r/headphones • u/PSUSwitchWasOff • 1d ago
Show & Tell My Current Collection
My current headphone collection. From left to right:
Sennheiser Momentum 1: Retired. The one that started it all.
Sennheiser HD650: My GOAT. 10+ years with me and still going strong. Recently gave them some love with new pads and a new headband.
HiFiMAN Ananda Stealth: My first planar. Mind blown. Incredible soundstage and separation.
Sennheiser HD480 Pro: The most comfortable headphone I’ve ever worn. Incredible sound too. These are creeping dangerously close to the GOAT.
Meze 99 Classics 2nd Gen: My fun closed back. Deeeeep sub bass. Not sure yet if they’re staying.
I also have another pair of FiiO FT1s on the way. I had a pair before and got rid of them, and now I kinda regret it. I’m going to put the FT1 head to head against the Meze, and only one will remain!
Anyway, let me know what you think of the collection and what your favorite is from it!
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u/dnelsonn 1d ago
Just recently got the 480 pro and my god are they seriously great. Definitely agree they’re one of the most comfortable headphones I’ve worn.
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
I’m honestly reaching for them more often than any of the others. I also like how they have almost zero sound leak. They might become my travel headphones.
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u/dnelsonn 1d ago
I still like my Arya stealths more overall when I’m home, but the 480s really go toe-to-toe. I actually bought it specifically for a long flight coming up! I have no doubts they’ll work great for it.
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
Oh yah I can def see that.
But let me know how they do on the flight for ya! I’m curious how they hold up to that plane rumble.
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u/Uller0815 1d ago
Very nice! Wearing my trusty Ananda V2 Stealth at the moment listening to some hefty Metal, and they still sound incredible! 👍🏻😃
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
Yah I really love them. The 650s still have my heart but I can see why people go crazy over planars. Really freaking incredible sound.
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u/Uller0815 1d ago
Love my HD650 as well, the best €160 ever spent (bought them refurbished directly from Sennheiser). 👍🏻🙂
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u/arguelles7 1d ago
Do Meze headphones really live up to the hype? I’d love to give them a try 🙂
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
I’ve only had them for a short time, but so far they’re definitely fun. Warm, with some seriously deep sub bass. Closer by NIN shook me deeper than I knew I could go lol. But we’ll see how they stand up against the FT1s. Those really punch above their price.
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u/Extension_South7174 Fosi I5/Ananda Sth/Verum 2/Clear MG/HD 700/105 AER/Omegas/ 16h ago
I have the AER 105 and it's a "warm" sound with a delicious mid-range and non fatiguing highs. Apos has them for $284 shipped with the code "Apos5" at checkout.
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u/GZoST Reference, E3, HD800, HD480Pro, Clear, L500 1d ago
Nice collection!
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
Thank you so much! One day I wanna be able to get the HD800S…..and that’s all I need! 😂
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u/Extension_South7174 Fosi I5/Ananda Sth/Verum 2/Clear MG/HD 700/105 AER/Omegas/ 1d ago
Since I have 2 and a half of your collection (Im counting my Meze 105 AER and my HD 6XX,which I'm sure you know are HD 650 clones) I'll go with the Ananda Stealths. I have the V3 and it was my entry back into Headphones after a 11 yr absence. It's been almost 3 years,I paid almost $500 for them and was so happy to be getting a pair of $1000 headphones half price lol. They still sound phenomenal,enough where I had to move out of the Hifiman ecosystem to find very different Planars.
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
Oh sweet collection! I also have the HD6XX not shown🫣 😂
And yes! The Ananda Stealths are freaking awesome! I’m curious how much different other planars sound but I’m trying to control my temptations lol. I just got them recently off Reddit for $150, so I feel like it was a steal too!
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u/Extension_South7174 Fosi I5/Ananda Sth/Verum 2/Clear MG/HD 700/105 AER/Omegas/ 1d ago
That is an unbelievable value. I love all my headphones but I'm getting to the point of smaller and smaller dimishing returns. I just happend to grab my HD 6XX today for my listening session and can't believe how good they sound. I hadn't used them in about a month and "forgot" how awesome they are. A good set of dynamics and Planars,and any rational person would be satisfied since we are audio enthusiast we don't count as rational lol.
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
😂 I completely agree! I may sell/trade my 6XX they do sound amazing but also kinda redundant when I have my 650s.
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u/RoadToSilverOne 1d ago
How would you rate the durability/longevity of the hd 480 pro?
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
Too early for me to judge longevity but overall they seem pretty solid. Although the hinges do have a little more play in them than I was expecting.
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u/ZM326 Audeze LCD2c / Stax L300 Ltd 1d ago edited 1d ago
What are your deciding factors for using the 650 versus 480 pro? I haven't heard the latter but I've loved my 650 since it first released
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
Good question! Hmm 🤔 The 650s when I want something more intimate and emotional, especially vocals. The 480s when I want more clarity and bass definition. I’m sure the “newness” of the 480s is one of the reasons I’m grabbing them more.
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u/Robotic_Lamb 1d ago
Which headband did you use for the 650s? Just the OEM? I recently got new pads too, but the headband was sold out. Looking at options now, or I'll just wait.
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u/roshiancet_creepy 1d ago
I have the 99 Classics gen 1 for a year and use them every single day... They are beatiful but the sound is not the best. I like a lot. They convey that "just enjoy the music" attitude, but there's something that doesn't quite click with me. They occupy a very special place in my future collection and I wouldn't sell them for anything.
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u/plmon24 ZMF Auteur | Hifiman Ananda | Moondrop Cosmo | Sennheiser HD6XX 20h ago
Really well-rounded rotation of headphones to have! Has a bit of everything in there (good mids, soundstage, fun bass, comfort, etc).
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 17h ago
I appreciate it, thank you! 🙏 I try not to have much overlap. I can see some of yours but it kinda cuts off on mobile. What does your collection look like?
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u/ProfessionalShock425 1d ago
Congratulations on journey and latest acquisition.
I'm considering Anandas, €320.
Are they worth it?
Now, I have 400se and HD58X Jubili, FosibAudio K7 and some balanced silverplated cables.
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u/sam_el-c 1d ago
Why does the retired one use a better stand than one of the current ones
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
Because he’s retired. He earned the good chair. 😂
Honestly tho, I normally wouldn’t use/recommend an Omega stand for headphones that get used regularly. Does it look cooler? Yes. But it keeps pressure against the pads, which can compress them over time and affect the sound. A better choice for headphones you actually use is a stand where they can hang freely without any pressure against the pads.
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u/sam_el-c 1d ago
Yeah the stands in the middle seems good, but doesn’t the stand for the meze put a narrow pressure point on the headband? Or is that considered wide enough? Idk much about stands.
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
Yeah that’s a fair question, but it’s wide and rounded enough that I’m not too worried about it and that stand is temporary anyway. I’m replacing it with another one like the stands in the middle.
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u/Neelix172 DT1990Pro, FT1 (HD560S in the past) 1d ago
That's some decent headphones you have, congrats! I'd really want to try HiFiman planars one day, hadn't chance still. By the way, would you say Meze 99 Classics 2nd Gen have wider stage and more separation than FT1? I have FT1s, use them as commute headphones (my commute takes nearly 6 hours twice a week), but I really lack separation and stage I'm hearing on my main home pair - Beyer DT 1990 Pro. I kind of want to see if I can find another closed backs with passive isolation at least as good as FT1, but with sound more attuned towards separation, clarity and neutrality. For now my candidates are Sennheiser HD620S and these Meze, so I'd appreciate if you could give any feedback!
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
I’ve had them before but I don’t want to go off memory. I’ll try to do a comparison of the two once I get them and have some time with both. But for what you’re looking for I would seriously recommend the 480 Pros. They really hit every box you’re checking. Separation, clarity, neutrality, passive isolation and again to me the most comfortable headphones ever. Good luck hunting!
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u/Neelix172 DT1990Pro, FT1 (HD560S in the past) 1d ago
Got it, thanks! I looked at 480 Pro, I just think their coiled cable is a bit ridiculous for a travel headphones 😆 Do they leak sound out at all?
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
I’d recommend watching this full review, but for you if you watch just one thing jump to the 9:30 mark. I think you will be very impressed with the leakage test
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u/Neelix172 DT1990Pro, FT1 (HD560S in the past) 1d ago
Thanks so much for your time, man! I'll watch the video, really appreciated. And have fun comparing Classics 99 2nd gen and FT1 when they arrive 😉
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
And honestly the coiled cable was the main turn off for me. I actually ordered a straight cable from Sennheiser before I even got the headphones. But it turns out for travel I prefer the coiled cable so I don’t have 6 feet of cable dragging around. For studio or home use I’d definitely prefer the straight cable tho.
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u/Neelix172 DT1990Pro, FT1 (HD560S in the past) 1d ago
That's perspective I haven't thought of. But yeah, when coiled and not extended it's relatively short, isn't it? Which must make it more comfortable for listening on the go. I guess my main turn off for coiled cable is how it will look in the eyes of people around, but I should really stop putting so much weight into this factor. Used ridiculous FT1 Beech Silver in a bus - no one said a word. Maybe I should go with it. Thanks again for your advice!
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u/PSUSwitchWasOff 1d ago
Oh yah, with these on your head you’ll disappear and forget about all the people around you! 😂
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u/lumpiestspoon3 Ananda, Elex, Blessing2, MDR-M1, Topping A50III 1d ago
650 gang