What standard Stereo Headphones do you use and recommend?

[J. PUPSTER]

I also have the P7s but lately I've been listening to my Sennheiser HD650s

Hi EHughes, how do think the Sennheisers sound compared to the B&Ws?

 

[Strilo]

I love my Sennheisers. So much they’re falling apart after almost 20 years. Time for a new pair soon.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

My first 'quality' set of headphones were the Grado SR60's...very nice sounding, which I still have. I now prefer cans that surround the ear as opposed to sitting on them.

+1

+2

 

[ubertrout]

I do a large percentage of my listening on headphones - Sony Sony MDR1AM2 headphones powered off PC audio (but it's a X-Fi Titanium HD, not motherboard audio) at home when the ladyfriend is asleep or doing something. At work I use Sennheiser HD598s powered by a Sony UDA-1, mostly streaming off Spotify / Google Music / Amazon Music.

Both are pretty satisfying, to be honest, although I prefer speakers.

 

[marpow]

I own Sennheiser HD700. Never use them, just a hassle, however they are good and I think it's just a matter of habit to get into useing them.
Having done a lot of studying on headphones vs earbuds, I would never use earbuds again due to the harm they can do to your ears. I used to wear them hours at a time on my bicycle, but never any more.
The easy way of visualizing the buds are they are like a laser beam of sound locked into your ear canal and just wearing out your ears, the cans have an envelope of air around them that moves and is more relaxing on the ears.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I do a large percentage of my listening on headphones - Sony Sony MDR1AM2 headphones powered off PC audio (but it's a X-Fi Titanium HD, not motherboard audio) at home when the ladyfriend is asleep or doing something. At work I use Sennheiser HD598s powered by a Sony UDA-1, mostly streaming off Spotify / Google Music / Amazon Music.

Both are pretty satisfying, to be honest, although I prefer speakers.

I own Sennheiser HD700. Never use them, just a hassle, however they are good and I think it's just a matter of habit to get into useing them.
Having done a lot of studying on headphones vs earbuds, I would never use earbuds again due to the harm they can do to your ears. I used to wear them hours at a time on my bicycle, but never any more.
The easy way of visualizing the buds are they are like a laser beam of sound locked into your ear canal and just wearing out your ears, the cans have an envelope of air around them that moves and is more relaxing on the ears.
View attachment 38304

There's also the debate between open back and closed back cans. I've only used closed back, just haven't had a chance to try a good pair of open backs.

 

[bluelightning]

My first decent pair of headphones was a Grado SR-60, which I used for many years. I now use an Audio Technica ATH-50x. I almost entirely use these at work with my smart phone to play music. I need music to focus at work, otherwise I am like a fish out of water .I also have a pair of Sennheiser HD518's which my spouse uses occasionally. I very rarely use headphones at home though. I need to feel my music, not just hear it.

 

[César]

I've got what was Denon's flagship at the moment: the AH-D7000. They sound amazingly good and I sadly have to use them a lot (yes, I favour speakers over headphones) as most of my scarce spare time is late at night when it's impossible to use the speakers at a decent volume.
The only drawback I found is that the speakers need quite some mAmps to be driven effectively and my previous Denon receiver had some troubles, up to the point I had to buy a separate valves headphones amp. Now my Marantz has no issues with them.

 

[Tornado Red]

A month or two ago I did a little home work on over the ear, bluetooth, noise cancelling headphones. Use 'em at the gym and home, mostly listening to hi res Tidal. Ear buds were no longer an option as they all started bothering my ears, not the sound but physically. I narrowed it down to the Sennheiser HD1 (formerly Momentums), Bose QC 35 Series II and Sony WH1000XM3. They were all very close. I found the Senns were the better built of the 3, and ended up with them.... but really solely based on a terrific price I got which was almost $200 off the regular price. All things like price being equal, I thought the Sonys were the clear winners, slightly better sound wise and probably the best noise cancelling. Just my experience, YMMV

 

[LuvMyQuad]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned electrostatics yet. I always lusted after a pair, but never owned any.

And all that headphone gear Oppo was marketing too....

 

[hafquark]

I agree that speakers are the best way to listen, but sometimes I need to use headphones for privacy's sake, analytical listening, or in the bedroom where there is only a disc player and Asgaard headphone amp.

I have a pair of Grado SR-80 phones bought around 20 years ago that I still use occasionally at the desktop PC; an in-ear pair of Zero Audio carbo Tenores only used when outside in the spring and summer while doing yard work; and my best pair for general listening, the Grado 325i. I also have a pair of Koss Pro 4AAs bought in the early seventies that I never use, just keep them around for the nostalgia factor -- wearing those Koss cans is like having a vice-grip on your head

 

[Mesozoic Mike]

I use headphones when my wife has gone to bed.
Sennheiser HD 600. Easy to wear for long periods of time and I have always gone with Sennheiser after trying Koss, Sony, and Beyerdynamic.
Don't get me started on Skullcandy or Beats.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I agree that speakers are the best way to listen, but sometimes I need to use headphones for privacy's sake, analytical listening, or in the bedroom where there is only a disc player and Asgaard headphone amp.

I have a pair of Grado SR-80 phones bought around 20 years ago that I still use occasionally at the desktop PC; an in-ear pair of Zero Audio carbo Tenores only used when outside in the spring and summer while doing yard work; and my best pair for general listening, the Grado 325i. I also have a pair of Koss Pro 4AAs bought in the early seventies that I never use, just keep them around for the nostalgia factor -- wearing those Koss cans is like having a vice-grip on your head

Yeah, I had a pair of Koss long, long time ago; used em till they just fell apart

 

[windhoek]

Headphones are great when it comes to listening to music in mono as there's no chance of one channel being out of sync with the other (hearing defects notwithstanding) due to uneven speaker distances or room reflections or whatever. Music in mono is simply mainlined straight to the brain from both ears at the same time at the same level to create a perfectly centered sound.

 

[John Svensson]

I think the gentleman from German South West Africa was getting at Mr. Pup's part two question on spatial effects.....I haven't owned headphones since I sold off my quad cans and hung up my old Koss ones at least 15 years ago so I have nothing to recommend, but given a good mono mix you can definitely sense three dimensional effects in the music, to me.....mainly instruments to the fore or rear, not so much left/right as in stereo. Try a well recorded Rudy van Gelder jazz side. I'd be interested to know if that is the case though phones also.

 

[EHughes]

Hi EHughes, how do think the Sennheisers sound compared to the B&Ws?

I like the Sennheisers better. B&Ws are good but the Sennheisers sound a little better. Nice top end sound not real bright, Better soundstage. Some say they are lacking in bass but I don't hear that at all. I think bass is just fine. All of this(IMO) as always.

 

[EHughes]

In other words very neutral. YMMV

 

[CPR]

Etymotic Research ER 4XR's; been a big fan for 10+ years; no booming bass; just clear natural, non-corrupted bliss!
Waiting for ER to release WIRELESS buds in 2019

 

[jefe1]

Grado SR325 open back very clear sound although I don't use them a lot.

 

[DoctorO]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned electrostatics yet. I always lusted after a pair, but never owned any.

And all that headphone gear Oppo was marketing too....

I have an old set of Stax electrostatics with their dedicated amp plugged into my vinyl player. I love them for the vinyl, with the openness and clarity. Now, I will alarm the purists, but last year I added a tone control unit in the playback loop to bring up the low end a bit on certain recordings. Now I use the Stax much more.