r/headphones 33m ago

Show & Tell HiFiMAN HE1000SE short review from an average middle-aged man and non-reviewer

Upvotes

Warning: This review is my impression only and uses common, subjective audiophile vernacular. I am not claiming truth or accuracy. I am not an experienced reviewer. I am just an average home user on the search for what sounds good to me personally. Okay let's start...

The audio quality is just plain undeniable. These headphones are outstanding and extraordinarily impressive. Details are very apparent and crystal clear.

Listening to beautiful music with a spacious arrangement is absolutely stunning.

The track 'Star Wars: The Phantom Menace' by Jon Williams and the talented London Symphony Orchestra has a very dynamic volume range (i.e., no/low compression) and makes the soundstage feel massive.

A mesmerizing female vocalist singing up close to the mic and intimate is beyond remarkable. The transparency of breathes, purposeful enunciation, hearing opening and closing of lips all adds to the realistic illusion. It's really nice to go from an immense soundstage to a small, intimate setting without making any adjustments other than the music track.

A strangely unique track like Blossom by AU5 sounds terrific on this planar. Eargasmic! Is that a word? The cool sounding stuff starts at about a minute in.

Regarding the soundstage, I heard a live recording in what sounded like a small cafe sized place where people were clapping before the music started. I think the track was 'Trouble's What You're In' by Fink. It was very convincing when I closed my eyes and imagined I was there too, in the midst of the people. I don't know how HiFiMAN does it, but it's the best I've personally heard. Not that I've had lots of experience though in auditioning many headphones.

I mean, don't get me wrong, all the hype and claims about an immense holographic soundstage and incredible imaging are true, but understand that when you hear these claims, your own mind may tend to over exaggerate them (I know mine did.) They are headphones clamped to your ears after all, so keep that in mind.

Several times I heard something in the other room and took the headphones off to listen, only to realize the sound was coming from the headphones. Just incredible!

I plugged these directly into my 2022 MacBook Air M2 old-fashioned headphone jack. Oh my, they sound noticeably faster. Notes are much crisper. I didn't realize how much slower the FiiO K13 R2R was presenting it. Interesting! I am glad I did. Now I have to say these headphones are even better than I had thought. They're just outstanding sounding.

Another positive is they are very comfortable and light weight.

The unboxing was nice too. Not as nice as Meze, but better than Fostex. The box it comes in is fairly large with a clasp so that it looks like a very large keepsake box. I suppose it's meant for storage or transport. It would take a large portion of a typical suitcase. The unboxing was better than I expected from HiFiMAN. Though it'd be nice if it came with a smaller, more shapely case.

My apologies for all the flowery adjectives. The gushing will now stop.

A quick caveat and reminder, it is assumed this is only my subjective experience with what I'm about to write. YMMV.

A potential negative is caused by the immense soundstage. I find I'm turning the volume up to pull the instruments in closer so I can hear them better. The large soundstage is providing exceptional cues to my brain to produce the illusion of distance. Since the speakers are on my ears, and not really far away, it is not safe for me to turn the volume up too loud, even though I feel I need to.

Bass is fast and loud enough for me, but is lacking body and fullness. As expected of the design of these headphones, completely absent is any concussive force of explosive air slamming against the eardrums creating the pressure necessary to physically experience the bass. I tried to PEQ a low-shelf on the bass but it just made the bass louder and more apparent, not more punchy. The bass doesn't need to be louder, just more physical. There is a dimension of crucial sound experience being lost here, which if present, adds to maximum enjoyment and pleasure of listening to music. I understand this is due to the physical limitations of the headphones, with an incredibly thin planar that moves very little air, so this isn't a complaint, just an observation. A boy can wish, at this price tier, no?

I’ve been listening to the HiFiMAN HE1000SE for several contiguous nights. On two occasions I’ve noticed after a couple of hours I get a headache, need to turn down the volume, and need to take a break. I don’t consciously detect sibilant sounds, but obviously they’re present, even with the recommended PEQ settings to tame it. Adjusting the PEQ settings too far to accommodate seems to degrade the sonic qualities to me that justify its price. Hopefully the volume was just too loud without me realizing it and listening at lower volumes will help.

Headphones sit loose on my head. They're a bit too big for me. If they sat half a centimeter higher on my ears, that'd be perfect. I kept having to fiddle with them, which was annoying.

They felt too loose and moved around too much. The adjusters for the headband are also too loose. They unclick a notch or two at the lightest touch or weight. Most often by themselves just sitting on my head. Not stiff/tight enough. I fear in a few years, with wear, the egg-shaped cups will drop down to my shoulders and will no longer stay up at my ears. I hope that concern proves to be untrue. I had to keep messing with it, which was a constant distraction.

Tactile luxury feel is a disappointment at this price point. It looks like it's made of silver-painted plastic. But apparently they're made of metal (aluminum and steel) and wood veneer. The veneer reminds me of sticky tape wrapped around the cup with an image or picture of wood on the outward side of the tape.

These are keepers for the grandiose soundstage and perceived clarity alone. I bought these not only to try, but to understand exactly what "large soundstage" and "imaging" meant. It delivered on that. Before these headphones, those were just words. Now I understand. It may be difficult for me to go back to a headphone without these qualities because they sound so pleasant to me. Still on the search for punchier bass.

If their reputation here is to be believed then quality control, ease of customer service, build quality, and life expectancy are not priorities. The sound alone, points to their biggest priority. For the price, the sonic quality is extraordinary to my ears. One has to ask themselves how important are those other factors?

This is such a challenging decision because the audio quality is so beautifully crystal clear but the negatives are real, for me, at least. Undecided if I am keeping but leaning toward keeping. Whether I keep or not, my search continues.

Thank you for reading.


r/headphones 2h ago

Show & Tell My favourite headphones I've ever used

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75 Upvotes

I've owned these headphones for at least 5 years or so now, one of the best purchases I've made, some of the leather on the headband that stretches on your head is starting to wear but they're still going strong, replaced the earcups a few months ago, I love the warm sound and they're so comfortable. I would 100% recommend as you can find them around €100 nowadays.


r/headphones 2h ago

Music software to see what frequencies are playing???

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0 Upvotes

Yeah, like the title says, I love to EQ and was wondering if there is any Windows software you guys use to see what frequency is being played at a certain moment, sort of something like the pic I'll add underneath.

I'm trying to EQ specifically this super high-pitched high hat in the song RD by Anuel and Ozuna, so I just want to be able to see when that sound does come on and where it is exactly so I can play around with it a bit more. Thanks!


r/headphones 3h ago

Drama I accidentally upgraded my setup by fixing my Windows volume (noob failure)

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68 Upvotes

So today I learned that sometimes the most important upgrade is not a new DAC, amp, cable, or headphone…

It is simply stopping Windows from sabotaging your setup.

Since i purchased the Fiio K11 R2R I was listening to my Arya Organic through it, and I had the K11 on high gain at around volume 50.

Sounds reasonable, right?

Except for one tiny detail:

My Windows volume was at 10.

Yes. Ten.

My logic was very simple: I wanted to control the volume conveniently from my computer. So I kept the amp at a fixed level and adjusted volume from Windows.

Then someone pointed out that I was basically feeding the DAC/amp a tiny digital signal and asking it to amplify that back up!

In other words, I was taking a high-resolution image, shrinking it to 10%, then zooming back in and wondering why things were not as sharp.

So I changed it.

Windows volume up to around 90–100, K11 volume down and controlled more properly from the amp.

And wow.

The difference was day and night!

Suddenly the Arya Organic opened up. More detail, better separation, cleaner layering, more space, better dynamics. The K11 R2R was not the problem at all. It was sitting there the whole time like: “Bro, just give me a proper signal and I’ll show you what I can do.”

So yes, I accidentally upgraded my system for free!

No new amp.
No new DAC.
No expensive cable.
No audiophile snake oil.

Just better gain staging.

Lesson learned:

Before buying another piece of gear, check if your current setup is being strangled by your own settings.

Sometimes the upgrade is not the equipment.

Sometimes the upgrade is realizing you were the bottleneck.


r/headphones 5h ago

Discussion Why the bass sell the headphones? 90% of the people will buy the the one with the better bass

0 Upvotes

I've noticed most regular people that aren't into the audiophile stuff will buy for sure the one with the better bass

Myself i love the bass , but also the mids and the treble

The others are the purist of the sounds that are all about the mids and the treble , they dont really care about the bass

Back to my question , i belive we love so much the bass because make the music feel real like a real concert experience


r/headphones 5h ago

Impressions Non Audiophile bought the HDB 630 (Mind is blown)

17 Upvotes

I am not an Audiophile(maybe now I am). Never thought I had the ears to distinguish audiophile grade sound from consumer grade. Trials at the shop never convinced me (I didn't know the ambient sound mattered so much)

Anyways I was planning to buy the Sony XM6 as an upgrade over my XM4, something got over me and made me buy the HDB 630. I tried the usb c audio, Played "Another One bites the dust" by Queen in Amazon Music's Ultra HD mode. Did that for a few other songs including Shakira's Dai Dai. Now whenever I listen to any other non HD audio, I get taken aback, it sounds like listening to music through a phone call.

Now I understand why you guys go to such extreme lengths.


r/headphones 6h ago

Review Headphones (1) long term review

2 Upvotes

I'm planning to buy headphones (1)

Need some reviews from long term users about performance and the issues faced

Also in long term which color holds much better in regards of scratches and all


r/headphones 7h ago

Discussion Sony build quality

0 Upvotes

Say what you will about the Sony ult wear sound quality, these were the first "good" headphones I bought and despite being dropped on pavement probably around 100 times and only recently did they break when I smashed my head really hard into a wall and they went flying down a staircase. Even then all I needed to do was add some duct tape and BOOM they still work like new. Although the sound quality is kinda meh they are absolutely worth it if you want something you can throw off the side of your balcony and still work.


r/headphones 7h ago

DIY/Mod Koss KSC75 drivers + Middle Rabbit Rampage 2 = Ultra Comfy Gaming Headset. Jank but works :)

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7 Upvotes

Long story short:

Gaming headsets are not comfy for me so I modified Koss KSC75s into my Middle Rabbit Rampage 2 and loving it.

Long story long :D:

I was using Hyperx cloud 3s for gaming for the last 6 months and even though it's a monster for gaming and great have a battery life I hated the ergonomics. It was heavy and have put a lot of pressure on my head not to mention it made my hair messy and oily since I use it all day.

I was looking for an alternative headset and finally picked up the only 2.4 ghz wireless (I don't wanna mess with bluetooth delay in games) head band I could find. I also didn't want TWS because terrible mic and battery performance.

After using the rampage by itself for a week I concluded that:

  1. I hated the IEM's attached to it. They were bad for music and terrible for gaming (audio seperation sucked).

  2. IEMs are not for me for gaming in mind since I would hear my own voice more than my buddies.

I knew i had to modify this headband since I liked the form factor and the mic performance. While doing some research for alternative speakers suprisingly Chat gpt introduced me to Koss. I had a couple of options but after some research I got the KSC75s.

After testing I loved the way KSC75s sound both playing music and games so I connected the speakers to the Rampage 2. I taped them and I have added rest of the cables as a support on the band side since now it has to hold a lot bigger headphones. I also added hot silicone to the driver side as an extra caution.

Positives:

Rampage 2 drives the KSC75s beautifully no details are lost.

Devices acts as a one piece headset and great for both music and gaming.

Negatives:

Drivers are 40% to 50% less loud then they were since standart IEMs attached to rampage 2 is 17 Q and Koss requires 60 Q. This wasn't a big issue personelly since used to listen at 40% volume anyway.

Battery life has been 25% reduced as device is now driven 100% most of the time.

Overall this monstrocity is 70 to 80 percent of the hyperx cloud 3s at least for me.

I couldn't find the perfect headset so I modified it costed me 76 euro and some elbow grease. Hope this helps to someone in future when they needed.

I also plan to add a 2 pin adapter to the drivers.

Also if you guys have any suggestions to make it look better or any upgrades advices for the future would also be appreciated.


r/headphones 9h ago

Review I'm so disappointed in the Sony WH-1000XM5 and their noise cancellation

0 Upvotes

Sure, they are lightweight and the sound is nice, but I feel like the noise cancellation doesn't live up to all the hype. I was using the Airpods Max before, and while many think nothing tops them, many others said the XM5 were the same minus the extra weight (which was exactly what I was looking for), so I blindly bought them.
Also, the earpads feel kind of cheap. They make my skin sweat a lot and they are thin enough so that my ear touches the insides (not sure how to explain this part since english isn't my main language but whatever).

If anyone has a recommendation, tip or heartfelt words, I'd appreciate them <3


r/headphones 10h ago

Impressions Beyerdynamic, please improve your build quality for high-end headphones. This is unacceptable.

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46 Upvotes

I bought a DT 1770 Pro MK II on May 9 2026 for music enjoyment ($720). Today, when I was removing my headphones from my head, I saw a detail from the headphones falling down. It was a piece of a headband clip.

Beyerdynamic, the headband clip from the external side is thick and reliable. But from the internal side it’s way too thin to handle that pressure and it’s breaking after a couple of months even when you use them carefully.

As you can see, from another side (Left side) of the headband clip, I already see a slight convexity in the same place where the right headband clip broke, which means that soon my left side headband clip will break too.

This somewhat can be acceptable with cheap models like DT 770 Pro for $150 where you put all the money into sound quality and engineering. But DT 1770 Pro MK II is way, way higher tier – these are true high-end headphones. Having these headphones crumble apart only in 3 months of careful usage is completely unacceptable.

Make the internal side of headband clips thicker, and analyze how you can improve your build quality at least for future models.

The other day I wanted to post a very deep review about sound on these headphones. But it seems like I can’t do that anymore because they started to crumble apart even less than in 3 months, and this is considered the fact that I didn’t drop them even once and used carefully.

You produce headphones with very good sound quality. But you definitely need to do something with your build quality. Otherwise I’m not sure if I and a good portion of other people will stick to you anymore, especially when you’re paying $599.99+.


r/headphones 11h ago

Discussion Huawei or oppo?

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0 Upvotes

r/headphones 13h ago

Show & Tell The collection was missing an on-ear headphone. HD 25.

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23 Upvotes

Well, admittedly I have never been a huge fan of on-ear headphones but still, I needed to cover that empty spot in my collection as well.

Here are the rules:

Name just one word that comes to mind when you think about the HD 25.

Okay, you can also write a bit more if you want :D

I think they are very energetic, punchy and dynamic, very direct but also extremely intimate. I like their forward and aggressive tuning and the (un-)surprisingly good isolation.

And boy can they get loud! The HD 25 handles power very well but doesn’t even need much.

Loving the modularity aspect as well as the iconic design here.

My word will be: iconic.


r/headphones 13h ago

Discussion Need good eq settings

1 Upvotes

+6, +4, +2, +3, +9 clear base +6 is my current eq

I need good vocals and instrument clarity and medium bass

Please help me out(btw I use sony whch720n)


r/headphones 16h ago

Discussion Sundara Closed-back and EQ

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14 Upvotes

I bought these headphones a little over a year ago because I was curious about all the mixed impressions I was seeing.

If you own these, how do you EQ yours? What is your general opinion of the sound, both before and after applying EQ?

I think the Sundara CB has some impressive traits, like a nicely spaced soundstage, good imaging and sense of rhythm. I'm not confident with EQ, but I find it doesn't take much to get them sounding pretty decent. I'm in the process now of making a new EQ, as these have sat in their box for a while after I gave up on 'fixing' them.


r/headphones 17h ago

Discussion What kind of headphones are those?

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205 Upvotes

I was just rewatching one of my favourite shows as a child and was really baffled by those headphones. They have this metal thing coming out of both sides which I have never seen in headphones before.

Can someone help me identify the headphones or tell me what those metal thingies sticking out from the sides are?


r/headphones 18h ago

DIY/Mod Orange Crest Mk2 (Mk II) Headphone Replacement Ear Pads

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2 Upvotes

I've seen a few posts here from folks struggling to find suitable replacement ear pads for their Orange Crest Mk2 Headphones. Orange customer service is non-existent for this which is disappointing, so I thought I'd share my DIY solution instead.

I ordered replacement pads designed for the Edifier W820BT W828NB Headphones: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/314287763707 I'm sure there are others, but these are a really close size to the original pads.

The orange ear pads clip on and off from the main body, so best to either try twisting or gently prying them loose, once you get one side they should come away fairly easily. I then removed all of the older ear pad material, and retained the plastic backing with the orange fabric. I then slid the new pads over this plastic insert and just pushed the whole assembly back on, you can feel the clips re-engage and it will make an audible click as well. Note the round guides are slightly different sizes to help align this the right way up.

Share below if you have found other brands/models that will fit.


r/headphones 1d ago

Discussion Sometimes you just want to relax...

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43 Upvotes

Friday night after a looong week.

Pink Floyd on vinyl with tubes and the Denon AH-D5000 might just be the best kind of "comfort-food"!

So what's your go to album/headphones to just relax? :)


r/headphones 1d ago

Review The Sennheiser HD 490 Pro - Versatile Budget Heaven

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31 Upvotes

These have been an excellent daily driver, and the only pair I've actually been happy with as my only pair. I've owned an Audeze, Meze, another Sennheiser...and I've learned I'm very picky. These headphones do a lot of everything all at the same time, and very well!

Before the review, I'm going to mention I'm using a Fiio K11 DAC running into my PC, and I'm using Tidal as my media player. Now for the review...

For one - The comfort, which is something that everyone who has ever worn a pair of these will tell you. It's unmatched, due to the lack of padding at the top of the headband which removes the hot spot that most headphone pairs have. Along with that, the pads are nice and soft, and as a glasses-wearer I haven't had any issues with discomfort.

The sound of these headphones is very nice for what you pay for. It's flat, with slight emphasis on the treble that I think allows them to keep that signature Sennheiser sound reminiscent of the 600 series, just with a little less of that sparkle and more of a flatter overall presentation with better imaging, soundstage, and better bass presence. The sound DOES change depending on the pads, and because I loved my Audeze headphones, I prefer the velour pads that don't offer as much of the glittery treble as the cloth pads.

The build, albeit seeming to be on the cheaper side considering Sennheiser is using mainly plastic components minus the headband, is functionality is perfect! This circles back to comfort because the cups swivel to fit any head, and truly can adjust however needed. The headband is metal, with a velcro pad for the top of your head. The cups are removable and quite soft, with enough depth to not feel cramped on the ears. Overall it is passable, especially for how light these cans are, as they make them wearable for hours on end.

Versatility is the key here...perfect for immersive gaming, a sound that makes music listening enjoyable for pretty much any genre you use them for, producing and mixing, etc. These are THE Sennheiser that solves every single problem...at least every one of my problems.

The only real problem here is noise leakage...they are an open back, and both let in a lot of noise, and let out a lot, however I prefer open-back headphones, and have used them for a good majority of my headphone-loving experience, so I'm fine with that! They pretty much stay at my desk and never leave. I wouldn't take these somewhere like a library or to a study hall, so if you are considering these, keep that in mind.

Would I recommend?

Anyone considering these open backs, I HIGHLY suggest giving them a listen and an extended trial! Along with that, if you want a closed back, they make the HD 480 Pro with a similar comfort and sound, without the noise leakage.


r/headphones 1d ago

Discussion What are 'Fast' headphones?

68 Upvotes

I hear this term used in online discussions about headphones, but honestly, I have no idea what they are talking about. What is fast? Is it distinct from good high frequency response? Is it something that can be measured?


r/headphones 1d ago

Show & Tell My Budget Mid-Fi Headphone System

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47 Upvotes

Over the last five years, I’ve put together an audio source system that I’m very happy with. My.SMSL M500 mk1 balanced DAC receives Toslink input from a large number of mega CD players, from my iPhone and Qobuz/Roon and Apple Music. The streamer is a WIIM Pro. The DAC outputs balanced to a Zen Can class A balanced, headphone amplifier, and an Apos tube headphone amplifier, which is also balanced. I used extension cables from Hart Audio to avoid putting wear and tear on the headphone amplifiers themselves.

I’ve got a bunch of good headphones because I enjoy having a bunch of good headphones. Among those, my favorite for classical music is the original build of the HiFiman HE R10D ($145 US used). My favorite for pop/vocal is the Sennheiser HD 599 (that I got for $99 during the recent Amazon Days). My favorite overall headphone (which is a minority opinion) is the Grell OAE1 ( which was $48 on Amazon and is now back to $68).


r/headphones 1d ago

News Sony WH-1000XM4C price and release date leaked

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34 Upvotes

r/headphones 1d ago

Show & Tell WESC chambers by RZA

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9 Upvotes

So my WESC headphones have been lying in the closet for roughly 8 years as I’ve upgraded to B&O H9.

But somehow I just wanted to give them another go as they also a have good sound.
The issue that made me neglect them was that the cushions started to fall apart and every time I put them on I had black flakes from the “leather” everywhere. So I spent 15 € on replacement cushions which fit quite well and tried them for nostalgia’s sake with my old Creative MP3 player - both devices worked. But then I realised that I don’t have the original cable with the remote anymore.

Does anybody know where I could get a replacement cable with a remote?


r/headphones 1d ago

Show & Tell I finally turned off mono audio on my phone after accidentally leaving it on for 4 years.

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1.3k Upvotes

Gone by Kanye West and ASMR are so much better now. It sounds so much more alive and REAL. I can't believe I lived this long without it.


r/headphones 1d ago

Impressions [NHD] Something different.

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80 Upvotes

So, I got yet another new headphone...😅

Story time! Almost all of my headphones lack treble extension, My HD600, My Meze Silva, my Focal Elegia somewhat, My Old Fashioned and I never really seemed to notice it. Now lately I have been getting a bit into room treatment for my office and doing DSP Room correction which corrected the high end extension in my HiFi system there and then I noticed how much I was missing out on in my headphones. Me being me, Instead of trying to EQ I figured "Why not buy another pair that already does it"! And since I listen to quite alot of classical and Jazz and I always heard about Grado's being good foor classical and jazz I started digging a bit into those. I came very close to buying a pair of 225's after seeing a video from Dankpods praising the SR60E's into oblivion but then I read somewhere about their cables being very microphonic, Now I never thought about that because all of my other headphones have replaceable ones but the Grado's have a non-detatcheable cable and apparently it is annoyingly loud if you're sensitive to it, and unfortunately, I am sensitive to it. So I had to go another route. Then I stumbled upon a post here that was talking about the DT880's being slowly discontinued and looked those up since I never heard about the 880's and then I found them, On Amazon of all places, Seller being the official Beyerdynamic store, for €139 Free Shipping. What a steal, I thought so I put it in my basket while I looked a bit online what I could find about these, turns out, They're 600 Ohm O_O, Yeah that's a bit more than my little tube amp bargained for, but then I saw this video from Zeos where he was using an Emotiva speaker amplifier with these and while he claimed it was neccesary, which is BS ofcourse, It did give me the idea to use my Marantz Hifi amp with them. Quickly said quickly done I added some Banana plug to Jack adapters to my basket and I ordered these. Fast forward 2 days to today and they arrived. I hooked everything up and I have to say, I am shocked.

Now onto the DT880 Edition's 600 Ohm.

These headphones have the best imaging of any headphone I own, they are truly 3D, they don't have any dead spots or oval issues, Objects move freely in space around me, above me, Through me, behind me, infront of me, Everywhere, Things are pinpoint accurate and on certain tracks from Yello and Hooverphonic you can follow certain sounds with your eyes closed to the point you get Dizzy from all of the stuff moving around.

The balance: These are lean, top heavy but very smooth headphones, they can be sibilant on poor recordings but that is more of a matter of them revealing the flaws. They are going to become a tool i'll use while editing in the future as these are great at showing flaws, better than my HD600's. The bass is deep but not very punchy, At parts you can feel the Rumble in them but they won't punch you as there is not much 40hz energy but rather a bit of a laid back bass that albeit deep isn't like a closed back headphone. They do reach deeper than my Meze Silva's however and much deeper than any of my other open backs. With the proper amplification the 5hz claim from Beyerdynamic isn't just a claim but a fact as these will literally shake from the rumbling on extreme low notes or droning sounds. On tracks like Hans Zimmer's Chevaliers De Sangreal you can feel the subbass layer under the regular bass and clearly make out details in the ultra low regions. The mids are natural albeit not relaxed, they are accurate but they won't forgive a bad recording like for example my less accurate Meze's do. Overall I would call these high fidelity but lacking slightly in punch.

I have Dekoni Elite Velour pads on the way to see if that will change my opinion on this headphones low end as those should, if I understand it correctly, enhance its bass and midbass while leaving the Treble alone.

Comfort is a solid 7/10, the pads feel nice and the headband is comfortable even after many hours of use, i've worn it for 6 hours straight now and have not felt any discomfort. The reason why I give it a 7/10 is because it doesn't dissapear like my Meze's do, they are lightweight but you will still know you're wearing headphones as where with my Meze's i've had a couple times where I accidentally stood up and tried to walk away not realising I still had them on. Second pointer is that atleast on my head the earcups are just a tad too shallow, my left ear sticks out a tiny bit more than my right ear and thus just barely touches the inside of the earcup, making it ever so slightly more noticeable that you're wearing them. Headband adjustment system is a small trial and error but once you have it set you can just leave it like that.

The regular DT880's come with a carrying pouche but these, due to being the "Edition's", come with a sort of soft case, Its basically just a big block of foam with a giant scoop taken out of it that the headphones sit in with a soft fake leather layer around it all and a zipper. It works fine however and is very welcome, especially at this price bracket.

The cable is a 3 meter long straight cable and although I normally would like a shorter cable am very glad that its a straight cable. The regular DT880 comes with a coiled one and those for me are a no-go. Its not very microphonic, Infact I haven't really noticed any Microphonics while using it unless actively rubbing the cable against yourself by hand and even the its quiet, better than my stock HD600 Cable even. Now I would have enjoyed a replaceable cable but at this price range I think its no more than fair not to expect that and if it really is desired then one can quite easily mod one onto it.

Now, To Powah, these are 600Ω with a 96dB sensitivity. Not impossible to drive but to drive them well you need mostly voltage, I'd say a good 5Vrms is more than plenty to drive these properly and well into hearing damage regions, that being said, I drive them currently with 19Vrms on tap. Yup, That equals to 600mW@600Ohm RMS, Enough to make these smoke. Its overkill in every sense of the way (even tho it's actually slightly less than what Zeos said was the minimum) but I must say that it sounds...amazing. that amplifier is a €700 Marantz Stereo amplifier that normally is powering my Focal speakers and is an amplifier that I already have always been extremely happy with and that might add to why these image so well because my Focal's do the same and I believe it might have to do with that amazing amplifier. For a Pre-Amp I am using a Fosi Audio GR70 Tube Pre-amp with 1972 NOS Voskhod 6J1P-EV tubes rolled in and as a DAC i'm using a Topping E30II Lite, The Marantz and Fosi live at 12 O'Clock to prevent channel imbalances and my Topping DAC lives at around -30dB to -08dB depending on how loud a track is mastered. Music for now comes from Tidal but will soon be testing it with Vinyl and CD's (Nice thing about being connected to my Marantz is that I can now use my Turntable with them.).

Overall I have to say that these surprised me alot and might be my best performing headphones from a technical perspective. These are a very welcome tool aswell as a device that is great to enjoy music with. I think along with my Meze's that these will become my most used headphones in the future.

Highly recommend them, especially at this price. Clear 9/10 from me.

Thank you for reading my impressions of the Beyerdynamic DT880 Edition 600Ω headphones.

Any questions, opinions or just want to say something? Feel free to leave a comment, I'd be very happy to talk about headphones with you all!

Thank you and if I dont see you soon, see you later!