...tried a few headphones with the Audioquest Dragonfly (Macbook Pro - Audirvana+).
Wanted some headphones with better isolation as my Stax setup, and easy to take along with Macbook Pro and little Dragonfly.
AKG 271 is o.k but nothing to get excited about. Is laying around as our television headphone, really...
Sennheiser Momentum was really nice + musical for bass and mids, but way to much treble roll-off. No sparkle. Saxophone, violin etc. just don´t sound real / live. Even though I wanted to like these, I returned them.
Next was Etymotic er-4p. Very transparent. However: dry sound which did not give me the feeling of embodied instruments. Like showing bones, but no blood, no muscles, no blood. Soundstage very in the head. Very clean separation with good air, but together with the small in the head sound this made them even more fatiguing for me. I would only recommend these with a warm amp with good soundstage. I found it a lesser match for the Dragonfly, except for mixing or mastering. Just too little enjoyment.
Brilliant with just a few good recordings, though.
Finally settled with the Ortofon´s e-Q5. Very happy with these + DF. More body and warmth (but not exaggerated). Soundstage separation not so clearcut as Etymotics but less in (or clinging to) the head. More natural for me. Bass-mids-highs all enjoyable. Some music (like Norah Jones) is really, really nice and more enjoyable as with my Stax rig (which is just really better with most stuff, though)...
