Marble is a classic while the new lacks character. I think the newer will peel less easily so objectively better, but less classy. Same sound etc and the smaller packaging is imo a benefit, but not having a decent box to store them sucks a bit.

Bathys for ear warmers and some IEMs like EM6L.

They have a really nice sense of clarity that feels different to the chifi I’ve heard. For me they lacked a bit of bass for balance and were too small to stay in place properly, but I did appreciate them regardless.

Tldr, but yes, everyone should at least try. I find Oratory’s presets to overall do more than the choice in headphones when it comes to sound quality. A very few headphones are worth anything to me without proper EQ now that I’m used to it.

Make the acoustics of your room perfect and then make it 1:100 000 the size. Good luck.

If interested try Oratory1990’s EQ preset. Doubles the audio quality imo.

Metal is the hardest genre to reproduce and most headphones don’t do it well especially without EQ, but some do. IEMs do much better in general. I haven’t heard many speakers sets and particularly spaces that do it well either.

LCD-5. It’s just ridonculous in it’s clarity, effortlessness and naturality. Even all the most basic bitch music sounds fantastic and anything with a hint of effort in the recording, mixing and mastering is just amazing.

If you can’t enjoy cheap good stuff you’ve lost your way.

I prefer Anandas to Aryas (not considering the new Organic etc variations). Enjoy them for at least 6 months before getting anything new and try to go somewhere to test stuff. That’s the best cure for wanting to buy everything when you know how small the differences can be.

That said I have +50 headphones up to LCD-5 so good luck xD

Only if you don’t like them.

Statistically speakers, but the amplifier in some instances. Back when I went from Monitor Audio RX1’s and an HK3490 to Revel F35’s and Hegel H160 I noticed that the amp offered like 75% of the upgrade and completely changed how the RX1’s sounded like. Now when I upgraded to F228Be’s and Hegel H390 I’d say it’s about a 50/50 benefit from the previous pair.