So many interesting things popped up in this thread. I've vaguely seen the ÆON 2 Noire in passing pictures, but just looked them up for the first time, that looks like another interesting pair at very attainable pricing. I hadn't actually heard of this company name before this thread. They seem to have a very interesting product line.

I'd definitely suggest hearing the HD6XX series and R70x while at it. I've had the 600, 650 and R70x and all are long time favourites. I believe the tonality and midrange are very nice on all of them, for me personally anyway.

I heard the flagship Hifiman and Audeze. They were quite good. As the post states, I didn't get my hair blown back from what I remembered of last gen flagship, but they are very absolutely impressive. Those prices though. Wowzer. $2000 is getting bit more attainable at least.

Still, there is something about a nice flagship. I owned two when on average they were mostly just breeching the $1000 range, but nothing recently. I completely understand the draw though and the engineering of the chassis of these new offerings is chef-kiss level no doubt. Have you had a chance to demo t the pairs you are interested in?

The expanse look amazing. I'm really interested in a closed back acting like an open back concept. That's inovaton I hope continues.

Haven't heard about Warwick yet, I'll look that up.

I'm really interested in the new IEMs people are raving about on here. Driving something great out of a phone or small portable DAC would be so convenient.

You named a bunch of things here I need to look up. I really appreciate all the name drops. This thread has been a good, what's-what of headphones over the last 6 years. It's all very interesting to catch up a bit.

Yea, I've always loved a sort of far out degree of variety. Full disclosure, I also don't really care about chasing a perceived, perfect target. If it sounds good to me, I'm more than happy.

I even love lots of wonky things like Koss KPH30i, Porta, Esp-950, Original Grado SR60, PS500, etc., stuff I think lots of people would turn their noses up at.

Years ago, one of my many favourite pairs use to be the original closed back AKG K550 with a very particular Reel to Reel amp repurposed to act as a powerful headphone tube amp on digital sources. To me, it was just utter magic. So much coloration of clean audio signal, but just blooming, full-bodied and expansive sounding.

I'm also into all the HD6XX and R70x stuff which I guess are popular but less purist focused. The tonality crowd which I'd like to find more of.

I've heard masses of audiophile headphones over a couple of decades and owned/heard loads of things people would think of as more 'accurate' but at the end of the day, I still like variety and exploring literally everything. Same with audiophile home stereo equipment and vintage audio.

I admit I personally found the flagship market a bit stuffy and dull this round, way more than what felt like a big variety in the past. Although I haven't heard them all, so I shouldn't generalize fully. It's just, are they really going to trounce previous $1000 pairs with these $5000 sets? I feel like it's very incremental gains and personal taste more so at this point. But I'm open to other viewpoints and experiences.

I was fairly impressed by the Lower tier Sundara at their price point, but again the gains from last generation didn't really pop out that obviously to me. Maybe if I AB them or spent more IME with them it would more. But tuning/tonality wise they didn't necessarily have a distinct personality I'd jump on either, very nice, but not something that grabbed me.

That's why I'm curious what others feel about it. I probably shouldn't have invoked the flagships because that's not really what I'm after. It's more so, what do people personally feel was a step forward for them, even if it's something highly subjective and personally interesting.

Are there some things you have come across on the last 6 years (or any time) you you really love? I'd love to hear about anything!

Yea, I've been chatting with another poster about this in the thread. It looks very interesting. Thanks for the input.

I wasn't able to follow. How do you mean storage and game performance?

Is AV1 the open source video codec equivalent for Audio?

Thanks for all this great detail. I'm going to have to look up these amps and get myself up to date this weekend.

I didn't really ask about what's turning heads as far as amplification in this thread, but ai probably should have.

These headphones look pretty awesome, and more the kind of innovation I was hoping to see at the show.

I'd like to be able to sit in the same room as my partner while listening without it buzzing in her ears. Since I don't listen loud that could certainly work.

The last fully closed backs I had were the original AKG K550, and original M-50... they just get older from there. LOL. So that's an area I'm way more than 6 years behind. Those definitely kneekaped the soundstage, although I'd argue the K550 really made a good early attempt to open up the stage more then most had.

I also feel like that's a critical area for companies to innovate in if they can get an open feeling sound. It's amazing that we still think it's normal to project the sound all over the place from a personal listening device.

I also love something that responds well to tubes, so many interesting aspects here. Of course it would come down to liking the sound, but it's definitely a pair to research and try out.

I appreciate you taking the time to tell me about them.

This is very interesting. Yes, for sure I'm all about TBYB with so much subjectivity, but at the same time, closed backs that preform like open backs sound enticing to look into.

What do you run them on, and what's the isolation like for people near by?

This sounds really interesting. Have you heard a pair?

That seems to be echoed a lot here. I'm not sure it encapsulate the whole picture, but functionally for me, like I mentioned elsewhere, I could coast on some HD600, 650 or R70x for a long long while and still listen to these three regularly. That tonality goes a long way for me with making music beautiful and working with all levels of recording quality.

From a functional standpoint it's hard to improve on that. I'm curious though what has tried to go in that direction in the last 6 years.

While I do very much respect the excellent performance/price point of something like Sundara as well when I heard it, I didn't necessarily feel blown away from previous offerings. Of course I didn't have older pairs for direct comparison on hand at the show.

I'm very open to finding new and interesting things, but the flagships definitely didn't leave a lasting impression this round. For me personally. I'm sure lots of people love them at those prices.

Okay, people, woosh. It's a joking dig aimed at someone throwing insults. I can't believe you all actually googled it. Read it back.

It's a joke (edit: in response to a direct insult) saying I have not posted the pair people are asking about because I knew the thread would perseverate and go off on tangents about just that...

...instead of responding to the overall concept being asked about with their own experiences and opinions.

It worked fine by the way. I have a whole thread of good faith responses to review.

More than 6 years ago.

They were definitely a great headphone. What about the HD600s or whatever the newer versions were? Did they change much?

No I'm not. And what you are probably referring to is a perfectly fair response a I gave to a condescending and insulting post.

I'm going down this list quite seriously. The post is about an overall concept and others experiences, not that spesific headphone. My preference was omitted purposefully.

I'm happy to read and respond to people discussing in good faith here.

Yea, I bought a couple of flagships back in the day before realizing I prefer a bunch of mid-fi just as much. The HD6XX are definitely among my favourites. The R70x also from that vein.

I would be curious to know what from the last 6 years or so has come along with that beautiful tonality people always rave about.

You weren't supposed to come back until you found them.

It's purposefully omitted because Reddit is like hurding squirrels.

It's the PTR-703s with the head band mods. Objectively the best headphones ever made. Do your research and report back.

I've always personally loved Lambada and Koss Esp-950.

I definitely put an emphasis on an amazing high end, and less so on bass quantity. So those just make all the sense in the world to me.

The HD800 were also great for me, but I haven't heard the 800s

This might be a more interesting area to jump back into.

I've only really noticed about two names in the last 6 years, Sundara and Moondrop, probably due to the sheer number of references, I actually saw them.

IEMs would be an interesting area to research more. I never really had anything in that category, unless counting Baldoor E100 earbuds and some old sub $20 hi-fi when cheap models were just starting to get some respect in Ali-Express. I would imagine this area has made leaps and bounds.

Are there still legitimate technical issues with Bluetooth? I sort of just assumed that would have been worked out by now.

Is the bottle neck related to transfer speed, or something else currently?

I suspect you are right.

I really have no listening issues with it, if it offers an experience I like, but I strongly fear software dependencies and vendor lock-in, subscription add-ons etc.

That would be a ripe field to sneak software into being that the output is intangible and very abstract, they just need to claim we are paying for software to improve the sound stage, 3D effect or whatever this month.

Much easier to sell than physically disengaging a moto that drives the car sunroof we paid for and tangibly experience being disabled.

Yea a heard the Sundara and I have to say they sounded very good to me and good for the price point as well.

I suppose overall I just wasn't bowled over. I was still a little tempted to grab them with the discount and being told my phone or portable amp are enough, but decided impulse purches probably aren't healthy in this hobby.

I'll have to check out ZMF. I'm not not actually familiar with them.

That's cool, what would, what you consider buying? Or want to demo?

That's a great point. I'd say even finding ways to offer a significantly large number people something they feel is subjectively good, in itself, is a fair thing to report on.

Two indipendent posts invoked the HD600 here within five minutes. Sennheiser clearly innovated something when they were released, even if just nailing a sound signature with that kind of staying power.

I'm a full 6 years out of date. Have some recent pairs shown promise as potential cult classics in the making?