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I spent a lot of time in Tokyo so had the opportunity to try out tons of headphones and related gear.

I strongly prefer open-backed, large, lightweight headphones for the following reasons:

1- Closed-backed headphones can provide more bass (sometimes way too much) and prevent some sound leakage to those around you but may sound more boxed in

2- Larger drivers may provide better fq response. Larger frames don't rest on your ears, which gets irritating and may become painful (e.g. on-ear headphones which drive me nuts)

3- Lightweight so you don't notice you are wearing headphones and can concentrate on playing or listening to music. Can enjoy for hours

I would not worry too much about impedance of the headphones; see comments below for guidance that's about as good as I have seen. As you have no impedance data, concrete recommendations are a bit haphazard. Some pro-style headphones (for studios) tend to require "better" amplifiers. For example, Beyerdynamic makes similar headphones with a variety of impedances (presumably to serve both pros and iPhone users). I would not buy an external amplifier and I would not buy Pro headphones that "require" an external amplifier.

Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, Sony, Audio-Technica, AKG all make very high-quality, good sounding headphones. There are other fine brands as well.

If you can try them that would be helpful as everyone hears differently. If you have a dealer nearby maybe he will let you take a few pairs home to try with your new piano.

Shame on you Dave! You should know that breaking-in is essential ...
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I own several pairs of headphones, and never found any need to break any in. And I haven't tried to break them either, because even the so-so ones have their uses (my pet gerbil uses an old pair).

But speakers are another matter. I've just bought a new pair, a superior model to my old ones. They haven't required breaking in, but I just remembered that with my old pair, the sound did improve over the course of the first week, after I left them on continuously at low volume, when I found that their initial sound was somewhat abrasive, nothing like what the demo pair sounded in the shop when I auditioned them.

So I decided to read the instructions (a week after I've been using them - one should always read the instructions seven days after things have been set up), and sure enough, the booklet that came with my new speakers made no mention of needing a break-in (whereas that for my old pair specifically advised doing so).

Does your gerbil use special-gerbil-headphones or regular open-back Sennheisers?
I'm planning on getting my gerbil a pair, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

The displacement of the cone, especially in a large woofer, stretches the fabric of the spider and flexes the cone surround material. They definitely need time to relax a bit and become more flexible. The tiny transducers in headphones have such small displacements that the effect is minimal.

I suspect that the more expensive speakers have already been broken in at the factory before they are packaged and sent to shops, which is why my new speakers sounded great straight out of their box.

My gerbil is very discerning - he turned up his nose at my expensive Sennheiser HD600.

He prefers my very old and tatty Sennheiser HD40, and spent a day happily chewing up its yellow foam. After which, he relaxed to the soothing sounds of Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik emanating from its now padless earpieces.

Of course, it could be that the foam gave him a nice fuzzy feeling in his stomach........

Breaking in of headphones is a very contentious subject. The link below is a discussion around this and goes on and on with links to a number of studies done supporting both sides of the argument. Any changes however most believe are minimal to non-existent and shouldn't influence your auditioning of a new pair of headphones. There are a lot of good options posted here for folks to consider.

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/breaking-in-headphones-the-final-verdict.599924

Sennnheiser HD650!!! Only a few dollars more, and they are INCREDIBLE!!!!

Or the HD600 if you really need to stay in that budget, they are similar.

They feel like you're wearing nothing, I often check to make sure my headphones are plugged in, because it seems like the music is coming from the room! And the CS-11 powers them nicely. They are fully rebuildable/repairable, and have nice lightweight chord.

I tried many - I didn't want to spend $315 for headphones, but I am SO glad I did!!!

I can't say enough about them - the soundstage: makes it feel like you are ON THE STAGE with musicians when listening to music. The clarity - allows you to hear stuff in the music you never noticed before. The HD600 is similar but with a little less soundstage - like you're listening to a pristine recording, as opposed to being on the stage.

I have the 'phones settings on the CS-11 to "Normal (width), "Open (type), and "Normal (volume). It is nice and clear, and spacious sound.

I'll pass on a personal story which surprised me once I gave this some thought.

For a very long time I used a set of Sony headphones. I paid around $120 25 years ago or so. I used them on an almost daily basis. I practiced with my them playing the GranTouch and later with my AvantGrand N3. I was very used to the sound of those headphones. Those headphones were my norm, my reference, if you will.

About five years ago I bought the Sennheiser HD 598. It took me a few days to become accustomed to the new sound of those headphones. I went back and tried my old trusty Sony headphones and was surprised just how thin they sounded. The piano didn't have much bass and overall the piano sounded a tad too bright (if my memory severs me well).

The Sony headphones had been my reference for 25 years and now they sounded different and not in a nice way to me (after having spent some time with the HD 598).

We become acclimated to a particular sound and that is our norm.

As to breaking in headphones, I'd love for the golden ears here to be part of a double blind test.

A few years ago I bought a pair of Etymotic HF-5s. Plugged them into my iPod. Eww, really raw and ugly. Then I remembered, hey I didn't burn these in like I usually do with headphones. Put them in a drawer with the iPod on, at normal level, then filled it with pillows. Two days later the HF-5s sound great.

Just saying...

Interesting thread.

I use the Audio-Technica-ATH-M50X and have been very happy with them. They have a nice tone.

I do now find myself intrigued to try the Sennheiser HD-650s though, having read this thread.

Fairly big price difference mind. So it's not exactly comparing like with like...

650s - £319 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD-650-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B00018MSNI

M50x - £120 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50X-Monitor-Professional-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86

I'll repeat myself but... I own HD-650, HD-595 and owned ATH-M50x and have compared them side by side on my Kawai. 650 and 595 are virtually indistinguishable in sound, the only audible difference being 595 slightly brighter than 650 but that's very subtle. You don't need to buy an expensive audiophile headphones such as the HD-650 only to use them with a digital piano. I use mine mainly to listen to music. Compared to both these open-back Sennheisers, the ATH-M50x is a pure joke. It has a very closed and boxy sound with exaggerated bass that sounds boomy and nothing like a real piano, recessed mids and bright highs (V-shaped sound). If you're mainly listening to recordings with M50x, they are maybe OK and that would explain why you would think they make your piano sound realistic (i.e. the same like what you hear on CD-s with the same headphones).

Honestly, never really understood what's so great about M50x, sold them with huge relief.

I have the Beyerdynamic DTX-900 headphones and they've been wonderful.

I wonder why Beyerdynamic gets so little mention here?

I ask because these phones are almost nine years old. The foam covers inside the ear pieces have deteriorated. The cord has become strangely stiff in some sections. And the right earpiece distorts at high volume (which might be the ear piece, or might be the amp ... not yet sure).

So I'm thinking about replacing them and I wonder: Which Beyers are recommended these days?

Thanks for that post. I can't seem to find HD595 at the moment. Any idea how the 598 compare?
Happy to pay for the HD 650 but if the sound is similar to the 595 I could save some cash and get 598's

They're the best vocal headphones . The popularity in that particular area then was transferred over to all instruments...which isn't the case of course. At least for digital pianos.

Well, that makes a lot of sense having in mind I listen to almost no vocal music at all To be fair to ATH-M50x, you need to have in mind I listen to classical music 99% of the time which makes me prefer neutral (or slightly darker headphones). However neutral headphones tend to be boring for almost any other music. I remember ATH-M50x were great for electronica, funk or even acoustic jazz (where double-bass sounds better if amplified/boosted).

Oddly enough, many recording engineers seem to love M50x. I would imagine recording engineers would rather prefer neutral (revealing) headphones instead of bass-heavy ones but on the other hand these guys probably mix/record on nearfield monitors, while using colored headphones for the final stages of the mix to get sense of how music will sound for end-users?

Actually I was referring to monitoring your vocals in the studio or a studio environment, as opposed to listening to music.

Yes, renown engineer Al Schmidt was one of the first adopters that wrote about using the MX-50s. It seems many started using the ATHs and they gained greatly in popularity after that.

Hi Mac,

Beyerdynamic makes some good sounding, high-quality headphones. I think your old DTX-900 are open-backed, 32 ohm impedance, lightweight headphones.

A few ideas as the product lines are very confusing. I have listened extensively to classical music and jazz with the headphones marked with **; I have not played the digial piano with any of these headphones

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Similar Beyer models follow:

** DT 990 Edition (open-backed, 32, 250 or 600 ohm) $219 list
** DT 880 Edition (semi-open backed, 32, 250 or 600 ohm) $219 list

** T5p tesla (semi open-backed, 32 ohm) $1099 list
** T1 tesla (semi open-backed, 600 ohm) $1099 list

They are all very comfortable, well-built, lightweight, and sound great. Beyer has moved towards soft velvety type earcups in many headphones and if I recall correctly replacement pads are available (in Tokyo anyways).

- To my ears these four all sound very similar.

- The T1 is the "flagship" and the T5p seems to be a low impedance take on that for portable music players.

- Confusingly, the DT models come in 3 choices of impedance so be careful when purchasing; the impedance changes the sound somewhat, although that might be more related to matching amps than anything so is not really something one can test.

I have not listened to these two newer headphones so have no view:

* DT1990 Pro tesla (open-backed, 250 ohm, $599 list)
* Amiron Home telsa (semi open-backed, 250 ohm $599 list)

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Similar Audio Technica models follow:

** ATH-AD1000X (open-backed, 40 ohm, $599 list)
** ATH-AD900X (open-backed, 38 ohm, $299 list)
** ATH-AD700X (open-backed, 38 ohm, $199 list)
** ATH-AD500X (open-backed, 48 ohm, $169 list)

These headphones are really "open" as you can see by the metal grills. The open-backed flagship ATH-AD1000X really shines with high fq and seems to have a bit more bass than the less expensive models. The ATH-AD900X sounds very similar to said flagship and quite comparable to the Beyer DT880... I found the 700x and 500x to be dull.

Compared to the Beyers, the Audio Technicas feel a bit ligher weight on the head thanks to a nifty wing system in the headband for weight distribution, feel a bit less foamy, sound a bit more open.

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==> For my use, the DT880 (32 or 250 ohm) and the ATH-AD900X hit the sweet spot in terms of sound quality, build quality, and price. You may have different requirements. There are a few other brands that make similar models but I'll let others chime in...

I love the Senn HD650, love the HD600, and sent the HD598 to my sister as a gift (I didn't like them at all). I personally think there's a substantial difference between them, especially if you're buying a new set of HD650s. The latest model is improved and doesn't have the "Sennheiser Veil" that the 598s do.

Some people notice subtle differences more than others. If you don't notice them, don't spend the extra money. If you do, you won't be sorry for spending the extra cash on the 650s.

But please note, the 650s need proper amplification to hear the difference. With regular headphone out jacks, you don't get the detail and soundstage as much.