[razer]

If the HE-90 was 1000, how do you guys think that the rest of the above mentioned headphones would rank on a scale from 1 to 1000 against the HE-90? Production defects should not be taken into account. This is a purely SQ based question.


P.S: Take into consideration that all of the above headphones are paired up with the best AMP and best SOURCE for them...

Hey, I know this question might be kinda blunt to some, but I just want inputs from you guys, so please bear with my curiosity....

 

[ayt999]

so you are already assuming that we will think that the HE90 is the best of the bunch? how did you decide on that?

 

[razer]

Yeah, I guess so. Cause I was thinking from the what I've heard from others....Hearsay..I would say...

I haven't tried them so i cant comment.


Ok, why not phrase the question this way. On a scale of 1 to 1000, how would each of the headphones score if 1000 were to be the sound that you think a most perfect headphone should sound....

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ayt999 so you are already assuming that we will think that the HE90 is the best of the bunch? how did you decide on that?

Nothing wrong with the scale in my opinion, just rate something that you like better as 1100 or 1200 or whatever. I'd imagine that there are a number of people who would rate one or more other headphones higher than the HE90. Yet, the HE90s are probably the safest headphones, on average, to base a thread of this nature on.

I happen to enjoy the HE90/HEV90 system more so than I do most other headphone-based systems that I've heard, most of the time. What strikes me about the Orpheus system is that it just gets out of the way and lets the music through such that I forget about the system itself and simply get lost in the music without the need for a whole lot of analysis about what I like or don't like about the presentation itself, so 1000.

The R10s and L3000s often (but not always) allow this type of "so lost in the music, I forget about the headphones" enjoyment, so maybe more like 950 to 990, depending on the music. Sometimes the R10s seem bass shy. Sometimes the L3000s seem tipped up in the upper mids and highs.

The Omega II tend to be on the analytical side for me, so more like 920, and PS-1 usually strike me as bass heavy (the best bass I've ever heard from any headphones mind you, but this makes me think too much about the bass and thus takes away from the experience), so about 900.

I don't really know much about the Qualia 010 because I've never heard a properly fitted pair. From my brief listening session, I definitely got a sense of their amazing speed and transparency, but I suspect that this would draw too much attention to itself (for my tastes) in much the same way that the PS-1's excellent (but omni-present) bass does. Thus, my guess, is that the Qualia 010 would be "perfect" for certain types of music, or when I'm in the mood to have a "critical" listening session, but would not be the every day tonic that the HE90s are. How they would rate on a scale is impossible for me to say, but I'm sure I would enjoy them tremendously when I was in the right mood for them (which is true of all of these headphones, by the way).

 

[razer]

So it seems like the L3000s and R10's are really high up....

 

[raisin]

Without a doubt!

 

[Tachikoma]

Hmmm, what are the other contenders for "best headphones in the world" other than the HE90?

 

[razer]

iPod earbuds...
The HE90 cant beat them for portability, and the ability of one to trash them around and not be worried about them.

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by razer So it seems like the L3000s and R10's are really high up....

No, that's just what I think. Others may think differently, as I'm sure you would if you had a chance to spend some time with each of these excellent headphones. My views are also biased by my listening preferences and in trying to answer a thread like this, I cannot help but to generalize a bit. There are certain aspects of each of these headphones that are truly excellent, and that some people will place more emphasis on than will others. I don't mean to dismiss the Omega II or PS-1 in any way, shape, or form, but for me, the less noticable the headphones are, the better.

The HE90s completely disappear and draw no attention to themselves whatsoever. In a recent PM to me, Bangraman described it this way, "the HE90's agree tremendously with me not for what they do, but for what they don't do: They have a total inability to cause offence..." I couldn't agree more! They just get out of the way and let the music through, and this is exactly what I'm looking for. On that standard (and again, your standard may be different), I'd rate the R10 and L3000 ahead of the Omega II and PS-1, but not by a wide margin. They're all excellent in their own ways.

 

[razer]

Seems like getting any of them would not be a disappointment for me then...

 

[Nomad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ayt999 so you are already assuming that we will think that the HE90 is the best of the bunch? how did you decide on that?

That's the first thing I thought.

And where are the HP1000s or HE60s?
Or HD650s, DT880s and RS1s from SDS?
What about the Cheese phones?

Ok, I'm being picky here. An HE90/HEV90 is a good system to take as reference.

 

[KenW]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ayt999 so you are already assuming that we will think that the HE90 is the best of the bunch? how did you decide on that?

I'll put an end to all this nonsense.

Someone send me the L3000 and an HE90 setup and I'll give everyone the benefit of my tremendous and unbiased insight..........well, after a new address and name change that is.

 

[ScubaSteve87]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nomad That's the first thing I thought. And where are the HP1000s or HE60s? Or HD650s, DT880s and RS1s from SDS? What about the Cheese phones? Ok, I'm being picky here. An HE90/HEV90 is a good system to take as reference.

HE60 on the same list HE90? The HE90 has to be much better than the 60, after all 90>60 eh? Its basic math, if the number is bigger, the headphone must be better.

 

[Nomad]

The L3000 wins then, although the W5000 is about to be released!

 

[bobeau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nomad The L3000 wins then, although the W5000 is about to be released!

Right... and it's already been decided the L3000's days are numbered as the timbral properties of the Macassar ebony are clearly superior.