HE 1

Diminishing returns are real, but depending on your sensitivity or experience, sometimes a little difference makes all the difference. I prefer the HD 660S and HD 660S2 to the point where I only use my HD 650 as a reference for comparison, and I haven’t played it for two years. That said, while I do think the HD 660S2 is clearer and an upgrade in every aspect, there is a more appreciable jump in audio quality going from the $200-$300 headphones to the +$1000 tier. Dan Clark Audio, ZMF, and STAX are smaller scale companies that have to sell on quality (at a higher price) rather than massive quantities at lower prices, but they achieve the worthwhile sound upgrade you’re looking for. Audeze used to be in the same boat and I still recommend them as having great sound quality, but they were purchased by Sony and it’s cool to see their models offered around the price of the HD 650 and HD 660S2, plus it’s all but confirmed that their planar magnetic influence and collaboration helped create the lower cost Sony PlayStation headphones and TWS in-ears made for the PS5. Sony’s own first party headphones these days seem very bass heavy to me, but they do come in at different prices and performance points and I see some basshead audiophiles having positive experiences with them. I also really liked the Austrian Audio Composer when I heard it at last year’s CanJam NYC, but sadly it’s priced out of my budget (I could have a really bad idea and sell some of my retirement nest egg and buy one, but just because I could doesn’t mean I should). I also have heard the VERY expensive HiFiman Shangri La and apex priced Sennheiser HE-1 Orpheus, and I was pleased to find that they smashed through my preconceptions that audio diminishing returns hit hard with the $1200-$1500 models, though I admit that the additional obvious performance increase comes at a cost simply out of my ability even if I threw everything I have at it, apart from my house 😅