Best Headphone for Headline

The V281 is on my shopping list.
Does it look a bit industrial in real life? I’m not sure from the photos.

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Just a mention for the Trilogy headphone amps. The 931 I found pretty impressive, a fast and dynamic listen but the 933 is a real class act. Very engaging, really has some of the magic posessed by the best HiFi components in just letting the music flow through. It is £2.7k approx though!

Bruce

The trilogy amps are ment to be good, but expensive and for me the lack off balanced inputs and no balanced out for headphone, ruled it out straight away for me.

MaxilMe
The V281 i think looks great and more importantly sounds fantastic with my headphones and source

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From my experience, a pair of Grado PS1000’s are stupendously sublime with a Headline2/Supercap2DR. Even though it only uses one of the power rails, the difference was night and day compared to a HCDR.

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Same here, only with the earlier GS1000. A fantastic experience. Way better than the top flight Stax, for example - in my opinion.

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Thats good then, but for the price off a new supercap dr, headline and cables, you are looking at almost £6k and for that it offers very poor valve for performance is my view, plus just using one power rail is a massive waste in my eyes, but it works for you great.
But as i said the headline didnt work very well with the hd800s and held them back and it didnt matter which power supply you used

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Price is irrelevant: I am referring to your comment that top flight headphones need something better than a Headline.

Right i see, but i still stand with what i said, headline is ok up to a point and then its clearly struggles and if you try it along side a good range off headphones and amps, it soon becomes apparent

The Grado PS1000’s were completely effortless with the Headline: there were no signs of struggle to my ears.

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But did you try them with other amps?, as with a budget off around £6K, there are some simply stunning headphone amps.
I tried quite a few different amps and headphones at hifi lounge, and it was easy to hear what worked and what didnt and sorry to say the headline was way down the list on what paul has in his demo room, but then i also dont like the grado that much and i even own a pair lol, but they are the much cheaper ones.

I also own a pair of HD800’s. Have you heard them in comparison to the PS1000’s?

Yes, i have, i tried loads.
They ones i really liked the most, but they cost more than what i wanted to spend, are
The focal utopia, stax 009 and my favourite until i found out the price abyss.
The grado i didn’t get on with really, plus being an on ear style, i much prefer the over ear design

Please explain what aspect of the PS1000’s is on ear?

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Why are balanced inputs and outputs so crucial?

If it all sounds brilliant does it matter?

I have to confess to not really understanding the technology of balanced in and outputs.

I still found the foam pads more intrusive, dont think i have large ears, but i might have lol.
Just didn’t get on with the way they fitted, they sounded ok, very bass heavy, but i personally preferred others that had a bit more detail and space.
It also doesn’t help that i had a small opp on my ear last year and now need headphones that clear my ear well

From here on, I’ll interpret your experiences on this forum to be like a pinch of salt. This is my opinion of course.

My 281 is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
Now comes the fun of the selling some me headphones at home with it.
Got some focal clears to try. I did quite like the look of Hifiman HE 6se. When I’ve made some enquiries about demoing them at home, I always ( rightly) get asked about which amp I’ll be using. As soon as I mention the 281, it’s " the HE6SE’s will be more than fine with that amp"

Well the amp will certainly drive anything you throw at it, no problem.
Getting on really well with mine.
Be interested to hear how you get on with yours

Thats fine, and only replied to your questions and sorry you didnt like the answer i gave.
We all have opinions and thats all it ever is, its fine to be different and what i like or what you like is just that.
But if i have offend you in any way, then please except my apologies as it was not my intention.
Cheers

Ordered Saturday or Sunday. Due for delivery tomorrow. Good service from the Germans. Royal mail would have taken two weeks!