Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Open versus closed headphones

As the soon to be proud owner of a Yamaha CLP-280 (to be delivered on the same truck as a 214CS Bösendorfer ), I will soon need to invest in some good quality headphones. Given that the main purpose of the Clavinova is for silent practice in the early mornings and at night-time, whilst other members of the family are trying to stay asleep or get to sleep, I am asking the question about how loud is the noise that escapes from open headphones.

Our house (a converted barn) is exceptionally open-plan; the kids have doors on their bedrooms on the second floor, (as do all the bathrooms!), but my wife and I have the entire third floor as our bedroom. Each floor is linked by open tread-only wooden-staircases. We live in a small village where there is very little traffic and at night one can hear the sound of cowbells from quite a few miles away (yes, this is Switzerland...), so even the slightest faint noise inside the house is quite apparent. If the television is on (even only very quietly) on the ground floor it is still quite audible in our "bedroom" two floors up. Probably the sound of the keyboard action itself will be heard from downstairs, but I would like to avoid a tinkling piano sound as well if possible. And if Schumann's Faschingsschwank aus Wien is on the menu, that is hardly that tinkly either .

So should I invest in two pairs, one open for during the day/evening when any sound leakage will not be too intrusive, but at least I will still hear the phone ring or people trying to attract my attention, and another closed pair for really 'silent' practice in the dead of night or crack of dawn?

The company where I work is a Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic reseller. I can place orders at trade price for these manufacturers, so any specific model recommendations for those makes would be of interest. I currently use a pair of Sennheiser HD25SP for listening at the PC, which also get used by my kids for video games, watching TV, etc.

Any info/advice greatly appreciated,

Michael B.

PoSt,

Senn's open-dynamic 'phones circle the ear, for comfort during extended play. Their HD 580's were/are a recording studio staple. The current equivalent is the HD 600.

I don't know Beyer..., I do know that you will not be disappointed with top-of-the-line Senns.

Any chance that you can A/B them at work?

FogVL: The only ones we stock are those popular in video production, (we are primarily involved with broadcast video equipment), so things like the HD25 and HD25SP for listening only and Beyerdynamic DT109 (which is a headset with microphone for cameraman talkback.) I might go and find a local hi-fi outlet and see if I can test out some models.

I am still interested to know how audible a digital piano (being played reasonably 'enthusiastically') would be with open headphones, assuming a pretty much otherwise silent environment...

Cheers for now,

Michael B.

The HD25SP's you already have (got a pair myself) are pretty decent and comfortable closed back headphones. I also have the pro version of them which features a titanium split-top headband that provides even better performance and isolation. I prefer these but some find their tighter grip less comfortable considering their small can size. I hear the HD250's also have very good isolation and performance but are somewhat more comfortable with their larger around-the-ear cans.

Got to agree with Fog... its hard to go wrong with any of the high end open backed Senns. Just a question of how much ultrasonic frequency response you want to pay for.

Howard

You can get Beyerdynamic DT 880 quite inexpensively (as opposed to what they normally cost) at http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/

The ones that cost $210. They are semi-open, sound great once you've driven them in, and leak well enough, but not over the other sounds you make by playing the digital piano, I imagine (i.e. the sounds of the keys after you've released them).

I'm not familiar with these earphones, but I think that if you have them within an inch or so of your ear and it can be heard two floors up, you are probably damaging your ears.

PoSt,

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2F&fkr=1&from=R8&satitle=sennheiser+Hd+580&category0=

Not sure what $150 is in real money, but these are excellent 'phones, and the price is right, even in play money.

PoSt,

Missed the part about audibility. Essentially zero, tho you will still be able to hear much of the noise that others are making;-) The reason is because the diaphrams are so close to your ears. I just did test this with the 580's.

FYI, I have CLP 170 and closed design headphone.

However, I don't think open or closed headphone will make much difference in your case, becasue you plunking away on the keys will sound much louder (and more annoying) then the sound coming out of your headphone.

Do you think your family can hear you typing away on a computer keyboard from downstiars? CLP280 keys will make more noise, if you are playing a lot of notes at forte. (not as high pitched noise as computer keyboard, but louder)

Michael:

I am a CLP280 owner and have purchased the Sennheiser HD595 phones. I enjoy them very much. I did try some other models and brands but, of course I couldn't try them all!

The open design (as johnny boy observes) does not really "leak" much sound compared to the keyboard mechanical sounds during "silent" play.
I use them frequently late at night with no complaints.

The HD595 are very comfortable, have a single sided cord which is on the same side as you plug into the CLP280 and the standard plug is the 1/4 inch (large) size which plugs into the piano with no adapter.

Thanks for all your the replies.

Having looked around and read some other reviews as well, I think I will go for the HD595, like Phil. I like the idea of a single-sided cord, and as has been mentioned, the clunking of the keys will be more audible that the sound leakage due to an open design.

Best regards,

- Michael B.

UPDATE:

It would appear that our Sennheiser rep is arriving with some demo HD650 (tippety-top audiophile) cans next week, which I can keep for a few weeks to try out. I don't yet know the discount I'll get from the list price for a new pair of these, but the guy told me it would be a deal I couldn't refuse .

- Michael B.

michael you can find more than you ever wanted to know about headphones at

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=2

tm3, thanks for the link. I'll have a browse around there before making any firm decisions.

- Michael B.

I now have the HD650 demo headphones, but my CLP-280 was delivered from Yamaha Europe to the dealer in Bern only this afternoon, and their truck is booked up until Wednesday next week at the earliest. .

- Michael B.

Soon , Michael!

Anyone know about Equation Audio RS20 phones? They sounded VERY impressive to my ears.