Best audiophile headphones under 500$

[davide256]

What electronics are you using for a headphone amp?

[davide256]

If you don’t have a good headphone amp, the Meze classic 99 is the best sounding headphone in my collection  at $300. Makes everything sound natural. If you do have a good headphone amp the Audeze LCD-1’s will resolve better at $400

[davide256]

43 minutes ago, morespin said:

 

 

Disagree about LCD-1. Audeze is good at its overpriced higher end, but this was a dud. It's boring and flabby at 400 bucks. Way too many better options - Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro...NAD HP 50 or 70...Meze 99....Audio Technica ATH-R70x.... Hifiman Sundara....etc. 

The LCD-1 isn't as powerful as the Sine but it will be more nuanced if your source and amplification are good. Conversely you become more aware of what the Meze 99

isn't doing as you compare to the LCD-1 with better source/amplification.

 

Beyerdynamic and Hifiman get into sound signature discussions... some people like their signature, I don't.

 

[davide256]

1 hour ago, ecwl said:

I wonder if this question is better posed at Head-Fi website, rather than the Audiophile Style website. Mostly because I don’t know how many users here listen to headphones and of those who do, how many of them routinely listen to multiple headphones less than $500. By comparison, I suspect the Head-Fi website would have many more users who routinely listen to multiple headphones less than $500.

 

Sometimes at this price range, you’re essentially getting a different sound, rather than a better sound compared to your Sennheiser HD650. That said, headphones technologies have improved and diversified. And I agree with the many suggestions already made here (even though I haven’t listened to most of those headphones), as they are from reliable brands with high-performance products. 

The other possibility is that the OP is using a basic phono pre section and all will sound boring until its upgraded? Would definitely replace that Audio Technica

cartridge with a Grado