I’ll start!
- Fiio FA9: my most critical listening sessions and overall best sounding. Also one of my remaining wired headsets that make work calls sound fantastic. These rarely leave the house with the exception for work travel, no intention for mobile listening with these.
- Sony WH-XM5: these are my go to for work travel/ out in public when I have a backpack to lug em around. The ANC and mic quality are 10/10. Sound out of the box was meh but after using the commonly used Reddit EQ, their sound is fantastic without any of the distortion. Never seen a set react to EQ so well without any distortion. Having great sound wirelessly has been a big QOL upgrade for me. Love having LDAC with high quality streaming.
- Fidelio X1’s: were my daily driver’s for about 7 years until the FA9’s. I now use them when the family is asleep, I click em into my BTR3 and connect to the TV, and get a cinematic experience. Their sound signature and soundstage make shows/movies/games MUCH more enjoyable when I cannot use the home theater setup. Otherwise, for music, they’re a little too easy going, I prefer something on the warmer end of neutral. Lacks the texture and resolution of the FA9’s.
- Google Pixel Buds 2: These are my grab and go’s, my daily beaters that integrate well with my pixel. Meh sound quality, decent call quality, sweat resistant. Most likely will upgrade to the WF-XM5’s as their sound is becoming evident as a dramatic downgrade to my other sets
Hifiman Sundara - Usage at home on my desktop
Hifiman HE-R9 - when I want hard hitting bass and don’t feel like wearing my sundara
Anker Sound core A40 - when I out on the go, or using my phone docked into my gamesir X2 controller. Playing a game otg or on the excise bike.
ER2SE - When I’m on my laptop listening to music etc
lcd2 - metal/hard rock (home)
hd800 - everything else (home)
monarch mk2 - music on the go
galaxy bud2pro - podcast/audiobooks
FiR Krypton 5: Hip hop & harder rock tracks - for when I want the music to be in my face and intimate
Monarch MK3: Everything else - for when I want more soundstage and holographic presence
Blessing 3: Hiking & when I expect to be sweaty
HD 650: On my desktop for everyday use and music
Sony WH-1000XM4: Office and commute
Moondrop Aria: For commute and the office whenever i haven’t charged the XM4 or wanna switch it up
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Fitness
HD 560S: Gaming on pc
Truthear Zero: Console gaming
Tangzu Wan’er: Sleep
Moondrop Quark - Best for sleeping, I use them exclusively while I’m camping in the backcountry
Sennheiser IE600 - Daily IEM’s, use them mostly while I walk my dog and when I work out
Sennheiser HD800s - Daily headphones, set up at my bedside, use them most evenings
Sennheiser HD6XX - Set up at my desk, I use them occasionally but not very often anymore.
All of my others are basically ‘retired’. Sennheiser HD 25-1 II, Bose IE2, Bose Soundsport Free, Shure SE215
Shure SE215 - can i ask why you retired these? im thinking of getting them. what was your experience overall?
LCD i4 + Qudelix: When I’m going for a walk, or going out in non noisy area.
Grado SR80e: Office, openback is nice.
Random IEM + Kinera: Office, meeting.
Smoll IEM: Sleep.
ER2XR: Ear dildos, work.
XBA-N3: Commute, train, etc. When I need slight noise isolation while still able to hear stuff.
9999 db speaker: Home.All pair with Wm1z or wm1zm2, depend on battery and my mood
AuR Audio Aure: Gatekeeper, if the tested Iem does not sound better than this then i wont buy, also it serve me while i doing work, work wonder on male vocal like Andrea Bocelli.
JVC - FW10000: Vocal, jazz, chinese music,… , my go to iem when i want big soundstage and good female vocal
IER - Z1R: The iem when i want to go nut, work well with Epic music, Rock and instrumental music
Currently eyeing on the final A8000 to complete my collection of 2018 - 2019 japan best iems and then im off.
- S12 pro - At the office with a Q5k
- Linkbuds s - when i dont feel like taking the s12 and or q5k
- T1 gen 2 - Gaming and music - Replaced my hd 700
Am still looking for a well build bassy/rumbly planar though, since ive now sold my DCA Aeon Flow (which sounds meh). I have tried a bunch from hifiman, but the built and comfort are meh on the lower end models. And i dont want to spend arya money on something from them. Might give Audeze a go, if/when i can find me a second hand one for “cheap”.
HD800s : When I am free to sit at my computer and use my set-up to get the best quality music I can get.
EL-8O : When at work (work from home) or when I want to lay in bed and just run them from my phone. It has a built in DAC so can run them quite easily. Though they are really easy to drive.
Buds 2 - Travel, gym
B2D - office, school use
HEK Stealth - when I really want to listen and feel the music
HD58X - gaming and general use at home
DT990: at home for more ‘fun’ kinda headphones, metal/deathcore (pretty much anything heavy) music
HD6XX: Working from home daily drivers, casual background/anything-goes type of music listening
XM4 earbuds: commuting to work, working at office
CONSIDERING DT 700 pro x or the 177x GO to solve my ‘at work’/WFH over the ear isolation headphones
Will rank mine in most usage down to least usage:
Truthear Hexa - not had them long but majority of time listening right now is these. I struggle with sibilance due to ear issues and versus the other earphones I have now or have had, I find these the most comfortable and least fatiguing.
Hifiman HE400SE - An easy recommendation in the price bracket for everyone I know that wants a great sounding and comfortable experience at home. Without EQ they are fantastic but with a good EQ to your preference they come alive.
Nothing Ear Stick - A weird pick in this sub but when I don’t want my ears blocked or to have over ears on, these are really solid. Sound better than I’d expected but not comparable to others on the list.
Sony WH1000-XM4 - Purchased to replace some Sennheiser 4.50s that broke days before a 13 hour flight. Sound was disappointing but that Reddit EQ recommendation is a game changer. I don’t travel much for work since COVID but when I do, these are in my bag, probably joined now by the Hexa as the default out of the house choices.
Shure Aonic 4 - the most I’ve spent on IEMs on about 10 years. The Yellow foam tips make them super comfortable and I used them for a lot of hours but now I’m finding the highs to be too piercing and uncomfortable for me.
KEF M100 - Had them years, don’t know why I have not thrown them away. They don’t sound great, they have a rubbish cable and they kill my ears. Long may they remain discontinued and forgotten to history.
Airpods pro - Commuting, flights, travel
Sennheiser HD600 - Home
S12 pro - Home, at work, especially when i feel like a little treble kick
Senn HD650: Daily drivers for home desk, insanely comfortable, excellent for both music and gaming.
CA Solaris: Portable musical paradise for work/travel. Custom-mold silicone ear tips were needed aftermarket for all-day comfort, and their able to isolate from an impressive amount of external sound.
Bose SoundSport: Honestly, my (biased) all-time favorite. Perfect for exercise, sports, and commutes, they are acoustically transparent, so I can still hear everything around me. Very resilient (perfect for harsh days on the ski slopes), and excellent sound quality. I’ve sworn by these for years and they still amaze me with detailed, smooth sound and deep, clean bass. (Though bose discontinued all their wired products, you can still find plenty listings on ebay. IMO their wireless stuff just doesn’t come close to what these can do. It’s sad really)
LCD-3: Used mostly at my desk when I am browsing or working or doing schoolwork. Has a very relaxed yet detailed tuning that sounds good with a lot of music I listen to. Replaced my LCD-2c for this purpose, but don’t really plan to sell my 2cs.
He-1000v2: Recently moved into the bedroom to listen to on tubes at night or when i’m reading or relaxing.
Airpods Max: Sold my XM4s to get these as those would hurt my ears after a while. Mostly used when travelling or if they’re cutting the grass outside.
Beats Fit Pro: Honestly, my daily drivers, if i’m out and about or working in the office, these are in my ears 90% of the time. Similar to Airpods pros, they just stay in my ear better.
S12 Pro/Z12: Mostly in use on airplanes or at my desk in the office if i want to have a little more detail in my music.