Headphone Reviews & Comparisons
Updates
- 3/29/19.
- 11/26/19.
- 1/10/19.
- 1/15/19. Replaced Grado headphone image with a Sennheiser HD6XX. I believe the 6XX is a quintessential headphone and a better representation of the hobby as a whole. The Grado was used simply because I designed it for a video at the time. The 6XX is the perfect headphone for someone wanting to get into higher-end audio, and encompasses (more so than any other product), what the audiophile world is all about. Related: The 5 Best Audiophile Headphones For Under $500!!
- 1/10/21. Added Before you Buy and Audiophile Rabbit Hole Series.
Hey there friend!
Navigate the Site!
- Headphone Reviews & Comparisons (You Are Here)
- Microphone Reviews & Comparisons
- Amps, DACs, and Audio Interfaces
- The Budget Kings Series
- Studio Monitors
- Beats, Production, & Turntables
- Gaming, Movies, & Pop Culture
- Build a Home Studio Guide
- Best Of
- Resources
Before You Buy Series!
- Before YOU Buy An HD600, READ THIS!! (Video included)
- Before YOU Buy An AKG K612, READ THIS!! (Video Coming Soon!)
- Before YOU Buy An AKG K702, READ THIS!! (Video Coming Soon!)
- Before YOU Buy A Grado Headphone, READ THIS!! (Video included)
- Before YOU Buy A Chord Mojo, READ THIS!! (Video included)
- Before YOU Buy A DragonFly Cobalt, READ THIS!! (Video included)
- Before YOU Buy A K5 Pro, READ THIS!! (Video included)
- Before YOU Buy A Philips SHP9500, READ THIS!! (Video Coming Soon!)
- Before YOU Buy A Sennheiser HD6XX, READ THIS!! (Video Coming Soon!)
More coming soon!
The Audiophile Rabbit Hole Series!
My personal experience with headphones dating back to 2010, in order of when I listened to them. All of the headphones here, and the ones not yet discussed, had a profound impact on me and/or changed my life and thus should be discussed!
These reviews also take on a more conversational, off-the-cuff type of natural style.
Note: I will also probably make a separate article for the 9500 as it pertains to this series.
- The Sony MDR7506 Will Change YOUR Life!
- Audio Technica ATH M50 Experience (Coming Soon!)
- The Sennheiser HD600: Still Relevant Today?
- The HIFIMAN HE400i Will Change YOUR Life! (New)
- The Audeze LCD-3 Will Change YOUR Life!! (New)
- Sennheiser HD25 Experience (Coming Soon!)
- Dan Clark Audio Aeon Flow Closed Experience (Coming Soon!)
- Sennheiser HD6XX Experience (Coming Soon!)
- The Focal Utopia Will Change YOUR Life!! (New)
More coming soon!
Mixing/Mastering/Reference Mini-Series!
Taking a look at some affordable studio options and how they stack up against each other!
- Audio Technica ATH M40x vs. Status Audio CB-1 vs. Sony MDR-7506 [Definitive Guide]
- Sony MDR-7506 vs. Audio Technica ATH M50x vs. Sennheiser HD280 Pro
- Audio Technica ATH M40x vs. AKG K240 vs. Sony MDR-7506
More Coming Soon!
Koss Mini-Series!
More coming soon!
Current # of headphones/IEMs owned or demoed: 106
Currently Own: Sennheiser HD600, AKG K702, AKG K612, Philips SHP9500, Philips SHP9600, Koss KPH30i, Koss KSC75, HIFIMAN DEVA, AKG K240M, AKG K260
- Click here to go to my YouTube channel for some great video reviews!
- Contact me if you would like to send something for a demo. I’m always looking to test new products out!
Headphone Reviews
AKG
- AKG K550 Review
- AKG K553 Review (Demoed)
- AKG K52 Review (Coming soon!) (Demoed)
- AKG K240 Studio Review (Owned & Sold)
- AKG K240M 600 Ohm Headphone Review + 850 Comparison (Owned & Sold)
- AKG K702 Review & HD600 Comparison (Own)
- AKG K612 Review & K702 Comparison (Own Both)
- AKG K260 (Coming Soon!)
Audeze
- Audeze LCD-1 Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
- Audeze LCD-2 Review (Demoed)
- Audeze LCD-3 Review (Demoed)
- Audeze LCD-4 Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
- Audeze LCD-X Review (Demoed)
- Audeze LCD-XC Review (Demoed)
- Audeze EL8 Open Review (Demoed)
- Audeze EL8 Closed Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
- Audeze Sine Review (Demoed)
Audio Technica
- Audio Technica ATH M50 Review (Owned & Given Away)
- Audio Technica ATH M50x Review (Demoed) (May or may not review in the future)
- Audio Technica ATH M40x Review (Owned & Sold)
- Audio Technica ATH AD900x (Demoed)
Audioquest
- Audioquest NightOwl Review (Demoed)
- Audioquest NightHawk Review (Demoed)
Beats
- Beats Solo 2 Review (Demoed)
- Beats Solo 3 Review (Demoed)
- Beats Studio 2.0 Wireless Review (Demoed)
- Beats Studio 3.0 Wireless Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
- Beats Pro Review (Demoed)
- Beats EP Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
Beyerdynamic
- Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250 Ohm (Coming soon!) (Demoed)
- Beyerdynamic DT 990 Premium 600 Ohm headphones
- Beyerdynamic DT 770 Review (Demoed)
- Mage Audio’s DT770 “Black Mage” Review (Demoed). This is a mod from a nice fella named Craig Boyles of Mage Audio. Check out his website here!
Bluedio
- Bluedio T4 Review (+ T4S Comparison) (Demoed)
Bose
- Bose Quiet Comfort 35 Review (Demoed)
- Bose Sound True Around Ear II Review (Demoed)
Bowers & Wilkins
- Bowers & Wilkins P7 Review (Demoed)
- Bowers & Wilkins P9 Review (Demoed)
Creative
Dan Clark Audio
Emu
- Massdrop x E-MU Purple Heart Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
Focal
- Focal Elear Review (Demoed)
- Focal Clear Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
- Focal Listen Review (Demoed)
- Focal Utopia Review (Demoed)
- Focal Elegia Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
- Focal Stellia Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
Fostex
- Fostex TH-X00 Ebony – Massdrop version (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
Grado
Original
- Grado RS2i Review (Demoed)
e series line
- Grado SR60e Review (Demoed)
- Grado SR80e Review (Demoed)
- Grado SR125e Review (Demoed)
- Grado SR225e Review (Demoed)
- Grado SR325e Review (Demoed)
- Grado RS1e Review (Demoed)
- Grado PS500e Review (Demoed)
- Grado GS1000e Review (Demoed)
- Grado PS1000e Review (Coming Soon!)
Wireless Bluetooth
- Grado GW100 Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
HIFIMAN
- HIFIMAN HE400i Review (Demoed)
- HIFIMAN HE400S Review (Demoed)
- HIFIMAN Edition X Review (Demoed)
- HIFIMAN Sundara Review (Demoed)
- HIFIMAN Ananda Review (Demoed)
- HIFIMAN HE-4XX Review and Shootout (All 400 Series Final Impressions)
- HIFIMAN TWS600 Review (Own)
- HIFIMAN DEVA Review (Demoed)
Koss
Oppo
- Oppo PM-3 Review (Demoed)
Philips
PSB
- PSB M4U Review (Demoed)
- PSB M4U 2 Review (Coming soon!) (Demoed)
Samson
- Samson SR850 Review (Owned & Sold)
Sennheiser
- Sennheiser HD 280 Review (Owned & Given Away)
- Sennheiser HD 201 Review (Owned, Given Away, Owned Again, Sold)
- Sennheiser HD 202 Review (Owned & Given Away)
- Sennheiser HD 25 Review (Owned & Sold)
- Sennheiser HD 558 Review (Owned & Sold)
- Sennheiser HD 598 Review (Demoed)
- Sennheiser HD 600 Review (Own)
- Sennheiser HD 650 Review (Demoed)
- Sennheiser HD 6XX Review + HD 600 Comparison (Demoed)
- Sennheiser HD6 Review (Coming soon!) (Demoed)
- Sennheiser HD 200 Review (Coming soon!) (Demoed)
Shure
- Shure SRH440 Review (Demoed)
Skull Candy
Sony
- Sony MDR 7506 Review (Owned & Sold)
- Sony MDR V6 Review (Owned & Sold)
- Sony MDR V150 Monitor Series Headphones (Owned a long time ago :D)
- Sony MDRZX100 Review (Demoed)
- Sony MDR Z1R Review (Demoed)
- Sony MDR 1A Review (Demoed)
- Sony MDR XB950N1 (Demoed)
- Sony WH1000X M2 Headphone Review (Demoed)
- Sony MDR-101 Review (Coming Soon!)
Superlux
- Superlux HD330 Review (Demoed)
Status Audio
- Status Audio CB-1 Review! (Owned & Sold)
V-Moda
- V-Moda Crossfade M100 Review (Own)
- V-Moda Crossfade LP Review (Demoed)
IEM Reviews
- Shure SE215 Review
- Tin Audio T2 Review
- HIFIMAN TWS600 Review (Own)
- HIFIMAN RE-600S Review (With RE-400 Comparison) (Demoed)
Headphone Comparisons
I’ve only included the most noteworthy comparisons here, as well as headphones I’ve actually held in my hands, or: Comparisons I did that were over 2,000 words in length and extremely helpful. Full transparency: A lot of my older posts from 2014-2017 were more researched-based, compiling hundreds of hours of digging on the internet.
I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong with that, and there are many opinions about this, but most people would say you shouldn’t review or compare products unless you’ve actually demoed them extensively. I would tend to agree with that more now that I’ve matured more in my journey and my writing has improved tremendously.
Also, I’ve heard a lot of Beats and Bose headphones but not including them here lol.
Extensive and In-Depth
- AKG K702 vs. Sennheiser HD600
- AKG K702 vs. Sennheiser HD650
- AKG Q701 vs. K712
- AKG K240M 600 Ohm vs. K240S 55 Ohm
- AKG K612 vs. K701
- Audeze LCD-2 vs. LCD-3
- Audio Technica ATH M40x vs. Sennheiser HD280 Pro
- Grado SR60e vs. SR80e
- HIFIMAN HE400S vs. HE400i
- HIFIMAN DEVA vs. Sundara
- HIFIMAN Ananda vs. Edition X
- HIFIMAN Ananda vs. Sundara
- Philips SHP9500 vs. Sennheiser HD600
- Sennheiser HD 280 Pro vs. Sony MDR 7506
- Sennheiser HD 800 vs HD 650
Most Popular/In-Depth
- AKG K701 vs. AKG K702
- AKG K240 vs. Samson SR850
- Audio Technica ATH M40x vs. M50x
- Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro vs. Premium
- HIFIMAN Sundara vs. HE400i
- The 4 Best HiFiMan Headphones [Definitive Guide] (Update/additions to come)
- Philips SHP9500 vs. 9600
- Sennheiser HD600 vs. HD650
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs. HD 6XX [Definitive Guide]
- Sennheiser HD600 vs. HIFIMAN HE400i
- Sennheiser HD598 vs. HD599
- Sony MDR V6 vs. MDR 7506
Headphone Shootouts
- Audio Technica ATH M40x vs. Status Audio CB-1 vs. Sony MDR 7506
- HIFIMAN Sundara vs. HD650 vs. HD600
- HiFiMan HE4XX vs. 400i vs. 400S vs. Sundara (Final Shootout)
- Philips SHP9500 vs. AKG K702 vs. HIFIMAN DEVA
- Philips SHP9500 vs. AKG K240 vs. Samson SR850 vs. Grado SR60e (New)
- Sennheiser HD598 vs. HD650 vs. HD600
- Sony MDR-7506 vs. Audio Technica ATH M50x vs. Sennheiser HD280 Pro (New)
- Audio Technica ATH M40x vs. AKG K240 vs. Sony MDR-7506 (New)
Older or Needs Updating
- AKG K612 vs. K702
- Audio Technica ATH M50x vs. Sony MDR V6
- Audio Technica ATH M50x vs. M50
- Audeze Sine vs. Oppo PM3
- Audeze Sine vs. Audeze EL8 (Open)
- Audio Technica ATH AD900x vs. Audio Technica ATH M50x
- Audio Technica ATH AD900x vs. Sennheiser HD598
- Audio Technica ATH M50 vs. Sennheiser HD598
- Audio Technica ATH M50 vs. Sennheiser HD558
- Beyerdynamic DT770 vs. Audio Technica ATH M50x
- Beyerdynamic DT770 80 Ohm vs. 250 Ohm
- Beyerdynamic DT990 vs. Sennheiser HD600
- Bowers and Wilkins P7 vs. Audio Technica ATH M50
- Bowers and Wilkins P7 vs. Sennheiser HD650
- Grado SR60e vs. SR125e
- Grado SR80e vs. SR125e
- Grado GS1000e vs. PS500e
- Oppo PM3 vs. Bowers & Wilkins P7
- Oppo PM3 vs. HIFIMAN HE400i
- Sennheiser HD201 vs. HD202
- Sennheiser HD 650 vs. HIFIMAN HE400i
- Sennheiser HD 280 pro vs. Audio Technica ATH M50
- Sennheiser HD558 vs. HD598
- Sennheiser HD598 vs HD600
- Sennheiser HD600 vs. Audio Technica ATH M50
- Sennheiser HD600 vs. Oppo PM3
- Sony MDR V6 vs. Audio Technica ATH M50
- Sony MDR 7506 vs. Audio Technica ATH M50
- Shure SRH440 vs. Audio Technica ATH M40x
- Shure SRH440 vs. Sony MDR7506
Upcoming Videos/Articles
- AKG K701 vs. K702 vs. Q701 vs. K612 vs. K712 (Final Shootout)
- AKG K361 vs. K371
- AKG K240M vs. K260
- Audeze LCD-2 vs. LCD-3 vs. LCD-4 vs. LCD-X
- Beyerdynamic DT770 vs. 880 vs. 990
- Focal Utopia vs. Stellia vs. Elear vs. Clear
- Koss Porta Pro vs. KPH30i vs. KSC75
- Philips SHP9500/9600 vs. Fidelio X2HR/X3
- Sennheiser HD58X vs. HD6XX vs. HD600 vs. HD650 (Final Shootout)
Comparisons with videos
AKG K702 vs. Sennheiser HD600
AKG K240 vs. Samson SR850
AKG K612 vs. K702
Grado SR60e vs. 80e
HIFIMAN DEVA vs. Sundara
HIFIMAN Ananda vs. Edition X
HIFIMAN Ananda vs. Sundara
Philips SHP9500 vs. Sennheiser HD600
Philips SHP9500 vs 9600
Sennheiser HD600 vs. HD650
Sennheiser HD6XX vs. HD600
HIFIMAN Sundara vs. HD650 vs. HD600
HiFiMan HE4XX vs. 400i vs. 400S vs. Sundara (Final Shootout)
Philips SHP9500 vs. AKG K702 vs. HIFIMAN DEVA
Audio Technica ATH M40 vs. Status Audio CB-1
Thanks for stopping by!
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
Hey Stu,
Keith here…I often check your site, and I follow your always on the mark advice but try as I may, I cannot find your review for Philips X2HR Fidelio or a compare to the Philips 9500 series. What gives big guy?