Of course, good music sounds better through good audio equipment, but it is no longer necessary for pleasure. However, if none of those happened and you’ve properly taken care of your device, then proceed with the following fixes. Drawing inspiration from the Utopias Aesthetic, the Stellia are gorgeous-looking headphones. In recent years they have been responsible for modernizing the look of audiophile headphones which for some time had become stagnant. This feels fresh, bold and exciting. No. That’s the simple answer when we are discussing sound quality. A good set of speakers, in our experience, will always beat a great set of headphones. Speakers can take advantage of the space and the more realistic way we listen to music. Sound quality is better on speakers than on headphones.

The headphone build is what caught us first. You open the impressive box and see it’s all leather and metal in the most beautiful taupe colorway. The grill guards are like soundwaves rippling over the diaphragms.Generally speaking, audiophile headphones will not be cheap, and as with all electronic goods, things can and do go wrong. However, given the high initial cost, most people will want to have a warranty and support system in place.

Both micro and macro dynamics are very well defined, allowing you to differentiate between the gentleness of soft passages and the force of louder passages to a remarkable extent. Position the new power supply in the appropriate area and screw it in place while also plugging in the cables to the appropriate areas. Listening to the same song on the Edition XS provided some of the air and space I was looking for on the Sennheiser, along with the impression that some instruments, like the Guitar and Piano, were more fleshed out due to the added treble detail. Comfort and fit both play significant roles in determining how good a match certain headphones are for you. A set of uncomfortable headphones will make you want not to use them. Experiencing audio problems such as static noise is normal for headphones that have been in use for a long time. It is the natural degradation of the product, and if you don’t want to deal with such issues, then it might be best to just get a new pair of headphones.

Sennheiser HD 660S2 Review: Build/Design

An extra benefit to purchasing a set of audiophile headphones is that you can have incredible sound, but you don't have to step into the ultra-pricey world of high-end HiFi systems. It’s certainly more expensive than other headphones in the category. Still, the difference in quality is there to see at first use, and the sound is representative of what Focal offers in their wired headphones.