HIFIMAN - HE1000se

I'd probably recommend Drop/ Sennheiser PC38x for multiplayer/ directional audio and HiFiMan Edition XS (or perhaps Sundara if you have small ears; not comfortable for me) for cinematic single player games for fairly affordable headsets within a few hundred bucks. I've read good things about the Audeze Maxwell. Going much higher will probably require an amp and get MUCH pricier. For PC and listening to music, I use an HE1000SE, which will challenge your statement about budget not mattering. It's by far the best set of headphones I've ever used for gaming (including the also excellent Sennheiser HD 490 Pro, which I also own) or music but definitely not low budget.

I am convinced the perfect two-headphone collection is something between the Ananda Nano - HE1000se and a pair of HD490 Pro’s.

Exactly. My HD490 Pro’s are my go to for long listening session and even while working. But my Ananda Nanos are untouchable for just sitting down and having a blast with an album or two. It’s two very different and enjoyable experiences.

Despite BD having invented modern headphones I've always had a hard time enjoying their products. Headphones are pretty impactful in your perception of media, then comes the media source, then probably the Digital to Analog Converter, and last but not least your amplifier. There are some products that sound better than others for specific purposes, and some that have characteristics that usually don't belong in cheaper tiers. I personally don't use wireless because of latency (declared ms timing values tend to be lies), and I mostly use in-ears for competitive FPS gaming because their imaging and separation is usually pretty good for the price. I also own and use two expensive over-ear headphones (HE1000SE being my favorite overall) but I also sometimes enjoy the KSC75 with the KPH40 headband, because it can be enough. The perception and psicoacustics journey is subjective, but devices do make a difference when the context is right and the whole chain from source to devices to ears has no qualitative bottlenecks deteriorating your experience. You don't need to spend a lot, but it all needs to be something that serves your purposes enhancing the characteristics you demand from each device.

Welcome to the chase, my friend!!! I've never heard the EdXS, but I've had these: OG Sundara, HE4xx, and Arya v2 - while still owning these: HE400i 2020, OG Ananda, Arya Stealth, and HEKSE. The first HFM can that I bought was the OG Sundara - and OMG, they blew every other dynamic can that I'd heard before then out of the water! That was until I bought the OG Ananda and then quickly said: "Effit, I'm taking the plunge" - and bought the Arya v2. Prior to the Aryas I couldn't fathom spending ~$500+, then ~$750+ and THEN ~$1,000+ on a headphone....that is, until I heard the Ananda and wondered "What if"? When I got the Arya and first heard them I was very impressed, but still kinda "Is this it"? Until I read that they took a few days or weeks to burn in before they'd sound their best. I let them marinate over the nights with some pink noise and bass heavy music for a few nights and then listened. HOLY MOLY - they had totally transformed and expanded in every direction (HxWxD + midbass, subbass, texture, and smoothness)!!! Like a "Shaking your head because this is TOO GOOD - my goodness!!!" kind of emotion, LOL. Of course, then I had to buy the requisite source chain to "maximize their SQ" - so I bought a used Gustard H20 Class A BAL amp and later on a Gustard x26pro DAC to stack with it - both working together to mitigate the roughest treble edges from both my Arya Stealth and HEKSE. I'm still in Bliss..... As you can guess, I'm still stuck - but I think I'm holding off right now on even hearing the HEK Unveiled and sticking with my HEKSE. They offer me literally everything there is to offer, IMO - not lacking in any facet of SQ, especially after experimenting with ZMF hybrid and perforated lambskin ear pads for the "cherry on top" effect. Happy listening - and keep us posted....

I'm so happy for you....that I'm smiling ear to ear with my HEKSE (with ZMF perforated lambskin pads).....

senheiser hd800s or hifiman1000se. you can only get something on par with those or maybe slightly better but if you own one of these 2 you basically own as good as it gets.

My journey stuck at HE1000se and HD800s. If I want another CAN tungstein and susvara on the list but I need to get tired of current CANs first.

Please do come back with a reply. Arya Stealth were some of the headphones that impressed me the most. Amazing resolution and so close to my HE1000SE. Better width than the HE1000SE and easier to learn as well.

Beautiful collection. I think Focal Clear OG, HD800, HE1000 series and LCD-3 have stood the test of time. The Atrium are said to be beautifully crafted. I'd want to give the Atrium open and closed a listen one of these days.

hifiman open backs, EQ correction to harman, happy days. All these sennheiser and beyer headphones lack the sub bass frequencies you need to hear in techno. yes, I agree, if you learn your headphones, any will do. But if you want to hear everything, for me, you can't beat a decent set of planars

If anyone finds the HE1K SE or Arya Unveiled for under a thousand, DEFINITELY jump on it...