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Nowadays almost every digital piano is equipped with a headphone jack where you can plug a pair of headphones and play at any time of day and night without disturbing anyone else.
It’s probably the most important feature of digital pianos that an acoustic piano cannot offer.
Unfortunately, people often choose to use cheap earbuds or low-quality over-ear headphones bundled with a digital piano rather than high-quality headphones with comfortable design and rich, accurate sound.
The right pair of headphones will allow you to hear the slightest nuances and details of your performance that are almost impossible to hear through the keyboard’s built-in speakers.
What are the best headphones for digital pianos? The truth is there are no “perfect” piano headphones, and every pair has its pros and cons.
However, there are a number of aspects that make one set of headphones more suitable for instrumental/classical music than another, which we’ll cover in our next section.
Sound quality and comfort are the two main things I was looking for, trying to find the best headphones to use with digital pianos.
Sound. Headphones that offer neutral well-balanced sound with even frequency response are best suited for piano sound.
DJ headphones including popular bass-oriented headphones such as Beats, Sony (Extra Bass line) should be avoided.
Comfort. If you’re a piano lover like me (otherwise you probably wouldn’t be reading this article), you’ll probably want to wear your headphones over long periods of time and not feel any pain or fatigue. Therefore, each pair selected for this list is comfortable for extended listening sessions and exert just the right amount of pressure on the head.
There are also a few other important characteristics to consider, such as soundstage, isolation, leakage and so on. These aspects will mostly depend on whether the headphones have open- or closed-back design.
Wondering what the heck any of that means? Let’s find out!
What headphone type to look for?
There are many different types of headphones including earbuds, over-ear, in-ear and on-ear headphones. While in-ear and on-ear headphones are not the best options to use with a digital piano, over-ear headphones are exactly what we need.
Each type has its pros and cons, so our “top 5 list” will include both closed- and open-back headphones for you to choose what works best for you personally.
Closed-back headphones
This is most probably the most popular and familiar type of headphones, which you can find at any electronics store.
Unlike open-back, closed-back headphones have a solid outer shell, which doesn’t allow air to pass through the cups.
From the sound perspective, sealed ear cups provide more powerful and deep bass compared to the open-back cups.
But the main advantage of closed-back headphones is good noise isolation.
Closed-back cups block out a lot of outside noise, which makes such headphones much more suitable to use in noisy environments (background TV noise, kids, traffic, etc.).
They are also great to use in the office and for commuting, while open-back headphones are rarely used outside the home.
Now, let’s talk about some of the trade-offs of closed-back headphones.
Firstly, due to the lack of air flow, closed-back headphones tend to trap heat and moisture and, therefore, they are not very comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. After a few hours of wearing you might want to take a break and let your head and ears to rest.
But, not all of the closed-back headphones are created equal. Those that have bigger ear cups and softer padding tend to be more comfortable than others, even then they often apply more pressure on your head (tighter feel) and are not as comfortable for long sessions as open-back headphones.
Secondly, the soundstage, which is the perceived depth and width of the sound, of the closed-back headphones tends to be smaller and less airy/open compared to open-back headphones, which tend to produce a bigger, “live” sound.
Great bass response
Good noise isolation
Music won’t be heard by others nearby (unless you turn the volume way up)
Great for ‘focused practice’
Soundstage seems less open and airy
Ears may become sweaty/hot after a few hours of use
Tend to “color” the sound
Open-back headphones
Open-back headphones are less common than closed-back partly because of its main disadvantage – the lack of isolation, which in many circumstances can be a real problem and makes this headphone type not suitable for everyone.
Nevertheless, many musicians and audiophiles prefer this type of headphones as they tend to provide more natural sound and wider soundstage making the listening experience more enjoyable.
The reason for poor isolation of open-back headphones is their ear caps have openings (perforations, grills, etc.), allowing air and sound to pass in and out of the headphone cups.
As a result, you’ll be hearing all the sounds from the surrounding environment, sometimes slightly reduced (depends on the model), which may be a problem if you live in a noisy environment (noisy neighbors, a lot of traffic noise, kids, etc.).
At the same time, it may also be an advantage as you’ll be able to hear everything that’s going on around you. It’s particularly useful if you have little kids or other people you need to look after.
Another important drawback is that open-back headphones tend to leak quite a bit of sound into the surroundings, which means others near you may be able to hear it, especially if you turn up the volume.
At the same time, there are two big benefits of open-back design.
Firstly, due to the air flow, the excess heat and moisture easily escape the cups, making open-back headphones more comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. You can wear them literally for hours without fatigue or discomfort (heck, I often forget that I’m wearing my HD599 at all!).
Secondly, the open-back design usually provides a wider and more open/airy soundstage than the closed-back models. It feels like musicians are sitting around you and playing live, which makes the sound more natural and realistic.
It’s certainly more enjoyable than “in your head” experience of closed-back headphones, especially if we’re talking about listening to instrumental and classical music.
Wide and open/airy soundstage
Great instrument separation
Accuracy and clarity of sound
Perfect for instrumental and classical music
More comfortable to wear over longer periods of time
Sound leakage
Poor isolation
Not meant for outdoor use
Not very punchy bass
Now that you know all the pros and cons of both headphone types, we can move on to the 5 best piano headphones that made it onto this list.
We’ve tested 18 potential candidates and selected five winners that meet the requirements best. The headphones were tested with a Kawai ES8 digital piano.
5 Best Headphones for Digital Pianos
- Title
- EnclosureThere are closed-back and open-back headphones depnding on whether the ear cups are completely sealed on the back (solid shell) or have perforations/grills, allowing air/sound to pass in and out of the cups.
- Frequency ResponseThe frequency range the headphones can reproduce from low bass to high pitch frequencies. The wider the range the better. Humans generally can't hear anything below 20 Hz and higher than 20,000 Hz , but many headphones still have wider frequncy ranges.
- ImpedanceLow impedance headphones require less power to deliver high audio levels than headphones with high impedance, thus perfect for devices with weak amplification (mp3-players, phones etc.) High impendance (70+ Ohms) is reccommended to use with well-amplified sources. For digital pianos, the range of 32-65 Ohms is optimal. You might need a headphone amp if your headphones have a higher impedance.
- Detachable Cord
- Plug Type
- Pros
- Cons
- Our Best Pick
- Open-black
- 12-38 500 Hz
- 50 Ohms
- 6.3mm (3.5mm cable included)
- Premium quality
- Extremely comfortable
- High-fidelity sound reproduction
- Wide soundstage
- Decent bass
- Bulky
- Poor isolation
- Leak a lot of sound
- Most Versatile
- Closed-back
- 15-24 000 Hz
- 35 Ohms
- 2 x 3.5mm cords (+ 6.3mm adapter)
- Sturdy construction
- Flat, accurate sound
- Low leakage
- Suitable for outdoor use
- Comes with two cables
- Slightly narrow soundstage
- Average isolation
- Best Budget Pick
- Open-back
- 12-35 000 Hz
- 32 Ohms
- 3.5mm (+ 6.3mm adapter)
- Wide frequency range
- Huge soundstage
- Spacious, open sound
- Great clarity and detail
- Comfortable fit
- Bulky
- Poor isolation
- Leak a lot of sound
- Non-removable pads
- Best Sound
- Semi-open
- 5-35 000 Hz
- 32 Ohms
- 3.5mm (+ 6.3mm adapter)
- Very comfortable
- Great for long sessions
- Airy and spacious soundstage
- Full, detailed sound
- Made in Germany
- Non-removable cable
- Bulky
- Leak a lot of sound
- Poor isolation
- Most Trusted
- Closed-back
- 10-20 000 Hz
- 63 Ohms
- 3.5mm (+ 6.3mm adapter)
- Immersive sound experience
- Detailed, neutral sound
- Trusted & Reliable
- Very low leakage
- Decent isolation
- Not as comfortable for longer wear
- Lack of air flow (ears get warm after extended use)
1) Sennheiser HD 599 – open-back
The HD599 audiophile headphones offer phenomenal sound and comfort for a very good price. I’ve been using these headphones for years now (first the older HD598 model, now this) and I’m very satisfied with how they perform.
So what makes these headphones so good?
Design. The padding on the HD599 is super comfortable. The headband and ear pads have very thick, luxurious velour padding, which feels very soft and pleasant and allows your ears to breathe!
You can wear them all day long without feeling any discomfort or fatigue. After a while, you will start to forget that you’re wearing them at all.
The HD599 don’t fold out like some other more portable headphones out there. They also have quite big ear cups, which makes the headphones pretty bulky and thus not very portable, but again from the comfort perspective, it’s a big plus.
Sound. The HD599 are open-back headphones, so (you guessed it) they leak sound. But at the same time you get wonderful 3-dimensional soundstage; instruments come from all directions providing an amazing sense of depth and separation.
The HD599’s cable ends in a 1/4” plug, so in most cases, you’ll be able to connect them to a digital piano without using an adapter. If your digital piano is only equipped with a 1/8″ (3.5mm) jack, it’s also a no-issue since the headphones come with a 1/4” to 1/8″ a
Premium quality
Extremely comfortable (large ear cups, velour padding)
High-fidelity sound reproduction
Wide soundstage
Decent bass
Bulky
Very little isolation from ambient noise
Leak certain amount of of sound
2) Audio-Technica ATH-M40x – closed-back
The ATH-M40x are professional monitor headphones with a closed-back design.
Sound. Unlike many other closed-back headphones, the M40x doesn’t put emphasis on lower frequencies and has a well-balanced sound across the whole frequency spectrum.
The soundstage seems a bit narrower and less airy compared to the open-back headphones, the sound of the ATH-M40x is still very accurate and detailed, which is what these headphones are loved for.
Design. In addition to a sleek and attractive design, the headphones feel very sturdy and well put together. The plastic is pretty hard, and the headband is reinforced with a metal frame. The ATH-M40x’s headband and ear pads are made from pro-grade materials, offering high comfort and durability.
The sealed ear cups block out outside noises pretty well though it’s not enough for comfortable listening in trains, planes, etc. The sound leakage is low and allows people around to hear the sound from the headphones only at high volume levels.
The headphones come with two cables (straight and coiled), which you can use interchangeably. The package also includes a 1/4” (6.3 mm) adapter so regardless of whether your digital piano has a 3.5mm or 6.3mm jack you’ll be able to plug them in.
You might have also heard about the even more popular big brother of the ATH-M40X, the ATH-M50x (next model up).
The ATH-M50x, on the other hand, tend to color the sound a bit, offering a stronger, more emphasized bass response.
It’s not always a good thing, and for digital pianos, the M40x with its neutral sound is a better choice, in my opinion. Not to mention that the M40x is more affordable than the M50x.
Sturdy construction
Flat tuned, neutral sound signature
Low leakage
Suitable for outdoor use
Comes with two cables
Slightly narrow soundstage
Average isolation
3) Philips SHP9500 – open-back
The SHP9500 are the dark horse of this list and are easily the best open-back headphones in the sub-$100 range. The headphones are perfect for those on a tight budget and offer an incredible price/value ratio that’s hard to beat.
These cans have gathered thousands of positive reviews and are often compared to the much more expensive Sennheiser HD599 and even the HD6xx series headphones.
About a year ago, I had to remove this model from the list simply because it disappeared from all the major retailers and it was almost impossible to buy them (except for a few eBay listings wanting $200+ for them). Anyway, they’re back, so get excited!
Maybe the SHP9500 don’t look and feel as luxurious as the Sennheisers HD599, but they are still one of the most comfortable cans I’ve tried. While the padding material of the headband and ear pads may seem a bit cheap, it feels very comfortable once you put them on.
The only disadvantage I’ve found is that ear pads are not removable, so you won’t be able to wash or replace them.
The overall built-quality is excellent. The SHP9500 are quite flexible and have an adjustable metal headband.
Despite the huge size, the headphones are very lightweight.
The open-back design combined with a large 50mm neodymium drivers provide an incredibly wide soundstage and clear detailed sound.
The instrument separation and accuracy of sound reproduction is amazing. When it comes to sound, it’s hard the SHP9500 can compete with many higher-priced models in the $100-200 range.
Don’t forget these are very open headphones and they do leak a lot of sound into the surroundings and also provide no isolation from the ambient noise. So the headphones are only suitable for home use and quiet environments.
The headphones come with a long 3m (9.8 ft.) detachable cable ending with a 3.5mm (1/8″) plug. The 1.4” adapter is also included so you can them with your digital piano out of the box.
Wide frequency range
Huge soundstage
Spacious, open sound
Great clarity and detail
Comfortable fit
Bulky
Poor isolation from ambient noise
Leak a lot of sound
Non-removable pads
4) Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition – semi-open back
It would be a big mistake not to include the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition on this list.
For those who have never heard of Beyerdynamic before, this is a German brand founded in 1924 that has been making pro-grade audio equipment for almost a century.
The DT 880 are a direct competitor to the Sennheiser HD 579 and HD 599. They have a lot of similarities, starting with the design and ending with the sound signature and quality.
The Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition are semi-open back headphones, so not as ‘leaky’ and isolate a tiny bit better compared to the open design headphones.
Otherwise, I’d still wouldn’t use them in noisy environments, and especially outside.
The DT 880 are available in 3 modifications with different impedance: 32 OHMs, 250 OHMs, and 600 OHMs.
Unless you’re going to use headphones in a studio with higher-voltage pro/amplified equipment, I recommend going for the 32-ohm version. It will work best with consumer-grade devices such as mp3-players, laptops, and, in our case, digital pianos.
Design. The DT 880 are built to last! Just like the majority of Beyerdynamic headphones, the DT 880 are made in Germany.
The headband is made of metal and covered with soft leather. In terms of comfort, they’re equal to the HD-579/HD-599 and are among the most comfortable headphones on the market today.
Therefore, the DT 880 would be a great pick if you’re going to use them for extended periods of time. You can literally forget that you wear them, which is, for me, the main benchmark for comfortability.
The sound through the Beyerdynamic DT 880 is just beautiful. Big, spacious soundstage, neutral sound signature, and high accuracy make them ideal for classical pieces, or actually any genre.
The headphones have a long 3m (9.8 ft) nondetachable cable ending with 1/8″ plug (3.5 mm). The 1/4” adapter is also included so you can use them with any digital piano out of the box.
German quality
Soft, velour earpads (very comfortable)
Great for long sessions
Full, detailed sound
Airy and spacious soundstage
Replaceable earpads
Non-removable cable
5) Sony MDR7506 – closed-back
These are professional high fidelity headphones that have been around for quite a while.
The MDR7506 are legendary, industry-standard headphones trusted by many audio professionals in studios all around the world.
The headphones are fairly affordable, but don’t be fooled by the price, the sound quality put them on par with many $200-300 headphones.
Sound. The reason why the MDR7506 are so popular in studios is that they very accurately reproduce audio without adding any coloration, which allows you to hear the sound as close as possible to the original source.
The headphones offer average soundstage, it’s not as wide and spacious as what open-back headphones provide, but among closed-back headphones, it’s above average for sure.
Design. The MDR7506 being closed-back headphones are not as comfortable to wear for extended periods of time as open-back headphones. The longer you wear them, the more warmth and heat builds up inside the cups, so you might want to take a break to let your ears rest after a few hours.
The MDR7506’s movable ear cups combined with an adjustable headband ensures a comfortable and secure fit for everyone.
The padding is quite comfortable, but not as comfortable as the HD599’s velvet padding or the ATH-M40x’s leather pads, which provide a little more room inside the ear cups.
Another great thing I should mention is very low sound leakage; you’ll have to put the volume really high for others nearby to hear what you’re listening to.
It enables you to use the headphones not only with your keyboard or digital piano but also with your portable playback devices outside the home.
On the picture to the right, you can see Adele using the Sony MDR7506 in the studio.
Detailed, neutral sound
Trusted & reliable
Very low leakage
Decent isolation from ambient noise
Lack of air flow (ears get warm after extended use)
Not as comfortable for longer wear
Not very fancy looking
Final Words
I hope the article has helped you on your journey of choosing the best headphones for your lovely digital piano.
As I said before there are no perfect headphones, each pair has its pros and cons and often it all comes down to one’s personal preferences and needs (I know, I know, but it’s the truth).
I tried my best to select headphones that deliver the most value for money and reproduce instrumental/classical music as accurately as possible.
All 5 headphones on this list tend to have neutral well-balanced sound with great instrument separation and clarity. You can’t really go wrong with any of these models as long as you keep in mind all the benefits and drawbacks of closed- and open-back headphones.
If you live in a quiet environment where no one will be bothered by some amount of sound leakage, I’d definitely consider buying open-back headphones and enjoy the spacious sound stage, “breathing” ear cups, and “sound around you” listening experience.
For noisier environments, a pair of closed-back headphones is a better choice, which will provide more isolation from ambient noise, low amounts of leakage and immersive listening experience.
I deliberately didn’t include super expensive headphones that cost hundreds of dollars as the difference in sound is often pretty subtle and often not worth the extra money unless you’re a professional music producer.
Have thoughts or questions?
Join the discussion in the forum →
You might also like:
Picking the Best Way to Learn Piano Today (The Definitive Guide)
The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Digital Piano
Yamaha Keyboards & Digital Pianos: The Definitive Guide
Best Digital Pianos for Intermediate Players
Hi, this is a very helpful review, thank you so much! I have just purchased phillips SHP 9500 and they are excellent. I saw your comment about Sennheiser HD 598 as your personal choice, I am looking for second set of headphones for digital piano and debating if I should go with another set of phillips or should I get the HD 598s? Could you tell me what is the main differences between them in terms of sound and the bass, are sennheisers much more bass than phillps? I honestly think if phillips had 10% more bass it would be ideal for me, but I would not like more than that. Your advice is much appreciated.
Hi Pawel,
Indeed, the SHP9500 are light on bass, and the HD598 tend to be a bit better in this aspect, but they aren’t bass heavy either, which is perfect for digital piano sound.
To me, the Phillips perform slightly better in the treble department, and the overall sound quality is not inferior to the HD598. In fact, at this price point, it’s really hard to find headphones as good sounding as the SHP9500.
As for the 10% more bass… Well it’s hard to tell that precisely cause’ it much depends on the sound source and impedance, in particular, but the HD598 tend to outperform the SHP9500 in extended bass response.
So if budget allows and you need slightly more bass, go for the HD598. They’re very comfortable and beautifully sounding. But the best option, of course, is to test these headphones with your digital piano. It’s the only way you’ll know whether you like the HD598 better or not.
hey,
Thanks for the article. I’m slightly confused by the statement at the beginning of the article where you say “DJ headphones including popular bass-oriented headphones like Beats, Sony (MDR line) should be avoided.”.
Yet, Sony MDR 7506 end up as recommended ones. So are they an exception in the MDR line? (no bass boost or colouring)
Hi Gustaff, thanks for your comment.
Yeah, pretty much. Most of the models in the MDR line are extra bass headphones, which I don’t recommend for instrumental /piano music.
The MDR7506, on the other hand, are studio monitor headphones designed to reproduce sound as accurately as possible (as it was intended to be heard).
Either way, I’ve corrected that sentence to avoid further confusion.
Thanks!
If you were to choose between the Sony MDR7506 and Senheiser 579, which one would you recommend for a digital piano? I’m interested in realistic sound reproduction. (I know they are closed vs open).
Also, I heard from friends that Fostex T50RPmk3 (or T40) have good linear response, do you have any experience with those?
I’d prefer the HD579, mainly because they’re open-back (better soundstage, spacious sound) and more comfortable than MDR7506 for long playing sessions. Sorry can’t say anything about the Foster T50RP or Foster in general, but for that price I’d seriously consider the Senheiser HD579 or even the HD598 SR, which I own and highly recommend.
Hi.. Very good & helpful Review..I want Openback (no problem for sound leakage i will be using this at home only) headphone for Piano Practice & Music Listening Western Philharmonic Orchestra & Piano Instrumental & Indian instruments bamboo flute sitar sarangi santoor & watching Movies.
I am confused between Sennheiser HD 598 SR($172) vs Newer upgraded HD 599($187) vs Phillipps 9500(new Model 9500S $ 75) .
Required Comfortable,light weight , soundstage, Instrument seperations.
As there are not much difference in Price for Sennheiser headphone what is your opinion best pick from these 3 ? And why?
Pls help me to select best headphone..
Thank you for your help..
Raju G.
Hi.. Very helpful. Any suggestions on wireless headphones? Is it possible to connect the Yamaha p45 to a wireless headphone?
Thank you
Hey Alex, I’m afraid it’s not possible to connect Bluetooth headphones to the P-45, since it doesn’t have built-in Bluetooth connectivity.
You could probably get a Bluetooth transmitter and connect it to your digital piano’s headphone jack to enable Bluetooth Audio connectivity. But I still wouldn’t recommend it because of the lag (about 0.2 to 0.5 seconds) that you’ll inevitably get with the Bluetooth connection.
I personally haven’t tried it, but I’ve seen different opinions on that. Some say that the delay is very big and it seriously hinders the whole playing experience. Others say, that they don’t have any delays at all and it works smoothly.
The truth is, the lag is always there, but if it’s under 100ms, it will be much more difficult to notice it. Ideally, it should be below 40ms. The lag time will be different in each case and depends on many factors (e.g., other Bluetooth devices around, quality of the signal, etc.)
But it may still be worth giving it a try since it’s the only option available in your situation.
Hi Lucas, great and very helpful review. Between the Sennheiser HD 599 and the beyerdynamic DT 990 (32 ohm version), which one would you recommend for a digital piano? Assuming they are both at the same price range right now. Are the beyerdynamic DT 880 better than any of these two?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Alex, both are excellent headphones, best in their price category I’d say, so I don’t have a strong preference here as I’m sure either will deliver! Personally, I’d probably go for the HD599 just because I like the design a little bit more, and the price on them right now is also pretty attractive.
Hi Lucas, have you had a chance to compare the hd599’s with the m50x (I know they’re more detailed then the hd518’s) and with the DT 990’s (I thought I could hear the dynamic range more clearly but I’m not an audiophile) ? What did you think are the differences between these headphone sounds/clarity?
Also, would you say the hd 598’s are comparable to the 599’s?
Thanks for a great website. It really helped me compare piano’s easily as someone new to the area. I ended up with the kdp110 (I bought it before your review of it actually – I’d decided on the fp-30 partly due to your site and was able to try them side by side so new I was getting a great deal… It turned out I can’t stand the fp-30 sound so am so glad I went to try them in store).
Hi,
I am new on this territory. A simple question? Should I go for 1/4″ jacks or 1/8″ jacks. I did get some inputs that 1/4″ jacks have superior sound delivery. Can you please guide on this.
Thanks,
Rubul
Hey Rubul, there’s no sound quality difference between these two plug sizes (size is the only difference), so it doesn’t really matter which one you go for. 1/4″ jacks are commonly found on higher-end professional gear (not always), while 1/8″ are mostly found on consumer grade (portable) audio devices.
If we’re talking about digital pianos, some have 1/4″ headphone jacks, others will have 1/8″ jacks or both, but you can still use an adapter to connect, say, headphones with a 1/4″ plug to a digital piano with a 1/8″ jack, and vice versa.
Thanks for the review! I have been quite pleased with the Sennheiser 599s on my Korg D1. Do you have any recommendations for external speakers? My keyboard isn’t in the same room as the home stereo, so I’m looking for a pair of powered speakers that can plug directly into the keyboard and produce great sound in a relatively compact form factor (without breaking the bank).
Hey Joe. The 599s are a very nice pair of headphones indeed, and budget-friendly too. As for the speakers, I’m actually working on an article about how to choose external amplification for your digital piano, so stay tuned.
In the meantime, you might want to check out the JBL LSR305 and KRK RP6G3, which are very well regarded in the music community (and shouldn’t break the bank either).
Thanks for the review, Lucas! I have a question about the beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition. The sentence immediately above the video clip begins, “The headphones come with a long 3 m (9.8ft) detachable cable…” Yet one of the listed cons is “non-removable cable.” Is one of those a typo, or am I missing something?
Hi Paul, thanks for pointing that out! That was a typo indeed. Just fixed it. Thanks again.
Thank you very much or the review, it’s incredibly helpful. I’m just wondering if you’ve tested AKG K702 or AKG K712 pro headphones and how they compare to the Sennheiser HD 599?
Haven’t directly compared these two, though a friend of mine used to have the AKG, which he liked.
Both are good headphones, though, with the HD599 you’re getting a better price/quality ratio, in my opinion.
Thank you for the review.
I bought one headphone by following your affiliation amazon link.
Thanks for your support, Farid! I hope you’re enjoying your headphones.
Good recommendations, i started with the Sennheiser H598s and they are excellent for the money. I recently upgraded to the HD600s and those are also excellent for the money. Soundstage wise they lose to the 598 but i prefer the overall sound of the 600s better.
Thanks for sharing! Agree, if you have the budget, the HD600s are excellent cans for sure! With that said, the HD598s are hard to beat for the money.
Thank you for recommending these. I ended up buying the ATH X40. The sound is neutral and I love it so much. I wish the headband was adjustable though as it feels tight sometimes.
I noticed that one of these is now discontinued, Sennheiser HD 579. Do you have something to recommend in its place at a similar price point? I currently use ATH-M30 which I find to be uncomfortable and hot for long practice sessions so I don’t really want to get another pair of closed-back headphones. I would like to try a different brand rather than another Audio-Technica pair. Thanks
Hi Catherine, thanks for pointing that out! Well, to be honest, I’m quite surprised that they discontinued the HD579, as it was a relatively new model. With a few small compromises, it offered almost the same quality as the flagship HD599 but at a lower price.
It seems that there’s no successor to that model, so my recommendation now is the slightly more expensive HD599. This will definitely be a big step up from your ATH-M30 as far as comfort is concerned. You’ll most likely prefer the big airy sound of the HD599s as well.
I hope this helps.
Hi Danah, congrats on your new headphones! Well, that tightness is kind of inherited from the closed-back design. Open-back headphones are usually more comfortable in that respect, but it also makes them more prone to falling off when you shake your head or move actively.
I recently got the Sennheiser HD 599. I find that they don’t reproduce the high frequencies that should be present in the bass notes on the piano. The piano obviously has those frequencies. They come through the speakers and through cheaper headphones. It’s just a problem with the Sennheiser headphones. Without that high frequency edge, the bass notes don’t sound like a piano.
Do the other headphones you recommend have this same problem?
Hi Ellie, could you please be a bit more clear about what you mean by “higher frequencies in the bass notes of the piano”. Bass notes on the piano consist of low frequencies. Are you referring to sympathetic string resonance or something?
Also, from my experience, that’s quite unlikely to be able to hear more frequencies when listening via the onboard speakers than when listening through a pair of good headphones. May I ask what digital piano you’re using?
It’s a Kawai CN. I don’t know how I can be more clear about the higher frequencies that should be in the bass notes. There should be a “bite” in the sound that seems to me to be higher frequencies. It comes through in the speakers (and, of course, on a real piano). It comes through on cheaper headphones. But the Sennheiser just seems like a sort of smooth bass sound with none of the “piano” sound that one expects from the bass notes.
These are higher tones that are in the bass range of many lower range acoustic instruments. Even a bass singer will have a kind of “saxophone” quality that seems rough, but it defines the sound of the voice or instrument. That this sound is missing from the bass on my piano (and only through the Sennheiser headphones) is fairly disconcerting. It sounds as if the notes are muffled.
I’ve turned up the treble on the piano and that helps some, but only by toning down the booming bass that was overpowering the treble. It does not recapture what the bass should sound like. I assume that the Sennheiser headphones are doing their best to bring out a booming bass for rock music and gaming where the “feel” of the bass is more important than the actual sound.
Are SENNHEISER HD 559 better than phillips shp9500 ?
They are pretty much on the same level. But the real answer – it depends. Headphones are not computers, so you can’t really measure their performance with some kind of test. It’s all fairly subjective, but with these two, they are pretty comparable I’d say.
I really like the BEYERDYNAMIC DT 880 EDITION….unfortunately they do not come in the recommended 32 ohm, only in 250 & 600…I even wend on the manufacturer’s website…no 32s.
I opted for these as they are half open-I figure these would incorporate the best of open and closed and cancel out some of the negatives.
Could you recommend another half/semiopen model?
As with the keyboard reviews- thank you.
Hmmm, that’s interesting… There’s a 32-ohm version of the DT-880 but for some reason, it’s currently unavailable on Amazon and a few other stores I checked. Not sure if it’s temporary, or if they decided to stop selling them in the US.
This model seems to still be available at Amazon UK
It also shows up on the European version of their website here. It could a good idea to contact them directly and ask about whether the 32-ohm version is still available in the US and where it can be purchased.
Thank you…once again. Wow, the fast responses are such an added bonus went on the UK site and will pay the extra for global shipping.
Just for edification, what would be the cons of of using ‘cans’ with a higher ohm number with a keyboard?
Well, it actually depends on the keyboard and what range of headphone impedances it’s designed to work with.
It may not always be a problem, but consumer-grade products are not normally designed to be used with headphones with high impedance. When you connect such headphones say to say a smartphone or in our case digital piano, there might be not enough power to drive the headphones, which in turn can result in low volume and affect the sound quality (not as much detail, fullness). In other words, you’ll not be able to use the headphones to their full potential unless you’re using an external headphone amp.
Yeah, headphone amp is also an option. So, for example, you could order the 250-ohm version and if you’re not satisfied with the sound, you could either buy a portable headphone amp or return it and order the 32-ohm version from a UK store instead. If that’s too much of a hassle, you could also consider other headphones on the list (they are a lot of great options out there).
Thank you for explaining. I already did the simplest thing – ordered the 32 model from the UK website…and despite not having them yet, or never having used such an expensive set of cans, I feel strangely pleased with my purchase 🙂
Took me one month to get them from China to Belgium but the Philips SHP9500 are fantastic to go with my Nord piano. The sound is so open that I thought my monitors were on the first time I started playing 🙂 Absolutely very relaxing/not tiring to play with and all piano sounds are very detailled whether it’s electric pianos, grands or uprights . Thanks for this review and helping me in my decision making process. For 67 euro this SHP9500 is a true gem.
Gear4 Music is the only US site I found them available for order: https://www.gear4music.com/us/en/Recording-and-Computers/beyerdynamic-DT-880-Edition-Headphones-32-Ohm/K1O
They do seem widely available on European sites for a little more shipping.
Thanks for sharing this, Maxim. I’m glad you’re enjoying your SHP9500, and I agree, for 67 euros, it’s a steal!
Gear4music is also a European retailer but it does ship some items to the US as well. Right now, it’s showing that they are not on stock, unfortunately, not sure if they will eventually become available in more stores (US and Europe).
Lucas, any advice? I have Roland RH-A7’s that came with my piano, and they hurt my ears after less than a half hour, so I’m in the market for something different. Actually ideally both open back and closed back pairs, to use at different times. I ordered the ATH-M40x, and they *may* break in okay, but out of the box, the clamp is too tight and the foam too stiff. I wear glasses, and these are going to give me a headache. (I have them stretching over a few books, so I’ll see if that helps). I also ordered the Beyerdynamic DT 880. They’re pretty comfy, but I think my head is just too small for round ear pads–there is actually a gap on the backside between the ear pad and my neck. I do have an old pair of Bose Quiet Comfort 15 headphones which are VERY comfortable on my head. Hoping for something as comfortable with good sound for a digital piano.
Hi Jennifer,
Yeah, closed-back headphones are inherently less comfortable than open-back models. The pressure is necessary to make sure as little sound as possible gets in and gets out. As for the Beyerdynamic DT880, I don’t have a big head either but I didn’t notice anything like you describe when I tested them. Just to be clear, could you elaborate a little bit on this part “a gap on the backside between the ear pad and my neck”. You did try to adjust them, right?
Headphones are usually designed to work with most head/ear types, but if you don’t find it to be the case with the Beyerdynamic DT 880, it’s hard for me to give a recommendation that I’m 100% would work. The Sennheiser HD599 is another great pair of headphones that you might want to consider, but I can’t guarantee that it would fit your head perfectly either since they’re quite big as well. So, what I would recommend is to go to a store and try out different models (including those on the list) and see if any of them sit just as comfortably on your head as your old Bose pair. Hopefully, you’ll find something just as good.
Thanks for the reply, Lucas. Here’s as good a pic as I could get of what I mean: https://www.screencast.com/t/JyB7cLgauO2 With the phone comfortably over my ears, they extend behind my head far enough there is actually a small gap, like 2mm, close to where my hairline hits the phones. I’ll likely try the HD599. Yeah…I have thought about going to a store, but am a bit hesitant to during COVID (it’s also quite possible they no longer have models out for people to try…). Are there any Bose you would recommend for digital piano, or is the sound just not neutral enough?
Thanks for sharing the picture! It looks like the gap is really small, cause’ it’s hard to see it, but of course if it bothers you or affects the listening experience in a negative way, you should probably something more suitable.
Just to reiterate, unlike closed-back headphones, open-back headphones are never tight and normally apply little to no pressure to your head/ears. For example, if you shake your head, they will fall off quite easily.
As for Bose headphones, those are great quality but most (if not all) of their over-ear models are wireless, which makes them unusable with a digital piano (connection and latency issues).
Hi, Lucas! Thanks for this helpful article!
Unfortunately no one talks about the exact dimentions of different headphones, especially the height from the central point of the earcups to the inner surface of the headband. I am a girl with quite small head and many headphone models are too big for me, even at their shortest setting and as a result the earcups are positioned way too low.
In my country there are almost no places to test headphones live, so it is hard for me to find a pair that suits confortable to my head and ears. Could you help with some information or advise?
Thanks and best regards!
Hi Lucas,
Great review for newbies on the best open back headphones for use with a digital piano. I would like your thoughts as it relates to open back headphone’s accurate replication of ( only) classical music on a digital piano. Also, the headphones will need to worn at least 4-6 hours a day and sound spillover is not an issue, at all. If you were to revisit your top 5 best headphones to use only with a digital piano – and the ultimate, #1 goal was the most accurate classical music replication, would you place any of these 3 on your list? Specifically, I am wondering about the Audio technica ATH-AD700X with 38 ohm impedance, the Grado SR225E with 32 ohms impedance or the HD 58x Jubilee headphones with 150 ohms impedance. If none of these would even make your list, which headphones would you pick?
I just want the most accurate reproduction of classical music for practicing and learning purposes.
Any response will be deeply appreciated!
Hey Inna,
Apologies for the delayed response. Well, I also have a relatively small head, but the shortest setting is usually too small for me still 🙂 (maybe my head is not too small after all). I can totally see how this can be a problem, though.
Different headphones allow for a different level of adjustability, so I’m sure that there are models that will fit your head just fine. It would be helpful to know which models you already tried that were too big. Also, are we talking on-ear or over-ear headphones?
I have a pair of Sennheiser HD599 that I can measure for you, I’d just need to know which specific measurements would be helpful.
Hi Terry,
Apologies for the delayed response. Well, for long listening sessions I’d always recommend over-ear headphones over on-ear ones. As much as the Grado SR225E are comfortable, I’m not sure I’d use them for extended listening sessions. The lack of padding on the headband may rear its ugly head after a while, even though the earpads are pretty comfortable considering these are on-ear headphones.
I haven’t tried the HD58x Jubilee, but they seem to be pretty similar to the HD6xx series, which is fairly high-end and well-regarded in the community. The only problem I have with this model is its relatively high impedance, which may be a problem for a digital piano to drive (depends on the headphone amp used on your particular digital piano).
My personal favorites for the best sound/comfort/price ratio would the Senhheiseirs HD599 and the BEYERDYNAMIC DT series (preferably their lower impedance versions), especially if you don’t mind their low isolation qualities.
Thank you for this. We got the Phillips SHP9500 as a gift for an elderly retired professor/pianist. Apparently his constant playing (on a digital piano) disturbed his neighbors. He likes it very much so far (it’s only been two days since we gave it to him). We also got him a box of the disposable headphone ear covers to help keep the earpieces clean. The price of the SHP9500 didn’t break the bank and I like that the open back makes for a more natural listening experience. I dislike listening to music when it is pumped straight into my ears. For ourselves, when we get our keyboard, I think we’ll look into wireless headphones.
Happy to hear he likes the SHP9500. Wireless headphones are handy but it will be quite a challenge to try to connect them to a digital piano, not to mention latency issues.
Hi Locus,
Could you tell me your opinion on the new SENNHEISER HD 560s? I chatted with their CS on their website and they recommended it over the HD599 saying that the HD560s is the newer version with some better adjustments. So which one shall I buy ?
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Sure, looks like a great pair of headphones. I haven’t tried them out yet, but if Sennheiser say that it’s an improved version of the HD599, I don’t have a reason not to believe them. The only concern I have with this new model is the relatively high impedance (120 omhs), which may not perform well with certain digital pianos unless you use an amp.
Thank you 😊
Just came out of headphone school
Thanks so much.
I will test later to see which design, open or closed will work for me.
Hi Lucas,
Are you able to help me please? I’ve just inherited a Yamaha Clavinova CLP-152S series instrument in seemly good working order. I am looking to purchase for some headphones to use with it. Do you know what jack size I would need for this model, and whether your headphones reviewed here would be appropriate for this model?
Thank you very much.
Hi Lucas,
I am planning to upgrade from my old over-ear headphones to better ones for my Yamaha Clavinova CSP.
I tested the beyerdynamic DT880 Edition 32 Ohm, DT990 Edition 32 Ohm and AKG K701 62 Ohm with my Clavinova and compared them to my old Superlux 32 Ohm over-ear and old Sennheiser 600 Ohm over-ear headphones (headphone sensitivity: both beyerdynamic 96 dB, AKG 105 dB, Superlux 98 dB, Sennheiser 94 dB). To my surprise the beyerdynamics and AKG are unable to reproduce the entire dynamic range of the CSP, whereas the Superlux can do this.
The beyerdynamics and AKG reach the same volume but cannot produce fortissimo (and hardly reach forte). It seems to me that the signal from the CSP is not strong enough to fully drive these headphones. When I compare the volume from my Sennheiser and Superlux, the volume of the beyerdynamics/AKG is in the middle between the Sennheiser and Superlux (same results on my phone and PC). That’s why I was first thinking that I received the beyerdynamic 250 Ohm versions due to a mix-up at the factory, but beyerdynamic confirmed, based on the serial number, that they are 32 Ohm.
For these tests the (hardware) volume slider of my CSP was on 100% and in Yamahas SmartPianist app, the (software) main volume was at about 80%, which is factory default. If I raise the volume in the software to 100% as well, the beyerdynamics/AKG get somehow loud enough, but still don’t reach a real fortissimo. And the 100% are not saved, i.e. each time I start the piano, I would need to start the app as well to raise it to 100%. The velocity curve (touch curve) was Medium, which is factory default as well.
How do you interpret my findings? I guess I need to go for even lower impedance headphones. Do any over-ear headphones with less than 32 Ohm come to your mind that you could recommend?
Hi, Lucas. Thanks for the reviews.
I bought the Sony and the beyerdynamic.
Like you wrote: Sony = hot head, and beyerdynamic = comfortable.
I have an issue with the sound, though. The Sony sound bright and brilliant, just like a piano.
The beyerdynamic sound almost muffled, just like “Ellie” wrote above on April 25, 2020 (about the Sennheiser).
How do I get the brightness of the Sony with the comfort of the beyerdynamic?
Mike in Chicago
From what I understand the HD 599 was upgraded to the HD 560s late last year. The upgrade made all round improvements, and it is not that much more expensive. Any reasons why you are still recommending the older 599 model?
Hi Lucas,
Thanks so much for the guides and tips. They are super elaborative and helped me decide on my piano (FP30X) and the sustain pedal, which i enjoy now for almost a year now.
I’d really like to have a couple more recommendation on closed back headphones.
Also which of the 2 already mentioned is your personal favourite for playing piano at home?
If you provide additional recommendations, which of them are your favourite?
i’d say my upper cost limit is around 200$ (preferably 180$, but if the extra 20$ can get me to the next level, i’ll allow myself to overspend).
Thanks again.
It’s too bad that wireless (e.g. Bluetooth) technology hasn’t caught up with electronic instruments. Many newer digital pianos now have Bluetooth functionality—but it’s to connect with music apps, not for listening to real-time playing, as the latency imposed by wireless communication is apparently still to great to be practical. I can’t speak for everyone, but I often wish I didn’t have to deal with headphone cables when using them to play. I hope the day isn’t far off when keyboard-makers figure out how to “broadcast” their sounds in real-time. (Seems like something we could’ve nailed down 30 years ago, doesn’t it? Maybe I’m missing something.)
I have a Casio PX-S1000 digital piano. Unfortunately, the headphone output is very quiet, so my AKG-K712 Pro plays much too quietly.
I am therefore looking for a good headphone with the following features:
– open (because of sweating)
– velour padding (because of the sweating)
– efficient (so that it can play loud)
– neutral (no bass overboost)
Does anyone have a good tip?
Can I use Blue Tooth Headphones? Since the keyboard has blue tooth capability? If yes, will the connectivity to bluetooth headphones auto cancel the signal to the internal speakers? Or will I have to mute the signal to the internal speakers on the keyboard?
In most cases BT adds delay. So in most cases this will not work. Use headphones with a cable,
Thank you Tom,
When putting headphones into the Roland FP30X, do you know if that auto cancels the signal send to this unit’s built in speakers?
Do you know if you can Mute the Signal to the built in speakers?
As I do not own an FP-30x I can not say for 100% sure. But I only know pianos that mute the speakers, when you plug in a headphone.
According to a google search it does mute the speakers when a headphone is plugged in.
Hi and thanks for your article.
I own a Yamaha P-515 digital piano and a pair of Sony WH-CH700N (apparently 22ohm) which I use with a cable and they sound awful with my piano. I don’t know how to explain but they just do sound terrible. It’s like the sound is muffled, frequencies all mixed together rather than defined. Any idea why these headphones seems like they are not suitable for a digital piano?
I use them to listen to music and they’re great.
Which of the headphones listed would provide a better experience with my piano with none of the mentioned issues?
Thanks
Have you tried Superlux HD 681? I wanted to buy something better than I have (for a reason unknown), but after scrolling though the best headphones with neutral sound on rtings I can’t justify buying anything from this list while my headphones last 😀
With my Yamaha CSP-170 I use Audio Technica ATH-AD900X and Superlux HD681F. Volume and sound quality are quite close. Given the huge price difference, I would try the Suoerlux.