HD25-1 II sound GREAT but they're very uncomfortable... which portables for me?

[Pott]

Well I am willing to sacrifice a little bit of sound quality for something more comfortable. I can't wear the Senns for longer than 30 minutes without my ears really hurting.
It's a shame. They sound very, very good. I only paid 125 euros for them as well (don't ask, but yes in a real shop and they're real) so a more comfortable 'downgrade' is likely to be more expensive anyway... but I just can't deal with these for too long...
 
I was considering the AKG181 but I don't know much about portables in general... any ideas..?
 
Thanks!

 

[Mr Joboto]

All I know about portables is that my ESW9s are awesome Not that they isolate as well as the Senns. And they have a different sound signature too.

 

[Pott]

Mhmm Audio Technicas don't seemt that common here in Europe, never seen any besides the M40 in Paris actually. Will look into the ESW9 reviews and prices...

EDIT: YIKES!!! I just saw the price of the ES10/9. Not a chance in hell I am able to afford these... :| I'm thinking at the MOST spending 150 euros...

 

[Draca]

With regard to the Senns perhaps there is some way in which you could modify them to make them more comfortable? If they don't have velour pads currently replacing the plasticky pleather with velour may help. Additionally extending the cups down to their maximum adjustment would help as well?

 

[monoglycer]

I have found with supra-aural cans like the ES-7 that positioning on the ear matters for comfort, try moving the cups so the edges of the pad cover the lobe of the ear and the top of the ear and avoiding any raised parts of the ear, I find that it helps me wear them for a lot longer then the position I had previously. Also try stretched the headphones on a box that is slightly larger then your head for a night or two, should decrease the clamping force.

 

[Pott]

Clamping force is not the issue. My ears are I think  
I did put the velour pads on and pressure points on the head aren't a problem. I think I just have weird ears. But they sound so good... not getting rid of them just yet then hehe but I may be looking into a cheaper, more affordable portable then.
 
ES7s cost about 140 euros here, big no no. More expensive than what I paid for the HD25s!

 

[stormmilk]

I feel they are too tight too.