I’m a video editor and wanted to take my audio setup to another level, so I got my ATH-M50x (excellent sound, lousy comfort). I tried some Bose Quietcomfort 45s, looking for a balance between good sound and comfort (didn’t work). I had headaches with both headphones because of the pressure of the headband, and although I tried to stretch it in both cases, I didn’t manage to finish a full work day using either one. I usually wear headphones for more than 12 hours a day, so I just had to go back to my old Sony Mdr-zx110, they didn’t have the best sound, but at least I didn’t end up with sore ears and a sore head.
Which headphones would you have chosen? I would like to hear opinions from knowledgeable people on the subject, since I am a novice in everything related to sound.
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Comfort wise the HD800S have the be (one of) the best. Probably the lightest TOTL headphone on the market, low clamp force, big earpads (nothing touches your ear)
Some people report problems with the thin headband, but as a owner myself i think this only applies to people with very thin or no hair, if you’re affected by this you need an aftermarket headband thing, that should fix the problem
HD 560s and HD6xx. Cant go wrong with either.
If you want a bit budget friendly that still sounds good. SHP 9600. Its more comfortable than the Sennheiser because its bigger and its great for someone who wears glosses (I got this as a gift for my brother and thats what he said).
I personally prefer Shure SRH-840 in terms of comfort and accuracy. It’s a bit bulky still (It’s from 2010s, so yea, it’s got that bulk), but I find it quite comfortable and not a head crushing vice. And whatever you hear from these tend to translate well across most media.
If you like the fit of the SRH-840. I would recommend the 2nd gen SRH-840A. Upside of the new one is that the headband is lighter so the overall weight is less. Downside is the flexibility of accommodating larger heads is reduced because the headband can’t be extended as far. I also think the headband cushion has become thinner, but I’m not sure.
ATH R70X are so lightweight that you barely feel them (they are like half the weight of HD600s) and the wing system also prevents a pressure point. No excessive clamp either.
Everyone’s head and tolerances are different.
I know this isn’t helpful to hear, but this can’t be answered for you.
Only you will know the answer when trying them.
Sure, I understand. The point of this is not to have someone vouch for me. It’s to see other people’s experiences.
My best so far has been the Sennheiser HD 800S with a lambskin headband pad. The stock one caused a hot spot, but with the lambskin I can wear these things for hours and they disappear.
Thank you very much for the advice. I had heard of these and the 599’s. I think in comfort they have a good review. Thanks for your advice.
I had the 598 before (predecessor to 599) and they too were wearable for hours on end. Being light and open back makes a world of difference, and is healthier for your ear as well.
Great, I’ll keep that in mind. I’ve tried looking for them on Amazon, but there doesn’t seem to be any options available at the moment.
I don’t see these come up often so I’ll share since they are by far the most comfortable over-ear headphones I’ve ever worn: Shure SRH1540. They’re closed-back, so if you want open there’s the 1840.
I found the SRH1540 headband to almost immediately create a hotspot on my head, quicker than other headbands. Those alcantara earpads were really plush and comfy though.
They’re so light I never have even noticed the headband… Also I’ve had them for so long the headband started flaking so I removed all the padding and I still wear them for hours every day without issue.
But I’ve never tried the HD6xx line so that’s what I’d look at if not these.
Thank you very much, I had not heard of these options.
Second this. My 1540s are in the ‘dreamy’ category of comfy.
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Beyerdynamic DT770s have been excellent over the last few years for me.
Thank you. It was one of the options I had in mind. But I see that many prefer sennheiser when it comes to comfort. Would you say the DT 770 would be a good choice?
Imo, all sennheisers besides the hd700/hd800 dont come close in comfort to Beyers offerings
Thank you very much. Would you say that beyers are more comfortable than, for example, a 560s? Right now I’m thinking about taking a chance again, but it seems that the 560s is more comfortable. I’m afraid that the Beyer is too heavy and the clamping force is too strong for what I’m looking for.
I dont have the 560, but i do have the pc363d, have had the hd660s and hd599 and tried the hd600. Theyre basically all the same and new they also have loads of clampforce, comparable to the dt 900 pro x i had. But thats easily solveable by slowly stretching them over a bunch of books
Thank you. I heard that the HD600 has a somewhat strong clamping force, that’s why I ruled them out. If the DT 770’s have similar strength, I don’t think they would be for me. I used the book trick with the ATH-M50x, and although they improved, they are still annoying. They weigh too much for the amount of time I use them, and in fact, I don’t get to use them for more than 1 hour without them bothering me. Would you say the holding power of the HD599 is similar to that of a DT 770, 990 or a DT900 pro x.
The 600, 990’s and 900’s are the only ones i bought new and they had similar clamp force, but the 990 and 900 was tolerable due to their padding
Thank you very much. I will keep that in mind when choosing another pair.
do you live in the USA? A lot of Guitar Centers carry those beyers, and a lot of Best Buys carry the HD 560s.
Thank you very much. I do not live in the USA. I am just thinking of taking a chance between the beyer and the 560s. But I heard that the 599 are more comfortable than the 560s and are better for listening to movies, which is more associated with my work. I have doubts with the beyers. It seems like the clamping force is too hard for what I’m looking for.
A good choice, for sure. I can’t speak on a comparison to Sennheiser, I’ve not owned any of their high end options.
If you need mix and tune the sound, maybe considering closed back version hd560 which is hd400 pro? Just need to replace the 3m long coiled cable with straight cable, or the stock cable would add too much weight to your head. hd 5 series (225g without cable) feels quite bit lighter than hd 6 series (260g). audio technica’s r70x is on par with hd600 in terms audio quality and tonlity, but remain the lightest (210g), though the small earcup will be a trouble if your ear is too big to fit inside the cup.
Akg 702 for the win
I tried a few headphones available at my local store and the DT 700 Pro X (also the DT770) were the most comfortable of all. I bought the DT 700 Pro X because of comfort to wear them for extended period of time throughout the work day. They can be a little too tight maybe, but they don’t really hurt my ears. I expect them to loosen over time.
There are a lot of comments that have great suggestions. My personal favorite are the K702 / K712 suggestions. They’re massive and the suspension headbands I find are quite comfortable.
However, since you need to use those things for hours on end, have you given iems a chance? It’s a different rabbit hole to go down but you can’t really go wrong with any popular option nowadays. They’re much cheaper than headphones as well.
Headphones mess with my hair and I’ve always been a little worried that leaving them on too long could damage hair and stuff but never looked into it because iems were just much more suited for me.
Thank you very much. I haven’t really considered them. The feeling of having something inside my ear doesn’t appeal to me.
Maybe look into the Koss KSC75? They’re cheap as well but they can definitely compete with much more expensive headphones.
They’re not a looker but they’re probably one of the better alternative routes you can take here and have quite a dedicated following.
I can wear my Sennheisers HD600 for hours upon hours. Had to slightly bend the metal stripes to release some pressure when I got them - but I do have fairly large head. After that - pure bliss. They’re light like feathers.
They are open, so it adds a lot of comfort too as my ears don’t get hot. But they leak a lot of sound.
I have an average sized head and ears I’d say. Sennheiser HD 5-- and 6-- series are the best for me in terms of comfort (though not so much in terms of sound quality).
I understand. Right now I’m not looking for impeccable sound quality, but something that sounds decent. Would you recommend the sennheiser HD 560 S over the 599?
560S by far.
Is there a massive difference sound quality/signature between the two? I’ve used the 599 for the past 6 years, but never tried the 560s
Thanks for the advice. I will take it into account. I think I will finally go for the 560S.
You’re welcome.