the GIANT headphone tier list (end of 2023)

Resolve, DMS and GoldenSound each give their headphone tier lists as of the end of 2023 and fight about which headphones are good, which ones are bad, and where your favorite headphones fall.
(In no particular order for the tiers and all subject to change)
DMS's List: tiermaker.com/list/technology...
Resolve's List: tiermaker.com/list/technology...
Golden's List: tiermaker.com/list/technology...
Read more headphone, IEM, amp, and DAC Reviews: Headphones.com/TheAudioFiles
Our Editorial Policy: Headphones.com/TheAudioFiles/...
Join our Discord server: go.headphones.com/discord
How to read the new measurements:
• A new standard for hea...
The 10 stages of headphone measurements
• The 10 stages you’ll g...
00:00 - Disclaimers
06:29 - Abyss
09:18 - AKG
10:09 - Audeze
20:20 - Audio Technica
23:36 - Austrian Audio
26:16 - Beyerdynamic
33:34 - Dan Clark Audio
41:13 - Denon
42:19 - Final Audio
42:24 - Focal
50:33 - Fostex
51:43 - Goldplanar
53:03 - Grado
55:01 - Harmonicdyne
57:02 - HEDD Audio
59:41 - HiFiMAN
1:09:09 - Koss
1:10:49 - Meze
1:15:21 - Moondrop
1:16:21 - Neumann
1:17:11 - Philips
1:18:12 - Raal
1:20:14 - Sendy
1:20:56 - Sennheiser
1:28:16 - Shure
1:29:06 - Sony
1:32:16 - Spirit Torino
1:33:17 - Stax
1:37:01 - TakeT
1:37:32 - Ultrasone
1:38:01 - Warwick Acoustics
1:40:05 - ZMF
1:47:19 - FINAL RESULTS

[@ResolveReviews]

Just a couple of notes: This list was only made for passive wired headphones. No ANC or wireless headphones were included because that's a separate category and introduces different variables. IEMs also weren't included here, those are separate lists. I expect this video will get folks fired up in the comments, I'd just ask that you please give the disclaimers section a watch beforehand at 00:22 just so you have a sense of where we're coming from. One of the key takeaways from doing this exercise is that there is no definitive ranking list that's going to satisfy everyone and that we shouldn't just base our judgments or understanding of products around the opinions of a single perspective. We all have different preferences and approach this stuff differently from one another, and I think this video shows that as well. If YOU have a different opinion than we do on a given headphone, understand that this is also expected. Our opinions have also changed over time and I also imagine they will have changed again by the next time we do this. And with that in mind, remember that we're just three people on the internet talking about headphones - don't let that affect your enjoyment of stuff you love. Lastly, tier lists or rankings of any kind are highly reductive and give a particularly blunt indication of how products are received. I'm fully aware that this point may be missed when folks are watching this video. This is also the reason why I'm generally not a fan of doing singular tier lists on this stuff. There's far more to each product than just a ranking or a letter grade. But, we've been regularly asked for this list, so here it is.

[@ResolveReviews]

Also, check the description for the higher visibility tier lists

[@MuhammadKharismawan]

can i ask a link/ picture of DMS' and Golden's tierlist?

[@ResolveReviews]

@@MuhammadKharismawan those should be in the description as well. It has my picture because I created them based on what they said in this video but they are titled appropriately.

[@MuhammadKharismawan]

@@ResolveReviews ah ok, i watched the video right after it was released so i need to refresh the page for it to show up, thanks

[@FunRageDIE]

will you guys possibly do a wireless / anc / iem ranking seperate to this?

[@sennheiser]

This was a fun concept. We of course skipped ahead to our section, but will finish the rest later. What, no "Surrounder" ranking?? What gives?!?! Haha 😉 See you all soon and Happy Holidays!

[@ResolveReviews]

Haha yes a clear omission - Happy Holidays!

[@zelven6109]

HD820 with new FR pls

[@user-sz2se3uc5b]

Woah, the real Sennheiser

[@reykhan233]

Cheaper HE 1 when?

[@Queen_K_Rool]

​@@reykhan233probably never realistically speaking

[@4nanke129]

I have made a written list below! Thank you very much for this tier list! I have had so much fun watching it and listening your opinions. Very interesting results! I noticed many people are asking for the written list so I have made one based on your list (I took average score of 3 of you so the list might be slightly different than the one you are showing to us): S+ 1. Sennheiser HE-1 2. Warwick Acoustics Bravura 3. Warwick Acoustics Aperio S 1. Abyss Diana MR 2. Hifiman he6 OG 3. Hifiman Susvara 4. Meze Empyrean 2 6. ZMF Atrium A 1. Abyss Diana TC 2. Abyss AB1266 Phi TC 3. Audeze MM500 4. Austrian Audio The Composer 5. DCA Aeon 2 Noir 6. DCA Corina 7. Final Audio D8000pro 8. Focal Elex 9. Focal Utopia (newer version slightly better than older) 10. HEDD Audio HEDDphone One 11. Hifiman Arya v3 12. Hifiman Arya Organic 13. HIFIMAN SHANGRI-LA jr 14. HIFIMAN SHANGRI-LA sr 15. Sennheiser HD600 16. Sennheiser HD650 17. Sennheiser HD800s 18. STAX SR-007 MK2! 19. STAX SR-X9000 20. STAX SR-L700 ! 21. ZMF Auteur Classic 22. ZMF Aeolus 23. ZMF Verite Closed 24. ZMF Caldera B 1. Abyss Diana v2 2. AKG K371 3. AKG K361 4. Audeze LCD1 5. Audeze LCD-2F 6. Audeze LCD-3F 7. Audeze LCD-4 8. Audeze LCD-X 2021+ 9. Audeze LCD-XC 10. Audeze LCD-5 ! 11. Audio-Technica ATH-R70x 12. DCA Aoen Closed X 13. DCA Ether Closed 14. DCA Stealth 15. Focal Clear OG 16. Focal Celestee 17. Focal Radiance 18. HarmonicDyne G200 19. HarmonicDyne Zeus 20. HEDD Audio HEDDphone Two ! 21. Hifiman Sundara 22. Hifiman Edition XS 23. Hifiman he6se v2 24. Hifiman HE1000 v2 25. Meze 109pro 26. Moondrop Void 27. Raal requisite CA-1A 28. Raal SR-1B 29. Sennheiser HD580 30. Sennheiser HD660s 2 31. Shure 840 32. Sony Z1R 33. Sony MDR-V6 34. Sony 1am2 35. Spirit Torino Valkyria 36. STAX SR-009s ! 37. STAX SR-L300 38. STAX SR-L500 39. ZMF Atrium Closed 40. ZMF Verite Open C 1. AKG k612pro 2. AKG k712pro 3. Audeze LCD-GX 4. Audeze LCD-2C Classic 5. Audeze CRBN 6. Audio-Technica ATH-m40x 7. Audio-Technica adx5000 (and any other adx line) 8. Austrian Audio HI-X65 9. Beyerdynamic DT770 10. Beyerdynamic DT880 11. Beyerdynamic TYGR 300R 12. Beyerdynamic DT700 pro-x 13. Beyerdynamic DT900 pro-x 14. Dan Clark Audio Aeon Open X 15. Denon AHD-9200 16. Denon AH-D1001 17. Focal Elegia 18. Focal Clear MG 19. Focal Stellia 20. Fostex t50rp 21. Fostex t60rp 22. HarmonicDyne Helios 23. Hifiman HE-400se 24. Hifiman HE-560 25. Hifiman Ananda-Nano 26. Hifiman Ananda-Stealth 27. Koss kph30i 28. Meze Empyrean 1 29. Meze Elite 30. Moondrop Venus 31. Neumann NDH-30 32. Sandy Aiva 33. Sennheiser HD560s 34. Sennheiser HD660s 35. Sony MDR-MV1 36. Sony CD900ST D 1. AKG k701 2. AKG k702 3. AKG 7xx 4. Audeze LCD-2 Closed 5. Audeze EL-8C 6. Audio-Technica ATH-m50x 7. Beyerdynamic Aeron Home 8. Beyerdynamic DT1990 9. DCA Ether 2 10. DCA Expanse 11. Focal Elear 12. Fostex TR-X00 Mahogany 13. Fostex TH-900 14. Fostex TH-909 15. Goldplanar AMT-1 16. Grado Hemp 17. HarmonicDyne Poseidon 18. Hifiman Deva 19. Hifiman HE1000 se 20. Koss Porta Pro 21. Koss KSC75 22. Meze 99 Classic 23. Meze Lyric 24. Neumann NDH-20 25. Neumann Ollo Audio S4X 26. Philips SHP-9500 27. Philips SHP-9600 28. Phiips x3 29. Shure 840 a 30. Sony PFR V1 31. F 1. Beyerdynamic DT990 2. Beyerdynamic T5p 3. Beyerdynamic DT1770 4. DCA VOCE 5. Goldplanar GL2000 6. All Grado except Hemp 7. Hifiman Sundara Closed 8. Sandy Peacock 9. Shure SRH 1540 10. Sony MDR-ZX110 11. Sony MDR-M1ST 12. TakeT H2+ HTHTH 1. Austrian Audio HI-X55 2. Beats Pro 3. Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 4. Hifiman Audivina 5. Hifiman HE-R9 6. Hifiman HE-R10p 7. Moondrop Joker 8. Sennheiser HD820 9. Sennheiser HD700 10. Spirit Torino Twin Pulse 11. Ultrasone 580i X (Not heard) 1. Denon AHD-7200 2. Denon AHD-5200 3. HarmonicDyne Athena 4. Hifiman HE1000 Stealth You mentioned that it was 182 headphones, on my list it is less. The one with ! are the headphones got 3 different tier from all of you, so I have put them into average one. Enjoy!

[@vm.x]

This is awesome!

[@andredaugavietis1255]

thank you!!!

[@brand123]

legend

[@user-ub1rl9mv9r]

bro why is Koss ksc75 at d tier

[@4nanke129]

Because they're clearly saying it's d tier.

[@ZReviews]

I always say I won't do a Tier List. But I feel Left out of this monster. 110 minute videos are my specialty..

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

Resolve here - I'll do a tier list with you... But we will fight!

[@guybrushtwood]

@@TheHEADPHONEShow Since Z’s face is now free for public consumption, you could set up a fight in the KZbin boxing scene. Get Sennheiser on board for the winner to get a HE-1. The loser must listen to only one headphone (of the winners choosing) for the next month. Would be a battle for the ages!

[@SheepDude-qp7ux]

Most of it appears to be about your life with maybe 20 minutes of it being about headphones 😂 (just playing around btw, no hard feelings)

[@halimj7]

Please do one Z you actually appreciate Japanese headphones and headphones that don’t all sound the same!

[@halimj7]

Most controversial opinions: Sennheiser HD800 - S grade What?! I say “C” it has very little bass presence , impact and the treble spike. Build materials and cable connections are mediocre at best. Denon D9200 only a “C” but Z1R is a “B”?! How can Sennheiser hd600 series be anything greater than a “C”? Blob imaging, no sub bass extension not detailed, small stage. Focal Clear a “B”?! You guys gonna make Tyll come out of retirement!

[@RavesForDays]

Would love to see one on DACs and Amps! Ooooh and an updated 2023 "what would you buy list" with more price brackets.

[@lazyreuvin]

Loved watching this especially with the three of you guys comparing your results as a group. We need an IEM version of this please! 😊😊👏👏

[@occasionalart7597]

I'd say they should get crin on there for that but he already spent so much time on his own tier list lol

[@readk]

Wish you had summarized at the end better. Maybe a scatter plot of tier vs price would be cool. Maybe also share your top picks for different budgets.

[@sidesaladaudio]

This is a lot of fun. I enjoy these more casual, long form videos.

[@ZReviews]

same

[@BrimChilling]

Im glad they included Stax in this one because i was always verry curious what their opinions are of the headphones

[@MrShaggy789]

As someone who knows nothing about headphones, could you label the headphones on the respective tier lists. Pictures of headphones don't help really.

[@pdcragin33]

Since hearing my first ZMF at the Dallas CanJam I’ve been planning on a purchase so I was very pleased to hear your comments on their entire line. Thank you!

[@dimitristamatis4462]

Definitely get suede (not hybrid or leather) pads, if you get any of the ZMF closed backs.

[@nodoubt1616]

When these type of comparisons are done it would be great to have a list and rankings listed somewhere

[@ForeverBlackCat]

Fantastic video. Thanks so much! I subscribed

[@MihneaTheodor2684]

I'm crying for DMS doesn't like the 1990 anymore after I bought them based on his review. But I'm ok with it. It's been half a decade and people and their taste and perception and the technology around change. I'll still like them.

[@mitchy5994]

They're still a great headphone! Just you can get the same for less nowadays so he's not recommending it anymore. Same as Joshua Valour, Zeos, etc

[@tissot233]

I adore my DT1990 paired with Mojo. I have bought Focal Clear and sold them after 6 months and tested so many different models since +5 years ago when I bought my DT1990. I've just kind given up on finding headphone I would like more - or most importantly I am just fully satisfied with DT1990.

[@DingleberrryDan]

@@tissot233 I pair mine with a cheap Chinese tube dac/amp (Douk Audio P1) with bass and treble knobs. Resulting sound is pure magic. No way else to describe it. HD 800 S on this same dac/amp is also magic. I actually enjoy both headphones equally as much on this setup for different reasons.

[@jamesmarks4546]

Very entertaining having you all on this - like The Avengers of headphone tier list videos.. sort of. I haven’t heard the vast majority of these but tend to agree with most of the comments, save that the scorn for the DT series Beyerdynamics was perhaps laid undeservedly thick, and the Clear MG sounded unequivocally nicer to me than the old one, but I certainly can’t hear up to 18khz.. Hopefully you do more of these in future, perhaps also for DAC / amplifier units? One minor suggestion, it would help to have in small text in a bottom corner perhaps, the make and model of headphone being discussed at each time. I watched this a second time and was skipping to different units, when going back and forth between brands, it takes a few moments to work out which specific headphone is being discussed. Otherwise that was excellent. Perhaps have Josh Valour or Lachlan Fennen (Passion for Sound) along too next time?

[@andymon15]

loved this video thanks. I definitely learned a ton and changed my headphone goals quite a bit. Would love to see an IEM tier list collaboration someday.

[@o0Dan0o]

I would love to see this list, but bucketed into price groups. This list is great, but I'd like to see how the headphones breakdown by cost. I.E. are all S-tier $1,000+ US? What are the best

[@beatsandstuff]

Sennheiser HD600 or HD650, calibrated with Sound ID for bass compensation.

[@styner3]

I'm glad to see this list, I'm a old head and all headphones were the wired kind when I grew up listening to music and I've always have had a nice pair. I currently own a pair of Focal Clear but going to listen to some of these in the future.

[@drufnuf]

very nice tier-list! You mentioned the stealth ananda and the og basically is better than the stealth...!? At which tier would you place the og Ananda then? (just purchased one like new for 350 eur as an upgrade/complement to my good old senni hd599se)

[@markkirollos4437]

@TheHEADPHONEShow Great list! But You are missing some really important headphones that get recommended frequently in the forums. Where would you put the Aurorus headphones (Borealis and Australis)? And what about the Modhouse Tungsten?

[@udderhippo]

It'd be good to have a text based list. The tier list itself is one case where a picture does not infact say a thousand words (or even 1): what the name of the headphones are.

[@djdeckstar]

Yes. Googling “headphones that have a bit of orange” isn’t that helpful

[@guacamoler]

yea I don't know what i'm looking at haha just these photos. Give us some labels or links or something

[@tomlikeabomb6706]

Yep it’s really difficult to figure out what the pics are

[@uonadtehrrocks]

Agree, no idea how you are suppose to tell the Audeze's apart

[@kjbaumga]

A list is definitely a MUST for anyone interested in buying (or trying out) these headphones! I watched this for info to guide my buying choices. Please, to make the video more enjoyable and easier to follow, give us the names. They could be put in the description of the video, a comment, or provided in a link to your website. You could include the sound rankings in this manner: AKG K371(B,B,B). Feel free to include a "-" or "+", since sometimes you said a headphone was a "low A", making it an "A-". Thanks!

[@bringbackshaming]

This was a great idea and I think a lot of people would enjoy something similar but for DACs/amps! I’ve been invested in this hobby for a few years now, but only recently have I been interested in upgrading from my A50s/E30 stack and am finding the overall decision-making process to be quite overwhelming. I think it would be cool if you guys teamed up again and gave your opinions on a good amount of the best and worst-sounding dacs/amps you’ve tested/heard.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

Andrew doesnt hear differences in all solid state amps anymore and dms doesn't think its worthwhile spending a lot. Goldensound is the only one that would have any opinion

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

Not technically true. Resolve here - I've only said that if there's a perceptual difference then we should expect to find a measurable one as well. Thresholds of audibility for distortion profiles also aren't that well understood, so the door is still open to some of this. But also, other differences do exist that have to do with output impedance, or other obvious characteristics that can explain a heard difference in an ABX.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

@TheHEADPHONEShow I just took it from your stream when you said you couldn't hear the difference in an ABX test. I completely agree with you here.

[@comfylife8816]

From what I've tried/owned, generally agree with these lists. My only exception was the Verite Closed which felt very warm/"damp" with what I can only describe as a "vignetted" soundstage. Much preferred the LCD-XC ('21) with EQ. I'd be curious how the MySphere 3.1/3.2 would fare in these tierlists since I've only heard good things about them (often compared to the Raal SR-1b and other "earspeakers".) Also didn't see the Campfire Cascades. I personally put them at a D/F tier since they had physically painful slam for me and were quite uncomfortable with their small earcups, but they do have their following among bassheads.

[@kellycny65]

I watch two-hour videos about as often as I trim my toenails with a chain saw. But this one was excellent. Enjoyed it! Mature, smart discussion from three of the most knowledgeable headphone reviewers on KZbin. Thank you!

[@kentbergstrom3020]

I own one S and two A tiers headphones from the list and I agree of their rankings, this also applies to the other headphones I have heard, except for the DT 1990 Pro which I rank higher, but I am older and am not sensitive to high frequencies, but the bottom line is that 95% of all people would be perfectly happy with either the HD600 or Sundara depending on personal taste.

[@hartyewh1]

True, but we are the 5%🙈

[@JOJOSSTAR1]

yes DMS ranked the DT 1990 much higher (A-tier) just 3 years ago. As anyone would. But his hearing as gotten so much better since then! 🤷‍♂

[@millenwagon]

My issues with the 1990 was the headband giving me terrible pain, and the sound (same with dt 990, tygr, 770, mmx 300) has an unusual metallic sound to it, I’ve always found beyer to sound unnatural for some reason, but I also found they all excelled when used for gaming, very good for competitive shooters.

[@JohZs77]

@@JOJOSSTAR1 you know you can oly loose hearing right?

[@JOJOSSTAR1]

@@JohZs77 Ever heard of sarcasm?

[@subbybass1432]

Really fun watch! Out of curiosity, is Chrono still part of the team? I enjoyed a lot of his opinions in the past and it's been a while since his last video.

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

think they changed the amp to lessfox, its noticeably better

[@anthonylawrence4621]

Great show. I really enjoyed it and found it very valuable. I usually listen to the Focal Utopia I using a 300b tube amp and sometimes a solid state amp depending on what I am listening to. My comment is that to me the amp that is being used affects the sound. If you were all using the same amps or at least a number of amps I feel more comfortable with the results. Thanks, again a great show.

[@SonGokuhSSJ]

I know this list is only for headphones currently in production but what does DMS rate the LCD 2/3 PF?

[@vimdiesel2726]

Is there any way do get the names of headphones / final list?

[@kraken-s]

Thanks for the nice video 2 remarks : The lists ranking the videos and discussions do not fully correlate. Additionally, the headphones are difficult to identify by icon alone in the attached list, titles would help a lot.

[@stephenbeaumont-adam7702]

@ResolveReviews I recently picked up some open box but immaculate Elear. I've bought some Dekoni Elite Hybrid pads and I like these easily as much as the Clear I had for a couple of months. Are there any others you would recommend?

[@jagathon777]

This was informative and just fun to watch. Thanks! Put me down for the same thing, but done with wireless headphones!

[@johanescandra]

I swear I was just watching your 2022 tierlist an hour ago

[@shonen84]

I’m loving all my C grade headphones (Sony MDR MV1 - Focal Clear Mg - Meze Empyrean 1). So if anything, this tier list is a great exercise in consistency. Ima look up for more C tier headphones from this list, thanks fellas XD

[@TheFiveoF.]

Some b tier actually cheap tho

[@iteachlit]

@@TheFiveoF.Which ones? I’m working my way down this list and haven’t gotten there yet. Thanks for any help!

[@TheFiveoF.]

Shure 840 and 440 I got both of them less than 100 hundred dollars only 44 ohm no need amplifier but build quality like a crap and when I'm a sleep I use my senheiser hd560s got it like 150 dollars used and done I don't need anything else 3 of them have different sounds signature that bang for all my playlist metal,edm, hip-hop,etc. but just use headphones that fit for you from comfort to sound signatures because other people might be like it but not click for you

[@Mastermnd1]

I enjoyed this video sooo much. It's exactly what I wanted from you guys. Please do solve whether the empyrean 2 has unit variation or not.

[@calypsopiter]

I have a feeling it does. The one I listened month ago seemed to sound differently than the one I was checking now... Both played for a week prior to listening. The second one seems to be bit more recessed in mids... Can someone else confirm if that was his experience too?

[@Neil_Mackie]

I scanned through to hear about headphones I've owned and sold as I didn't enjoy them, headphones I still own and enjoy, and headphones that are possible future purchases. While I may not share the same opinion or preferences as you three your consistency is a good barometer for what I may enjoy, which you may not. Thanks for the video.

[@stephendenagy3396]

Fun concept, can be a good starting guide. The only problem is that the list is pictures. Most are low res so for many I have no idea what they are! Some way of having both textual and image would make your list much more useful.

[@davidbock1801]

Yeah, I wish they'd post the list.

[@4nanke129]

I have made a text list. Please check my comment. ;)

[@LASoundCrafter]

Great review. I’m new to the audiophile headphone world - I’m not familiar with names associated with the headphone pictures. Could you supply the actual name of each headphone with the picture for future reference? Thanks.

[@4nanke129]

I have made a text list. Please check my comment. ;)

[@dyckstefan]

Nice video! Could you publish the lists somewhere?

[@zorqis]

Was it mentioned what kind of music selections did you use when testing these headphones?

[@eruilluvitar]

With the exception of the Expanse which for whatever reason works quite well for me, I pretty much agree with all of these. I'm now going to spend the rest of winter preparing myself for the 72h long IEM tier list, the 9hr Amp tier list, the 6hr DAC list, and the 50-60 hr dongle list 🤣 P.S. I hope you're recovering well, Andrew, and happy almost birthday, DMS!

[@cancerparty]

This was great fun. Thanks for doing it. But the attached TierMaker lists are not much help to someone like me if you can't tell what headphone is in the picture. I'm not familiar with ALL of them from a thumbnail pic size. Any chance of including written lists of these? I get that it's just for fun etc etc, but still useful for canvassing opinion.

[@supertrexandroidx]

Exactly my thought. I've no idea what I'm looking at there, so not much point in posting them

[@kieranburkhill]

Great video although I didn't have time to watch all of it ! Would be nice to have a list with all the names with their ranking. Thanks!

[@BigKarwat]

Will you make similar comparison for IEMs? would be really nice! or at least affordable ones like to 200-500 usd?

[@kirbykrause7866]

How about a written list besides pics? Could not find one. Thanks.

[@XeonX__ASMR__METAL-experiments]

Hello! Do this for IEMs as well ❤

[@carlosgarcia8508]

Very nice video, congratulations!. But what if you had to move headphones with a low power device like a smartphone, tablet, dap or so with no external amplification?

[@Flo-pj8rv]

thanks for these insights, these kinds of videos should happen much more often on youtube, sound is too subjective and seeing people discuss their insights is very helpful to make a better informed buying decision

[@DesuVR]

You guys put the Phillips SHP-9500 & 9600 on the tier list but not the X2HR and X3 that were also mentioned? I own the 9500 and X2HR; 9500 is an excellent gaming headphone, super comfortable, can wear it all day and fantastic at bringing forth the midrange, it even surprisingly has bass when equipped with thicker pads. But as they come, C-tier is deserved, great entry-level open-back. X2HR is better in almost every way; build, clarity, bass extension, greater soundstage and separation, mids take a step back, and the only detractor is it struggles with really high-pitched voices and sharp 'S' sounds, otherwise they sound identical to the Moondrop Variations IEMs which cost 4x more. I'd rank the X2HR high or mid B-tier, imo.

[@zorqis]

Some of the headphones you compared and deemed being bright (especially the Stax X9000, but also the 009s, etc), actually just mercilessly expose (and not hide) the characteristics and nature of the underlying chain. They are sharp mirrors, not fuzzy mirrors, but not of the "digitally oversharpened" kind. Nevertheless, they are difficult to match. It feels like the Warwick are better to mask the chain - which can be considered a merit, indeed, and they are excellent anyway. Interesting point about the crossfeed in the HE1 demos. For the other (dozens of) headphones I know, I could related to the impressions, with some exceptions. Many headphones from the list can easily travel 2-3 tiers after pad change, fine tuning or EQ. The ZMF Atrium - that was with which pads?

[@mikeg2491]

I’d be curious what they are listening to, I prefer bright headphones when played with properly mastered, high quality (not compressed) music.

[@ARC87]

The Danish speaker brand, Dali, released the io-12; a €1K headphone meant to be used passively or wirelessly. It would be interesting to know your thoughts about it. The Focal Bathys can't be used passively as far as I remember. Very entertaining video and thanks for all your honest thoughts.

[@johnnycoax]

DMS, which hybrid pad did you use with the ZMF Aeolus? Be2 or universe pad? Just ordered an Aeolus and want to try the hybrid pads too. Thanks!

[@neilrobins3329]

Really enjoyed this but....Is there any description list or spreadsheet of this ranking? All I can see on my phone is pictures of the headphones. Would be nice to be able to click on the picture and know what they are and a short description of the reviewer's pros and cons.

[@abehaile2659]

That's how they get you to spend time on the video

[@thebadburrito1394]

You guys should try a new HE1000 SE, apparently it got revised and not near as bright. I went with the he1000 stealth

[@user-jc2qk1kg3u]

I have them and they are beautiful and they are not bright. Love them

Can we expect an IEM tier list any time soon? Also, I have a Fiio K7. Is there any decent pairing for it that doesn't break the bank?

[@pmdthewizard]

Fun video despite the length, please do iems next with Precog

[@imabeliever85]

This was a hugely fun video guys! Thank you so much. I love my HD 600 and 650. I’m still thinking about pulling the trigger on the 660S2. You guys say it’s not as good, but other reviewers say it’s the best of the 6 series, including Jude from head-fi. So I’m thinking about it.

[@qupeter1224]

i would say 660s2 it is technically better in driver and try to turned like the hd650. it is a good addition to hd600 and 650 for me personally.

[@christopherdean2576]

I prefer the war 660s2 over the 650 (have both) although I wouldn't consider the touted extended bass/ sub bass of the s2 as a standout (or even barely noticeable) feature.

[@Styrant]

The hd490 pro came out recently, might wanna check it out

[@beatsandstuff]

HD650 with Sound ID, love em. I'd love to try the HD600, but neither of these headphones are sold where I live, bought my cans more than 10 years ago, just replaced their ear foams and headbands, brand new again. Can't complain at all.

[@jazzyy45]

Have both hd650 and 660s2. The 660 bass and treble truly is a upgrade vs 650. Along more separation. 650 mids perhaps slightly more detailed. Vastly prefr 660 presentstion

[@liujun050612]

This is one of the most useful video for buying headphones. Thank you all for evaluating all these headphones! Want to see a separate sheet for open and closed back headphones. After watching this video I have hard time to decide get stax 9000 or warwick B as my ultimate set up.

[@halimj7]

Only if you agree with their opinions or know how you differ for example I know what ever DMS really likes I will not and whatever he dislikes I will probably like!

[@2andforty]

Great video and the perfect intro into hifi headphones. I'm interested in getting the Audeze LCD 2c. Does anyone know which pads DMS is referring to, if one wanted to swap the pads?

[@SergeySedlovsky]

Dekoni LCD Suede for Caldera, which one? And does it fit or needs some hackery or something?

[@S.B__]

Can we see a tier list with EQ. I'd love to hear your opinions on the potential of headphones with EQ.

[@beatsandstuff]

Sennheiser HD600-650 with Sonarworks' Sound ID (EQ) jump to S tier. Don't over think it if you are planning to buy and have the money.

[@ItsXev]

Damn, HarmonicDyne Zeus is one of my favorite all-rounders, could listen to it all day. Would’ve been A-tier for me easily.

[@davidcoons89]

Thank you for the timestamps!!

[@veritas7010]

What do you mean by the headphone for ndh30? That's trying hard to fit loudness eq standard orr that it's neumann the brand? Also I was curious what (if anything) could you say about low end on ndh30s?

[@fofopho]

I’d have to out the HD660S2 in A tier personally. Just a more engaging listen than the 600’s. Both great A tiers in my book though.

[@IgorBagayev]

Is it possible to see the resulting list somewher?

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

theyre visible for 'internals', youtube staff, kpop pros, pc and audio employees etc

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

this wont make me rich, its why i keep complaining abt it

[@stuka78]

@dms which are the pads you like most for the audeze lcd 2C?

[@ramalingam108]

Thank you for your extraordinary review. Thanks to you, I saved money by looking at the earphone selection on my wish list, which I won't be buying. Can I ask you a favor? My first language is not English and I sometimes have difficulty understanding which models you are talking about. Could you please tell me which models are on your top S and A list? Thank you in advance.

[@4nanke129]

I have made a text list. Please check my comment. ;)

[@renatobdc]

Nice! It would be nice if you could convert these lists to written lists too.

[@bobhanuman65]

The rollover does not have the names

[@4nanke129]

Check my comment please. I have made a text list. ;)

[@domonickwilliams33]

I do like the list of headphones chosen but I think when you don't discuss use case you mislead the general public I am a mix engineer and I can tell you for certain that the Neumann NDH 30 are among some of the best headphones for mixing and mastering they are to be thought of as a tool they are not supposed to sound flattering they are meant to tell you what needs to be added or subtracted from a mix and the do that very well.

[@---pp7tq]

Cheaper NDH-20 after correction can come closer to that level of fidelity too.

[@eriknelsen5954]

I'm happy with this because my headphones of choice, the Auteur Classics, did well. I started my journey with the Grado sr80e, then went to the Focal celeste and Audeze LCD-XC, then fell in love with all things ZMF.

[@flash4973]

man i'm so incredibly happy with my auteur classic, it's litteraly an endgame piece of gear.

[@MrJoppashoppa]

Would love to see your opinion on the Fidelio L3, the newest one. I think its not that bad.

[@ARC87]

I need to say, going over your 'classification' just made me realise how much I miss Metal571. Grouping the DT880 with HD 660S and putting the Sony MDR1AM2 above? You've acquired a twisted sense of humour with time...

[@vanilkharbanda]

Please do an EQ allowed list if possible?

[@DK83650]

Could someone tell me which cable Golden Sound is using in the video? Thank you in advance!

[@flackenstien]

So, I have Hifiman Sundara, and while I really like the sound, they keep having issues for me. One time I took them off and I heard a loud eldritch noise followed by endless droning. After some troubleshooting, I put them down for like a year out of fear of busting my eardrums if it happened while on my head. I picked them back up for the last few months without issue (I turned my AMP down just incase), until, when taking them off again, I heard a static pop and they constantly hum. I don't know if it's my AMP and DAC that caused the issue or if it's the headphones. I use the Magni Heresy and the Modi. I really just want to get back into the realm of good audio.

[@liammadridista2395]

Oh this is going to be fun. I only own one headphone at the minute, well technically it's a headset the audeze Maxwell. I listened to it and then realized I don't need the hd600 anymore. The Maxwell is so similar but with sub bass and the convenience of wireless. Add the fact it comes with a mic for gaming it's just an all around win. The rest of my collection is iem's.

[@Undead.Musicphile]

I would love to see a tier list with EQ and Pad swaps. Wondering how many cheaper headphones would surpass more expensive ones with a little tweaking.

[@S.B__]

100% agree. I would love a list like that. The potential of headphones with EQ and pad swaps, I'm so curious.

[@tdfmike3915]

I would like to see EQ to different targets. I started playing around with my HEDD2 ... I try to EQ to other headphone FR response curve because I dont like the Harman target.

[@poturbg8698]

Thanks so much for including timelinks for each chapter so I can easily skip brands I haven't heard or aren't interested in.

[@user-ey7tz7qr1s]

The DCA E3 didn't make the review where would you guys have ranked it?

[@Relax-il7zn]

I'm never going to understand the hate for Beyerdynamic and love for Sennheiser. The way these audiophiles nut over the 600s, 560s, etc I was expecting to hear jesus. Instead all I heard was okay sound that was decently clear from an all plastic headphone with not a special soundstage. Meanwhile the 900s and 990s made my music sound special. I'm not old or a bass head. So idk I guess I'm just an idiot.

[@jac1968]

No, they present their bad takes like that as if they were objective fact. I similarly prefer some beyers over senny's, but not all. For them, if it's beyer it is not allowed to be good, and it's quite obvious.

[@saikousocial]

It's their subjective opinions, after all. What they're saying isn't fact, despite what some would like to think. DMS went from saying the DT 1990 Pro are some of his favorite headphones, with excellent imaging, to putting them in D tier and saying "They're not even good for gaming." Opinions change, and I'm sure it being the cool thing to do doesn't hurt influence those opinions, either.

[@kickaboob]

Beyers feel like stakes through my ears

[@Hahmier]

​@jac1968 you keep larping here by C&P the same incorrect fallacious rhetoric over and over again. They made the disclaimer of subjectivity in the beginning. Headfi addicts need to lie to serve their insecurity.

[@g.s.3074]

Am I the only one who could love my DT48’s?

[@darthnihilus1608]

I'm surprised at the Meze's given that they receive so much praise from basically everyone.

[@Mr_Ev1]

Take all this with a HuGe grain of salt 🧂. Can be a reference point...but test it out yourself. What you like may not be usual sterile headphones some may like

[@devontoner]

were the older lcd-x considered "better" than the new revision? I have an old variation that's so old it doesn't even have the suspension headband and I covet them very much but I have wondered if the new revision was worth the money.

[@Gidrah]

Curious if any of you have listened to the HarmonicDyne Zeus Elite and where it would rank on the list.

[@joggometer5393]

Probably similar to the original Zeus. They won't differ that much. But, - don't get caught strictly following their rankings. These are only 3 people with 3 opinions at the end of the day. They are not counting other factors in, especially that a headphone foremost must be comfortable to wear, even for prolonged sessions! So it's best to listen to the headphones for yourself with your own gear and source equipment. It's not possible to give general recommendations in this highly subjective matter of hearing (anatomy), preferences and source gear. I'm here just for entertainment reasons, personally I kind of agree with roughly 60% of their rankings and 40% I've to hardly disagree with.

[@onepieceatatime]

As a chew toy, the 1266 is by far the best, but for "training treats"' the Grados reign supreme.

[@ibassnote]

So if we wait two years the S rank headphone you recommended will be a solid B? I felt terribly sad also for the headphones costing a ton of money that got C and even D rankings. Perhaps more revealing about the audiophile hobby than intended. I wonder what the E3 will be next year? Do headphones really improve this much over a year? How much of this is fashion?

[@KeiS14]

Many of the S tier headphones have been around for years. Technological improvements within this field of headphones are relatively slower than in most other modern tech industries. Do you feel sad for those C/D headphones because they’re bad products or because they’re expensive? There are plenty of bad and expensive things in the world: food, clothing, vacations, computers, books, cars, etc. Do these also make you feel sad?

[@ibassnote]

@@KeiS14 yes. I’m not surprised by that. I am a little surprised that some headphones such as the Audeze LCD-X have gone down in the rankings. There are many in the list that were initially reviewed as amazing that are now wallowing in the lower tiers.

[@rize6738]

I Love my Lcd 2classic, what Pads could improve the Sound ?

[@Goober_hai]

This is great! One point of feedback is that it would be nice to add some background music to make the video a little more fun.

[@plasmapro6651]

Long video, but I hope to see a big list of the headphones with what they were ranked and what their price point is.

[@ResolveReviews]

The lists are displayed at the end. Price points can't be reflected in the tiermaker but maybe we can add a spreadsheet to the description.

[@IgorBagayev]

@@ResolveReviews the list with tiny images of the headphones? Not really helpful without the higher resolution one, or possibility to see the names

[@ResolveReviews]

@@IgorBagayev I added them to the description. But yeah I think we should also add prices and a spreadsheet. I'll work on that next week if I can.

[@nithinmalladi405]

@@ResolveReviews yup, spreadsheets with price points would be great! we can actually see the best bang for buck headphones!

[@tjwtf28]

@@ResolveReviews a spreadhseet to go along with this would be HUGE info

[@TheSPazCORE]

Great video. Fostex TH900 in D tier hurt my soul. It's an A tier headphone at least. It just needs a synergistic amp and maybe some pad rolling if the highs are bothersome to you.

[@Zakuman87]

Im surprised too. I had audeze lcd2, Sennheisers, audiotechnica and also some comparison's with zmf and fostex th900mk2 wins that. I absolutely love them and they slam bass like crazy, easy to drive, beautiful like an art ( check how they are made). Im not audiophile but how even lcd2 with weight that killing ur neck is on B idk, plus trust me i had lcd2 with mjolnir gungnir schiit audio and i was always thinking where is the bass - with fostex th900 i do not have this questions anymore

[@shortestoak4296]

Interesting video. Would have been nice to hear more about "subjective" characteristics for different genres of music of each headphone, but I guess there is a limit on video length! - Don't agree with all your summaries but overall great work! If anything this video just shows how personal headphone choice is. Comfort, Sound, Balance and Build quality all factor and have different weights for each persons use case.

[@niftaroonie]

im new to all this and was wondering if the audient evo 4 mixer would be good enough for hd 600 or should i get the atoms lab amp + and would i need a dac aswell thanks in advance for the help

[@MCJeeba]

I really wish I knew what's wrong with me: I spent a decade with HD 600/650 and love the 660S even more. Way more. Not a popular opinion.

[@rafaelruiz-tagle358]

Thanks guys! This was so good for me because I am in the hunt for an "S" tier headphone. Now I have a reference point! Note - on your list that you guys created, is there a way to see what headphone and model I'm looking at when I bring my pointer to it?

[@Cyb3rRust]

Go to there tier list in the description zoom in on one of the headphones take a screen shot with your phone then take the picture to Google it will show what kind it ism you don't want the s+ is 55grand

[@Cyb3rRust]

And bad new all those headphones average 3 grand plus

[@HercahyoAdiSaputro]

finally had the time to sit down and go through the full video great list i think Resolve list is the closest one to my preference even though my eargain preference is even slightly lower than him just to add on audeze mx4: it's just a slightly more technical lcd-x (tonally similar), so it belongs to similar tier

[@HercahyoAdiSaputro]

one more I notice, is that this tierlist is very useful for someone who is looking to buy one headphone that is at least decent at everything with special sauce at one/two things. for me personally, most of things above C (B and above) is actually worth to try That is since I am not looking for something that can do it all, but something that is different from what I already have and synergizes well with my system

[@codysantmyer5781]

Would love to see a if you could use eq tier list or rankings

[@Hari-kx2er]

This review is the best example of how eccentric audio nerds can be (in good and bad ways), Sundara, Edition XS in B Tier with He1000SE in C Tier. Lol

[@user-jc2qk1kg3u]

Totally agree there with you. I love my He1000SE.

[@GilReynard]

I loved my HEKse as well - detail for days, deep sub bass (but quite a bit light on bass), easy to drive - until one driver failed on my brand-new unit about 10 weeks or so into my ownership. Arya Stealth is better balanced than HEKse, but on the right tracks HEKse is noticeably better. This listener is not hearing how it’s two slots below the Arya.

[@K_raken]

Also putting the Ananda Nano in C tier with Edition XS being B… I agree with a lot of this chart but the Nano to me is noticeably better than the XS. It is also one of the best headphones I have ever heard and possibly the best current deal under $1000.

[@Flo-ge9db]

Think they mistaken the headphones. HE1000SE is one of the best HF Hifiman ever build....

[@Hari-kx2er]

@@Flo-ge9db No, they are not mistaken in the sense of actually meaning another headphone. These guys are well versed with most great headphones in the market including the Hifiman Susvara. You can disagree with their conclusions however and as I have already said many reviewers are quite eccentric in their judgements.

[@TheSimChannel]

please make a tier list “with EQ applied”!

[@Lychegsye-nc6td]

AMEN!

[@garythecyclingnerd6219]

What’s the most sound insulating headphones or earbuds? Like best noise canceling and isolation combined, regardless of sound quality, I want the most silence in a noise environment

[@ErlingKildal]

All those sets are interesting for shure. Love my Supernova, curious what they come up with next😄