[ryder78]

From my limited experience I find headphones that grip hard are uncomfortable. Although they may sound good, certain folks may not be able to listen to them for long. Perhaps it is not so much on the clamping force but the whole thing sticking to the head like a parasite, or the pressure that the cups impose upon the jawline, or the ears themselves that need a breath of fresh air having been enclosed in a semi-tight chamber of some sort for long periods. Or perhaps it's the sound pressure build-up within the open/semi-open/closed chamber although listening levels may be low.
 
Sometimes when I feel uncomfortable, I pull the earcups away from the ears so as there is a slight gap between the velour/leather earpads and the surrounding area of the ears where the cups sit on. In other words, the earpads will not be touching the skin. When the cups are slightly lifted (with the music still playing), I realized the headphones have put quite a bit of stress on the listening experience.
 
Maybe I am sensitive to headphones since I don't use them too often. Are there any comfortable headphones that one can place on their head for a long time without feeling any discomfort or listening fatigue? Comfort takes precedence over sound quality as the latter takes a backseat.
 
As a reference, I would appreciate suggestions on headphones at any price range up to $1000 that are more comfortable than the Beyerdynamic T1.
 
Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[headphonatic]

That's an extremely good price range, try Smeggy's Thunderpants, the t50rp's have very little clamping force, or if you want to save money, buy the t50rp's and mod them.

 

[NamelessPFG]

Low clamping force, and a budget up to $1,000?
 
A vintage Stax Lambda system will do the trick. Lightest clamping force I've ever experienced on a headphone; they just rest on your head more than anything. I can wear them for hours. It's part of the reason why I love it so much (the other being the sound quality and presentation, of course).
 
However, note that the headband design used on the Nova and numerical series Lambdas does clamp noticeably more (and the SR-507 allegedly clamps even harder than that), so it's imperative that you go for one of the vintage ones with the original headband design (SR-Lambda Normal bias, SR-Lambda Pro, SR-Lambda Signature), which is very visually distinct from the later ones.
 
Also note that you're likely to spend $500 to $800 or even the whole $1,000 on a system not just because of the headphones themselves, but because electrostatics like those require specialized amplifiers that are often as expensive as the headphones themselves...or if you already have a speaker power amp of some sort, you could just get a much cheaper transformer box to connect to it.

 

[ZARIM]

The Sony MA900, ATH-W5000, Sony SA5000, AKG K701 are comfy to wear for long listening sessions......

 

[kskwerl]

You should strongly consider MrSpeakers T50RPs "Mad Dogs" 
 
http://www.mrspeakers.com/MrSpeakers-Mad-Dog-Fostex-T50RP-Headphones?filter_tag=T50RP
 
I prefer them over the LCD-2 rev.2, go figure lol

 

[MattTCG]

The t50 is very comfortable as others have mentioned, especially with a pad change to the 880 pad. But you will not get the sound signature of the lcd-2. I would not consider the lcd-2 given it's weight. 
 
Consider:
 
*d5k/d7k-very light clamp that seems to just "ride" on the head
 
gL!!

 

[Glow Fish]

Quote:

You should strongly consider MrSpeakers T50RPs "Mad Dogs" 
 
http://www.mrspeakers.com/MrSpeakers-Mad-Dog-Fostex-T50RP-Headphones?filter_tag=T50RP
 
I prefer them over the LCD-2 rev.2, go figure lol

 
x2 on that recommendation.  Very comfortable with the leather head band and pads.

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
Hurry up and get yourself a Denon D2000/5000 before they're soaked up.
 
Very best,

 

[MorbidToaster]

D7000 is the easy pick. Most comfortable cans I've ever worn. Over the 007, 009, HD800, or any Beyer (though the Stax are a close second).

 

[twentyHz]

The denon ah-d600 does not grip or clamp at all. It is very comfortable. They are the successor to then D5000's that are mentioned above.

 

[Signy]

My DT990 when it came it was squizing my head like a lot but after a little bending now i can wear them all day without a problem. Almost all beyerdynamic headphones have a metal union on the middle and it can be bend as you like.

 

[Chodi]

Quote:

As a reference, I would appreciate suggestions on headphones at any price range up to $1000 that are more comfortable than the Beyerdynamic T1.
 
Any thoughts appreciated.

Wow! The T1's are so comfortable for me I can't imagine anyone feeling they are uncomfortable. I do own a pair of the Sony MDR F1 which are the most comfortable headphones ever made. I bought them new about 25 years ago and they are still going strong. I use them mostly for watching movies and they do a great job. I have seen them come up once in a great while used and I believe Sony still sells them new in Japan. Your cannot even tell you are wearing them.

 

[logindetails]

Check out the Philips X1 - the most confortable cans I've ever come across and they sound awesome.

 

[davewave]

You might try the AKG K550 (I'm wearing them now!).
 
Clean, surprisingly spacious sound in a closed-back design, and low clamping force.  In fact, if you read some of the reviews of these cans you'll see complaints about the fit being too loose, if anything.  That hasn't been the case for me, as I don't wear them during any kind of activity.
 
Hope this helps!

 

[obobskivich]

The Sony MA900, ATH-W5000, Sony SA5000, AKG K701 are comfy to wear for long listening sessions......

Add Sony F1, Koss ESP/950, and Kenwood K1000 to that very good list. Oh and the Bose headphones are very comfy too.