[MonarchX]

My Sennheiser HD-280 Pro headphones are great, but no matter what I do - they clamp my head too tight and I get headaches within 10-15 minutes of their use. I am very sensitive to head clamping - more sensitive than an average person. AFAIK there is no way to stretch them permanently. I kept them stretched for 3 months now, but they still clamp once I put them on my head. Is there a way to fix the clamping? Maybe I could heat up the middle of the part that bends with a heat-gun, and then stretch them out, so plastic solidifies in a new, relaxed position, and stays that way..? Otherwise I will be selling them somewhere at some point and looking for better ones. I would like similar or better sound quality - please see requirements below:
- Must be very gentle, soft, and easy on the head. There should be no clamping, with cups just touching my head with something real soft.
- Must produce relatively high quality sound for its price, equivalent to HD-280 Pro's or better.
- Must be rated @ at least 80ohms, but higher ohms are preferred due to one of my sound cards being rated @ 10ohms and another @ 20 (or 35) ohms. I want optimal 1:8+ ohm soundcard to headphone ratio.
- Can be either closed or opened - doesn't matter, but closed is preferred.
- Must be "monitoring" or simply be without enhanced bass or any other sound enhancement. I want to hear sound close to the way it was recorded.
- Must be $200 or less and available in USA, UNLESS there are no headphones for such a price that can offer that very gentle, soft, and easy on the head experience, in which case I would be happy if you listed more expensive headphones because gentle and soft experience is priority for me this time around.
 
Please help me out on this one. I am NOT an audiophile, but I must say HD-280 Pro's sounded better than any cheap headphones I used in the past and the difference was obvious. This time I want similar or better quality but with super-good comfort to spare myself of headaches.
 
Thank you!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Why do they have to be 64-Ohms and not 32-Ohms?
I was going to recommend the 40-Ohm Audio Technica ATH-AD900X open headphones.
My 40-Ohm Audio Technicas sounded fine plugged into a Xonar DGX and SB-Z
 
Hopefully you disable the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS, when you installed the Xonar DGX.

 

[MonarchX]

Because of 1:8 ratio. My soundcard is @ 10ohms, which means headphones must be rated @ 80ohms or above. Otherwise there will be quality loss.
 
It is hard for me to believe that there aren't any other headphones costing less $200 that would fit my criteria! I guess none of them are very easy and soft on the head clamping?

 

[DaveK1977]

Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro.  I've never felt anything so comfortable, and the 250 ohms is high enough.  People talk about it being biased, but its tonal balance is only biased by audiophile standards-it ain't Beats.  If you prefer closed, the 770 is similar and closed.  The 880 is semi-closed, but doesn't meet your price point.  All have grey velour pads that are soft like an indoor cat and they don't squeeze your head, either.

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

Well you asked for neutral so I recommend the DT990s when the DT 880s are the more neutral headphone. The DT 880s are probably the lightest and most comfortable headphone I've ever used. The 250 ohms version will work fine with your sound card.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Because of 1:8 ratio. My sound card is @ 10ohms, which means headphones must be rated @ 80ohms or above. Otherwise there will be quality loss.
 
It is hard for me to believe that there aren't any other headphones costing less $200 that would fit my criteria! I guess none of them are very easy and soft on the head clamping?

 
All that might happen is a small increase in bass loudness, if even noticeable.
I've used several headphones in the 32-Ohm to 50-Ohm range on DG/DGX sound cards, they sounded fine.
You could get a FiiO E11K headphone amplifier ($60), it has an output impedance of less then 1-Ohm, plug it into the DGX
and you can then get headphones from 12-Ohm to 300-Ohm range and no impedance issue
 
 
Guess there is the AKG K612 Pro 120-Ohm headphones.
Amazon has them used for $130
new on eBay, $160