This seems like a good place to ask

mhardy6647
mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
edited November 2015 in Headphones
My son is looking for a comfortable pair of over-the-ear headphones that sound good and are comfortable. He has a fairly big head and also wears glasses with rather thick earpieces.

He's home for Thanksgiving and we did some experiments with the motley collection of headphones here. He quite liked the fit of the "friends and family" Polks I have (EDIT: Just looked, they're the "UltraFocus" models) but preferred the sound, and the fit, of my very vintage Yamaha HP-1s. These date to ca. 1977 and are kind of physically showing their age at this late date (i.e, not that physically robust).

So -- any recommendations/suggestions for a comfortable, good sounding and reasonably priced pair of headphones for a biggish headed fellow? :- )


22681293574_0beebe8ce1_b.jpgDSC_5143 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

Comments

  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    well I not sure how much $$ is reasonably priced, but the Sennheiser HD598 I give as a good choice as it expands easly for bigger heads and is super comfortable and sounds excellent until I heard the HD650's

    http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-598-Over-Ear-Headphones/dp/B0042A8CW2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448585440&sr=8-1&keywords=sennheiser+hd+598+case
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

    HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    I quite like Sennheisers; the only pair around here are pretty cheap ones (HD497s, which in fact he's listening to as I type this) -- I think they're very light and comfortable (my head is likewise not so small, tho' my glasses' frames are less chunky) but he finds them somewhat squeezy.

    BTW, his current pair of headphones is a pair of (don't laugh) Koss Pro 4AAT. Head-vises of the Uncle Fester kind :-P

    I will look at prices for the HD598 since my thoughts are, predictably, Christmas-present-related.

    A priori, though, I am thinking sub-$200 would be nice; sub-$150 would be even better ;-)

    Thanks.
  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    There are many Polkies who use the 598's I still use mine but not as much as I do the 650's. Look around for best prices especially this time of year.
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

    HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,042
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited November 2015
    Nightfall wrote: »

    He has the most experience in this area so I would defer to him. I also have a decent sized head and as far as comfort, Sennheiser HD600s (a bit above the price range) and AKG cans can do a big head with not a lot of clamping force. Beyerdynamics also don't clamp a lot.

    The question is, what kind of sound signature do those ancient Yamahas have? I haven't the faintest! 600 and above Senns are fairly neutral to bright excepting the 650s. The lower series are "warmer" phones to me!

    AKGs are fairly neutral, good detail up high, but more bass in the following models. Closed back or open? 55x series closed, Q701s open (could find either on discount if they're still available).

    Beyer DT-880s somewhere between the AKGs and the Senn HD-600s.

    Should wait for Assimilatedl, though. He's heard almost everything. And there are a lot of new cans out, now!

    Bought my son a pair of Beats Solo 2.0 last year for X-mas, wanted a pair to use with his iphone at work? The new Beats are actually passable, but then again, he has no real ear for music. I've never heard him sing in tune, but, somehow he's still good at math? (His head is NOT as big!) lol
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
  • MrBuhl
    MrBuhl Posts: 2,419
    +3 on the 598's - great sounding and super comfy. Alternatively, I picked up a pair of these Sennheiser Momentums for my wife and they are shockingly good sounding as well with a little different look... I got the on-ear as a gift for my wife, but they also make the over-ear and are within your $$ constraints.

    http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Momentum-Headphone-Brown/dp/B009QV15DU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1448629183&sr=1-1&keywords=sennheiser+momentum+over+ear+headphones
    VA HT HK AVR20II, Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD, Polk Audio RC80i / Polk Audio CSi3, 60" Panasonic Plasma, Nordost / Signal Cable A2 / Wireworld / Pangea / Magic Power
    VA 2 Channel Focal Electra 926 speakers, Pass Labs X150.5 Amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp (Tutay mods), Eastern Electric Minimax CDP (Scott Nixon mods), Music Hall mmf 5.1 Turntable, Parks Audio Budgie Phono Pre , Audioengine B1 streamer, MIT S3 IC's / MIT Shotgun S3 Speaker Cables / PS Audio power cables
    Noggin Schiit Valhalla, Pangea, Phillips Fidelio X1, Polk UF8000

    Polk SDA1c modded
    Polk CRS+ 4.1TL modded (need veneer)
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    A/L 1000VA Dreadnought Canare 4s11 SDA cable
    SACD Marantz DV8300
    Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD
    Yamaha YP-D6
    Soundcraftsmen PCR800
    Audible Illusions L1 Preamp
    Vincent MFA based Cocci Tube Preamp
    Pho-700 Phono Pre
    Signal Cable Silver Resolution IC's






  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    edited November 2015
    If he wants closed headphones I'd suggest the beyer DT-770s. I have a somewhat large head, wear glasses and can easily have these on for 8+ hours w no fatigue, ear sweat or pain from too much clamp force in my head.

    I've used the with about 7 different headphone amps and at ALL volumes never felt like they were getting painful to listen to.

    Are they the most accurate out there? Hell no, but music sounds fun through them as they have your normal V shaped sound signature.

    Open back options are out of my league.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    You know, I never think about Beyer headphones -- don't know why, though.

    Thanks for the suggestions/info so far!
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    You know, I never think about Beyer headphones -- don't know why, though.

    Thanks for the suggestions/info so far!

    No problem. I should mention I know a guy who is THE MAN at a large syndicated radio station and also worked with the announcers at NFL games, and the professional announcers used the DT770's due to their comfort level.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • vcwatkins
    vcwatkins Posts: 1,993
    Amazon Deal on 598's $95
    Love my HD600, but this looks hard to beat.
    Beach Audio: Rega RP6 (mods) - AT33PTG/II - Parks Budgie SUT - PSAudio NPC * Eversolo DMP-A6 * Schiit Yggy * Joule-Electra LA-100 mkIII * Pass Aleph 30 * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 2.3tl (mods) * PSAudio PPP3
    Beach Study: Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra & Pre Box S2 * Pass ACA * DH Labs SS Q10 * Brines Folded ML-TQWT RS 40-1354 * PSA Dectet
    Beach Master: WiiM Pro * Dayens Menuetto * Zu Libtec * Dynaudio Audience 50
    Beach Den: Bluesound Powernode 2i * DH Labs SS Q10 * Zu Omen DWII * Richard Gray RGPC
    Town Study: WiiM Pro * Chord Qute (Pardo) * Elekit TU-8600 * MIT S3 * Revel M22 * Beyer DT-990 * Shunyata Hydra 2
    Town Den: Music Hall mm5.1se - Denon DL-103r - Jolida JD9ii (mods) * WiiM Pro * Cary xCiter * Rogue 99 Magnum * Schiit Aegir * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 1.2tl (mods) * Dectet * Bottlehead Crack - Senn 600
    Town Porch: WiiM Pro Plus * Sunfire Sig II * Canare 4S11 * Magnepan 1.6 * Dectet
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    I -- ahem -- pulled the metaphorical trigger on a pair of HD598s at that price.
    I figure even if my son doesn't like them for comfort, Amazon is said to have excellent customer service (or, heck, maybe I'll just adopt them myself).
  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    vcwatkins wrote: »
    Amazon Deal on 598's $95
    Love my HD600, but this looks hard to beat.

    WOW! that was $199 yesterday! better grab them soon.
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

    HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
  • Jaybeez
    Jaybeez Posts: 737
    The 598's are nice and today's deal on Amazon is terrific.
    I've owned several pair of Sennheiser HD280s and they are very good as well.
    My son keeps stealing my Sony MD 7506's which are quite nice and very light, and perfect for his marathon Organic Chem study sessions. They are a bit more delicate, with exposed wires which may not hold up with heavy use.
    The 770's mentioned above are excellent phones, and I see them and the 880's on deal on Amazon fairly often.
  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    598s at that price! A no-brainer! They should do the job.
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
  • RamZet
    RamZet Posts: 792
    Look no further, Bose AE2 ( they were called Tri-Ports for a decade).
    Best part too is that PC Richard, BestBuy, BJs, Bose and Costco will have them in store.

    http://www.amazon.com/Bose-Around-Ear-Audio-Headphones-Black/dp/B00478O0JI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450980622&sr=8-1&keywords=bose+ae2

    $99 bucks, super light, feel good to have on, and sound great.
    They also have a Bluetooth version of these, I have them as well.
    B&W CM9Classé Sigma
  • RamZet
    RamZet Posts: 792
    edited December 2015
    the Sennheiser Momentum Headphones are nice too if you're will to spend more.
    B&W CM9Classé Sigma