[ohmy]

Hello! I'm hoping the more experienced forum users can help me narrow the wealth of available choices based on the following wants/objectives/criteria:

• I prefer to purchase second-hand to maximize value. Maybe this also means something several years old so I can actually find a pair on the used market.
• Would like to keep it under $1000.
• Open or closed? These are for an at-home office that remains pretty quiet during the day, so open are acceptable, but I have no experience with open-back headphones. What matters the most to me is the quality of the sound. If you recommend one over the other, why?
• More than aesthetics, I value durability and longevity.
• Audio chain will be PC streaming sources > Schiit Bifrost 2 > Schiit Lokius > Schiit Jotunheim 2. Hopefully it pairs well with the Jotunheim. Balanced vs SE?
• I listen to all kinds of rock, electronic, pop, instrumental, indie/folk/weird stuff, blues and jazz. So something that is well-rounded would probably be best. I can use the EQ if needed, so I don't need something bass heavy or overly sharp and analytical.
• Personal experience is preferred over hear-say, but I also appreciate links to elsewhere if you know a good source.

Thanks in advance for any responses!

 

[tesarpa]

Open or closed? These are for an at-home office that remains pretty quiet during the day, so open are acceptable, but I have no experience with open-back headphones. What matters the most to me is the quality of the sound. If you recommend one over the other, why?

Let me just mention that factor of sound isolation is two sided. In my case, I sometimes listen in quiet bedroom, so I don't need to block outside noise, but my wife could be disturbed by the sound leaking out of my headphones, if they are open.

 

[E8ArmyDiver]

Forget second hand,under $1000.00 for new & SUPERB all arounder,iBasso SR-2(or SR-1 if you can find a pair)..

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Hello! I'm hoping the more experienced forum users can help me narrow the wealth of available choices based on the following wants/objectives/criteria:

• I prefer to purchase second-hand to maximize value. Maybe this also means something several years old so I can actually find a pair on the used market.
• Would like to keep it under $1000.
• Open or closed? These are for an at-home office that remains pretty quiet during the day, so open are acceptable, but I have no experience with open-back headphones. What matters the most to me is the quality of the sound. If you recommend one over the other, why?
• More than aesthetics, I value durability and longevity.
• Audio chain will be PC streaming sources > Schiit Bifrost 2 > Schiit Lokius > Schiit Jotunheim 2. Hopefully it pairs well with the Jotunheim. Balanced vs SE?
• I listen to all kinds of rock, electronic, pop, instrumental, indie/folk/weird stuff, blues and jazz. So something that is well-rounded would probably be best. I can use the EQ if needed, so I don't need something bass heavy or overly sharp and analytical.
• Personal experience is preferred over hear-say, but I also appreciate links to elsewhere if you know a good source.

Thanks in advance for any responses!

I enthusiastically endorse Hifiman Arya. You can pick up a used pair for around $1000.

 

[E8ArmyDiver]

A few observations.A new,under $1000.00 headphone(even @$500.00ish) will absolutely outperform a used 3 year old TOTL can..Trickle down technology means looking in the middle of a line up gets you 90% of what that $3000.00 headphone gives you for half the cost..Some TOTL headphones are a beeatch to drive & need superb(expensive)amps/dacs to perform.I'm not familiar with your gear but Schiit is all over here (hahahahahahahaa couldn't resist)so I'm sure someone has stepped in it..

 

[ohmy]

Let me just mention that factor of sound isolation is two sided.

Good point. In my case this would not be an issue, but thank you!

Trickle down technology means looking in the middle of a line up gets you 90% of what that $3000.00 headphone gives you for half the cost.

All of your points are well-taken, and I had not heard of iBasso yet, so I will check them out. I'm still inclined to go second-hand, but maybe I need to narrow it down to something that's been released in the last couple years. Has the technology of headphones really changed that much recently? I'm asking honestly, I am new to this hobby. Thanks, again!

 

[ohmy]

I enthusiastically endorse Hifiman Arya. You can pick up a used pair for around $1000.

I feel like these align pretty well with what I'm looking for. Did you find them bright (harsh) to listen to at all? What was your general impression, and did you ever get a chance to compare them to something like the Audeze LCD-2? Those have piqued my interest. Thank you for the input!

 

[Death_Block]

Good point. In my case this would not be an issue, but thank you!


All of your points are well-taken, and I had not heard of iBasso yet, so I will check them out. I'm still inclined to go second-hand, but maybe I need to narrow it down to something that's been released in the last couple years. Has the technology of headphones really changed that much recently? I'm asking honestly, I am new to this hobby. Thanks, again!

Ibasso's performance/price ratio is unparalleled. that would be my choice.

 

[Deolum]

A few observations.A new,under $1000.00 headphone(even @$500.00ish) will absolutely outperform a used 3 year old TOTL can..Trickle down technology means looking in the middle of a line up gets you 90% of what that $3000.00 headphone gives you for half the cost..Some TOTL headphones are a beeatch to drive & need superb(expensive)amps/dacs to perform.I'm not familiar with your gear but Schiit is all over here (hahahahahahahaa couldn't resist)so I'm sure someone has stepped in it..

Completely wrong imo. New headphones will do nothing better than old.

I'd just go for a HD650. Good to buy used, best price performance on the market, allrounder and very durable.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

A used Focal Clear or this Audio Zenith PMx2.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I feel like these align pretty well with what I'm looking for. Did you find them bright (harsh) to listen to at all? What was your general impression, and did you ever get a chance to compare them to something like the Audeze LCD-2? Those have piqued my interest. Thank you for the input!

Yeah, I listen to similar music to you. When I bought them, I expected them to be bright. But, I pair it with a DX300 DAP which is pretty warm and it makes a perfect pairing for me. I haven't heard the LCD-2, but I am not fond of Audeze headphones. Too heavy and tuning doesn't work for me. It has great treble, big sound stage and much better bass than the HD800S which I also own. The only issue is it doesn't have the slam that something like a Focal Clear has. I would choose either Focal Clear (new) or Hifiman Arya (used) for my choice of headphones under $1000. You could also buy both of them over time and it would cover all genre. The CLEAR have great punch and slam.

 

[Levanter]

I'd go with ZMF Auteur, great all rounder plus lifetime warranty on their drivers. Focal Clear comes to mind as well but their QC isn't up to par from what i've seen...

 

[DenverW]

So I also have a set up in the office, which is generally pretty quiet as well. I generally use open back cans as I dont have coworkers close enough to bother.

One thing that I found is that some excellent headphones were great to listen to, but not at work. For example, I really like the focal clear or elex as great under 1k cans (used in the case of the OG clear). However, their sound was a bit too immediate for me at work, and he music became a distraction. I would concentrate on a song, instead of focusing on my work. If this isn’t a problem for you these are great cans for your chain.

Under 1k with great sound and less ’right there’ effect I would also recommend a used Arya, a zmf Aeolus, a zmf Atticus with suede eikon pads, an hd800 or 800s (especially if you’re listening to classical). Most of those are quite comfortable as well. I also liked the quad era1 and emu teak, but not as much as the cans listed above. Good luck, mate!

oh, and as a side note, I also completely disagree that new cans would outperform used. The only time I purchase new is if I want the warranty, such as zmf and their amazing lifetime warranty for drivers. The idea that a new $500 can is better than a used 1k is crazy to me.

 

[ohmy]

Completely wrong imo. New headphones will do nothing better than old.

I'd just go for a HD650. Good to buy used, best price performance on the market, allrounder and very durable.

Thanks for chiming in, Deolum. I understand some technologies change quickly, but I'm skeptical that headphone technology is excelling at such a pace. I think the Sennheiser HD 650 headphones seem like a good first choice, especially for someone who is inexperienced and not entirely sure what sound-signature they are looking for. After reading through the responses here, and a lot of reviews elsewhere, it seems to me that each pair of cans has its own strengths and is particularly well-suited for some music, but not all. So, it seems inevitable that I will end up purchasing a second pair at some point. My only worry with the HD 650s is that they will not live up to the rest of my audio chain. Do you think the Bifrost 2 and Jotunheim 2 combo is overkill for the 650s?

Another thought I've been having is, maybe I should buy a pair that do something my loudspeakers can't do. I listen with loudspeakers most of the time, so I'm very tempted to go with the suggested HIFIMAN Arya headphones, thinking they might deliver a totally different sound based on the planar technology, as well as a larger sense of sound-stage because each ear is totally isolated.

 

[ohmy]

So I also have a set up in the office, which is generally pretty quiet as well. I generally use open back cans as I dont have coworkers close enough to bother.

One thing that I found is that some excellent headphones were great to listen to, but not at work. For example, I really like the focal clear or elex as great under 1k cans (used in the case of the OG clear). However, their sound was a bit too immediate for me at work, and he music became a distraction. I would concentrate on a song, instead of focusing on my work. If this isn’t a problem for you these are great cans for your chain.

Under 1k with great sound and less ’right there’ effect I would also recommend a used Arya, a zmf Aeolus, a zmf Atticus with suede eikon pads, an hd800 or 800s (especially if you’re listening to classical). Most of those are quite comfortable as well. I also liked the quad era1 and emu teak, but not as much as the cans listed above. Good luck, mate!

oh, and as a side note, I also completely disagree that new cans would outperform used. The only time I purchase new is if I want the warranty, such as zmf and their amazing lifetime warranty for drivers. The idea that a new $500 can is better than a used 1k is crazy to me.

Thank you, DenverW. That's all really valuable input. I appreciate you taking the time! Having not really experienced working with headphones (at least not high quality ones), I can still relate to the distraction, but just based on the type of music. I have a playlist for music that is less lyrical and distracting for times that I'm typing and analyzing information. Do you think the "right there" sound makes the listening experience unlike listening to loudspeakers? I just posted this in another reply, but I started having the thought that maybe I should pick something that can produce an effect that my loudspeakers don't/can't create.