Headphones

Nope. Satisfaction is under 1k.

You would likely be happy with all of those options. But I'm going to add the LCDX as a suggestion. It EQs better than most headphones. So you can zero in on the exact sound that tickles your fancy.

Looking for endgame, just buy a Sennheiser hd600 a nice tube amp like de Feliks Audio Elise and be done with it :)

Let's start with, have you actually listened to any of the headphones you are thinking of getting?

Why HE1000se vs v2 or v3? The v3 are tuned very closely to the SE but are significantly cheaper. The v2 would be my pick because of the larger soundstage and are very much just an upgraded arya. At least that's why I gather without ever hearing them.

If you only want one pair I would seriously consider the DCA Stealth. I'm probably a bit biased, but for me they do just about everything right and they're closed back so you can use them in places where open back doesn't work.

I bought them specifically because I didn't want to have ten different headphones. I wanted just one really high end pair for everything and they do that for me.

They are a fair bit more expensive that the other options you list though.

There is zero chance you know your preferences without actually listening to any headphones. What are you using now? What do you like/not like about them?

What I have narrowed it down to, essentially, is the HE1000SE, Focal Clear MG, Arya Stealth Magnet.. If I purchase one of these, will I ever be truly satisfied with just the one pair? Or will I long for an experience that other pair's of headphones have to offer?

None in this sub can probably tell since every person is different with their preferences. You can be the type of person that would already close the book in your headphone journey after one big purchase, or you could be wanting to explore all the different sounds offered by the different headphone companies. If you have the option to visit a headphone store which has some of those headphones available to demo, you can give those a try and see which you'd like best.

On a personal note, out of all the above you mentioned, I really only tried the Focal Clear and they're perfectly fine headphones for all types of genre, although they have a slightly sizzling treble for certain tracks, you can do some mods or EQ them out.

HE1000 v3 is my end game but I’m not sure I would appreciate them without the journey through gaming headsets, HD650, Elegia, and LCD-X (which is now my end gaming headphones). Hopefully you have access to a retailer that will let you demo so you find something that suits your taste. We have definitely heard from first time purchasers that take a big swing and wonder why they prefer their Beats to a $3k set.

For me “End Game” comes in 3 headphones HD 600, Meze 109 Pro and HE 1000 V2. Each of them are different. I’ll spare you my thoughts on them because they’ve all been reviewed and lauded by the YouTube verse.

I did it. I spent a lot of time looking at reviews and all the research and asking myself what do I really want/need and what is excessive. I have a pair of dt1990s and the topping dx3pro+ and that does it for me. Now it's really about enjoying the music. I also have a pair of moondrop starfields and the ifi go blu, probably could've stopped with that but I wanted a pair of open backs that I could listen to for hours. And that's what I do now; it really is about the music.

Nope. You have no idea which pair of headphones will truly satisfy you.

Forget all of those, and look at ZMF.

As others have pointed out, there is zero point in spending big on headphones when you really don't know what you even like yet. Just get a mid-level pair that has been around for a while and is well-regarded. And then, and this is important, spend a good amount of time with them to figure out what you like and don't like about them.

You might now know it sometimes, but the best way to avoid constant upgrade urges is to just enjoy what you have, what you're listening to. Trying to try everything and only ever using the same thing, neither are great approaches.

It's better to start off with cheap IEMs to figure out your preference, IMO.

Companies continually making and improving the audio tech industry which makes it hard not to be tempted to crave for something new, innovative or maybe even better audio than the one we have, that is just part of the business

There has to be a city around you that is a road trip, a bus ride, or a train ride away where you can walk in to an audiophile store and listen to a bunch of headphones, including the ones you mentioned. Make sure you call them before and check if they're happy with you coming in for a listen to determine what headphone you like.

I never recommend anyone to spend over $1K without first listening themselves to that pair of headphones and deciding if THEY like those headphones themselves.

Below is my current “end game” setup, which to me, sounds incredible, day 34.

HD600 Rupert Neve RNHP 1-ch Amp Schiit Loki Mini+ EQ Schiit Modi+ DAC

I researched for months before I bought the HD600, and a few months less for the Neve because there are certain reviewers that I trust based on their review of the HD600 but it’s still a die roll.

The Neve is my end game amp, but I’m already looking at a Schiit Lokius EQ. I saw too many concerts in my mis-spent youth so I have to EQ. My wandering eyes keep looking at the 800s. If that’s not enough, I have a problem.

the first step to end game and probably also half of the final step is being able to exactly answer this question:

What do you want?

Those headphones listed are mid tier.

I personally like the Susvara + Holo May/Dave + Envy

Do you have a preference already? If so go for it. You don‘t? Buy one and never listen to something different or find a way to listen as much different sounding headphones you can be that at Hifi-show like Can-Jam, a retailer (as example Hi-fi im Hinterhof like or any other HiFi-shop that has headphones), find the sound that suits you best and go for the endgames

it is you who has to decide what you call endgame! some stop at the hd600 and some stop at the he1000 or susvara

I’ve spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on headphones and DAC/amps throughout the years. If I could go back in time and just get my forever setup and not wasted all the money, I’d have gotten me a nice pair of IEMs for ease of use, and spent rest on a banging stereo setup. Even modest speakers are more enjoyable to me than the best headphones I’ve tried.

But to answer your question, no, you will never be satisfied even if you start at the top. There will always be someone else’s glowing review that piques your curiosity, some new headphone with new tech that manufacturers claim revolutionize the industry. Even if you hold off at first, see enough ads and read enough impressions and your curiosity may get the best of you. And that’s ok, because the hobby is fun.

If you have to start at the top (or near it), I’d buy something that’s EQ’able like a nice planar from Audeze or HifiMan, even the HD800s. Then spend your money on a decent DAC/amp combo that allows EQ profiles like the RME-ADI. You can even go cheap and get a cheap DAC and connect a Minidsp in between it and the amp to use EQ profiles.

No. I have the lcd-5, utopia, and recently susvara, and they all sound very different to each other. There is no perfect headphone, only a perfect headphone for you. And if you don't know your tastes, you're basically gambling. The secret is that true endgame is an hd600 or similar imo. If only I knew to stop there.

Expensive headphones are like crack. Once you know what you're missing, it's hard to go back, and the saddest part is, your enjoyment doesn't even go up the same proportion. At least crack gets you above orgasm-level pleasure. Best to stay at around the $300 level.

if you have a shop to demo stuff and you took months to narrow down your search and eventually bought your endgame then sure. if you're like the majority where you're shooting in the dark by buying online based on other people's thoughts, opinions and recommendations then no you'll never be satisfied. i've got endgame stuff but it's not a single headphone. shits not cheap either.

If I purchase one of these, will I ever be truly satisfied with just the one pair?

No, you'll get the itch to try other shit for the novelty at some point, especially as you haven't learned your own preferences.

Of those three alone I'd never touch the Hifimans, none of their planars have a correct sounding tonality while their build quality and QC are legendarily terrible, blind buying a $1000+ Hifiman as your first headphone would be downright stupid. Clear MG is tuned a bit dark and while Focal QC isn't Hifiman-level bad it's also not great, so I don't think that spending $1500 on those blind as a first headphone is a good idea either.

Find an audio store near enough to you to be reasonably accessible and go demo some headphones, spend some time with each one to get a feel for them, and demo cheaper models in the $200-500 or so price range as beyond that you're paying a lot of money for little or no actual improvement. Most kilobuck headphones have something wrong with them that requires fixing via EQ because at that price point they're selling to 'audiophiles' who are constantly buying new shit for the unique flavours, not people seeking out a quality neutral sound.

tl;dr just buy a 6XX or 560S if you can't go demo and don't buy Hifiman unless you're comfortable with treating them as disposable

You don't know yet.

This is a journey.

Take a trip to a can jam or similar event if you can, or to the nearest city with good headphone auditoriums.

I went to Amsterdam and swung past Headphones Audition there and was unbelievably good to just listen to them all.

Ended up walking out with the focal bathys as my commuter headphone

Dont do that Firstly you don't know your preference and you possibly wont be able to appreciate the niceness.

If you really want to appreciate the quality of an endgame piece then you need to know what not so great sounds like first. If you start at endgame you have nothing to compare too (assuming you dont really use much audio stuff at the moment) and you'll just accept that sound as the default and not actually notice how good it is until you have to use a bad piece of gear by chance or something. Going the other way around (starting low) is much more immediately satisfying

Looking at all the previous comments, I’d imagine it must be super confusing to get an answer, because there’s vastly different opinions across the board.

Personally, I’m happy with my Meze Elites, and don’t feel the need to get anything else. After a few weeks, my ears just adjust to whatever I’m listening to anyways and that becomes my new “normal”. So it really doesn’t matter what you use, it’s all about the music!

Just buy the 1K+ headphones, they will make you happy for years

I have a HD 800S, an HE-1000 Stealth, and have owned maybe a dozen other headphones, and plenty of different DACs and Amps at various price points. Honestly, I was just as satisfied with an HD 650 and the good ol' Schiit stack as I was with anything else I've bought.

Really, you'll never be satisfied until you decide to be satisfied. There's always something new and different to try. I find myself identifying more and more with that meme of people who sell all their audio stuff and just keep something basic to listen to music with.

If you want that find a headphone cafe or go to a meetup or find a way to try like 10 totl headphones.

I’d say it only makes sense if you’re one of those people that keep their phone for 5 years or until it breaks AND you’re 100% certain of the sound signature you’re looking for.

Otherwise you’ll buy an HD 800S and wonder why your brain doesn’t wobble like your fiends Skullcrushers do.

Personally I think most people are better off with two mid range headphones that excell in different areas rather then buying one totl headphone. It's much easier to appreciate a headphone when you have a consistent frame of reference, it stops it's intricacies from just becoming the norm. Personally my end game is the hd650 + sjy starry night v2, the hd650 for worse mixed tracks and the starry night v2 for better mixed tracks. It's allowed neither headphone to become boring to me and I've kept them for much longer then any totl headphone I've owned (zmf eikon, hd800s and hifiman arya v1). The temptation to get a third headphone is always there, but never to completely replace either the starry night or hd650.

So… I am a hifi dealer, and me and a competitor of mine have different tastes, and would recommend different headphones to you when you ask for “that one endgame with allrounder-capabilities”.

He never liked the Focal Utopia, would take the Susvara any day, and I think that Susvara would be a specialist to me because I don’t listen to the type of music that it is good at often enough.

But: I have found that there is a pretty good middle ground in the Audeze MM-500, so if you ever only want one headphone, I would recommend that one.

But that is just what I would do… it all just depends on the type of music that you listen to, and if you want to stay in that lane or explore other genres in the future. For that, I would at least consider a second one down the road.

Even at endgame levels, each heaphone is good at particular things. There are allrounders but that will mean they are not excelling on a particular aspects but is quite good at everything.

If you want your headphone for listening to every genre of music, to watch movies and play games at the same time you might need an allrounder. One I could recommend is ZMF Auteur. They are no longer in production, but it is succeded by ZMF Auteur Classic, they are tuned quite similarly with improved dampening system.

It is tuned very close to neutral with a little bass boost, which I think is perfect for every genre. They just sound so right and natural. I remembered listening to piano on them and it is able to show so many details in a single note which I never heard before in any other headphones, not even on HE1000 or Abyss Diana that cost twice than this headphone.

I think around $1000 - $1600 is the sweet spot for me and anything past this point is a huge diminishing return where you only get very little improvement for the additional price you pay.

For dac/amp pairing Auteur are not very picky about this so you can go for a good solid ones like the Schiit lineup or JDS labs. ZMF used to recommend JDS labs for the budget DAC/amp that would pair well with most of their headphones.

This is my recommendation. However, you should demo everything yourself, and see what suit you.

One does not simply begin at endgame

Yes. Everyone in here is clueless. Without owning any previous headphones, you will be blown away by your first pair of high end headphones and have 0 second thoughts about buying another pair. The deeper you go into the audiophile world, the less satisfied you will be with any new headphones. Not sure why everyone in this thread is gatekeeping

Go to a CANJAM

No such thing as Endgame is you truly like audio, you just want to try the difference between gears. It's an ongoing hobby..,

I guess your best bet is to take something that have very neutral and balanced sound signature and eq according to what do you feel is missing.

I mean you could start at Endgame, but if you don't watch the rest of Phase 1, 2, and 3 you probably won't really be able to appreciate it very well.

That's actually a pretty apt metaphor.

I don't think this is a good option imo. If I were just getting into this and wanted to know what I liked I'd buy a modest DAC/amp, a pair of 6xx and a pair of iems that are completely different to the 6xx. You could opt to not do either the 6xx or the iems but not both.

For me I came into headphones the opposite way most ppl on this sub did it seems, I am a 2 channel person first and foremost and didn't pay too much attention to headphones. Well I was gifted a pair of Denon D2000 as a graduating gift from high school. Me being the picky person I am, I asked to go into the store with my mom to listen to the other options. I narrowed it down to the Denon and the Sennheiser hd599 (was comparable in price), and walked away with the Denon's. I used those cans for nearly a decade and didn't think of another pair until I dropped the headphone jack on them and bent it so I was without until I repaired them.

After reading/watching numerous reviews they all said essentially the same thing. Everyone should try a pair of 6xx (or similar Sennheisers) to get a feeling for what they liked. Even though at this point I had experimented with 2 channel setups fairly extensively (for a broke student putting too much into audio) I still thought I needed another reference point within headphones before I ventured into the deep end. The Denon's and Sennheisers are vastly different headphones in most ways.

Since moving and having no option to demo things anymore It was through this journey that I found that ZMF headphones were likely my endgame.

One last thing, unless you just have money to burn and this is a really minor purchase for you, than without being able to KNOW (not just regurgitate) what soundstage, width, sub bass vs mid bass, sibilance, warm vs dark vs bright, etc is I think you're setting yourself up for failure. I guess anyone is different but I personally find it enjoyable to be on a journey and I'll get there when I get there.

The end game headphones a lot of the time are not any better than the “mid tier” headphones. Heck the headphones you listed technically aren’t even considered end game. They are artificial prices that do not dictate quality.

HE-1..