Shopping list: headphones

My bad; yes, they’re open.

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Try a pair of nuraphones. See https://au.nuraphone.com/

A whole different concept and it really works. They learn and adapt to your hearing.

I have a pair of Stax SR-5 Electrostatic Ear Speaker with SRD-6 Amplifier, plus Sennheiser PXC 550 headphones. But I’m really hearing things better with the nuraphones.

I never experienced noise cancellation on headphones, but got the opportunity last monday in a noisy shop. Eerie experience! Did not like the sound much though (Sony MDR 1000x).
Read toen some good reviews of the Sennheiser PCX 550 so I got interested in them but as you say with a nuraphone you haar things beter.
How good are the nuraphones in filtering noise from the environment?

Unfortunately I don’t think i’ll have the chance to try these headphones…

The Sennheiser PXC 550 are noise cancelling. I use them mostly when travelling, especially on planes.

The Stax SR-5 Electrostatic headphones have been my critical listening headphones since the late 1970s.

The nuraphones aren’t noise cancelling. However, they’re an over the ear cup, which keeps a lot of environmental noise out. Plus the speaker part of the headphone inserts into your ear canal. So that helps as well. Though I haven’t tried them on a plane yet.

With the nuraphone you use a smartphone app and it learns your hearing profile. The hearing profile is stored into the headset. (It can store three different profiles.) Then when you listen using the headphones, it corrects the playback for your hearing. Impressive new technology developed at Melbourne University here in Australia.

I must admit, it takes some getting used to. For example, I know my ability to hear bass is the weak part of my audio spectrum. (A legacy of my time as a recording engineer and producer, plus listening to too much music too loud.) But I’ve never liked strong bass anyway, even in my youth when that wasn’t a problem with my hearing.

When I listen with the nuraphones, it ‘corrects’ for my hearing profile and makes the bass in what I’m hearing stronger. So I’m hearing stuff I don’t usually hear as well, but I have mixed feelings about everything being more bass heavy. I hope that makes some sense.

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I’ve tried them by purchasing a pair. The feedback from other recording engineers convinced me to give them a go.

With a pair of nuraphone headphones, the sound is tuned to correct any problems with your hearing, which is a real interesting experience.

I’m sure they are an interesting experience, but DSP in a headphone is rather anathema to me. So are the days of tediously cleaning IEM’s of earwax.

they are actually cheaper. I haven’t listened to the closed back version but did really like the Open ones when i had a chance to hear them and will probably end up buying a pair in the next week or two.

@Lloyd_Borrett thanks for the write-up!

Besides the allready mentioned HeadFi website as a resource, you should check and spend some time on Tyll Hertsens’ website: https://www.innerfidelity.com/
On the ‘Wall of fame’ tab you find the headphones categorized to get you started.
His knowledge is enormous. He measures most of the headphones and publish the results.
Also you can find some information about headphone events, like CanJam. If there is an event in your surroundings, it will give you the opportunity to listen to all the flagships that are presented. That’s how i experienced nirvana up to the Sennheiser Orpheus II.
I own Hifiman HE1000v2 (my favourite), but very close to my (simply modified) Sennheiser HD800, which can be found within your budget. Once i read about them that they feel so comfortable, as if your mother lovingly hold your head between her soft hands. Everytime i wear them, that frase comes to my mind and is more important than a lot of technical stuff. Yes, it is open… But is has the widest soundstage, it can play fast and direct as well as subtle.
Rest of my headphones: Audeze iSine 10, JH Audio iem Angie and soon to come Kickstarter’s promises Kokoon and Ossic. Aeon’s very good option. Watch your wallet, but remember: money is worthless to listen to…

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I’ve just ordered a pair of T5P’s (2nd Gen) arriving Thursday.

I have a Oppo combo at present HA-1 and PM-2 cans. Obviously it will be comparing open backed Vs closed back and primarily the Beyerdynamics will be paired to my IfI IDSD Nano Black Label but will occasionally be used in my home set up. I can’t wait to compare!

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I also have SR-009s powered by a 100v SRM-007tA. But my SR-009s have recently come down with the dreaded channel imbalance… So bummed. I was about to upgrade to a Blue Hawaii…

But I love my Hugo 2 + Focal Utopias w/Black Dragon cable just as much. It’s pretty darn close.

I can highly recommend the easy to drive Audioquest Nighthawk Carbons.

If they’re a little too warm/dark for you, the MrSpeakers AEON’s that’s been recommended above are a bit more transparent (I prefer the sealed/closed back ones).

I think both are similar in price (roughly).

After many evaluations and some tests, i bought MrSpeakers Aeon (closed).
After the burn-in, i’ll write my considerations.
Thank you all! :smiley:

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Ditto … just picked them up. Currently using with Roon > MacBook Pro > DragonFly 1.2.

I have just tried the Mr Speakers Aeon (open) and thought that they sounded fantastic, I wanted to try out out the closed but the shop had just sold their last pair.

I’m interested in what others feel about open versus closed with the Aeon’s.

I have used the Aeon Closed for about two months now – still very happy with them (playback chain in profile).

I have listened to the Open Aeons a few short times since. Soundstage is perhaps a little larger, a bit of focus in the bass region seems lost (note that these were short listening sessions). If I were in the market for an open headphone, I’d probably get a Focal Clear.

But since I use mine in the living room, usually with other family members present, I’m good. :smiley:

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I had Stax SR3 when I was a “kid”, I suspect they may be out of budget but can’t agree WOW loud enough.

I have Bose QC 25 noise cancelling, and Sennheiser HD800 again a bit pricey. When I bought the HD800 it was touch and go with the HD700 Probably scrape into your budget

Always been a Sennheiser fan , good German engineering

One proviso is efficiency and ohms. I use an AudioQuest Dragonfly Red, the Red drives the HD800 but only just, they are 300 ohms, perfect with a dedicated headphone amp but quite demanding, the QC25 are easy at around 50 ohms

Cheers

Mike

Out of interest what did you buy?