[zero7525]

Dark, non-involving headphones (in bass and in treble) are non fatiguing in nature. I don't really find mids fatiguing so I'm guessing that mid-centric phones would be one of the roads to take. 

 

[deadlylover]

The low end Stax tend to be bright and flamboyant, not what you'd call fatigue-free. I've yet to hear anything currently in production more relaxed than the Omega 2.
 
You need something that isn't bright, which leaves out most headphones right off the bat. So the only real choices at the high end level are the O2's and the LCD-2. The LCD-2 are really good, they have a calm treble, and they're not particularly forward sounding. I would recommend these if you have to have a normal headphone, as they are great in terms of value.
 
But if you want the ABSOLUTELY MOST fatigue free headphone that's readily available, I would really want to know if there's anything better than the O2's in this regard. The LCD-2's don't even come close, and it's because of a stat's unique effortless/ethereal presentation. Some will not like this because it lacks the impact/balls that one might enjoy experiencing, but that's exactly what you need if you want something fatigue-free.
 
The final nail in the coffin is it's forgiveness, when you have a (really)bad recording, the LCD-2's will fail to resolve the wall of sound that will inevitably ensue. The O2's do not give you a wall of sound, even if the bloody recording calls for it, that's how forgiving they are.
 
I'd buy the LCD-2 first and see if you like it, if you feel it still makes too much of a kick in the fuss, then think long and hard before buying the O2's, as they're pretty expensive. I've had them both at one point in time, simply to find the most forgiving/fatigue-free headphone.
 
The Sigma and the K1k might be more fatigue-free, with it's out of head projection, but too bad they're difficult to come across nowadays.

 

[ImitationOfLife]

Quote:

Out of every headphone I've tried, probably the HD650.

Pretty much, though I haven't tried more than a handful of higher-end headphones, so I suppose everyone should take my opinion with a grain of salt.

 

 

[HearDrum]

Quote:

Pretty much, though I haven't tried more than a handful of higher-end headphones, so I suppose everyone should take my opinion with a grain of salt.

 

Actually the HD 650 can be the highest of high end cans... provided they are coupled with that $18,000 uber-amp from Sennheiser

 
 

 

[Uncle Erik]

I'd also go with the Sennheiser HD-650. They might not be a heavy hitter in terms of price these days, but I still prefer them to several kilobuck headphones. They were Sennheiser's top offering for years and are still excellent.

For pleasant, fatigue-free HD-650 listening, pick up a nice OTL tube amp. You can groove away the hours without any fatigue.

 

[ardilla]

Hey! Great response!
 
I have the HD650 and Fostex T50RP - which are regarded as unfatigiuing dynamics. Had the T1 and the HD800 - both fatiguing.
 
Presently the only thing I can listen to are the Yuin PK1 earbuds (sound nice out of the Woo WA2 at least. 
 
I have, however not tried electrostats/STAX. I've read several places that electrostats push less air than dynamics, and reasoned that it might imply less fatigue (?). 
 
Anybody have any experience on this? How are the staxes except o2 (less expensive, please..), especially compared to lcd2?

 

[b0wl1ng]

Totally agree in respect of the HD650 and Fostex T50RP (modded), I too have both of them, great headphones and zero listening fatigue.
The Denon D series have always been non fatiguing as well in my experience.  

 

[wind016]

 
Quote:

The low end Stax tend to be bright and flamboyant, not what you'd call fatigue-free. I've yet to hear anything currently in production more relaxed than the Omega 2.
 
You need something that isn't bright, which leaves out most headphones right off the bat. So the only real choices at the high end level are the O2's and the LCD-2. The LCD-2 are really good, they have a calm treble, and they're not particularly forward sounding. I would recommend these if you have to have a normal headphone, as they are great in terms of value.
 
But if you want the ABSOLUTELY MOST fatigue free headphone that's readily available, I would really want to know if there's anything better than the O2's in this regard. The LCD-2's don't even come close, and it's because of a stat's unique effortless/ethereal presentation. Some will not like this because it lacks the impact/balls that one might enjoy experiencing, but that's exactly what you need if you want something fatigue-free.
 
The final nail in the coffin is it's forgiveness, when you have a (really)bad recording, the LCD-2's will fail to resolve the wall of sound that will inevitably ensue. The O2's do not give you a wall of sound, even if the bloody recording calls for it, that's how forgiving they are.
 
I'd buy the LCD-2 first and see if you like it, if you feel it still makes too much of a kick in the fuss, then think long and hard before buying the O2's, as they're pretty expensive. I've had them both at one point in time, simply to find the most forgiving/fatigue-free headphone.
 
The Sigma and the K1k might be more fatigue-free, with it's out of head projection, but too bad they're difficult to come across nowadays.

 
This sir has all the answers! O2 is the most relaxed pair of headphones I've ever heard and that includes all headphones I heard in my profile. Just try not to use the headphones with wet hair. I think I zapped myself.

Case closed.
 

 

[pp312]

Quote:

 
when you have a (really)bad recording, the LCD-2's will fail to resolve the wall of sound that will inevitably ensue.

 
 
I think this is what I meant about idiosyncratic opinions.

 

[deadlylover]

Quote:

 
Anybody have any experience on this? How are the staxes except o2 (less expensive, please..), especially compared to lcd2?

 
The Stax Lambda's tend to be a pretty bright, you still get that effortless sound but the treble keeps getting in the way, I'd pick the LCD-2 over my SR-202 any day, but that's just me.

 

[ardilla]

LCD-2, Stax O2 and HD650 seems to be consensus
 
What about the new Hifiman HE-500?  
 
 Anybody heard it and able to compare to the above, fatigue-wise?

 

[t-h-e-p-i-m-p]

Quote:

LCD-2, Stax O2 and HD650 seems to be consensus
 
What about the new Hifiman HE-500?  
 
 Anybody heard it and able to compare to the above, fatigue-wise?

get the stax omega 2 ! period =) -
 

 

[olor1n]

The HD650 gets my vote as well.

 

[ZorgDK]

Quote:

LCD-2, Stax O2 and HD650 seems to be consensus
 
What about the new Hifiman HE-500?  
 
 Anybody heard it and able to compare to the above, fatigue-wise?

 
The most non-fatigueing headphone I've tried is the HD650. I haven't heard the HE-500, but with the HE-6 I need to rest my ears more often. The HD650 is more comfortable to wear than the HE-6 which is also important when we talk about fatigue. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 

[daveDerek]

 
Quote:

The low end Stax tend to be bright and flamboyant, not what you'd call fatigue-free. I've yet to hear anything currently in production more relaxed than the Omega 2.
[snip]

 
this post has many fine points, however the exception has to be the stax sr-001mk2 (or it's probably superior (due to ampage considerations) cousin, the sr-003 or sr-005 system). this is the bargain in mid-high end audio, given that the system of amp & phones is ~$300 (it's cousin being priced higher). this is a beautifully clear and natural sounding device and perhaps the only can that i can think of on head-fi which has drawn near universal praise for it's sonics. the most common complaint that folks offer is that some find it's design lacking in comfort. sonically it's sins are of omission, not comission, namely that's it's rolled off at the extremes, especially on top. you may lose a little detail up top, but you also lose hiss and shrillness, and it doesn't sound muffled. it's a delightful device, and it'll give you a taste of stats to see if you really want to go whole hog on an electrostatic rig.