$1500 headphones are the equivelant of $20,000+ speakers paired with $15,000 worth of monoblocks. If you're going to spend the big bucks on this set up, buy a Cary SLI-80 and some Sennheisers, but don't waste your money. What's your music preference? I can blow your mind for $800 - $1000 total.
I'm quite positive you cannot blow my mind for $1000, or any amount on headphone gear for that matter. I've listened to quite a few different, very impressive rigs at that pricepoint, and some far more expensive. Altough they are impressive for what they are, I can say without one moment of hesitation that I've not enjoyed any as much as I do listening to an equally well assembled speaker rig. Comparing the experience is an apples vs oranges scenario - they are an entirely different way of experiencing reproduced music. I do not doubt you in any way that you are as impressed as you say you are by headphones - just don't assume that everyone else should/would be. Same goes for AKG-702's, or AKG1000, HD800's, T1's etc....different strokes for different folks. Just because you are satisfied with strawberry doesn't mean others may not like chocolate better. No Beyers I've ever heard have sounded remotely like a pair of Stax, so preference of one over the other simply shows a preference for a very different sort of presentation. I would not draw any further conclusions from that, and would suggest anyone who is interested listen for themselves and make their own choice. That, by the way, is one excellent question you brought up: Do you even know if you like listening to headphones? One big advantage to headphone gear is that prices are more down-to-earth compared to speaker rigs, and resale prices on this stuff are excellent, ESPECIALLY with the cans in the price range the OP is considering. So if you try something and don't like it, you can run a free ad on Head-Fi and likely have it sold in a few days time and minimal loss.
Did you know that most serious audiophiles that listen to jazz, classical, and heavy vocals prefer the AKG-702's over ANY other headphone, or that Sennheisers are the preferred headphone for rock?
...and I hear 9/10 dentists who recommend gum, prefer Trident Sugarless Gum over all others. Choosy mothers choose Jiff. I find there are famous movie critics who love films I despise, and some that can't stand some of my own favorite films.
Not sure what source you are quoting has isolated and qualified "serious audiophiles". What exactly is a "serious audiophile"? Sennheiser makes quite a few different headphones. I can tell you that and HD-600 sounds entirely different from an HD-800. Which is the one preferred for Rock (and why?)... and no I had not heard that. Grado makes some headphones that suit rock music quite well - the RS1 and HF2 are two great ones for rock music.
Do you even know if you like listening to headphones? I'm not trying to let you down, but that's way too much money to devote to headphones / amp. Anyone that openly tells you to buy a pair of $1500 Stax hasn't met anyone who owns a pair of $1500 Stax and likes their $400 Beyerdynamics better. For the music I listen too, I can't buy a better set of cans than the AKG-702's. Pair them up with a $300 Little Dot MKiii or a Darkvoice headphone amp, and it will make you want to upgrade your Rogue, and I own Rogue amps. $1500 headphones are the equivelant of $20,000+ speakers paired with $15,000 worth of monoblocks. If you're going to spend the big bucks on this set up, buy a Cary SLI-80 and some Sennheisers, but don't waste your money.
If headphones make you want to upgrade your speaker rig you should either reconsider your speaker rig, or give it up for headphone listening (if you have not already) since there's obviously something better there for you. Again, I would not assume that was the rule, nor that everyone would agree with you (and that's the tone I get from your post). I by far prefer listening to a good speaker rig.
I enjoy headphones for some of the qualities they bring to the table, primarily privacy and intimacy. Given the choice I'll choose my speaker rig every single time, and I have a damn good headphone rig.
I can point you to so many Stax reviews where the owners like their much cheaper headphones better, and do the same for $1500 headphone amps.
From my own limited experience with listening to various STAX rigs, I would say they are a very polarizing and unique headphone, and are among those headphones that seem to strive to emulate having a pair of speakers on your head...kind of an out-of-head experience, if you will. AKG1000's are similar in that respect, and of the dynamic cans, HD800's do a bit of that dance as well. Some folks don't like that slant on headphone listening. It does not surprise me in the least that someone would prefer a less expensive, dynamic option. To each their own. Again, all it tells me is different people have different preferences.
