Headphones

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Written by: Geoffrey Morrison

Created: 15 July 2023

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Most ultra-high-end headphones peacock some visual indications of their price. Whether it’s size, materials, or the overall design, they exude “expensive.” It’s certainly a choice, and an understandable one. The Yamaha YH-5000SE headphones are almost understated in comparison. They have a delightful, chunky, old-school look that, to the casual headphone fan, could be from 1976 or 1986 or just about any time, including now. No wood veneers, no fancy colors, just structural metal work, grilles, and a hint of yellow where the cables connect to the earcups. I like it. The design shows purpose, and if you know what you’re looking for, they telegraph their price in perhaps an even more impressive way than some other, more visually bombastic headphones.

Read more: Yamaha YH-5000SE Headphones

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Written by: Geoffrey Morrison

Created: 01 July 2023

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There is something appealing about big headphones. I think it’s the visual rebuttal of the endless trend towards smaller. True wireless earphones, wafer-thin flatscreen TVs, minimalist noise-canceling over-ears that are practically skeletal—most mainstream electronics just strive to minimize.

Read more: Sennheiser HD 660S2 Headphones

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Written by: Geoffrey Morrison

Created: 15 June 2023

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I didn’t intend to write so much about Sony in such a short span. Ironically, this was the article I planned first. But then I bought an NW-A306 portable media player and wanted to write about that, so this review got bumped. After hearing the March 17, 2023, episode of the SoundStage! Audiophile Podcast, Doug Schneider suggested I write an article about the Sony MDR-7506 headphones. I agreed, and these ’phones got bumped again. So here we are.

Read more: Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones

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Written by: Geoffrey Morrison

Created: 01 June 2023

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One of the first sets of earphones I reviewed for SoundStage! Solo was the Edifier NeoBuds S. I was, and still am, a big fan. They nailed a sound profile I really liked, with some well-controlled bass, smooth treble, and a wide-open soundstage. So it’s no surprise that I was extremely curious about what Edifier could do with the additional real estate of a pair of full-sized over-ear headphones.

Read more: Edifier WH950NB Headphones

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Written by: Geoffrey Morrison

Created: 01 May 2023

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I remember the first time I heard Audeze headphones. It was several years ago, with some predecessors of the LCD-5s, the LCD-3s. I unboxed them with the reverence that something of their stature deserved. I once bought a used Porsche for $2000. These were 50 percent more than that, and I could hold them in my hand. Far less rust, though, to be fair. I connected them up, put on an SACD (remember those?), turned off the lights, and transcended to another plane of existence. What an experience. I hadn’t planned to spend a few hours listening to every SACD and DVD-Audio I had, but that’s how the night went down. I still have those headphones. They’re great.

Read more: Audeze LCD-5 Headphones