[eugenius]

The T1 has resonance problems and the Beyer treble spike of death (but less of it than other beyer models at least).
 
The T1 is the perfect size / weight / build quality, it has angled drivers, the center focus is better than even the HD800, the soundstage is very good for a semiclosed headphone, very nice earpads -  except ultimately it sounds like ass half of the time. Some music doesn't highlight it's shortcomings and when that happens it's good but utimately it's a huge FAIL.

 

[PTom]

I do find it a bit piercing and sibilant. Sub bass response, soundstage and imaging are great though IMO. People must have tried EQing the treble of the T1?

 

[Claritas]

  People must have tried EQing the treble of the T1?

 
Yes, it can be EQed. In fact, it can be more easily EQed than many others because that's the only god-awful spike. Moreover, the spike is located at a range we're less sensitive to (compared to the 2-4 kHz range).
 

 

[PTom]

I'm using Vox on OSX to listen to music. Now, the EQ has frequencies listed at 1K, 2K, 4K, 8K 16K. From the frequency response graph you've shown for the T1 do you think it's sufficient just to set the 8K response to say -10 dB and leave everything else unchanged or am I'm going to need something a bit more sophisticated than that?

 

[eugenius]

You can try using a  notch in your minimum phase parametric EQ of choice (mine is Electri-Q) for that treble spike. But ultimately you can't EQ out driver breakup in a single driver speaker, it'll still be there.
 
And we shouldn't encourage headphone makers by spending a crap-load of money on this kind of engineering. That spike is unforgivable in a 10$ headphone, never mind a reference anything.

 

[eugenius]

I just remembered, I studied this exact problem some months ago and the Sony MA900 was looking pretty good. Then I asked Mike@Headfonia if it's a HD600 beater and he said something that cooled my enthusiasm, that guy is always a downer. Anyway, what does he know, he thinks the HD650 sounds better than the HD600.
 
So, the MA900 - it might be what you want. If (when) I hear it I'll probably say my piece.

 

[Byrnie]

Well the Fidelio X1 has both of those things.

Do the X1's really have a bigger soundstage than the HD600s?  I find that surprising but again I haven't heard the X1's.  
 
OP:  I think you basically described the HD700's but you should get an amp to get the best results (it's only 150ohm)

 

[roguegeek]

Ugh. Unfortunately, I think the OP is describing the X1 pretty well. I'm just not a fan of that can at all.

 

[eugenius]

The HD700 is a bad joke. As for the X1 - no replaceable pads, no sale.

 

[PTom]

  Ugh. Unfortunately, I think the OP is describing the X1 pretty well. I'm just not a fan of that can at all.

I previously owned the X1, I think it's a fantastic headphone. The only criticism I have of it is that it has a u or v shaped response so the mids are lacking.

 

[PTom]

Also the X1 has a much larger soundstage than the HD600 and also it's very airy.

 

[eugenius]

I read Tyll's review of the X1 - a big bottom and an airy top does not make a HD600 type headphone. It makes a headphone tuned for modern tastes, a headphone that pleases in the short term but disappoints after you lived a while with it. Even the aforementioned MA900 is more of a modern HD650 challenger if anything ...
 
As far as I know the HD600 is the only open headphone of it's type.
 
Just take the HD600, add angled drivers for better soundstage, make the headphone more open, increase the resolution a bit, make the bass extension better while maintaining low bass distortion (no need to exaggerate or try for ultra low bass extension at all in an open headphone, you'll need a huge LCD2 type driver for that and you'll lose high frequency refinement), cure the slight peak at 3kHz and maintain the treble extension in the top octave (I've seen many headphones that lack treble extension - HD650 is one of them). Do all that and you can charge 1000$ without a problem.
 
The HD800 is SO close to this ideal .... it has a big but not enormous driver so bass quality is good, it sounds open, it has good resolution - just continue the slightly descending frequency curve after 5kHz without much wiggling and it's as perfect as I imagine it's possible.
 
I would have gladly paid 1500$ for such a headphone. Instead, the HD800 is now 1500$. Don't you love progress.

 

[nigeljames]

  I read Tyll's review of the X1 - a big bottom and an airy top does not make a HD600 type headphone. It makes a headphone tuned for modern tastes, a headphone that pleases in the short term but disappoints after you lived a while with it. Even the aforementioned MA900 is more of a modern HD650 challenger if anything ...
 

Sound more like an ex girlfriend to me than the HD600's

 

[Byrnie]

The HD700 is a bad joke. As for the X1 - no replaceable pads, no sale.

Its not a bad can but it is a little different from your typical Sennheiser. Its very detailed with a large soundstage.

 

[eugenius]

Damn right, a gf with a big bottom and an airy top would get annoying after a while.
 
Hell, even 2000$ for a fixed HD800 black edition, this time with no paint chipping sounds acceptable at this point. People buy LCD3's don't they?