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NeoGAF: Recommend some audiophile headphones

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Prospero

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I've been listening to a lot of classical music on headphones lately, and these $50 Sony headphones I'm using just aren't cutting it. In pieces with large orchestras the brass drowns out everything else; cellos and basses sometimes get lost in the mix altogether; when listening to opera sopranos sound shrill and tinny. It's time for me to get serious. What high-end headphones should I consider getting?

These are the things I'm concerned about:

--Sound quality for classical and jazz trumps all. For classical music recorded in a studio in stereo, I'd like a sound field that allows me to pick out individual instruments instead of letting one section of the orchestra drown out all the others. I listen to most other genres, some of which are pretty bass-heavy, but in this case classical and jazz take priority.

--I'd prefer closed headphones (so that I could bring them in to work), though open ones will do if the sound quality is better. Earbuds are a nonstarter for me.

--Price: I don't want to spend crazy dollars, but I'd consider spending, say, $200-$250 or so if it meant the sound would be stellar and I'd never have to buy a pair of headphones again. Ideally I'd like to spend $100 or so.

--Comfort is an issue--I'd like to be able to wear them for a few hours over my ears comfortably, considering that I also wear eyeglasses.
 
I have a pair of Grado sr-125's. Paid 150 for them. They are comfortable once broken in (not at first though), and the ound quality is absolutely stellar, but they are an open design, so that may pose problems for you. Open headphones WILL give you noticeably better sound though. I can use them when my room mate is asleep without waking him up (they're quieter at reasonable volume than typing on my keyboard.) If you have the oppurtunity, it'd be great to get to a audio store and give them a whirl and see if they leed too much sound for your tastes, I understand that may not be possible though.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...1/104-0116707-9363159?_encoding=UTF8&v=glance
 
You're asking for a lot...especially the "wearing over eyeglasses" part. You have ruled out earbuds, so that leaves either supraural (on the ears) or circumaural (around the ear) style headphones. You also want them to be closed, which is an additional limitation -- many high-quality non-earbud headphones are an open design.

For me, supraural headphones are very uncomfortable unless they are very light and small. I have a pair of Sennheiser PX-200s, and they had very good sound quality for their size. They are also foldable, which might be another selling point for you:

6103.jpg


Although they are a closed design, they do leak some sound to the surroundings -- it's almost unavoidable for that type of design. They also don't provide very good isolation from external noise -- forget about using them on airplanes, for example.

However, since I was looking for something with better sound quality and comfort, I recently went with a pair of Audio Technica ATH-A900s:

atha900.jpg


Those headphones are HUGE, but extremely comfortable. Given their size, and the length of the cord, these aren't terribly portable headphones -- I use them at home or at my desk at work, but if I wanted to listen to music while walking around, they would be a poor choice. They have terrific sound quality and isolation, though -- by FAR, the best pair of headphones I've owned. More importantly, they have a 1/8" jack and are low impedance, so I can drive them with an iPod without requiring an external amplifier. (That is a key thing to keep in mind with more expensive headphones.) If you want to buy them, you will have to import; check out AudioCubes for availability and pricing. (I have never worn them over glasses, so I can't help you with that part of the review.)

I haven't stayed up on pricing, but the PX-200s were ~$60 and the ATH-A900s were ~$200 if memory serves. As always, check out headfi.org for the best info.
 
To see why open air is so much better, audition some grado's, and cup the ear phones. The sound will be drowned out by echoes and reflections and refractions. Closed air headphones can't get rid of that, its just basic physics. I love my Grado SR-60s, and would love to upgrade to the 325's and get a preamp.
 
Some of you people know crap about headphones.

Sony MDR-V600s? Are you kidding. Those are overly bass heavy DJ headphones connected to your ipod. Grados are nice, but not well suited to classical IMHO.

If you aren't going to spend at least $400 USD, then you aren't going to do classical music justice, and you might as well stick with a midrange $150 set of in-ears. Audiophile and $200 dollars are not words that usually go together.

For classical - if you are doing Apple Lossless/FLAC on a portable device I would recommend the Shure e5c's for their dual drivers. The in-ear form factor with two independent drivers makes these sound rich. Fit might be a bit strange, but they are only surpassed by a 1000 USD set of custom molded headphones. The Shure e500 (triple driver) is very interesting as well, but it isn't out yet. I know you said in-ears are a non-starter, but for portables, they are best.

If you are listening at home, a high-end pair of Sennheisers plus a headphone amp (preferably tube) is not a bad bet. I recommend any Sennheiser 590 series and above. My fave being the 595. But buy as high up as you can afford. Also acceptable are the AKG K701 from AKG.

Regardless, before you sink serious money into headphones, go check out www.head-fi.org.
 
I have an Alessandro MS2 and it's pretty good. I don't listen to alot of classical so I'm not sure it would fit your needs. My friend has a Sennheiser 595 that sounds good and they listen to alot of classical music so that might be a better bet.
 
xaosslug said:
I use Pioneer HDJ-1000 - Headphones and after a looong while of breaking thise suckers in, love them. I got them for MUCH cheaper too, about a year ago, after price-matching it down to $119, free shipping. :) Great site.

Here is an info site on them.
Click to expand...

I use HDJ-1000 to DJ at home and during gigs. They are absolutely 100% not for classical music.

They are incredible for listening to dance music on vinyl though.
 
Thanks for the replies, guys--it looks like I have some more research to do.

I've heard good things about Sennheiser for classical music, and the Audio Technica posted by -jinx- looks like a possibility as well.
 
I saw this guy with some Sony headphones yesterday. They were huge. I'm sure they sounded great, but boy did he look silly.
 
Hey guys, perhaps you could help me.

I'm not looking for really fancy headphones. I'm looking for headphones that will be very loud, and will also block out ouside noise. I need a good set for when I cut the grass during the summer, and I'm not really an audiophile.

I don't care about perfect sound quality or anything. I just need something to pump out loud heavy metal while also blocking out at much outside noise as possible for when I cut the grass.

I got my girlfriend some $30 Koss headphones or something at Best Buy just so she'd have something to listen to music with at night in her room, and they're great at blocking out the outside noise, but they aren't very loud.
 
I use Sennheiser HD 590 in my room, I found the to be great for classical and jazz. I think that you would want open-air cans in any case, you can't use them outside, I use a pair of E3c for that, but you wouldn't be an audiophile listening to stuff on the move anyway. I still prefer speakers over headphones overall for listening experience, although they cost a lot more.
 
Pet peeve: Does anyone even bother reading the original post anymore? Prospero was pretty clear about his requirements (not an in-ear headphone, closed design, $200 or less)...and yet people are recommending in-ear headphones, open designs, and setups out of his price range (Sennheiser HD-590s plus a TUBE AMP?)

People do this in other threads as well. "Hey, GAF, I need to buy a car for $15K or less to commute to school." GAF: "Buy a Lotus Elise! Awesome performance, got me laid, etc.!!!"

I seriously hope none of you are engineers.

</RANT>
 
^

This is not news. It's the way things are and always will be.
 
tetsuoxb said:
Some of you people know crap about headphones.

Sony MDR-V600s? Are you kidding. Those are overly bass heavy DJ headphones connected to your ipod.
Click to expand...

Did I not say that I wasn't an audiophile? Sheesh, calm down Spazzy McGee. No need to blow a nut over nothing. I like my headphones and they work just fine for me here at the office.

Take a chill pill.
 
-jinx- said:
Pet peeve: Does anyone even bother reading the original post anymore? Prospero was pretty clear about his requirements (not an in-ear headphone, closed design, $200 or less)...and yet people are recommending in-ear headphones, open designs, and setups out of his price range (Sennheiser HD-590s plus a TUBE AMP?)

People do this in other threads as well. "Hey, GAF, I need to buy a car for $15K or less to commute to school." GAF: "Buy a Lotus Elise! Awesome performance, got me laid, etc.!!!"

I seriously hope none of you are engineers.

</RANT>
Click to expand...

You also don't ask an engineer to build a suspension bridge for semi trucks with toothpicks and fishing line. He shouldn't have used the word audiophile unless he really wanted audiophile calibre gear.

If he wants to listen to a portable device with lossless compression, in-ears will provide the best sound will come from in-ear headphones. Closed cup cans do not do enough to seal off ambient sound when walking around to make them worthwhile for classical at an audiophile grade.

If he wants to sit in his house and listen to HDCDs, SACDs, DVDA, or a high end vinyl set up, then Senn 590s and a tube amp is the cost of admission to the audiophile ranks. Senn 590s by themselves sound good enough if you have a decent input to them, but a high end SACD player with quality DACs and a tube amp to warm up the sound is pretty much the way to go for audiophiles.

Dr_Cogent said:
Did I not say that I wasn't an audiophile? Sheesh, calm down Spazzy McGee. No need to blow a nut over nothing. I like my headphones and they work just fine for me here at the office.

Take a chill pill.
Click to expand...

Then don't bother recommending audiophile headphones. Lots of people have headphones that they "like" or "think sound good"... Most of these people haven't the slightest clue what actually sounds good, nor what constitutes audiophile grade equipment. Your personal preference to the MDR-V600s aside, your environment, your source equipment, etc. all influence the quality of sound, and having uneducated ears will lead you to believe things sound good when they are actually terrible.

This happens with TVs too. People go to best buy and buy the brightest tv with the contrast cranked all the way up, and never realize that their picture is crap and those settings are meant to make a TV stand out, not to protray accurate colors.
 
Chony said:
To see why open air is so much better, audition some grado's, and cup the ear phones. The sound will be drowned out by echoes and reflections and refractions. Closed air headphones can't get rid of that, its just basic physics. I love my Grado SR-60s, and would love to upgrade to the 325's and get a preamp.
Click to expand...

Ok...that's just retarded. Even the shittiest headphones sound better than my Grado's when I block out the outward soundflow. Closed headphones are designed to sound as good as possible with a closed design. Man, this is fucking logic. I'm surprised how little thought went into your post :lol

BTW I recommend Grado's. You're too picky OP :lol
 
segatavis said:
I have these... I've been really really happy with it. I think it meets your criteria.

HD280.jpg


Amazon link
Click to expand...

+1 on these. I have one set at work and they worked so well I picked up another one for home. After they 'burn in' (which took about a week for the second pair) they are some of the best headphones I've ever heard (though I have heard better, but not in this pricerange).
 
0020110880_1614.jpg


Beyerdynamic DT-880

These are the next pair of headphones I buy, to replace my HD 580s as my main cans. I'd prefer something closed, and everything I've read about these is stellar. I'm well aware these are way on the high end of what you'd want to spend, but it's just something I'm throwing out there.
 
I've had Sennheiser HD600's for a few years and have loved 'em. Amazing sound and very comfortable and light on the head. I also replaced the stock cord with a higher grade audiophile one. It's cool you have that option with the Sens. Seems to retail about $350 but I'm pretty sure I found mine for $250 somewhere or other (sorry, it was years ago, can't remember where). The high grade cord ran about a hundred bucks.
 
the answer (and yes, there is only one) is the sennheiser HD650. the best, the only. you will need some form of amplification. there's nothing better either closed or dynamic (there are clearer electrostats but those are going to be way higher dollar -- some people swear by the high-end canalphones, and I think they're probably right, save for the impact you lose and possible discomfort wearing any canalphone for a long period of time without good earmolds)

oh shit, did he say closed?

for a hundred bucks pick up a pair of hd280 or possibly the beyerdynamics if their 100$ price point reviews better than the 280s.

the 650s will be the highest quality you'll ever want, but all said and done, will cost more than 250$ (budget 5 benjamins to do it right), and they'll leak like any other dynamic headphone. grados, of course, leak like crazy, and do not do classical music justice.

there are some big bucks closed headphones but they will not be "the last headphones you ever buy"
 
fart said:
the answer (and yes, there is only one) is the sennheiser HD650. the best, the only. you will need some form of amplification. there's nothing better either closed or dynamic (there are clearer electrostats but those are going to be way higher dollar -- some people swear by the high-end canalphones, and I think they're probably right, save for the impact you lose and possible discomfort wearing any canalphone for a long period of time without good earmolds)

oh shit, did he say closed?

for a hundred bucks pick up a pair of hd280 or possibly the beyerdynamics if their 100$ price point reviews better than the 280s.

the 650s will be the highest quality you'll ever want, but all said and done, will cost more than 250$ (budget 5 benjamins to do it right), and they'll leak like any other dynamic headphone. grados, of course, leak like crazy, and do not do classical music justice.

there are some big bucks closed headphones but they will not be "the last headphones you ever buy"
Click to expand...

Listen to this man as he knows what he is talking about.
 
Ecrofirt said:
Hey guys, perhaps you could help me.

I'm not looking for really fancy headphones. I'm looking for headphones that will be very loud, and will also block out ouside noise. I need a good set for when I cut the grass during the summer, and I'm not really an audiophile.

I don't care about perfect sound quality or anything. I just need something to pump out loud heavy metal while also blocking out at much outside noise as possible for when I cut the grass.

I got my girlfriend some $30 Koss headphones or something at Best Buy just so she'd have something to listen to music with at night in her room, and they're great at blocking out the outside noise, but they aren't very loud.
Click to expand...


ath-pro700ms.jpg


Not the most comfortable headphones, actually they are pretty uncomfortable but they sound great, are loud and very easy to power (36ohm).
They can easily be fixed to be made more comfortable by putting a strip of foam tape on the headband, so not all that bad.
:reiarr

http://www.audiocubes.com/category/...Technica_ATH-PRO700MS_Monitor_Headphones.html
 
CurlySaysX said:
ath-pro700ms.jpg


Not the most comfortable headphones, actually they are pretty uncomfortable but they sound great, are loud and very easy to power (36ohm).
They can easily be fixed to be made more comfortable by putting a strip of foam tape on the headband, so not all that bad.
:reiarr

http://www.audiocubes.com/category/...Technica_ATH-PRO700MS_Monitor_Headphones.html
Click to expand...

EDIT: Didn't read the post that was quoted with regards to the post above, so take this as a general notice about DJ headphones and the word audiophile.

ENOUGH DJ HEADPHONES! THEY ARE NOT AUDIOPHILE HEADPHONES!! THIS IS COMING FROM A DJ!

DJ headphones are made to take high power and not distort. In doing so they are made to be very biased towards the low-end. A DJ in a big room needs this. You have two loud monitors about 3 feet away from your ears. A good seal and a clear bass punch are critical. Just because you can turn your iPod all the way and not have it distort does not mean you have a good set of headphones for classical music.

The sennheiser headphone are made to be as true and unbiased towards the original source material. They are meant to reproduce the sound as if you were in the room when it was recorded.

DJ headphones are not like this.
 
tetsuoxb said:
ENOUGH DJ HEADPHONES! THEY ARE NOT AUDIOPHILE HEADPHONES!! THIS IS COMING FROM A DJ!

DJ headphones are made to take high power and not distort. In doing so they are made to be very biased towards the low-end. A DJ in a big room needs this. You have two loud monitors about 3 feet away from your ears. A good seal and a clear bass punch are critical. Just because you can turn your iPod all the way and not have it distort does not mean you have a good set of headphones for classical music.

The sennheiser headphone are made to be as true and unbiased towards the original source material. They are meant to reproduce the sound as if you were in the room when it was recorded.

DJ headphones are not like this.
Click to expand...

I'm not looking for really fancy headphones. I'm looking for headphones that will be very loud, and will also block out ouside noise. I need a good set for when I cut the grass during the summer, and I'm not really an audiophile.

The guy asked specifically for loud headphones with good isolation.
Also, the ATHPRO700s actually sound pretty damn good, the trebble is very clean and sharp and the mids are more than adequate and Bass is what these were made for so it has plenty.
 
you were writing that post when I edited, so apologies.

As far as the headphones go... As a DJ in Japan, I've never seen another DJ in Japan use those cans. Which is funny since they are Japanese market headphones.

I'm just not a huge fan, and I don't think that they hold power as well as the Pioneers mentioned earlier in the thread. I will say I have only listened to them briefly in a store, and not in an actual club environment.
 
I'm loathe to bump old threads, but I felt it'd be a better option to springboard off of this one rather than making a new one. I'm presently in a situation where I'd like to have a nice, comfortable, set of sound-isolating closed cans to primarily be plugged into my Onkyo home receiver for mostly matching movies/TV and gaming. While I'm not willing/able to spend the money necessary to constitute a true audiophile pair of 'phones, I am willing to go near $200 if the purchase is a real value. From the research I've done off and on over the last few days, and from personal experience with the little set of Sennheiser PX-100s that I've owned and loved, I've been leaning towards the HD 280 Pros...

0020080280_130.jpg

Sennheiser HD 280 Pro

They've already been mentioned in this thread and I'm glad to hear the glowing impressions. The few marks I've read against the set is that they're potentially uncomfortable for some people and that the headband starts to crack with time. I'd like to think I have a fairly normal sized head and the former won't be an issue. I've caught myself looking at the HD 580s and am willing to spend the extra fundage on them, but I suspect they won't work for my particular needs due to their more open design.

0020080580_153.jpg

Sennheiser HD 580

I realize closed headphones aren't going to provide the best aural experiences, but would the 280s likely be a wise purchase for an amateur (at best) audiophile that will mainly be watching movies and blowing shit up in video games? Thanks.
 
I need some ear buds that are good with bass response and highs, and doesn't let air in. I know they exist becaue I have a couple pairs, but I broke them all (prolonged use).

Fitting snug is the key. How people can listen to earbuds that don't fit snug, I'll never understand. Sony used to make some nice ones, now they don't have shit. Just those EX series ones, which I don't like for a number of reasons.
 
As mentioned by at least 3 people in the thread, the phones that most match your wants are:

Sennheiser HD280pro

They cut out tons of noise due to the circumaural design (ie cover the entire ear with a good seal), are a 'closed' design and are quite comfortable. The also sound excellent, even when driven by an Ipod.

You should definitely check out Headroom, they have lots of first hand comments on all the different cans that they carry.
 
DaCocoBrova said:
I need some ear buds that are good with bass response and highs, and doesn't let air in. I know they exist becaue I have a couple pairs, but I broke them all (prolonged use).

Fitting snug is the key. How people can listen to earbuds that don't fit snug, I'll never understand. Sony used to make some nice ones, now they don't have shit. Just those EX series ones, which I don't like for a number of reasons.
Click to expand...

You're probably best looking at a good set of in-ear monitors (IEM) headphones. Earbuds are rarely known for producing any variety of quality audio and IEMs will certainly give you a better fit. Shure is pretty much the quentiessential brand and they make a nice set that retails for $100 even.

gbanting, thanks for seconding the HD280s - I'll likely be placing an order in for them tomorrow.
 
While I'm on the IEM topic, would such headphones make for decent home theater use? I know they're pretty much as good as you can get when it comes to sound isolation, but would your normal $100 pair of Shures be comfortable enough for extended listening?
 
For what it's worth (I'm this thread's OP), I finally got the pair of Audio-Technica headphones that -jinx- recommended above, and I'm really happy with them--you could spend a lot more and get something a little bit better, but you could also spend a little less and get a whole lot worse.

They aren't for you if you want your skull to vibrate with bass, but they are for you if you want to hear the aspirations of vocalists or fingers sliding along guitar strings. The mid-range is very good, the bass is great (deep and strong without drowning out everything else), and the treble is jaw-dropping--very clear, and very distinct. Last night I used them to listen to David Byrne's album "uh-oh," which has lots of percussion and horns and rhythm guitar in every track--the headphones really separated each instrument out so that I could pick each one out in the sound field.

They're heavy, but there's a wacky cantilevered support system in the headband that distributes their weight so that you can barely feel them on your head. I've used them for several hours at a stretch with no problem.
 
Sjoerd said:
My HD-580's are great but the open design makes them kind of useless in some situations.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's my fear with getting that set. They're too big to be a really practical portable set of cans and too open for home theater use if isolating outside noise is needed. I'm still contemplating trying out a pair of Shure E2Cs from my local Circuit City.
 
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