Gets 4/5 rating on 'value'. Is one of the top picks of the year for Value.
2014 Top Picks Of the Year Headphones and Headphone Amps

Headphones and Headphone Amps
NAD Viso HP50
(June) Designed by PSB’s Paul Barton, these closed-back $299 ’phones “sound smooth as silk, with excellent detail retrieval, a big soundstage, and bass with the perfect balance of speed and low-end oomph,” wrote S&V’s headphone maven Steve Guttenberg. $299, nadelectronics.com
Oppo PM-1
(soundandvision.com, October) Said audio editor Mark Fleischmann of this open-back, planar-magnetic design, “If you want headphone listening at an epic scale, hearing
the PM-1 is like dying and going to headphone heaven.” $1,099, oppodigital.com
Audeze LCD-XC
(July/August) Audeze has become a niche leader for ultra-expensive, planar-magnetic ’phones, and the closed-back LCD-XC was much loved by Steve Guttenberg for its “bass to die for” and “rock-solid build quality.” $1,799, audeze.com
Essence HDACC DAC/Headphone Amp
(July/August) The best-sounding of the DAC/headphone amps we rounded up in July/August for budding high-res audiophiles, the Essence is also remarkably versatile with its HDMI ports and preamp functionality. $699, essenceelectrostatic.com
Audioengine D3 DAC/Headphone Amp
(July/August) A great-sounding, entry-level DAC/headphone amp combo in a USB stick form factor. $189, audioengineusa.com
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