# Headphones (For Classical/Soft Music)



## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

What do you all recommend and what stores have a good selection?


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

https://www.talkclassical.com/1752-headphones.html?highlight=headphones


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

jegreenwood said:


> https://www.talkclassical.com/1752-headphones.html?highlight=headphones


Thanks! I think I fixed my Sennheiser On ear Momentums though. I wasn't pushing in the wire deep enough!


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## Oldhoosierdude (May 29, 2016)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Thanks! I think I fixed my Sennheiser On ear Momentums though. I wasn't pushing in the wire deep enough!


Must be a Sennheiser thing my 4.40's do the same.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Oldhoosierdude said:


> Must be a Sennheiser thing my 4.40's do the same.


I think my Apple Earbuds outperform my Sennheiser and Grado cans, in terms of consistency and not breaking on me.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

How deep are your pockets? Sound quality and cost correlate pretty well, athough there are some low cost buds that sound better than some expensive cans. And it also depends on what amplifier you're using. If it's just an iPhone or such, why bother. But if you want stunningly great sound you have to get out the credit card. I get my gear from www.headphone.com and  wooaudio.com. Then the front end cd player has got to be high quality, and those aren't cheap either. Don't listen too loud or around age 60 the quality of your gear won't matter anymore.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I may just stick with my Apple Earbuds, they are good enough...I find them to outperform the more expensive beats.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Captainnumber36 said:


> I may just stick with my Apple Earbuds, they are good enough...I find them to outperform the more expensive beats.


For $50 you can get a pair of HifiMan RE-400s that will put the Apple earbuds to shame. You'll have to buy the Apple dongle ($9?) if your iPhone is Gen 7 or later. And you might want to really splurge and get some better tips (from e.g. Comply) as the sound quality is dependent on how snugly they fit in your ears. Amazon's prices for different Comply tips range a bit, but figure another $15.

One last thing - people complain about the RE-400's construction. Mine are fine after more than a year. I will say that the ones *without *controls for an iDevice look to be better made than the ones with iPhone controls.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

jegreenwood said:


> For $50 you can get a pair of HifiMan RE-400s that will put the Apple earbuds to shame. You'll have to buy the Apple dongle ($9?) if your iPhone is Gen 7 or later. And you might want to really splurge and get some better tips (from e.g. Comply) as the sound quality is dependent on how snugly they fit in your ears. Amazon's prices for different Comply tips range a bit, but figure another $15.
> 
> One last thing - people complain about the RE-400's construction. Mine are fine after more than a year. I will say that the ones *without *controls for an iDevice look to be better made than the ones with iPhone controls.


I play my music through a portable CD player (I know, I'm living in the Stone Age). Right now I'm looking up tricks to fix my Grado SR 80e cans, the right can is rattling a bit.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Captainnumber36 said:


> I play my music through a portable CD player (I know, I'm living in the Stone Age). Right now I'm looking up tricks to fix my Grado SR 80e cans, the right can is rattling a bit.


I had a pair of the SR 60s many years ago. They sounded very nice, but I found them uncomfortable. That's an issue with recommending headphones in general. I call it YEMV - your ears mary vary.


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

Captainnumber36 said:


> I play my music through a portable CD player (I know, I'm living in the Stone Age). Right now I'm looking up tricks to fix my Grado SR 80e cans, the right can is rattling a bit.


Your Grados will stomp on the earbuds you are using, and Beats. Beats are a joke (IMO), especially for classical.

Send your Grados back to Grado for repair. They are very fair on price. If you don't already have them, get a set of the newest style earpads. More comfortable than the old style.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Simon Moon said:


> Your Grados will stomp on the earbuds you are using, and Beats. Beats are a joke (IMO), especially for classical.
> 
> Send your Grados back to Grado for repair. They are very fair on price. If you don't already have them, get a set of the newest style earpads. More comfortable than the old style.


I think Beats are good for bass heavy music, but even then, they are just an overpriced brand name selling a poor product. I love my Grados, I think I've fixed them as well!


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Simon Moon said:


> Your Grados will stomp on the earbuds you are using, and Beats. Beats are a joke (IMO), especially for classical.
> 
> Send your Grados back to Grado for repair. They are very fair on price. If you don't already have them, get a set of the newest style earpads. More comfortable than the old style.


Do you have a link to the new earpads?


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Simon Moon said:


> Your Grados will stomp on the earbuds you are using, and Beats. Beats are a joke (IMO), especially for classical.
> 
> Send your Grados back to Grado for repair. They are very fair on price. If you don't already have them, get a set of the newest style earpads. More comfortable than the old style.


Grado is very good with customer service and repairs. It'll probably cost you about $45 to have your SR-80s fixed. But Grado will check everything and the 'phones are sure to sound good as new. They even sent me a free external part that had broken that I could replace myself. It truly is a family business.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I need to invest in a case for my Grados! And I just bought a case for 8.39 on amazon after tax and shipping.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Do you all find on vocal music, during the intense high female portions, headphones distort a bit? The B Minor Mass is a good example of what I'm talking about.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I just bought some SR60e Cans.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Looks like I can return the 60e's since I found out there was nothing wrong with my 80e's!

$90 back to me!


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## vmartell (Feb 9, 2017)

The Barnes and Noble thread diverted into headphones discussion - made the following post:

Headphones:

Lemme recommend from the ones I own

Beyerdynamic DT1990 <- my default cans
Austrian AKG 702 anniversary - close second

And for the daily use

Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 
Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro -> For rock
HiFi Man HE-400i (standard, not massdrop)

They all perform well with classical

v


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## Hugo9000 (Aug 6, 2018)

My KEF M400 and NAD Viso HP50 headphones are both excellent for classical music. The NAD headphones add a bit of extra richness that I don't always like, for example, Kathleen Battle sounds almost like someone else at times. The KEF headphones seem more accurate tonally to female singers I've actually heard live in concert. Both headphones have a basic sound that is more like loudspeakers than the typical headphone, I feel.

Right now, I'm listening to Handel's glorious _Semele_ on the NAD Viso HP50s. Marilyn Horne and Michael Chance sound like themselves, while Kathleen Battle perhaps had a bit of a chest cold? lol The orchestra sounds gorgeous on these, though, and I feel they are at their best on orchestral music rather than vocals, in general.


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## fliege (Nov 7, 2017)

I've had no complaints about the lower-priced Audio Technica headphones, like the ATH-M50X. They're good value for the money.


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## tmarshl (Mar 20, 2019)

I have recently purchased a high-end headphone system, consisting of a Roon Nucleus, dCS Bartok DAC/Amp and Focal Utopia headphones. The sound quality and presence is astounding. Many pieces of music I listen to through this system sound like being present at the performance. It is an expensive purchase, but worth it, considering the pleasure I derive.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Love my Sennheiser HD280 Pros. On my second pair now. OP, how do you like your SR80es? Those look really nice too.


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## Bourdon (Jan 4, 2019)

This is mine.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I got a set of these AKG Y50s, a few Christmases ago, and they're good, solid cans with a nice realistic sound.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

I've enjoyed the Grado GS-1000s for the past few years and they can play anything. I'm not interested in headphones that only sound good on rock or only sound good on classical, and so on. I'm interested in everything sounded good in a lightweight model that can be worn for hours rather than being weighed down with a heavy set. I've used them with the Bravo Ocean headphone amp and they're terrific.

https://6moons.com/audioreviews/grado/gs1000.html


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

Sony MDR 7506 are a good, inexpensive set that provides really accurate "flat" should. My wife stole those for her podcast, though, so I upgraded to the Sony MDR1000x noise canceling headphones. They sound amazing and the noise canceling really makes it possible to listen to classical in all environments in Chicago. Bus, train, busy streets, in the office, you name it.


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## Joe B (Aug 10, 2017)

tmarshl said:


> I have recently purchased a high-end headphone system, consisting of a Roon Nucleus, dCS Bartok DAC/Amp and Focal Utopia headphones. *The sound quality and presence is astounding.* Many pieces of music I listen to through this system sound like being present at the performance. It is an expensive purchase, but worth it, considering the pleasure I derive.
> 
> View attachment 114622


Very, very nice set up. I've seen your post of this system at head-fi.org. :tiphat:


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## DBLee (Jan 8, 2018)

fliege said:


> I've had no complaints about the lower-priced Audio Technica headphones, like the ATH-M50X. They're good value for the money.


I'll second this. They're as good as any I've encountered in the under $400 bracket, and they're less than $150 now.


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## Eva Yojimbo (Jan 30, 2016)

I'm a degenerate audiophile who's owned/heard more headphones than any sane person should at price points that would make good evidence for having me committed, so know that's where I'm coming from when I say this: buy the Sennheiser HD600s or HD650s (latter are a bit warmer) and don't look back. If they're out of your budget, the NAD HP50s are superb at half the price. To better those Senns you'd have to spend at least 3x as much, and that "better" will likely come at the expense of some things the Senns do best.


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## Eva Yojimbo (Jan 30, 2016)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Do you all find on vocal music, during the intense high female portions, headphones distort a bit? The B Minor Mass is a good example of what I'm talking about.


Distortion could be coming from the recording or the amp. Check the impedance and sensitivity of your phones. Then check to see how much wattage your amp produces at that impedance. The higher the impedance, the lower the sensitivity, and the louder you listen, the more you need a powerful amp. Classical is difficult because it tends to be recorded at a low level to make room for loud dynamic peaks, like operatic vocal fortissimos, so amps have to do some heavy lifting to reach realistic volumes. I use a Violectric V281 because it can easily power any phones I throw at it.


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## Eva Yojimbo (Jan 30, 2016)

mbhaub said:


> How deep are your pockets? Sound quality and cost correlate pretty well...


This is factually false: https://asa.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1121/1.4984044


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## rice (Mar 23, 2017)

Eva Yojimbo said:


> I'm a degenerate audiophile who's owned/heard more headphones than any sane person should at price points that would make good evidence for having me committed


Don't say that! Audiophilia is a decent hobby!
I think beyerdynamics are generally very good for classical music. You can't go wrong with a pair of DT880. 
It's my "default" recommendation to any classical music lovers for their first pair. Reasonably priced, nice construction/material, superb sound and relatively easy to drive. (Depending on the impedence version)
I like a bright, airy and crystal clear sound so my favourites are Beyer's T1 and Grado's PS1000. I only wish the grado would have more substantial construction than I'll buy a pair without a thought.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

tmarshl said:


> I have recently purchased a high-end headphone system, consisting of a Roon Nucleus, dCS Bartok DAC/Amp and Focal Utopia headphones. The sound quality and presence is astounding. Many pieces of music I listen to through this system sound like being present at the performance. It is an expensive purchase, but worth it, considering the pleasure I derive.
> 
> View attachment 114622


Must sound lovely. I would hope so. $13,500 for the dCS Bartok alone!


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## Eva Yojimbo (Jan 30, 2016)

rice said:


> Don't say that! Audiophilia is a decent hobby!


Tell that to my wallet.


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## Eva Yojimbo (Jan 30, 2016)

Larkenfield said:


> Must sound lovely. I would hope so. *$13,500 for the dCS Bartok alone!*


Yes, and it will measure identically across the audible range to most any mass-produced $50 DAC.


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## gardibolt (May 22, 2015)

My budget recommendation was the Beyerdynamic DT 660, which is absolutely wonderful for classical and was under $100; it stacks up well against headphones costing 4x-10x as much. Unfortunately, it is showing at Amazon as "unavailable." I hope it's not discontinued because they're terrific for classical.


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