Best audiophile headphones

[Ron Resnick]

At the Long Beach CanJam I tried about seven different headphones, including the Audeze electrostatic, the Raal SR1a ribbon headphone, a top-of-the-line Stax electrostatic, the HiFiMan Shangri-La, the Dan Clark Voce and the Dan Clark Stealth. Most audition set-ups included the Blue Hawaii Special Edition Electrostatic amplifier.

My favorite headphone was the Dan Clark Voce. None of the headphones before the Voce really did anything for me. When I listened to the Voce, I recognized what is to me a more natural sound, and, somehow, a sound that I am familiar with.

Very quickly I felt that this was the headphone for me. For the first time all day I wanted to continue listening to music on this thing. It sounded natural; it sounded "musical" and tonally "right."

The Stax sounded a little bit sterile and threadbare or skeletal to me. It totally reminded me of the sound of the Martin-Logan CLS.

My favorite headphone amplifier was the Blue Hawaii Special Edition Electrostatic.

If I were buying a headphone set-up -- which I am not* -- I definitely would get Dan Clark Voce headphones and the Blue Hawaii Special Edition Electrostatic amplifier.


*I don't understand using headphones to listen seriously and dedicatedly to music, and I never will understand it. It just is not my thing.

 

[Klonk]

I have owned the BHSE for a while, a very well made machine, that sounds great. I used it together with a Stax SR 009S, which I personally preferred to the Dan Clark Voce HP. But this set was bettered to my ears by a Riviera AIC10 paired with a Mysphere HP.

 

[LL21]

Very interesting, Klonk! If you had to characterize the sound of the Mysphere, what would you compare it most to? Abyss 1266? Meze Empyrean? Sennheiser 800S? Intrigued by the website...I had not heard of this headphone before.

***UPDATE: Have read some reviews...thanks for any comments, but starting to have a good idea of this sound.

 

[K3RMIT]

At the Long Beach CanJam I tried about seven different headphones, including the Audeze electrostatic, the Raal SR1a ribbon headphone, a top-of-the-line Stax electrostatic, the HiFiMan Shangri-La, the Dan Clark Voce and the Dan Clark Stealth. Most audition set-ups included the Blue Hawaii Special Edition Electrostatic amplifier.

My favorite headphone was the Dan Clark Voce. None of the headphones before the Voce really did anything for me. When I listened to the Voce, I recognized what is to me a more natural sound, and, somehow, a sound that I am familiar with.

Very quickly I felt that this was the headphone for me. For the first time all day I wanted to continue listening to music on this thing. It sounded natural; it sounded "musical" and tonally "right."

The Stax sounded a little bit sterile and threadbare or skeletal to me. It totally reminded me of the sound of the Martin-Logan CLS.

My favorite headphone amplifier was the Blue Hawaii Special Edition Electrostatic.

If I were buying a headphone set-up -- which I am not* -- I definitely would get Dan Clark Voce headphones and the Blue Hawaii Special Edition Electrostatic amplifier.


*I don't understand using headphones to listen seriously and dedicatedly to music, and I never will understand it. It just is not my thing.

Damn ron first time out and you nailed it. Ill bet some here disproved of the stax comment
Ill try to get a listen of them. I had a purple BHSE I sold it. i felt it needed the. Tube recti magic added to it.
he does make some great products though.

 

[K3RMIT]

I think the new revised stax 09s I was move in the direction of the voice
maybe on the new revised 009s2 they achieve it.

 

[Klonk]

Very interesting, Klonk! If you had to characterize the sound of the Mysphere, what would you compare it most to? Abyss 1266? Meze Empyrean? Sennheiser 800S? Intrigued by the website...I had not heard of this headphone before.

***UPDATE: Have read some reviews...thanks for any comments, but starting to have a good idea of this sound.

In my opinion it is very transparent, something between a Sennheiser Orpheus and a Stax SR009S. Its piano presentation can be quite stunning, with the right recording.
But if you are interested in it, you must listen to the Mysphere yourself, because opinions are divided about this headphone. Try to listen to it on a speaker amp or a Riviera AIC10. It will be either heaven or hell.

 

[K3RMIT]

MYSPHERE 3 - Reviews

www.head-fi.org

when you read his review know this he is part owner and advertisement is big on there. these I have not heard myself

 

[LL21]

MYSPHERE 3 - Reviews

www.head-fi.org

when you read his review know this he is part owner and advertisement is big on there. these I have not heard myself

Thank you!

 

[LL21]

In my opinion it is very transparent, something between a Sennheiser Orpheus and a Stax SR009S. Its piano presentation can be quite stunning, with the right recording.
But if you are interested in it, you must listen to the Mysphere yourself, because opinions are divided about this headphone. Try to listen to it on a speaker amp or a Riviera AIC10. It will be either heaven or hell.

Thank you! I have been able to read a number of 'comments and reviews' on the headphones...they sound tremendous. As you say, definitely something to hear for yourself.

Given that we finally managed to get the EAR Yoshino HP-4...we will leave the Riviera for now.

As for headphones, we have been spending some late nites with the Empyrean Meze recently alongside the (long time standby) Sennheiser HD650. It does appear true that the Meze Empyrean is a bigger badder HD650...very sonically similar signature...and given that I am not a super-critical headphone listener...just someone who needs to be able to use them if my wife is absolutely in need of absolute silence (rare)...I am thinking the Empyrean will be a nice upgrade to the HD650s.

And by keeping the HD650...we can both watch a movie since the EAR drives 2 headphones at once, if we dont want to wake up the house.

 

[Gregadd]

Ron the Stax reminds you of the ML CLS. That may explain why I love it.
It's okay you don't care for headphones. We are not looking for converts.

 

[Hifi man]

At the Long Beach CanJam I tried about seven different headphones, including the Audeze electrostatic, the Raal SR1a ribbon headphone, a top-of-the-line Stax electrostatic, the HiFiMan Shangri-La, the Dan Clark Voce and the Dan Clark Stealth. Most audition set-ups included the Blue Hawaii Special Edition Electrostatic amplifier.

My favorite headphone was the Dan Clark Voce. None of the headphones before the Voce really did anything for me. When I listened to the Voce, I recognized what is to me a more natural sound, and, somehow, a sound that I am familiar with.

Very quickly I felt that this was the headphone for me. For the first time all day I wanted to continue listening to music on this thing. It sounded natural; it sounded "musical" and tonally "right."

The Stax sounded a little bit sterile and threadbare or skeletal to me. It totally reminded me of the sound of the Martin-Logan CLS.

My favorite headphone amplifier was the Blue Hawaii Special Edition Electrostatic.

If I were buying a headphone set-up -- which I am not* -- I definitely would get Dan Clark Voce headphones and the Blue Hawaii Special Edition Electrostatic amplifier.


*I don't understand using headphones to listen seriously and dedicatedly to music, and I never will understand it. It just is not my thing.

i personally find headphones great to listen to and could not live without them.

 

[Hifi man]

I have two pairs.stax electrostatic and grado dynamic for different types of music.

 

[Hifi man]

Headphones are better than speakers and have none of the room problems.

 

[Hifi man]

Can listen late at night without bothering anyone else.

 

[Hifi man]

I sold my speakers to buy the two flagship headphones I now own.

 

[K3RMIT]

having both speakers , headphones and ciems as well
to use both has its effects and to use just headphones may lead us to an alt more un natural memory of sounds as I see it.
headphones any kind do have advantages one being no room.
as for what phones for what person it’s obvious how far apart we hear.

i once owned about 100 k in phones
and 50k in amps you can get close for much Cheaper then flagships these days.

headphones have there place be it always or just often are fine but to me only speakers get me involved mentally for long periods of time.

but this is me and not all.
I use iems for workouts and at one time headphones showing my age
I think anyone who is serious on an audio system must have phones to use as a tool
david made a comment on rooms that to me makes sense
you can design and use room sweeps
but unless you use your ears trained ones you may not make it great.
headphones can show you aspects of your room I don’t think other tools can.

 

[Gregadd]

....and a rock and classical can co- exist.
Don't get me started on binaural.

 

[K3RMIT]

I have a born hearing defect I forget what its called. basically we all have this to point
right handed
Righted footed
left eyed
left ear
this is how I was made
but my hearing of left ear is more acute then most
as such phones or any one ear hearing device needs to be in my left ear
now on headphones we use both ears
but because the sounds are isolated it effects the stage in many ways. so I don’t get the out of head some say
but if I use a Jekyln float type or any open wing type over the head I’m. Fine
speakers are fine
in ear monitors are especially effected on me
but with some defects comes some
gifts I can hear phase , timbre , tones
much better then most. So when I go to shows even at the door I can tell of this is a good room or not.
chamber music is a no go my brain is always trying to lock onto the sound source location. This drives me crazy

 

[Gregadd]

I have not heard them.
Audeeze LCD 5.

 

[marty]

I know next to nothing about audiophile headphones but this seems intriguing. I was especially attracted to the comment that the headphones are "acoustically optimized to the HARMAN Curve"

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