Best Headphones For Digital Piano

Choosing the best headphones for digital piano should not be difficult. Let us help you find a pair that takes your digital piano sounds to the next level!

Over ear headphones on digital piano

A decent pair of digital piano headphones are necessary for pianists who have trouble concentrating while practicing because they live in a busy or boisterous environment. 

We’re here to assist you in making the right choice by providing you with a roundup of the best headphones for a digital piano!

In A Hurry? Here Is Our Top Pick!

The Beyerdynamic DT-1990 is a professional-grade headphone that offers excellent sound quality and comfort. The headphones are designed to be used with digital pianos, but they can also work well for other instruments such as guitars or basses.

They have an in-ear design which makes them comfortable to wear while playing the instrument. These headphones offer high fidelity audio performance at reasonable prices. 

How To Choose The Best Headphones For Digital Piano

Most digital pianos come with an audio jack nowadays, allowing you to put in a set of headphones and play whenever you want without bothering others. The digital connectivity is what sets them apart from conventional acoustic pianos. 

Sadly, people tend to use the free headphones bundled with digital pianos when they should be using high-quality headphones that provide a comfortable fit and clear, authentic sound. 

A premium set of headphones let you hear the most precise aspects of your music that are difficult to catch over the built-in speakers of a digital piano. Picking headphones that properly and organically capture your instrument’s sound is just as essential as selecting a digital piano.

So, how do you choose the best headphones for a digital piano? We hand you out some essential pointers to consider when choosing the best headphone for a digital piano. 

Style, Weight, And Ease Of Use 

Headphone style may have a big influence on how comfortable you feel while using them. You should seek a set of headphones that are well-made and won’t fall apart quickly. However, you should also look for a lightweight pair so that you can wear them for long periods without becoming tired of wearing them.

To keep your ears comfy when wearing headphones, the ear cups must include proper padding and cushioning. A lot of headphones come with a flexible headband so you can make it fit your head perfectly.

Impedance And Responsiveness

There are two impedances to consider: the digital piano’s source impedance and the headphones’ load impedance. The impedance of most headphones is in the range of 8-600 ohms. The low audio source impedance is the norm. 

Before buying headphones, make sure the digital piano and headphones have the same impedance. A good impedance match between the two devices is essential for optimal sound quality. There can’t be an equal impedance between the two devices. Varying impedances will necessitate diverse power sources.

Headphones with high impedance require powerful amplification to get the most out of their performance. In contrast, low-impedance headphones can reproduce a decent audio quality from even low-voltage sources.

Digital piano with music sheets and headphones

Related article – Do You Lose Sound Quality With Wireless Headphones?

Comparing Open-back And Closed-back Headphones 

Open-back and closed-back are the two types of headphones. Open-back headphones leave the back of the ear cups exposed, while the closed-back headphones keep them covered. 

Open-back headphones can reproduce a more organic sound, but they also have the downside of letting in a lot of outside noise. In contrast, closed-back headphones offer enhanced bass sound and don’t let the sound out, thanks to their closed design of earcups. This means that if you live in a noisy environment, you should seek closed-back headphones!

Using a closed-back headphone means you’ll be able to filter out even more background noise than usual. By doing this, you will be much more engrossed in your tunes. On the other hand, the drawback is that the music may seem more condensed and narrow.

Right Frequency

In terms of headphones’ frequency response, there are two factors to keep in mind. For starters, see what frequency range the headphones are capable of covering. The wider the frequency range of the headphones, the more notes you’ll be able to detect. A lower frequency headphone will fail to reproduce all notes accurately. 

Before you make your buying decision for a digital piano headphone, you must also check if the sound quality is uniform across all the frequencies. The sound output should be constant so that no note goes undetected.

Related article – How To Balance Bass And Treble

Cord Length, Durability, and Warranty

The cord length will affect how convenient it is to set up your digital piano with headphones. Ensure that the headphones’ cord is long enough so that you can comfortably position yourself while playing. 

When you spend your money on a nice set of headphones for your digital piano, you want them to last a lot longer. As a result, while shopping for headphones, opt for ones with the solid build quality.

Also, make sure to compare the warranties provided by various manufacturers!

Woman wearing headphones and playing a digital piano

What Are The Advantages Of Digital Piano Headphones?

Using headphones for your regular practice sessions has a few more advantages besides lowering the noise level. 

In a school setting, you may escape the clamor of piano sounds and concentrate on your own performance instead of your classmates’ creations. 

When you’re on the move, take your digital keyboard or piano with you so you can keep up with your practice routine. By putting on headphones, you limit who can hear what notes you’re playing. 

Good headphones isolate the sounds, allowing you to hear each note. You may learn a lot about the piano’s sound by listening to recordings of it being played by an expert. You can also listen to your recordings to see where you’re lagging and where you can progress. 

When you practice with headphones, you’ll be less impacted by external noises, and you’ll have far greater focus and energy.

Related article – The 6 Best Headphones For Music Production

Precautions For Using Digital Piano Headphones

To be a successful musician, we must take good care of our most valuable asset: our hearing. Ensure you’re not using excessive volume for long periods. 

As with everything in life, turn the volume down and take breaks now and then. If it doesn’t work, try putting your headphones on one ear at a time. When the sound gets too loud, it gets more detrimental as you can’t hear what you intend to hear while playing!

Don’t forget to spend time practicing openly. After that, you’ll be ready for a more “realistic” setting, like a concert. Get accustomed to playing in front of others and experiencing your piano’s tone and nuances in an authentic setting. 

When played loudly in a room or amplified, even with headphones, things might sound significantly different, impacting your choice of what or how to play.

Related article – Why Do Singers Wear Earpieces?

Little girl playing the digital piano with headphones on

5 Of The Best Headphones for Digital Piano

Now that you know what to look for in the best headphone for a digital piano, we can walk you through our top 5 picks. We reviewed and tested every headphone closely for several weeks before featuring them on the list. 

SENNHEISER HD600

The Sennheiser HD 600 is one to keep an eye out for. This headphone has everything you’ll need for the task, including all the components, accessories, and specs. 

The Neodymium ferrous magnets form the basis of this device. These are the ones that generate the aural outputs. They can maintain excellent dynamics while still keeping maximum sensitivity. These magnets are responsible for canceling out noise and other irregularities.

A copper cable with Kevlar reinforcement is also provided. Compared to a standard set of cables, these are far more efficient. Consequently, they are more effective in blocking out distracting background noises as you hear music. These headphones are also highly portable. 

The headphones’ main feature is a set of high-quality mesh grilles (nearly translucent grille). As a result, they’re well-suited to creating sounds with a lot of transparency. Because they’re of higher quality, they last longer and require fewer maintenance efforts on your side.

Pros
  • Reduces harmonics and distortion.
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Spatial and authentic sound outputs
Cons
  • Not for beginner level piano players
  • Expensive and should be handled with care

SONY MDR-7506

For budget-conscious buyers, Sony MDR7506 headphones should be the top pick. Although low-priced, they deliver high on their performance in the segment and offer great value for money.  

These headphones produce audio that sounds genuinely professional. The Neodymium magnet in its structural composition is primarily responsible for this effect. The 40mm driver is there to balance things out. These headphones produce excellent sound quality so that you can hear clearly and comfortably. The frequency response range on these headphones is 10 Hz – 20 kHz. 

With these headphones, you’ll be able to enjoy comfort while also feeling secluded from outside noise. The comfort element is facilitated in large part by a plush headband. The headphones cover the gap between the earcup and the ear to withstand any impacts. Instead, the closed-ear design allows for isolation. 

The Sony MDR7506 uses a 9.8-foot cable to route sound. A gold-plated plug can be seen on both ends of the cable. The cord is detachable for easy traveling and handling. Thanks to the wire length, you can easily move around your digital piano.

Pros
  • Affordable and portable
  • Almost blocks outside noise
  • Foldable design
Cons
  • Not ideal for a professional setting
  • Not a very premium feel

YAMAHA HPH-50B

Yamaha’s HPH-50B headphones aim at digital instrument users. The 100B and 150B are the two most expensive models available. However, we are impressed by the quality-to-price ratio of these budget headphones.

The sound quality is good, with a natural bass and treble balance that accurately reproduces the piano’s sound. 

Owing to their “compact” design, the earcups on these headphones tend to be a bit smaller than others on this list. They’re not the best choice if you have large ears or a big head.

The earcups can rotate outwards by 90 degrees. And the hinge for swiveling is quite sturdy too.  

The cable for the headphones is a little over six feet long, and the stereo plug is gold-plated. The tiny cable is tucked within the bigger one. If you need to remove it, just undo the screw on the other end of the cable. Both the tiny and big headphone connectors are compatible.

Not the most expensive headphones, but you may have to pay a lot more money if your primary requirement is pure sound quality. You’ll get a fair reproduction of your piano music on these headphones, which are ideal for peaceful practice sessions.

Pros
  • Fair sound reproduction of your piano
  • Swiveling earcups
Cons
  • Not suitable for large heads or ears
  • Not the best at blocking outside noises

BEYERDYNAMIC DT 1990 PRO

The Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro headphones feature an open-back design clubbed with Dynamic Tesla neodymium drivers. They’re studio-quality and are perfect for your digital piano practice and recording sessions, delivering crystal-clear audio and precise signals every time you use them. 

The circuitry on these headphones is quite well-tuned, and the quality is evident in the frequency response. Tesla’s cutting-edge drivers perform well at higher production, resulting in high-res audio with excellent fidelity. They can produce a wide range of tones, including sharp highs, rich mids, and cavernous lows. 

It’s considerably easier to get a sense of where you are in space with the open-back circumaural design. They’re made of high-quality materials, including titanium-coated fabric and an additional layer of micro fabrics. The Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro headphones are engineered to last.

Pros
  • Sturdy and comfortable
  • High-res sound output, deep bass
  • Exceptionally accurate audio
Cons
  • Require Amplifier
  • Poor isolation due to open-end design

PHILIPS SHP9500

In terms of open-back headphones under $100, the Phillips SHP9500 is arguably the finest in the budget segment. These headphones are an excellent choice because of their remarkable price-to-value ratio. 

The aluminum headband of the SHP9500 is flexible and makes the headset quite comfortable to use. Despite their massive size, the SHP9500 headphones are quite lightweight. 

The open-back design and a large 50 mm neodymium driver create an enormous range with a rich, nuanced sound.

It’s impressive how well instruments are isolated and how accurately sounds are reproduced. The SHP9500 falls short of numerous more expensive models in the sub-$100 price bracket when it comes to audio quality. 

Don’t forget that they are open-back headphones that leak a lot of sound into the surroundings and consequently don’t provide any soundproofing from outside noise. This means that one can only use them at home or in calm environments.

Pros
  • Wide frequency range and soundstage
  • High clarity
  • A comfortable fit around ears
Cons
  • Quite heavy
  • Poor soundproofing
  • Non-removable pads

Final Thoughts

Choosing the best headphones for digital piano should not be difficult. First and foremost, be sure that everything you choose is of high quality and can be relied upon for many years to come.

Our top pick is the beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO. They are a pair of professional-grade headphones that offers excellent sound quality and comfort. Not only amazing for digital pianos but works well with other instruments!

That being said, hearing is a very subjective topic. The sound quality of all five headphones on our list is balanced with remarkable instrument distinction and clarity. These headphones are all great options, as long as you consider the advantages and disadvantages of both closed-back and open-back designs.

You may also like the 10 Best Headphones for Drummers.