[Jodet]

I don't post much here, but generalizing Oppo PM-1 as extremely comfortable gets my blood boiling. Tiny mushy ear cushions, narrow headband, as bad as bumpy K701, for the weight of the headphones. From headphones I had the honor to listen on multiple time the most comfortable #1 Stax SR 009, HD800, Fostex TH 900, HD 650. Even Edition8 feels better on my head then PM-1.
One that I have no chance of trying and could top 009 in comfort is edition5 with its big ear pads and light weight.

 
PM-1's?  Not comfortable for me at all.   The earpads sat directly ON my ears which was not good.   The HD800's are the gold standard for comfort, in my experience. 

 

[marcoarment]

The HD 800's earpads are very comfortable, but they don't feel like their price to me — it's hard to put into words, but they're almost a bit scratchy, and they lack suppleness. Many other high-end leather and velour pads feel much nicer. Again, the HD 800 is still very comfortable, but while it's my best-sounding set, it's not my most comfortable. (As usual, Sennheiser can't quite match build quality, materials, and comfort to the caliber of their sound.)
 
I'd even say the TH900 is more comfortable than the HD 800, although it's a close call, and the TH900's closed/leather combo does eventually cause sweating.
 
(My most comfortable would be a tie between the Beyerdynamic T90 and DT-880, but while the T90 does sound almost like the HD 800, it's not quite in the same class. The T1 is tonally closer, but isn't quite as comfortable as the T90/DT-880.)

 

[whirlwind]

I just got my HD800 yesterday, and it was used....I have been wearing it non stop and find it very comfortable...a tad heavy at first...but I don't even feel it now.
 
They are just incredible, sonically too.

 

[Jodet]

  I just got my hD800 yesterday, and it was used....I have been wearing it non stop and find it very comfortable...a tad heavy at first...but I don't even feel it now.
 
They are just incredible, sonically too.

 
 
In the past 30 years I've had two pieces of gear that took literally years to really appreciate.   My Quad 57's and the HD800's.  

 

[Theogenes]

I don't post much here, but generalizing Oppo PM-1 as extremely comfortable gets my blood boiling. Tiny mushy ear cushions, narrow headband, as bad as bumpy K701, for the weight of the headphones. From headphones I had the honor to listen on multiple time the most comfortable #1 Stax SR 009, HD800, Fostex TH 900, HD 650. Even Edition8 feels better on my head then PM-1.
One that I have no chance of trying and could top 009 in comfort is edition5 with its big ear pads and light weight.

 
Wow, hate to hear you had such a bad experience with it. I only got to listen to it for a limited time, but I found it to be pretty comfortable as well. Maybe there was something to phrenology after all

 

[kokushu]

I really want to try the dt 880.  I alway heard its was really comfortable.  Don't know if the 32 ohm and 250 ohm worth trying or the 600 ohm is the one must get.  I hope it doesn't overheat my ear compare to the th 900 and lcd 2.  It look like its cool get very warm with the dt 880 on.  

 

[marcoarment]

  I really want to try the dt 880.  I alway heard its was really comfortable.  Don't know if the 32 ohm and 250 ohm worth trying or the 600 ohm is the one must get.  I hope it doesn't overheat my ear compare to the th 900 and lcd 2.  It look like its cool get very warm with the dt 880 on.  

 
DT-880 is very, very hard to beat for comfort. I haven't found anything more comfortable overall — not even the HD 800. Even Beyerdynamic's newer T line, which is very similarly built to the DT-880 (the T90 is effectively the DT-880's sequel and is very good), uses slightly stiffer pads and slightly scratchier velour that are extremely comfortable but not quite as comfortable as the DT-880.
 
There's not much reason to go 600 ohm on the DT-880 unless you have a very noisy (tube?) amp. The 250 ohm is the most common, the original (I think), and generally the best choice unless you need it to be driven by portables, in which case you should probably go 32.
 
FWIW, the T90 is extremely easy to drive to loud volumes from portables. It behaves closer to a 32 ohm set than you'd expect from its official 250 ohm rating. The 250-ohm DT-880 definitely does not share that characteristic. (I have both.)

 

[kurochin]

From the flagships I've owned, in terms of comfort;
Senn HD800 > Fostex TH-900 > Bayer T1 >>>>>>>>>>> Anything by Audeze
 
If your problem is heat build-up under the pads, then I'm afraid no headphone will be completely comfortable, especially in warm/humid climates. In that case, a CIEM might be better. I sometimes completely forget I'm wearing my FitEar 335 until I move a bit and get some pull from the cable. Heat isn't an issue with those, plus the sound quality is pretty high on most flagship CIEMs these days, provided you get a good fit.

 

[marcoarment]

Oh, forgot to address this part:
 
Quote:

  If your problem is heat build-up under the pads, then I'm afraid no headphone will be completely comfortable, especially in warm/humid climates.

 
It's a matter of degree. Certainly, the leather or leather-like pads on most good full-sized headphones will cause sweat over time. But velour-padded, open-backed models like the DT-880 do significantly and noticeably reduce it (at the expense of isolation, of course). In all but the hottest and most humid environments, a velour-padded open headphone is probably fine.
 
For isolation and as little sweatiness as possible, yeah, IEMs are probably the only good solution.

 

[kurochin]

  It's a matter of degree. Certainly, the leather or leather-like pads on most good full-sized headphones will cause sweat over time. But velour-padded, open-backed models like the DT-880 do significantly and noticeably reduce it (at the expense of isolation, of course). In all but the hottest and most humid environments, a velour-padded open headphone is probably fine.

 
I agree that's it's a relative thing. But the OP stated in his second post that he already finds the HD800 (which also uses velour cushion type material) borderline in terms of heat buildup. Is the DT-880 much better in that regard?
 
Btw, you the same Marco Arment that made that Instasomething iOS app?

 

[marcoarment]

   
I agree that's it's a relative thing. But the OP stated in his second post that he already finds the HD800 (which also uses velour cushion type material) borderline in terms of heat buildup. Is the DT-880 much better in that regard?
 
Btw, you the same Marco Arment that made that Instasomething iOS app?

 
Good point, and yes, that's me (Instapaper). I suppose it's not a very common name.

 

[Byrnie]

The HD 800's earpads are very comfortable, but they don't feel like their price to me — it's hard to put into words, but they're almost a bit scratchy, and they lack suppleness. Many other high-end leather and velour pads feel much nicer. Again, the HD 800 is still very comfortable, but while it's my best-sounding set, it's not my most comfortable. (As usual, Sennheiser can't quite match build quality, materials, and comfort to the caliber of their sound.)
 
I'd even say the TH900 is more comfortable than the HD 800, although it's a close call, and the TH900's closed/leather combo does eventually cause sweating.
 
(My most comfortable would be a tie between the Beyerdynamic T90 and DT-880, but while the T90 does sound almost like the HD 800, it's not quite in the same class. The T1 is tonally closer, but isn't quite as comfortable as the T90/DT-880.)

I totally agree with this.  I'm assuming you're referring to the DT880 Premium and not the DT880Pro version (the later has a stronger clamping force)?
 
TH-900 is my vote for the most comfortable high end headphone.  I actually found the HD700 to be more comfy than the HD800.

 

[Claritas]

HD800 just disappears on my head. TH900 is very comfortable but not "invisible."

Similarly, I can wear my UERM customs for just as long with no ill effects. I regularly use them while driving long distances to block road noise and keep music volume down and music quality as high as can be expected under such conditions. I've become so used to doing this that now if I forget to bring them on a trip of even an hour, I'll have a headache from the road noise by the time I get to my destination.

I've worn earplugs everywhere for seven years or so but I'm concerned about being distracted in the car, given how people drive here. Even so I'm thinking of experimenting with Ety-plug attenuators when there's less traffic or maybe playing noise on low volume.

 

[AppleheadMay]

I never found the HD-800 comfortable I must say, those cups are so big the phones easily start to slide or at least feel like they're going to slide all the time.
TH-900 is very comfortable for me, but the L3000 beats it.
I never felt the urge to bend the headband on any of the ATs and they always felt superlight to me, a bit like Stax did.
The most comfortable phone for me is the D7100. Not considered high-end anymore though it initially sold at a high-end price here in Europe.
The worst was the Audeze torture device I had closely followed by Grado.

 

[BournePerfect]

HD800, TH900, T1. Otoh, and the K70x headband bumps are the worst, most painful thing I've experienced in this hobby.

-Daniel