One thing I'll mention after years of playing on digital pianos with headphones is that I always use headphones with dual sided cables. When playing with a single sided cable for long sessions, like hour+, I start to notice that slight unbalance of weight pulling to one side and it is very distracting and uncomfortable.
I do the opposite. Dual sided drive me crazy. They drag on my clothes as I play. I prefer a short rounded detachable cable. That drags less and doesn't get caught on things like my legs either. If I try to move too far from the piano, the lead just pops out instead of damaging itself or pulling the instrument over. And I find it really helps having the headphone socket on the left.
You can kick those MEZE up a notch by replacing the pads with Brainwavz Micro Suede pads. Stock pads reduce the pinna gain (a broad hump in the frequency response centered at about 2.5 kHz). The Brainwavz pads will bring it up to reference levels. The beautiful thing about the MEZE is not just their looks and comfort, but their ability to be driven by pretty much anything-even an iPhone dongle. The Brainwavz pads are a worthy addition. They also remove the muddiness in the bass. Brainwavz knows what they are doing and you can buy the pads for under 20 USD. It is sort of an audiophile secret (though not secret in the audiophile community).
If your budget needs to stay below $100 US, a couple of good options are AKG 240 Studio and Sennheiser HD280 Pro. These are both popular studio headphones which I think complement digital pianos well. The AKG is open-back (allowing sound to travel in and a little bit out), and I've seen them advertised for as low as $55. The Sennheisers are closed-back and do a good job of isolating from outside noise. They usually go for right around that $100 price point. I would recommend trying each on for comfort before buying--the Sennheisers especially, as they clamp pretty tightly to your head. Edit: Please read comments below for more info about the HD 280 Pros.
Hi Greg! Thanks for writing in and sharing these insights! You are certainly right in saying that the level of comfort one experiences when wearing the headphones is an important consideration, especially if you do long stretches of practicing with headphones or doing recording/music production. Given that everyone is different with different proportions, it is always advised to test things out in person to make the best decision.
The senn hd280s make my Roland hp605 sound supper thin and the Roland Rh A7 that came with my digital piano are just muddy, but at least they make the treble sound thicker.
@gregmiller7638 - "I would recommend trying each on for comfort before buying - the Sennheisers especially, as they clamp pretty tightly to your head." That was my experience when I bought the Sennheisers for listening to my stereo; after about 10 - 15 minutes, it felt like my head was in a vice; half an hour was more than I could stand. Admittedly, my head is wider than average, but the range of adjustment on the Sennheisers was pitiful, considering how expensive they are.
Hi, great channel, I have watched a few videos. A couple of random questions if you have time:
1. There is an opinion that one should not use headphones on a digital piano when one only starts to learn to play, as the source of the sound would be “in your head” rather than “in your fingers” which will obstruct learning to play. Is that true in your opinion? 2. They also say that if you start learning to play piano it is crucial that you do it with a teacher by your side (vs self-taught pianist), or otherwise wrong playing technics will be engraved in your brain and fingers and will be impossible to fix later. What is your opinion on that? 3. When you play the instruments to help us understand how they sound, would be really helpful if you could play the same classical piece as it will allow to compare easier. Or, same jazz standard maybe? You are a great improviser and have a great technic, but it does not help the novices to compare when different pieces which I do not know are being played. Thank you.
Hi, the headphone amplifier is very important and its capability to drive low impedance headphones. On my NV10 I use AKG K712 (~60 ohm impedance), I am satisfied. I use also a Yamaha HPH-MT8 (~30 ohm impedance) which is a very good headphone but the Kawai/Onkyo amplifier of the NV10 can not drive it. Touching the display causes a zzzzzzzz sound. It seems to be an EMI issue. I also like the Ergo 2. I am thinking of trying the Sennheiser HD 600 or HD 600s. When you use your instrument to work with, it is worth to spend some money, your ears thanks. An Idea is to use an external headphone amplifier as Lake People, SPL, ... connected to the line out. A big thank you to you for all the videos.
The headphones you should look at are the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. I've used these for recording as well as monitoring and they are fine without spending a ton of money. Spending more than about $150 or so on a pair of headphones for a digital piano is extremely diminishing returns seeing it's all digital samples. Often the piano has basic headphone amplifier inside not much better than on your typical iPod. It's like saying what headphone is best for MP3s. The MX50 costs half what the HD650 is and is virtually identical in sound for non audiophile uses.
@@JoeLinux2000 IMO, they are inferior in this case because while they offer a better sound stage, they also broadcast a lot of what you are listening to into the surrounding environment, largely mitigating the main advantage that people use headphone with a digital piano for. Which is to not bother the people around you. On the other hand, if you are one of the few people who use your headphones solely for mastering and mixing, then they will work fine - plug those into your mixing board or DAW and go.
These digital pianos are more nuanced that what an ATH-M50 will show you, paying more is worth it, but not too much more. HD650 and K702 is where musicians tend to stop. K702 is super overkill. Otherwise, SRH840 is good, especially the AKG K553, Pioneer HRM7, and ATH-M70x.
I have both ad900x and m50x. They are just different. I would go with 900 every time though. They just have better scene(and that’s the closed ones, open would be even better but I need something quiet)
I wasn’t happy with the quality of my Yamaha P115 headphone output, but I bought Pianoteq with Binaural models and plugged in my P115 to the computer using the USB port. Now, the headphone experience (from the computer output) is being awesome!
I own the Meze 99 Classics, and they are the only cans that make my Kawai ES 520 sound indistinguishable from my KRK 5-inch monitors. Most headphones, even pretty good ones, make the piano sound odd--too bright and shrill and otherworldly, as if the piano were in a vacuum. I'm guessing this is a soundstage issue. The 99 classics make the piano sound lovely.
Hi David! I have very recently had a chance to experience the Meze 99 headphones firsthand and I must say that I was quite blown away with what they offer sonically. The sensation of proximity and distance that they establish is very impressive. Can we also talk about how comfortable they feel on your head/ears? :)
Hey, David. I also have the ES 520 and am very happy with it. I don't have the Meze 99 Classics, though. They look great, and I bet they sound even better.
I use my headphones for at least 80% of playing (Roland FP-90X). There is no comparison with sound quality using external speakers, let alone built in speakers. I am using Sennheiser HD600 (I also have Hifiman headphones)
Maybe that's the test of headphones. If they sound better than good speakers, they must be good. My headphones do not sound as good as my speakers which actually aren't very expensive.
I have a pair of Yamaha HS8 monitors that I use to reproduce the sounds of my Yamaha Montage M and Korg Kronos 2 73. With the Sennheiser 650HD headphones will I have equal or better quality than the monitors? Do I need to buy an amplifier to use them on the keyboard's headphone output?
@@robson969 I do not think that you need any amplifier to use the headphones unless they have very low impedance. The quality and intimacy of sound of good headphones is better than any speakers, I believe.
My go to would be beyerdynamics dt770pro. Velvet pads are the best when you want to sit for more than an hour. Sometimes, I switch them with Audiotechnica Ath900x and I like it as well. Can comfortably sit in these for hours. Korg sv2/grandstage can easily work with 250 ohm ones. Roland fp-e50 on the other hand is nowhere near in terms of piano tones and is unable to fully embrace the 250 ohm one. The thing that is not working for me is the Sony wh 1000xm2,3,4. They’re too muddy and bassy for piano. I would suggest buying some older refurbished ones that used to be in 300-400$ range for half the price.
Thank you kindly! There are some excellent suggestions there! And, as you've pointed out, making sure things are well-matched in terms of impedance will also have an impact. Thanks again! :)
Been waiting for a review like this for some time! Given the supply chain disruptions in digital pianos, I went and bought headphones first (Sennheiser HD650) and hope to find a piano down the road. Stu, would you consider evaluating more headphones but in the high-end range? In fact, it'd be great if you could determine what you consider the 'ultimate' headphone for digital pianos "if price were no object." I've found it useful to start at the very top, then work my way down to something which is affordable yet retains some of the essential qualities of the best.
the step up from HD650, as some would say, is HD800 I would recommend sticking to HD650, it is a popular model among musicians, if you poke around the web for info, plus you need high-end playback gear to get your money's worth out of HD800 anyway, it is a marginal improvement in a number of ways out of low-end gear, but the margin grows exponentially out of top-notch gear. HD650 is also overkill (less so at that), but at least it is a fraction of the price (assuming you didn't pay MSRP).
These are some other suggestions: If you are buying mid-range to high end digital pianos get yourselves something nice, HD600 at the very least. An Audeze MM-500 would be great too. Open back headphones won’t disturb the neighbors. If you really need something dead quiet as a closed back, Focal Radiance would make the cut. It’s funny to see people buying the N3X or a NV10S and then wearing a crappy headphone to practice and listen to the quality samples there. If one is serious about the headphone practice because there is no other choice, you can also get a headphone amp with decent power, take the output of the piano and direct to the headphone amp to have an awesome headphone experience when practicing.
Thanks so much for sharing your suggestions and insights! You certainly raise a good point about pairing good quality headphones with high-quality digital/hybrid pianos. If a player is mainly buying one of these instruments to practice with headphones, making an investment is great quality headphones is definitely worthwhile in my opinion. :)
I use Sennheiser HD650 headphones with my CLP745 and the Yamaha CFX sample sounds jaw dropping. The clarity is amazing and directional sound queues are really on point and accurate. if you have a quieter room to play in, I highly recommend a pair of good open ear headphones such as HD650's paired with a quality digital keyboard. The CLP745 speakers are quite decent but doesn't hold a candle to using the HD650's. Stu, I'd love to hear your thoughts on a similar combo as mine, if you happen to have decent Clavinova to test on with a good pair of open-ear headphones. Multiple people that have played on mine have been pretty blown away.
I have played the Yamaha CLP795GP next to a Yamaha Arius YDP184, but also next to a Yamaha NU1X and the N3X (cheapest and most expensive models of the AvantGrand series). The YDP184 CFX sample is OK, but the CLP795GP is better. For example, you can get a harsh fortissimo on the YDP184 (kind of a bright sound) that you won't get on the CLP795GP as the sound is very well blended. But what makes the CLP795GP really stands out when compared to the YDP184 is the binaural sample (when using headphones). Unlike Kawai or Roland, which use DSP effects to create the experience with headphones and recreate a fake ambience, Yamaha actually has recorded the CFX using a dummy head fitted with microphones for their headphone sample. That's a true binaural sample. The sample for their speakers/line out is different, whereas Kawai and Roland just pump out the same sample for the line out and headphones. So, the CLP795GP makes feel you are playing in front of the piano. The YDP184 does not have binaural samples, so it sounds like regular headphones. However, the best CFX sample from Yamaha is not in the CLP795GP. When played side by side with the AvantGrand NU1X, you will notice the NU1X has a better sample, and the N3X still sounds better. I am not sure if the N3X has a different sample than the NU1X, or just better DAC's (digital analog converters), but the best Yamaha CFX sample I have heard on headphones is in the AvantGrand N3X.
I have a pair of Yamaha HS8 monitors that I use to reproduce the sounds of my Yamaha Montage M and Korg Kronos 2 73. With the Sennheiser 650HD headphones will I have equal or better quality than the monitors? Do I need to buy an amplifier to use them on the keyboard's headphone output?
I was selling keyboards/pianos, I was able to test a lot of headphones, look at Beyerdynamic with the DT 770 / DT 990 (watch out for 250 ohms). AKGs lack bass punch for piano.
@@gabrielorenstein9424 yes, the 250ohm are a little bit higher fidelity I would not recommend 770 or 990, personally, because of their bass and treble boost, though DT770 is popular among musicians 990 is a freaking bass cannon, lol
Can a beginner DP like the ES120 drive 250ohms headphones? I highly doubt? The 80 Ohm version of the DT770 get recommended alot. So I was wondering what are your views on the 80 Ohm version?
Many years ago I did quite a few DP reviews for a high street magazine called Keyboard Review. I volunteered to test a bunch of headphones on digital pianos. A small'ish company called JHS/JHP(?) did pretty well and so did several others of the less obvious brands. Too many models were good for hifi or good for mixing maybe, but not so good for DPs.
First of all I apologize for my English I used the translator .... and I congratulate you on all your reviews. I'm 46, I'm from Pisa and I've been playing the piano for about a year, and it's fantastic. I wanted to know if it was possible to compare different models of digital pianos only with headphones because I think that between some models where there are hundreds of euros of difference when compared with headphones the difference is small. I ask you this because I live in a condominium so 90% of the time I study with headphones so as not to disturb. Congratulations again and have a good day. Valerio Orsini.
Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to review the video! We sincerely appreciate it! :) While comparing the headphone sound output of different digital piano models is a great idea, it would be hard thing to capture in order for our viewers to hear and experience in a properly represented way. With that said, we always try to tackle as many user-submitted video suggestions as possible and will certainly add it to the list and rack our brains to figure out if it is possible to properly capture the sonic experience of different pianos with headphones. Thanks for the suggestion!
Interesting video. For me the Denon AH-D 7200 are fantastic for everything, E-piano, on computers, for audioplayers and many other devices as well, cost around 800 Dollars but worth it, it upgrades you digital piano in sound and experience a lot!
Great video. Thank you. Just subscribed to your chanel. What's the brand of the "earbud" type headset you are using on the initial promo of your video?
Thank you kindly! We appreciate the support immensely. :) I am not sure as to what earbud style headphones that Stu is using at that portion of the video. They look quite unique/distinct, but I am not sure as to what brand/model they are. I'd have to ask Stu about that. Perhaps, one of our helpful community members will know the answer.
Hey, i wanto order roland fp 10 Digital piano for my kids, and i honestly dont have any idea about pianos. So my question is, can i connect wireless bluetooth headphones like airpods or sony link buds s or jabra elite 7 active earbuds with it so that they can play and listen via earbuds and not make noise all the time? Or no?
Hi there, thanks for the question! Unfortunately, wireless Bluetooth headphones are not compatible with any digital pianos. The issue is that there is latency between when a key is touched and when the sound is heard. Because of the nature of piano, it is critical for the sound to trigger immediately when the key is struck. To that point, wired headphones are required for all digital pianos, including the FP10. Hope this helps! :)
Hey! Awesome video as usual :) How did you select these headphones for the comparison? Is there a reason for not choosing well known HiFi headphones such as de Hifiman Sundara or Audeze LCD2?
You're very welcome! This video shines a spotlight on some of the most popular models and brands in the most popular price category. Needless to say, there are a plethora of other excellent options of course! :)
What would you say to a WH-1000XM2. This is are closed over ear Bluetooth headphones with Noise Canceling I bought for work. To play piano i would use the cable and deactivate NC. (Remove delay and little noise from the NC). Or is the difference to headphones designed extra for this type of application really big?
Hi there! Thanks for the support! The Kawai SH9 headphones are always my top suggestion for use with Kawai digital pianos. These headphones are specifically designed and voiced for use with Kawai's SKEX concert grand samples, which are quite warm sounding.
@ thank you so much for the feedback. I was just about to order the Yamaha HPH-150. But as I can read, Kawai SH9 is better? These 2 headphones seem to me about the same? I love bass. But not the muddy sound. I subscribed by the way 😄
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! The RH-A7 headphones are fantastic! They're comfortable, cost-effective, and sound great with digital pianos! :)
I am curious about the opposite, what are the best piano monitors? Do the best piano monitors have anything that differs from the best general use studio monitors? Do I need a sub? Or any other equipment to connect it all together?
Hi! Brent here! We have received a few requests to cover this topic in a video, which we will do our best to do. I would say that the best speakers/monitors for piano playing are likely not the same as general use studio monitors. With studio monitors, you usually want a flat, transparent speaker sound, especially for mixing. If you have speakers that boost the top end, it may make your mixes sound exciting on your own speaker setup, but incredibly dull on other systems that don't have that same frequency pump. With digital pianos, you may want speakers/monitors that enhance certain frequency bands to make your piano sound as spectacular as possible. A sub is not necessary, but can help provide a lot of warmth and depth. It will bring out power and bass clarity that will be more akin to a concert grand piano.
Absolutely! I think covering more headphone models in review and comparison videos is a great idea. For the NV10S model, I would recommend trying out the Kawai SH9 headphones. They're specifically voiced for Kawai's SK-EX sample sets. They pair really well! :)
wouldnt some type of studio monitor headphones be the best choice to get a flat response thus getting a more accurate representation of the sound being produced by the keyboard?
Not exactly. In theory there are studio headphones for recording, then there are others for mixing and mastering. Is that two or three categories? Dunno. The ones for mixing are not made to beautify the music (quite the opposite) they are made to expose all the imperfections in the sound. Sometimes the mids are very harsh. My silly red "Skull Candy" headphones cost around half as much as my studio headphones, but sound more than twice as good when I'm practising my piano. I have to take out as much of the the mids as possible on my piano's EQ sliders (glad it has them) if I use my studio headphones. Maybe I was unlucky in my purchase, but the scenario fits advice I've heard.
@@Zoco101 That's the thing. It seems to me you have to make major adjustments to the EQ when using headphones. I never liked Bose noise cancelling head phones which people think sound so great because they add a lot of bass to the signal. Maybe that would be good with a digital piano, I don't know. It seems headphones my have to be matched to the piano.
calikokat100 In my opinion, yes, studio monitor headphones are ideal because of the flatter response. For example, if I was using headphones with much more prominent bass than treble, I would most likely compensate by playing the lower notes more quietly than normal. However, it would probably depend on the individual how much this would affect their playing. The other commenters make valid points as well.
I prefer playing without headphones, though my regular headphones sound nice enough. Actually, I fear it's too easy to damage your hearing. Sometimes my ears ring after a long session. I prefer combining my onboard speakers with my studio monitors and sub. None of these things are perfect for the piano, but together they sound great. Also, my DP vibrates a little when I use the onboard speakers, and I like that. It is worthwhile trying the headphone sockets on any showroom instrument you might buy. Years ago I tried a Casio PX (I think the piano was an indigo colour) and the output was incredibly harsh and noisy. I'm guessing that that showroom model was faulty. Anyway, it put me right off what was their only PX... available. It was the last straw. I'm glad I had my headphones. And in any case, testing a potential new instrument through your own headphones is highly recommendable.
Tonight I shall use headphones again, for obvious reasons, but next time I can do some daytime practice I'll enjoy the big sound I'm getting in my studio now.
Well, ... when I went to the pianoshop to look for a Digital piano, I took my Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 Ohm studio Closed headphone with me. This is a great headphone and I use them when I'm creating and mixing music in Cubase, using Spitfire Audio instrument Libraries. When trying them out in de store on the Kawai NV5S ... I was smiling from ear to ear because they sounded that good. Now I know ... this is all relative and some people may prefer other headphones. But I just wanted to comment here and hope this might help other people as well. I even recommend you taking your headphones to the store and try them out. So you know immediately if the're good for you and you like the sound they produce on that specific digital / hybrid piano
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences! It is certainly a good point to test out the headphones you plan on using in conjunction with a digital piano. Very sound advice (no pun intended)! ;)
Great video and one of the best (if not THE best) video in this domain. Do you have any generic advise on what to look out for? Like linear vs bathtub frequency curve or open/semi open/closed back, impedance etc.? Currently on my way to purchase a Kawai CA 901 and want to think about headphones (which I'll be using app. 50% of my playing time) right from the beginning. Spending >4.000€ here in Germany and run it through 50€ headphones just doesn't feel right... Keep up the good work. I really love the mix of topics like digitals, accoustic, VSTs, modelling/sampling...
Thanks so much! We appreciate that! Ensuring that you the impedance of your headphones are well suited for use with a digital piano is definitely critical to optimize the sonic experience. Beyond that, a lot of the sonic experience comes down to taste. Having the opportunity to try a few headphones on the piano you'll be using them with is the best way to narrow things down. Thanks and all the best!
Hi! Brent here! The Meze 99 headphones are excellent! Beyond that, I would also recommend checking out the Kawai SH9 headphones. They were developed in conjunction with Audio Technica specifically for use with Kawai's SKEX samples. :)
I recently started trying to learn piano and purchased a Yamaha P-225b keyboard along ATH-M30x headphones, the sound is okay but after 30 minutes my head is hurting from how tight they are. I would like something comfortable, and even though I feel as though they sound okay I wouldn't mind forking up a few hundred dollars if it squeezed some better audio, but I don't know if my entry tier board would benefit from them? I don't really see any clarification on it in the manual.
Hi! Brent here! The sonic experience is ultimately going to be based on a combination of the tone engine's capabilities and the headphones' capabilities. With that said, the issue you're dealing with has more to do with the physical design of the headphones opposed to the speaker quality/fidelity. If you're looking for optimal comfort, I think the Meze 99 headphones are worth exploring. They look and sound great, but they're very comfy on the ears in my experience. :)
In your last videos, you are using Sony headphones. What about them? Do you recommend them over those in the video? What's the model's name? Thank you.
Hi! Brent here! I am not entirely sure as to which Sony headphones Stu was using in that video, but there are a lot of great headphones out there. Sometimes, the best option also depends on the specific piano model and the tonal characteristics of its piano sound.
@mPianos Thank you for your answer. I saw tons of videos on this channel, especially comparison, and decided to go for the Roland FP-10. But stuck with the headphones question because I couldn't find such great videos (like you did for pianos) about them. Now I can't buy a piano without headphones >>.
The test I did was to play individual notes with then without headphones as I wanted the headphones to sound the same as if I weren't wearing any. I tried several headphones on my Yamaha DGT2A and the best imho are Audio Technica M40X. The sound is like for like even in the base and sometimes I forget I'm using them. There are good reviews for them for piano but some reviews say poor build quality but I have 2 pairs the first pair is over 6 years old and apart from the ear cups flaking which have now been replaced I have had no other issues with them. I tried others at a similar price and they sounded muffled especially in the base. .
That is definitely a fantastic way to test the consistency of the overall frequency response and output between the piano's onboard speakers and headphones' speakers. While reviews can be helpful to provide some guidance and suggestion in terms of which models to test out, the most important thing is for you to find a sound that satisfies and inspires you while playing. Thanks for tuning into the channel! We really appreciate it. :)
Thanks so much for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle that model and more open-back models in the next digital piano headphone shootout we put together. :)
It all comes down to a matter of personal preference of course, but I would recommend checking out the Meze 99 Classics. I am a huge fan of the sonic experience and comfort that they provide! :)
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! We have had a few requests to tackle the subject of studio monitors and have added it to the list of potential video topics. Thanks for the suggestion and all the best! :)
I had a chance to play today the Kawai CA99. It reminded me of the tone of the Yamaha AvantGrand NU1X actually. It is a high quality sample, notably better than the one in the CA49, which was next to it. The SK-EX sample was the best sample, the second one (EX) is not in the same league. And I don't think it is because the actual Kawai EX is less premium, but because it is the old sample from them, which is less sophisticated. I would bet the EX is an awesome sounding piano, just the sample is not giving it justice. The soundboard thing is much less important than what it may seem, actually. The real workers, the ones that do the heavy lifting, are the 4 full range drivers on top. The soundboard is not nearly as resonant, and mainly produces the lowest frequencies. However, I prefer this approach to boxed speakers for bass reproduction. A lot of people think the CA99/NV5S has speakers on the front, below the keyboard, because they see a speaker grill. Actually, that grill only has 3 elongated racetrack sound ports, two long ones and a short one, which are actually narrow (about 2 inches), and that's just for the soundboard to "breathe". The 4 full range speakers on top are remarkably clean, they provide very high quality sound reproduction. Unfortunately, when I was playing, I heard a weird rattling sound, so I stopped to locate the source. I thought it was the soundboard rattling. Actually, it was one of the full range drivers (the one on the far left), particularly when playing the middle D and D#. In addition, when I played the lowest octave, the piano made a strong rattling noise. It was the fallboard, specifically the small piece that folds. When I held it, the piano didn't rattle. The CA49 didn't have any of these problems. While the problems are very minor in nature, rattling sounds are very loud and ruin the playing experience. The fix is likely simple, but I imagine how irritating it must be to buy a new piano of this caliber and hear rattling noises. I would buy the CA99 anyway, but point it out to the dealer or call a technician to address the issue. When compared to acoustic pianos, digital pianos still lack the expression that even a simple piano such as the Kawai K15 has. By the way, Kawai dealers can add the Silent System to any piano for about $2,500. So, you get the best of both worlds.
If you have ca49 you already have great keyboard action. Add to this the sound from pianoteq and you would not look back. This keyboard action and pianoteq on the headphones makes a great playing experience. In my opinion there is no point of getting expensive speaker system for a digital piano (like ca99, expensive monitors), because for this price you can get much beter sound and feel from the real piano, that cost even less (second hand). So my choice is - digital: headphones and pianoteq; real piano for playing without headphones
@@zbigniewbohdanowicz8897 Your choice is very reasonable. I haven't been happy with Pianoteq sound yet, but I know they keep perfecting the model, so maybe a few more iterations of it will be needed, at least for me. By the way, custom designed speakers for a digital piano sound can surpass the headphone playing experience, and they don't have to cost a lot. I have designed speakers just for my digital piano as a hobby, and they are more satisfying than using headphones. I understand you have to pay a premium for speakers if you want to buy them already built-in (like a CA99), so I agree that a real piano is a better choice than a very expensive digital piano. And like I mentioned, you can always have a dealer install a Silent System, turning your acoustic piano into a hybrid piano to use with headphones and external speakers.
@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 I've felt for a long time that an automobile leaf spring with a transducer should be fastened under the keybed to produce a noticeable sense of vibration.
@@JoeLinux2000 hahaha although it's not just the vibration for me, but also how the instrument feels to play having said that the only digital pianos I tried are the Yamaha P 125 and my Kawai ES 110🎹🎶
@@mfurman My go-to personal set for listening when I don't care about my surroundings or bothering people are my old Grados. For the money, nothing beats them. But they basically a flat panel speaker in how they throw nearly as much sound into the room as towards your ears. For piano, you might as well just use the speakers at that point at a lower volume.
My vintage 1975 AKG-240’s just broke again; it’s either get out the soldering iron (not easy the way they are structured), or buy new! Sentimental item…but, I’m trying to edify myself since I’ve recently taken up keys & do sing. 🥳Big BDAY soon, so maybe I should give up on my old, falling apart AKG’s? (Crazy, cuz I see them around at $100., refurbished).
That is amazing longevity that you have gotten out of your AKG240s! It sounds like it may be worth getting them repaired to keep that journey going. With that said, having a newer second pair of headphones wouldn't be a bad idea. Also, happy early birthday! :)
Hi there! No, unfortunately, due to the latency (delay) in the signal between pressing the keys and hearing the sound, wireless Bluetooth headphones of any kind are not a viable option to be used with digital pianos.
I got Apple's AirPods Max (with Apple's 3.5mm wire) for my future KAWAI NV 10s. When testing it in the showroom, I noticed that if you set the piano's volume to 50% and above, there is an obvious "zzzzz" sound from this headphone, whenever you play more than 3 notes at one time. But if you lower down the piano's volume and increase the headphone's volume, the noise can be avoided. The same happens with YAMAHA P125 that I currently use. Don't know whether this happens to other headphone brands, and I can't really tell whether letting the headphone do the amplifying job would affect the sound quality. I totally forgot the possibility of spending that money on some professional manufacturer's headphone products (Hifiman, maybe), but AirPods Max's sound quality is quite enough for most situations, and its noise cancellation is just too sweet to ignore, especially when you have a roommate that cooks when you practice.
It sounds you are using an external headphone amplifier to amplify the already amplified signal of the digital piano via its built-in headphone amplifier, and you get a hiss sound when you turn up the volume of your digital piano. That is expected. You should be using the digital piano line outs in this case, not the digital piano headphones socket, and turn off the internal speakers. You need to feed your external headphone amplifier a line level signal, not a hot signal such as another headphone amplifier (in this case, the one built in the digital piano).
I reckon the best bang for buck when it comes to headphones is OneOdio Pro-10 and Pro-50. Absolutely outstanding performance for about half the price of comparable headphones from other brands.
@@Nathan-tm7vb I'm in Australia and here the Pro 10's are around $55 and the Pro 50's about $85. They're not some obscure brand, you can just google oneodio to find their website and retailers.
It seems to me that it would be better to invest in decent headphones than a 3 pedal unit on a portable piano. That raises the question does anyone use the una corda and sostenuto pedals on a portable when even the damper pedal is almost never used in Boogie Woogie and similar styles. I would appreciate your comment Stu.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! There are certainly some high-level gigging classical players out there that rely portable digital piano options regularly and will utilize the una cordan and sostenuto pedals frequently. In terms of whether it is better to invest in decent headphones over the triple pedal system, it all depends on the player/customer. There are some players that never practice with headphones, while others will almost exclusively practice with headphones. It all depends on the context of use. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you. As I suspected It is the top classical. I fully understand the reason for 4 pedals on a Stuart or 3 pedals on a Bosendorfer Imperial but us happy jazzing beginners can spend better ways. Kawai ES920 here I come 🙂
Maybe a little off topic, but take a household like mine where there is constant banging around in the kitchen, a rambunctious 11-yr old causing a ruckus and neighbor’s dog incessant yapping. Any buying tips for headphones that eliminate ambient noise, leaving one just to his peaceful Debussy or Chopin? I guess it would have to be a fairly tight-fitting set. Thank you!!!
i wished you could used the audiotechnica m50x bt2 (headphones usable for wireless music listening on phone) the meze 99 neo(100€ cheaper version of meze 99 classic) and one of the most popular headphones ever :the beyerdynamic dt 770 80ohms. in such a video
Hi there! We will certainly do a follow up digital piano headphone video which tackles additional models. So, we appreciate the suggestions! Also, it is important to note that Bluetooth headphones are not compatible with digital pianos due to the latency issues.
Afaik, the AKG K-171 isn't built any more. Alternatives by AKG at similar prices would be the models AKG K-371 (closed) or AKG K-712 (open). For me even more interesting is a headphone by some fo the ex-AKG folks named "Austrian Audio Hi-X65", quite worth to give it a try.
I use the Sennheiser 598, they sound great and are comfortable. I had a a pair of Shure srh940's, sounded good but the worst quality of any headphone I ever owned. They literally fell to pieces over 12 months
This is a great vid, I've owned some really expensive hot headphones over the years, but 30yrs ago ( I'm pretty sure that's how long I've owned them ) I settled for the Sony MDR-7506 in my opinion the best in the business, they Rock !, just my 5 cents.
I’m surprised to hear you are not a headphone guy since buying the hybrid was to keep sound down for your young family. Are you laying out loud already or will one of these headphones get you back on that track?
Hey Guy! I can totally see how my comment could have that meaning...however I meant it more in the sense of "car guy" or "computer guy"... i.e. someone at a super-high knowledge/passion level for that specific category. I use headphones constantly, but don't know much about them, all the boutique makers, and only just recently started understanding the massive range in quality and experience they can give you. But I'm getting more and more interested :) Cheers, stu.
Great video! Been trying to figure out why basic "$40 ish electronics store" level headphones (Sony etc) sound fabulous on pc/iPad, but awful on a digital piano or keyboard, but cheap "studio" headphones ($50-$90) sound fantastic on a piano - is this due to the impedance on the cheap store bought headphones not being high enough? I've read 32-65 is the desired ohm range for keyboards; the "electronics store" ones are often 24 ohms, the entry level studio headphones seem to start at 32?
Thank you kindly! That is a great question/point! Having the impedance of your headphones properly paired with the ideal/intended impedance of the piano itself is vital to optimizing the sonic fidelity. As you've discovered, 32 to 65 Ohms is the ideal range for most digital pianos.
@@MerriamPianos Thanks for that! I actually think there was a bigger issue though - those Sony headphones have a mic built in. I've now tried 3 headphones with built in mics connected to a piano headphone port and they all sound awful; interestingly though if you hold down the mic mute button on the cable - they all sound fine - I wish you could disable mics on those headphones, looks like the mic is either using up ohms maybe, or just plain interfering with the output from the piano.
I would be very careful about using headphones for any extended period of time, and even for short periods of time if the volume is too loud they can damage your hearing. I would say they are only warranted if you wife is complaining. Even then, a good digital can be turned down and they still can sound quite nice.
One thing about turning down the volume of the piano without headphones: The action might start feeling a bit heavier, because the amount of force that you would be applying to the keys would not be expressed in the amount of sound that you would be getting out of the piano. If that starts happening, that can be an indicator to switch to headphones. Just my one cent of opinion. Cheers
@JoeLinux2000 - I'd have thought the easiest way to avoid hearing damage is just to turn the volume down. Surely, if the sound through your headphones is loud enough to do harm, you can HEAR it's too loud, can't you?
While I have never tried those headphones with digital pianos personally, given their specs (namely their impedance), they are well matched for use with digital pianos and should work quite well. :)
The Kawai SH9 headphones have excellent fidelity and are quite comfortable on the ears, which is an important consideration if you're going to be investing many practice hours with them. While the frequency response of the SH9 headphones are not necessarily the widest compared to other similarly priced headphones, they do offer a very clear and balanced tonal response that makes playing with them quite enjoyable. Also, given their 47 Ohm impedance, they are designed with digital piano use specifically in mind. Hope this helps! :)
Very happy to hear that you've found a pair of headphones that you're satisfied with! That is awesome that the sound is consistent with the onboard speakers as well. :)
Those 40s get good reviews, by the mixing community at least. I purchased the ATH-M30s about a year ago and was very disappointed with their monitoring of my piano. They might work well in mixing, since they have such strong mids - well see. I like a keen mid definition on a digital piano, but it can go too far. The purchase was really an experiment to see if I could easily improve on my existing cheaper (but satisfactory) headphones, which are an obscure brand. People often rant about the flat response on the right headphones. I suggest that it's much more complex. Hifi headphones are typically very coloured, but that is not to say that others may have no bias. IMO, a slight mid bias is probably good for headphones on most DPs, but if the treble is tinny or the bass is mushy, then I won't be happy.
This is one of the best Videos that I found on youtube (Best headphones for Digital Piano)... A lot of people are recomending HD600... what do you think of those Headphones Merriam Music??
Thank you so much! We're glad you enjoyed it! :) While I do not have a ton of experience with the HD600 headphones, they are a very solid model and would definitely a be an excellent choice for digital pianos.
Honestly, I would *not* say this is the case. I own a few Chi-Fi IEMs (Tin T3, Blon03) and would NOT recommend them for reference because they do not have a flat sound curve and aren't high resolving across the whole sound range. I don't think you want subdued mids or boosted upper bass/ highs while playing piano. It's good for music, but misrepresentative for playing IMO. My moondrop starfields are decently resolving and relatively flat but their soundstage is nowhere near any of my planar magnetic headphones. Ironically, I use drop pandas for headphones and find them well resolved, open, and easily powered for good volume.
I use Etymotic Hf5s. Recently read a review which slammed them, yet they're better than any regular headphones I've tried, although I haven't tried any in the price range reviewed here. There is quite a lot of contradictory info out there, but hardly anything at all with respect to comparing regular headphones vs in ear ones for use with digital pianos
20 Hz to 20,000 Hz represents the spectrum of human hearing hence why headphones are designed within that frequency response range. Also, one thing to consider when it comes to acoustic pianos is that there are also harmonics and overtones that are sounded/heard in addition to the fundamental frequency. From this perspective, there will be many higher frequencies within the complexity of the sound of many notes. That is why it is important for speakers and headphones to be able to represent that wider frequency range. It will help capture more of the nuance and authenticity of listening to an actual acoustic piano in a room. :)
The problem with on ear headphones is that they are uncomfortable to wear for extended time, i practice for hours... So whats the point? Only in ears are usable for long practices for me. I'm looking for some nice in ears. I don't know how humans use on ears for extended time. 🤷♂️ Weight on the spine and pressure on head and ears. Not ergonomic. And sweat all over. Sold mine years ago.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I have personally struggled with the same thing. With that said, it may just take some experimentation to find a comfortable fit for you. The Meze 99 headphones in particular are really quite nice on the ears in my opinion! :)
![Twenty One Pilots - “The Line” (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/E2Rj2gQAyPA/mqdefault.jpg)
One thing I'll mention after years of playing on digital pianos with headphones is that I always use headphones with dual sided cables. When playing with a single sided cable for long sessions, like hour+, I start to notice that slight unbalance of weight pulling to one side and it is very distracting and uncomfortable.
I do the opposite. Dual sided drive me crazy. They drag on my clothes as I play. I prefer a short rounded detachable cable. That drags less and doesn't get caught on things like my legs either. If I try to move too far from the piano, the lead just pops out instead of damaging itself or pulling the instrument over. And I find it really helps having the headphone socket on the left.
@@systemai Whatever works for you. We all have different instruments, applications and ways of doing things.
Just stick a little weight on the ear cup without the cable😁
Really glad yall did this video. Could yall next do the best speakers/monitors? Great video!
You can kick those MEZE up a notch by replacing the pads with Brainwavz Micro Suede pads. Stock pads reduce the pinna gain (a broad hump in the frequency response centered at about 2.5 kHz). The Brainwavz pads will bring it up to reference levels. The beautiful thing about the MEZE is not just their looks and comfort, but their ability to be driven by pretty much anything-even an iPhone dongle. The Brainwavz pads are a worthy addition. They also remove the muddiness in the bass. Brainwavz knows what they are doing and you can buy the pads for under 20 USD. It is sort of an audiophile secret (though not secret in the audiophile community).
If your budget needs to stay below $100 US, a couple of good options are AKG 240 Studio and Sennheiser HD280 Pro. These are both popular studio headphones which I think complement digital pianos well. The AKG is open-back (allowing sound to travel in and a little bit out), and I've seen them advertised for as low as $55. The Sennheisers are closed-back and do a good job of isolating from outside noise. They usually go for right around that $100 price point. I would recommend trying each on for comfort before buying--the Sennheisers especially, as they clamp pretty tightly to your head.
Edit: Please read comments below for more info about the HD 280 Pros.
Hi Greg! Thanks for writing in and sharing these insights! You are certainly right in saying that the level of comfort one experiences when wearing the headphones is an important consideration, especially if you do long stretches of practicing with headphones or doing recording/music production. Given that everyone is different with different proportions, it is always advised to test things out in person to make the best decision.
As it happens, I use both the Senn HD280 Pro and the AKG K240 Studio. They both work well. Old designs, but "good sound" doesn't change very much.
@@cpcohen1945 Agreed, Charles. I have an affinity for things that stand the test of time.
The senn hd280s make my Roland hp605 sound supper thin and the Roland Rh A7 that came with my digital piano are just muddy, but at least they make the treble sound thicker.
@gregmiller7638 - "I would recommend trying each on for comfort before buying - the Sennheisers especially, as they clamp pretty tightly to your head."
That was my experience when I bought the Sennheisers for listening to my stereo; after about 10 - 15 minutes, it felt like my head was in a vice; half an hour was more than I could stand. Admittedly, my head is wider than average, but the range of adjustment on the Sennheisers was pitiful, considering how expensive they are.
Thanks!! I didn't know what I was missing. Upgraded to sennheiser headphones and wow! You're so right, quality headphones add so much.
Hi, great channel, I have watched a few videos. A couple of random questions if you have time:
1. There is an opinion that one should not use headphones on a digital piano when one only starts to learn to play, as the source of the sound would be “in your head” rather than “in your fingers” which will obstruct learning to play. Is that true in your opinion?
2. They also say that if you start learning to play piano it is crucial that you do it with a teacher by your side (vs self-taught pianist), or otherwise wrong playing technics will be engraved in your brain and fingers and will be impossible to fix later. What is your opinion on that?
3. When you play the instruments to help us understand how they sound, would be really helpful if you could play the same classical piece as it will allow to compare easier. Or, same jazz standard maybe? You are a great improviser and have a great technic, but it does not help the novices to compare when different pieces which I do not know are being played.
Thank you.
Ah cool! Stu got the Kawai NV5s for his home after all!
You're saying he upgraded to the "s"? He had bought the earlier model.
Best RUclips channel for anything piano related. Love your videos!
Thanks a million! That is a wonderful compliment and one that we sincerely appreciate! :)
Hi, the headphone amplifier is very important and its capability to drive low impedance headphones. On my NV10 I use AKG K712 (~60 ohm impedance), I am satisfied. I use also a Yamaha HPH-MT8 (~30 ohm impedance) which is a very good headphone but the Kawai/Onkyo amplifier of the NV10 can not drive it. Touching the display causes a zzzzzzzz sound. It seems to be an EMI issue. I also like the Ergo 2. I am thinking of trying the Sennheiser HD 600 or HD 600s. When you use your instrument to work with, it is worth to spend some money, your ears thanks. An Idea is to use an external headphone amplifier as Lake People, SPL, ... connected to the line out.
A big thank you to you for all the videos.
The headphones you should look at are the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. I've used these for recording as well as monitoring and they are fine without spending a ton of money. Spending more than about $150 or so on a pair of headphones for a digital piano is extremely diminishing returns seeing it's all digital samples. Often the piano has basic headphone amplifier inside not much better than on your typical iPod. It's like saying what headphone is best for MP3s. The MX50 costs half what the HD650 is and is virtually identical in sound for non audiophile uses.
Do you have an opinion on Open Back headphones as compared to closed? For example the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X Audiophile Open-Air Headphones
@@JoeLinux2000 IMO, they are inferior in this case because while they offer a better sound stage, they also broadcast a lot of what you are listening to into the surrounding environment, largely mitigating the main advantage that people use headphone with a digital piano for. Which is to not bother the people around you. On the other hand, if you are one of the few people who use your headphones solely for mastering and mixing, then they will work fine - plug those into your mixing board or DAW and go.
These digital pianos are more nuanced that what an ATH-M50 will show you, paying more is worth it, but not too much more. HD650 and K702 is where musicians tend to stop. K702 is super overkill. Otherwise, SRH840 is good, especially the AKG K553, Pioneer HRM7, and ATH-M70x.
@@JoeLinux2000 AD700 is very colored in sound, but if you like it, stick to it, provided that their open-back nature doesn't bother anyone around you
I have both ad900x and m50x. They are just different. I would go with 900 every time though. They just have better scene(and that’s the closed ones, open would be even better but I need something quiet)
This is a very good and worthy topic few others have talked about. Yahama's clp700 series has largely improved the headphone experience.
I just purchased the CLP 785. Any suggestions for headphones in the $200-$400 range?
I wasn’t happy with the quality of my Yamaha P115 headphone output, but I bought Pianoteq with Binaural models and plugged in my P115 to the computer using the USB port. Now, the headphone experience (from the computer output) is being awesome!
That is fantastic to hear! I"m glad that you were able to find a satisfying piano experience for yourself! :)
I own the Meze 99 Classics, and they are the only cans that make my Kawai ES 520 sound indistinguishable from my KRK 5-inch monitors. Most headphones, even pretty good ones, make the piano sound odd--too bright and shrill and otherworldly, as if the piano were in a vacuum. I'm guessing this is a soundstage issue. The 99 classics make the piano sound lovely.
Hi David! I have very recently had a chance to experience the Meze 99 headphones firsthand and I must say that I was quite blown away with what they offer sonically. The sensation of proximity and distance that they establish is very impressive. Can we also talk about how comfortable they feel on your head/ears? :)
Hey, David. I also have the ES 520 and am very happy with it. I don't have the Meze 99 Classics, though. They look great, and I bet they sound even better.
@@MerriamPianos Stop it, Merriam Music--I can't afford another pair of headphones right now!😉
I use my headphones for at least 80% of playing (Roland FP-90X). There is no comparison with sound quality using external speakers, let alone built in speakers. I am using Sennheiser HD600 (I also have Hifiman headphones)
Maybe that's the test of headphones. If they sound better than good speakers, they must be good. My headphones do not sound as good as my speakers which actually aren't very expensive.
I have a pair of Yamaha HS8 monitors that I use to reproduce the sounds of my Yamaha Montage M and Korg Kronos 2 73. With the Sennheiser 650HD headphones will I have equal or better quality than the monitors? Do I need to buy an amplifier to use them on the keyboard's headphone output?
@@robson969 I do not think that you need any amplifier to use the headphones unless they have very low impedance. The quality and intimacy of sound of good headphones is better than any speakers, I believe.
Glad you’re interested in the headphone game, I really like the hd560s, it sounds very accurate and spacious for the price
My go to would be beyerdynamics dt770pro. Velvet pads are the best when you want to sit for more than an hour. Sometimes, I switch them with Audiotechnica Ath900x and I like it as well. Can comfortably sit in these for hours. Korg sv2/grandstage can easily work with 250 ohm ones. Roland fp-e50 on the other hand is nowhere near in terms of piano tones and is unable to fully embrace the 250 ohm one. The thing that is not working for me is the Sony wh 1000xm2,3,4. They’re too muddy and bassy for piano. I would suggest buying some older refurbished ones that used to be in 300-400$ range for half the price.
Thank you kindly! There are some excellent suggestions there! And, as you've pointed out, making sure things are well-matched in terms of impedance will also have an impact. Thanks again! :)
Been waiting for a review like this for some time!
Given the supply chain disruptions in digital pianos, I went and bought headphones first (Sennheiser HD650) and hope to find a piano down the road.
Stu, would you consider evaluating more headphones but in the high-end range?
In fact, it'd be great if you could determine what you consider the 'ultimate' headphone for digital pianos "if price were no object."
I've found it useful to start at the very top, then work my way down to something which is affordable yet retains some of the essential qualities of the best.
the step up from HD650, as some would say, is HD800
I would recommend sticking to HD650, it is a popular model among musicians, if you poke around the web for info, plus you need high-end playback gear to get your money's worth out of HD800 anyway, it is a marginal improvement in a number of ways out of low-end gear, but the margin grows exponentially out of top-notch gear. HD650 is also overkill (less so at that), but at least it is a fraction of the price (assuming you didn't pay MSRP).
These are some other suggestions:
If you are buying mid-range to high end digital pianos get yourselves something nice, HD600 at the very least. An Audeze MM-500 would be great too. Open back headphones won’t disturb the neighbors.
If you really need something dead quiet as a closed back, Focal Radiance would make the cut. It’s funny to see people buying the N3X or a NV10S and then wearing a crappy headphone to practice and listen to the quality samples there.
If one is serious about the headphone practice because there is no other choice, you can also get a headphone amp with decent power, take the output of the piano and direct to the headphone amp to have an awesome headphone experience when practicing.
Thanks so much for sharing your suggestions and insights! You certainly raise a good point about pairing good quality headphones with high-quality digital/hybrid pianos. If a player is mainly buying one of these instruments to practice with headphones, making an investment is great quality headphones is definitely worthwhile in my opinion. :)
Is open back better than closed back headphones for digital piano?
Open back are much better than closed back. If people around you don't bother with a bit of bleed due to the nature of the headphone. @@snowwny
Another good, informative, helpful video 👏. Thank you Mr. Harrison 👍😁.
I use Sennheiser HD650 headphones with my CLP745 and the Yamaha CFX sample sounds jaw dropping. The clarity is amazing and directional sound queues are really on point and accurate. if you have a quieter room to play in, I highly recommend a pair of good open ear headphones such as HD650's paired with a quality digital keyboard. The CLP745 speakers are quite decent but doesn't hold a candle to using the HD650's. Stu, I'd love to hear your thoughts on a similar combo as mine, if you happen to have decent Clavinova to test on with a good pair of open-ear headphones. Multiple people that have played on mine have been pretty blown away.
I have played the Yamaha CLP795GP next to a Yamaha Arius YDP184, but also next to a Yamaha NU1X and the N3X (cheapest and most expensive models of the AvantGrand series). The YDP184 CFX sample is OK, but the CLP795GP is better. For example, you can get a harsh fortissimo on the YDP184 (kind of a bright sound) that you won't get on the CLP795GP as the sound is very well blended. But what makes the CLP795GP really stands out when compared to the YDP184 is the binaural sample (when using headphones). Unlike Kawai or Roland, which use DSP effects to create the experience with headphones and recreate a fake ambience, Yamaha actually has recorded the CFX using a dummy head fitted with microphones for their headphone sample. That's a true binaural sample. The sample for their speakers/line out is different, whereas Kawai and Roland just pump out the same sample for the line out and headphones. So, the CLP795GP makes feel you are playing in front of the piano. The YDP184 does not have binaural samples, so it sounds like regular headphones. However, the best CFX sample from Yamaha is not in the CLP795GP. When played side by side with the AvantGrand NU1X, you will notice the NU1X has a better sample, and the N3X still sounds better. I am not sure if the N3X has a different sample than the NU1X, or just better DAC's (digital analog converters), but the best Yamaha CFX sample I have heard on headphones is in the AvantGrand N3X.
Open-ear Sennheiser products are amazing. I used to own HD598 and I used them for everything. They got old and now I use the HD599 for everything.
@@GrubKiller436 earpads and the headband cushion are replaceable, just like car tires, if that was the issue
HD650 is killer, my favorite
I have a pair of Yamaha HS8 monitors that I use to reproduce the sounds of my Yamaha Montage M and Korg Kronos 2 73. With the Sennheiser 650HD headphones will I have equal or better quality than the monitors? Do I need to buy an amplifier to use them on the keyboard's headphone output?
I was selling keyboards/pianos, I was able to test a lot of headphones, look at Beyerdynamic with the DT 770 / DT 990 (watch out for 250 ohms). AKGs lack bass punch for piano.
Any opinion on the 880s? And as in watch out for 250ohm that those are the ones to look for?
@@gabrielorenstein9424 yes, the 250ohm are a little bit higher fidelity
I would not recommend 770 or 990, personally, because of their bass and treble boost, though DT770 is popular among musicians
990 is a freaking bass cannon, lol
Can a beginner DP like the ES120 drive 250ohms headphones? I highly doubt? The 80 Ohm version of the DT770 get recommended alot. So I was wondering what are your views on the 80 Ohm version?
I use the Sennheiser HD600 with my Yamaha p515. Open back they sound great and are easy to wear.
Many years ago I did quite a few DP reviews for a high street magazine called Keyboard Review. I volunteered to test a bunch of headphones on digital pianos. A small'ish company called JHS/JHP(?) did pretty well and so did several others of the less obvious brands. Too many models were good for hifi or good for mixing maybe, but not so good for DPs.
First of all I apologize for my English I used the translator .... and I congratulate you on all your reviews.
I'm 46, I'm from Pisa and I've been playing the piano for about a year, and it's fantastic.
I wanted to know if it was possible to compare different models of digital pianos only with headphones because I think that between some models where there are hundreds of euros of difference when compared with headphones the difference is small. I ask you this because I live in a condominium so 90% of the time I study with headphones so as not to disturb.
Congratulations again and have a good day.
Valerio Orsini.
Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to review the video! We sincerely appreciate it! :)
While comparing the headphone sound output of different digital piano models is a great idea, it would be hard thing to capture in order for our viewers to hear and experience in a properly represented way. With that said, we always try to tackle as many user-submitted video suggestions as possible and will certainly add it to the list and rack our brains to figure out if it is possible to properly capture the sonic experience of different pianos with headphones. Thanks for the suggestion!
Interesting video. For me the Denon AH-D 7200 are fantastic for everything, E-piano, on computers, for audioplayers and many other devices as well, cost around 800 Dollars but worth it, it upgrades you digital piano in sound and experience a lot!
That's awesome! Thanks for the suggestion! I have heard very good things about that model of headphones. :)
Great video. Thank you. Just subscribed to your chanel. What's the brand of the "earbud" type headset you are using on the initial promo of your video?
Thank you kindly! We appreciate the support immensely. :)
I am not sure as to what earbud style headphones that Stu is using at that portion of the video. They look quite unique/distinct, but I am not sure as to what brand/model they are. I'd have to ask Stu about that. Perhaps, one of our helpful community members will know the answer.
@ Thanks for the answer. As you mentioned maybe someone recognizes it. Have a good day.
Hey, i wanto order roland fp 10 Digital piano for my kids, and i honestly dont have any idea about pianos. So my question is, can i connect wireless bluetooth headphones like airpods or sony link buds s or jabra elite 7 active earbuds with it so that they can play and listen via earbuds and not make noise all the time? Or no?
Hi there, thanks for the question! Unfortunately, wireless Bluetooth headphones are not compatible with any digital pianos. The issue is that there is latency between when a key is touched and when the sound is heard. Because of the nature of piano, it is critical for the sound to trigger immediately when the key is struck. To that point, wired headphones are required for all digital pianos, including the FP10. Hope this helps! :)
Hey! Awesome video as usual :) How did you select these headphones for the comparison? Is there a reason for not choosing well known HiFi headphones such as de Hifiman Sundara or Audeze LCD2?
You're very welcome! This video shines a spotlight on some of the most popular models and brands in the most popular price category. Needless to say, there are a plethora of other excellent options of course! :)
What would you say to a WH-1000XM2. This is are closed over ear Bluetooth headphones with Noise Canceling I bought for work.
To play piano i would use the cable and deactivate NC. (Remove delay and little noise from the NC).
Or is the difference to headphones designed extra for this type of application really big?
Hi. What headphone can you advise for the kawai ca 501, if I would choose an open headphone? I love your channel!
Hi there! Thanks for the support! The Kawai SH9 headphones are always my top suggestion for use with Kawai digital pianos. These headphones are specifically designed and voiced for use with Kawai's SKEX concert grand samples, which are quite warm sounding.
@ thank you so much for the feedback. I was just about to order the Yamaha HPH-150. But as I can read, Kawai SH9 is better? These 2 headphones seem to me about the same? I love bass. But not the muddy sound. I subscribed by the way 😄
Thanks for this useful information, what do you think about Roland rh-A7 , this headphone has been made for digital pianos.
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! The RH-A7 headphones are fantastic! They're comfortable, cost-effective, and sound great with digital pianos! :)
I am curious about the opposite, what are the best piano monitors? Do the best piano monitors have anything that differs from the best general use studio monitors? Do I need a sub? Or any other equipment to connect it all together?
Hi! Brent here! We have received a few requests to cover this topic in a video, which we will do our best to do. I would say that the best speakers/monitors for piano playing are likely not the same as general use studio monitors. With studio monitors, you usually want a flat, transparent speaker sound, especially for mixing. If you have speakers that boost the top end, it may make your mixes sound exciting on your own speaker setup, but incredibly dull on other systems that don't have that same frequency pump. With digital pianos, you may want speakers/monitors that enhance certain frequency bands to make your piano sound as spectacular as possible. A sub is not necessary, but can help provide a lot of warmth and depth. It will bring out power and bass clarity that will be more akin to a concert grand piano.
Would love to see more reviews of headphones for hybrid pianos such as kawai Nv10S which im purchasing this year
Absolutely! I think covering more headphone models in review and comparison videos is a great idea. For the NV10S model, I would recommend trying out the Kawai SH9 headphones. They're specifically voiced for Kawai's SK-EX sample sets. They pair really well! :)
wouldnt some type of studio monitor headphones be the best choice to get a flat response thus getting a more accurate representation of the sound being produced by the keyboard?
Not exactly. In theory there are studio headphones for recording, then there are others for mixing and mastering. Is that two or three categories? Dunno. The ones for mixing are not made to beautify the music (quite the opposite) they are made to expose all the imperfections in the sound. Sometimes the mids are very harsh. My silly red "Skull Candy" headphones cost around half as much as my studio headphones, but sound more than twice as good when I'm practising my piano. I have to take out as much of the the mids as possible on my piano's EQ sliders (glad it has them) if I use my studio headphones. Maybe I was unlucky in my purchase, but the scenario fits advice I've heard.
@@Zoco101 That's the thing. It seems to me you have to make major adjustments to the EQ when using headphones. I never liked Bose noise cancelling head phones which people think sound so great because they add a lot of bass to the signal. Maybe that would be good with a digital piano, I don't know. It seems headphones my have to be matched to the piano.
@@JoeLinux2000 Yes I think we were both coming to that point. The right headphones for the specific instrument/application.
calikokat100 In my opinion, yes, studio monitor headphones are ideal because of the flatter response. For example, if I was using headphones with much more prominent bass than treble, I would most likely compensate by playing the lower notes more quietly than normal. However, it would probably depend on the individual how much this would affect their playing. The other commenters make valid points as well.
I prefer playing without headphones, though my regular headphones sound nice enough. Actually, I fear it's too easy to damage your hearing. Sometimes my ears ring after a long session.
I prefer combining my onboard speakers with my studio monitors and sub. None of these things are perfect for the piano, but together they sound great. Also, my DP vibrates a little when I use the onboard speakers, and I like that.
It is worthwhile trying the headphone sockets on any showroom instrument you might buy. Years ago I tried a Casio PX (I think the piano was an indigo colour) and the output was incredibly harsh and noisy. I'm guessing that that showroom model was faulty. Anyway, it put me right off what was their only PX... available. It was the last straw. I'm glad I had my headphones. And in any case, testing a potential new instrument through your own headphones is highly recommendable.
I agree. I play for hours so playing with headphones isn't for me🎹🎶
@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 I use them briefly just to experiment, but much prefer speakers.
@@JoeLinux2000 me too because I also like to feel the instrument vibrate. That, and because I don't have an adaptor for the jack hahaha🎹🎶
Tonight I shall use headphones again, for obvious reasons, but next time I can do some daytime practice I'll enjoy the big sound I'm getting in my studio now.
Well, ... when I went to the pianoshop to look for a Digital piano, I took my Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 Ohm studio Closed headphone with me.
This is a great headphone and I use them when I'm creating and mixing music in Cubase, using Spitfire Audio instrument Libraries.
When trying them out in de store on the Kawai NV5S ... I was smiling from ear to ear because they sounded that good.
Now I know ... this is all relative and some people may prefer other headphones.
But I just wanted to comment here and hope this might help other people as well.
I even recommend you taking your headphones to the store and try them out.
So you know immediately if the're good for you and you like the sound they produce on that specific digital / hybrid piano
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences! It is certainly a good point to test out the headphones you plan on using in conjunction with a digital piano. Very sound advice (no pun intended)! ;)
Great video and one of the best (if not THE best) video in this domain. Do you have any generic advise on what to look out for? Like linear vs bathtub frequency curve or open/semi open/closed back, impedance etc.? Currently on my way to purchase a Kawai CA 901 and want to think about headphones (which I'll be using app. 50% of my playing time) right from the beginning. Spending >4.000€ here in Germany and run it through 50€ headphones just doesn't feel right... Keep up the good work. I really love the mix of topics like digitals, accoustic, VSTs, modelling/sampling...
Thanks so much! We appreciate that! Ensuring that you the impedance of your headphones are well suited for use with a digital piano is definitely critical to optimize the sonic experience. Beyond that, a lot of the sonic experience comes down to taste. Having the opportunity to try a few headphones on the piano you'll be using them with is the best way to narrow things down. Thanks and all the best!
going to buy new headphones, to be used together with Kawai ca 701. Is the Meze 99 best or are there any other headphones that fit better?
Hi! Brent here! The Meze 99 headphones are excellent! Beyond that, I would also recommend checking out the Kawai SH9 headphones. They were developed in conjunction with Audio Technica specifically for use with Kawai's SKEX samples. :)
I recently started trying to learn piano and purchased a Yamaha P-225b keyboard along ATH-M30x headphones, the sound is okay but after 30 minutes my head is hurting from how tight they are. I would like something comfortable, and even though I feel as though they sound okay I wouldn't mind forking up a few hundred dollars if it squeezed some better audio, but I don't know if my entry tier board would benefit from them? I don't really see any clarification on it in the manual.
Hi! Brent here! The sonic experience is ultimately going to be based on a combination of the tone engine's capabilities and the headphones' capabilities. With that said, the issue you're dealing with has more to do with the physical design of the headphones opposed to the speaker quality/fidelity. If you're looking for optimal comfort, I think the Meze 99 headphones are worth exploring. They look and sound great, but they're very comfy on the ears in my experience. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you, will take
your recommendation.
In your last videos, you are using Sony headphones. What about them? Do you recommend them over those in the video? What's the model's name? Thank you.
Hi! Brent here! I am not entirely sure as to which Sony headphones Stu was using in that video, but there are a lot of great headphones out there. Sometimes, the best option also depends on the specific piano model and the tonal characteristics of its piano sound.
@mPianos Thank you for your answer. I saw tons of videos on this channel, especially comparison, and decided to go for the Roland FP-10. But stuck with the headphones question because I couldn't find such great videos (like you did for pianos) about them. Now I can't buy a piano without headphones >>.
The test I did was to play individual notes with then without headphones as I wanted the headphones to sound the same as if I weren't wearing any.
I tried several headphones on my Yamaha DGT2A and the best imho are Audio Technica M40X.
The sound is like for like even in the base and sometimes I forget I'm using them. There are good reviews for them for piano but some reviews say poor build quality but I have 2 pairs the first pair is over 6 years old and apart from the ear cups flaking which have now been replaced I have had no other issues with them.
I tried others at a similar price and they sounded muffled especially in the base.
.
That is definitely a fantastic way to test the consistency of the overall frequency response and output between the piano's onboard speakers and headphones' speakers. While reviews can be helpful to provide some guidance and suggestion in terms of which models to test out, the most important thing is for you to find a sound that satisfies and inspires you while playing. Thanks for tuning into the channel! We really appreciate it. :)
It would be interesting to see you compare some open-back headphones, perhaps including the new Sony MDR-MV1 or similar studio grade ones.
Thanks so much for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle that model and more open-back models in the next digital piano headphone shootout we put together. :)
Would you say meze 99 NEO will fit between the classics and the akg 171?
I would say that is a fair statement. :)
I have a CLP725, which headphones u would recommend me to buy?
It all comes down to a matter of personal preference of course, but I would recommend checking out the Meze 99 Classics. I am a huge fan of the sonic experience and comfort that they provide! :)
how about connecting the piano to a pair of Yamaha HS8 or HS5 or KRK studio monitors
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! We have had a few requests to tackle the subject of studio monitors and have added it to the list of potential video topics. Thanks for the suggestion and all the best! :)
How about monitoring headphones for piano? Anyone has experience how a monitoring headphone performs vs these piano headphones?
that's what he used
I ended up getting a good headphone amp for my RD88. A topping L70 and run my headphones into that. Much better experience with headphones.
That's awesome! Sounds like a good combination for an excellent sonic experience. :)
Interestingly, my piano dealer would bundle the CA49 with a pair of $40 headphones. I passed them, since I already had the AKG 271.
I had a chance to play today the Kawai CA99. It reminded me of the tone of the Yamaha AvantGrand NU1X actually. It is a high quality sample, notably better than the one in the CA49, which was next to it. The SK-EX sample was the best sample, the second one (EX) is not in the same league. And I don't think it is because the actual Kawai EX is less premium, but because it is the old sample from them, which is less sophisticated. I would bet the EX is an awesome sounding piano, just the sample is not giving it justice. The soundboard thing is much less important than what it may seem, actually. The real workers, the ones that do the heavy lifting, are the 4 full range drivers on top. The soundboard is not nearly as resonant, and mainly produces the lowest frequencies. However, I prefer this approach to boxed speakers for bass reproduction. A lot of people think the CA99/NV5S has speakers on the front, below the keyboard, because they see a speaker grill. Actually, that grill only has 3 elongated racetrack sound ports, two long ones and a short one, which are actually narrow (about 2 inches), and that's just for the soundboard to "breathe". The 4 full range speakers on top are remarkably clean, they provide very high quality sound reproduction. Unfortunately, when I was playing, I heard a weird rattling sound, so I stopped to locate the source. I thought it was the soundboard rattling. Actually, it was one of the full range drivers (the one on the far left), particularly when playing the middle D and D#. In addition, when I played the lowest octave, the piano made a strong rattling noise. It was the fallboard, specifically the small piece that folds. When I held it, the piano didn't rattle. The CA49 didn't have any of these problems. While the problems are very minor in nature, rattling sounds are very loud and ruin the playing experience. The fix is likely simple, but I imagine how irritating it must be to buy a new piano of this caliber and hear rattling noises. I would buy the CA99 anyway, but point it out to the dealer or call a technician to address the issue. When compared to acoustic pianos, digital pianos still lack the expression that even a simple piano such as the Kawai K15 has. By the way, Kawai dealers can add the Silent System to any piano for about $2,500. So, you get the best of both worlds.
If you have ca49 you already have great keyboard action. Add to this the sound from pianoteq and you would not look back. This keyboard action and pianoteq on the headphones makes a great playing experience.
In my opinion there is no point of getting expensive speaker system for a digital piano (like ca99, expensive monitors), because for this price you can get much beter sound and feel from the real piano, that cost even less (second hand).
So my choice is - digital: headphones and pianoteq; real piano for playing without headphones
@@zbigniewbohdanowicz8897 Your choice is very reasonable. I haven't been happy with Pianoteq sound yet, but I know they keep perfecting the model, so maybe a few more iterations of it will be needed, at least for me. By the way, custom designed speakers for a digital piano sound can surpass the headphone playing experience, and they don't have to cost a lot. I have designed speakers just for my digital piano as a hobby, and they are more satisfying than using headphones. I understand you have to pay a premium for speakers if you want to buy them already built-in (like a CA99), so I agree that a real piano is a better choice than a very expensive digital piano. And like I mentioned, you can always have a dealer install a Silent System, turning your acoustic piano into a hybrid piano to use with headphones and external speakers.
@@zbigniewbohdanowicz8897 personaly I prefer playing without headphones because I play for hours, and I prefer to feel the instrument vibrate🎹🎶
@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 I've felt for a long time that an automobile leaf spring with a transducer should be fastened under the keybed to produce a noticeable sense of vibration.
@@JoeLinux2000 hahaha although it's not just the vibration for me, but also how the instrument feels to play having said that the only digital pianos I tried are the Yamaha P 125 and my Kawai ES 110🎹🎶
Why not using open headphones like sennheiser hd599? In my opinion more relevant at home.
Indeed- I use HD600
@@mfurman My go-to personal set for listening when I don't care about my surroundings or bothering people are my old Grados. For the money, nothing beats them. But they basically a flat panel speaker in how they throw nearly as much sound into the room as towards your ears. For piano, you might as well just use the speakers at that point at a lower volume.
@@josephoberlander I use the internal speakers of the piano to play the sound from Pianoteq when recording, for instance. Headphones are better
My vintage 1975 AKG-240’s just broke again; it’s either get out the soldering iron (not easy the way they are structured), or buy new! Sentimental item…but, I’m trying to edify myself since I’ve recently taken up keys & do sing. 🥳Big BDAY soon, so maybe I should give up on my old, falling apart AKG’s?
(Crazy, cuz I see them around at $100., refurbished).
That is amazing longevity that you have gotten out of your AKG240s! It sounds like it may be worth getting them repaired to keep that journey going. With that said, having a newer second pair of headphones wouldn't be a bad idea. Also, happy early birthday! :)
Can you use wireless headphones such as Bose qc35 and connect it to any electric piano with bt, eg roland fp10?
Hi there! No, unfortunately, due to the latency (delay) in the signal between pressing the keys and hearing the sound, wireless Bluetooth headphones of any kind are not a viable option to be used with digital pianos.
You can use the corded connection with the Bose QC35. It will sound great and no delay
I got Apple's AirPods Max (with Apple's 3.5mm wire) for my future KAWAI NV 10s. When testing it in the showroom, I noticed that if you set the piano's volume to 50% and above, there is an obvious "zzzzz" sound from this headphone, whenever you play more than 3 notes at one time. But if you lower down the piano's volume and increase the headphone's volume, the noise can be avoided. The same happens with YAMAHA P125 that I currently use. Don't know whether this happens to other headphone brands, and I can't really tell whether letting the headphone do the amplifying job would affect the sound quality. I totally forgot the possibility of spending that money on some professional manufacturer's headphone products (Hifiman, maybe), but AirPods Max's sound quality is quite enough for most situations, and its noise cancellation is just too sweet to ignore, especially when you have a roommate that cooks when you practice.
It sounds you are using an external headphone amplifier to amplify the already amplified signal of the digital piano via its built-in headphone amplifier, and you get a hiss sound when you turn up the volume of your digital piano. That is expected. You should be using the digital piano line outs in this case, not the digital piano headphones socket, and turn off the internal speakers. You need to feed your external headphone amplifier a line level signal, not a hot signal such as another headphone amplifier (in this case, the one built in the digital piano).
@@Instrumental-Covers These are totally new concepts to me. Thanks for the explanation, otherwise I would have wasted the quality of these equipments!
@@BonZW-rt1zs I am glad it was useful.
What is a good headphone to buy for Kawai ca49 digital piano?
Hi! Brent here! The Kawai SH-9 headphones are wonderful and they're specifically designed to be used in conjunction with Kawai's sample sets. :)
I reckon the best bang for buck when it comes to headphones is OneOdio Pro-10 and Pro-50. Absolutely outstanding performance for about half the price of comparable headphones from other brands.
Thanks for tuning in and for sharing your insights! We sincerely appreciate it! :)
how much?
@@Nathan-tm7vb I'm in Australia and here the Pro 10's are around $55 and the Pro 50's about $85. They're not some obscure brand, you can just google oneodio to find their website and retailers.
It seems to me that it would be better to invest in decent headphones than a 3 pedal unit on a portable piano. That raises the question does anyone use the una corda and sostenuto pedals on a portable when even the damper pedal is almost never used in Boogie Woogie and similar styles. I would appreciate your comment Stu.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! There are certainly some high-level gigging classical players out there that rely portable digital piano options regularly and will utilize the una cordan and sostenuto pedals frequently. In terms of whether it is better to invest in decent headphones over the triple pedal system, it all depends on the player/customer. There are some players that never practice with headphones, while others will almost exclusively practice with headphones. It all depends on the context of use. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you. As I suspected It is the top classical. I fully understand the reason for 4 pedals on a Stuart or 3 pedals on a Bosendorfer Imperial but us happy jazzing beginners can spend better ways. Kawai ES920 here I come 🙂
Maybe a little off topic, but take a household like mine where there is constant banging around in the kitchen, a rambunctious 11-yr old causing a ruckus and neighbor’s dog incessant yapping. Any buying tips for headphones that eliminate ambient noise, leaving one just to his peaceful Debussy or Chopin? I guess it would have to be a fairly tight-fitting set. Thank you!!!
i wished you could used the audiotechnica m50x bt2 (headphones usable for wireless music listening on phone) the meze 99 neo(100€ cheaper version of meze 99 classic) and one of the most popular headphones ever :the beyerdynamic dt 770 80ohms. in such a video
Hi there! We will certainly do a follow up digital piano headphone video which tackles additional models. So, we appreciate the suggestions! Also, it is important to note that Bluetooth headphones are not compatible with digital pianos due to the latency issues.
Afaik, the AKG K-171 isn't built any more. Alternatives by AKG at similar prices would be the models AKG K-371 (closed) or AKG K-712 (open). For me even more interesting is a headphone by some fo the ex-AKG folks named "Austrian Audio Hi-X65", quite worth to give it a try.
Thanks for the insight and suggestions! Much appreciated. :)
I use the Sennheiser 598, they sound great and are comfortable. I had a a pair of Shure srh940's, sounded good but the worst quality of any headphone I ever owned. They literally fell to pieces over 12 months
Some headphone models are certainly more robust and durable than others. Thank you so much for sharing your insights. :)
I use these for my digital piano.
OneOdio DJ Headphones
This is a great vid, I've owned some really expensive hot headphones over the years, but 30yrs ago ( I'm pretty sure that's how long I've owned them ) I settled for the Sony MDR-7506 in my opinion the best in the business, they Rock !, just my 5 cents.
Thanks so much! We appreciate you tuning in and sharing your insights! All the best! :)
I’m surprised to hear you are not a headphone guy since buying the hybrid was to keep sound down for your young family. Are you laying out loud already or will one of these headphones get you back on that track?
Hey Guy! I can totally see how my comment could have that meaning...however I meant it more in the sense of "car guy" or "computer guy"... i.e. someone at a super-high knowledge/passion level for that specific category. I use headphones constantly, but don't know much about them, all the boutique makers, and only just recently started understanding the massive range in quality and experience they can give you. But I'm getting more and more interested :) Cheers, stu.
Great video! Been trying to figure out why basic "$40 ish electronics store" level headphones (Sony etc) sound fabulous on pc/iPad, but awful on a digital piano or keyboard, but cheap "studio" headphones ($50-$90) sound fantastic on a piano - is this due to the impedance on the cheap store bought headphones not being high enough? I've read 32-65 is the desired ohm range for keyboards; the "electronics store" ones are often 24 ohms, the entry level studio headphones seem to start at 32?
Thank you kindly! That is a great question/point! Having the impedance of your headphones properly paired with the ideal/intended impedance of the piano itself is vital to optimizing the sonic fidelity. As you've discovered, 32 to 65 Ohms is the ideal range for most digital pianos.
@@MerriamPianos Thanks for that! I actually think there was a bigger issue though - those Sony headphones have a mic built in. I've now tried 3 headphones with built in mics connected to a piano headphone port and they all sound awful; interestingly though if you hold down the mic mute button on the cable - they all sound fine - I wish you could disable mics on those headphones, looks like the mic is either using up ohms maybe, or just plain interfering with the output from the piano.
I would be very careful about using headphones for any extended period of time, and even for short periods of time if the volume is too loud they can damage your hearing. I would say they are only warranted if you wife is complaining. Even then, a good digital can be turned down and they still can sound quite nice.
One thing about turning down the volume of the piano without headphones: The action might start feeling a bit heavier, because the amount of force that you would be applying to the keys would not be expressed in the amount of sound that you would be getting out of the piano. If that starts happening, that can be an indicator to switch to headphones. Just my one cent of opinion. Cheers
@JoeLinux2000 - I'd have thought the easiest way to avoid hearing damage is just to turn the volume down. Surely, if the sound through your headphones is loud enough to do harm, you can HEAR it's too loud, can't you?
are akg y50bt any good for digital pianos
While I have never tried those headphones with digital pianos personally, given their specs (namely their impedance), they are well matched for use with digital pianos and should work quite well. :)
Can anyone give me a feedback about Kawai SH9 headphones?
The Kawai SH9 headphones have excellent fidelity and are quite comfortable on the ears, which is an important consideration if you're going to be investing many practice hours with them. While the frequency response of the SH9 headphones are not necessarily the widest compared to other similarly priced headphones, they do offer a very clear and balanced tonal response that makes playing with them quite enjoyable. Also, given their 47 Ohm impedance, they are designed with digital piano use specifically in mind. Hope this helps! :)
@@MerriamPianos Thanks, yes it helped very much! :)
THANK YOU SIR.... FANTASTIC VIDEO.... NEW SUB HERE !!!!!!
I got the ATH-M40x for my es920. Very natural sound similar to the onboard speakers. Happy with them
Very happy to hear that you've found a pair of headphones that you're satisfied with! That is awesome that the sound is consistent with the onboard speakers as well. :)
Those 40s get good reviews, by the mixing community at least. I purchased the ATH-M30s about a year ago and was very disappointed with their monitoring of my piano. They might work well in mixing, since they have such strong mids - well see. I like a keen mid definition on a digital piano, but it can go too far. The purchase was really an experiment to see if I could easily improve on my existing cheaper (but satisfactory) headphones, which are an obscure brand. People often rant about the flat response on the right headphones. I suggest that it's much more complex. Hifi headphones are typically very coloured, but that is not to say that others may have no bias. IMO, a slight mid bias is probably good for headphones on most DPs, but if the treble is tinny or the bass is mushy, then I won't be happy.
thanks 😅
You're welcome! :)
please do a video on monitors Please please
Thanks for the suggestion! I will be happy to pass it along to our production team. :)
OK so what's the best one?
all three? the title of the video says the topic isnt about one particular pair of headphones.
@@alpay389 sorry I just went to the end... Ah well, thank you.
@@Hjw673 no problem. im sure you wont be the only one who will do this. understandable if the video is long
Phillips Fidelio X2HR
This is one of the best Videos that I found on youtube (Best headphones for Digital Piano)... A lot of people are recomending HD600... what do you think of those Headphones Merriam Music??
Thank you so much! We're glad you enjoyed it! :)
While I do not have a ton of experience with the HD600 headphones, they are a very solid model and would definitely a be an excellent choice for digital pianos.
I wish he tested the Yamaha headphones
Thanks for the suggestion! We will try to incorporate some Yamaha digital headphone models when we do the next headphone review video. :)
Forget the headphones! How long did it take you to learn to play like that? 😲
Stu is definitely an awesome player and we are very fortunate to have his talent! :)
@Merriam Music haha! Yes you are. How long has he been playing? Since he could walk and talk I'm guessing 😄 🤣
You can get a better audio experience for less with IEMs. Like a blon03, any Moondrop, or on a budget, a CCA CRA
Honestly, I would *not* say this is the case.
I own a few Chi-Fi IEMs (Tin T3, Blon03) and would NOT recommend them for reference because they do not have a flat sound curve and aren't high resolving across the whole sound range.
I don't think you want subdued mids or boosted upper bass/ highs while playing piano. It's good for music, but misrepresentative for playing IMO.
My moondrop starfields are decently resolving and relatively flat but their soundstage is nowhere near any of my planar magnetic headphones.
Ironically, I use drop pandas for headphones and find them well resolved, open, and easily powered for good volume.
I use Etymotic Hf5s. Recently read a review which slammed them, yet they're better than any regular headphones I've tried, although I haven't tried any in the price range reviewed here. There is quite a lot of contradictory info out there, but hardly anything at all with respect to comparing regular headphones vs in ear ones for use with digital pianos
All these headphones have frequency around 20 to 20 000 hrz, but a real acoustic piano gives only 100- 3000 hrz ....
20 Hz to 20,000 Hz represents the spectrum of human hearing hence why headphones are designed within that frequency response range. Also, one thing to consider when it comes to acoustic pianos is that there are also harmonics and overtones that are sounded/heard in addition to the fundamental frequency. From this perspective, there will be many higher frequencies within the complexity of the sound of many notes. That is why it is important for speakers and headphones to be able to represent that wider frequency range. It will help capture more of the nuance and authenticity of listening to an actual acoustic piano in a room. :)
The problem with on ear headphones is that they are uncomfortable to wear for extended time, i practice for hours... So whats the point? Only in ears are usable for long practices for me. I'm looking for some nice in ears. I don't know how humans use on ears for extended time. 🤷♂️ Weight on the spine and pressure on head and ears. Not ergonomic. And sweat all over. Sold mine years ago.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I have personally struggled with the same thing. With that said, it may just take some experimentation to find a comfortable fit for you. The Meze 99 headphones in particular are really quite nice on the ears in my opinion! :)