Best Headphones for (mostly) classical, but good for other genres

[jipajappa]

Hey guys,
 
I'm new to the forum and was looking for a bit of advice.  I've recently been hankering for some better headphones to listen to classical music with.  I'd want them to be pretty versatile, in that they'd be good for symphonic, chamber, opera, and piano.  I don't have a particular preference between open and closed, although based on what I've read it seems open is better for classical.  My biggest criteria are a good soundstage and good clarity in all ranges.
 
For some reason I'm drawn to Beyerdynamic, and would love to hear your opinions about which cans of theirs would be best.  I'm also definitely willing to consider other brands, so name whatever you think would be the best.  
 
My price range is probably around $300.  I'd be willing to pay more if I needed to, but I'd also obviously be glad to pay a bit less.
 
Thanks,
Mark

 

[weipim]

AKG k701/702 or, Q701
 

 

[Hellbishop]

VModa LP. I picked these up last week at Radio Shack for a great price since a newer model recently was released by the company which created them. Am really happy how they make all types of music from industrial to ambient and classical sound great. The bass is strong but in a full balanced manner which never overpowers the midrange and treble. Its like having warm full sounding speakers from the 1970s and 80s on my ears. 
 
Am listening to the Dvorak and Walton Cello Concertos by Piatigorsky & Munch at the moment while swooning in a state of bliss hearing how powerful and clear each instrument sounds.

 

[krumme]

Do you go to live unamplified conserts yourself?
Do you practice as a musician?
What phones have you heard, and what do you think about them?
What amp/dac do you have?

 

[jipajappa]

Quote:

Do you go to live unamplified conserts yourself?
Do you practice as a musician?
What phones have you heard, and what do you think about them?
What amp/dac do you have?

Yes I go to live concerts, but only a few times a year
I play piano and guitar, but only casually and not very well
I haven't owned any hi-fi headphones myself.  The nicest thing I ever owned was a pair of Bose QC2, which I liked fine but thought that they didn't really satisfy what I was looking for.  I've tried a few only briefly.  AKG 701 and another AKG that I don't remember the name of.  I liked the 701, but felt like it could have performed a little better on the highs and lows (mids were good, though)
I don't have an amp currently that I'd use with these, but would buy one if necessary, depending on what I decide to buy.  
 
 

 

[krumme]

Do you need to bring the phones with you / would it be an advantage?
 
The AKG701 does have the good soundstage,  clarity and is much more neutral than anything i have heard besides some high-end stax. The neutrality will be very obvious to you i think because you frequent conserts and play piano yourselv albeit seldom. Especially when the neutrality is not there to the same degree, listening to the likes of fx. Sennheiser.
 
But it just needs an very powerfull amp to get the especially the right bass output - otherwise its like having a phone where the bass is missing. It is not portable at all. If i fx. use it with my phone its like there is not even sound - sound in a cave long from here. Using a dell laptop, it makes the sound directly colaps in the right channel - for whatever reason!, using my HP laptop, it sounds lame and with notiably distortion. Using a good Onkyo reciewer also give very unsatisfactory sound with unpleasing highs and clinical sound. Using better, very strong amps like nfb11 helps a lot, but its still not there 100% for the bass output, and there is still some clinical, intruding 4kHz sound to it in my ears, be it amp or dac section - but it is okey, and the nfb11 is doing a great job for its budget, driving this stupid/fantastic phone.
 
So besides the question about portability, do you need the neutrality - or correctness?
 
What was the Bose missing?
 
Go to a shop on you way, and try to hear a few phones - perhaps some cheap ones not needing a huge amp, will satisfy you.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I'm new to the forum and was looking for a bit of advice.  I've recently been hankering for some better headphones to listen to classical music with.  I'd want them to be pretty versatile, in that they'd be good for symphonic, chamber, opera, and piano.  I don't have a particular preference between open and closed, although based on what I've read it seems open is better for classical.  My biggest criteria are a good soundstage and good clarity in all ranges.
For some reason I'm drawn to Beyerdynamic, and would love to hear your opinions about which cans of theirs would be best.  I'm also definitely willing to consider other brands, so name whatever you think would be the best.  
My price range is probably around $300.  I'd be willing to pay more if I needed to, but I'd also obviously be glad to pay a bit less.

Audio Technica ATH-AD900, easy to drive.
Add a low cost headphone amplifier.
 
 
 

 

[Marximus]

The Sennheiser HD 598s are excellent.

 

[roBernd]

My vote goes to the Sennheiser HD600... Since I come from a horrid hate/love relationship with a K701... let me tell you this.
The HD600 is a K701 minus its flaws.
-More body and bass, no as hallow and plasticy.
-Comfortable Headband <- I can't stress this enough.
-Compared to the K701, which is said to be neutral~ish, quite neutral.
-they sound good out of SS-amps... the K701 actually needs tubes to sound decent, not power, just treble taming tubes...
 
I had a the chance to compare a friends HD598 to the HD600.
The HD598 has better seperation, detail and soundstage but the frequency response of the HD600 sound more natural and just right.
 
Still... for classic I prefer my K240 Sextett (mp) over my HD600

 

[lejaz]

we hear alike roBernd. X2 for senn hd600 or 580 if you can find one used. 
Quote:

My vote goes to the Sennheiser HD600... Since I come from a horrid hate/love relationship with a K701... let me tell you this.
The HD600 is a K701 minus its flaws.
-More body and bass, no as hallow and plasticy.
-Comfortable Headband <- I can't stress this enough.
-Compared to the K701, which is said to be neutral~ish, quite neutral.
-they sound good out of SS-amps... the K701 actually needs tubes to sound decent, not power, just treble taming tubes...
 
I had a the chance to compare a friends HD598 to the HD600.
The HD598 has better seperation, detail and soundstage but the frequency response of the HD600 sound more natural and just right.
 
Still... for classic I prefer my K240 Sextett (mp) over my HD600

 

 

[Omark12]

+1 for Senn HD 600