Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Good set of open cans for under $200?

I wouldn't say those Sennheiser HD650 hide much. Their frequency response is among the nearest to ideal ever engineered. They are lacking deep bass... The HD598 are also very good as are Grado's cheaper models--which are also very efficient.

This website/comparison tool are a really good place to help make a decision or confuse you further...
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/t...0-s/306/290?usage=9287&threshold=0.1
The HD800S are broadly considered the best, most accurate headphones ever made. The Grado SR60 are cheap and still darned good.

I have the Philips Fidelio X2HR headphones, and I really like them. They have the most balanced sound out of the headphones I’ve tried (I have not tried any higher-end models), and they are also the most comfortable. I use them with my Kawai MP-11SE. I definitely recommend checking them out if your budget is $200 or less.

Those Philips Fidelio are also around the most neutral ever engineered. The Philips SHP9500 are also on that list and only $80 on Amazon. They are an utter steal. Not sure about their comfort.

They have ruined me for any other set. I have three pairs. I've modded two with different pads and It made them slightly tighter. But the original, I can wear hours upon hours without taking them off.

+100

I just bought Sennheiser 569 - will report when they arrive. 598cs is not available, but they are the same thing, except for minor cosmetic differences.

So you have modded them to make them less comfortable?

Yep. I didn't think about that before I did the mod. But even the modded ones are still miles better than anything else I've tried.

For years I used the HD598, bought on sale for $100, but then settled on the slightly better HD58X for $150. They are on par with HD600 (some say they are actually better), which in turn are equally slightly better than the HD598, but require an amp and are more expensive. I have tried many headphones, but once you get to HD598 level, anything better will fell only slightly better, nothing massive contrary to what some audiophiles claim. HD600, 650, 6XX, 58X are all only slighly better (and similar). I haven't tried headphones like the HD800s but I don't expect them to be much better either... After a certain level it's only diminishing returns, again despite what some people try to make you believe...

I absolutely agree on "diminishing marginal returns." I'm hoping my new 569s will work good for piano and be comfortable. Senn keeps changing models - this is the same (except for minor cosmetic differences) as the 598Cs (an Amazon only special). These are closed, btw.

You guys are not kidding on the whole diminishing returns thing. The HD800S are $1,300 and only slightly better than the Philips that are on sale for $63 right now... The Philips look like they'd be more comfortable anyway.

For open can, I recommend Philips Fidelio X2. They used to be over ~250$ when released, now you can get them at twice lower which is a steal price. I love them for my piano and music, though they do not isolate, so if you use them in noisy environment you won't be very happy (it's a problem with most open cans).

Here's a link to the $63 Philips that have some f the most neutral measurements in the business. I have no need for these, but they are temping at a price like that.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ENMK1DW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A6EGA15UEFYEQ&psc=1

I've been using my Sennheiser HD598 for years and like them very much.

The inside top head band, made from a fake type leather, started cracking a little while ago, and for €8 I ordered a brown cloth type replacement pad that works very well. I replaced that weeks ago and it's excellent.

As a matter of fact, I didn't think about that replacement pad until now.

How would they compare to Senn 599, sound wise and comfort wise? I have TMJ and need really low clamping. Thanks...

The clamp is pretty low on the SHP9500. The earpieces are huge, by the way. Every couple years, expect to take a fabric shaver to take the pills off and restore a smoother feel.

I haven't tried the Philips, but there is a interesting comparison in this video between it and the HD58X https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRJfHTMXiwk
For those that don't have time, the 58x is better, but the cheaper Philips offers more value for the money.
And they also mention the 558, which is pretty close to the 598 saying that while worse it can be more enjoyable because of it's mid bass bump. Well, that's exactly what the 598 has. For me it's a issue that was solved by the 58x, which for some piano that already had a strong bass, like the Ivory American, made it sound too bassy in the mid region (between the 2nd and 3rd octave). The 58x is more even and has a bit more resolution. But again, you need to listen very carefully. Passed a certain level, it's single digit quality difference. Audiophile reviewers make it seem it's like 10 times better, it's not... It's like when I bought the very expensive babyface... Is it better than entry level audio interfaces? Only slightly, if you listen carefully, but it costs 3-4 times more...

I can’t really say for sure as I haven’t tried the Philips or that specific model of Senns... but the 598 are all day comfortable! The 599 are likely the same. As far as sound quality is concerned, the measurements suggest the Philips might be slightly better, bet ever so slightly less comfortable. I doubt you’ll be disappointed with either.

I have the 598 and the HD650(I believe it’s either a very similar driver to the 58X or it’s the same) and I would describe the difference just as you did. What’s interesting to me is that there’s no smoking gun in the measurements, but I actually think the Harmonic Distortion measurements suggest its cause. The Philips measures closer the the HD650 in that regard than the 598... makes me wonder if its resolution isn’t better than the 598. Really hard to say as it could be some other factor. The HD650, 600, 58X, 6XX, etc are all incredible, but at what cost? 3-5X the cost. When I got the 650, they were almost 10X the cost of the Philips... those things look like a screaming bargain and if I had it to do over again, they are what I would have bought and taken the difference and invested it more wisely.

I forgot to mention that the hd598 do not require an amp, but they do sound better with one. The 650 require an amp period.