I have a pair of Stax Omega II headphones (same thing as Xiekitchen) which I rarely use. I like the sound of music emanating from real space, not sounds in my head.
Phones are great if detail is placed above all other consideration. The Stax are so amazingly detailed and free of any transient overhang -- small phono ticks and pops come and go so fast with good phones you come to realize how much fullixixed speakers are prone to resonance. But, that kind of detail can become a bit exhausting.
Also, my Stax sound dry and analytical and cold with my current complement of equipment; they really only sounded their best when I tried them in a system with crazy expensive Audionote equipment (M-8 linestage, DAC-5 signature for CD).
Phones are great if detail is placed above all other consideration. The Stax are so amazingly detailed and free of any transient overhang -- small phono ticks and pops come and go so fast with good phones you come to realize how much fullixixed speakers are prone to resonance. But, that kind of detail can become a bit exhausting.
Also, my Stax sound dry and analytical and cold with my current complement of equipment; they really only sounded their best when I tried them in a system with crazy expensive Audionote equipment (M-8 linestage, DAC-5 signature for CD).