Top 3 headphones?
@bound4h
1. Pioneer SE-MJ591 (closed-back)
2. Pioneer SE-Master-1 (open-back)
3. AKG K872 (closed-back)
In terms of accuracy, there is nothing I’ve ever heard that surpasses them. Be it orthodynamic headphones, electrostatic headphones, planar magnetic headphones, and other unique dynamic driver designs..nothing was nearly as good.
The SE-MJ591 - to reproduce sound quality just as it’s been recorded. It does this at a high level - reaches top performance with foam earpads that allow those transducers to really shine. No EQ is required, but they require careful partnering and well recorded/mastered music.
The SE-Master 1, tuned by Tim Vine-Lott (former Technical Director at AIR Studios is the most resolving open-backed headphone I’ve ever owned/heard. It’s very much like listening to tower speakers in a control room. Minimal EQing is required to get them just right, so they’re almost exactly like a closed-back SE-MJ591..except they create the illusion of listening to speakers in a large room.
The K872s are "brutally accurate" but require slightly more EQing in the bass, treble, and midrage to sound more linear. They might over-extend flaws in recordings, making them painfully obvious on first listen.
At any rate, I would always suggest visiting a high-end audio store and listening to the headphones you're going to buy on the system you're going to use; before parting with your money.