Can there be only one Headphone to rule them all?

[Ehrmantraut]

A common conversation I have with my fellow HeadFi audiophools is the question of whether one headphone can truly cover all genres. Like all things, there’s always some compromise and all headphones have weaknesses or flaws. I’ve set up some initial criteria and thoughts.

 

1)   Is cost a factor? We can’t all afford to run HE1 (even if that was the one)

2)   Does the quality of the chain matter? There’s a huge amount of debate and opinion here. If you choose a certain headphone, many times it will need a certain quality or specific chain, mainly on the amplification side.

3)   Does it need to cover all genres? I listen to a lot of singer-songwriter, jazz and some rock. Do I need the HP to cover EDM for example?

4)   Is having only one HP boring? We listen to music as our hobby and I would argue the technicalities and general tweaking are part of it. But should we just sit back and listen?

 

Let’s get started. Here are some initial thoughts. They’re based on my experience of owning a great many (too many) headphones and HeadFi systems. My ears, my music, my opinions and assuming all of these are run on high quality/specific chains.

 

1)   T+A Solitaire P – A bit cheeky since I only just got them. They're very good. Like a more lively Susvara. Has the detail and speed chops to run up against Raal and Stax with some very decent bass. Not the most comfortable.

2)   Focal Utopia 22 – the OG was a HP I would have said was my go to for the one HP. The 22 is better. Easy to drive but can be picky and is better on decent tubes. Comfortable enough with smallish earcups. Intimate soundstage but very good detail retrieval and bass impact. Sounds lovely but can get shouty.

3)   HiFiMan Susvara – On reflection, this should be higher than the Focal if the chain is up to it. Like a warm glove, this HP can envelope you with a smooth but detailed sound. Very comfortable. The caveat is how hard this is to drive well. It’s not about voltage. You can get these to sound loud on a lot of amps. But loudness doesn’t equal enjoyment. These need current and lots of it. Only the best HP amplifiers (Nirvana, AIC, Envy) can run these properly. On a lot of speaker amps, they can still sound sterile.

4)   Raal CA-1a – This is my smokey. An excellent HP that doesn’t get a lot of attention. A bit fiddly with the interface box and cables and looks a bit DIY. But it’s very good. Get over the looks etc and you have a very detailed, fast HP that has a lovely mid-range and bass. Also, light and comfortable. A dark horse this one and very good value.

5)   Final D8000 Pro – A lovely HP with gorgeous mids. Tuning from the non pro version loses some bass to get the treble right. Great fit and the pro comes with one of the best OEM cables.

 

Some considerations but not for me:

 

Abyss 1266 – best bass ever but wonky fit and tuning. Needs juice and too expensive. Diana fits better but who cares?

 

Audeze LCD3 or 4 – lovely mids and excellent bass but wonky treble and heavy. Hard to find in decent condition now. I never liked the LCD5 but plenty do. The CRBN is very good but needs the very best in Estat amps.

 

ZMF Caldera or VO – lovely Zach house sound is often let down by being too smooth or a bit veiled. Whilst I really like the Auteur, the Caldera is their best to me. The VC and now Atrium closed are two of the best closed backs around.

 

Warwick Acoustics Bravura – I haven’t heard the Aperio which is supposed to be awesome. The Bravura is an AIO proprietary system, so there’s no flexibility but is a very neat one box solution. I hate the fit but it sounds very good.

 

Sennheiser HD800/650 – both are an oldie but goldie. Great comfort and easy to drive if you choose a good OTL amp. OG mid range greatness.

 

DCA – I like them but can’t listen to them for long. There’s something about Dan’s tuning that is off for me across the range. Maybe it’s the damping.

 

Stax – I love a lot of Stax earspeakers and the likes of the X9000 bring out everything in a recording. But they need special (and I mean special) gear and they are best suited to jazz and orchestral and some vocals for me.

 

Lastly, I’m looking forward to the new HEDD Heddphone V2. I liked the SQ of the V1 but it was a horrible HP to wear.

 

And now……over to you!

 

[franky995]

I am using two headphones right now.

 

HD800 - awesome soundstage and detail retrieval, laid back character due to everything sounding far away

 

Focal Radiance - very engaging and meaty yet detailed, works for rock / pop etc where hd800 is a bit too boring

 

I am using a Schiit Lokius eq to achieve the sound signature I like.

 

These two aren’t the best I’ve had (ie Susvara, Utopia OG and many others) but they cover all bases for me in terms of music genres and open/closed back.

 

To me it felt silly having susvara in the house where they were so expensive that I couldn’t let my kids have a go with them without feeling worried. 
 

At some point ideally draw a line, stop comparing and enjoy what you have. 

Edited September 16, 2023 by franky995

[Ehrmantraut]

10 minutes ago, franky995 said:

At some point ideally draw a line, stop comparing and enjoy what you have. 

A great comment. I'm trying like an addict to cut down, back away from the "cart"!

[Tobias]

I was talking to Neil about that yesterday. It’s nice to have a selection of headphones at home. But it can be quite liberating to cut down to just one headphone. And then actually listening to music, rather than swapping gear in and out, trying to find the magical combination. 

[franky995]

21 minutes ago, Tobias said:

I was talking to Neil about that yesterday. It’s nice to have a selection of headphones at home. But it can be quite liberating to cut down to just one headphone. And then actually listening to music, rather than swapping gear in and out, trying to find the magical combination. 

Liberating is a good word! When I have too much gear I don’t know what to listen to. Too little gear and one gets bored

 

I guess the trick is to settle on the smallest possible number.

Edited September 16, 2023 by franky995

[Tobias]

Yep, that’s exactly what I am doing

[Ehrmantraut]

1 hour ago, franky995 said:

I guess the trick is to settle on the smallest possible number.

Is that around 5?  Any other thoughts on the 1? Something more reasonably priced from HFM or Focal? Koss Porta Pro? 

[donkeykong]

3 hours ago, Ehrmantraut said:

A common conversation I have with my fellow HeadFi audiophools is the question of whether one headphone can truly cover all genres. Like all things, there’s always some compromise and all headphones have weaknesses or flaws. I’ve set up some initial criteria and thoughts.

 

1)   Is cost a factor? We can’t all afford to run HE1 (even if that was the one)

2)   Does the quality of the chain matter? There’s a huge amount of debate and opinion here. If you choose a certain headphone, many times it will need a certain quality or specific chain, mainly on the amplification side.

3)   Does it need to cover all genres? I listen to a lot of singer-songwriter, jazz and some rock. Do I need the HP to cover EDM for example?

4)   Is having only one HP boring? We listen to music as our hobby and I would argue the technicalities and general tweaking are part of it. But should we just sit back and listen?

 

Let’s get started. Here are some initial thoughts. They’re based on my experience of owning a great many (too many) headphones and HeadFi systems. My ears, my music, my opinions and assuming all of these are run on high quality/specific chains.

 

1)   T+A Solitaire P – A bit cheeky since I only just got them. They're very good. Like a more lively Susvara. Has the detail and speed chops to run up against Raal and Stax with some very decent bass. Not the most comfortable.

2)   Focal Utopia 22 – the OG was a HP I would have said was my go to for the one HP. The 22 is better. Easy to drive but can be picky and is better on decent tubes. Comfortable enough with smallish earcups. Intimate soundstage but very good detail retrieval and bass impact. Sounds lovely but can get shouty.

3)   HiFiMan Susvara – On reflection, this should be higher than the Focal if the chain is up to it. Like a warm glove, this HP can envelope you with a smooth but detailed sound. Very comfortable. The caveat is how hard this is to drive well. It’s not about voltage. You can get these to sound loud on a lot of amps. But loudness doesn’t equal enjoyment. These need current and lots of it. Only the best HP amplifiers (Nirvana, AIC, Envy) can run these properly. On a lot of speaker amps, they can still sound sterile.

4)   Raal CA-1a – This is my smokey. An excellent HP that doesn’t get a lot of attention. A bit fiddly with the interface box and cables and looks a bit DIY. But it’s very good. Get over the looks etc and you have a very detailed, fast HP that has a lovely mid-range and bass. Also, light and comfortable. A dark horse this one and very good value.

5)   Final D8000 Pro – A lovely HP with gorgeous mids. Tuning from the non pro version loses some bass to get the treble right. Great fit and the pro comes with one of the best OEM cables.

 

Some considerations but not for me:

 

Abyss 1266 – best bass ever but wonky fit and tuning. Needs juice and too expensive. Diana fits better but who cares?

 

Audeze LCD3 or 4 – lovely mids and excellent bass but wonky treble and heavy. Hard to find in decent condition now. I never liked the LCD5 but plenty do. The CRBN is very good but needs the very best in Estat amps.

 

ZMF Caldera or VO – lovely Zach house sound is often let down by being too smooth or a bit veiled. Whilst I really like the Auteur, the Caldera is their best to me. The VC and now Atrium closed are two of the best closed backs around.

 

Warwick Acoustics Bravura – I haven’t heard the Aperio which is supposed to be awesome. The Bravura is an AIO proprietary system, so there’s no flexibility but is a very neat one box solution. I hate the fit but it sounds very good.

 

Sennheiser HD800/650 – both are an oldie but goldie. Great comfort and easy to drive if you choose a good OTL amp. OG mid range greatness.

 

DCA – I like them but can’t listen to them for long. There’s something about Dan’s tuning that is off for me across the range. Maybe it’s the damping.

 

Stax – I love a lot of Stax earspeakers and the likes of the X9000 bring out everything in a recording. But they need special (and I mean special) gear and they are best suited to jazz and orchestral and some vocals for me.

 

Lastly, I’m looking forward to the new HEDD Heddphone V2. I liked the SQ of the V1 but it was a horrible HP to wear.

 

And now……over to you!

 

What! No love for Meze?

[franky995]

4 minutes ago, donkeykong said:

What! No love for Meze?

Elites would be a contender. Unfortunately they are 7k LLP which is probably around 30-40% too high based on performance/compared to other cans.

[Ehrmantraut]

8 minutes ago, donkeykong said:

No love for Meze?

Agree that Elites could be up there. They’re a very easy HP to live with. Whilst, for me the technical aspects aren’t there for the price point as per Franky, they’re super comfortable and pleasant sounding. 

Is that the ultimate “put down? “Pleasant sounding”. It’s like “nice”……

[Grizaudio]

I think 3 could be a good number. 
 

1x Open 

1xClosed 

1x Noise cancelling 
 

Buy the most neutral sounding HPs you can find and EQ to taste using DSP. 

[Ehrmantraut]

32 minutes ago, Grizaudio said:

I think 3 could be a good number. 
 

1x Open 

1xClosed 

1x Noise cancelling 
 

Buy the most neutral sounding HPs you can find and EQ to taste using DSP. 

Any choices from you @Grizaudio

[stereo coffee]

AKG 701 , both comfortable and sound quality is very good

[Grizaudio]

 My favourite open backs are AKG k712…. Which offer slightly better bass response when compared to the 701s.
 

K712s sound very neutral, are light and responded very well to EQ, IMHO. 
 

During my buying process, I compared the K712s to many planars and expensive HPs.
 

The k712s are modestly priced, but regardless were my preference, for neutrality, SQ, accuracy and comfort. 

Edited September 16, 2023 by Grizaudio

[Ehrmantraut]

I haven't spent a lot of time with the AKG range but it seems like they have a somewhat cult following, like Grado. I see them a lot in Asia. The Austria manufacturer goes way back. They seem well made. 

https://au.akg.com/Professional Headphones/

 

[Grizaudio]

Yeah I quite like AKG.

..but I tend to gravitate to pro type gear, as I find the value proposition is improved vs hifi marketed gear. 

 

I must admit I’m definitely not the typical fussy audiophile, trying endless gear to find the ideal sound. 

 

For me its all about the music… if I sit there starting to analyse sound quality etc, then the product is not right. 
 

 

[barbz127]

23 hours ago, Ehrmantraut said:

A common conversation I have with my fellow HeadFi audiophools is the question of whether one headphone can truly cover all genres. Like all things, there’s always some compromise and all headphones have weaknesses or flaws. I’ve set up some initial criteria and thoughts.

 

1)   Is cost a factor? We can’t all afford to run HE1 (even if that was the one)

2)   Does the quality of the chain matter? There’s a huge amount of debate and opinion here. If you choose a certain headphone, many times it will need a certain quality or specific chain, mainly on the amplification side.

3)   Does it need to cover all genres? I listen to a lot of singer-songwriter, jazz and some rock. Do I need the HP to cover EDM for example?

4)   Is having only one HP boring? We listen to music as our hobby and I would argue the technicalities and general tweaking are part of it. But should we just sit back and listen?

 

Let’s get started. Here are some initial thoughts. They’re based on my experience of owning a great many (too many) headphones and HeadFi systems. My ears, my music, my opinions and assuming all of these are run on high quality/specific chains.

 

1)   T+A Solitaire P – A bit cheeky since I only just got them. They're very good. Like a more lively Susvara. Has the detail and speed chops to run up against Raal and Stax with some very decent bass. Not the most comfortable.

2)   Focal Utopia 22 – the OG was a HP I would have said was my go to for the one HP. The 22 is better. Easy to drive but can be picky and is better on decent tubes. Comfortable enough with smallish earcups. Intimate soundstage but very good detail retrieval and bass impact. Sounds lovely but can get shouty.

3)   HiFiMan Susvara – On reflection, this should be higher than the Focal if the chain is up to it. Like a warm glove, this HP can envelope you with a smooth but detailed sound. Very comfortable. The caveat is how hard this is to drive well. It’s not about voltage. You can get these to sound loud on a lot of amps. But loudness doesn’t equal enjoyment. These need current and lots of it. Only the best HP amplifiers (Nirvana, AIC, Envy) can run these properly. On a lot of speaker amps, they can still sound sterile.

4)   Raal CA-1a – This is my smokey. An excellent HP that doesn’t get a lot of attention. A bit fiddly with the interface box and cables and looks a bit DIY. But it’s very good. Get over the looks etc and you have a very detailed, fast HP that has a lovely mid-range and bass. Also, light and comfortable. A dark horse this one and very good value.

5)   Final D8000 Pro – A lovely HP with gorgeous mids. Tuning from the non pro version loses some bass to get the treble right. Great fit and the pro comes with one of the best OEM cables.

 

Some considerations but not for me:

 

Abyss 1266 – best bass ever but wonky fit and tuning. Needs juice and too expensive. Diana fits better but who cares?

 

Audeze LCD3 or 4 – lovely mids and excellent bass but wonky treble and heavy. Hard to find in decent condition now. I never liked the LCD5 but plenty do. The CRBN is very good but needs the very best in Estat amps.

 

ZMF Caldera or VO – lovely Zach house sound is often let down by being too smooth or a bit veiled. Whilst I really like the Auteur, the Caldera is their best to me. The VC and now Atrium closed are two of the best closed backs around.

 

Warwick Acoustics Bravura – I haven’t heard the Aperio which is supposed to be awesome. The Bravura is an AIO proprietary system, so there’s no flexibility but is a very neat one box solution. I hate the fit but it sounds very good.

 

Sennheiser HD800/650 – both are an oldie but goldie. Great comfort and easy to drive if you choose a good OTL amp. OG mid range greatness.

 

DCA – I like them but can’t listen to them for long. There’s something about Dan’s tuning that is off for me across the range. Maybe it’s the damping.

 

Stax – I love a lot of Stax earspeakers and the likes of the X9000 bring out everything in a recording. But they need special (and I mean special) gear and they are best suited to jazz and orchestral and some vocals for me.

 

Lastly, I’m looking forward to the new HEDD Heddphone V2. I liked the SQ of the V1 but it was a horrible HP to wear.

 

And now……over to you!

 

 

 

Do you think there's headphones that excel at louder volumes, some excel at lower and some all rounders?

 

In this case I'm thinking low would be 75 DB and below with high 80 and above.

 

I've enjoyed everything about the susvara but always find myself pushing the volume dial past what is normally comfortable for me to get the most out of them.

Edited September 17, 2023 by barbz127

[Grizaudio]

2 minutes ago, barbz127 said:

 

 

Do you think there's headphones that excel at louder volumes, some excel at lower and some all rounders?

 

In this case I'm thinking low would be 75 DB and below with high 80 and above.

 

I've enjoyed everything about the susvara but always find myself pushing the volume dial past what is normally comfortable for me to get the most out of them.

Use EQ profiles or variable loudness curves. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-loudness_contour

[Ehrmantraut]

54 minutes ago, barbz127 said:

I've enjoyed everything about the susvara but always find myself pushing the volume dial past what is normally comfortable for me to get the most out of them.

Totally agree. They need lots of juice and aren't a HP that does well at low/regular SPL. Something like Elites, DCA Aeon/Ether or Focals might be better for the low level listener.

[POV]

On 16/09/2023 at 5:09 PM, Grizaudio said:

I think 3 could be a good number. 
 

1x Open 

1xClosed 

1x Noise cancelling 
 

Buy the most neutral sounding HPs you can find and EQ to taste using DSP. 

 

Totally agree with this. and here is my recomendations:

 

1 x Open: Sennheiser HD800S

1 x Closed: Fostex TH900Mk2

1 x Noise Cancelling: Sennheiser Momentum 4

 

I could happily live with this combination forever I reckon!

[POV]

On 16/09/2023 at 1:43 PM, donkeykong said:

What! No love for Meze?

 

Also no love for Fostex!  

[Grizaudio]

Great discount on Bathys atm

https://addictedtoaudio.com.au/products/focal-bathys-wireless-noise-cancelling-headphones

 

[POV]

37 minutes ago, Grizaudio said:

Great discount on Bathys atm

https://addictedtoaudio.com.au/products/focal-bathys-wireless-noise-cancelling-headphones

 

I prefer the sound of the Sennheisers personally, and I definitely prefer the more travel friendly looks and profile of them!  Even at discounted Bathy prices I would still go the Sennheiser.

[Grizaudio]

I run some Sonys for my wireless ANC atm. 
 

I tried the JBL tour mk2 they are also decent. 
 

The cups on the Sennheisers are a little small for me. 
 

Many rate the Focals highly. 

[Ccollins]

Q: How many headphones does one person need?

 

A: One more