Planar Magnetics, are they all overpriced?

Magnepan?

 

HE-500 (~$400 used, +~$50 for ZMF/Alpha pads) and ZMF Blackwood ($650 new) both represent fantastic price/performance. They’re not just really good “for the money”, but really good (period).

As has been discussed ad-nauseum, the LCD-2 can be a really great headphone IF you find one with a good FR chart, but there’s so much variation between pairs that I wouldn’t buy one new / full price. If the stars align and a used one comes up with good FR chart / good condition / still under warranty (due to QC concerns) / <$700, I would conditionally recommend it as a good value. That being said, my modded HE-500 sounds quite similar to the LCD-2F I heard at the last meet and can be had for less money. The LCD-3 is a terrible value, as they sound worse than the LCD-2 and cost twice as much.

I would love it if the Ether-C cost about half what they’re going for. I actually really liked them, and they are by far the most comfortable planar headphones I’ve worn, but I get the feeling that you need a synergistic chain to keep them from sounding too thin. They outperformed my Blackwoods on a technical level, though I still preferred the thicker tonal balance of the ZMF’s out of the chain I was using. MrSpeakers used to represent good value with the Mad / Alpha Dog, but it went downhill afterwards. Don’t get me started on the Alpha Prime, which at it’s original $1k price was among the worst price/performance headphones I’ve ever heard.

 

The irony of having Hitler at the bottom and all Senn HPs on the top...

 

My personal favorite is the incorporation of the "city wok" guy to represent chi-fi

 

But, but, but.... what comes after purgatory?

Speakers?

 

You either bow to Sennheiser master race or flee to speakerland.

 

Hitler was Austrian anyway XD

 

Well I think the one area we can all agree, is planar is king of the bass,

I don't think a dynamic comes close, maybe the th900?

 

I own the LCD-2. I run it literally out of my Chord Mojo because I tend to move around a lot these days. I paid £699 for my LCD-2(New improved drivers) brand new form my local dealer. This is the same price as the Oppo PM-2 which the LCD-2 sounds better than IMO. I can't find anything lover in price which I think best it apart from maybe a 650 but even then you are looking at more money on a good system to bring it up to that level.

I think the HEK, HEX are seriously overpriced...LCD-3? Yeah I think it's at most, should be £200 more than the LCD-2and that's being generous. I thought the Ether was laughable for the price, seriously a planar with bass in THAT state? It really depends because there's more affordable planars out there than there was 3-4 years ago.

 

"The Austrians have completed the feat of turning Beethoven into an Austrian, and Hitler into a German." -- Billy Wilder

 

How does Nighthawk and LCD-2 (with new drivers) compare in your opinion? I listen to EDM, pop and classical.

 

They both suck for what you want. HE-6 and a modestly priced speaker amp kills that shit.

 

To me HE-500 = great value especially when you can mod them to sound better & be more comfortable for USD100
LCDs are overpriced because you don't know what you'll get. I had 2 LCD2 preF and they sounded quite differents (hated the 1st & loved the 2nd) if you add potential driver issue the deal doesn't look good.
I liked EDX but I think they are vastly overpriced and should be in the same ball park as HD800
I'm sorry but HE400S have nothing special, I prefered my HD650
I loved my Paradox Slants from LFF , really good closed headphones but they look so baaaad & I also liked ZMF VibroX quite a lot
I feel T50rp III represent very solid bang for buck too and I'll try to buy one soon (but price in EU are like 2x more than USA)

Still want to hear properly amped HE560 & HE6 !

 

What about Edition X and Chord Mojo? I'd never pay full price though, it's absurdly expensive.

 

There are definitely great planar options out there that are not ridiculously expensive and still sound awesome. But since planars have that unique sound the top models can set their price high and know that there will still be a group willing to pay for it. It is similar with all the driver types tho, HD800, SR-009, S-EM9. The such a small market that it is easy for few high $ companies to control. hopefully the future will bring more entry and mid level planars...

 

I prefer the current LCD-2 over the Nighthawk. The Nighthawk has great bass, good punch but it's more closed in sound doesn't do it for me compared to a well extended open headphone. The newer LCD-2 has very good impact, clean, nice mids and the treble issues with the early fazors has been ironed on, at least on my pair. The bass has returned to being linear and it's actually one of the more neutral headphones I've tried so far.

The chap who said they suck and mentioned the HE-6, now preference are preference but I found the HE-6 to be one of the most overrated headphones, at least in stock form(not heard modded) It's upper end is way too boosted even for Hifimans old standards, and the bass isn't really comparable. I'd honestly take the current LCD-2 over the HE-6 for your preference, and for any genre too be honest. The Nighthawk is a mixed bag in terms of impressions but I've spent a lot of time with it and there's more to it that meets the eye. If you like the Biocellulose sound the Nighthawk will not disappoint.

In terms of the HEX, if you really love the sound then they are great but you can certainly get better value headphones, I personally found the current Audeze offerings to be slightly better out of the chord mojo in terms of resolution and tonal balance. The X has a bump up top somewhere that makes them sound a little weird but other wise are smooth, relaxing.

 

Sorry, I don't even... I just need to clarify one thing. Were you also using the Chord Mojo to drive the HE6?

PS I don't disagree with your statements, but what you mention is exactly why there are mods. There is a blu-tack mod for the bass, and the Vegan + Felt pads for the treble. Are you talking about quality, or just about the frequency response?

Anyway, my own addition to the original thread: my votes go to the Code-X and the modded HE6.

 

No. The Mojo is a powerful device that can drive 98% of the stuff out there..but I doubt it could push the HE-6 anywhere close to what it's capable of. I wasn't keen on the the FR but I also didn't get all the hype regarding it's sound quality - ok it's a good headphone but the way people go on about it I thought it would of been simply amazing. I think the HE-500 are pretty close to the HE-6 in terms of SQ.