Prone to Migraines, need a light headphone.

[Nettiebelle]

Hey there, I'm looking for a light headphone with good sound quality. Over all the headphones I've owned the three brands that stood out for me were Koss, Plantronics, and Creative Labs.
 

1. Koss stood out to me because I had a super cheap pair of their headphones and I couldn't believe how loud they were. I love loud. 
   
    
2. Plantronics: their general sound quality I've experienced was nice. Both their gaming and telephone work-related sets.
3. One time I had some small Creative Labs headphones and I was very pleased with how loud and great they sounded.

 
Here's the problem. As I've gotten older, I've started having trouble with migraines. One thing that seems to generate them is heavy pressure on my head. It's weird that the loud noise doesn't give me a headache. It's just the pressure on my head.  I realized after using the Plantronics Gamecom 367, that these tighter headphones starting causing migraines within 20 minutes of using them. Like a dummy, I bought the Logitech G930's, which not only sounded atrocious, but they also gave me pain after a short time of use. They are just too damn heavy!
 
For gaming I use the Logitech 120 (behind the neck style). I use that for talking on TS and such. But sometimes I just really want to hear some bass and good sound quality. I'm not talking epic sound, but something better than these at least. lol
 
I need a VERY light pair of headphones that offer decent sound. I prefer something that goes VERY loud. Want some bass. I want it to sound ok when it's very loud (no tinny/screechy/ear-raping bass mess). I want something over the ear. But it just really needs to be very light and comfy. I can't wear ear buds.
 
These look comfortable and light, but are they bad?
 
TL;DR
 
Need super light, comfortable headphone, heavy gives me migraines. The LIGHTER the BETTER. 
Budget $50 but prefer lower.
Don't have to be super epic, but want them to go REALLY loud and still have sound clarity. 
I REALLY hate headphones that you turn up full blast and they still sound way too quiet. 
My ears are smallish, no big manly ears here!
 
Sidenote:  WHY did the G930's suck so much!? My gosh did anyone else find out how bad those were? Crackling issues, distorted bass at high levels. My goodness I regret buying those.
 
Thank you so much for reading. Help me get rockin -> 

 

[Nettiebelle]

Hmm are we allowed to bump threads? Hope so. If not, my apologies. 

 

[billybob_jcv]

Have you considered avoiding the clamping force altogether and going with IEMs?

As a test, try the MEElectronics M6

 

[sattech]

Hi nettiebelle,
 
I probably know more about headaches than headphones, unfortunately.
For 3 years, I ran forum admin and Mods positions on one particularly nasty headache condition, which I have had for over 35 years. For me also Headphones can be an issue, but in my case, concentration on exact posture, headphone design and yes, weight can all be factors that can make a difference between a positive listening experience and unwelcome head pain.
In ear is not an option for me either.
 
Just a couple of thoughts on it...
 
First, let me say, the machanisms behind headache, and the drugs used to treat them, are not well understood.
We don't know very much about how headache begin, why, or what to do to fix them.
We don't even yet know how general anesthetic works, but we have well over 50 years of experience using it.
We do have empirical and anecdotal evidence from clinical trials and medical journals, some offering up theories on posture, especially in headches of neck origin.
 
Perhaps where the pressure of headphones is applied is critical, more so than weight.
The brain itself cannot feel pain (This explains why so many people with horrific brain injurires report no pain). However, if pressing on a nerve, on the outside of your skull, emergence of Migraine-like pain is entirely consistent with many repeated study findings. The old theories of Vascular headache have been debunked, Headache pain is thought to be asociated with extra-cranial, or supra-orbital nerves (those nerve structures outside of the skull).
 
C1 and C2 vertebra in your upper neck have between them, nerves that link up onto the back of your neck (Greater Occipital nerve) and then travel on, eventually to cranial nerves, and Trigeminal nerves - the 3 branched (tri-) nerve that run across each side of the face, along the jaw line, the face/cheek area and into the temporal area.
Some practitioners can ilicit migraine-like headache pain, simply by manipulating nerves and tissue around C1 and C2 vertebra in the neck. There are studies that show some headaches of neck origin (Cervicogenic headache) may be related to C1-C2 posture and nerve impingement.
 
Posture due to headphone positioning, or even reading, or neck/head position in relation to visual monitors and/or one's body compensating for perceived headphone weight or discomfort, may illicit such pain in some individuals.
I'm not saying poor posture, perhaps suggesting posture awareness, leading to possible change in posture and maybe headache relief.
 
There are a lot of variables and I'm not a Doctor, this is not medical advice.
I certainly would not suggest that anyone take medical advice offered on the internet.
Please consult a qualified medical practitioner for advice, if this is a newly emerged and as yet, undiagnosed headache condition. New headache presentations should always be investigated by a professional.
 
Food for thought for all HP users, one would think.
It is a problem I am yet to rectify and one of the reasons I am here, reading, searching and looking for a specific kind of headphone that will suit my head and neck and still sound like I need them to. The topic is not new, I believe there are many ergonomic designs out there that will avoid causing pain, I just need to find the right one for me.
But posture and compensating behaviour are something I have to be vigilant with, especially when wearing headphones, recording guitar as I am playing it and still remaining in the right spot for the Microphones!
 
Cheers.

 

[Nettiebelle]

Have you considered avoiding the clamping force altogether and going with IEMs?

As a test, try the MEElectronics M6

Oh wow I just looked up what IEM's are. Very interesting, thank you so much for this suggestion I will give these a try. 

  Hi nettiebelle,
 
I probably know more about headaches than headphones, unfortunately.
For 3 years, I ran forum admin and Mods positions on one particularly nasty headache condition, which I have had for over 35 years. For me also Headphones can be an issue, but in my case, concentration on exact posture, headphone design and yes, weight can all be factors that can make a difference between a positive listening experience and unwelcome head pain.
In ear is not an option for me either.
 
Just a couple of thoughts on it...
 
First, let me say, the machanisms behind headache, and the drugs used to treat them, are not well understood.
We don't know very much about how headache begin, why, or what to do to fix them.
We don't even yet know how general anesthetic works, but we have well over 50 years of experience using it.
We do have empirical and anecdotal evidence from clinical trials and medical journals, some offering up theories on posture, especially in headches of neck origin.
 
Perhaps where the pressure of headphones is applied is critical, more so than weight.
The brain itself cannot feel pain (This explains why so many people with horrific brain injurires report no pain). However, if pressing on a nerve, on the outside of your skull, emergence of Migraine-like pain is entirely consistent with many repeated study findings. The old theories of Vascular headache have been debunked, Headache pain is thought to be asociated with extra-cranial, or supra-orbital nerves (those nerve structures outside of the skull).
 
C1 and C2 vertebra in your upper neck have between them, nerves that link up onto the back of your neck (Greater Occipital nerve) and then travel on, eventually to cranial nerves, and Trigeminal nerves - the 3 branched (tri-) nerve that run across each side of the face, along the jaw line, the face/cheek area and into the temporal area.
Some practitioners can ilicit migraine-like headache pain, simply by manipulating nerves and tissue around C1 and C2 vertebra in the neck. There are studies that show some headaches of neck origin (Cervicogenic headache) may be related to C1-C2 posture and nerve impingement.
 
Posture due to headphone positioning, or even reading, or neck/head position in relation to visual monitors and/or one's body compensating for perceived headphone weight or discomfort, may illicit such pain in some individuals.
I'm not saying poor posture, perhaps suggesting posture awareness, leading to possible change in posture and maybe headache relief.
 
There are a lot of variables and I'm not a Doctor, this is not medical advice.
I certainly would not suggest that anyone take medical advice offered on the internet.
Please consult a qualified medical practitioner for advice, if this is a newly emerged and as yet, undiagnosed headache condition. New headache presentations should always be investigated by a professional.
 
Food for thought for all HP users, one would think.
It is a problem I am yet to rectify and one of the reasons I am here, reading, searching and looking for a specific kind of headphone that will suit my head and neck and still sound like I need them to. The topic is not new, I believe there are many ergonomic designs out there that will avoid causing pain, I just need to find the right one for me.
But posture and compensating behaviour are something I have to be vigilant with, especially when wearing headphones, recording guitar as I am playing it and still remaining in the right spot for the Microphones!
 
Cheers.

My goodness you certainly spent a lot of time replying to me. Thank you so much for the thoughts on posture and such. I would see a doctor but I don't have insurance and am quite poor. It's just something I deal with. I've learned that pressure on my head is definitely a culprit. I guess I never thought about actual posture though. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me about it. I've decided to try those IEM headphones. Pretty dang neat. 

 

[billybob_jcv]

Yes, sorry about that, IEMs = "In Ear Monitors", which basically means any earphone that has a foam, rubber or silicon tip that is inserted into your ear canal. You can spend the next week reading about them here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/478568/multi-iem-review-330-iems-compared-rock-jaw-alfa-genus-added-12-25-14-p-1021

 

[sattech]

Thanks nettiebelle, for the kind words.
Helping out folks with headache was something I did for a long time but eventually gave it away.
Apologies for the medical essay...
I guess old habits are hard to break, at the risk of being off the topic of headphones...
 
Thanks Billbob_jcv! I avoided this line of inquiriy, as some kind of bud phones, you'll have to excuse my newbie-ness there...when I saw "In ear" I assumed...
When the OP said "I can't wear buds", I failed to check your link, but I see, IEMs...hmmm... I see said week of my time disappearing!
Thanks for the tip billybob!
 
Cheers.

 

[tumtuter]

  Need super light, comfortable headphone, heavy gives me migraines. The LIGHTER the BETTER. 
Budget $50 but prefer lower.
Don't have to be super epic, but want them to go REALLY loud and still have sound clarity. 
I REALLY hate headphones that you turn up full blast and they still sound way too quiet. 
My ears are smallish, no big manly ears here!

I thought I had the same problem as you described, so I bought a really light headphone, the Sennheiser HD 201 (160 grams) but after a normal MP3 track 3-4mins I could feel my head was not right and a migraine would follow if I continued using them. I'm pretty sure it is the flat-ish headband that does not distribute the weight well.
 
Recently got the AKG K7XX which weigh (290 grams, nearly double the weight) and can wear it all day long as it's headband suspension distributes the weight evenly.
 
Not sure if like me using IEM's tend to get waxy ears lol.
 
Anyway one really good comfort fitting HP I've tried was the Bose Soundtrue (around ears). If you can try one in store, I'm sure you will like it. Very lightweight (140 grams) and has a excellent headband which does distribute the weight evenly. It is intended as a portable HP, but you could use it as a full size headphone, your ears should fit fully within the ear cups too. You can thank me later!

 

[Nettiebelle]

I've been looking at the IEM thingies, and after thinking about it, I just really don't want ear buds. Of course those Bose Soundtrue's look awesome, but they are just too darn expensive for me. I'll probably just end up buying some cheap JVC's.

 

[sattech]

 "can wear it all day long as it's headband suspension distributes the weight evenly."  

 
If the weight is distributed well, by an ergonomic design, there's a good way to avoid pain.
This seems to be key to avoid pressing on some nerve structures implicated in some headache types.
Re: IEMs, sounds like me too, I hate sticking bud-like headphones in my ears, always have.
 
A few times I wore a pair of Sennheiser HD250 Linear II cans that a friend owned in the late 80s, they were great, barely noticable on my head.
No listener fatigue, from either the sound, or the design for me.
Wish I could find a functioning pair of them, I need a closed back HP for recording, that does not clamp on my head, or go into my ears.
Happy hunting and happy listening!
 
Cheers.

 

[tumtuter]

  I'll probably just end up buying some cheap JVC's.

Sorry I forgot about your budget.
 
Edit. Take a look at the Superlux HD668B $51.99 it's the 11th best rated HP here on headfi.

 

[Timotheos]

Is it true that cannabis can help you handling with migraine? I have been reading some articles regarding about this so i would know how can i handle with my sever migraine. All i know is that marijuana can give you a chill and relaxing vibe like this one from https://www.bonzaseeds.com/blogs/strain-reviews/vortex .. Is there anyone here that can give me any idea about this? Any advice would be appreciated