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Best Headphone under 1k$?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K2LHB1J/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had enjoyed using SoundMAGIC E11C while out of town for 3 weeks on May.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077XDWT7X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But I also got HIFIMAN SUNDARA from Amazon 10 days ago to compare it with SoundMAGIC E11C .


Although I will keep SoundMAGIC E11C for travel, I enjoy the sound from HIFIMAN SUNDARA much better.
It sound open and balanced.
I use Chord Dave to drive it.


Now my question is whether there is any headphone under 1k$ which will sound significantly better than HIFIMAN SUNDARA.
I wish to get transparent and open sound out of it with just enough tight bass.
Of course, if it provides wide and deep soundstage, it will be better.
I do not wish to get bright sound.


Can anyone recommend best headphone under 1K$?
thanks in advance
Thomas
shkong78
glupson
7,842 posts
 
Practical question is where do you draw the limit of waiting for burn-in/break-in. How do you decide when enough is enough and there is no improvement to be expected anymore? When does "not enough burn-in" become "these earphones are just not that good"?
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
In the case of HIFIMAN HE-600S V2 earphones it certainly appears the review I linked to early in this thread was probably correct - there is no real change to the rather horrid (my word) sound until one reaches the 200 hour mark. And most likely 300 hours is required before making any judgements as to the sound. In the case of my HIFIMAN HE-600S V2 earphones I have about 120 hours on them. They sound better than they did two weeks ago but have a long way to go. Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time. It’s like being pregnant. You have to wait 9 months to get the baby. Actually, if I had a repeat button on my portable CD player I could have cut my time in half. Woulda, coulda, shoulda. In any case, this new breed of earphones with rare earth magnet structure and single crystal copper wire cable is definitely not for high strung nervous types. 😳
glupson
7,842 posts
 
"Actually, if I had a repeat button on my portable CD player..."
It is very odd if you do not have it. What model is it? I forgot.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I see the word REPEAT. Hmmm, I wonder....🤔
glupson
7,842 posts
 
I really do not remember ever seeing a CD player without a repeat option. Not that I have been keeping statistics, but check it.
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