I think you missed one. This is a list of every headphone ever made, right? lol
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Well guys, if this one is considered as a headphone in some way, I would love to add my Koss KSC75s as my latest collection to my headphone progression. With me having the KSC75s, I hate myself for using it most of the time now, holy shit! I never thought these would be so that fucking good back then! xD
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Less of a progression, more like a winding road. I’m not trying to get anywhere, I’m just enjoying the journey.
= kept
= sold
Skullcandy Hesh
Noontec Zoro
Grado SR60i
AiAiAi TMA-1 Studio
Audio Technica ATH-M40x
Sennheiser HD1
Sony MDR-1A
Audioquest Nighthawk Carbon
Beyerdynamic DT770 250 ohm
Koss KPH30i
AKG K7xx
Focal Elegia
Koss KSC75
Koss Porta Pro
Beyerdynamic DT880 Edition 600ohm
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From early-mid 90’s I used anything from my dad’s old Koss at the home stereo to some Walkman. As I started to get more and more into PC-gaming by the late 90’s I came to buy your run-of-the-mill Logitechs or some no-name headset with mic. My first real personal hi-fi experience was the Koss UR-40, Koss KSC-75 and then Sennheiser HD212 Pro.
As me and the Counter-Strike clan at the time got sponsorship from Icemat around 2001, we started looking at more serious gear. As I liked Sennheiser a lot, I ended up buying the HD570 and my brother bought a used pair of HD600 (which he still has to this day and I’ve used them for probably half a decade myself). The HD570 / HD600 became the workhorse for the longest time and followed through most of my amplifier and DAC journey too.
At around 2005 when I graduated I got myself a Creative X-Fi Zen Vision:M DAP. At the same time I ended up getting a Creative X-Fi Fatal1ty soundcard for my PC which began my quest into real high end at the time. I modded the soundcard, soldered on new OPAMPS and did some ESD-protection mods on the backplate of the card since it was internal. This did a lot for the quality at the time. Then I Frankenstein rigged this all to output into my first headphone amplifier from Harmony Design. In 2007-2008 I got myself a Harmony Design EAR90, a year later I got the Harmony Design DA9 DAC and upgraded my EAR90 at the same time.
So for the longest time I had the HD600 I borrowed from my brother, as my old HD570 had snapped in half due to wear and tear. Then I got the Denon AH-D2000 around 2008-2010, imported from Japan as no local retailer would sell them at reasonable prices, it was a good 200€ cheaper at the time to import. I kept the D2000 for a couple of years until they broke, at which point I got a pair of Lawton Audio modded Denon AH-D5000, which I still have, but the cable is broken and needs replacement (forever in my backlog of hobby projects). In 2014 I got myself the Sennheiser HD700 which I still own and love, used daily ever since.
Harmony Design EAR90 + DA9 + HD600 / D2000 / D5000 / HD700 was my end-game up until 2018-2019. That’s when I thought to myself that I should look around and check what’s new in the hobby. I found Zeos and then it was down the drain from there. I first got a Topping MX3, which astounded me as it was almost as good as my old 1800€ setup. Interested in what was new on the DAC side, I ended up getting the SMSL Su-8, which outclassed my DA9 in a lot of ways, the most obvious one being ease of use and customization and remote control. So the DA9 went into the stereo setup. From there I bought the Fostex t60rp, which couldn’t really be powered that well from the MX3, which made me land on the SMSL SP-200, as I couldn’t get the THX AAA due to it being sold out or cockblocked behind Drop and their bad handling with shipping to EU.
From 2019-onwards it’s been a wild ride. I’ve gotten the Audeze LCD-2 Closed-Backs which I love (and hate; so heavy, but so comfortable at the same time). I’ve taken the IEM redpill and first got the Tin T2, then Blon BL-03 followed by the Moondrop Starfield and now the Shuoer Tape Pro on its way.
I have had IEM experience before, but that was in the early or mid 2000’s with Shure, something in the 300-series which cost around 200€ but was a plastic fantastic mess that had broken nozzles. Which later on led me to HifiMan RE-0 which I thought was an absolute godlike IEM. I was devastated when they broke and got a pair of Denon IEMs that I can’t remember the name of. They were good, but not as good as the RE-0. So yeah, the nostalgia of the RE-0 made me dip hard into IEMs that I am currently exploring.
In-between and mixed into all of this, I have had a lot of going back and forth with my stereo setup, but that’s another story. I’m quite pleased with that setup and won’t touch it in the near future unless anything breaks. If anyone is interested, I’m currently using Klipsch RF-63 (first version) running via the Primare i32 amplifier, fed by the Harmony Design DA9.
It’s been a long ride and it will be longer still I hope. There’s so much good stuff coming out now, after what felt like a good decade of stagnation from that 2008-onwards point.
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Oh man, this right here. I was just a Cal-O/IM guy but I was all about those white Icemat Siberias!
My first semi-conscious purchases were Koss Porta Pros and CAL over 10 years ago followed by MDR-V6. I had no idea then things like DACs and AMPs existed. I grabbed Sansa Clip + and was fulfilled. Some cheap iems afterwards, don’t even remember names.
Starting April this year I went deep into the hobby: first I ‘broke the bank’ with Starfields (Sold) and went down the slope from there: Grado SR80e (S) > Hifiman 4XX (S) > Meze 99 Noir (S) > AKG K712 (S) > ATH MSR7b > Nighthawk Carbon (S) > AFC:RT > 660s (Returned) > AD2000x (R because of driver failure, Jap import) > Nighthawk Carbon (again) > Sony MDR-1AM2 (S) > CA Cascade (R ) > Sony MDR-1AM2 (again).
Just yesterday I sent back Cascades and reordered Sony 1am2, with this I can tell that I’m done with my setup and I will stick to mid-fi: Aeon Closed RT for home, Sony 1AM2 for portable use (I was supposed to end up with Cascades but I just can’t justify the price for what they have to offer soundwise, I also gave away my MSR7b). I’m still on the fence with Nighthawks - they are heavy competition for Aeon for daily use.
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Closed progression: M40x -> Elegia
Open progression: HD600 -> Diana V2
I’ve had a few others but the above have been the only ones worth keeping. I still have them all and love them for different reasons/purposes.
And I’m happy to say that I’m done when it comes to cans 
I was afraid I’d be chasing the unicorn forever but that’s no longer the case. Really I would be very happy with just the HD600 for the rest of my days.
3 Likes
Has to be one of the best posts here… love it 
!
Can you name all the headphone models in the pic? I can recognize most of them, seems like a number of Beyer cans, some Grados, a pair of Blons, some Hifimans, iBasso SR2, a pair of Denons, a pair of Focals, a bunch of Sennheisers, and a pair of Bower & Wilkins.
I would greatly appreciate to hear how you like the iBasso SR1’s, so if you don’t mind, share some impressions.
Well, thanks for the compliment 
I can say about the iBasso SR2 that I have mixed feelings 
:
The comfort is excellent and it is very easy to drive.
The spatial representation and details of well-produced sound recordings are reproduced above average.
He sounds realistic in the representation of voices and instruments.
But with some less well-produced songs the proportion of the stage is simply not right, the voices are then so withdrawn that you want to increase the volume in order to be able to perceive the singer more precisely, which results in the entire sound being distorted.
After I pulled on the large-pored ear pads that came with it, this problem was somewhat alleviated, at least in the bass and lower mids.
This problem occurs with all my DAC / Amp combinations sometimes more sometimes less. But mind you only for music productions that are less well controlled.
Other high-quality headphones also expose such recordings, but don’t mess around like the SR2.
Would I buy the iBasso again? Probably not!
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My progression so far:
Broken - Beyerdynamic DTX 350p
Sold - Superlux HD 330
Sold - Superlux HD 681
Sold - Superlux HD 681 EVO
In collection - Fidelio X2
Sold - Sennheiser Momentum 1
Sold - Beyerdynamic Dt 770 pro (250 Ohm)
Sold - Sennheiser Momentum 2
Sold - Sony MDR 1A
In collection - B&O H6 2nd gen
Sold - V-Moda XS
Sold - KZ ZS 6
Sold - KZ ZS 7
Sold - Beyerdynamic T51p
In collection - KZ ZS 10 pro
Sold - Beyerdynamic Dt 250 (80 Ohm)
Sold - Beyerdynamic Custom Studio
Sold - Fotex T50rp mk III (stock)
Sold - Meze 99 Classics
Sold - Meze 99 Neo
In collection - Audioquest Nighthawk Carbon
Sold - Beyerdynamic Tygr 300R
Sent back - Sivga Phoenix
In collection - Hifiman Sundara
In collection - Monoprice Modern Retro
bought - HarmonicDyne Zeus
On my shortlist:
Focal Clear/Elex, Hifiman Ananda/Arya/ Edition X V2, Dt 1990 pro, Fostex T20rp mk3, Argon, Denon 7200, Beyerdynamic T5 3gen, ZMF Eikon, maybe Blon B30?
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Only a couple of years for me, in order of appearance:
Drop/Senny PC37x
Fiio F5
Tin T2 Pro (was a mistake getting those)
Koss KSC75x (with yaxi pads)
Koss KPH30i (started with yaxi pads and now using big grado pads)
Blon BL-03
Fiio FH3
Drop/Senny PC38x
HarmonicDyne Zeus
[quote=“sa11297, post:178, topic:2012, full:true”]
TH909
Verite open
HD800s
utopia
th900 sapphire
diana v2
lcd24
auteur
th900 lawton
verite closed
d9200
he6
d8kpro
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Sennheiser 598 SE
Klipsch x7i
Sennheiser 598 CS
Fostex T50rp
Koss KPH30i
Hifiman HE4xx
Emotiva GR1
Argons (ordered)
Looking at the HD6xx and another planar next.
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Before I paid attention: Whatever earbuds seemed like a good price and a Razer Kraken USB for gaming.
…
FiiO FA1
Tin Audio T2
Moondrop Starfield
Koss Porta Pro & KSC75
Cooler Master MH752
Koss KPH30i (barely use)
Moondrop Shiroyuki (for when I can’t be sealed off)
Beyerdynamic DT880 Chrome Edition 250 Ohm (R.I.P)
Hifiman HE400i (2020) - should arrive later today or tomorrow
Hopefully Grado SR60e next month
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DT 770 80 ohm
Audio-Technica AD-500x
Sennheiser HD 558
Soundmagic HP 200
Philips SHP 9500
AKG K712
Hifiman HE-4XX
Sennheiser HD 650
Sennheiser HD 600
Hifiman HE-400
Beyerydnamic DT 990 250 ohm
Beyerydnamic T5p 2nd gen
Beyerdynamic DT 1990
MrSpeakers Alpha Prime
Philips Fidelio X2
Koss KSC 75
Audio-Technica R70x
Sennheiser HD 800
Hifiman HE-500
Dekoni Blue
MrSpeakers Ether CX
Sennheiser HD 58x
Modhouse Argon MK2
Modhouse Argon MK3
Fostex T60rp
ZMF Classic
ZMF Blackwood
ZMF Ori
Audeze LCD-2C
Sennheiser HD 660s
Beyerdynamic TYGR 300R
Aurorus Borealis
phew
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Audio Technica M40x
Philips SHP9500
B&O Beoplay H4
Crapton of TWS earphones and earbuds, Chi-fi and non-Chi-fi. Still own two by Soundpeats, for podcasts and phone calls.
Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless
Meze 99 Classics*
Moondrop Starfield*
*still own
UP NEXT
– Open-back dynamic. Eyeing Sennheiser 560s
– Open-back planar. Eyeing HiFiMan HE400i 2020 version, HiFiMan Sundara or Audeze LCD-1
– Mid-range IEM. Eyeing Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk (Crinacle)
1 Like
Started 15 years ago or so with a Razer headphone I can’t remember, then 1 year later Steelseries Siberia V1, then on june 2016 got ATH-MSR7 then realized I can’t use them for gaming (the treble is just…), then 3 days later I got SHP9500 for 100 euro (because of the praise), then 3 years ago got STAX SR-L700 (yeah big jump wasn’t impressed), then 2 years ago got DT1990 (still wasn’t happy) then HD800 stooooooooock and I was like ok, ok, we’re getting there… and then I start to learn their sound and DT1990 are nowhere near as bad as it was in the first 6 months, and hearing now L700 I see they are the best except the “fatigue” signature lol, it’s just a headphone to listen at low volume and I don’t want to listen quietly and it’s like hearing sound without ears especially at low volumes. Listening at medium/highs levels is fatiguing without EQ, but with EQ, man oh man, I get such a dynamic sound and punchy bass, even more than DT1990. That’s the main advantage of L700, even the bass is way way easier to hear than with any other dynamic headphone I heard. Even the HD800 bass sound forced and not “free”. Then I got BLON BL-03 because I wanted to rediscover how IEM bass is like and it’s very impressive even with 10db bass boost but the soundstage is non-existent. And I stopped, the next thing I want to hear is the Sundara… yeah… the Sundara and only if I like it, I buy it. Not going to buy anymore without hearing them first. Also I would like to hear 990s 250ohm. And OH10. And KPH30i (really curious how they sound).
With EQ I like the vibrancy of the DT1990 and it’s bright AF and not fatiguing. I really like this type of in-your-face treble. I use them with 8k cut and 6k boost and it sounds better than with the stock 8k peak. And is the most used headphone from my list, then is the HD800, then L700, then SHP9500.
ATH-MSR7 are the ones I don’t use anymore. And less and less the BL-03. Something about the BL-03 treble sounds empty and not hearing the full picture of the music even if the timbre of the sound is amazing (hd800 similar). I have experience with EQ and nothing I tried could fix it.
All of them were brand new, full price. ALL of them were bought blind, just based on internet opinions.
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Here’s what I can remember of my headphone journey:
HD6XX
ModHouse Argon
Focal Elex
Mr. Speakers (it was then!) Aeon Closed
Neumann NDH-50
Focal Elegia
ZMF Aeolus
Focal Clear
Hifiman Arya
HEDD HEDDphone
ZMF Verite
Hifiman HE-1000 V2
HD6XX (again)
Focal Utopia
…and that’s when the divorce papers arrived. 
9 Likes
Technically my headphone progression is very short…but I started with headsets way before that. Trying to go off of memory here:
HyperX Cloudx - first headset experience going from speakers (and I believe some cheap logitech headset)
Beyer DT 770 Pro 250ohm w/modmic - returned it right away, was very bright for me at the time
Sennheiser G4ME Zero
Sennheiser GSP 600
Beyer TYGR 300r - start of headphone journey
Harmonicdyne Zeus - current
Looking to make a jump now to a 700-1500 headphone. Strongly considering the Clear MG Pro but will see as I keep reviewing more. No planar experience yet…