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Physically Comfortable Headphones

I anticipate that in the near future, I will have a greater dependance on headphone listening. I have a separate listening room at this time, and do not have to worry about affecting others as I listen, even into the night. But if/when we downsize, I am almost certain to not have this luxury again. 

I like headphones. But they never seem to like me. I can't find one that I don't want to rip off my head within a half-hour. My head is probably a bit bigger sized than average, but not outrageous. My temples, the source (or at least, location) for my frequent headaches, are sensitive to pressure. My ears get really hot really quickly.

I have owned Grado G1000's, Audeze LCD-2's, Meze 99's, Sennheiser 650's, Stax SR 80's, and the most comfortable of them all, the Audio Technica Air ATH AD700's. And while the AT 700's are the most physically comfortable, the sound is too thin, and not good enough for front line music listening. 

Does anyone know of headphones that fit slightly larger headed people? That have a lower "clamp-force" around the temples? I favor a fuller sound, with good bass, like my Audeze LCD-2's (pre-fazor). My budget is probably around $1500 or less.

Thanks for any suggestions...

David 

dtorc
terenthia
4 posts
 

Sennheiser HD800 for maximum comfort with clarity and ok bass.

 

Meze Empyrean for maximum comfort, bass, less clarity

 

mrclick123
20 posts
 

I am very happy with my new Dan Clark Audio E3’s. They have a full sound with plenty of bass, detail without being too bright. I can listen for hours with no issues at all. They are very comfortable, even with my 7-7/8 dome. They aren’t all that expensive either. Highly recommend.

syr1990
23 posts
 

Echoing the comments regarding comfort of Hifiman headphones. I have the HE1000 V2 and they are very comfortable. Had the Arya v2 before that, and they are the same. 

dtorc OP
35 posts
 

Thank you all for your headphone-comfort thoughts. It is funny - to a certain extent, I would compromise sound quality just to be able to wear the things without discomfort. It would be really nice if I didn't have to compromise too much. 

I tend to like a warmer sound - the pre-fazor LCD-2's are very close to my ideal, but the weight and the fit can be punishing. I tried the Sennheiser 800's and the treble response was a bit too much for me - though I agree that they were more comfortable than average.

I have a local dealer - Goodwin's High End - who are Hifiman dealers, and claim to have the Arya to audition. So, I think I will go see them and try them on. The trouble is that I need to sit there for at least 30 minutes to see how the fit works over time. I hope they have a sense of humor about that...

You also brought up some brands I knew existed, but didn't know anything else about, like Dan Clark and iBasso. I will start my auditions soon. 

I really appreciate the opinions. I find it helpful, as I usually do on this site.

David

larsman's avatar
larsman
1,931 posts
 

While I no longer have them, I've tried a lot of different headphones, and the Meze Empyreans are for me the most comfortable.... 

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