[simorag]

Best headphones for classical is a tough nut to crack. Subjective issues apart, the conundrum lies in that classical includes wildly varying sub-genres. The best headphones for e.g. solo violin or a string quartet may not be ideal for, say, large romantic works (symphonic or opera) or organ ... and then there is piano which is a world on its own.

Moreover, there is the big question mark about what one values the most about classical music reproduction. Is it timbre accuracy? Instrument separation, layering and detail? Scale / dynamics?

Of the heapdhones I owned or tried at decent length, the AB-1266 excels at presenting a large, highly theatrical, sonic image, rendering sub-bass content and explosive dynamics. The SR1a are wonderfully open, have a nearly studio-neutral timbre and are great at separation and detail retrieval. The Susvara likely convey the most evenly good performance across the board, and provides perhaps the most balanced (detail vs. body) midrange.
Stax are very seductive because of the sense of air around the instruments and that golden sizzle they project around the midrange.
The Warwick Aperio was a phenomenal listen, resolving a level / amount of information far beyond live concert attendance.
The Valkyria - my daily driver - strengths are about midrange density, tone weight and punch. They excel at several things - for my tastes - and deliver the most lifelike piano reproduction I have experienced over headphones.

So I second the recommendation of trying before buying, and offer the option (cost being no object) of building a stable of multiple headphones for the various classical musical materials.

 

[bagwell359]

Classical is a wide topic. Is it detail, timbre, what moves you? What do you focus on?

Also, if you don't listen first, and are not happy...

For timbre and detail, estats to me out do planars, and all technologies - with possible exception of ribbons. Love ribbons (tweeters) and if I could have a #2 to the Voce a Raal is it, but the bass hasn't near the impact of the best planars, and no matter what is not convincing.

DCA Voce $3300, Blue Hawaii Amp $7k (used amps for estats that have enough juice for the Voce? $4k+. DAC? Put the amp and cans together first, then listen. Voce have bass like the Phi? Nooooo. The latest Stax 9000 is supposed to be epic, but never heard a top Stax that didn't have a emphasis on the treble that isn't on the recording.

If you are set on planars - the LCD-5, ZMF Caldera, and D8000 should be checked out, along with the HEK v2 and v3.

 

[Spawn300Z]

Classical is a wide topic. Is it detail, timbre, what moves you? What do you focus on?

Also, if you don't listen first, and are not happy...

For timbre and detail, estats to me out do planars, and all technologies - with possible exception of ribbons. Love ribbons (tweeters) and if I could have a #2 to the Voce a Raal is it, but the bass hasn't near the impact of the best planars, and no matter what is not convincing.

DCA Voce $3300, Blue Hawaii Amp $7k (used amps for estats that have enough juice for the Voce? $4k+. DAC? Put the amp and cans together first, then listen. Voce have bass like the Phi? Nooooo. The latest Stax 9000 is supposed to be epic, but never heard a top Stax that didn't have a emphasis on the treble that isn't on the recording.

If you are set on planars - the LCD-5, ZMF Caldera, and D8000 should be checked out, along with the HEK v2 and v3.

You need to listen to the Raal CA-1A. It’s a phenomenal headphone for classical music.

 

[bagwell359]

You need to listen to the Raal CA-1A. It’s a phenomenal headphone for classical music.

I did finally, it is great, #2 to the Voce in my experience.

 

[Luke Skywalker]

I ended up picking up the Bravura based on your recommendations, and I'm pretty astounded by them. It's tempting to get the Raal CA-1A too, but I may opt to build a Susvara system instead.

 

[Roccosdad]

Hoping to revive this thread as a classical listener….

I’ll echo what others have said about the Hifiman HE1000SE being excellent, particularly for strings and orchestral. Nice treble extension, detail is fantastic, instrument separation and soundstage are TOTL. Relatively easy to drive for a big planar and also amp agnostic, which helps control price (opposite of susvara). Also comfortable for long periods especially if you get the ZMF replacement pads, which just expanded the stage and made them my most comfortable headphones. Get the ZMF pads!!

I have Bravura and it sounds exceptional obviously, but the cable is super irritating and the comfort is just okay imo. I dont go out of my way to recommend these for 6K because I find them annoying to wear.

One that hasn’t specifically been mentioned is Stax L-700mk2. Topping now makes a $400 energizer (EHA5) that looks cool and sounds great and lowers the threshold of admission to the EStat world. Multiple sellers from Japan selling the L700mk2’s new on eBay for $1100. So this combo is spectacular value for $1500. As good or better than Bravura for classical if you are looking for detail and instrument separation, and more comfortable, at a 1/4 of the price. Bravura is more probably more versatile and capable across other genres but the L700 is so fun.

For dynamics I have ZMF Atrium and Bokeh and they are okay for classical, particularly when I want it to fade to the background while doing something else. Definitely not as engaging but sometimes that’s a good thing. I used to have the OG Focal Utopia and those were better for classical (and maybe everything else).

Also wanted to mention a great IEM for classical, the Elysian Annihilator (which I play off the Hiby R8ii DAP). The treble end is so special, FR kind of W shaped I think, and these are nearly matching the Stax and Bravura, probably because of the EStat drivers on the high end, just with less stage. UM MEST Mk1 is supposed to do interesting and weird things with soundstage and occasionally come up in the classified for 500 bucks. The MEST mk3 Thieaudio Monarch Mk3 are okay for classical, but wouldn’t be my first choice as a specialist.

If I were starting fresh Id recommend Stax L-700mk2 and Topping EHA5 for classical, that’s going to be some mind blowing detail for 1500 bucks.

…unfortunately I haven’t heard Raals yet. Soon!