[Playstation]

something under $500 if possible

my experience ranked from best to worst

Fidelio X2HR - flexible, virtually no clamp. though clunky, the style of headband provides comfort and support. too bad the pads irritate my ears after awhile. I have never liked that the elastic inside the headband pulls. If only there were a way to mod the elastic and find softer pads. I would likely stay with these forever.

DT 770 Pros. Lighter, don't like the headband, pads are soft but there's just something annoying about them, maybe not thick enough or they lay too flat because of the space underneath the pads? They should extend a little lower. Also the metal bands can come out of the cheap plastic clamps.

Senns 598-6XX don't like the headband, clamp more than i prefer, pads aren't that thick or the softest.

Hifiman 4XX with lambskin pads. Clunky, these really need the headband of the 400I for more stability. the lambskin doesn't breathe and get sticky.

IMO something out of my preferred budget like the Dan Clanks, look like they would be comfortable, due to the shape of the cans, and the headband.

Some headphones i have been considering but am skeptical about.

Sony MDR 1A

Bose Quiet Comfort

Meze 99

Monoprice m1060 super clunky, and i hear the headband is flimsy .

 

[pjones5]

Meze 99's are hard to beat in terms of comfort

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Fidelio X2HR - flexible, virtually no clamp. though clunky, the style of headband provides comfort and support. too bad the pads irritate my ears after awhile. I have never liked that the elastic inside the headband pulls. If only there were a way to mod the elastic and find softer pads. I would likely stay with these forever.

You can try third party earpads. Check if the Brainwavz HM5 or any of their other pads can fit on the Philips earcups.

As for making them softer if you still find them a bit stiff, they'll soften with prolonged use, but if you accelerate this the methods can have other side effects. Putting the headphones over a wide stack of books can loosen the headbands; putting books on just the pads can make them compress too much and flatten them, making them thinner, making the fit looser and if adjusted can have your ears hitting something hard like the cups past the earpads.

DT 770 Pros. Lighter, don't like the headband, pads are soft but there's just something annoying about them, maybe not thick enough or they lay too flat because of the space underneath the pads? They should extend a little lower. Also the metal bands can come out of the cheap plastic clamps.

Brainwavz has thick round pads.

Senns 598-6XX don't like the headband, clamp more than i prefer, pads aren't that thick or the softest.

You're supposed to adjust the headband since they've been curved into a tight radius by the box in order to cram more headphones in each crate (otherwise there'd be a lot of dead space).

Pull the headband metal arm out. Once fully extended place your thumbs on the center of one arm, then bend outwards gently but firmly, and hold for 10secs. Move to the center of other headband. Move back the first arm and place your thumbs closer to the gimbals and do the same, then move to the same point to the other arm. Repeat this several times over and test the fit after every few rounds.

Sony MDR 1A

If you found the HD6xx series too tight this would be a vise grip. I'm not sure if you can adjust it as easily as I've only tried it on borrowed during a meet so I didn't go around stretching it.

Bose Quiet Comfort

Light, doesn't clamp hard, but as usual, YMMV.

 

[someguyontheinternet]

DCA comfort is worth it imo. I'm using Aeon RT all day long (sometimes 12+ hours) without issues. The clamp cannot be adjusted though. So if they don't fit your head, they won't fit ever.
With most other headphones once you used them a lot or used some books to stretch the headband a bit the clamp lessens.

In terms of comfort after DCA comes Meze from my experience.

 

[HipHopScribe]

DCA Aeons are the most comfortable headphones I've owned other than AudioQuest headphones, which have been discontinued for years, so if you can swing the Aeons that's the way I'd go

 

[tombrisbane]

Bose Quiet Comfort

These would get my vote based purely on comfort, I can wear them forever.

 

[pjones5]

something under $500 if possible

my experience ranked from best to worst

Fidelio X2HR - flexible, virtually no clamp. though clunky, the style of headband provides comfort and support. too bad the pads irritate my ears after awhile. I have never liked that the elastic inside the headband pulls. If only there were a way to mod the elastic and find softer pads. I would likely stay with these forever.

DT 770 Pros. Lighter, don't like the headband, pads are soft but there's just something annoying about them, maybe not thick enough or they lay too flat because of the space underneath the pads? They should extend a little lower. Also the metal bands can come out of the cheap plastic clamps.

Senns 598-6XX don't like the headband, clamp more than i prefer, pads aren't that thick or the softest.

Hifiman 4XX with lambskin pads. Clunky, these really need the headband of the 400I for more stability. the lambskin doesn't breathe and get sticky.

IMO something out of my preferred budget like the Dan Clanks, look like they would be comfortable, due to the shape of the cans, and the headband.

Some headphones i have been considering but am skeptical about.

Sony MDR 1A

Bose Quiet Comfort

Meze 99

Monoprice m1060 super clunky, and i hear the headband is flimsy .

I would check out the SIVGA SV021s - those are some incredibly comfortable headphones.

 

[Playstation]

didn't know about adjusting Senns. would be afraid of breaking them

as for the Meze 99, Sony 1A, Bose, i would want to swap out for a velour, suede if at all possible. i'll have to check brainwaves, as i think dekoni won't have them

 

[Playstation]

thanks for all the replies <3

 

[buke9]

The Koss ESP-950’s are one of the lightest and most comfortable headphone’s. Do like mine with Vespar pads but still very comfortable.

 

[sacguy231]

Agree strongly on the Koss, supremely comfortable. The most comfortable can I ever owned was the HD700. Sometimes regret selling them. They are polarized in their reviews, but I enjoyed them.

 

[earmonger]

Audio-Technica ATH-R70X.

Studio-use headphones with a 9-foot cord (I guess for pacing in the control room?), made to wear all day. R is for reference but they have enough bass to give the music some body. Just 7.4 ounces (210 grams) plus cable.

If you look at my avatar, those little detached wings under the headband are all that's on top of your head; they're on some kind of spring mechanism and you don't even know they are there. Clamping force is light. Earcups are 2-3/4" (interior) and 3-3/4" (exterior), which do sit on my ears, but they breathe. I haven't tried TOTL phones--well, the Abyss at a CanJam, which sounded amazing but felt like the ceiling was on my shoulders --but these have great clarity, naturalness and soundstage.

 

[Raketen]

Secondhand (or in seemingly rare sales) Sony Z7 mk1/2- some of the most comfortable headphones I've used ("vintage" ma900 also good).

+1 for R70x - though I'd mention some people dislike the "wings".
+1 the Aeons - (not a comfort issue, but having to straighten the earpad foams is an annoyance)
+1 headbad mods - (clamp adjustment, wraps, dekoni nuggets, etc...)

 

[pjones5]

Secondhand (or in seemingly rare sales) Sony Z7 mk1/2- some of the most comfortable headphones I've used ("vintage" ma900 also good).

+1 for R70x - though I'd mention some people dislike the "wings".
+1 the Aeons - (not a comfort issue, but having to straighten the earpad foams is an annoyance)
+1 headbad mods - (clamp adjustment, wraps, dekoni nuggets, etc...)

+1 for Sony Z7M2 (if they're in the budget)

 

[ProtegeManiac]

didn't know about adjusting Senns. would be afraid of breaking them

It's malleable metal, nothing like Japanese knife steel that will break off a 0.1mm thick tip if you hit the board wrong. The only way you can break them is if you didn't follow my exact instructions above and you apply leverage on the hard plastic, which will snap that plastic.