HEADPHONE TIER LIST
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- Опубликовано: 11 ноя 2020
- The Headphone Tier List. See each tier down below.
S
- Abyss AB1266 Phi TC - amzn.to/3lo3evN
- Focal Clear - amzn.to/3lrL4co
- Sennheiser HE-1 - en-us.sennheiser.com/sennheis...
A
- Hifman HE1000SE - amzn.to/35pq8xn
- Hifiman Arya - amzn.to/3lpiKYm
- Sony ZR1 - amzn.to/3piTFR7
- Focal Elex - massdrop.7eer.net/aDBJb
- Abyss Diana Phi - amzn.to/35nsE7i
- Abyss Diana V2 - abyss-headphones.com/products...
- Audeze LCD-X - amzn.to/2IwuBp7
- Audeze LCD-4 - amzn.to/3podE0E
- Audeze LCD-2C - amzn.to/38As4Vy
- Hifiman Sundara - amzn.to/38DlNbI
B
- Sennheiser HD560s - en-us.sennheiser.com/hd-560-s...
- Sennheiser HD800S - amzn.to/3lt0dKE
- Sony Z7 M2 - amzn.to/3krauWi
- Drop PC38X - massdrop.7eer.net/nOJMR
- Modhouse Argon - www.modhouseaudio.com/argon-m...
- Focal Utopia - amzn.to/3pkqOfh
- Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro - amzn.to/38yIhe3
- Hifiman HE400i (2020 version) - amzn.to/2UkyG28
- Audeze LCD-2C - amzn.to/38As4Vy
C
- Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 2 - amzn.to/2GWbpk0
- Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro - amzn.to/2Ity7AH
- Drop Panda - massdrop.7eer.net/qQmyn
- Philips X2HR - amzn.to/3eRZ7FL
- Philips SHP9600 - amzn.to/2JWHbhP
- Monoprice M1060 - amzn.to/3picN1E
D
- Drop HE5XX - massdrop.7eer.net/KVYJA
- Hifiman Deva - amzn.to/3picST0
- Emotiva GR1 - emotiva.com/collections/headp...
E
- Koss Porta Pro - amzn.to/3nlbtJH
- Monoprice M1060C - amzn.to/38AVfYw
F
- Sennheiser HD820 - amzn.to/3ePqyzY
- Fidelio X3 - amzn.to/2IrobHO
These are my genuine recommendations in various categories. They are affiliated links that help pay for this youtube channel at no additional cost to you.
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Timestamps:
1:05 - Philips SHP9600
1:25 - Philips Fidelio X3
1:47 - Philips Fidelio X2HR
2:02 - Sennheiser HD560s
2:49 - Focal Clear
3:59 - Sennheiser HD800S
4:20 - Sennheiser HD820
4:29 - Monoprice M1060
5:14 - Sony Z1R
5:32 - Drop THX Panda
6:04 - Audeze LCD-4
6:24 - Sendy Audio Aiva
6:43 - HiFiMAN Deva
6:43 - Drop HE5XX
7:26 - Koss Porta Pro
7:51 - Audeze LCD-X
8:39 - Abyss Diana Phi
8:58 - Emotiva Airmotiv GR1
9:33 - Sony MDR-Z7M2
9:58 - Modhouse Argon Mk3
10:34 - Sennheiser HE-1
10:47 - Abyss Diana V2
11:00 - Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC
11:40 - Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro
11:55 - Drop PC38X
12:30 - Focal Utopia
12:47 - Monoprice M1060C
13:10 - Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 2
13:44 - Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro
14:01 - HiFiMAN Arya
14:35 - HiFiMAN HE1000SE
14:54 - HiFiMAN HE400i (2020 version)
15:12 - HiFiMAN Sundara
15:25 - Audeze LCD-2C
Thank you! Really expected the uploader to add this himself.
Hero!
3:07 focal elex
Thank you!
THX Cap!!
Here's an idea: throw the prices and value for money out the window and do a list purely based on sound.
Then you'd have unattainable headphones.
@@johnmc3862no, you’d have a solid product to save for.
Why don't you do a review channel?
True
@@Barnsey87 melt
I really like the lights, contrast and color on the whole scene in your video. It's like super neutral, fresh and faithful. It reflects the nature of what you want to portray as a reviewer. Keep it up!
Hey Josh. I really appreciate you putting this list out as people are getting their wallets ready for the upcoming Black Friday sales. Thanks for making a list to help us to make better purchase decisions.
Love this style of video! I personally don’t think your setting needs much of a change, your clean channel aesthetic is a breath of fresh air tbh (I love seeing your bike in frame though, haha)
I like the setup. The simplicity is definitely appealing, and the 2 sound panels up above would look great.
And remember, you never have to commit. You can always change things whether by little or a lot, whenever you want to.
Love the list!!!
Would be cool if you did a closed, semi closed and open tier list!
Thanks for that honest review. I think both Meze's 99 classics and Empyrean are worth mentioning!
Thank you for putting the list in the description
So grateful you put this tier list out! Great way to get condensed reviews about most of these amazing headphones, although I also enjoy watching every individual review of each one. I've been eyeing out the DT1990 Pro for a long time, and seeing you put it in B-tier has helped solidify my future 1st audiophile purchase. Now I just need to learn more about building a budget sound system to power it.
Oh how did they turn out for you? Was heavily considering getting one it really seems to fall really close to what i want out of a headphone while also being one of the more affordable ones on the list
@@Thee_Jadex Hey man, I haven't been able to purchase the headphones, along with a whole sound system to go with it, due to covid and world issues making living expenses worse for me (and for everyone). Still want to get them one day tho. Hope you can get a pair for yourself.
@@rayndooma5624 Oh that sucks ): and ya i actually placed the order for the headphones a little bit ago, now im in the midst of trying to find a adquate ampifier for it :P
@@Thee_Jadex Enjoy it my friend!
@@rayndooma5624 Review time?
"price is no object"
First headphone: shp 9600
Because it's good for its price
Yeah, exactly. And second one, Fidelio, was tier F because "it's not worth the money".
Joshua could've been a little more clearer on how these headphones are actually ranked. Still an interesting video though. However I think price-performance ratio is such an subjective thing that it would be best to make tier list purely based on performance and then let each individual form their own opinion on what they consider good value.
Also props for putting your list in description.
Well, he did say “not as the defining feature” and “open to any reason,” “if I like the price,” etc. So, he addressed that.
i noticed that lol
The reason why this is a big deal because I wanted to see how reviewers think of cheaper headphones and how the sound quality compares to the more expensive one without the price factor.
@@BladeSaliva well, overall, most things would remain the same. The only changes would be cheap items moving down a tier (like C/D to D/E) and maybe one or two of the pricey A-tiers moving to S.
I almost feel like you needed more tiers here. Something between A and S (or an S+ tier) to help give some more separation in the top side of the list. (like phi vs v2 vs 1266)
Thanks for this video, i appreciate your insight and rankings, as a newbie scrub with not a ton of money its really helpful to have links and comparisons
Nice list, although I think it would be cool if you split open back and closed back into different reviews and have tiers based on that category.
Thanks - another great video. From your earlier videos I thought you preferred the LCD-X over the Clear, so I was surprised to see them ranked the other way around.
I think lighting wise you made it super clean and minimal so having some textures on the wall would add a little bit of depth while still feeling minimalistic (especially if you stick to white/gray/black sound panels that could be 3D)
An interesting approach that I like. Comparisons are the most valuable type of review. I personally liked the Raal SR1A better than any of the others on this list, with Focal and Audeze being disappointing for me personally. I actually prefer the HD800 to them. The HD800 was bright, but I enjoyed them more than the Focal and Audeze. A hole in my experience is that I need to own an Abyss and live with it, but have not yet done so. I returned my LCD4, which had audible dips in the treble response.
Thanks. Nice to see my personal favorite and daily driver in S tier (the focal clear). I like it so much more than the Arya - which I bought over the focal clear because of your reviews and returned.
What makes you prefer the clear ?
Is the Seperation in the clear as good as the arya ?
@@davidmason8212 the arya fakes its soundstage by huge dips and peaks in the highs and mid-highs. That makes it seem like it’s a detailed headphone, but everything just sounds unnatural. I was super disappointed at how bad the Arya is. Also the arya has way too little bass for me, but that can be fixed with an EQ. Generally I would call the Arya a scam.
The focal clear has excellent detail and bass and separation. It even has soundstage for bass. Except for sometimes a little bleeding from bass to mids in bass heavy tracks at high volume it is near flawless in terms of sound. I don’t like the cable and for my big ears the pads could be a bit thicker, but I really like it. And it’s a beauty.
So funny ahah! I’ve owned the Clear and i actually prefer the Arya so far, more soundstage, more trasparency... Personal preference! Overall however i don’t understand why Josh put the Arya in the A when he always claimed them “the best so far”. So confusing
Good video, and I really appreciate your expertise. If you are going to do this again, I’d suggest the tiers being more strictly performance, and then separate each tier horizontally by the value assessment. Thanks.
You've done an incredible job setting up your studio for your videos in the past, so however you choose to set it up is going to be perfect
gotta appreciate the work he puts into getting all the info you need in the description
great vid! just one question, why didnt u put any of the sennheiser 600 series on the list?
I'm happy you released this. The other headphone lists out there don't have enough hi fi phones or if they do there's not a lot of cans to compare. Great vids as always Josh
Glad to see DMS has gotten to the point with his channel where he can now influence other youtubers to try new stuff, mad love for the both of you guys and I'm glad to see the channels grow.
Joshua has a really cool, casual and informative approach though, I've watched 2 of DMS videos and I've seen some of his comments and it just screams asshat to me. Can't take him seriously haha
@@joelsantos662 agreed dms sucks.
I think your background looks good. I like the minimalism of it and it allows me to focus on you and what you have to say.
I prefer when he had the bike back there, it added some color
@@houssamalucad753 true true he could color his treatment maybe
Or does it
Because you came down here to mention it /jks
Agreed. Sound panels would be C/P what DMS uses, IMHO it is better to stand out and do something unique. However, I do recognize the need for a change over time... Improve on the simplicity I'd say. :)
I think it needs a pop of colour, could use LED light bars like Dave2D, would keep the image clean but add flexibility for lighting and would allow you to keep the set fresh.
Woulda liked to see the DT770 pros on here, considering the price to performance on them, but overall great vid. As for the setup, I actually really like it, I just think it needs more color, which I do think you can fix with lighting. I think Alpha Gaming is a great reference since his setup greatly relies on color, so using some concepts from his setup such as flood lights or RGB strips would be very beneficial in just making the setup more appealing to the eye
HD660s arent here either x(
Honestly - no point really. Abyss Diana V2 are in the "A" tier on this list - its a terrible set that I would not even put in a "C" tier. That is how weird they sound, there are other questionable placings on this list, which I have owned. So take this whole list with a grain of salt and then throw it away.
A while back, I was thinking of buying the DT770 Pros, but many of the opinions I read on line had complaints about the left side going out. I ended up getting the DT880 Pros, which sound quite good. The left ear went out once a while after using them, but I sent them to have them fixed, and they came back in less then a week with new pads and no charge. I haven't had an issue with them since, and they are a few years old.
@@perma4671 semi-open back
lol imagine dt 1990's being in b tier
The thing about the Porta Pros is that they sound big for their driver size and low price, and most important, are FUN! Yeah, they're obviously not detail monsters and the bass, while decently tight, sounds kinda muddy with the lower mids and lacks in the lowest region, but everything sounds distinctive. The imaging is good, and overall, they just hit hard. Music sounds like a party through them. I gifted mine to my niece and have been wanting to buy them again even though I have A tier headphones. You can just put them on and not worry about audiophilia nervosa. The Koss marketing copy says, "Whether you’re listening at home or on the go, the Koss Porta Pro delivers all the excitement of a live performance." and that's precisely what I thought of them even before reading that.
Just ordered my 2020 Sundara following a few of your reviews. Thanks for the great channel man!
Amazing content!
How would you rate Audeze EL-8 Open? Have you tried the reveal+ EQ?
Thanks
This should definitely be an annual thing! Would love to see more Audio Technica products in future reviews as well seeing as the AD 700X, 900X, and 1000X are incredible gaming cans (Superb imaging and soundstage!)
And r70x
The simplicity of the look of your videos is definitely one of the reason i like your content josh, soo I'm voting for simplicity!
Came here looking for validation on my Sundara purchase a couple months back (and was not disappointed!). Really good and concise presentation for people trying to get an overview of where everything stands among the many headphones you’ve reviewed. Thanks!
And hifiman ananda? Whats their category?
Great in depth review but when the brand isn't always mentioned and just model numbers it's of no use to people who are not as knowledgeable...just saying
check the description
@@erikerikerikerikerik I still think he has a fair point. I'm not an audiophile like most but I would like to get a good pair of headies. Think the vid would have improved if he just went by brand if he wanted to save time not going "x headphone from Y brand belongs to this tier"
@@2slowpoke929 yeah totally the vid would be better if he said the brand, i’m just saying the info is still there
love your videos man thanks! I picked up a sundara thanks to your recommendation pair with the ifi zen dac.. really enjoy them! I would say your current studio set up is tooo minimalist... it feels like your in an empty room... waiting for your furniture to arrive...
This was a fun video to watch. Your quick and dirty stacking of these cans was well executed. Curious, why wasn't Meze stacked ranked? Also, regarding the background, it looks good. I like the clean look and believe it will look even better the acoustic panels on the wall. You can also play with lighting and add colors. I look forward to see how the set progresses. Cheers.
I prefer the minimalist background myself. Keep up the good work!
Man, you need to dig into the bag of discontinued headphones like the HD700 or the Focal Elegia. Old gems that still stack up aginst the new ones we have today.
Great and insightful video. Any chance we can get a video of your top DAC + Amp picks to pair with each headphone in the S and A ranks?
I think ima pick up a Sundara now lol, also I LOVE the super minimalist and clean background
Joshua at the beginning of the video: ''I will not consider the price per performance''.
Also Joshua at 1:32: ''Yea it's not good for the money''.
Lol i said price not -necessarily- the defining feature.
@@JoshuaValour 0:45 Got you covered
Delete price from the video, then reupload
@@JoshuaValour I believe most are rated poorly by you to be brutally honest . Totally unfair to the manufacturers, and potential buyers. No standardized testing. Utopia is B tier with the 560s... which the 560s are basically headphones that are designed for children and teens.
@@JoshuaValour just delete the price is no object part because clearly price is an object here
I literally JUST got the SHP9500, and have to say they sound rather natural. Soundstage is pretty good, too.
Love the space as is (maybe hang the panels as you said), love the clean look.
Nice video! I think the panels in the back are great. For me it's not too boring, it's great. You could just put a small plant on the table if you think it is too boring, that would be nice tho
I really wanted to see Sennheiser HD 660S, Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro and Amiron Home in that list!
DT-1990s are on there. If you know where those stack up then you basically know where the DT-770s stack up.
my uncle beats me
@@phyternl where
660s amazing
@@cottage_pie it stops when you overgrow him, make him regreat
Hey Josh, great review. For the Focal Clears, do you use the unbalanced cables they came with and an adapter for balanced, or just the regular SE?
The background is actually quite nice. I think what you could do is mount the panels as like a "base" setup, then add in stuff on videos you feel more passionately about (e.g. the massive amp on a speaker stand)
Love the vid, very helpful, Great to see my sundaras at the top. I actually bought them based on your recommendation.
I've watched your videos and given your top recommendations in the description this tier list makes no sense at all. So you recommend people buy the DT 1990 Pro and yet you rank it lower than the Sundara and on the same rank with HD 560S? Were you taking into consideration the money after all? :/
Could you do a tier list for DAC/Amp combos? Or recommend the best DAC/Amp combo between $100-$150?
Thanks for listing all of the ranked headphones in your video notes -- with additional URLs. Very helpful.
Too complex to make a simple list.
Mqa vs non mqa
1 input, 2, 3?
Non balanced ins outs?
Balanced ins outs?
Portable size vs desktop?
Potentiometer build and feel ??
Click buttons vs screen and remote?
Clear plexiglass vs plastic vs metal chassis?
And that's just the tip.
Zeos did a video and had 9 "stacks" and said they're All good just pick one and you'll be fine. Kinda agree unless you have A tier and S Tier money to spend. In which case your A tier and S tier money can buy you 9 stacks to try and keep the one you use the most.
Simple frame and background are awesome. You and Dave 2D rock the look. Just have something that's very "Josh" in the corner like a stamp ;)
Hi Joshua, great channel! Amazing presentation style and content! *Question* : Have you verified the performance of HD820 (closed ones) with Dekoni (or equiv.) pads in terms of low and mids? I'd expect that the closed ones would do better in these areas of freq resp compared to the open ones. Strangely, you've placed the 800s pretty high tier-wise and dropped the closed version to the botttom. Are the 800s so much better than the original 800? From memory, the original open ones (HD800) were plain poor in terms of mids... Thanks
I hope there will be a deal for the LCD X or the Clear on Black Friday 😃 and yes i like a minimal studio set up.
Can anyone explain to me why "S" is the top tier? I never understood this.
www.fanbyte.com/features/s-rank-gaming/
"S" has been classified as even better than "A" for easily 10+ years now. If A means excellent S would be outstanding or "in any way superior".
Also I just recently found your channel. Absolutely great content. Thank you so much
"Super"
"S" is a superlative academic grading given in Japan for 90 - 100%.
It was something the Japanese gaming industry came up with. No one knows the real reason why, but most assume it means Superb or something similar.
I think the simple look in the background is cool, but I feel like in other videos I really enjoyed seeing you around things, especially some of your older ones, it's like snatching a little bit of your personality with your backgrounds into your videos. Either way, the videos are still gonna be awesome and very clean aesthetic wise. :3c
Hi josh, great video as usual.
I was wondering if you'd be interested in making a closed back headphone tier list.
Cheers.
Any chance of reviewing Beyer dynamic T1 and T5 3rd gen ?
Hi Joshua, where would you put the Focal Stellias and the ZMF Verite closed?
He had missed the both of them. But had included boutique headphones that I've never heard of like Diana Phi and Sandy Aiva.
Making a tier list is a great way to see your preference and it becomes a quick list for people with same preference. It's your personal tier list so other one's list may be different.
The clean aesthetic you typically have for your background and b-roll is part of your brand, at this point. So a minimal background with just some panels fits that.
Great video man.. For someone who thinks Tier lists are stupid, you did an excellent job.
Maybe do a tier list for headphones under 300 dollars
What tier is the 6XX? That's most people's reference, so would be useful to know where you rank it.
B all day.
@@JoshuaValour why would you leave out one of the most popular and praised headphone? Just curious.
@@JoshuaValour hd58x b aswell?
@@gamingfish6773 probably A. Based off his video with dms he thinks the 58x is better value then the 6xx and you don’t gain a lot for the money with the 6xx. At least that is what he has said
@@jacksonpitts6198 but this tierlist not about value, only performance
Hi! You guys might help me here.
I bought the Sundarars and a Ifi Zen dac. I wanted to plug my headphones to the balanced output so I bought an extra 3.5mm female to 4.4mm male jack adaptater. The problem is that it got worse, so much worse... there was a buzz sound and the music got all messed up. Si I send back my adaptater thinking it had an issue... So my question is : is the Sundara stock cable balanced ? Do I just have to get a working 3.5mm to 4.4mm adaptater to use the Ifi zen dac balanced output? Thanks. Hope someone find this message
I got myself a focal clear after watching your review. And you are so right about it! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thanks for this ranking.
I really love the Audio-Technica ATH-ADX-5000, I would rate them between HE-1 and HD-800.
It would be nice to see your opinion, if you find time you should test them.
the 5000 is amazing
Adx 5000 is so underrated.
I own these cans too, total neutrality without harshness...
Very good base response , airy,
and a bigger driver than the hd800.
58 mm.
But sadly no one talks about this masterpiece....
@@m.b.6129 I think it's because it's from Audio Technica which has strong consumer and prosumer roots but it's audiophile appeal is stronger in Japan. I'm honestly gobsmacked at their wood series offerings and of course the adx-5000 which easily equals the best headphones out there and I've heard the Abyss and Utopia.
Hehe ya had to do one all by yourself xD
I'm actually glad you did, but Josh for once I'm so early on a vid, i would love to ask if you could always answer two small questions for each review... Can it game and can it locate the footsteps accuratly?
What would you recommend as a good closed back 'clear & analytical' set for under $400? Thanks mate!
Great video! Would you consider doing another one in the future, including perhaps twice as many headphones?
This video just verified my purchse of the Clear over LCD-X or Arya. Thank you. :)
IMHO sound panels are "overdone". I'd say keep the minimalism and continue improving on it.
Do you regret it?
@@jacksonville4932 No. Enjoying it, even dialed in ASR EQ which felt like putting a cherry on top. :)
@@DBSTH0R so its the best audiophile in your opinion?
@@kelvinadimas8851 At the time of my purchase, there wes no LCD-X or XC with revision of their FR. If I was buying today this is the one I'd get.
As far as best goes... Haven't tried nearly as many headphones as Josh here. So can't answer that question. :)
How would you rank the Focal Elegia?
thank you for the list. helps in the decision
Hello, your channel seems super good to me, I want to ask you what do you recommend to buy for mixing and music studio master? the t1 2 generation or the DT 1990 pro? which are better? thanks for your channel 👊🏼👊🏼🙏🏻🙏🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🤟🏻
where would you place the Meze Classic 99's ?
You should have included Drop aeon x my man and if u did what tier would u put it in
Quite surprised after all these years you're still putting the MDR-Z1R at such high regard, I am really interested in the MDR-Z1R too
Using the PC38X, I find them a little bit bright for music listening,, but I love the clarity and sound stage for gaming. I am wondering if a dac/amp would help warm-up the sound. I am plugged directly in the mother board. But then, there are many choices for DAC/Amps, choosing one without trying it, is kind of an expensive hit or miss thing. Was looking at the Mayflower ARC2 and schiit Hel, but recently found the Motu M2 audio interface that looks pretty slick. It would be super nice to have dac/amp comparaison with the PC38X, finding the best one for gaming. MIC needs gain! directly in the mother board, it is weak, like really weak.
I'd really like to hear your thoughts on HEDDphone
I just got the Focal Clears and hooolllyyy crap! I’m hearing things in some of my favorite songs that I’ve never heard before! My wife said they are creepy hahaha.
first days with these headphones I almost constantly hummed along in joy. Truly great headphones
How are they still? From both of you
@@franciscowilhelm1083 .
@@jacksonville4932 love em. I’m constantly blown away by these things!
@@jacksonville4932 Still greatly enjoy them, makes the music sound really alive! I had the chance to compare them recently to my friends Sennheiser HD 800s and I would not trade my Focals for them. Otherwise due to Covid I don't have any other headphone in the same league to compare it with. I think the Focal hits the sweet spot in terms of being not too analytical but still neutral sounding.
Nice video. I'd add the most common headphone that people are the most likely to be familiar with. I mean, you have a few there, but for many people the less familiar ones may be a bit alienating in the lower tiers.
Basically I'd throw in a few common AKG and AudioTechnica models that people would be very likely to know pretty well, and then you will have a better established baseline. Including the PortaPro's for example was a good move. Who isn't familiar with those? They are common as dirt, and honestly I enjoy mine while walking the dog with my Fiio BTR3K DAC, being light and airy and open and detailed, but totally accept where they rank here relatively to the much higher end stuff. They make for a good baseline though.
As for the set, I'd just have a light behind you pointing at the ceiling and wall behind you and be done with it.
Thanks for the review Joshua, have you tried or what do you think about the Grado Labs SR324e? I don't see many people review their models (or this model in particular) and interested to know your thought.
DT1990 tier B!!! Happy with my purchase 1 year ago and my decision was made thanks to your review ;)
I bought mine for the same reason.
I love mine too... In a tier list for closed headphones it would definitely be A or even S...
Pad swap should put them at A Tier.
@@i1pro but they're open, not closed?
Woah DMS, looks like the gym has been working out for you.
LMAO
Do an amp tier list next! Also to your question at the end, I really like the simplicity but I think having something thrown in to mix things up (like a light in the background for some bokeh effect) check out Optimum Tech's videos for how he introduces a bit of that into an otherwise very minimal space to make things just a bit more unique. I really love the channel too man, great info! I would say more info on how these headphones make you feel / your personal taste in music and approach would help make things more definitive to me personally when listening to your reviews though. (IE: "I like electronic music or R&B, these headphones are better for that R&B while these other headphones are better for electronic due to X" just a thought)
Good morning Joshua, congratulations on your always numerous and interesting reviews. I am writing to you from Italy, I bought the philips SHP9600 headphones to connect them to the smartphone and listen to the dac with Tidal that I use when I go walking or running. I was a bit disappointed in the tone, personally I find the bass very good, the mids slightly backward, the highs I don't hear, they are far behind compared to the whole range. At home I have compared them with the HiFiman Jade 2 and its amplifier and with the sennheiser amperior which cost much less but I find them more balanced tonally. Best regards.
I'm so happy the Sundaras managed to hit A tier. Looking at the other headphones up there and their costs, it's really impressive what Hifiman manages to provide for like $350.
What is a good AMP to pair with the Sundaras?
Where does the Audio Technica M50/beyer DT 770/AKG K712 place? Do they place at all?
I looked up "ATH-M50XBT" on RUclips and got recommended this video... _for me._ -.-'
Second that for the K712 Pro, it's arguably unbeatable for price / performance.
@@MusicLover-01 I much prefer the Hifiman Sundara over the K712 and the Sundaras are cheaper.
@@weyderwarr In the UK Sundara are more expensive c.£300 and the AKGs are c.£200.
Do you really notice the difference between akg and sundara ? I've bought akg k500 mk2 a few years ago and I'm pretty satisfied because it was my first audio headphone. I was considering to upgrade soon as it broke it in one side and the Sundara looks very appealing.
Would love to see Budget Tier listing. Like Samson SR850, Status CB-1, even the SHP-9500.
Great video Josh! Where do the 58x (stock) fit into this tier list?
I saw the thumbnail and thought you were Lew in his old studio set up.
Does the Focal Clear really belong in S tier? I seem to remember you preferred the Arya and LCDX over the Clear at the end of your review of the Clear? Correct me if I'm wrong.
Yeah, it has a pretty crap soundstage lol. I've owned them.
@@DrPmach i bought them two days ago. you are kind of right in the soundstage department it is like a wall of sound coming to you at the same time. however the cons stops right there and everything else is very good for what it does. also imo the clears are too warm for my liking. of course the details are all there and you can listen to anything and it will sound good. not going to lie i would also want to get the aryas to complement this ones
@@rafael6693 totally! I then went to the Aryas and although they are great, they aren’t as fast as the clear. Ultimately, I’ve found my end game in the Sony MDR-Z1R. Nothing comes close for me in terms of music enjoyment. Crazy big soundstage as a closed headphone.
@@DrPmach what do you think were the biggest differences you saw as soon as you bought the aryas from the clear?
@@rafael6693 Arya has better instrument separation, much wider soundstage, and better bass and mid base. Clear is faster as it’s a dynamic. Overall, I enjoyed the Arya much more than the clear. That being said, they’re both really good.
Setup looks good mate!
Great Video. Where would you put the Beyerdynamics T1 (3. Gen)?
What do you think of the Ananda? My thoughts are A tier as well, but every HiFiman is there already.
He said once ananda is all grown up sundara.
So yes A tier for sure
ooooh shizzle our boy valour is on the tier train! Just got the focal clears off headfi for $500 and in pretty decent shape. Buy of the year for me!
Luky you
Really want to try the clear vs my incoming auteur. The used prices are right for me
Congratulations! Nice buy!
You did a great job with this video. It took an enormous amount of research to be able to say some thing about all these headphones. Color me impressed.
I haven’t heard near the amount of headphones that you’ve been able to, but the Sennheiser HD 600 is still my favorite out of the Sennheisers I have heard.
No it's cheap plastic crap
@@dr.angerous 😲
It would be nice for me if I could hear up as far as 16Khz, anyway, I love the Sundara's paired with some Schitt stuff....Keep up the good work..
You did a review for the k712 pro a while back I just wonder where you would rank it on this list?
If you eq within Oratory1990's profile, I would say it hits between A and B tier. I am comparing to Elex which I listen to without eq'ing.
For me K712 would be C, but I like K612 more
@@pliedtka Yeah, I hear ya. Have you eq'd them though using oratory1990's or equivalent? You have almost the same soundstage coupled with a lot more bass and midrange. That's why I put them at B-A.
@@pliedtka Like the K712 more, but liked k612 over K701 and 702
I did EQ them but I liked the autoeq jaakopassrn k712 profile more
I bought the lcd x after seeing a bunch of reviews, exactly all of them.. i listened to them for a few days and was convinced that they are good.. but then something interesting happened.. i really listened to them with my eyes closed.. that was the moment i realized how good they really are .. and that there is a difference between listening to music and really listening to music :-)
Fellow lcd-x owner here. Lovely headphones.
Have had my Sundaras for years and they're still some of my fav cans I own. Really excellent headphones and the build quality has held up amazingly well over countless hours of usage.
I am surprised the HD58X or 6XX are not on the list.
Since these are two mainstays in the community and would help define the baseline for Josh, having them on the list is important.
Hey Josh, Remember your "know your reviewer" video? Having the most compared headphones on the list would have been helpful.
Don't get me wrong, I am very happy the list was made.
Thank you for doing the list
Because they've been done recently in his tier list with DMS and also they've just been done to death.
They used to be around ~A, A-. These days they're considered "B".
@@ryanblack1251 these days? lol the tier list is a month old nothing has changed
@@ryanblack1251 I understand they have been "done to death."
The reason to include them is for the establishment of a baseline.
I suggest watching Joshua's "know your reviewer" video?
That explains why he should have well-known headphones on the list.
It helps establish his criteria and ranking.
@@Shayed07121997 The HD 600 series headphones, and a couple of the 500 series, are pretty much "Legendary" tier headphones. Even normal people on the street have probably know that they make headphones that are good. I've noticed that a lot of these videos are causing an almost artificial price inflation in the community imo. Some of my gear in the $250-300 range was $50-100 cheaper last year.
Exactly, Josh what happened?