Home Headphone Reviews & Comparisons

Headphone Reviews & Comparisons

by Stuart Charles Black

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 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!

  1. Headphone Reviews & Comparisons (You Are Here)
  2. Microphone Reviews & Comparisons
  3. Amps, DACs, and Audio Interfaces
  4. The Budget Kings Series
  5. Studio Monitors
  6. Beats, Production, & Turntables
  7. Gaming, Movies, & Pop Culture
  8. Build a Home Studio Guide
  9. Best Of
  10. Resources

Before You Buy Series Pt. I (Complete!)

  1. Before YOU Buy An HD600, READ THIS!! (Video included)
  2. Before YOU Buy An HD6XX, READ THIS!! (Video included)
  3. Before YOU Buy An AKG K612, READ THIS!! (Video included)
  4. Before YOU Buy An AKG K702, READ THIS!! (Video included)
  5. Before YOU Buy A Grado Headphone, READ THIS!! (Video included)
  6. Before YOU Buy A Chord Mojo, READ THIS!! (Video included)
  7. Before YOU Buy A DragonFly Cobalt, READ THIS!! (Video included)
  8. Before YOU Buy A K5 Pro, READ THIS!! (Video included)
  9. Before YOU Buy A Philips SHP9500, READ THIS!! (Video included)

More coming soon!

The Audiophile Rabbit Hole Series Pt. I (Complete!)

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.

  1. The Sony MDR7506 Will Change YOUR Life!! (2010)
  2. The Audio Technica ATH-M50/M50X Will Change YOUR Life!! (2013)
  3. The Sennheiser HD600: Still Relevant Today? (2016)
  4. The Philips SHP9500 Will Change YOUR Life!! (2017)
  5. The Sennheiser HD25 Will Change YOUR Life!! (2017)
  6. The HIFIMAN HE400i Will Change YOUR Life!! (2017)
  7. The Audeze LCD-3 Will Change YOUR Life!! (2017)
  8. The Focal Utopia Will Change YOUR Life!! (2018)

Part II

  1. The Dan Clark Audio Aeon Flow Will Change YOUR Life!! (2018)
  2. The Sennheiser HD6XX Experience (Coming Soon!) (2019)

More coming soon!

Company Conundrum Series!

Work in Progress! I will link these together when it’s done 🙂

  1. Are AKG Headphones Any Good?!
  2. Are Audeze Headphones Worth It?!
  3. Are Audio Technica Headphones Any Good?!
  4. Are Beyerdynamic Headphones Any Good?! (Coming Soon!)
  5. Are Focal Headphones Worth The Money?!
  6. Are Grado Headphones Any Good?! (New X Series Coming Soon!)
  7. Are HIFIMAN Headphones Any Good?!
  8. Are Sony Headphones Any Good?!
  9. Are Sennheiser Headphones Any Good?!

More Coming Soon!

Koss Mini-Series!

  1. Before You Buy A Koss KSC75, READ THIS!!
  2. The Koss KPH30i Will Change YOUR Life!!
  3. Before You Buy A Koss Porta Pro, READ THIS!!
  4. Koss KSC75 vs. KPH30i vs. Porta Pro (Final Shootout!)

Current # of headphones/IEMs owned or demoed: 110

  • Currently own: Sennheiser HD600, AKG K702, AKG K612, Philips SHP9500, Philips SHP9600, Koss KPH30i, Koss KSC75, Koss Porta Pro, HIFIMAN DEVA, AKG K240M (600 Ohm), Oppo PM-3, Sennheiser HD58X.
  • Currently demoing or listening: AKG K712, Sennheiser HD58X, Oppo PM-3 (again), Meze 99 Classic.
  • 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

  1. AKG K550 Review
  2. AKG K553 Review (Demoed)
  3. AKG K52 Review (Coming soon!) (Demoed)
  4. AKG K240 Studio Review (Owned & Sold)
  5. AKG K240M 600 Ohm Headphone Review + 850 Comparison (Own K240M, Sold SR850)
  6. AKG K612 Review (Own)
  7. AKG K702 Review (Own)
  8. AKG K371 Review! (Demoed)
  9. AKG K712 Review! (Demoed)

Audeze

  1. Audeze LCD-1 Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
  2. Audeze LCD-2 Review (Demoed)
  3. Audeze LCD-3 Review (Demoed)
  4. Audeze LCD-4 Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
  5. Audeze LCD-X Review (Demoed)
  6. Audeze LCD-XC Review (Demoed)
  7. Audeze EL8 Open Review (Demoed)
  8. Audeze EL8 Closed Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
  9. Audeze Sine Review (Demoed)

Audio Technica

  1. Audio Technica ATH M50 Review (Owned & Given Away)
  2. Audio Technica ATH M50x Review (Demoed) (May or may not review in the future)
  3. Audio Technica ATH M40x Review (Owned & Sold)
  4. Audio Technica ATH AD900x (Demoed)

Audioquest

  1. Audioquest NightOwl Review (Demoed)
  2. Audioquest NightHawk Review (Demoed)

Beats

  1. Beats Solo 2 Review (Demoed)
  2. Beats Solo 3 Review (Demoed)
  3. Beats Studio 2.0 Wireless Review (Demoed)
  4. Beats Studio 3.0 Wireless Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
  5. Beats Pro Review (Demoed)
  6. Beats EP Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)

Beyerdynamic

  1. Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250 Ohm (Coming soon!) (Demoed)
  2. Beyerdynamic DT 990 Premium 600 Ohm headphones
  3. Beyerdynamic DT 770 Review (Demoed)
  4. 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

Bose

  1. Bose Quiet Comfort 35 Review (Demoed)
  2. Bose Sound True Around-Ear II Review (Demoed)

Bowers & Wilkins

  1. Bowers & Wilkins P7 Review (Demoed)
  2. Bowers & Wilkins P9 Review (Demoed)

Creative

Dan Clark Audio

Emu

  • Massdrop x E-MU Purple Heart Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)

Focal

  1. Focal Elear Review (Demoed)
  2. Focal Clear Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
  3. Focal Listen Review (Demoed)
  4. Focal Utopia Review (Demoed)
  5. Focal Elegia Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)
  6. Focal Stellia Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)

Fostex

  1. Fostex TH-X00 Ebony – Massdrop version (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)

Grado

Original

  1. Grado RS2i Review (Demoed)

e series line

  1. Grado SR60e Review (Demoed)
  2. Grado SR80e Review (Demoed)
  3. Grado SR125e Review (Demoed)
  4. Grado SR225e Review (Demoed)
  5. Grado SR325e Review (Demoed)
  6. Grado RS1e Review (Demoed)
  7. Grado PS500e Review (Demoed)
  8. Grado GS1000e Review (Demoed)
  9. Grado PS1000e Review (Coming Soon!)

Wireless Bluetooth

  1. Grado GW100 Review (Coming Soon!) (Demoed)

HIFIMAN

  1. HIFIMAN HE400i Review (Demoed)
  2. HIFIMAN HE400S Review (Demoed)
  3. HIFIMAN Edition X Review (Demoed)
  4. HIFIMAN Sundara Review (Demoed)
  5. HIFIMAN Ananda Review (Demoed)
  6. HIFIMAN HE-4XX Review and Shootout (All 400 Series Final Impressions)
  7. HIFIMAN TWS600 Review (Own)
  8. HIFIMAN DEVA Review (Demoed)

Koss

Meze

  • Meze 99 Classics (Demoing)

Oppo

  1. Oppo PM-3 Review (Updated/Own)

Philips

  1. Philips SHP9500 Review (Own)
  2. Philips SHP9500 vs. 9600

PSB

  1. PSB M4U Review (Demoed)
  2. PSB M4U 2 Review (Coming soon!) (Demoed)

Samson

  1. Samson SR850 Review (Owned & Sold)

Sennheiser

  1. Sennheiser HD 280 Review (Owned & Given Away)
  2. Sennheiser HD 201 Review (Owned, Given Away, Owned Again, Sold)
  3. Sennheiser HD 202 Review (Owned & Given Away)
  4. Sennheiser HD 25 Review (Owned & Sold)
  5. Sennheiser HD 558 Review (Owned & Sold)
  6. Sennheiser HD 598 Review (Demoed)
  7. Sennheiser HD58X Review (Coming Soon!)
  8. Sennheiser HD 600 Review (Own)
  9. Sennheiser HD 650 Review (Demoed)
  10. Sennheiser HD 6XX Review + HD 600 Comparison (Demoed)
  11. Sennheiser HD6 Review (Coming soon!) (Demoed)
  12. Sennheiser HD 200 Review (Coming soon!) (Demoed)

Shure

  1. Shure SRH440 Review (Demoed)

Skull Candy

  1. Skull Candy Uproar Wireless (Own)

Sony

  1. Sony MDR 7506 Review (Owned & Sold)
  2. Sony MDR V6 Review (Owned & Sold)
  3. Sony MDR V150 Monitor Series Headphones (Owned a long time ago :D)
  4. Sony MDR ZX100 Review (Demoed)
  5. Sony MDR Z1R Review (Demoed)
  6. Sony MDR 1A Review (Demoed)
  7. Sony MDR XB950N1 (Demoed)
  8. Sony WH1000X M2 Headphone Review (Demoed)
  9. Sony MDR-101 Review (Coming Soon!)

Superlux

  1. Superlux HD330 Review (Demoed)

Status Audio

  1. Status Audio CB-1 Review! (Owned & Sold)

V-Moda

  1. V-Moda Crossfade M100 Review (Own)
  2. V-Moda Crossfade LP Review (Demoed)

IEMs…

IEM Reviews

  1. Shure SE215 Review
  2. Tin Audio T2 Review
  3. HIFIMAN TWS600 Review (Own)
  4. HIFIMAN RE-600S Review (With RE-400 Comparison) (Demoed)

Headphone Comparison Reviews

Headphone Comparisons

I’ve only included the most noteworthy comparisons here, as well as headphones I’ve actually held in my hands, and/or: Comparisons I did that were over 2,000 words in length and extremely helpful.

Also, note that I am consolidating a lot of these into full guides so stay tuned for that!

Extensive and In-Depth

  1. AKG K702 vs. Sennheiser HD600 (Updated)
  2. AKG K240M 600 Ohm vs. K240S 55 Ohm
  3. Audeze LCD-2 vs. LCD-3
  4. Grado SR60e vs. SR80e
  5. HIFIMAN Ananda vs. Edition X
  6. HIFIMAN Ananda vs. Sundara
  7. Philips SHP9500 vs. Sennheiser HD600
  8. Sennheiser HD 800 vs HD 650

Most Popular/In-Depth

  1. AKG K240 vs. Samson SR850
  2. Philips SHP9500 vs. 9600
  3. Sennheiser HD600 vs. HD650
  4. Sennheiser HD600 vs. HD6XX [Definitive Guide]
  5. Sennheiser HD600 vs. HIFIMAN HE400i
  6. Sennheiser HD598 vs. HD599

Headphone Shootouts

  1. Sony MDR-7506 vs. Audio Technica ATH M50x vs. Sennheiser HD280 Pro (New/Consolidated)
  2. Beyerdynamic DT770 vs. 880 vs. 990 [Definitive Guide] (New/Consolidated)
  3. AKG K701 vs. K702 vs. Q701 vs. K612 vs. K712 (Final Shootout)
  4. HiFiMan HE4XX vs. 400i vs. 400S vs. Sundara (Final Shootout)
  5. The 4 Best HiFiMan Headphones [Definitive Guide] (Update/additions to come)
  6. HIFIMAN Sundara vs. HD650 vs. HD600
  7. Philips SHP9500 vs. AKG K702 vs. HIFIMAN DEVA
  8. Philips SHP9500 vs. AKG K240 vs. Samson SR850 vs. Grado SR60e (New)
  9. Sennheiser HD598 vs. HD650 vs. HD600

Older or Needs Update/Consolidation

  1. Audeze Sine vs. Oppo PM-3
  2. Audeze Sine vs. Audeze EL8 (Open)
  3. Audio Technica ATH AD900x vs. Audio Technica ATH M50x
  4. Audio Technica ATH AD900x vs. Sennheiser HD598
  5. Audio Technica ATH M50 vs. Sennhei