Headphones Question

[H20nly]

So my son has been playing trumpet for 5 years now and is getting pretty good. His group was voted the best in the country last year in Downbeat magazine for his age (8th grade/13 at the time).

Anyway... he's trying to get into FL Studio which i personally think is a good starting point before Live/Cubase/Logic...

He wants some good headphones. I'm a firm believer in AT M50 or Beyer Dynamic DT 770s, but i don't want my old school ways infecting his new school vigor. Any recommendations??

He's eyeballing Seinheiser HD 598s pretty hard. They have an ivory/woodgrain pair that look BEAUTIFUL... BUT as I was explaining to him, looks is nothing to judge headphones on. Anyone have experience with those headphones or any recommendations for a good pair for him??

Thanks in advance

[Tarekith]

Price range? Is isolation important?

[Stromkraft]

Honestly, I think you're initial reaction - to recommend either ATH-M50x or DT-770 - is a proper one. Convince him that for music-making flat response is key, which those models provide well at the price. Personally, my experience with Sennheisers (not the exact model you mention, though - but still, at least 3-4 different sets over the years) is that they're usually noisy, i.e. have pretty harsh and piercing top-end. Obviously it depends on type of music, but for electronic stuff it's very tiring.

What? Never ever had I any Sennheiser's that weren't sweet to my ears. And this hasn't been the top range. Balanced and natural is my take.

That said, in this case I think the BeyerDynamic is a more fitting choice.

[Martin Gifford]

Many people say ATH-M40 is better than ATH-M50.

[fishmonkey]

Honestly, I think you're initial reaction - to recommend either ATH-M50x or DT-770 - is a proper one. Convince him that for music-making flat response is key, which those models provide well at the price. Personally, my experience with Sennheisers (not the exact model you mention, though - but still, at least 3-4 different sets over the years) is that they're usually noisy, i.e. have pretty harsh and piercing top-end. Obviously it depends on type of music, but for electronic stuff it's very tiring.

Personally, I recently got Bayerdynamics DT-990Pro and I'm really happy, but they're open so you can hear everything around you and everyone can hear what you're hearing, so that is in important consideration.

overall the DT-880 Pro are flatter than the DT-770 and DT-990 Pro. in particular, both the 770s and the 990s are a bit hyped in the low end.

regarding Sennheisers, the HD 600 and HD 650 are well regarded, and most people (including me) find that the Beyerdynamics i mentioned are harsher in the top end compared to those.

but, it's very hard to say without some kind of budget to aim for...

[TomKern]

Yeah +1 on Sennheisers HD 600 or 650
Pretty neutral and sound really nice. Also comfortable as fuck.

(I don't know how the HD 598s relate to them, I mean the numbers are pretty close )

They are open designs though. So great in a studio and also great for listening at home, but unusable for on stage or in the DJ booth.

[TomKern]

Honestly, I think you're initial reaction - to recommend either ATH-M50x or DT-770 - is a proper one. Convince him that for music-making flat response is key, which those models provide well at the price. Personally, my experience with Sennheisers (not the exact model you mention, though - but still, at least 3-4 different sets over the years) is that they're usually noisy, i.e. have pretty harsh and piercing top-end. Obviously it depends on type of music, but for electronic stuff it's very tiring.

What? Never ever had I any Sennheiser's that weren't sweet to my ears.

Certainly true for the upscale Sennheisers (like the mentioned HD600s), but not as a general statement.
They produce pretty cheap headphones too, and you get what you pay for with Sennheiser just as with any other brand.

[Shift Gorden]

Honestly, I think you're initial reaction - to recommend either ATH-M50x or DT-770 - is a proper one. Convince him that for music-making flat response is key, which those models provide well at the price. Personally, my experience with Sennheisers (not the exact model you mention, though - but still, at least 3-4 different sets over the years) is that they're usually noisy, i.e. have pretty harsh and piercing top-end. Obviously it depends on type of music, but for electronic stuff it's very tiring.

What? Never ever had I any Sennheiser's that weren't sweet to my ears.

Certainly true for the upscale Sennheisers (like the mentioned HD600s), but not as a general statement.
They produce pretty cheap headphones too, and you get what you pay for with Sennheiser just as with any other brand.

Agree mate. I've had a junky pair of Sennheisers which were cheap and terrible. But now I got some HD 650s which I would propose to if I wasn't already married.

[Stromkraft]

Honestly, I think you're initial reaction - to recommend either ATH-M50x or DT-770 - is a proper one. Convince him that for music-making flat response is key, which those models provide well at the price. Personally, my experience with Sennheisers (not the exact model you mention, though - but still, at least 3-4 different sets over the years) is that they're usually noisy, i.e. have pretty harsh and piercing top-end. Obviously it depends on type of music, but for electronic stuff it's very tiring.

What? Never ever had I any Sennheiser's that weren't sweet to my ears.

Certainly true for the upscale Sennheisers (like the mentioned HD600s), but not as a general statement.
They produce pretty cheap headphones too, and you get what you pay for with Sennheiser just as with any other brand.

I had the DJ-200s for some years and found them great and durable (Just kept getting new cords every second years or so). Until I got my cheap Superlux HD-668B, that are of course good only really in the sense that they cost so ridiculous little and almost sound like the real contenders and way better than those old DJ-200s. I can actually do real work on them and feel they beat most head phones I've tried under $100. Main reason I got them was to be able to afford new monitors too. I think Beyerdynamic might be next.

[H20nly]

Thanks guys!

@ Tarekith/fishmonkey - he wants to buy them so about $160-ish U.S. dollar price range is about right.

he's just getting into making any kind of beats so i would think that having them isolated like the M50s or Beyer DT xxx phones is the way to go... he won't be DJing or working with other musicians much, at least not at first.

i personally LOVE my AT M50 the most, but the comfort of my BD DT 770s is the real deal. i'm also pretty pleased with the sound of the Beyers, but i agree with fishmonkey about sound... not quite pure. i use the ATs for mixing and the Beyers for recording vocals.

the fact that none of you have even heard of the Seniheiser 598s tells me all i need to know really... i think he just likes the look of them, but i told him to scratch that line of thinking if he plans to get serious.

still, you have to admit... they are some lovely cans
https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-59 ... B0042A8CW2




Thanks again for all the (excellent) replies. it's been a while, i hope you're all doing well. PM any new albums, singles or anything you're proud of. i'd love to have a listen...

[H20nly]

[proud daddy shit]

here's an article about his school jazz band if any of you are interested.

http://www.lpie.org/single-post/2016/06 ... zz-Program

you can't see his face, but that's him in the upper middle on trumpet.

his (former) instructor, Bob Athayde, is amazing.

[/proud daddy shit]

[H20nly]

Congrats! Wish my kids were into music...

thanks!

i didn't push him too much, just encouraged and supported... he did the heavy lifting.


He's leaning toward the Beyer Dynamicss right now... He's pretty taken aback by how comfortable they are. i can't remember if mine are 250 or 80 Ohm... and I can't for the life of me remember the difference (i know i should know and the dusty answer is in my brain somewhere). it's been too long... gonna have to hit the google

[TomKern]

The difference between 80 and 250 Ohm?!
250 Ohm definitely needs a proper headphone amp, but can then produce much more volume and a more popping bass.
(making them pretty linear down to the lowest frequencies)

But if this is not needed, 80 Ohm is a lot more convenient.

[H20nly]

The difference between 80 and 250 Ohm?!
250 Ohm definitely needs a proper headphone amp, but can then produce much more volume and a more popping bass.
(making them pretty linear down to the lowest frequencies)

But if this is not needed, 80 Ohm is a lot more convenient.

hey, I know it's a little late, but thanks for that Tom.

glad to not see you back.

[chaibuka]

On Sale today $139

https://9to5toys.com/2017/06/20/beyerdy ... eadphones/