the GIANT headphone tier list (end of 2023)

[@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

[@RichardChen-z5o]

Woah, the real Sennheiser

[@reykhan233]

Cheaper HE 1 when?

[@Queen_K_Rool]

​@@reykhan233probably never realistically speaking

[@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!

[@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

[@doordashtodaydoordashtoday]

bro why is Koss ksc75 at d tier

[@4nanke129]

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

[@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.

[@abhinandande]

Exactly. Actually The Main Problem is Diminishing Returns. The S Tier Makes No Sense For Audiophiles.

[@sidesaladaudio]

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

[@ZReviews]

same

[@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!

[@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.

[@abhinandande]

@4nanke129 6 months ago (edited) 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

[@5WLuminous]

Quick tip, these people are scam artists and not genuinely recommending products. They exist to get commission on HD6XX and AKG 371 sales, and hoping they can suck people into spending more money. I got sucked in, got rid of my HD6XX and now I'm far happier with some 20$ QKZ HBB Earbuds.

[@ixoye56]

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?

[@RavesForDays]

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

[@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. ;)

[@nodoubt1616]

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

[@kirbykrause7866]

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

[@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.

[@FenrirAlter]

it should also be said that the 1990 have insane eq posibilities. Making the only complaint about them pretty much ignorable

[@ZRockwell]

Don’t pay attention to what reviews say. Headphones are one of the weirdest hobbies. No one here talks about value for the money in the rankings and I have yet to see someone explain which headphones made the 1990 irrelevant at its price.

[@BrimChilling]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@MrStewbee]

Sorry, but I have to call out DMS for his reverse comments regarding Beyerdynamic's DT1990 Pro.These are some of his comments regarding the phone about 5-6 years ago. This in essence is how he described the DT1990 Pro... "Listening to these just w/o doing any measurements, I would call these one of the best HP I've ever heard especially for studio use.These are off the wall insane for studio use. I wish I was keeping these because I would daily drive these. Bass extension for a dynamic is absolutely phenomenal. Sound-stage is focused but spacious.This is marketed as a pro HP and in every respect of that the best pro HP that I put my hands on today. Side by side if I were picking between the DT1990 Pro and the HD800 or HD 800 S, I would take the DT1990 Pro for either professional use or personal listening. I think when looking at all the aspects I found that it is well balanced, incredibly tight, detailed and accurate...I mean I would change absolutely nothing of the sound of the DT1990 Pro. In a perfect setup I would own these along with the LCD 2 and the HD 650. I would own all three and cover all the bases and be perfectly happy"... So now he says he liked them 6 years ago. So in 6 years you make a complete 180 reverse and put them in D class, after your glowing review sounded like they were in an S or an A. I can see perhaps moving to a B, but a D? Give me a break. And then make a remark when Resolve calls him out ..." I thought you liked them"..."Yeah but...ah depends on the pads." What does that mean? How can one ever trust his opinion when he completely reverses his opinion from S/A class to D? How many have gone on to purchase these because of his highest recommendation and now he craps all over them with some feeble excuse? In another comparative review 6 years ago up against the HD660s, he said " The DT 1990 Pro is Incredibly hard to beat in it's price range and far above it's price range." Sounds like a complete business decision to trash these cans..

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

Resolve here - there may actually be a reasonable explanation that nobody seems to have considered, and it's unit variation. I saw some measurements of it that didn't look nearly as bad as others, so I'm going to try and get some new ones in to see if that's the case.

[@MrStewbee]

@@TheHEADPHONEShow Thanks for responding Andrew. I know you mentioned unit variation among Beyerdynamic's. At least DMS could have mentioned the unit he heard 6 years prior was " Phenomenal". If he heard others that did not perform as well he should have mentioned as such.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

​@MrStewbee bro if you think 6 years isn't a monumentally significant time. A time frame of which your opinions on pretty much anything could be completely reverted, then I pity the life you have led.

[@msd5808]

When the DT 900 came out, DMS said it was the best measuring headphone Beyer has ever made and put up a graph to prove it but he gives it a C now. I think i would take their opinions with a grain of salt.

[@MrStewbee]

@@enjoshi-godrez8775 My life is just fine. If you can't comprehend the hypocrisy of a reviewer doing a 180 from saying "it's the best pro headphone I ever put my hands on, and it's the best HP in it's price range and far above it"... then six years later basically saying it "sux" and you think that's a fair and honest assessment...then bro, you need to get a clue

[@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

[@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.

[@thebadburrito1394]

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

[@anncleverley-u2n]

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

[@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. ;)

[@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...

[@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.

[@andikawidianto9060]

All Audeze line up will jump to A tier if eq is included

[@marc8vino]

MM-100 is better than the LCD-5? I'm trying to understand what you guys are looking for. Tuning must be more important than technical sound for you. I agree I had to give just a touch of EQ on the LCD-5 but they are far superior in almost every way over the mm-100s. I am getting the 500's and I will put them up against the others I have. If this video shows what the average lister is going for it might make me take all that into consideration when I'm recording my own material. I think I should get the Empyrian II with the MM-500. That should give me a good idea of what others are listening to. Also the Arya organics will be on the to get list but the Arya stealths did not sound great to me. I just might not like that sound but will listen objectively to hear what you guys are liking.

[@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?

[@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

[@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

[@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.

[@GrumpyEyeAudio]

I just can't understand how can you place a LCD-X and a dt770 into the same tier.. Owner of both, and LCD-X would be S++ tier compared to dt770 that would be F tier. BD are not bad headphones, but in the end - it's the audio that matters. And there's a big difference between them.

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

Yeah the tiers did not entail sonic equivalency. It's tough with the Audezes because they typically have more esoteric or unconventional tunings, making them hit and miss depending on the person, and we didn't allow for any EQ with this list. WITH EQ the LCD-X would be way higher. The same was true for many on the list like that.

[@danielsacilotto3196]

@@TheHEADPHONEShow If so, how come the 560s ranked so lowly, even after you praised them so much? What changed?

[@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.

[@compucorder64]

​@@beatsandstuff Yes, that's what I'm thinking. Have Beyerdynamic DT770s at the moment, and thinking of going that way. But I do need ot check out the other non-expensive headphones that get good reports: like Hifiman Sundara, but also maybe giving the Edition XS fair consideration too.

[@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

[@anncleverley-u2n]

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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@spencerstmars4882]

A $59k headphone... Made it s teir?? It deserves to be F tier just for the price. That price is absurd

[@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. ;)

[@vimdiesel2726]

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

[@Rob-Davidson]

I was so surprised thar there wasn't a list after all this work.

[@TheSimChannel]

please make a tier list “with EQ applied”!

[@Lychegsye-nc6td]

AMEN!

[@everyoneveryvvhere]

This was awesome, loved the concept. Beyerdynamic didn't do so well! Ordered the Drop DCA Closed X because of this video. Subscribed. Will this happen every year?

[@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.

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

Any thoughts in terms of value? Diminishing returns? Which category is the sweetspot in terms of what you get - what you pay for? I think this should always be the way to end a tierlist.

[@ibrahimsincap3705]

HE 400se is the best value in this list in my opinion.

[@koolthing18]

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.

[@chrisp.5272]

I just started into the world of audiophile headphones, was always a big fan of Audio Engine and have owned almost everything they’ve put out, HD3’s and HD6’s being my favorite. Big fan of Sennheiser, have the Game One’s essentially the (HD558) for gaming, and the HD800S, but I absolutely love love my Phillips SHP9600 EQ’d and using Dolby Atmos. If I could re-do it, I’d have just gotten the SHP9600, Neoteck with Bass Boost Amp, and a V-Moda Boom Pro mic, and then the KSC75X’s for work.

[@johanescandra]

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

[@cgbleak]

Hmmm... Sennheiser HD 600: A/A/B Sennheiser HD 660S: C/C/C That's quite a drop-off. Yet initially, DMS called the 660S "absolutely phenomenal" and "some of my favorite in the line." Yes, the world of headphones has changed in 6 years, but the HD 6-series hasn't--well, not much. 3 years later, Resolve compared them directly to the Sundaras and preferred the Sundaras but generally had nice things to say about the 660S--except about the price. You're certainly allowed to change your mind over time. But doesn't that put viewers in a bit of a bind, buying-wise?

[@757foks]

Back in the time DMS praised DT1990 and DT880... now they make it seem like its garbage

[@jpcfernandes]

Similar to Meze 109. I actually got them at a store where I A/B them against the HD650 and similarly priced Hifiman gear. To my ears, the Meze was just better. I personally own and love the Sundara, but would never classify it higher than the 109, the amount of nuance on that set is not even close.

[@Nick_2i]

Speaking from my own experience, I have had a pair of HD600 for about 8 years and bought at least 25 other headphones with a $300+ MSRP (buying used saves a lot of cash) At first, I often preferred the new headphones to the HD600, as they tended to have characteristics that stood out positively. Still within a few weeks/months I would find myself going back to the HD600 because of their all-around high quality. After all this time, the only headphones in my regular rotation are the HD600, LCD2f (2016 ish), and Modhouse Argons. Its possible they had a similar experience.

[@cgbleak]

@@Nick_2i Not a criticism of your response, Nick. But I have to ask, what's the conclusion then? I shouldn't waste my time watching reviews because reviewers change their minds sometimes? Am I supposed to guess which times those are? As it gets more and more difficult to audition stereo equipment, more and more people rely on reviews. But if the reviews aren't reliable in the long term, what's the point? If you're a reviewer and you change your mind, please let viewers know as quickly as possible, preferably through an addition to the original review (I know I wouldn't want opinions I no longer endorse floating around the internet). I bought the HD 660S instead of the 600 because most reviewers said the 660S was a tiny bit better than the 600, but not enough to warrant the much higher price. Then the price decreased so it was competitive with the 600. That's when I bought them. Apparently, I was mis-led. It will cost me another $300 to find out why the 600 is now one or two letter grades higher than the 660S. Thanks?

[@jpcfernandes]

@@Nick_2i Actually I went in the other direction regarding Sundara/109. I first got the Meze, then got the Sundara to scratch the planar itch, preferred the Sundara for a while, mostly because how open they sound and the fantastic tuning, then started to really notice things like the impact, texture, vocal timbre on the Meze. Again, the Sundara is a safe recommendation at its price point, but not really on par with the 109.

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@nostgeoffhi-fi]

So these were my HP according to their ranking in the video. B tier: Beyer DT 770, Meze 109Pro (PRIMAL) C tier: SHP9500, Koss KPH30 D tier: DT1990, Koss Porta Pros Not ranked: Philips Fidelio X1s And to be honest it’s a little validating to know my thoughts are mostly on par with this list, even though I dont have money, never had a chance to go to Can Jam, or listened to very many HP. My only gripe is I would say the DT 1990s are right there at the mid B teir, even higher than the Meze 109. I personally, think the DT1990’s belong in the A tier myself, but when I listen with the dt1990’s it is exclusively for being analytical and critical listening to mixes, recorded music, orchestra and classical piano. And I think specifically with classical music the treble peak isn’t an issue because it only exists to add some texture and color to the upper harmonics. This means the Beyer treble peak isnt an issue for better recorded, high dynamic range music because those frequencies have more space to travel and interject. At the very least, I rank the dt1990’s right there with my Meze 109 Primals - one isn’t necessarily better, just different tunings and usages. Both have amazing sparkly treble and extensive soundstage. 109’s more lush and punchy, but DT1990’s more detailed, articulate, and open -like crystaline levels of detail and texture throughout the whole range. So, I can uderstand how this would not play well as an audiophile, casual listening HP. Maybe I just enjoy the dt1990 differently than everyone, but I definitely wouldnt call it unlistenable. For everyone else who happens to to stumble onto my comment here, dont write them off and give them a listen. Build quality is also as solid as can be and would last for decades. For $700, I havent found anything around the 1k-1.2k pricepoint that would replace them for me. I’m personally looking towards the Sennheiser HD800, ZMF, and Kennerton audio to see how the dt1990 compares with higer end HP.

[@Denzk]

Do you think Meze 109 pro is worth getting? Currently own the 99 Noirs.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

​@Denzk yes, the 99s have horrendous bass bleed.

[@nostgeoffhi-fi]

@@Denzk They are 109% worth it. My 109 Primals just came in a few days ago and like I commented, at first they were underwhelming. But a few more listens and they really opened up. I have a raw unboxing video of the Primals on my channel. Waiting to spend some more time on it before I do a real review with Bshots and music and everything. The atmosphere, the space, the clarity, really came alive. Imagine listening to a headphone on tube amps -that’s what the 109’s sound like to me, stock. And the bass is literally the most clear and detailed I have ever heard. Hands down the best bass rumble without distortion or bloat out of any HP I own. The sub bass is there, with good extension, quantity of mid bass is very nice, mids are clear, trebles are detailed, sparkly, and have some shimmer and space, but not cold or sibilant. There are more technically able HP out there but not with this amount and quality of bass. Not with this characteristics of being both warm and lush, without being muddy or slow or bloated, and much less HPs that can have that on top of very good treble and mid range. It is definitely worth owning. I was even thinking about getting both 109 Pro smooths and the Primals at one point, but wasnt sure which to buy first. Once I heard Resolve say they were similar to the DT1990s, only better tuned, I splurged and (the day before my Bday, Jan19) went with the Primals first because if it turned out that I actually enjoyed them less than my DT1990s, then at least I could justify keeping them as a had crafted collectible and being something really different from my other headphones. Well, after having spent some time with them, they are now finishing up a burn in period and I can realistically see myself owning two sets of them -one smooth, and one Primal. Even if its just for collectible or as a backup, they are that good. At first listen, I honestly thought they were over-hyped. Now I can see how they rival my fav HP. Yes, they are still not as detailed or extended in the treble, but wow I have nothing that captures both exceptional Bass (like speaker quality levels of bass and sub bass) clear mids, and still very good high end. I literally can’t fault its tuning or quality of its sound for what it manages to accomplish. If Tyll Herstens were here from Inner Fidelity, these would definitely be up on his headphone wall. I mean all the major reviewers enjoy it, hard to go wrong with that. And I havent heard the Meze 99s, but these are a completely different HP. The 109s have in-house built drivers, with all kinds of hybrid coatings and materials, everythings custom: the size and scale of the driver, the cups, the grill, and the internal architecture is completely different, its also possibly a different use case scenario, so the 99 classics cant and shouldnt really be a factor when considering the 109s.

[@LittlePlant888]

I just got my DT 1990 pro headphones and I'm still waiting on an amp to come in a few days, but after looking at many of the comments in this video, I'm relieved to see everyone still praise them despite what the youtubers said. I was disappointed when they ranked them so low and I just paid for them on Amazon...

[@friend_or_foe49]

I found a pair of HD560s for 30 bucks in a pawn shop and it’s got to be one of the best finds ever

[@Mr_Ev1]

A blind test and maybe...just maybe...this list would be upside down 😅😂

[@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?

[@sg7370]

You really have to take this with a pinch of salt. They are trashing the headphones that others rave about. Joshua Valour ranks Focal Clear very highly, the best Focal headphone he says. Z Reviews, BadSeed Tech, Passion for Sound have rated Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro highly. And these guys rated it as D Category. Just some examples of discrepancies in their rating and others who have reviewed these headphones. I own a lot of headphones, including the ones mentioned above. I think their opinion is very very subjective. For someone wanting to purchase a new headphone, just go try the ones you like before blindly following some reviewer's advice.

[@saricubra2867]

DT 1990 Pro in D tier? Clearly these people don't work in the professional music production industry.

[@ZandoNoid]

​@@saricubra2867 the unit variation on those is crazy though, i literally heard 2 different pairs that sounded so distant i had to bring them together to see if i wasn't going crazy. Completely different sounding headphones. That might be one big reason for that as well.

[@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!

[@jeremysumpter8939]

Whats the point of 3 people giving opinions if only 1 person opinion controls the list...pretty stupid.

[@bratplapper]

09:18 - AKG: K371 and K361=B 104. 20:27 - Audio Technica: M40X=C. 125. 1:17:11 - Philips 9500 and 9600=D 80-100. 1:20:54 - Sennheiser HD580=B; 560s=C; HD600=A

[@vanilkharbanda]

Please do an EQ allowed list if possible?

[@WheyChi]

Maybe an all in one EQ shootout and EQ'd headphone tier list.

[@marc8vino]

WOW! I must be listening to songs with a totally different purpose. All the headphones I love you guys did not care for them. I listen to almost everything from apple music lossless at the highest rate possible, or my own recordings I'm working on. From mac to RME ADI 2/4 to headphone outs. I also bought the xDuoo Pro with optional DACs and Amps. I am going to try out the HUGO 2 as well. If I don't use headphones, I listen through Focal ST6 Be studio monitors. A few other monitors as well but I like the Focals best. That's the newer version of the Solo 6be. I'm a musician, record and mix. I love the LCD-5's. It took a little bit of tweaking but with just a little eq bump in the bass and at 9K they are amazing. I hear everything I do from what strings or drum heads were used to reverb tails, EQ, Compression etc. I use a few other DAC / Amps as well. I also love my Stellias, and focal Clear MG's. I hear so much detail. I don't want extra bass or frequencies that were not there in the recordings. I don't want an exaggerated sound. If I want that I would put that in the recording, mix, and master. I think that I have the same goal when listening to other classic recordings. I also have the DT1990 & 1770 pros and they sound very good. I have the Araya Stealths and they are my least favorite. The top end is not realistic and artificial. I will have to listen to them some more but I just have not cared for them. I think I might try the organics and see if I can listen for what you guys seem to hear. It's very interesting to hear what you guys like. You might be more of the norm so finding out more about what you guys like might help in my own recordings. If you could recommend just two more headphones, what would you recommend? Oh, yea I'm also thinking about getting MM-500's to see if I like those as much as the LCD-5's. I had to get used to the 5's but there was and is something so satisfying about them. I can hear everything I've done with my recordings. I really like the Clear MG's as well so maybe I just don't hear the same as most.

[@phobiedufromage2433]

After owning clear og there is no way you could like the mg

[@marc8vino]

@@phobiedufromage2433 Of course there is. How can you say what someone else wants or likes? I just bought the Diana MR, Empyrean 2, and Arya Organic. They are all fun but not for me to record, mix, and master. I'll end up selling all the fun headphones and just pick my favorite to keep. Most of the time I listen through Studio Monitors in my studio or my three mixing headphones. While tracking to prevent bleed I use Stellias. The fun headphones exaggerate and change recordings in too many ways. Just like the Focal OG, they don't give an accurate picture for my tastes. The Focal MG's, MM-500's and the LCD-5's are better for me. When people think some cymbals might be too harsh in some phones, they don't know what the original recording was meant to sound like. For my recordings I know what cymbal, room, mic, mic placement, preamp, EQ, compressor, etc. was used. Some of those headphones smoothed out the tone more than what I wanted. If a cymbal or something is too harsh, I need to know. Then I will use a darker mic or change something else to make it sound right for the song. The Focal OG is not as good as the MG for my purposes. Listening to reference tracks, I like to know what they sound like on an honest playback system. That includes my studio monitors and room acoustics. If a recording was not good, I want to hear it, everything good and bad.

[@onepieceatatime]

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

[@fantasian2]

Where is the Verum 1 Mk2? Forget the intangibles concerning Igor's online comments and my focus is JUST on the headphones themselves. Considering many believe they outperform the Sundara's while "only" $349, I'd love to know where you guys would list this. Just from the viewpoint of the headphone itself, I've seen feedback that this could be the best budget/ mid-fi headphone for value and should be on this list. Thanks.

[@JanusProspero]

Shocked at how dirty you all did the DT 1990.

[@enjoshi-godrez8775]

Shocked how you can still be hoodwinked into thinking its acceptable. There are people that think Mcdonald's makes awesome burgers, there is a good reason these people aren't food critics.

[@h-dawg6462]

unforTUNEately beyer's are too hyped (by shills and in sound)!! with the exception of the dt1770 pro which is ok (ish) in tonal balance, but is close to £500!!! 😆

[@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!

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@masterxyr]

the variations in your choices couldn't be more representative of the audio experience in general. there's probably no such thing as there best amp or headphone in general as we're all different to a degree. that said, this was fun af regardless of your misery and suffering to put it all together in this motion picture haha I enjoyed it a lot cheers guys happy musics

[@kevingest5452]

I would love to have these guys do this list blind without knowing what they were actually hearing or seeing the graphs when they made their judgments.

[@dess8808]

They don't have the balls to do it. They know they would have completely different opinions and their credibility would be put to shame. Plain and simple, not hating or anything, just facts. Sadly, it's all about triggerbait and brand bias fanboying for content. While I get the entertainment part, the very thing that these tier videos end up doing is a complete disservice to the audio community. They just fuel even more this "what's the meta, bro" mentality which has seem to take over literally anything nowadays, imagine all the enthusiastic kiddos and newcomers seeing this stuff and completely disregarding anything that's not, let's say, B or C tier at least. Imagine how much good gear you're potentially making others miss out. There are different headphones for different tastes and purposes, period. Putting a Hemp/325x on F tier is not only ridiculous, but a complete disservice to this community too. We're talking about one of the best headphones for Rock of every kind with ridiculously fast transients (TOTL in that regard actually) and a soundstage that can rival even the HD800S. Also, every song with them feels like a live performance. Punchy, not a treble cannon like older Grados, super resolving, great detail while still having those magical mids and in your face presentation that makes you feel in front of the stage, let alone when it comes to guitars. No other brand can do this as good as Grado does. Yes, their build quality is hilarious for 2023 and they're definitely not comfortable like most headphones, but they're far from being bad, especially soundwise. VERY far. Again, this list is a disservice not only to the audio community, but to people who could possibly find out that their sound is exactly what they were looking for, especially for Rock/Metal/Jazz or whatever along these lines. I mean, can you take this thing seriously when they've ranked an HD600 higher than a Clear? Sure both are great headphones, but ranking a HD600 higher than a Clear also proves how dysfunctional and useless most of this list is, makes you wonder if they actually listen to music. It's a stupid and simplistic way to label/judge things. If you want any serious opinion, read respectable sources on Headfi and Super Best Audio Friends, watch The Honest Audiophile, Dan's Audio Reviews, Mind the Headphone, Timmy, etc. Hell, even Crinacle (mostly for IEM's). But this stuff? Total waste and pure entertainment. Again, I dare these folk to perform blind tests, but i'm sure they won't be honest enough to do that the way it's supposed to be done.

[@el_arte]

I know these rankings carry little meaning and are done despite better judgment, but there’s one weird trick I wish would die: “It’s great at this price point.” It’s like you can take a $2K “meh” set, reduce its price to $500 and all a sudden people rave about it. It’s also like you can take a $500 “fantastic” set, increase its price to $1000 and all a sudden people can’t find anything nice to say about it. I have to believe it’s simply a sales trick to give everything a potential market.

[@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

[@thomasw8004]

Love this ranking. Phenomenal job.

[@keyserxx]

I rank all tier lists made using tiermaker an F. tiermaker is a collection of thumbnails with no links to actual information, so unless I watch a 2 hour video and make notes I will be non the wiser.

[@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.

[@GoldenSound]

NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE!

[@hiascloud]

I am genuinely surprised about the Beyredynamic DT 990 and DT 1990. I am actually very sensitive to high's / peaks when it comes to audio. But I believe I negate this by turning down the volume quite a bit. But both of those headpones for me out of my collection are actually my favorite. I most definitely like V-shaped curves though.

[@chrisdash83]

Oh, the beyerdynamic DT 990 pro are absolutely over the top with highs, they are very tiresome to listen to most music with. good for some music though, and speech. I listened to this video using 990s.

[@XeonX__ASMR__METAL-experiments]

Hello! Do this for IEMs as well ❤

[@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!

[@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

[@glenschneider5978]

I sent my meze 99s back in under week. Bought due to many good reviews. I thought it was only me.

[@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?

[@danielypark]

I feel that all of the headphones go up a letter grade if they're EQed.

[@666dreamboat]

Audeze go up 2 for me, they are pretty odd without eq

[@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.

[@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

[@LittlePlant888]

Just bought the Beyerdynamic dt 1990 pros (they arrive tomorrow) and now Im hoping I still like them. Edit (again): I like the headphones and I don't regret my purchase. They are very comfortable and sound natural and balanced to me. I don't see a problem with any of the treble being too high. Am I an alleged "Anti-Siblance" person?? Either way, I've only seen praise for the DT 1990 Pros everywhere else online.

[@NRobbi42]

HE1000SE getting a D for tonality, but a subjective A is wild

[@revelationsoundstudio]

I like the Beyerdynamic 1990's as they provide a great sound stage, good bass, mids and nice and top end. Joshua Valour who also reviews headphones loved them as well. He and I also like the Focal Clear MG's as well. Though we wshed, they had a little more top end with this subjective topic.

[@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

[@Thomas-us4wq]

I wish this list was easier to read.. How do i see which phones are A's ?

[@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

[@onepieceatatime]

If you have the Shure 1540 - the mid-bass bloat is caused by the pads. Get the Brainwaves Sheepskin Oval Pads (not angled) and it goes away. The 1540 pads are okay on the Fostex T50RP and similar, and are otherwise super comfortable, but sound terrible.

[@freddycely9580]

Most of the list is great but, BUT, you guys like he1000se C tier in like 3 seconds and no more??? Guys Be honest you guys haven't listen to it. That was so fake. That headphone is one of the best headphones in the world for sure. Way better than the normal he1000 versions That is at least Atier, S+for most musicians I know

[@Zakuman87]

i had same impressions, im 100% sure that they didnt listened to TH900 fostex, because they basically skipped comments and assumend comment only on pure data. They should take 30-40% of this list and make good video then just guessing

[@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.

[@hartyewh1]

HD700 is a great rock headphone. All the technicals are above the 600-series and bass is far better. EQ's well also to become a good allrounder. Same as Amiron in these ways.

[@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.

[@Burix1337]

any graphic or in writing? cba to watch a 2h long tierlist, sorry

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

Check the timestamps

[@diegoeffio]

​@@TheHEADPHONEShowyes but it would be helpful to have the complete list somehow

[@SupportNoob]

@@TheHEADPHONEShow Yea it be nice to have the names of the headphones, lot of work I know but I don't recognize shit and almost didn't recognize my own pair LOL

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

@@diegoeffio agree

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

@@SupportNoob agree

[@iu1191]

Fantastic video. For years to come, this will be the go-to video that people will go and see. It is excellent for understanding how different headphones can affect the listener and listener. Also, they confirm that we all listen differently and hear differently. One thing I got from this video is that it is essential to think about what you are listening for and what kind of experience you are having. Some headphones make me forget that I am trying to review them - I just begin to hear the music and enjoy it. Some keep me analytical, and I enjoy being able to pull so much out of the music. They help me analyse the source. The ones that make me forget the job are a chore because I forget to do the analysis, which is what I wanted...however, they make me forget the job BECAUSE they sound so good. One is not bad or good, but both have an impact and an effect. Your micro reviews were fabulous pointers to what to look for and what to think about when listening to headphones. The fact that you used this expertise over and over again for nearly 200 headphones made such a point in itself. It was a masterclass to bring this knowledge all together in one place at one time. I am so grateful for this video and the time and effort you have put into bringing it together. I recognise that you made lots of references to notes you made at the time of listening - That is the professionalism we look for in these videos.. Again - I am grateful you made this seminal comparison. I would love to see a similar one done regarding wireless headphones...it would be very difficult to do, but it would be really interesting. Especially if you kept it to sound rather than features. I find that most reviews of wireless speakers focus on the feature set and downplay the sound or make the sound simply the same level of importance as the other features. For people who really focus on sound and especially listening to music ....those technical reviews of the whole feature set do not help as much. They are great in their own way, but there is something missing in the appraisal of the sound. You guys ... along with Z... would be incredibly well placed to do the tiered review of wireless headphones just focused exclusively on the sound. That is a comparison we just don't have. It would be a little unfair because the manufacturers are putting lots of effort into doing more than sound, but for some of us, apart from portability and wirelessness, sound quality and experience is the whole game. What do you think? Thanks again, and well done to all.

[@RafidW9]

What's the point of publishing the list if it's all pictures. Average people doesn't know every headphones by their looks.

[@Non-y3s]

If you watch the video they tell you the names. Just hold your mouse or finger and scroll forward or backwards until you see a pic pop up of a headphone you are interested in.

[@myyoutubecommentschannel8784]

I remember everyone raving about the 560S when it came out, so I'm surprised to see it get C tier. What happened?

[@danielsacilotto3196]

Everyone realized it wasn't that special. It does everything well, but it lacks the lush mids of the 600 series which makes them musical and delectable for vocals. It's not bassy nor bright, so it's neither fun nor lush, just analytically correct. It has good but not great soundstage, and it images fairly well but can also get congested with busy music. It's pretty boring overall. I have one as my daily set btw, and much prefer the elegance of the midrange presented by the 600 and 650/6xx.

[@Legato-2057]

My ADX5000’s are still S-tier for me. I don’t find them too bright at all. But I use them with a WM1Z (OG) with can be warm. Also love my ATH-AWKT and WP-900 as well.

[@KingFiercer_zip]

I agree, the ADX5000 are not bright, but the presentation is very airy and a bit lightweight in the lower mids. As for comfort, they're S tier for me.