Best Headphones for Listening to Piano Recordings? Not monitoring, but listening.

[chris719]

I have Audio Technica W2002's and I find them to be excellent with pianos, better than with my HD650s. They have a precision to them that makes the HD650 seem bloated / uncontrolled at times. The huge mid-bass of the HD650 makes low notes sound really good though, but I think its a little exaggerated.

 

[Aryolkary]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris719 I have Audio Technica W2002's and I find them to be excellent with pianos, better than with my HD650s. They have a precision to them that makes the HD650 seem bloated / uncontrolled at times. The huge mid-bass of the HD650 makes low notes sound really good though, but I think its a little exaggerated.

Hehehe, the W2002's are what, 1000usd? Out of my pocket's present and future

Anyway good to know. So you too think that in the sub 500usd category, the best for piano are the Hd650? Thanks

 

[chris719]

I would say yes the HD650 is the best of what I have heard, but HD600 is pretty close, better than some other Grados I have heard in that range (325, 225).

 

[Aryolkary]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris719 I would say yes the HD650 is the best of what I have heard, but HD600 is pretty close, better than some other Grados I have heard in that range (325, 225).

Mmmm it looks like if I were to buy some headphones (in case not being able to buy the HE60) I will have to choose the Hd650 over the DT-880 because of their superiority in piano. Do you have any idea where are those places where they retail at aprox 300usd? I haven't seen them at less than 400, 500usd new. Thanks again.

 

[jagorev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aryolkary Mmmm it looks like if I were to buy some headphones (in case not being able to buy the HE60) I will have to choose the Hd650 over the DT-880 because of their superiority in piano. Do you have any idea where are those places where they retail at aprox 300usd? I haven't seen them at less than 400, 500usd new. Thanks again.

Let me just seriously suggest the HD 600 - it doesn't have the flabbiness that the other poster noticed in the 650. And it's considerably cheaper - you should be able to find it easily at your price level.

 

[Aryolkary]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jagorev Let me just seriously suggest the HD 600 - it doesn't have the flabbiness that the other poster noticed in the 650. And it's considerably cheaper - you should be able to find it easily at your price level.

Well the thing is, here in Argentina, the HD580 are something like 270usd, and the HD600 not less than 400usd. The DT-880 at 375usd. The HD650 must be something like 600usd minimum...
However if a friend of mine could bring me a pair, then I would pay it what costs there in the US. What about those upgraded cardas cables? I have been seeing quite often on the net, that they make an important difference (also they cost like 150usd or so). For now I have to wait.

 

[chris719]

HD600 is pretty close to 650, I'm not sure its any less "flabby" but I do really like both of them and the HD600 is a good deal, its really very similar.

 

[some1x]

I bought my HD650 from this guy http://cgi.ebay.com/SENNHEISER-HD-65...QQcmdZViewItem

He was selling them for $275 + shipping last when I bought them Christmas.

 

[catscratch]

[rant]

As much as I like the SR-404, I actually prefer the HD600 over it for listening to piano recordings, and that probably should tell you something.

Piano's not a texture-dependent instrument but it is very tone and tembre dependent, and a headphone must get tone and tembre right in order to make piano sound believable. Also, a headphone must needs have sufficient impact to communicate the piano's percussive nature. Lastly, it cannot have a recessed midrange or any coloration in the upper midrange, since piano will make any such colorations and tonal imbalances painfully obvious, whereas other instruments will not.

The HD600 doesn't do textures very well, and it doesn't resolve the lower bass registers quite as well either. It's upper treble is a bit recessed, and it's lower treble is a bit steely. However, as far as piano goes, none of these flaws really become evident. The headphone has a very good tonal balance overall with nice rich mids, which give piano a lot of body, and sufficient detail that the reverberations of the strings are evident, yet not overbearing. Also, it has very good impact, which translates into a forceful, realistic rendition of the sound.

The only problem here is amplification. You need something that's beefy enough to open it up; without sufficient juice it will sound murky and closed.

The SR-404, by contrast, is vastly superior in terms of textural portrayal and resolving power, but it has somewhat recessed mids, a slightly colored and sibilant upper midrange, and an overall lack of impact. That's not a good combination for piano at all! Just goes to show you how a lower priced headphone can substantially better a higher priced headphone if the sound signature is exactly what you need. With strings or woodwinds or anything where texture is more important than tembre, the SR-404 wins hands down, and I prefer it in general to any dynamic except the R10/010, though this is of course subjective. I think the HE60 will get both the resolution and the tonal balance right, as will the SR-404 with an all-tube amp amp. I bet the Omega 2 would be the ultimate headphone for piano, since it's quite impactful and very well balanced as far as electrostats go. The HE90 that I've heard did piano better than anything else that I've experienced to date but that is, well, an HE90. So...

I haven't heard the DT880. I prefer the HD600 to the 650; the 650 has more resolution but the 600 somehow has more air and space, and a tad more impact.

[/rant]

 

[Aryolkary]

Quote:

Originally Posted by catscratch The only problem here is amplification. You need something that's beefy enough to open it up; without sufficient juice it will sound murky and closed. I think the HE60 will get both the resolution and the tonal balance right. I prefer the HD600 to the 650; the 650 has more resolution but the 600 somehow has more air and space, and a tad more impact.

Hey catscratch, thanks for the detailed comment. Really appreciated. I have 2 questions: what kind of amplification are you talking about for the hd600 (how much money). Also, are the Hd580 so different to the Hd600 when it comes to piano? Cause those are cheaper. Thanks mate.

 

[jagorev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aryolkary Hey catscratch, thanks for the detailed comment. Really appreciated. I have 2 questions: what kind of amplification are you talking about for the hd600 (how much money). Also, are the Hd580 so different to the Hd600 when it comes to piano? Cause those are cheaper. Thanks mate.

I can verify that the HD 580 is very, very, very similar to the HD 600 indeed.

 

[Aryolkary]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jagorev I can verify that the HD 580 is very, very, very similar to the HD 600 indeed.

You seem to have compared them. Have you listened to piano recordings with both? Are the HD 580 as good or nearly as good as the HD600 strictly when it comes to piano? Thanks.

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aryolkary You seem to have compared them. Have you listened to piano recordings with both? Are the HD 580 as good or nearly as good as the HD600 strictly when it comes to piano? Thanks.

I've owned both (at the same time)... yes, I think so. They use the same drivers, and tonality/timbre is probably identical between them. It's other factors like dynamics and blackness between notes where the HD600s are better, IMO. Maybe with very dynamic, closely-mic'd piano you'd get an improvement with HD600s. Mostly I hear their differences with symphonic stuff though... HD600 is macrodynamically better, more suited for music with extremely wide dynamic range.

 

[Leporello]

IMHO, the HD600s sound very good on many piano recordings, but the Stax (SR-303 in my case) kill them in almost every respect.

The HD600s tend to sound unnaturally smooth and warm. Particularly the lower registers are too resonant and wooly.

The Stax, on the other hand, tend to sound a bit steely and dry in upper registers, but on most piano recordings this is not very evident.

A good piano recording for making comparisons is Chopin's 4 Ballades played by Krystian Zimerman (on DG).


Regards,

L.

 

[fjf]

Hey, pibe, I think you are gona leave the HE60 in the shop. Pity!. In any case, the dt880 is a very good dynamic phone, but it needs amplification. There is now a good sale of an amp (that seems to be very good) combined with USB DAC (to connect it to a computer) for $400, the Corda Aria (http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=143768). But any good dynamic+amp is gona cost what they ask you for the HE60. Here is your tough choice. I wish I were in your shoes!.

Regards.