2. speakers
  3. 1089269719

Best headphones you've ever heard/used

Well, the subject says it all I guess. I'm looking for two sets of good quality headphones.

The first one is an earphone for use with my iPod. I'm looking for a small pair of compact in-ear earphones. I take long boring flights to Asia often so it'd be nice if they were high quality and helped out with noise canceling. I've heard good things from Shure. Any other recommendations?

The second one will be for night time listening in my bed. These headphones can be big but hopefully not too heavy. I also need them to be wireless for at least 15ft.

Thanks in advance,
spacekadet

Showing 2 responses by larryi

larryi
4,189 posts
 
I own the Stax Omega. They are amazing phones, but they can also be very very demanding as far as upstream components are concerned. I have really heard them at their best in someone else's system, specifically, a system with an Audionote M-8 linestage and DAC-5 signature digital source and Verdier/Allaert phono setup. In my own system, I am a bit bothered by the dry sound of my solid-state stuff (Levinson Ref. No. 32 and Naim CDS3). For detail, speed and complete freedom from resonant overhang, the Stax are hard to beat.

I have not heard the Qualia phones, but I am sure they are very good. I really liked the dynamic phones Sony use to make about five years ago that cost about $500. I expect that a $3,000 version of a Sony would be an improvement.
larryi
4,189 posts
 
I agree with Theduke that the ESP 950 is a terrific headphone. It is smooth and full sounding while managing to NOT muddle detail -- a pretty hard trick. I too find the Senn to be a crude and rough sounding phone, relatively speaking, but then again, I did not hear it with a topnotch dedicated amp.
More to discover