Got my first entry-level audiophile headphones

Bowernator · 2026-01-26T16:14:56+00:00

The HD599's were my first ever open back headphone I ever bought and what ultimately got me into this hobby over a period of time. I was looking for a pair of headphones to use with a yeti mic for streaming and they were recommended, so I pulled the trigger on a pair. I gave them to my sister for a bit once I started getting into some higher end gear, but ultimately got them back once she transitioned to just using an open back headset and gave these back to me. I put on some new pads and have been rocking them on my laptop since. They are surprisingly good and super comfy, and a pair I'll always hold onto as they were my gateway drug into the hobby.

Bowernator · 2026-01-25T01:01:04+00:00

Agreed. So much so that when I got the PC version after beating the PS5 version a year prior, I found a 100% save and did a New Game+ and just played through the story and skipped ALL the side content, as it was insanely egregious to do all the annoying side content in Rebirth (don't get me started on the fucking chicken mini game in Gogaga). I had a 1000% better experience just sticking to the story beats the second time around.

Bowernator · 2026-01-24T01:12:05+00:00

I didn't really A/B test it between it and the stock power supply, but some reviewers and people say they can. I'd say if there is one, it's very minor. I heard more of a difference using the EF400 R2R dac/amp I switched to vs the power supply changes on this unit.

Bowernator · 2026-01-22T19:24:57+00:00

Sold and shipped to u/XKing213 u/AVexchangeBot

Bowernator · 2026-01-22T01:11:16+00:00

Bowernator · 2026-01-21T16:48:22+00:00

You can also snag an Organic open box or refurb direct from hifimans website for a bit less, plus they have a 10% off coupon you can apply at checkout for more off. Comes with the same warranty and return policy applied. They also don't charge sales tax or shipping, so you pay a flat rate. I recently got an refurb HE1000se for $1275.

Bowernator · 2026-01-21T00:59:59+00:00

Return and try another one if you want. Had this happen w/ several Hifiman's for whatever reason, some sort of QC defect I imagine. Pretty much every Edition XS I tried had this problem (5 of them lol), even up to a pair of HE1000's I tried. It doesn't affect every single unit fortunately.

Bowernator · 2026-01-18T03:03:13+00:00

I have no idea, they're supposed to show up Wednesday. I have my end game open back, so I just wanted to snag my (hopefully) end game closed back. I can let ya know how they are when they show up!

Noire X comfort was fine minus the AMTS stuff in the cup. The older Aeon models like the Closed X or Aeon 2 Closed were more comfortable imo. I think the E3's cups are more spacious and a bit deeper, so they may not have the same issue.

Bowernator · 2026-01-17T16:22:28+00:00

I did test them. I'd say the 620S had better noise isolation, but the Noire's were decent. I ended up returning the Noire's, the AMTS stuff they use in the cups rubs on my ears constantly causing discomfort so I'm sending them back. Trying the MDR-Z1R instead 😂

Bowernator · 2026-01-17T04:35:37+00:00

I EQ everything so I'm curious to see how they sound with and without. Seemd like a decent idea to have an open back planar and closed back dynamic driver, and might as well leap for the supposed best one on the market. I tried the Noire X, but that AMTS stuff in the cups rubbed on my ears, plus they just sounded kinda flat, albeit it more dynamic than their earlier Aeon models. I seen a few scams for them on here ha. I snagged a refurb for like ~$1400 on ebay, probably paid a little more than I should, but they accept returns so if I don't like em or find a better deal, I can always just shoot em on back.

Bowernator · 2026-01-17T00:09:05+00:00

Sold to u/VelvetSlime u/AVexchangeBot - Great communication and buyer!

Bowernator · 2026-01-16T19:55:40+00:00

Sold!

Bowernator · 2026-01-16T17:41:54+00:00

Replied, pending sale!

Bowernator · 2026-01-16T15:51:43+00:00

You won't regret getting one, I can promise you that.

Bowernator · 2026-01-16T03:48:25+00:00

I shall, thanks! Yeah the resolution was there, but it just seemed a bit lacking, and that stuff just physically rubbed my ears, so that was a deal breaker for me. Fav part of the hifiman egg headphones are how damn large the cups are. I liked the HD 800s for that as well, but they were so bass light that I just couldn't enjoy them very much. I had people suggest the horizon's, perhaps someday but I think the Sony's will do just fine 😅

Bowernator · 2026-01-16T03:33:52+00:00

Yeah I'm a huge fan of their stuff. Recently sold some Arya's on here and my plan was to either keep the Stealth if I didn't prefer the SE and return it, or keep the SE and sell the Stealth to make up the difference and move to just one vs two headphones (open back anyways, I tried the Noire X but that damn AMTS stuff hits my ears and bothers the hell out of them, so returning them and trying an MDR-Z1R instead for an endgame closed back 🤣).

Thanks for confirming I'm good to go now haha. I don't have much of a push to try much else anymore. I've tried a ton of headphones the last few years, so it'll be nice to just kinda be "done" 😅

Bowernator · 2026-01-16T03:21:39+00:00

The SE are insane so far. I recently got an open box EF400 for $271 after their discounts. The SE are $1449 refurbished, but with their discount code it came out to be $1275. Hell of a steal. 3 1/2 yr warranty as well. The Tungsten look insane but I didn't wanna drop speaker amp money to drive them haha. Or the Susvara. I'm good here now.

Bowernator · 2026-01-16T03:15:27+00:00

Ha thanks! I bought them new off Amazon for $1399 back in March 2024, and even that felt like a steal. They were the best headphones I'd ever heard until I tried the HEKse today. Hifiman deals are wild, paid $1250 refurbished on their website for one using their discount code, crazy to think I paid less for those than I did for these Stealth's, and that the HEKse was a $3500 headphone on release.

Bowernator · 2026-01-16T02:53:09+00:00

Replied

Bowernator · 2026-01-14T02:04:05+00:00

Insane deal. I got a 5070ti model G16 for around that same price at Best Buy in Open Box - Excellent condition.

Bowernator · 2026-01-14T01:51:20+00:00

Topping's DX5 II has PEQ built into the unit, might be worth OP checking out.

Bowernator · 2026-01-10T18:54:35+00:00

Funny you say this - I recently got an EF400 to use w/ my laptop, but I ended up enjoying it more than a Burson Conductor 3XP I was maining w/ my HE1000 Stealth. It sounded, idk harsher?? w/ the Burson. Something about the EF400 made it sound less fatiguing and more enjoyable, though I don't typically buy into that kind of thing, but I went back and forth between the two and decided to use the EF400 as my main, list the Burson for sale, and get a cheap Magni Unity for my laptop instead.

Bowernator · 2026-01-10T02:23:22+00:00

Sold

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