Classical Music Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Forums

Headphones.

Jump to Latest
166K views 483 replies 139 participants last post by  Varner  
#1 ·
I invite opinions about using headphones to listen to classical music.
Apart from practicalities, eg. late-night listening, sharing a flat and so on, how do you feel about the sound? What about comparing on-ear, over-ear, in-ear? Open or closed back?
Personally, I think the clarity, detail and lack of colouration can be amazing, and heartily recommend Grado SR60; my wife Carol uses a pair with her Roland digital piano too. Out and about I use Sennheiser in-ear buds, as they're a good all-round sound and cut out a lot of extraneous noise.
Just curious.
 
M
#29 ·
(grin) when you buy yours, can I borrow it?

Have to say I cannot deal with mixing with headphones. Every time I have tried it I wind up with too much reverb on everything and a stereo image that sounds like I was trying to emulate the Great Plains or Bonneville Salt Flats.

If this thing works it could well be a boon to us all.
Don`t suppose we will see too many in the shops at that price, either.

And I still have my pinch of salt firmly in grasp.

Wow! A row of smileys just appeared below!!

http://www.talkclassical.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Well that worked about as well as my "seal of approval" effort elsewhere on here.
I give up.
 
#31 ·
I'm a committed headphone listener and have been for as long as I can remember. I love the intimacy that's only possible with cans, though I recognise that listening fatigue can set in during a prolonged session; and that choosing a good set of headphones that are right for the individual is vital. Something else I know is how listening at loud volumes can damage your hearing: my foolish exploits in earlier years have left me with a very high-pitched case of tinnitus in my right ear (not as irritating or uncomfortable as you might imagine, actually).

My cans of choice are three-fold: Sennheiser HD-215s for listening in noisy environments or when I don't want to disturb others (a so-so set, bought only because I needed some closed-back cans and didn't have much cash at the time); Sennheiser PX-200s for listening on the train or out on walks; and AKG 501s for 'proper' listening. These last are lightweight, with a rolled-off high treble response, a nice, clear mid-range and a fairly light bass weight - ideal for many types of classical music.

As to how I imitate the effect of listening to speakers when using headphones, I rely on the foobar2000 media player with a cross-feed .dll file that mimics the cross-talk mentioned by Hugh. It's surprisingly effective and I'd recommend giving it a shot if you listen a lot using a computer, as I'm forced to at this point in my life.

FK
 
#32 ·
Arghhh! Daughter's new Rabbit ate my old Beyerdynac 311's! Wife bought some DT 331's to replace them.( only 50 quid too!) open and padded. Because they arnt sitting flush on my ears like the old Beyer's they sound a bit brighter. Very Very comfortable though for a larger size than the old ones. If I push them in nearer my ears the bass gets better. Maybe if I squish the pads between some heavy books!?
 
B
#33 ·
hi Mark Harwood and others , yesterday I auditioned 2 sets of Grado headphones S80 and 325i .Although i have suffered hearing loss and tinnitus since 1992, I was thrilled that I could still detect the difference in resolution between S80 (NZ$ 275) and the 325i (NZ$650 ).I bought the 325i, although both are leading value for money phones in their price bracket.The 325i phones have brought me back high fidelity music that I have not heard since 1992 .:).I have not bought any new gear for 17 years so I feel comfortable about buying my new Dynavector 10X5 cartridge and my Grado 325i headphones , and the sound is fabulous .:)
 
#37 ·
An update. My son's earphones broke down, so I've passed my Sennheiser CX-300s on to him, with fresh buds. My replacements are the CX-300 mk.II, which have a RRP of £40 but are available at £15. They're more accurate than their predecessors, and better 'phones for less money. My wife, who also has a new pair, says even piano sounds noticeably more natural, & Liszt is great on them. If you have an MP3 portable with the original 'phones supplied with it, I firmly recommend this upgrade.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#38 ·
Headphones definitely have their place. There's simply nothing like live (no, not even expensive speaker rigs). And for the value, it's possible to get away with some of the better headphone stuff than the better loudspeaker stuff. Plus, with speakers, too often the listening environment is less than ideal. That matters far less with a good set of in ear monitors (IEMs), for instance. Plus all the known conveniences of headphones ... not disturbing others, etc. My IEMs provide approx. up to 25 dB of reduction of ambient noise, meaning I can listen to the music and not street noise/radiators/etc, almost irrespective of where I am.

Headphones are by no means perfect reproduction, but it's a different way of experiencing music intimately, like others have suggested. So, without further ado:

ALAC/AAC 320 kbps > iPod classic line out > mini3 amplifier > Westone UM3X. In fact I just got a gamma-1 DAC that should help my computer audio out considerably.
 
S
#39 ·
The best headphones for classical music = big soundstage, great clarity. Which is why the Grados are awful classical music headphones, they are made for rock or heavy metal and have a very in-your-face sound. Bassy headphones/earphones like the CX300 are even worse, the bass is generally useless for classical music. The best headphone for classical music at a reasonable price is probably the K701, but then it is not easy to drive and will require an amplifier. I recommend all classical music fans looking for a value for money headphone to try the ATH AD700, it's easily a demon of a value for classical music listening and doesn't require an amplifier.
 
#43 ·
I disagree that Grados are "awful classical music headphones." Your point regarding soundstage is well taken, but Grados have an accuracy and clarity in instrumental music that is totally reasonable. For more neutrality, go to the Alessandro Music Series. For wide soundstage, there's always the admittedly expensive GS1000 and now the PS1000. And finally, not all classical music is symphonic, and chamber music and sonatas, etc. are all quite nice on my Alessandro MS-2i.

bassClef, you may want to consider AKG K601s or K501s. For my money, the K601s are some of the best headphones anywhere. Happy listening.
 
#40 ·
Fair point about the CX300, Scythe: the boost in the upper bass could add warmth to some recordings but detract from the clarity of others; but for the money they were a good upgrade for listening on the move. The new Mark 2s are a significant improvement with regard to clarity & detail, & for £15 they're a steal. For serious listening, of course, we'd look elsewhere. But for anyone who doesn't have money to spare, they're a good place to start, I think.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#41 ·
Today I listened to the Four Seasons on the new CX300s & a Sony Mp3. Not audiophile stuff of course, but a thought occurred to me: if I were on a tight budget, these 'phones & the Mp3 would leave me change out of £100 & I'd enjoy my music plenty.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
D
#54 ·
I have the Beyerdynamic DT 990 600 ohm headphones.
A lot of people have reported the Senns can sound veiled. I remember the 701k being a bit weak in bass. The other DT 990 versions (250 and 32 ohm) are competely different. The 600 ohms don't have harsh highs, perfect bass, and great soundstage. By the bass I mean its not lacking like some headphones, and its nicely controled. Of course you need an amp to drive 600 ohm, hence I got the Asus STX (which I would have got anyway). Also its on sale for 229

It is thanks to head-fi.org that I was able to learn about them. I picked it over the Senn 650 and the AKG 701k. Either way, its a good deal so I wanted to put it out there. If your really want to learn more head-fi is easily the best place.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/614495-REG/Beyerdynamic_483966_DT_990_Premium_Open_Back.html
 
H
#55 ·
A lot of people have reported the Senns can sound veiled.
Click to expand...
They are 'darker' than say, bright open headphones like the Grados. Equally, the Grados are reported as being 'too bright'.

The advantage of a 'darker' Senn sound, is that by using a portable amplifier, you can really 'open up' the darkness according to your taste. with a 'bright' Grado sound - amping will do very little of benefit.

I don't like the 'audiophile' Senns very much although they are good value for money and very competent - hard to go wrong with them if you don't know what you want. The 280Pro's were okay, but really needed a good 100 hours burning in otherwise they sounded mushy and weak. They are real head clampers too. Nowhere near as proficient nor as dynamic as the tiny little DJ HD25 headphones which are my favourite Senns. These are perfect for classical music in loud places. Add in a Headamp Pico and you're set!

Like you say - the AKG 701s are more 'bright' or analytical, but don't major on the bass, unless you know how to mod your headphones.

I used to be a member of head-fi.org! And then they changed their friggin' software and I lost my password! I just couldn't read the screen and stopped bothering with the site. Some great guys there though. I miss the old forum board :(
 
Q
#56 · (Edited by Moderator)
Earphones

I`m not sure if this is the right place, but I`m looking for thoughts on favorite "earphones". I am a Chamber Music "Fan". I am a senior poster on the Chamber Music site, so you may not know my name unless you visit it. Right now I am using Senheiser C500, but would like to up grade. I can`t use Headphones although I wish I could. Any thoughts?
 
H
#57 ·
The head-fi.org resource will guide you through all the new etymiotic ear phones. Sound people really like them, although I prefer closed back headphones, only because I travel in noisy environments and only closed back headphones, can reduce the sound conduction through the outer ears (etymiotics can do so through the ear canal), allowing listening at gentler volumes without losing the detail.
 
Classical Music Forum
posts
2.8M
members
47K
Since
2004
A forum community dedicated to classical music for musicians and other enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about composers, compositions, arrangements, collections, recordings, techniques, instruments, styles, reviews, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Classical Music Discussion Classical Music Games and Polls Off Topic Pub Opera Non-Classical Music