I definitely agree that "concert halls are typically poor places for listening to music", and moreover will add that concert halls are
really bad for listening to classical music. Of course, most live classical music is performed
in concert halls, so it's also inescapable. I feel sorry for anyone who listens to classical music who's only heard it live in a concert hall, and thinks that's how headphones should present the music - as in, that "sitting away from the orchestra in a concert hall" kind of thinking. Because more than likely, in most classical recording sessions, the microphones are literally placed over the orchestra (suspended from the ceiling), or really close around it on stands. It's actually more accurate to not have a fake soundstage imposed on the music (I'm looking at you HD800!).
I have a bias here, as I've been able to play
in orchestras before and know how close the entire orchestra can sound relative to the first-violin section (really close!). I view headphones that capture the sense of the orchestra as a massive entity virtually surrounding you to be more accurate than those that don't - and a headphone that puts you in the conductor's spot is even better, because that gives you the best "view" of the orchestra, aurally speaking. The entire orchestra up-close is something most people don't get to hear, which is too bad, because it's awesome-sounding.
Concert halls are so bad for listening to classical that I'd actually recommend that folks listen to a recording on headphones, or speakers as the case might be. Listening at home conveys more accuracy than buying expensive tickets to see any orchestra, regardless of how talented it is. Not that I'm discounting seeing the talent of live musicians - just that the acoustics/imaging and frequency balance will tend to be more accurate through a recording and listening at home.
