gardibolt
100+ Head-Fier
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Some months ago I wrote a review of the Oppo PM-3 headphones that compared them to several other sets I owned, specifically trying them out for classical music. I like value, so I'm now taking a look to compare the Oppo PM-3 to several other relatively inexpensive but well-performing headphones that I've recently acquired for those purposes. It seemed like a shootout was the best way to settle which ones to keep and figure out what areas each set excels at. The headphones I ended up with are two offerings from HiFiMan, the HE400S and the Massdrop HE350, the Massdrop AKG K7XX, and the Beyerdynamic DT660. I had initially set about this project to find a good open-back set to complement the PM-3, but when I ran across the thread from David Mahler about the DT660 http://www.head-fi.org/t/559542/i-t...est-classical-music-headphones-ive-ever-heard, and they were found at stupidly low prices, I had to add them to my examination as well. So this shootout is a mixed bag of open and closed backs.
Who I Am: I've been playing and listening to classical music for over 40 years. I'm not a professional musician, but I do have a musical background, play piano for several amateur groups and I've been working for the last 18 years on The Unheard Beethoven project, http://unheardbeethoven.org, which makes synthesized versions of unrecorded and unpublished Beethoven compositions available for free download. I recently had an article published in The Musical Times about my discovery of a lost Beethoven song, complete with music and lyrics. Over the years I've played Steinways, Yamahas, Bösendorfers and many other pianos, as well as fortepianos, harpsichords and organs. I also play acoustic guitar, and have played tenor and baritone sax, so I'm well attuned to the sound of lower woodwinds. I used to have exceptional hearing, but over the last few years I've noticed that my upper hearing range has vanished; a check with frequency waves shows that I have precious little hearing above 11 kHz, so my comments about brightness or lack of brightness of various headphones may need to be taken with a grain of salt. Virtually all of the music I listen to on headphones is classical music, ranging from baroque to twentieth century, with heavy interest in the Romantic era and Wagnerian opera in addition to of course Beethoven.
My equipment: Although I tried to take this project seriously and with the intent of sharing my results, my goal at its heart was determining which headphones work best for me, and trying to pare down these five entries to two or three. So there will be a fair amount of personal opinion here, and I am using my standard listening equipment. That would be an iPod Classic 7th generation, which has been modified to have a 256gb solid state drive, and a Fiio E11K portable amp. I like the convenience, affordability and portability of this setup. For the most part I use mp3s at 256k or 320k; I can't really tell the difference between mp3 at that bitrate and FLAC, so it's good enough for my purposes.
The tests: I chose ten representative pieces of classical music in varying styles, ranging from soloists to chamber music to full orchestras and opera. These range from state-of-the-art current recordings to moderate and low quality historical recordings. I picked compositions and performances that I particularly like, in order to make it more tolerable to listen to the same piece at least five times in quick succession. I also took a test tone and added it to the playlist for the test pieces, and used that to standardize the sound levels. I put a sound meter in the ear cup of each headphone and adjusted the volume dial on the Fiio so that the test tone would be at a set 80 db for each headphone (using high gain on the Fiio at all times). For the record, that put the dial at 4.5 for the DT660, 4.8 for the HE350, 5.0 for the PM-3 and the HE400S, and 7.0 for the K7XX, which is a good deal harder to drive than the others. After adjusting, I then listened to each piece with all five headphones one after another, and then revisited some headphones on a few pieces to confirm what I thought I was hearing. I also mixed up the order of the headphones that I listened to so I didn't fall into the trap of setting up a pattern.
I don't believe in burn-in myself, but the 400S comes from the manufacturer with a recommendation that it get significant burn-in, so I gave all five of them at least 30 hours of burn-in just to make sure they were performing at their best. With one exception, none of the headphones was modified. That exception is the HE350, which is notoriously bright in its stock form, and the pads on it are wretchedly bad, hard and uncomfortable. I replaced them with HiFiMan's Focuspad A, which made them more comfortable and less bright, but also reduced the soundstage markedly. The stock pads were so uncomfortable that I didn't think I'd be able to review the HE350 fairly without swapping them out. I also listened to them each for about a four-hour stretch to check for comfort before starting on the test proper. I decided not to test the headphones without the amp, but based on my experimenting I think they'd all do fine straight out of the iPod except for the K7XX, which takes a good deal more oomph to drive properly.
The headphones:
1) Oppo PM-3. A very solidly built planar magnetic closed-back headphone, and it's very comfortable, although the clamp is a bit tight and the ear cups are on the small side. Comes with a hardshell case. $399 retail price.My prior review is here: http://www.head-fi.org/products/oppo-pm-3/reviews/16102 They got a little warm over the four-hour warmup, but they were still pretty comfortable overall.
2) Beyerdynamic DT660. These closed-back dynamic driver headphones have a feeling of being cheaply built, and a number of people have complained about easy breakage. I didn't, however, have any bad experiences with them. I do note that they are hard to wear with glasses; whatever the foam in the pads is, they make a sound whenever they rub against the bows of my glasses. I found that so annoying I decided to do all of the tests without my glasses on. They also clamp so tightly that my glasses were bending. This is not quite a deal-breaker, since I often listen without my glasses on anyway, but it does limit their utility. Readily available on eBay for $79 shipped, they're an incredible bargain.
3) AKG/Massdrop K7XX. These open-back dynamic driver headphones are super comfy; I've worn them for three to four hour stretches several times and hardly notice that I'm wearing them. They are the third-best built of the headphones in the test. The main drawback is a ridiculously long cord that gets caught on things and tangled on itself. Massdrop price is $199, shipped. Drops occur pretty regularly.
4) HiFiMan/Massdrop HE350 with Focuspads A. These open-back dynamic driver headphones got a little warm in the four-hour test. The stock pads were so stiff and unpleasant that I felt I had little choice other than to replace them. That's kind of a shame, because one of the things I found nice about the HE350 out of the box was a luscious warmth and a wide and airy soundstage. Replacing the pads cut down on that warmth and the airiness, so I wasn't really wild about the tradeoff. On the other hand, I couldn't imagine wearing these for any length of time with the original pads. They're just nasty. Massdrop price is $99 shipped; a set of FocusPad A pads retails for $39.
5) HiFiMan HE400S. These open-back planar magnetics are very comfy right out of the box. They're not quite as well built as the Oppo, but they're plenty solid and attractive. There's one minor annoyance, a very stiff cable that gets in the way. They run around $299 on Amazon with some price variation if you watch carefully, but they're commonly available for somewhat less on eBay (though counterfeits are apparently out there, so be careful).
The shootout:
1. János Starker, Bach Cello Suite #1, 1st movement, Prelude (Mercury Living Presence). Beautifully recorded performance that has great intimacy. The DT660 cello offers a throaty and lively tone. Where it really excels is in the little details that all of the others lose to some extent: the rasp of the rosin against the string, the slight creak of the strings under the pressure of the bow, and the mild thumps and noises in the cello itself as well as Starker's breathing. There's an immediacy here that surpasses all the others tested. It's like your face is right up against the cello. That may not be for everyone.
The HE350 has more bass and is very warm. It's far less detailed than the DT660 and seems more reverberant. There was an odd sensation of the cello being slightly above the listener. Tape hiss is more noticeable, and the soundstage is very close and limited.
The PM-3 is resonant, crisp and clean; these do the second best job of resolving the details that the DT660 excelled on, while still providing a solid bass on the low notes. Background noise seems less noticeable.
The HE400S really makes the presence of the cello known; there's a bit less bass than the H350, but there's also very wide soundstage. The harmonics at the end ring clearly and beautifully.
The K7XX has the biggest soundstage of all, and it feels like Starker is on a stage, in a large concert hall. There's a very good sense of space but the cello doesn't get lost or feel small at all. The K7XX was my favorite here, though the HE400S and the DT660 are not far behind.
Ranking: 1.K7XX
2. HE400S
3. DT660
4. PM-3
5. HE350.
2. Leonard Slatkin conducting the Lyons National Orchestra, Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra. This is a private recording of a stereo radio broadcast that has a number of problems associated with it (poorly miked, noisy audience, etc. in addition to the inherent problems in such a recording), so I was interested in seeing how well the various headphones handled them. All of the headphones had a big wide 180+ degree soundstage, but they did very different things with it.
While the K7XX did superbly on the Bach cello suite, it was completely hopeless here. There's plenty of bass, and the big throbbing organ pedal in the introduction will muss up your hair, but it's just sloppy. Even though there's a pleasing dark and dramatic sound, the timps are overwhelming and everything seems smeary and muddy. It's close to impossible to pick out individual instruments from the orchestral mix. For some reason the pizzicati are big and loud. The solo violin is a shade shrill. Where the K7XX is at its best is on the woodwind instruments; their big moment at the end of the Song of the Night Wanderer is beautifully wrought.
Equally problematic was the HE350, which also had a good organ sound but suffered from the same blurriness and overwhelming timpani that the K7XX had. The violin solo tends to get lost in the murk, and the harp comes through only intermittently. There's nice romantic warmth in the quieter sections, but the full orchestra is just too much for these headphones. The climactic tubular bell sounds more like someone hitting a radiator with a hammer than a musical instrument. The other three headphones do a much, much better job on this track than these two.
The DT660 has a more forward and brighter brass sound, and it feels like you're in the second row in front of the orchestra. The pizzicati are more detailed, and there's generally better detail and definition overall. There is still plenty of low bass, but as the violins get higher, they tend to get a little shrill. All of the solos (violin, cello, oboe, tubular bells etc) come through with nice clarity. Tape hiss is prominent in the quieter passages. It's very enjoyable despite the occasional brightness. The C-G-C motif of the trumpets that recurs throughout has a nice prominence. The harp comes through clearly.
The HE400S is even better defined, and less claustrophobic. The section Of the Great Longing is very beautifully balanced. The transition into Of Joys and Sorrows, with the fast triplets in the low strings, is exceptionally crisp and clear, where it's all to often lost in the mix on the other headphones. Instead of being shrill, the high strings are sweet. The ethereal ending is quite wonderful, and overall these headphones make this problematic recording a joy to listen to.
The Oppo PM-3 gives the best sense of having a live orchestra in front of you. In my prior review I was amazed at how specifically the instruments and the coughers in the audience were placed in the PM-3's soundstage, and that experience repeated itself here. There's still plenty of bass on the opening organ pedal. It's super clear and rattles your core; the timpani are appropriately loud and raucous without overwhelming the rest of the orchestra. The low bass harmonics are the biggest of all of the sets tested. The sound is rich and lush without being sloppy. The woodwinds are delightfully defined. On a few occasions I missed the clarity of the DT660, but the tradeoff of losing that set's shrillness was worth it. Any one of these three headphones would not disappoint. They make this difficult track sound better than I ever would have imagined.
1. PM-3
2. HE400S
3. DT660
*Big gap*
4. HE350
5. K7XX
3. Claudio Abbado, conducting the Berlin Philharmonic live (2001); Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 3,'Eroica,' third movement Scherzo (Deutsch Grammophon). This is a live performance but exceedingly well recorded. The particular point of interest here is the definition between the fast quarter notes at the beginning, and the attack of the horns in the Trio section. The Berlin horns just nail this performance unlike any I've ever heard, so I was especially looking for which headphone would convey that experience best.
The Oppo offers a spectacular dynamic range. The crescendi are really impressive on this piece. The middle lines are clear and distinct, while the oboes and bassoons come across with great delicacy when called for. The horns have a solid and effective bite. The counterpoint is clear and easily followed. The recording feels a bit close. No complaints.
The 400S is more open and airy feeling than the PM-3. They also offer a wider separation of the string parts, which also helps follow the lines of counterpoint through clear definition. The horns have even more force to their attack here. It's a very realistic sound, quite like hearing the orchestra in concert. Hard to believe that the Oppos were improved upon, but that seems to be the case.
The HE350 is also quite wide, but a bit bright in the first sections. One the timpani and bass come it, it's all about them and the sound becomes thick and murky. On the other hand the horns stand out well, if a bit mellower than the first two.
There's another very crisp and clear opening on the DT660s. Again there is excellent placement for the strings. The horns have a good presence and solid definition. The clarity of the DT660s really is a relief after the HE350s.
The K7XX is even less well defined than the HE350 and feels almost like it's missing its top end. There's not much in the way of clear directionality either. The horns do sound excellent, though, and their final cadence is rendered excitingly. So all of the headphones do an adequate or better job with the horns, which is good, but the delicacy of the principal section is lost on the HE350 and K7XX.
1. 400S
2. DT660
3. PM-3
*big gap*
4. K7XX
5. HE350
4. Sviatoslav Richter, Ludwig van Beethoven: piano sonata #32 op.111, 2nd movement Arietta (live recording, 17 Oct 1991 on Philips). One of the sublime achievements on the piano, achingly rendered by Richter, this is a great performance. The recording is quite good for a live performance as well, with about 30 seconds of applause at the end and shouts of "bravo!"
On the K7XX, Richter's varying touch depending on the variation involved comes across well, and the dynamic range is quite fine. It has an open, airy sound compared to the Oppo. The piano sounds a little plinky at the high end, almost like a celeste. There's a good sense of a large space, but the listener feels very close to the piano, and the audience sounds at the end have good directionality (though not as clear as the Oppo's).
I felt that the 400S was a bit more distant-sounding, perhaps 20 feet in front of the listener. The delicacy of the softer variations came across well, but in spots it was a bit blurry, and I missed the touch clarity that the K7XX offered. The audience sounds and applause are a bit mushy and unclear.
The PM-3 has a nice bass line and sounds very lifelike (Richter played Yamahas exclusively towards the end of his career, and this certainly sounds like a Yamaha to me). There's excellent dynamic range and Richter's pedaling comes across very clearly. Accents are crisply defined. One area that's a bit unsettling is that it feels very close--almost as if you're sitting at the piano with Richter, with bass to your left and treble to your right. The high end sounds right, and the audience sounds at the end are very directional; again, you can pinpoint who is where.
The HE350 is rather bright and the bass is less full than on the first three headphones. But it does have an open and airy sound. Richter's breathing, which was hardly noticeable on the first three, is quite clear here. The tone is a bit ringing and shrill in the treble, though the midrange is very warm and pleasant. Richter's pedaling sounds indistinct here, and the bass can get smeary. Although the high notes are somewhat harsh, they're not plinky like on the K7XX. The applause sounds artificial and unpleasant.
The DT660 puts the piano about 10 feet in front of the listener, comparable to the K7XX. Again, we hear lots of Richter's breathing. The Beyer clarity really works well on this recording, with exceptionally clean notes, touch variations and pedaling. It might even seem a bit dry, but the Yamaha sound comes across very well. The DT660 makes Richter's amazing technique sing like no other. The audience sounds are crisp though not quite as well located as on the Oppo. The DT660 comes out on top by a narrow margin here.
1. DT660
2. PM-3
3. K7XX
4. HE400S
5. HE350
5. Sheridan Ensemble, Carl Czerny: String Quartet in A minor, III. Scherzo (Capriccio). This is a fairly recent and state of the art chamber music recording that has received stellar reviews for sound quality. Unsurprisingly, all of the tested headphones did pretty well with this source material. One distinguishing area is the Trio of the Scherzo, which prominently features the cello in a pizzicato passage against the bowed upper voices.
The HE400S has excellent placement, and although the sound is close, it's quite lovely. The cello pizzicato is very prominent. Interestingly, these headphones gave the unmistakeable impression of a curved soundstage, which would be appropriate for the usual placement of a quartet.
The PM-3 is for the most part barely distinguishable from the quality of the HE400S; the soundstage is slightly flatter and the cello pizzicato is slightly even more prominent, probably more than it should be.
K7XX has the sound of a big space, with the attendant reverberation. Compared to the first two, it does not have very precise placement of the voices. The pizzicato passage is more restrained and the violins are more forward and the result is a much preferable balance to the rendition by the PM-3.
On the HE350, the violins come across as a little shrill and overly bright, though there is a pretty good soundstage. The highs and lows are prominent, but the poor viola feels like it's getting lost. The pizzicati are a shade smeary. But the differences are subtle; if you listened to this piece on the HE350s without comparing them directly, you'd probably find it to be quite acceptable.
The DT660 is bright, but it's very clear and the notes are distinct, giving the performance more of a Classical than a Romantic feeling. There's not a lot of soundstage precision or clear directionality. The Trio sounds very good, with a nice balance between the cello and the upper voices.
The headphones are ranked on this one, but I almost feel apologetic since the differences are small.
1. HE400S
2. K7XX
3. PM-3
4. DT660
5. HE350
6. Maria Callas, Tullio Serafin conducting La Scala Orchestra; Giuseppe Verdi: Rigoletto, Act I Aria of Gilda, Gualtier maldé - Caro nome (Pristine Classical). This is Pristine's reworking of the classic EMI mono studio recording of Rigoletto, which does some correction of distortion and adds its ambient stereo processing to open up the mono sound a bit. Callas' voice goes into the stratosphere here, up to a breathtaking high C-sharp, which presented something of a challenge for our contestants to bring across without becoming shrill.
The DT660 acquitted itself well; although a little bright, it is quite acceptable, and Callas' incomparable voice comes across well. A little hiss is revealed on these headphones that I didn't hear on any of the others. The Beyers really capture the timbre of Callas' voice very well. The high notes are striking without being unpleasant.
The 400S is more open sounding and really brings out the stereo processing best. It sounds most like a live performance of the tested cans. The muted violin lines come across well, as do the oboes. Callas' high notes are thrilling.
The PM-3 does its best with the lower ranges of Callas' voice, catching the qualities that make her so unique beautifully. The high notes as well sound terrific. It's really a stirring rendition of 1955 sound. The high C and high C-sharp sound smooth and warm. Just delightful.
On the HE350, on the other hand, the high notes come across a shade shrill, but it's still surprisingly good. The orchestra doesn't succeed as well, with a bit of blurriness and lack of distinction. Callas' voice is up front for the most part, so it does better than I would have expected.
The K7XX has a very forward vocal quality, with a nice warmth. Callas' portamento is visceral though a mite harsh in the highest register. As she walks away from the mike for the coda of the aria, this version sounds the most natural. There's a wide soundstage that rivals the sound of the 400S.
This one was more difficult to rank, because different headphones excelled in different ways. But taking the sound quality as a whole, I had to put the Oppo and 400S on top, in a virtual tie. Either one is a great listening experience, but the 400S got the nod for a better sense of immediacy. The K7XX is just a notch below due to the slight harshness of the upper notes.
1. 400S
2. PM-3
3. K7XX
4. DT660
5. HE350
7. Lorenzo Regazzo, bass; Rinaldo Alessandrini, Concerto Italiano. Vivaldi: Orlando Furioso RV 819, Act I, Scene 5, Aria Nel profondo, cieco mondo (Orlando). (Naive). This is a fairly recent and high quality recording of baroque opera. The best headphones will have good clarity and transparency of texture, while still giving proper weight to the bass vocals.
The Oppo provides a good sense of space, and the bass voice comes across all right. There's a bit of excessive reverberation. The continuo is effective and forward. It does feel like some detail of the voice is missing here.
The HE400S has a somewhat better balance between the continuo and the voice, which feels a tad more separated. The vocal is still pretty smooth, but it's integrated very nicely. The distinction of the head and chest voice is very clear. The trills are clean and it feels quite lifelike.
The HE350 on the other hand has a big bass continuo that almost overwhelms the vocal line. Although there's a full-sounding environment, the poor singer seems a bit lost. It's kind of a mess.
The Beyerdynamic set, on the other hand, has plenty of detail. The harpsichord is well located, the vocal is properly forward, and the whole blends nicely. The bass vocal seems the most lifelike with these headphones. One can truly feel the differences in the character of Regazzo's voice as it travels through various registers. The middle section of the aria is particularly good, as his voice goes into the higher ranges. There's a nice clarity that makes his breathing and trills seem lifelike. These headphones by far did the best job of conveying a sense of baroque opera in live performance, and afforded the best clarity of diction. While the sound of this recording was good on all the headphones, it's downright spectacular on the DT660.
The K7XX, like the HE350, is quite bass heavy, though the voice at least does have good separation. The sound seems a bit lumped in the center and feels a shade close. There isn't a good feeling of being in a clearly delineated space. Disappointing.
1. DT660, by a wide margin
2. HE400S
3. PM-3
4. K7XX
5. HE350
8. Freddy Kempf, piano; Andrew Litton, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Gershwin: Concerto in F, III. Allegro agitato. (Bis) . This is another state of the art recording that has received excellent reviews. The difference between the closed-back and the open-back headphones on this recording was quite shocking; they felt like completely different recordings. I didn't have this sensation on any other recordings in the test to this extreme.
The Oppo has a big, crisp sound with a clear sense of space. The muted brass sounds fun, and the piano stands out well. The strings both arco and pizzicato sound solid. The antiphonal passages of call and response are particularly effective with the PM-3. It's quite easy to pick out instruments, and the piano has a clear sound of being a Steinway. The only issue is the timpani is a bit too forward.
The DT660s have a rather brighter sound and less bass sensation. The piano feels a bit more distant and is a little plinky at the high end. It's less identifiable as a Steinway. The woodwinds sound particularly good as does the percussion. When the piano plays solo it's a bit better than when it's accompanied by the full orchestra. The climactic gong reverberates pretty nicely. The big finish is however lacking a bit in detail and precision.
The open-backs, on the other hand all sounded much darker. I was stunned by the difference compared to the closed-backs. The K7XX has much more prominence to the lower strings. The piano in particular sounds very dark, though it still has a lot of Steinway character in the solo passages and not as much in the concerted parts. There's an excellent gong reverb and a huge sounding finale. The darkness takes me aback; it almost feels like the piece is in a minor key. It is, however, a quite satisfying sound.
The HE350s are similarly a bit dark, and they're also slightly veiled. The piano has a plinky sound, but there is a good blend with the orchestra and a nice open sound. The muted trumpets playing off the beat in the background are a bit oddly forward. The gong is excellent sounding, but the finale is a bit swampy and plugged up. There's a lack of definition that was somewhat disappointing.
The HE400S, by comparison has the widest soundstage of any of the headphones, and offers a nice concert hall feeling. These are a good compromise set that features the best of the open and closed-back cans. The balance is quite good. The gong reverb is satisfyingly huge, and the finale is big but not messy. The clarity is very good, and the timpani, as it recapitulates the opening of the concerto is excellent sounding. Easily the top choice.
1. HE400S
2. Oppo PM-3
3. K7XX
4. HE350
5. DT660
9. L'Astrée. Vivaldi: Sonata for recorder and bassoon in A minor, fourth movement Allegro molto, RV 86. (Naive). This is another in Naive's excellent series of recordings of Vivaldi compositions. The goal here was to see which headphones conveyed the best sense of baroque chamber music, and all five rendered the sonata well overall. The differences between the headphones were the smallest with this recording.
The sound of the HE400S feels very big, almost too large for such an intimate recording. The bassoon almost sounds brassy. There's a little bit of blurriness in the solo instruments, but there's nevertheless excellent placement.
The Oppo PM-3 feels closer, cleaner and somewhat better defined than the HE400S. There's a bit better balance and a more intimate feeling, with less of a sense of sitting in front of the ensemble, The quick solo bassoon notes are very clean, and the volume changes come across in an excellent manner.
The Beyer DT660s are even crisper. They're a shade bright, but it feels more like chamber music. The recorder is a bit more emphasized than the bassoon. All articulations are very clear and give the listener a sense of hearing a virtuoso performance.
When I listen to the HE350s, the performers seems more directly in front of me. These headphones more than hold their own here thanks to their warmth. The continuo seems a little bit boomy. Overall, it's very pleasing and a comfortable listen despite being a little bit reverb heavy.
Again the K7XX offers an extremely wide soundstage, while still giving a good balance between the solo instruments and against the continuo. The AKG gives the closest sense of being with a group of live players. The articulation of the bassoon is again quite clear, although the continuo is occasionally a bit overwhelming. Balance is a shade off, but again all five entries are quite similar, which is a bit of a relief after the startling results in the Gershwin.
1. K7XX
2. DT660
3. Oppo PM-3
4. HE350
5. HE400S, though again the results were in fact extremely close.
10. The final test is Peter Schreier conducting the Staatskapelle Dresden. Mozart: Ave verum corpus, K.618 (Philips). One of the most beautiful compositions ever, this piece is a challenging mix of a full choir, an organ, and string sections, recorded in a reverberant setting. It's not a new recording, but it's quite solid and typical of Philips' excellent quality.
The K7XX offers a sense of a very large space. The strings are somewhat drawn out and overly prominent in the mix, but the low bass of the organ is very good. The choir feels significantly larger than it actually is.
The Oppo PM-3 has a much lighter feeling than the AKG. The soundstage is still very wide, but it's more delicate and controlled, which serves Mozart's ethereal score well. The extreme low organ notes sound good, and the balance is better overall. While the bass voices are cleaner, it's still a bit difficult to distinguish the sopranos from the altos.
The HE350 has a very warm, luscious and unabashedly Romantic sound to it---which is nice, but not quite appropriate for Mozart. There's solid bass extension in the organ, which is a bit clearer than on the first two headphones. It can be a little difficult to distinguish the choral parts in the quieter passages.
The DT660 does pretty well, with a clear distinction of choral parts, and a cleaner articulation overall. However, the organ gets lost most of the time and is indistinguishable in character from the strings. The soundstage feels a bit shallower, and the gut rumble of the low organ bass is sorely missed. The dynamic changes are very effective.
Finally, the HE400S offers a very large soundstage and clear articulation. The chorus is in the forefront more on these headphones than was the case with the others. The low bass is good, but it's not quite up to the standard of the Oppo. Parts are clear and easily distinguishable. Overall, I found the sound here closest to the live experience.
1. HE400S
2. Oppo PM-3
3. HE350
4. DT660
5. K7XX
CONCLUSIONS
Adding up the points from the rankings, we end up with the final rankings as follows (lowest score is best):
1. HiFiMan HE400S (20 points)
2. Oppo PM-3 (25)
3. Beyerdynamic DT660 (29)
4. AKG/Massdrop K7XX (31)
5. HiFiMan/Massdrop HE350 (45)
The HE400S came out the clear overall winner of this classical music shootout. Setting aside the Vivaldi sonata where I found very little difference between the headphones, the HE400S placed in the top two slots on every piece except the solo piano. It stands out based on its wide soundstage and its knack for producing a lifelike presentation. It's also reasonably forgiving on poorer quality source material such as the Slatkin performance of Also sprach Zarathustra and the 1950s Callas recording. I found these headphones highly enjoyable, and reasonably comfortable to wear as well.
The PM-3, which was already my go-to for a closed-back headphone, acquitted itself quite well. The Oppo was solidly in the top half on every piece except the solo cello. I was a bit surprised that it didn't take the first place more often, considering I like the sound of them very much. But they do pretty much everything well, if not the best, so they are a solid overall choice for high-quality consistency.
The DT660 also placed respectably well on many of the selections. It particularly excelled on the solo piano and the baroque material. On the solo cello, it was almost too detailed; if you like to hear the sound of rosin scraping against the string, this is your choice. It is a shade on the bright or even shrill side at times, but for more intimate pieces, it's incredibly solid. I could have easily made the DT660 my choice for a closed-back headphone and saved $300 off the Oppo without many regrets. While not the best, it's an exceptional classical music headphone for the ridiculously low price and certainly takes the prize for best sound-to-cost value. If you're looking for a classical music headphone but your budget is under $100, this is the one.
The HE350, despite being open-back, performed pretty dismally overall. It placed in the bottom two slots for every piece except the choral work with strings and organ, where its warmth allowed it to place slightly higher. If you seek a warm, lush, Romantic sound, they're worth considering, but be warned that detail and accuracy will be sacrificed. That warmth is even more pronounced with the stock earpads, though I found them far too uncomfortable to avoid replacing them with Focuspad As.
The AKG K7XX was the most schizophrenic of the headphones, placing at the top on the solo cello and the baroque sonata, but at or near the very bottom for several others. They do seem unforgiving with lower quality recordings, so if you're interested in historical or live classical recordings these are probably not a good selection. There is a boomy reverb that was often distracting and problematic by causing details to disappear. That was personally disappointing, because they were by far the most exquisitely comfortable set; every time I put them on during these tests, I felt a sense of relief. If you're listening to classical music for long periods of time, these should definitely earn your consideration, but you'll need to be careful in your source material.
Who I Am: I've been playing and listening to classical music for over 40 years. I'm not a professional musician, but I do have a musical background, play piano for several amateur groups and I've been working for the last 18 years on The Unheard Beethoven project, http://unheardbeethoven.org, which makes synthesized versions of unrecorded and unpublished Beethoven compositions available for free download. I recently had an article published in The Musical Times about my discovery of a lost Beethoven song, complete with music and lyrics. Over the years I've played Steinways, Yamahas, Bösendorfers and many other pianos, as well as fortepianos, harpsichords and organs. I also play acoustic guitar, and have played tenor and baritone sax, so I'm well attuned to the sound of lower woodwinds. I used to have exceptional hearing, but over the last few years I've noticed that my upper hearing range has vanished; a check with frequency waves shows that I have precious little hearing above 11 kHz, so my comments about brightness or lack of brightness of various headphones may need to be taken with a grain of salt. Virtually all of the music I listen to on headphones is classical music, ranging from baroque to twentieth century, with heavy interest in the Romantic era and Wagnerian opera in addition to of course Beethoven.
My equipment: Although I tried to take this project seriously and with the intent of sharing my results, my goal at its heart was determining which headphones work best for me, and trying to pare down these five entries to two or three. So there will be a fair amount of personal opinion here, and I am using my standard listening equipment. That would be an iPod Classic 7th generation, which has been modified to have a 256gb solid state drive, and a Fiio E11K portable amp. I like the convenience, affordability and portability of this setup. For the most part I use mp3s at 256k or 320k; I can't really tell the difference between mp3 at that bitrate and FLAC, so it's good enough for my purposes.
The tests: I chose ten representative pieces of classical music in varying styles, ranging from soloists to chamber music to full orchestras and opera. These range from state-of-the-art current recordings to moderate and low quality historical recordings. I picked compositions and performances that I particularly like, in order to make it more tolerable to listen to the same piece at least five times in quick succession. I also took a test tone and added it to the playlist for the test pieces, and used that to standardize the sound levels. I put a sound meter in the ear cup of each headphone and adjusted the volume dial on the Fiio so that the test tone would be at a set 80 db for each headphone (using high gain on the Fiio at all times). For the record, that put the dial at 4.5 for the DT660, 4.8 for the HE350, 5.0 for the PM-3 and the HE400S, and 7.0 for the K7XX, which is a good deal harder to drive than the others. After adjusting, I then listened to each piece with all five headphones one after another, and then revisited some headphones on a few pieces to confirm what I thought I was hearing. I also mixed up the order of the headphones that I listened to so I didn't fall into the trap of setting up a pattern.
I don't believe in burn-in myself, but the 400S comes from the manufacturer with a recommendation that it get significant burn-in, so I gave all five of them at least 30 hours of burn-in just to make sure they were performing at their best. With one exception, none of the headphones was modified. That exception is the HE350, which is notoriously bright in its stock form, and the pads on it are wretchedly bad, hard and uncomfortable. I replaced them with HiFiMan's Focuspad A, which made them more comfortable and less bright, but also reduced the soundstage markedly. The stock pads were so uncomfortable that I didn't think I'd be able to review the HE350 fairly without swapping them out. I also listened to them each for about a four-hour stretch to check for comfort before starting on the test proper. I decided not to test the headphones without the amp, but based on my experimenting I think they'd all do fine straight out of the iPod except for the K7XX, which takes a good deal more oomph to drive properly.
The headphones:
1) Oppo PM-3. A very solidly built planar magnetic closed-back headphone, and it's very comfortable, although the clamp is a bit tight and the ear cups are on the small side. Comes with a hardshell case. $399 retail price.My prior review is here: http://www.head-fi.org/products/oppo-pm-3/reviews/16102 They got a little warm over the four-hour warmup, but they were still pretty comfortable overall.
2) Beyerdynamic DT660. These closed-back dynamic driver headphones have a feeling of being cheaply built, and a number of people have complained about easy breakage. I didn't, however, have any bad experiences with them. I do note that they are hard to wear with glasses; whatever the foam in the pads is, they make a sound whenever they rub against the bows of my glasses. I found that so annoying I decided to do all of the tests without my glasses on. They also clamp so tightly that my glasses were bending. This is not quite a deal-breaker, since I often listen without my glasses on anyway, but it does limit their utility. Readily available on eBay for $79 shipped, they're an incredible bargain.
3) AKG/Massdrop K7XX. These open-back dynamic driver headphones are super comfy; I've worn them for three to four hour stretches several times and hardly notice that I'm wearing them. They are the third-best built of the headphones in the test. The main drawback is a ridiculously long cord that gets caught on things and tangled on itself. Massdrop price is $199, shipped. Drops occur pretty regularly.
4) HiFiMan/Massdrop HE350 with Focuspads A. These open-back dynamic driver headphones got a little warm in the four-hour test. The stock pads were so stiff and unpleasant that I felt I had little choice other than to replace them. That's kind of a shame, because one of the things I found nice about the HE350 out of the box was a luscious warmth and a wide and airy soundstage. Replacing the pads cut down on that warmth and the airiness, so I wasn't really wild about the tradeoff. On the other hand, I couldn't imagine wearing these for any length of time with the original pads. They're just nasty. Massdrop price is $99 shipped; a set of FocusPad A pads retails for $39.
5) HiFiMan HE400S. These open-back planar magnetics are very comfy right out of the box. They're not quite as well built as the Oppo, but they're plenty solid and attractive. There's one minor annoyance, a very stiff cable that gets in the way. They run around $299 on Amazon with some price variation if you watch carefully, but they're commonly available for somewhat less on eBay (though counterfeits are apparently out there, so be careful).
The shootout:
1. János Starker, Bach Cello Suite #1, 1st movement, Prelude (Mercury Living Presence). Beautifully recorded performance that has great intimacy. The DT660 cello offers a throaty and lively tone. Where it really excels is in the little details that all of the others lose to some extent: the rasp of the rosin against the string, the slight creak of the strings under the pressure of the bow, and the mild thumps and noises in the cello itself as well as Starker's breathing. There's an immediacy here that surpasses all the others tested. It's like your face is right up against the cello. That may not be for everyone.
The HE350 has more bass and is very warm. It's far less detailed than the DT660 and seems more reverberant. There was an odd sensation of the cello being slightly above the listener. Tape hiss is more noticeable, and the soundstage is very close and limited.
The PM-3 is resonant, crisp and clean; these do the second best job of resolving the details that the DT660 excelled on, while still providing a solid bass on the low notes. Background noise seems less noticeable.
The HE400S really makes the presence of the cello known; there's a bit less bass than the H350, but there's also very wide soundstage. The harmonics at the end ring clearly and beautifully.
The K7XX has the biggest soundstage of all, and it feels like Starker is on a stage, in a large concert hall. There's a very good sense of space but the cello doesn't get lost or feel small at all. The K7XX was my favorite here, though the HE400S and the DT660 are not far behind.
Ranking: 1.K7XX
2. HE400S
3. DT660
4. PM-3
5. HE350.
2. Leonard Slatkin conducting the Lyons National Orchestra, Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra. This is a private recording of a stereo radio broadcast that has a number of problems associated with it (poorly miked, noisy audience, etc. in addition to the inherent problems in such a recording), so I was interested in seeing how well the various headphones handled them. All of the headphones had a big wide 180+ degree soundstage, but they did very different things with it.
While the K7XX did superbly on the Bach cello suite, it was completely hopeless here. There's plenty of bass, and the big throbbing organ pedal in the introduction will muss up your hair, but it's just sloppy. Even though there's a pleasing dark and dramatic sound, the timps are overwhelming and everything seems smeary and muddy. It's close to impossible to pick out individual instruments from the orchestral mix. For some reason the pizzicati are big and loud. The solo violin is a shade shrill. Where the K7XX is at its best is on the woodwind instruments; their big moment at the end of the Song of the Night Wanderer is beautifully wrought.
Equally problematic was the HE350, which also had a good organ sound but suffered from the same blurriness and overwhelming timpani that the K7XX had. The violin solo tends to get lost in the murk, and the harp comes through only intermittently. There's nice romantic warmth in the quieter sections, but the full orchestra is just too much for these headphones. The climactic tubular bell sounds more like someone hitting a radiator with a hammer than a musical instrument. The other three headphones do a much, much better job on this track than these two.
The DT660 has a more forward and brighter brass sound, and it feels like you're in the second row in front of the orchestra. The pizzicati are more detailed, and there's generally better detail and definition overall. There is still plenty of low bass, but as the violins get higher, they tend to get a little shrill. All of the solos (violin, cello, oboe, tubular bells etc) come through with nice clarity. Tape hiss is prominent in the quieter passages. It's very enjoyable despite the occasional brightness. The C-G-C motif of the trumpets that recurs throughout has a nice prominence. The harp comes through clearly.
The HE400S is even better defined, and less claustrophobic. The section Of the Great Longing is very beautifully balanced. The transition into Of Joys and Sorrows, with the fast triplets in the low strings, is exceptionally crisp and clear, where it's all to often lost in the mix on the other headphones. Instead of being shrill, the high strings are sweet. The ethereal ending is quite wonderful, and overall these headphones make this problematic recording a joy to listen to.
The Oppo PM-3 gives the best sense of having a live orchestra in front of you. In my prior review I was amazed at how specifically the instruments and the coughers in the audience were placed in the PM-3's soundstage, and that experience repeated itself here. There's still plenty of bass on the opening organ pedal. It's super clear and rattles your core; the timpani are appropriately loud and raucous without overwhelming the rest of the orchestra. The low bass harmonics are the biggest of all of the sets tested. The sound is rich and lush without being sloppy. The woodwinds are delightfully defined. On a few occasions I missed the clarity of the DT660, but the tradeoff of losing that set's shrillness was worth it. Any one of these three headphones would not disappoint. They make this difficult track sound better than I ever would have imagined.
1. PM-3
2. HE400S
3. DT660
*Big gap*
4. HE350
5. K7XX
3. Claudio Abbado, conducting the Berlin Philharmonic live (2001); Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 3,'Eroica,' third movement Scherzo (Deutsch Grammophon). This is a live performance but exceedingly well recorded. The particular point of interest here is the definition between the fast quarter notes at the beginning, and the attack of the horns in the Trio section. The Berlin horns just nail this performance unlike any I've ever heard, so I was especially looking for which headphone would convey that experience best.
The Oppo offers a spectacular dynamic range. The crescendi are really impressive on this piece. The middle lines are clear and distinct, while the oboes and bassoons come across with great delicacy when called for. The horns have a solid and effective bite. The counterpoint is clear and easily followed. The recording feels a bit close. No complaints.
The 400S is more open and airy feeling than the PM-3. They also offer a wider separation of the string parts, which also helps follow the lines of counterpoint through clear definition. The horns have even more force to their attack here. It's a very realistic sound, quite like hearing the orchestra in concert. Hard to believe that the Oppos were improved upon, but that seems to be the case.
The HE350 is also quite wide, but a bit bright in the first sections. One the timpani and bass come it, it's all about them and the sound becomes thick and murky. On the other hand the horns stand out well, if a bit mellower than the first two.
There's another very crisp and clear opening on the DT660s. Again there is excellent placement for the strings. The horns have a good presence and solid definition. The clarity of the DT660s really is a relief after the HE350s.
The K7XX is even less well defined than the HE350 and feels almost like it's missing its top end. There's not much in the way of clear directionality either. The horns do sound excellent, though, and their final cadence is rendered excitingly. So all of the headphones do an adequate or better job with the horns, which is good, but the delicacy of the principal section is lost on the HE350 and K7XX.
1. 400S
2. DT660
3. PM-3
*big gap*
4. K7XX
5. HE350
4. Sviatoslav Richter, Ludwig van Beethoven: piano sonata #32 op.111, 2nd movement Arietta (live recording, 17 Oct 1991 on Philips). One of the sublime achievements on the piano, achingly rendered by Richter, this is a great performance. The recording is quite good for a live performance as well, with about 30 seconds of applause at the end and shouts of "bravo!"
On the K7XX, Richter's varying touch depending on the variation involved comes across well, and the dynamic range is quite fine. It has an open, airy sound compared to the Oppo. The piano sounds a little plinky at the high end, almost like a celeste. There's a good sense of a large space, but the listener feels very close to the piano, and the audience sounds at the end have good directionality (though not as clear as the Oppo's).
I felt that the 400S was a bit more distant-sounding, perhaps 20 feet in front of the listener. The delicacy of the softer variations came across well, but in spots it was a bit blurry, and I missed the touch clarity that the K7XX offered. The audience sounds and applause are a bit mushy and unclear.
The PM-3 has a nice bass line and sounds very lifelike (Richter played Yamahas exclusively towards the end of his career, and this certainly sounds like a Yamaha to me). There's excellent dynamic range and Richter's pedaling comes across very clearly. Accents are crisply defined. One area that's a bit unsettling is that it feels very close--almost as if you're sitting at the piano with Richter, with bass to your left and treble to your right. The high end sounds right, and the audience sounds at the end are very directional; again, you can pinpoint who is where.
The HE350 is rather bright and the bass is less full than on the first three headphones. But it does have an open and airy sound. Richter's breathing, which was hardly noticeable on the first three, is quite clear here. The tone is a bit ringing and shrill in the treble, though the midrange is very warm and pleasant. Richter's pedaling sounds indistinct here, and the bass can get smeary. Although the high notes are somewhat harsh, they're not plinky like on the K7XX. The applause sounds artificial and unpleasant.
The DT660 puts the piano about 10 feet in front of the listener, comparable to the K7XX. Again, we hear lots of Richter's breathing. The Beyer clarity really works well on this recording, with exceptionally clean notes, touch variations and pedaling. It might even seem a bit dry, but the Yamaha sound comes across very well. The DT660 makes Richter's amazing technique sing like no other. The audience sounds are crisp though not quite as well located as on the Oppo. The DT660 comes out on top by a narrow margin here.
1. DT660
2. PM-3
3. K7XX
4. HE400S
5. HE350
5. Sheridan Ensemble, Carl Czerny: String Quartet in A minor, III. Scherzo (Capriccio). This is a fairly recent and state of the art chamber music recording that has received stellar reviews for sound quality. Unsurprisingly, all of the tested headphones did pretty well with this source material. One distinguishing area is the Trio of the Scherzo, which prominently features the cello in a pizzicato passage against the bowed upper voices.
The HE400S has excellent placement, and although the sound is close, it's quite lovely. The cello pizzicato is very prominent. Interestingly, these headphones gave the unmistakeable impression of a curved soundstage, which would be appropriate for the usual placement of a quartet.
The PM-3 is for the most part barely distinguishable from the quality of the HE400S; the soundstage is slightly flatter and the cello pizzicato is slightly even more prominent, probably more than it should be.
K7XX has the sound of a big space, with the attendant reverberation. Compared to the first two, it does not have very precise placement of the voices. The pizzicato passage is more restrained and the violins are more forward and the result is a much preferable balance to the rendition by the PM-3.
On the HE350, the violins come across as a little shrill and overly bright, though there is a pretty good soundstage. The highs and lows are prominent, but the poor viola feels like it's getting lost. The pizzicati are a shade smeary. But the differences are subtle; if you listened to this piece on the HE350s without comparing them directly, you'd probably find it to be quite acceptable.
The DT660 is bright, but it's very clear and the notes are distinct, giving the performance more of a Classical than a Romantic feeling. There's not a lot of soundstage precision or clear directionality. The Trio sounds very good, with a nice balance between the cello and the upper voices.
The headphones are ranked on this one, but I almost feel apologetic since the differences are small.
1. HE400S
2. K7XX
3. PM-3
4. DT660
5. HE350
6. Maria Callas, Tullio Serafin conducting La Scala Orchestra; Giuseppe Verdi: Rigoletto, Act I Aria of Gilda, Gualtier maldé - Caro nome (Pristine Classical). This is Pristine's reworking of the classic EMI mono studio recording of Rigoletto, which does some correction of distortion and adds its ambient stereo processing to open up the mono sound a bit. Callas' voice goes into the stratosphere here, up to a breathtaking high C-sharp, which presented something of a challenge for our contestants to bring across without becoming shrill.
The DT660 acquitted itself well; although a little bright, it is quite acceptable, and Callas' incomparable voice comes across well. A little hiss is revealed on these headphones that I didn't hear on any of the others. The Beyers really capture the timbre of Callas' voice very well. The high notes are striking without being unpleasant.
The 400S is more open sounding and really brings out the stereo processing best. It sounds most like a live performance of the tested cans. The muted violin lines come across well, as do the oboes. Callas' high notes are thrilling.
The PM-3 does its best with the lower ranges of Callas' voice, catching the qualities that make her so unique beautifully. The high notes as well sound terrific. It's really a stirring rendition of 1955 sound. The high C and high C-sharp sound smooth and warm. Just delightful.
On the HE350, on the other hand, the high notes come across a shade shrill, but it's still surprisingly good. The orchestra doesn't succeed as well, with a bit of blurriness and lack of distinction. Callas' voice is up front for the most part, so it does better than I would have expected.
The K7XX has a very forward vocal quality, with a nice warmth. Callas' portamento is visceral though a mite harsh in the highest register. As she walks away from the mike for the coda of the aria, this version sounds the most natural. There's a wide soundstage that rivals the sound of the 400S.
This one was more difficult to rank, because different headphones excelled in different ways. But taking the sound quality as a whole, I had to put the Oppo and 400S on top, in a virtual tie. Either one is a great listening experience, but the 400S got the nod for a better sense of immediacy. The K7XX is just a notch below due to the slight harshness of the upper notes.
1. 400S
2. PM-3
3. K7XX
4. DT660
5. HE350
7. Lorenzo Regazzo, bass; Rinaldo Alessandrini, Concerto Italiano. Vivaldi: Orlando Furioso RV 819, Act I, Scene 5, Aria Nel profondo, cieco mondo (Orlando). (Naive). This is a fairly recent and high quality recording of baroque opera. The best headphones will have good clarity and transparency of texture, while still giving proper weight to the bass vocals.
The Oppo provides a good sense of space, and the bass voice comes across all right. There's a bit of excessive reverberation. The continuo is effective and forward. It does feel like some detail of the voice is missing here.
The HE400S has a somewhat better balance between the continuo and the voice, which feels a tad more separated. The vocal is still pretty smooth, but it's integrated very nicely. The distinction of the head and chest voice is very clear. The trills are clean and it feels quite lifelike.
The HE350 on the other hand has a big bass continuo that almost overwhelms the vocal line. Although there's a full-sounding environment, the poor singer seems a bit lost. It's kind of a mess.
The Beyerdynamic set, on the other hand, has plenty of detail. The harpsichord is well located, the vocal is properly forward, and the whole blends nicely. The bass vocal seems the most lifelike with these headphones. One can truly feel the differences in the character of Regazzo's voice as it travels through various registers. The middle section of the aria is particularly good, as his voice goes into the higher ranges. There's a nice clarity that makes his breathing and trills seem lifelike. These headphones by far did the best job of conveying a sense of baroque opera in live performance, and afforded the best clarity of diction. While the sound of this recording was good on all the headphones, it's downright spectacular on the DT660.
The K7XX, like the HE350, is quite bass heavy, though the voice at least does have good separation. The sound seems a bit lumped in the center and feels a shade close. There isn't a good feeling of being in a clearly delineated space. Disappointing.
1. DT660, by a wide margin
2. HE400S
3. PM-3
4. K7XX
5. HE350
8. Freddy Kempf, piano; Andrew Litton, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Gershwin: Concerto in F, III. Allegro agitato. (Bis) . This is another state of the art recording that has received excellent reviews. The difference between the closed-back and the open-back headphones on this recording was quite shocking; they felt like completely different recordings. I didn't have this sensation on any other recordings in the test to this extreme.
The Oppo has a big, crisp sound with a clear sense of space. The muted brass sounds fun, and the piano stands out well. The strings both arco and pizzicato sound solid. The antiphonal passages of call and response are particularly effective with the PM-3. It's quite easy to pick out instruments, and the piano has a clear sound of being a Steinway. The only issue is the timpani is a bit too forward.
The DT660s have a rather brighter sound and less bass sensation. The piano feels a bit more distant and is a little plinky at the high end. It's less identifiable as a Steinway. The woodwinds sound particularly good as does the percussion. When the piano plays solo it's a bit better than when it's accompanied by the full orchestra. The climactic gong reverberates pretty nicely. The big finish is however lacking a bit in detail and precision.
The open-backs, on the other hand all sounded much darker. I was stunned by the difference compared to the closed-backs. The K7XX has much more prominence to the lower strings. The piano in particular sounds very dark, though it still has a lot of Steinway character in the solo passages and not as much in the concerted parts. There's an excellent gong reverb and a huge sounding finale. The darkness takes me aback; it almost feels like the piece is in a minor key. It is, however, a quite satisfying sound.
The HE350s are similarly a bit dark, and they're also slightly veiled. The piano has a plinky sound, but there is a good blend with the orchestra and a nice open sound. The muted trumpets playing off the beat in the background are a bit oddly forward. The gong is excellent sounding, but the finale is a bit swampy and plugged up. There's a lack of definition that was somewhat disappointing.
The HE400S, by comparison has the widest soundstage of any of the headphones, and offers a nice concert hall feeling. These are a good compromise set that features the best of the open and closed-back cans. The balance is quite good. The gong reverb is satisfyingly huge, and the finale is big but not messy. The clarity is very good, and the timpani, as it recapitulates the opening of the concerto is excellent sounding. Easily the top choice.
1. HE400S
2. Oppo PM-3
3. K7XX
4. HE350
5. DT660
9. L'Astrée. Vivaldi: Sonata for recorder and bassoon in A minor, fourth movement Allegro molto, RV 86. (Naive). This is another in Naive's excellent series of recordings of Vivaldi compositions. The goal here was to see which headphones conveyed the best sense of baroque chamber music, and all five rendered the sonata well overall. The differences between the headphones were the smallest with this recording.
The sound of the HE400S feels very big, almost too large for such an intimate recording. The bassoon almost sounds brassy. There's a little bit of blurriness in the solo instruments, but there's nevertheless excellent placement.
The Oppo PM-3 feels closer, cleaner and somewhat better defined than the HE400S. There's a bit better balance and a more intimate feeling, with less of a sense of sitting in front of the ensemble, The quick solo bassoon notes are very clean, and the volume changes come across in an excellent manner.
The Beyer DT660s are even crisper. They're a shade bright, but it feels more like chamber music. The recorder is a bit more emphasized than the bassoon. All articulations are very clear and give the listener a sense of hearing a virtuoso performance.
When I listen to the HE350s, the performers seems more directly in front of me. These headphones more than hold their own here thanks to their warmth. The continuo seems a little bit boomy. Overall, it's very pleasing and a comfortable listen despite being a little bit reverb heavy.
Again the K7XX offers an extremely wide soundstage, while still giving a good balance between the solo instruments and against the continuo. The AKG gives the closest sense of being with a group of live players. The articulation of the bassoon is again quite clear, although the continuo is occasionally a bit overwhelming. Balance is a shade off, but again all five entries are quite similar, which is a bit of a relief after the startling results in the Gershwin.
1. K7XX
2. DT660
3. Oppo PM-3
4. HE350
5. HE400S, though again the results were in fact extremely close.
10. The final test is Peter Schreier conducting the Staatskapelle Dresden. Mozart: Ave verum corpus, K.618 (Philips). One of the most beautiful compositions ever, this piece is a challenging mix of a full choir, an organ, and string sections, recorded in a reverberant setting. It's not a new recording, but it's quite solid and typical of Philips' excellent quality.
The K7XX offers a sense of a very large space. The strings are somewhat drawn out and overly prominent in the mix, but the low bass of the organ is very good. The choir feels significantly larger than it actually is.
The Oppo PM-3 has a much lighter feeling than the AKG. The soundstage is still very wide, but it's more delicate and controlled, which serves Mozart's ethereal score well. The extreme low organ notes sound good, and the balance is better overall. While the bass voices are cleaner, it's still a bit difficult to distinguish the sopranos from the altos.
The HE350 has a very warm, luscious and unabashedly Romantic sound to it---which is nice, but not quite appropriate for Mozart. There's solid bass extension in the organ, which is a bit clearer than on the first two headphones. It can be a little difficult to distinguish the choral parts in the quieter passages.
The DT660 does pretty well, with a clear distinction of choral parts, and a cleaner articulation overall. However, the organ gets lost most of the time and is indistinguishable in character from the strings. The soundstage feels a bit shallower, and the gut rumble of the low organ bass is sorely missed. The dynamic changes are very effective.
Finally, the HE400S offers a very large soundstage and clear articulation. The chorus is in the forefront more on these headphones than was the case with the others. The low bass is good, but it's not quite up to the standard of the Oppo. Parts are clear and easily distinguishable. Overall, I found the sound here closest to the live experience.
1. HE400S
2. Oppo PM-3
3. HE350
4. DT660
5. K7XX
CONCLUSIONS
Adding up the points from the rankings, we end up with the final rankings as follows (lowest score is best):
1. HiFiMan HE400S (20 points)
2. Oppo PM-3 (25)
3. Beyerdynamic DT660 (29)
4. AKG/Massdrop K7XX (31)
5. HiFiMan/Massdrop HE350 (45)
The HE400S came out the clear overall winner of this classical music shootout. Setting aside the Vivaldi sonata where I found very little difference between the headphones, the HE400S placed in the top two slots on every piece except the solo piano. It stands out based on its wide soundstage and its knack for producing a lifelike presentation. It's also reasonably forgiving on poorer quality source material such as the Slatkin performance of Also sprach Zarathustra and the 1950s Callas recording. I found these headphones highly enjoyable, and reasonably comfortable to wear as well.
The PM-3, which was already my go-to for a closed-back headphone, acquitted itself quite well. The Oppo was solidly in the top half on every piece except the solo cello. I was a bit surprised that it didn't take the first place more often, considering I like the sound of them very much. But they do pretty much everything well, if not the best, so they are a solid overall choice for high-quality consistency.
The DT660 also placed respectably well on many of the selections. It particularly excelled on the solo piano and the baroque material. On the solo cello, it was almost too detailed; if you like to hear the sound of rosin scraping against the string, this is your choice. It is a shade on the bright or even shrill side at times, but for more intimate pieces, it's incredibly solid. I could have easily made the DT660 my choice for a closed-back headphone and saved $300 off the Oppo without many regrets. While not the best, it's an exceptional classical music headphone for the ridiculously low price and certainly takes the prize for best sound-to-cost value. If you're looking for a classical music headphone but your budget is under $100, this is the one.
The HE350, despite being open-back, performed pretty dismally overall. It placed in the bottom two slots for every piece except the choral work with strings and organ, where its warmth allowed it to place slightly higher. If you seek a warm, lush, Romantic sound, they're worth considering, but be warned that detail and accuracy will be sacrificed. That warmth is even more pronounced with the stock earpads, though I found them far too uncomfortable to avoid replacing them with Focuspad As.
The AKG K7XX was the most schizophrenic of the headphones, placing at the top on the solo cello and the baroque sonata, but at or near the very bottom for several others. They do seem unforgiving with lower quality recordings, so if you're interested in historical or live classical recordings these are probably not a good selection. There is a boomy reverb that was often distracting and problematic by causing details to disappear. That was personally disappointing, because they were by far the most exquisitely comfortable set; every time I put them on during these tests, I felt a sense of relief. If you're listening to classical music for long periods of time, these should definitely earn your consideration, but you'll need to be careful in your source material.
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