[Head1]

I think any suitable headphone, curveball or not, old or new should be considered.
 
The thing with classical music is that it uses the whole spectrum so ideally you need a flat sound signature or at worst one where no frequency overpowers another. I've not heard the P7 but read that its character is v shaped so it's probably not the best for classical in general. However Philips L2 is interesting because it seems to be more neutral and resolving than the L1 and other recent headphones so it could be in the mix.
 
Others that have been suggested for classical:
DT880, HD600 - recommended by professional musicians
DT660 - recommended exclusively for classical in David Mahler's thread
Shure SRH840
 
I am also intrigued by DT250-250 as it is said to have a neutral honest Beyer sound but without the midrange slightly recessed, more like Sennheiser. Sounds like best of both worlds.

 

[qkrzazzang]

That gets a wee bit beyond the $500

I am very aware..

 

[JHC76]

  I think any suitable headphone, curveball or not, old or new should be considered.
 
The thing with classical music is that it uses the whole spectrum so ideally you need a flat sound signature or at worst one where no frequency overpowers another. I've not heard the P7 but read that its character is v shaped so it's probably not the best for classical in general. However Philips L2 is interesting because it seems to be more neutral and resolving than the L1 and other recent headphones so it could be in the mix.
 
Others that have been suggested for classical:
DT880, HD600 - recommended by professional musicians
DT660 - recommended exclusively for classical in David Mahler's thread
Shure SRH840
 
I am also intrigued by DT250-250 as it is said to have a neutral honest Beyer sound but without the midrange slightly recessed, more like Sennheiser. Sounds like best of both worlds.

Interesting.  I'll look in to the DT660.  I wouldn't mind a pair of classical exclusive cans.  They don't seem cost prohibitive.  But, I need to stop looking too far down the rabbit hole.  
 

  I am very aware..

Aren't we all.... 

 

[Dillan]

Hi, Ive noticed you are increasing your budget.  I haven't listened to many different amps with the HD800's.  If you are serious about listening to classical music at some of the highest levels.. Then I would absolutely recommend the 800's.  Unarguably one of the best, if not the best pair of headphones for imaging that is made today. 
 
But I will say this.. I wouldn't get the 800's unless driven by a proper amp.  I would reccomend something from woo audio as I have experience with those and with the right tubes.. The sound is just spectacular.  Absolutely beautiful.  Especially with well recorded classical music. 

 

[pdrm360]

Yea! the DT660 are excellent for classical too.

 

[qkrzazzang]

  Hi, Ive noticed you are increasing your budget.  I haven't listened to many different amps with the HD800's.  If you are serious about listening to classical music at some of the highest levels.. Then I would absolutely recommend the 800's.  Unarguably one of the best, if not the best pair of headphones for imaging that is made today. 
 
But I will say this.. I wouldn't get the 800's unless driven by a proper amp.  I would reccomend something from woo audio as I have experience with those and with the right tubes.. The sound is just spectacular.  Absolutely beautiful.  Especially with well recorded classical music. 

Thanks for the recommendation. I heard so many good reviews about 800. I just want to know if it sounds more towards 650 or to 600. I got a chance to hear both and I like the 650 better. It suits my preference more, which I mentioned in the very beginning. However, I hear people say that 800 beats both 600, 650, which I certainly believe, indeed. But I still want to know which of those (600, 650) shares the best similarity. It would be very nice to try and hear for myself, but don't have the chance..

 

[pdrm360]

The HD800 sounds more towards the HD600 than the HD650. But also the HD600 sound is more close to the HD650 than the HD800. 

 

[pdrm360]

  Thanks for the recommendation. I heard so many good reviews about 800. I just want to know if it sounds more towards 650 or to 600. I got a chance to hear both and I like the 650 better. It suits my preference more, which I mentioned in the very beginning. However, I hear people say that 800 beats both 600, 650, which I certainly believe, indeed. But I still want to know which of those (600, 650) shares the best similarity. It would be very nice to try and hear for myself, but don't have the chance..

 
If you like the HD650 better than the HD600 you may love the Beyer T1.
 
The T1 is also great for classical but I like the HD800 better as I prefer the HD600 over HD650 for classical, it's just a preference.

 

[JHC76]

Head Fi is going to make me put a second mortgage on my home

 

[96rubberduckys]

I'm going to throw in a curveball. How about the Stax SRS-2170? Headphones + Amp for $500 new in Japan. I guess you could tenso it. Butt ugly, but reviews are good.
 
 
 
 

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9-%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%87%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E5%BC%8F%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A4%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9%E3%83%94%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AB%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0-SRS-2170/dp/B0043HPD0I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390360563&sr=8-1&keywords=stax+srs-2170
 
 
Here's a review or two:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/641801/my-mini-review-of-the-stax-srs-2170-entry-level-electrostatic-headphones-system
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/520689/stax-srs-2170-mini-review

 

[cswann1]

The Stax Lambda (box ear pieces) are fairly bass lean even up to the SR507.    I have the SR404 and love them.  They are quite bright with treble energy that you need to build up some tolerance for, sort of like going from wine to brandy.
 
Now "Classical" is a very broad term, sort of like "Rock music". There's classic rock, hard rock, alternative rock, progressive rock...you get the idea.  What I mean is any headphone that is good across all genres like the Sennheisers will do fine for "Classical". But the Stax Lambdas I fear may leave the listener wanting on full orchestra classical. But for string quartets and chamber classical, I think my SR404's are stunning. And to be honest I think they have quite decent bass. When you judge bass by what you hear rather than how much air is being forced into the side of your head you can really appreciate the quality of bass in headphones.
 
I honestly have ZERO experience with any Stax other than my SR404, and from what I have read the models below it have some significant compromises in sound.  I think the 404 (now 407) is the sweet spot in price/performance of the Lambdas, but to really hear the true potential of what electrostatics can do you have to step up to the kilobuck models. 

 

[pp312]

So anyway, OP, you should have everything sorted out by now. Everyone's voted for their personal favourites, a few people have thrown in curveballs, so you now have a choice of around, oh, 342 headphones, all of which may or may not be suitable depending on amp. Aren't you glad you came to Head-Fi where the experts all agree...not to agree? 

 

[qkrzazzang]

  So anyway, OP, you should have everything sorted out by now. Everyone's voted for their personal favourites, a few people have thrown in curveballs, so you now have a choice of around, oh, 342 headphones, all of which may or may not be suitable depending on amp. Aren't you glad you came to Head-Fi where the experts all agree...not to agree? 

Yeah this is great! I'm so glad that people are actually sharing their experiences instead of just biased opinions which it happens to be in pretty much elsewhere but Head-Fi D

 

[Dillan]

  Thanks for the recommendation. I heard so many good reviews about 800. I just want to know if it sounds more towards 650 or to 600. I got a chance to hear both and I like the 650 better. It suits my preference more, which I mentioned in the very beginning. However, I hear people say that 800 beats both 600, 650, which I certainly believe, indeed. But I still want to know which of those (600, 650) shares the best similarity. It would be very nice to try and hear for myself, but don't have the chance..

Ive listened briefly to the 600 and I used to own the 650.  I would say that it sounds more like the 600, but honestly to my ears they give off completely different sound.  Its hard to compare to those two phones.  If you lived near Middle TN, then I would let you test out the 800's along with a few others. 

 

[Mambosenior]

I've listened briefly to the 600 and I used to own the 650.  I would say that it sounds more like the 600, but honestly to my ears they give off completely different sound.  Its hard to compare to those two phones.  If you lived near Middle TN, then I would let you test out the 800's along with a few others. 

1. Agree, they are very, very different.
2. You're a nice person. Right on!