What about DT660?
Best headphones for classic music
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Strings sound nice and sweet; piano sounds dull.
XPT100 / HM5 is a better choice for closed at that price, as it's more sub-genre versatile, has better soundstage, much more isolating, more accessories, &c., &c.
OrganMonster
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I am going to make a fool out of myself here. I spent the entire day at the RMAF CanJam last Saturday looking for just this type of headphones. I compose classical music and I have in the past conducted orchestras back in the east coast. I need a headphone that simulated being in front of an orchestra. I also perform classical concerts, at least I used to. I have slowed down but I will be getting back into it soon.
The reason why I will make a fool out of my self is that I did not put a price limit to what I was listening to. I figure that I will only be buying one additional headphone and that HP will be "the one".
The Senn HD-800
This was perfect for creating what the orchestra sounds like all the down to the cymbals. But the HP did not fit my head. And the HP was too good meaning that it showed too much of the imperfections of bad recordings. That would drive me nuts.
Senn HD-700
About as perfect as I could get for $700. It fit great on my head and sounded true without coloring anything. The sound stage was great which is an improvement from the HD-650.
Audeze LCD-XC
I can't say enough about these HP's. These are the ones I will be buying. i know the cost is very high but it is true sounding.
Their are a few issues as well. The weight is on the extreme.
It may not be as open as the LCD-2 or 3.
But being closed HP's makes then perfect for me in my conditions. Also being closed seems to give me a mini-stage that sounds like the Hollywood bowl.
The Beyer Dynamic's was not for me. It just did not have it. It sounded a little vague in the mid section, but that may have been the amp they were using.
HiFiMan - The HE series just did not fit my head. I need to wear these monsters for 7 to 8 hours a day for programming and comfort was the absolute top for determining what headphones I would like to listen to over a long period of time.
Fostex TH-900
These little monsters where real nice. They were almost like the Audeze XC but without the weight. I am a nubbie when it comes down to audio stuff but my impression was that the 900 seems to be picky on what amp is driving it. I head these on an OPPO HA-2 and the sound could not be beat. But the OPPO could make a cardboard box sound good.
The reason why I will make a fool out of my self is that I did not put a price limit to what I was listening to. I figure that I will only be buying one additional headphone and that HP will be "the one".
The Senn HD-800
This was perfect for creating what the orchestra sounds like all the down to the cymbals. But the HP did not fit my head. And the HP was too good meaning that it showed too much of the imperfections of bad recordings. That would drive me nuts.
Senn HD-700
About as perfect as I could get for $700. It fit great on my head and sounded true without coloring anything. The sound stage was great which is an improvement from the HD-650.
Audeze LCD-XC
I can't say enough about these HP's. These are the ones I will be buying. i know the cost is very high but it is true sounding.
Their are a few issues as well. The weight is on the extreme.
It may not be as open as the LCD-2 or 3.
But being closed HP's makes then perfect for me in my conditions. Also being closed seems to give me a mini-stage that sounds like the Hollywood bowl.
The Beyer Dynamic's was not for me. It just did not have it. It sounded a little vague in the mid section, but that may have been the amp they were using.
HiFiMan - The HE series just did not fit my head. I need to wear these monsters for 7 to 8 hours a day for programming and comfort was the absolute top for determining what headphones I would like to listen to over a long period of time.
Fostex TH-900
These little monsters where real nice. They were almost like the Audeze XC but without the weight. I am a nubbie when it comes down to audio stuff but my impression was that the 900 seems to be picky on what amp is driving it. I head these on an OPPO HA-2 and the sound could not be beat. But the OPPO could make a cardboard box sound good.
I agree with you about HD800. It's an excellent headphone, one of the very best. But, yeah, it's pretty hard to enjoy old records with it. Maybe the next gen Anax mod will transform it even for that, but that's a maybe.
I don't know XC well enough yet. It sounds like you might have listened to it more than I have. Incidentally, if you like closed wooden planars, look into ZMF Vibro too.
But I'm surprised that you found HD700 uncolored and also that you really enjoyed TH900. HD700 sounds to me like something in between a Senn and a Grado, so not really tame enough for classical; and the Fostex is exaggerated at both ends.
I'm glad you posted. You got me thinking and you certainly didn't make a fool of yourself.
SunTanScanMan
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Mainly. It used to be worse because of bad transfers to CD, but talented, dedicated guys (bless 'em) decided to fix that. It's more or less fine from the late 50s on: still some hiss but much quieter. Before that, you might have crackling and popping too. I have a very high tolerance for bad recordings, but some of the greatest performance are just not a smooth ride on HD800.
SunTanScanMan
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My tolerance for hiss is much better than before, but my collection of very old recordings where it exists is small.
When I was a kid my father had a really old style Garrard record player - the one which you had to wind up to play, and had a horn speaker attached to it. We had lots of old LPs including old HMV labels. At least from my memory, the hiss on the recordings were loud there too. So I guess I should be used to it...
Quote:
My experience with the T1 at least do seem to echo yours in a sense. It has a 'distant' sound (soundstage perhaps) to them. It's a big difference going back to them after having listened to the more forward sounding audio technicas. Sometimes this trait puts me off on orchestral works, because I want to be closer to the instruments and hear the small nuances - at least that's how I get engaged with the music.
But once I get accustomed, I realise it has a more balanced sound, is less fatiguing, and far more versatile with classical genres.
I find that the size adjustment mechanism of the headband needs improvement. The steps are loose, and I find I'm often readjusting back to my desired setting. I find that takes away from my listening experience.
When I was a kid my father had a really old style Garrard record player - the one which you had to wind up to play, and had a horn speaker attached to it. We had lots of old LPs including old HMV labels. At least from my memory, the hiss on the recordings were loud there too. So I guess I should be used to it...
Quote:
My experience with the T1 at least do seem to echo yours in a sense. It has a 'distant' sound (soundstage perhaps) to them. It's a big difference going back to them after having listened to the more forward sounding audio technicas. Sometimes this trait puts me off on orchestral works, because I want to be closer to the instruments and hear the small nuances - at least that's how I get engaged with the music.
But once I get accustomed, I realise it has a more balanced sound, is less fatiguing, and far more versatile with classical genres.
I find that the size adjustment mechanism of the headband needs improvement. The steps are loose, and I find I'm often readjusting back to my desired setting. I find that takes away from my listening experience.
Any experience with AKG 550/551?
Not a bad choice. Check out grado sr125e
551 are kind of cheap in EU I can get them new for 100 euro. Grado is 160 euro and I think I am not a Grado treble fan
Could you maybe share comparison between 551 and Hifiman 400i? Is there much isolation with 551?
I would go for the 551. 400i didn't impress me much. In terms of isolation, 551 is good enough.
I already have 400i, just trying to evaluate the sound signature of 551 ... and I need one cans with isolation. Had alpha dogs, but were to heavy, and with a bit strange treble. Expensive too.
classicalman1
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For what it's worth, my wife (who is a classical pianist by profession) and I (who am not a musician but love classical music) recently were able to compare the Beyer T1, Senn HD700 and HiFiMan 560 side-by-side on our audio system at home. The acid test for us, not surprisingly, was a piano piece (we used a Chopin etude). I asked my wife on which HP she thought the piano sounded most like a piano. Her answer was that of the three, the HD700 sounded most real and was the most enjoyable to listen to, with the 560 in second place (she thought it didn't have as refined a sound) and the T1 a distant third (among other things she thought it had way too thin a sound and lacked character/color/richness - at least in part because it was missing some of the piano's overtones). I also thought that the T1 was a very distant third; to my layman's ears it was a closer call between the 560 and 700, although I thought the 700 was a bit better. Now I am not claiming that my wife's opinion is necessarily "right" (nor do I think there is a "right" answer - and, anyway, we only compared three HPs - no HD800, Audeze, etc.), but offer it as the view of someone who is a very attentive and knowledgeable listener of classical music.
OrganMonster
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To respond to classicalman I perform piano and organ concerts, I have conducted orchestras in the past. I have listened to a good majority of the top end headphones recently at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. I am mostly into how classical performs thru the headphones, but I also enjoy Alan Parsons, jazz and electronic music.
I spent many hours at the Sennheiser booth and the 700 was very good. What I am afraid of is the high treble out of the 700 could become annoying after a while. But don't get me wrong, the 700 was very accurate and reproduced the orchestra very nice.
I prefer the 700 over the 800. That statement will cause trouble. The treble out of the 800 seems to have broaden the spectrum of the highs and it sounded a little tinny.
The 560 was a great rock headphone but seems to be lacking in producing the low notes of Yo-Yo Ma playing Bach's concerto's.
I did not like the T1.
The Audeze LCD-3 had the right balance of all ranges and separation. It also had a good sound stage as well. I do prefer the Audeze LCD-XC over all of there lineup. For me the XC was very intimate where the orchestra I was conducting was inside the headphone cups.
It all depends on how much someone wants to spend. The Senn 700 would be great with maybe paired with a nice tube amp. I will definitely be buying the Audeze XC, but it will be a while to save up.
In the meantime there is that in between part of what to fill the gap.
What I say here is only what my ear has geared and not scientific. I am a nubbie when it comes to audio equipment.
I spent many hours at the Sennheiser booth and the 700 was very good. What I am afraid of is the high treble out of the 700 could become annoying after a while. But don't get me wrong, the 700 was very accurate and reproduced the orchestra very nice.
I prefer the 700 over the 800. That statement will cause trouble. The treble out of the 800 seems to have broaden the spectrum of the highs and it sounded a little tinny.
The 560 was a great rock headphone but seems to be lacking in producing the low notes of Yo-Yo Ma playing Bach's concerto's.
I did not like the T1.
The Audeze LCD-3 had the right balance of all ranges and separation. It also had a good sound stage as well. I do prefer the Audeze LCD-XC over all of there lineup. For me the XC was very intimate where the orchestra I was conducting was inside the headphone cups.
It all depends on how much someone wants to spend. The Senn 700 would be great with maybe paired with a nice tube amp. I will definitely be buying the Audeze XC, but it will be a while to save up.
In the meantime there is that in between part of what to fill the gap.
What I say here is only what my ear has geared and not scientific. I am a nubbie when it comes to audio equipment.
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