In principle, most headphones are suitable for use with digital pianos. Accordingly, there are no headphones that are explicitly labeled as “headphones for digital pianos”. However, you should be aware of some technical subtleties, as there are even headphone models that are completely unsuitable for playing a digital piano. Here is our review of the cheapest and best digital piano headphones.
Studio and home recording headphones, hi-fi headphones, DJ headphones, in-ear headphones for leisure and sports, Bluetooth headphones, wireless headphones… Headphones are available for a wide variety of uses and can even be very expensive as a sought-after lifestyle gadget.
However, a high price is no guarantee that these are good headphones for playing the digital piano. Conversely, you should steer clear of cheap hi-fi headphones. Inexpensive studio headphones are much better and relatively affordable for beginners.
When buying headphones for a digital piano, there are two main criteria to consider:
For initial orientation, recommendations from digital piano manufacturers may be helpful. For example, Yamaha’s accessory information for the Clavinova series lists the HPH series headphones under the heading “Headphones for Clavinova,” while italian manufacturer Dexibel offers the DX HF7. Kawai also offers a popular headphone, the SH-9.
In general, however, studio headphones are designed for universal use. The term comes from recording technology and refers to headphones able to perform different tasks than hi-fi headphones. Accordingly, they also differ in design. All in all, this is what makes studio headphones so interesting for use with digital pianos.
Some of the most popular headphone brands include AKG, beyerdynamic, Sennheiser, Sony, and Shure. We also recommend Superlux from the Far East: Good studio headphones for little money.
By the way, not everything has to be limited to classic digital pianos. Of course, you also need good headphones for a silent piano or a hybrid piano. Suitable headphones for digital pianos – here are our recommendations between 20 and 200 Euros.
Noise-cancelling systems are popular for isolating headphone sound from outside noise – ideal for listening to music while traveling and, you might think, practicing the piano. Noise cancellation works by inverting the phase of the external sound, which is achieved by electronically processing the audio signal. In some systems, this can result in a delay (latency) of the audio signal in the headphones.
It is not uncommon for noise-cancelling systems to also affect the sound characteristics, which can be detrimental when playing piano. If you have noise-cancelling headphones, you can still use them with a digital piano. However, you will need to test whether the noise-cancelling signal processing is fast enough – current headphones do this very satisfactorily.
Circumaural, Over-ear, On-ear, closed, open – what does it all mean? There are many designs to choose from, but what is the perfect design when buying a headphone for playing and practicing on a digital piano?
Over-ear headphones are generally the most comfortable to wear. With this ear-enclosing design, your ears are completely inside the ear cups, with no cushions pressing against your outer ear. Some models even come with interchangeable ear cushions, or you can swap out the standard leatherette cushions for fabric ones.
The usually more compact design makes on-ear headphones attractive because they can be easily stowed away when traveling. However, the ear cups of these headphones are a bit small, so the cushions do not completely surround the ear or even rest on the outer ear. Even a lightweight on-ear model can become uncomfortable after a while, depending on how much the cushions press against your ears. The best thing to do when shopping is to try different models to see how they fit and how comfortable they are!
Open systems have the advantage of sound performance and comfort. However, they allow a relatively large amount of sound to leak out and vice versa. Hence you must decide whether you need headphones with better sound isolation. For instance, practicing with headphones on the digital piano while watching TV requires closed-back headphones. These can be quite loud, especially in the bass range.
Open over-ear systems, on the other hand, have a balanced, airy sound. The sound is similar to surround sound from speakers. Playing with an open over-ear system can be much more comfortable, for example, when practicing piano over headphones for long periods.
Semi-open headphones are a good compromise. They combine the characteristics of open and closed systems: The high frequencies are more isolated, while the low frequencies can still penetrate.
Most digital pianos have headphone outputs that are stereo jacks (6.3 mm), ideally with two parallel jacks so you can play in pairs. Some pianos are equipped with a mini-jack, and others come with a combination of stereo jack and mini-jack. Usually, the headphone cable comes with jack adapters that allow you to convert the mini-jack to a jack plug. If not, you can also purchase an adapter.
Good stuff on your ears! True to this motto, you should never save money at the wrong end, because bad headphones can really spoil the fun of playing a digital piano. However, that doesn’t mean the most expensive headphones are necessarily the best. There are truly excellent headphones that don’t cost a fortune. For example, the semi-open Superlux HD687 and the closed Superlux HD688 for around 40 Euros are a good place to start. But the absolute beginner’s tip is the Superlux HD-681 for about 25 Euros.
The Superlux HD-681 performs more than satisfactorily compared to other products. For around 25 Euros you get a solid pair of headphones with good sound characteristics. Thanks to the circumaural design, the semi-open system is comfortable to wear. And considering the price, the sound is outstanding.
With any brand, the transition to a higher price point is seamless. For around 200 Euros, the AKG K-712 Pro is a true studio classic providing great comfort and perfect sound. Here are some recommendations for headphones in various price ranges that are suitable for use with digital pianos in terms of comfort and impedance.
Digital wireless systems are great for listening to music, but they don’t work with digital pianos. The system latency of Bluetooth technology delays the audio output – completely unsuitable for playing the piano.
Learn more about digital pianos with Bluetooth in our guide.
If you have in-ear headphones, you can also use them with a digital piano. However, the quality of the headphones is very important here. Not only is the impedance of in-ear headphones often too low, but cheap in-ear headphones are simply unsuitable for use with a digital piano in terms of sound quality and comfort.
However, high-quality in-ear systems for musicians, e.g. with specially manufactured inner ear capsules, can work well. We have had very good experiences with the Shure SE215-CL (e.g. during the production of our YouTube videos). Even with the universal capsules provided, the headphones provide reliable isolation from external noise and have a convincing sound – not only when playing the piano, but also when listening to music.
Headphones Recommendations for Digital Piano – Thread on reddit
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Frequently asked questions answered briefly and concisely.
You may have heard brand names such as “Silent Piano” or “AnyTime Piano”. They all refer to an instrument that is both an acoustic and a digital piano. These hybrid pianos are equipped with a mute function, a mechanical block that prevents the hammer felts from hitting the strings. Otherwise, the usual piano action is used, but an electronically generated piano sound replaces it when muted. However, typical “silent pianos” do not have built-in speakers like a digital piano. Therefore, a hybrid piano doesn’t make much sense without headphones.
Closed headphones are designed to prevent sound from leaking out of the earcups and vice versa. They provide good acoustic isolation from ambient noise. For example, if you are practicing piano on a digital piano while someone in the same room is watching television, you should purchase closed-back headphones. However, because of their closed design, these headphones can produce a powerful sound, especially in the bass range, which can be tiring if you practice piano for long periods.
Learn more: Setting Up a Digital Piano
Wraparound headphones with open ear cups provide the most comfortable fit. They are ideal for hours of digital piano playing. However, the open design also allows more ambient noise to reach the ear.
The volume depends very much on how you feel. However, you usually underestimate the volume because you are concentrating on playing the piano and reading the music. As a result, you often play louder than you think. That’s why it’s important to take regular breaks, as you’ll usually notice quickly if you’ve been practicing at too high a volume for a while. Headphone volume always depends on the impedance of your headphones.
Impedance, measured in ohms, is the electrical resistance between your headphones and your amplifier. Headphones with high impedance tend to be quieter. The lower the impedance, the louder the headphones. However, headphones with too low an impedance tend to distort. For digital pianos, the impedance should be no lower than 32 ohms and no higher than 250 ohms. Be careful with studio headphones, as some models are available in professional versions with very high impedance (e.g. 600 ohms). Such headphones are not suitable for use with a digital piano.
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