Top 3 Headphones

I am not a headphone guy, but I think I have 2 of the very best headphones at any price. As I write this, I am listening to my hard rock headphones, the RAAL CA-1a with the SR728 Silver RAAL cable (it matters). I have 3 amps (soon to be 4) that I can use with this headphone.

- Schitt Jotenhiem R headphone amp ($500 discontinued)

- RAAL VM-1a headphone amp ($7000)

- Benchmark AHB2 monos

- Peachtree GAN1 (delivery next week)

I only use the CA-1a with the Schitt and VM-1a. Both are very good, with the VM-1a able to provide the best rock and roll listening experience I have ever heard. That is using the VM-1a in PENTODE mode (there are 2 other modes). The only minus is that the CA-1a has a sonic profile like traditional headphones though the VM-1a elevates that sound to the extreme.

The better headphone is the RAAL SR1a, It is not as hard hitting as the CA-1a so that is why I call my CA-1a the rock and roll phones. However, the SR1a is mind blowing great, especially with the VM-1a amp. The sound is unlike other headphones and more like 2-channel sound.

I listen to the SR1a with 3 of the amps listed above and when the 4th amp arrives, I will use that in a room where I can lay down and zone out.

I used to own the Meze Empy headphones with the Benchmark HPA4 headphone amp. I thought it was rather good but not something I would take over 2-channel. The 2 RAAL phones I have are equivalent to my 2-channel setup. I am not downgrading when I use them late at night (like right now). Cranking some April Wine on the CA-1a with the VM-1a headphone amp.

BTW - if you live in a big city see if you can check out the next CanJam show.

Events | CanJam (canjamglobal.com)

BTW - Stereophile is supposed to do a review of the gear I listed above. It will Shirley be a rave.

I enjoy in my top three to be the focal Utopia, DanClark Audio Stealth, and the Meza Audio Elite.  DCA are approaching the Utopias for a closed can and non fatiguing for late night deep dives.  Happy listening

This is what the article says about the Grado:

 These are the best audiophile headphones at this price.

There have been times in my life where I've wondered if I could find a better sounding headphone. In the past decades I've attended both CES and AXPONA shows, sampling many different sets of headphones. In a situation like that, it's kind of tough to analyze each one, because they're usually being powered by different headphone amplifiers. So I would ask myself, if I liked what I was hearing from a headphone at one of these shows, would it sound the same on my gear at home? Many times it didn't. I love headphones, as they are my main source when critically listening. I think you really need to know what you're looking for in sound when shopping for a favorite set. I did, and after many years of auditioning headphones, I arrived at my (current) favorite, which is the Grado SR325e (they have since updated that model to the SR325x). I wasn't completely satisfied with the SR325e right from the start (as I felt the bass was a little lacking for my taste), but then did a little internet research, and noticed some owners were posting tweaks to the headphone that altered the sound a bit. One of them was to wrap one layer of electrical/vinyl tape on the outer edge of the foam headphone pads. I'm like WHAT?! I did this, and for me it brought the sound of this model to exactly where I wanted it. I also tried different foams that Grado makes, but decided to stay with the original ones, with the tape on the outer edge. Hopefully you can attend an audio convention, or a local dealer, and audition some headphones for yourself. No pun intended, but one size does not always fit all. Good luck.    

My favorite are my Stax 009s, however, you won’t find them around $1,000. There are better headphones out there, but again you won’t find them around $1,000. For that amount, I suggest you look into the Audeze line. I bought a pair of LCD-XC to see how closed-back phones might sound. They sound very good, although a bit heavy in the weight. I see lots of Audeze LCD-X at around $1K, and I think you could do a lot worse for your thousand dollars. Just my two cents. You might also try a used pair of Sennheiser 800 (800S, if you get lucky).

I just re-read your post, and realize your budget is "greater than" $1,000. In that case, I recommend Focal Utopia (on my shopping list too), RAAL, and the current top of the Abyss line. Also, be sure to get a dedicated headphone amp worthy of your initial investment (Blue Hawaii comes to mind). By all means, try to attend a Hi-Fi show to help you make the right decision.