Three of the year's best full-size headphones

The Grado PS-1000 headphone

The Grado PS-1000, Sennheiser HD 800, and Ultrasone Edition 8 full-size headphones all sound amazing. They're all expensive to buy, but if you listen to headphones with your hi-fi or computer, they might be worth the investment. Which one is right for you?

That depends. First, they sound very different from each other. To get the full scoop, read my CNET reviews of the Grado PS-1000, Sennheiser HD 800, and Ultrasone Edition 8 headphones.

My personal favorite was the Grado, as it was the most exciting to listen to. It seemed to bring out details more, and its dynamic impact was simply more visceral than the other two headphones. It worked well enough with my iPod, sounded acceptable with my Onkyo TX-SR805 receiver, and best with my Woo Audio WA6 Special Edition headphone amplifier.

The Ultrasone Edition 8

Which reminds me, if you're going to spend big bucks on a headphone, check out dedicated headphone amplifiers. I've blogged about Woo's amps many times, and they offer models starting at $470. I will try to get around to covering other brands soon.

The Ultrasone was the bass champ of the three headphones. If you love bass and you want to feel it, check out the Edition 8. As I said in the review, it gets closer to the full sound of a large floor-standing speaker than the other headphones. It's also the most iPod/MP3 player-compatible deluxe headphone I've heard. I couldn't believe how good it made my iPod sound.

The Sennheiser HD 800 is the most high-tech of the three headphones. It epitomizes German engineering and build quality. The HD 800 is also the most comfortable over-the-ear model I've tested to date. Oh, and it's the most accurate (neutral) sounding headphone of the three. Its unhyped sound is easy on the ears, and I listened to the Sennheiser for hours at a time and never felt fatigued.

The Sennheiser HD 800

Sure, these are all very expensive headphones, but chances are you'll get many years of use out of any one of them. I still use my Sennheiser HD 580 headphones I bought more than 10 years ago.

[Rod Roddy]

No.

[Rod Roddy]

Actually...Hell No!

[Mr_fleabite]

Hey Steve,
Any tips on where to pick up older Hi-Fi equipment (headphones, stereo receivers, stereo speakers) that comes close to affordable for the common man. The equipment you write about sounds awesome (no pun intended) but most of it I don't have a prayer of ever owning.

[TheAudiophiliac]

Right, but I cover a lot of affordable gear in my CNET reviews, and a fair amount as the Audiophiliac. Stuff like Denon's new DP-200USB turntable ($250),Ultrasone's new flagship headphone, the HFI-2400 ($329), and EMP Tek's nifty Limited Edition System ($595). Next week I'll cover a new $250 speaker (a pair) that blew my mind. Point is, as the Audiophiliac I write about a range of products that aren't covered to death. Sad to say, high-end audio is rarely covered in mainstream media in any serious way, I'm trying to get the word out.

[Mr_fleabite]

Thanks for the reply,
True, I didn't think about your equipment review contributions. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading about the high end stuff you cover (and probably kill more time than I should at work looking up the manufacture's web site). I can always dream...and plot a way to convince my wife I need some hi-fi audio equipment.

I'm looking forward to next week's review now!

[Daguin25]

ridiculous. NO

[Daguin25]

Actually let me rephrase that, $480 for headphones like that is fine, especially if it lasts 5-10 years I would say. But 1500? Nah....

[klor5]

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD600's and they're very good but 20 years ago you could get a better sounding pair of Sennheiser's for half the price.I would love to hear a good pair Grado headphones to compare.

[Mr_fleabite]

adjust for inflation, anybody know what that would be?

[FargoUT]

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD600s which I bought about six or seven years ago for about $230. While I have had to swap out the cabling (Sennheiser skimps on their cable which can lead to shorts in the wire), the headphones still sound amazing. I thought $230 was a lot to pay for them, I couldn't imagine plunking down $1500 or more for headphones. Still, for $230, I've gotten a lot of good from my HD600 which makes it a worthwhile investment in the end. Not entirely sure if the same would hold true for any of these listed (my opinion would probably change if I heard them though).

[svgtom]

All of these people saying that these headphones aren't worth it have

1) probably never heard them and don't have a clue to what high-end headphones sound like
2) woudn't bat an eye at spending $1500 on an HDTV

[moneyrules]

I dont understand why people are looking for high quility headphones

[pthoresen]

I have a mid range end pair (Sennheiser HD 280 Pro) and what i hear through them is worlds apart from typical ear buds. They are comfortable as heck, and after several years they show no appreciable wear (as of yet).
Once you hear music through good headphones, it is hard to go back to average or poor headphones.

[Yelonde]

If they have an unlimited warranty that has no exceptions, yes, i would be willing to buy headphones for $1500. Having to replace broken headphones every 3 months is lame, props to skullcandy.

[oooh5615]

To me, any headphones that cost over $200 are not worth it. Want a toothbrush for $1,500? I bet that's going to be a helluva toothbrush...

[Proud_Geek]

For that price, it better come with at leat 100 "happy endings".

[JFerrari427]

$1500 to listen to sound? LOL. Thats like paying to breathe air. I would rather buy a nice MacBook, HDTV, or a cheap car for that matter. Thats ridiculous. Im sure its nice.

[klor5]

For a start you can get headphone/headphone amplifier sets that cost over $15,000 not just $1,500.Secondly,can you imagine how much it would cost to duplicate that kind of sound with speakers and amplifiers,not to mention the cost of a space where it's acoustically even possible?
I think for most people headphones are probably the most realistic possibility for true high-fidelity sound in their own homes.

[one_flat_monkey]

i would argue that the overwhelming percentage of people would not be able to discern a discreet difference between a $1500 headphone/headphone amp system and a $15K system. if you did A/B blind comparisons, you might be able to tell which was which, but to say that the $15K system was "better" with 100 people listening more than 50% of the time would be dodgy at best.

you have to appreciate the fact that a $1500 system is very very good, better than what most people ever listen to, and i've been to a high end store where the OWNER thought that hugely bloated bass was good, so even so-called experts in high end have their own quirky notions about what good sound is.

i agree that excellent headphone sound is a quantum leap from most home audio and even more of a jump up from car stereo listening, but it's attainable for no more than $1000, assuming you have a decent quality player ( not mp3), a decent amp and headphones.

for $350 you can get a Grado headphone amp.
http://www.goodcans.com/HeadphoneReviews/gradoamp.htm
for $300, you can buy a pair of Grado headphones that will fill your sox with cream.
http://www.amazon.com/Grado-Prestige-Series-SR325is-Headphones/dp/B000J1N3HW
and then you have around $350 to buy a CD player. i have not heard this player, but i imagine it's good enough for the purpose, the Marantz CD5003
http://www.musicdirect.com/product/83658

[BiPoLaR_X]

i have $350 on some bose before, but not this much lol.

[one_flat_monkey]

bose speakers aren't horrible, but -- depending how long ago you bought the bose -- you could have purchased better-sounding, better crafted speakers, without a doubt for the money you spent on the bose.

right now, $350 won't purchase a bang-up speaker system, but i think you could get killer sound for less than 50% more.

of course, if your electronics are a $250 sony receiver, it doesn't matter a whole lot what kinds of speakers you buy.

[genghis-ron]

Twenty years ago I was laughed at when I paid $1500 for a pair of JBL/Altec custom speakers about the size of a washer and dryer. I've listened to the Sennheisers, but not the Grados or the Ultrasones. Would I pay $1500 for them...in a heartbeat...and my friends would laugh again.

[crazyaznpig]

Unless they're made of gold, NO.

[Dan7637]

no headphones are worth $1500, even $100 is too much

[TheBananaMonkey]

If that's your opinion why are you even reading this blog? It's like going to a fashion show not understanding why people wear anything other than $30 jeans and t-shirts... without actually listening to good headphones you'll never understand.

I'm about to get a pair of AKG K701's. I set out to spend about $100 on headphones but the more I listened to good ones the more I heard. My music came to life from flat and dull sounding to exhilarating and 3 dimensional. If you cared about music as anything other than something in the background then you'd appreciate these in a different light. As for these exact headphones, they're in the high range but for every hundred Toyota's there are ten Mercedes. For those ten Mercedes there's a Ferrari. These are Ferrari's.

[VinylAlive]

Grado's GS1000i headphones have stunning sound. I should know, I have OWNED a pair. I'm sure the PS-1000 is just as stunning sonically. I'm just not impressed with the thin hard headband, python heavy wiring, odd angled ear cups, and bare foam ear cups. The oversized ear cups can be difficult to fit properly onto smaller heads also. I let several male friends try them also, and they all were impressed with the sound, but unimpressed with the feel. "Doesn't feel like $1000" I heard more than once. I don't care that they have only 32ohms of resistance, the heavy cord and stiff adapter was a nuisance when used with an iPod. So, Steve, what I'm saying is that I think you really need to reconsider the PS-1000. For $1700, "doesn't include travel bag or storage case" doesn't cut it. Oh, BTW, don't you know that you can buy a $75 wood case with the same cheesy foam liner as the cardboard box they come in? Or did John Grado not send you the cardboard box with your headphones too?


That's why I sold them, and have kept my Sennheiser 570 headphones.

[jwrupe]

Cant believe you ignored the AKG K701 and K702. I'll admit I bought my 701s last year, so maybe you limited it to this year releases only, but still for the money you can't ignore them. I've compared to the Grado and yes I admit they are the best, but at a huge price. But I haven't tried a Sens I liked, and I've tried many; they just all sound muddy to me, not transparent at all. In the end, personal taste matters completely! An you have to listen before you buy!