[ProtegeManiac]

  1. Thank you for the list Sir!
I didn't know one could bend the metal arms on the HD600/650/580. Since I've used the HD598 extensively and they are quite similar in design, I was reluctant to try the HD600/650. Thanks for the tip. Now I am more confident in trying those cans.

 
You just fully extend the metal arms, then bend each of them outward near the center then closer to the gimbals, holding it for 10secs at a time. Repeat several times until you can see that they're wider than the slots in the box they'll come in. Try them on and repeat when necessary
 

  I haven't broken in the DT880s much yet since they were a brand new purchase so I'm hoping their comfort improves to a great level(for once!) down the road.

 
You can bend the metal frame at the very center, then bend the metal gimbals a little bit flatter. That relaxes the clamp.
 

 
2. In regards to the AKG cans, I'll keep that in mind. Strangely I also found they really hurt if I'm eating anything lol. The right side of my jaw starts hurting so much. Happened on 3 occasions now. I do like them very much though when they are comfy!

 
Well for starters I would not  eat while wearing headphones. One errant drop of food on them and you might at some point start seeing ants all over them.
 
 

 
Finally, you don't think I'd like either? Both have received such positive remarks about comfort and I do need a good portable at some point. The reason I went for the MDR1R is because I got a crazy good deal on them and many had mentioned their comfort is supreme. The H6's I have an opportunity to get through work via reward points.

 
Well for a start, you started this thread wondering what the heck people are talking about when they say they barely feel a headphone on their head. The reality here is that while that specific assessment might not necessarily apply, those who like the ergonomics might be looking for a different kind of fit. They might prefer a little bit more clamp for example.
 
Nevertheless, if you can try them out for free, then do so.
 

 
Others I have the option of getting are: Momentum 2, BW P7, Blue Sadie/Lola. Would any of those be a better option than the H6 comfort wise?

 

Like I said, most portable headphones tend to fit tighter, with the exception of the AKG K55x series, for a lot of reasons but mainly so they'll stay on your head. The way my HD600 fits and especially how I get Grados to sit on my ear without squeezing my earlobes makes certain movements limited. For one, no headbanging. And even then, I did try walking around with the K550 before, and with such a loose fit, they get shifted off their position fairly easily. Not to mention how this affects bass response, while the "small head mod" dramatically brings them up near K702 levels of bass. Not that the K702 has a lot, but definitely a lot more than the normal fit K550. The K553 and K550 MkII are supposedly better in that area but I haven't tried them.

 

So while I am not absolute certain that you won't like the fit on any of those, it's not likely that you will like them (and therefore on our part is hard to recommend) considering your goal is to find one that you barely feel on your head.

 

So basically if I was going to recommend anything, I'd say get used to feeling the headphones on your head a little and get the Focal Spirit Classic (it's on sale on Amazon right now), but then again note that your headsize and hair thickness are probably different from mine. I'm around 5'7" and the thickest my hair gets is what you can see on busts of Caesar or Pompey (not even Macrinus' 'fro). That or get the AKG K55x series and get used to gigantic earcups pressing against your eyeglass' earpieces.

 

Or the K55x and a new eyeglass frame. They call audio a "rabbit hole" already, so might as well follow the white rabbit.

 

[obobskivich]

Bose headphones are definitely some of the more comfortable headphones I've demoed at stores. I have not tested their SQ much. They appear to be best for people travelling a lot and need good isolation/NC. 

SQ wise I'd say the QC15 (I haven't heard the newer 25 or the wireless models) are "middle of the pack" at their price range - there's certainly standouts in that price range, like the HD 600 (if you get them at ~$300), and there's certainly options that are very bad for the price (e.g. the new Denons, like D600, or Beats), but certainly not bad. Very comfortable, thanks to their lightweight build. The ANC is second to none IME. The TriPort/AE2 are a "lesser" headphone both within the Bose line-up and overall, and their price drops accordingly (they aren't just a "passive version" of the QC), but for their price they aren't unlovable, and they do fantastic with lower quality sources (they're quite forgiving). I've written up the AE2 (actually I've reviewed the TriPort too, but I have no idea where that thread went), here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/643986/american-middleweights

Overall I wouldn't regard either as a "paragon of sound quality" but as far as comfortable headphones that also offer isolation go, they're among the best IME.

Those Sonys seem hard to acquire and little information about them regarding SQ.

They've been out of production for ages, so I'm not surprised. Still, I'd regard them as one of the most comfortable options out there, but I wasn't really taking "can you buy this at Best Buy" into account with any of my suggestions.

Yes the Fostex and Denon cans with the thick leather pads do definitely scream comfort! The weight seems scary though. I suppose I won't know till I try! Getting expensive though

Weight is relative - the Fostex/Denon cans (they're part of a single family, Tyll reviewed most of them as a group at InnerFidelity recently: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/survey-foster-443742-variants-subjective-listening-tests-denon-ah-d5000-massdrop-fostex-th) are relatively big, and the weight is well dispersed, so you don't really feel the supposed "neck destroying weight" of them. The pads are also not real leather - they're synthetic, and imho softer/smoother than real leather (comparing to Sony, AT, and Grado cans that use real leather). They also don't clamp, which helps a lot.

Oh interesting that you recommend those Koss electrostats. Someone locally put them up for sale. I'll add them to my list thanks

Like the Fostex/Denon above - they're big and broad and don't clamp, so they're comfortable as a result.

Which Grado would be a good place to start?

In terms of comfort the RS-1 are probably my top pick, because they're among the lightest, and in terms of sound the RS-1 are probably my top pick, because they're among the best performing/sounding. In terms of more reasonable pricing, the SR-225 are fairly light and a great all-around headphone in their own right. I think all of the plastic Prestige models weigh around the same, from the SR-60 up through the 225; the metal-build models (like the 325) tend to be much heavier (as you might imagine).

The common theme here is: large overall size relative to lower weight with low clamping force. All of the above (and many of the other cans already mentioned, like the Sennheiser HD 580/600/6XX/650) fit into that. I wouldn't say there's any explicit trend towards "leather is better" or "fabric is better" for pads, both tend to fare about equally IME. The Grado foam pads do fantastic in terms of breathing, but as far as I know Grado is the only hi-fi maker using foam pads. Real leather vs synthetic leather also doesn't seem to be a huge dividing line - real leather on Sony, AT, and Grado cans doesn't seem to do any better or worse than high quality synthetics on Fostex/Denon, Bose, or AT cans IME. Microfiber (or similar) like Beyerdynamic, Sony, etc use is very comfortable too, but still (IME) doesn't breathe as well as the Grado foam pads. Vinyl will get warm and trap heat, but I still think the Koss Pnuemalites are very comfortable pads for what they are - I wouldn't suggest any of the headphones that use them (e.g. the MV1), however, because they all tend to be very heavy and fairly clampy - not unlivable but certainly not on par with the above. That all having been said, its a very subjective thing that can even come down to how well you put the cans on when you start listening.

If you're wondering why no ATs made it into my suggestions: people have wildly different experiences/opinions of the 3D Wing system, and it doesn't help that AT has a couple of versions of the 3D Wing system. In my experience, the variant found on their higher end cans (where the cups are not on yolks) fits great, but the version where the cups have more articulation (like the A900X) does not. Some people feel oppositely about this, and head shape is probably a big factor in that. By contrast, something like the TH-900 or RS-1 move everywhere they should, and should be adjustable to suit more or less anyone's head.

 

[Music Alchemist]

I owned a QC15 for years. It was super fun! The sound improves significantly with a normal headphone cable, at the price of the channels being reversed due to the active circuitry of the headphones. I wrapped toilet paper around the connector shell to hold it in place. (Cables without the proprietary connector fall out otherwise.) The stock cables have electronics in them that interferes with the sound. This headphone would have had a better reputation if people heard what it's really capable of. No major issues with comfort. But back when I had it, I wasn't careful with headphones like I learned to be, and as a consequence, the pads broke down. That's something to keep in mind. And you have to use a AAA battery to use it at all, which is a pretty big downside. The sound quality decreases as the battery depletes as well. I used to go through a ritual of charging a battery right before listening. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend the QC15 given all the alternatives, including cheap Koss that is more comfortable and sounds better. I've only auditioned the QC25, QC35, and SoundTrue II, so I can't comment much on them.

 

[obobskivich]

I owned a QC15 for years. It was super fun! The sound improves significantly with a normal headphone cable, at the price of the channels being reversed due to the active circuitry of the headphones. I wrapped toilet paper around the connector shell to hold it in place. (Cables without the proprietary connector fall out otherwise.) The stock cables have electronics in them that interferes with the sound. This headphone would have had a better reputation if people heard what it's really capable of. No major issues with comfort. But back when I had it, I wasn't careful with headphones like I learned to be, and as a consequence, the pads broke down. That's something to keep in mind. And you have to use a AAA battery to use it at all, which is a pretty big downside. The sound quality decreases as the battery depletes as well. I used to go through a ritual of charging a battery right before listening. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend the QC15 given all the alternatives, including cheap Koss that is more comfortable and sounds better. I've only auditioned the QC25, QC35, and SoundTrue II, so I can't comment much on them.

Just to note on the QC15's cable: that active circuitry actually has a purpose, if you're using them for traveling - it includes a pad to make them more compatible with airplane sound systems.

 

[Music Alchemist]

This may play into why I liked the QC15 so much despite all its issues:
 
http://en.goldenears.net/14754
 
Aside from the highly boosted bass and some peaks and dips, it's more linear than you would expect from a headphone of this type.

 

[obobskivich]

This may play into why I liked the QC15 so much despite all its issues:

http://en.goldenears.net/14754

Aside from the highly boosted bass and some peaks and dips, it's more linear than you would expect from a headphone of this type.

Tyll's measurements also support that:
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/BoseQuietComfort15.pdf

The ANC circuitry is also likely implementing some EQ to achieve that response (and for all I know, maybe Bose is even putting a fixed FIR filter in there to try and get the response they want; supposedly the thing has a DSP in it). They're honestly good performers for what they are - you can do a lot worse for similar money, and while there are some "better" options, none that can match the isolation/ANC performance, and especially none that can do it in a ~200g package.

 

[MalinYamato]

T60rp Fostex Argons --- are pillows for my ears

 

[TWerk]

I vote HD600 - super comfortable.

Sivga SV021 has some of the most amazing earpads ever though. Literal Marshmellows.

 

[bauce]

MDR-Z1R is extremely comfortable even for a big dome like mine

 

[peterinvan]

Meze 109 Pro.

 

[dougms3]

Anything Sony.

 

[Nicsten]

HD 6XX is very comfortible AFTER a few days of use. The clamping pressure was way to high for me in the first week or so.

 

[DenverW]

For comfort, the greats: beyerdynamic amiron home, meze 109, akg 702, hd800, DCA aeons.

Honourable mention: sennheiser hd6 line - very light but can over clamp. Improves over time.

Headphones I avoid for comfort: old audeze models. - heavy. From my understanding new frames and weight distribution has helped these but I haven’t tried them.

Grado - arrrgh what is this touching my ears?!? Brillo? Others may like them, but I sure don’t.

 

[MalinYamato]

Meze 109 Pro.

I had a listenihg session with this one at an audio store in Stockholm and yes, those are the only Mezes I like... very good.

 

[ubs28]

Sennheiser HD800/HD800S.