Headphone Recommendations

All general audio posts go here.
User avatar
CN211276
Posts: 6522
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 9:29 am
Location: Cardiff
Has thanked: 1401 times
Been thanked: 976 times
EUROPEAN_UNION

Headphone Recommendations

Unread post by CN211276 »

The Oppo PM3s which have served me well seem to have given up the ghost and I will be on the look out for a replacement. In normal circumstances I would have a listen to a number of models in shops, but not during a pandemic. I therefore have to go on reviews, recommendations and a return option, should I not like them. I have looked on line and wireless/bluetooth seems all the rage now. I do not want the associated SQ compromise.

I am looking for suggestions. The brief is:
They cannot be closed as they will be used exclusively outside the house. (Use open Grados at home).
Portability is an important consideration as they will always be going with me when I consider it safe to travel again.
Efficiency is not an issue as the AQ DF Red / USB Audio Player Pro they will be partnered with is not short of power.
Will need to sound good with rock, much of a heavy nature.

Fire away. Thanks. :grin:
Main System
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Farnells cat 8 ethernet cable

Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ

Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat

RIP Doc

Geoff.R.G
Posts: 1562
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2016 2:46 pm
Location: Denham UK
Has thanked: 132 times
Been thanked: 476 times
Great Britain

Re: Headphone Recommendations

Unread post by Geoff.R.G »

CN211276 wrote: Mon Aug 10, 2020 11:54 am The Oppo PM3s which have served me well seem to have given up the ghost

I am looking for suggestions. The brief is:
They cannot be closed as they will be used exclusively outside the house. (Use open Grados at home).
Portability is an important consideration as they will always be going with me when I consider it safe to travel again.
Efficiency is not an issue as the AQ DF Red / USB Audio Player Pro they will be partnered with is not short of power.
Will need to sound good with rock, much of a heavy nature.

Fire away. Thanks. :grin:
Two questions if I may.
1. You say Open but the Oppo PM3 is a closed back design I assume this is a deliberate change?
2. Do you have a budget?
These users thanked the author Geoff.R.G for the post:
CN211276 (Mon Aug 10, 2020 2:44 pm)

User avatar
savvypaul
Posts: 8635
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:14 pm
Location: Durham
Has thanked: 1657 times
Been thanked: 2978 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Re: Headphone Recommendations

Unread post by savvypaul »

For 'give it some bollocks' heavy metal fun, try Beyerdynamic...
These users thanked the author savvypaul for the post:
CN211276 (Mon Aug 10, 2020 2:44 pm)
I am in the hi-fi trade
Status: Manufacturer
Company Name: NVA Hi-Fi
https://nvahifi.co.uk/

User avatar
CN211276
Posts: 6522
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 9:29 am
Location: Cardiff
Has thanked: 1401 times
Been thanked: 976 times
EUROPEAN_UNION

Re: Headphone Recommendations

Unread post by CN211276 »

Geoff.R.G wrote: Mon Aug 10, 2020 2:25 pm
CN211276 wrote: Mon Aug 10, 2020 11:54 am The Oppo PM3s which have served me well seem to have given up the ghost

I am looking for suggestions. The brief is:
They cannot be closed as they will be used exclusively outside the house. (Use open Grados at home).
Portability is an important consideration as they will always be going with me when I consider it safe to travel again.
Efficiency is not an issue as the AQ DF Red / USB Audio Player Pro they will be partnered with is not short of power.
Will need to sound good with rock, much of a heavy nature.

Fire away. Thanks. :grin:
Two questions if I may.
1. You say Open but the Oppo PM3 is a closed back design I assume this is a deliberate change?
2. Do you have a budget?
1. My silly mistake. :lol: I meant can't be open.
2. £100 - £250, but will stretch should I think it worth it.
Main System
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Farnells cat 8 ethernet cable

Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ

Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat

RIP Doc

User avatar
Fretless
Posts: 9290
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:15 pm
Location: Somewhere in Holland
Has thanked: 1487 times
Been thanked: 2280 times
Netherlands

Re: Headphone Recommendations

Unread post by Fretless »

CN, I think you will really like the Meze 99 Neo.

Closed-back with a clear and punchy character very similar to the Grado sound.

In your budget as well. :grin:

Image
These users thanked the author Fretless for the post:
CN211276 (Mon Aug 10, 2020 3:34 pm)

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro, Monolith & AQ

User avatar
CN211276
Posts: 6522
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 9:29 am
Location: Cardiff
Has thanked: 1401 times
Been thanked: 976 times
EUROPEAN_UNION

Re: Headphone Recommendations

Unread post by CN211276 »

Fretless wrote: Mon Aug 10, 2020 3:20 pm CN, I think you will really like the Meze 99 Neo.

Closed-back with a clear and punchy character very similar to the Grado sound.

In your budget as well. :grin:

Image
Good reports about the SQ on Head-fi, but unfortunatly they do not meet my portability requirements. At a similar price the Beyerdynamic Aventha Wired do and receive similar positive Head-fi SQ reports, with some of the music from Metallica. When I bought the Grados for the main system I also auditioned a pair of Beyerdynamics. It was a close call and the two, to my ears, were well ahead of the others I auditioned. At the moment the Aventhas are top of my list.
Main System
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Farnells cat 8 ethernet cable

Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ

Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat

RIP Doc

User avatar
Fretless
Posts: 9290
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:15 pm
Location: Somewhere in Holland
Has thanked: 1487 times
Been thanked: 2280 times
Netherlands

Re: Headphone Recommendations

Unread post by Fretless »

My personal out-and-about headphones are the Bowers & Wilkins P7.

Image

Big, full sound, plenty of detail, sound great with a wide variety of musical genres and I mainly listen to Rock with them.
Not sure if they are still made, could be some on Ebay.

... and they are really comfortable to wear and stay put on your head. :music-listening:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bowers-Wilkins ... 0010.m2109
These users thanked the author Fretless for the post:
CN211276 (Mon Aug 10, 2020 8:38 pm)

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro, Monolith & AQ

User avatar
CN211276
Posts: 6522
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 9:29 am
Location: Cardiff
Has thanked: 1401 times
Been thanked: 976 times
EUROPEAN_UNION

Re: Headphone Recommendations

Unread post by CN211276 »

B&W have gone down the wireless route. A shame.
Main System
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Farnells cat 8 ethernet cable

Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ

Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat

RIP Doc

User avatar
Fretless
Posts: 9290
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:15 pm
Location: Somewhere in Holland
Has thanked: 1487 times
Been thanked: 2280 times
Netherlands

Re: Headphone Recommendations

Unread post by Fretless »

My P7 is wired.

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro, Monolith & AQ

User avatar
CN211276
Posts: 6522
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 9:29 am
Location: Cardiff
Has thanked: 1401 times
Been thanked: 976 times
EUROPEAN_UNION

Re: Headphone Recommendations

Unread post by CN211276 »

Fretless wrote: Mon Aug 10, 2020 10:59 pm My P7 is wired.
You got them at the right time. I don't think the wireless ones which replaced them compare. It seems the mass market is the sole priority.
Main System
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Farnells cat 8 ethernet cable

Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ

Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat

RIP Doc

Post Reply