Phones for more comfortable music work. Suggestions?

[velasfloyd]

Massdrop X Sennheiser HD 6XX is $220. That's less than used HD 650 on eBay and much less than on Reverb. Is it the same thing?

I said hd-650 just because Im not from the USA and everything Drop related is quite impossible to get here... if you are from the USA then go for it

tech is so easy and cheap when you live in USA.... but you USA people dont realize that

 

[Robin L]

I've got both the Sennheiser HD579 and 599 open back phones. Very comfortable, but I've heard better sound from closed-back phones.

 

[solderdude]

Things to take into consideration:

Cord length: either coiled or max. 2.1 meter or a replaceable one (DT990 is fixed) or roll-up any long cables to size.
Clamping force (can often be lowered)
Pad material (pleather can get sweaty/sticky)
Airco'd room or not.
On-ears are an option when not wearing glasses and clamping force is low. (Koss PortaPro for instance)

On a warm/hot day all headphones become uncomfortable. There is no 'ventilation' going on in over-ear headphones. It's the pad material that makes it less 'sticky'. In the summer I sometimes get out the DT1350 (DT51P) but these are an acquired taste and would not recommend them to anyone.
Another option is the KSC75 but the ear-clip is not for everyone nor is the seal they give.
The latest KSC75 (and KSC7X) have noticeable less low end and do not sound as good as the old ones.
Koss claims they did not change things but doesn't appear to be true.

Then there is the Sony MDR-F1 for instance... That one will breath.

 

[Berwhale]

Another option would be an 'on-ear' headphone. The 1MORE Triple Driver is marketed as an over-ear, but every review i've read says the ear cups are small and it's actually on-ear.

https://usa.1more.com/products/tripleoverear

Solderdude's review and measurements are here: https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/1more-triple-driver-over-ear/

You'll want to EQ it.

 

[maverickronin]

The DT 990 Pro comes with a curly cable. That could be a pain in the backside dealing with it all the time.

Yeah, I have to look at how long that is. Or just try it out. If it goes 1.5m with minimum tension it might be fine and maybe even be better than a 3m cable getting underfoot and in the chair castors.

I miss coiled cables, and single sided cables in general.

It's a shame that all the best headphones sacrifice ergonomics by catering to audiophoolery and go with dual entry.

 

[Berwhale]

In the UK, the AKG K712Pro can be bought from Amazon for £185 (~$230) and come with detachable (via Mini-XLR) 3m straight and 5m coiled cables. Unfortunately, they seem to be a good deal more expensive in the US @ $379

 

[cubanmetalguy]

The Philips Fidelio X2HR are one of the most comfy and pleasant sounding headphones I've ever used. I think they meet all of your 4 requirements.

 

[Jimbob54]

The AT R70 is about as light and comfortable over ear (its probably more an/on over hybrid depending on lug size) as I have found. Can wear all day in this heat doing work. Great sounding and cool as you'll get.

Smidge over your budget but ticks all the other boxes. Second hand?

 

[Tup3x]

My AKG K712 Pro's are very comfortable. Especially since I replaced the stock velour pads with some sheepskin ones from China (They also changed the frequency response in a positive way for me)

I found the headband painful after a short while. Didn't like the sound either and gave it away.

 

[usersky]

Consider Philips SHP9500. I won't get tired recommending them. Since I got them I forgot about any other wired headphone I have.

 

[Bob-23]

I found the headband painful

Using the K702 (same construction as the 712), I zip tie the leather headband to the above metal band: that soves 'the problem' completely. The phones are very comfortable now, in particular for those with big ears, much more comfortable than the HD600, which I also use. HD600 are the masters of neutrality - and I can also recommend very much the K702: their soundstage is a lot better than HD600's soundstage, but they need to be eq'ed (like so many phones), and they are brutally honest and non-forgiving: they don't accept bad recordings. But heaving eq'd them and having good recordings (which you still find a lot in Jazz and in classics, unfortunaletly no more in 'pop') - they are great, and it was not without reason that they once belonged to the big three: HD600/650 - DT880 - K701/702. Prices have fallen drastically, as they are no more produced in Austria...

 

[Jimbob54]

Using the K702 (same construction as the 712), I zip tie the leather headband to the above metal band: that soves 'the problem' completely. The phones are very comfortable now, in particular for those with big ears, much more comfortable than the HD600, which I also use. HD600 are the masters of neutrality - and I can also recommend very much the K702: their soundstage is a lot better than HD600's soundstage, but they need to be eq'ed (like so many phones), and they are brutally honest and non-forgiving: they don't accept bad recordings. But heaving eq'd them and having good recordings (which you still find a lot in Jazz and in classics, unfortunaletly no more in 'pop') - they are great, and it was not without reason that they once belonged to the big three: HD600/650 - DT880 - K701/702. Prices have fallen drastically, as they are no more produced in Austria...

Care to share your eq setting for the 702 please?

 

[usersky]

The Philips Fidelio X2HR are one of the most comfy and pleasant sounding headphones I've ever used. I think they meet all of your 4 requirements.

To me Fidelios X2 are heavy, get really hot, headand not the best (in principle I don't feel that kind of headband conducive to a perfect head positioning, like in 712 case also), I feel claustrophobic almost wearing them for longer periods. They sound fun, slightlit coloured for professional use. Howerver their little sister SHP9500 beat them in every single aspect, for me at least.

 

[Bob-23]

Care to share your eq setting for the 702 please?

 

[Jimbob54]

Cheers

 

[Bob-23]

You're wellcome...hope it helps!

 

[cubanmetalguy]

To me Fidelios X2 are heavy, get really hot, headand not the best (in principle I don't feel that kind of headband conducive to a perfect head positioning, like in 712 case also), I feel claustrophobic almost wearing them for longer periods. They sound fun, slightlit coloured for professional use. Howerver their little sister SHP9500 beat them in every single aspect, for me at least.

SHP9500 are a good choice too, at half the price.

 

[Totoro]

AKG K612 Pro is reported to have good all-day comfort.

HD600 is $300, which is more than I want to spend. Saving up for a T guitar.

You can get the hd 6xx for around $220 and the hd 58x for around $180 at drop.com.

 

[Tks]

AKG K612 Pro is reported to have good all-day comfort.

HD600 is $300, which is more than I want to spend. Saving up for a T guitar.

HD58X and call it a day.

At under $200 retail, you won't find much better with things like comfort that you're also wanting.

 

[thefsb]

On a warm/hot day all headphones become uncomfortable. There is no 'ventilation' going on in over-ear headphones.

That's a useful remark. For my application there's no point sacrificing SQ for a small gain in hot-weather comfort if all the candidates eventually become uncomfortable.

Might get a KSC75 for walking the dog while listening to audio books.