What Brands of Headphones and Headphone Amplifiers do Fans of High Efficiency Speakers and SET Amps Enjoy?

[heihei]

I would be intrigued by the EAR / Focal combination too. I've been using the Ayon HA-3 recently and is a great combination, and can imagine similar with EAR.

 

[caesar]

Wow...thank you! Very interesting reading. I am enjoying the Meze Empyrean/EAR combination so far. Since trialing it several weeks ago and putting on the Alcantara (foam-like) ear pads, it has not triggered any of the ringing which the Senn 800S used to do for some reason. And having compared them side by side with the EAR, I found the Meze gave me all of the elements the 800S did well but with a richness of presentation, life-like purity and EASE which was more to my personal taste.

its always interesting to hear other people's experiences with equipment we know. I can quite imagine that the EAR/Focal combination would be sensational. In our case, given that we had a unique opportunity to pick up the Empyrean at a great price with an 8-12 week auditioning period from the Vendor to determine if it would trigger ringing in the ears...we took it and have recently confirmed we're keeping them and done.

If I get a chance to hear the Focals I will remember your 'listening notes'.

Hi LL,
Sorry to hear about your hearing issues! I guess the good news is that the issue not persistent. And completely puzzling to me why certain equipment triggers it ...

As far as Meze Empyrean, they really are spectacular. I completely concur with how you describe them above. And it's great that they are working out for you, both in terms of your health and preferences.

 

[caesar]

I would be intrigued by the EAR / Focal combination too. I've been using the Ayon HA-3 recently and is a great combination, and can imagine similar with EAR.

Yes, it's a shame it's so difficult to hear this stuff... especially the brands that are out of the mainstream of the head-fi community, like EAR and Ayon.

I would love to hear the Utopias with either of these amps. Since I only heard the lower model of Focal and it was spectacular, I imagine Utopias will have even more of the resolution, and especially the dynamics and dynamic shadings that trigger realism for me.

Also, my sense is telling me that Utopias may be discontinued soon, as they have been around for over 5 years now. I hope Focal comes out with something better

 

[LL21]

Hi LL,
Sorry to hear about your hearing issues! I guess the good news is that the issue not persistent. And completely puzzling to me why certain equipment triggers it ...

As far as Meze Empyrean, they really are spectacular. I completely concur with how you describe them above. And it's great that they are working out for you, both in terms of your health and preferences.

Thanks for all your comments!

 

[Fred Crane]

Looking for the polar opposite taste of Sennheiser 600/ 800, which I find severely sterile.

Thanks in advance

I suppose you want to determine how far down the rabbit hole you want to venture. IF you're considering staying with a dynamic driver headphone, moving into a planar, or making the leap to the different form factor of an electrostat. Placing the Sennheiser cans in middle earth, one pole would be inhabited by the Raal SR1a (closely accompanied by the top Stax cans) The opposite pole would host the Focal Utopia, the Spirit Torino Valkyria. You're not going to drive the Raal or the Stax with a traditional SET. The impedance of the Stax Cans is about 127k ohms and the Raal's have an impedance that is almost a dead short at .2ohm. The only headphone amps that can power them all at the top level are those from Mal Valve...they can also drive speakers. The Focal, The Spirit Torino, the Final Audios can be powered by bad breath and good intentions,..that doesn't mean that they don't appreciate a higher level of amplification, (oh they do scale) but driving them with a high quality tube headphone amp is simple.

 

[gian60]

Since 1978 i only had electrostatic earphone,before Koss esp 9,than Stax Lambda,007 system and then 009 with Mehahertz Guerra amp.
Cannot listen other earspeaker at any price.

Stax with Carbon cc amp is also a perfect match
New Sennheiser at 50K i listened 2/3 times in show and didnt understood if is better than 009 with good amp or not

 

[Legolas]

Just come across this thread. I would recommend the Abyss TC. Yes it is a strange fit, and it does need a fairly powerful HP amp. BUT what you get is Stax 009 details and speed, mids of the Utopia, and bass of the LCD4. It sounds impossible, but it IS right there in the Abyss TC.

I still have my LCD4, but sold my Stax years years ago. The ethereal floating soundstage and forward treble pushed me away TBH. I did enjoy if for some time, but in the end, had to admit defeat with it, and also realise it was not accurate.

The Utopia is nice, easy to drive and good fit. BUT it does nothing top level IMO. At 4K it should TBH. The RAAL is top level as regards imaging and treble detail, but fails in the lower bass and weight to the midrange.

The hifiman Susvara is also very good, 'good' at everything, not superb at anything. This is to my ears. And the price and build quality are not good aspects.

That is my view. The Abyss TC gets real close to high end (big) speakers, does enough things superbly, and what is left, I am not concerned about. If we consider what we are asking any high end headphone to accomplish, i.e. play the full frequency spectrum from a single driver in a tiny chamber very close to the ear, it is quite amazing headphones have actually got to this seriously high level.

I just love the personal soundstage, the inmate performance and micro details you can get with SOTA headphones. And others must think the same, as it is an expanding market. Look how many HPs retails above 5K, not to mention dedicated amplifiers to match.

 

[rpk]

Hello,
with luck I was able to get to know numerous headphones & headphone amplifiers with a headphone enthusiast (without any budget restriction) and the Austrian / Japanese Duo Paltauf ESD + Stax SR-009 showed me the individually appropriate substance.
The Paltauf ESD (version with separate tubes power supply) has for me additionally the advantage of 2 x 3 different systems / power levels up to the 580V for the STAX to connect, so I would be in no connection dead end. Further individualizations took place via a Furutech Nanoflux NCF power cord, Palladium RCA cable Black Rhodium Cantata alternatively XLR over Habst Enso Mk II.
The end result is a fantastic homogeneous room with closed and never artificial stage.
Tube Rolling over five different Siemens & Halske NOS CCA / Siemens NOS E88CC allows further individualization, with a used CCA achieving the 6-star result for me. Chapeau!
In one month my new Stax SRX 9000 is to arrive (months ago ordered), but I am skeptical if he can improve my current combination for me.

Continue enjoyment of music, whether over headphones or speakers wishes Rainer