justifiable reason to keep them around. I also want something that can really slam in the lower registers when called upon, and from what I've heard, the oppo line wouldn't do it for me. 

 

Looks come into it for me as a last resort (e.g. if two pairs of ehadphones sound pretty much the same, and have the same price/durability, etc. then I'll go with the ones I like the looks of best and since I think I'd be more suited to the options listed previously, I'm not really considering the oppo option.)

[creatip123]

No, murdering someone is criminal.

 

In any case, if you'd read the thread you'd know there will be no usage of onboard for $2000 headphones.

 

Oh, but it totally is.

 

You're gonna get arrested by the A.E.A. Audiophile Enforcement Agency. They gonna take you and your 2 grand headphone to their secret base, tie you to a chair, plug the headphone to a 10 grand amp + 5 grand interconnect cables, and force you to listen to 32/192 songs nonstop. The only way for them to let you go is when you scream in agony, 'okay your system is light years better than mine....I swear, on my mother's grave, I won't plug my 2 grand headphone on my onboard, ever again....'. You gotta sign the contract in blood, and put under their surveillance for at least a year....

 

*okay, who put vodka in my coffee...??

[TheDudeWhoTriesHard]

The Oppo pm1 are at the level that I'm talking about. Unfortunately, I don't really like the way they look, so they aren't really on my list.

The Shure 1540s are not top of the line. They are the highest end full size from Shure, but certainly not top of the line.

Think about it this way: a Subaru impreza sti is the top of the line Subaru. Yet, you wouldn't go around comparing it to top of the line cars from people like Ferrari, Lamborghini, koenigsegg, Pagani, Mercedes, etc. (and believe me, I could go on, I love cars!)

What I'm looking at are the top of the line headphones in the category, not the top of the line from a specific company. That's why I don't care about the x2, or 1540, etc.

I know what you mean, but as much as I'd like to recommend you a nice pair of cans for your budget, its hard for me to NOT recommend the HD 800s, but you've stated that already.

 

And the top of the line kind of thing... a Nissan GTR (Nissan's top of the line) can compete against what Ferrari, Lambo, Koenigsegg, Pagani, Bugatti, Mercs, McLarens, and Porsche offers. Ofcourse its not gonna beat it, but it can keep up. Thats what was on my head when you said you wanted ToTL but with the HD 800s are disqualified.

So, yeah...

The AKG K812s appear to be a good contender.

[SSL]

Oh, but it totally is.

 

You're gonna get arrested by the A.E.A. Audiophile Enforcement Agency. They gonna take you and your 2 grand headphone to their secret base, tie you to a chair, plug the headphone to a 10 grand amp + 5 grand interconnect cables, and force you to listen to 32/192 songs nonstop. The only way for them to let you go is when you scream in agony, 'okay your system is light years better than mine....I swear, on my mother's grave, I won't plug my 2 grand headphone on my onboard, ever again....'. You gotta sign the contract in blood, and put under their surveillance for at least a year....

 

*okay, who put vodka in my coffee...??

 

At that point I'd just crush their pathetic 10 grand amp with a Bosie imperial.

[KaminKevCrew]

Oh, but it totally is.

 

You're gonna get arrested by the A.E.A. Audiophile Enforcement Agency. They gonna take you and your 2 grand headphone to their secret base, tie you to a chair, plug the headphone to a 10 grand amp + 5 grand interconnect cables, and force you to listen to 32/192 songs nonstop. The only way for them to let you go is when you scream in agony, 'okay your system is light years better than mine....I swear, on my mother's grave, I won't plug my 2 grand headphone on my onboard, ever again....'. You gotta sign the contract in blood, and put under their surveillance for at least a year....

 

*okay, who put vodka in my coffee...??

Damn you! I'm in a library, and I legitimately laughed at that! Weird looks from everywhere!

 

I know what you mean, but as much as I'd like to recommend you a nice pair of cans for your budget, its hard for me to NOT recommend the HD 800s, but you've stated that already.

 

And the top of the line kind of thing... a Nissan GTR (Nissan's top of the line) can compete against what Ferrari, Lambo, Koenigsegg, Pagani, Bugatti, Mercs, McLarens, and Porsche offers. Ofcourse its not gonna beat it, but it can keep up. Thats what was on my head when you said you wanted ToTL but with the HD 800s are disqualified.

So, yeah...

The AKG K812s appear to be a good contender

As for the GTR, that is very true, but it's still a $100,000 car, so it's still pretty far above what most people would consider to be high end. Regardless, thank you for the AKG suggestion, I forgot that those existed, and they seemed to get some pretty good reviews when they came out, although I must admit that I haven't heard much about them since. Onto the list they go!

[TumbleButt]

 

Welp, the top of the line headphones I've ever tried are the Beyerdynamic T1 and the T5p. IMO, I'd vote for the Audeze LCD-X.

[KaminKevCrew]

 

 

Welp, the top of the line headphones I've ever tried are the Beyerdynamic T1 and the T5p. IMO, I'd vote for the Audeze LCD-X.

 

Yeah, I might even go with the Audeze LCD-XC so that way I could look ridiculous when I walk around with them on my head!

[pas008]

Ummm....planars' impedance values are basically flat across all frequencies:

 

http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=7&graphID[]=863&graphID[]=3241&graphID[]=3431&scale=30

 

Blue = HD800

Other = planars

 

So how did the EL-8 change its frequency because of impedance difference again?

 

Edit: the 4th headphone, focal spirit one is a fluke. Accidentally clicked it, and can't make it go away

for starters I was high on pain killers from kidney stones,

 

yes I know planars impedance response especially cuz dark wizzies lcd2/o2 amp thread awhile ago, which I enjoyed

 

prolly missed planars in the whole mix dead set with the no need amp thing cuz many people dont understand frequency/impedance(or voltage/current needed) thing on some headphones they can miss out

 

plus dont wish for kidney stones on your worst enemy, 2nd time having them within 3 months

[TumbleButt]

Yeah, I might even go with the Audeze LCD-XC so that way I could look ridiculous when I walk around with them on my head!

I haven't tried the Audeze LCD-X, but I'd love to buy a pair of those.

But I must say... it must be that inner otaku in me that kinda wishes some manufacturer would just copy the aesthetic design of the HD800 and put in Audeze's LCD-X Planar Magnetic Drivers in that body. I'd pay for that.... maybe more than how much you're planning (I'm a fan of the HD800's look, but I can't stand the trebble at 6khz)

[KaminKevCrew]

I haven't tried the Audeze LCD-X, but I'd love to buy a pair of those.

But I must say... it must be that inner otaku in me that kinda wishes some manufacturer would just copy the aesthetic design of the HD800 and put in Audeze's LCD-X Planar Magnetic Drivers in that body. I'd pay for that.... maybe more than how much you're planning (I'm a fan of the HD800's look, but I can't stand the trebble at 6khz)

have you looked at the sound dynamat modded ones? That could fix the issue you have with the treble.

[BoredErica]

yes I know planars impedance response especially cuz dark wizzies lcd2/o2 amp thread awhile ago, which I enjoyed

That's not possible because nobody reads threads in my siggy.

 

AFAIK generally one doesn't have to account for impedance changes in non-planars. Just increasing impedance with nothing else changing can in some respects make the headphone easier to drive. For example at 100hz the impedance is the highest, they call it the resonant frequency, where the headphone is at its easiest to power. 

For a random phone there can be problems powering, or just other factors like high noise floor. But then again, do I really want to carry other things with my cell phone? Background noise from being outside will often have a larger impact.

 

--

 

 

LTT can really use a guy plucked from Sound Science or HA.

It's time for me to be an EQ shill. If you're that picky about your sound it makes no sense to not be EQing and trying to learn EQ. And again, Sound Science or HA can help you with that. Distortion with decent headphones is already very low, but frequency response varies from headphone to headphone and that can be changed.

[TumbleButt]

have you looked at the sound dynamat modded ones? That could fix the issue you have with the treble.

Yep, they fixed the trebble there. But yeah... planar magnetic drivers....

Do you remember the Top Gear episode in which Jeremy Clarkson was reviewing the Porsche Carrera GT? The Silicon Carbide thing? Everythimg I say Planar Magnetic Drivers... I get that sensation.