Headphone recommendations?

anti-banausic · Post by **anti-banausic** » Wed Aug 18, 2004 7:11 pm

olafmol,
Yeah, great cans for performance, but I find that the high end can get a little much over time, and (while very, very punchy) the low end lacks depth. Did you burn yours in? I have heard conflicting things about a pro-longed burn in helping headphones, and especially these.

Otherwise, awesome, clear, good mids and highs, and have to love the noise attenuation.

cheers

olafmol · Post by **olafmol** » Wed Aug 18, 2004 7:36 pm

sennheiser is known for it's clear highend..not everyone likes it....a good alternative with less highs are AKG 240/270s ..... a friend of mine loves these and hates the sennheisers..... i don't use headphones for monitoring, mainly bought them for their sound isolation to use at DJ gigs

Maurice · Post by **Maurice** » Wed Aug 18, 2004 10:25 pm

As you can see, you got a lot of different replies. I'd suggest instead of a specific brand, a method for shopping--bring a number of CDs in your collection to a shop that has several different kinds of headphones. Try several pairs out, listening to the same things on them. When I was shopping a few years ago, I was able to eliminate a number of contenders based on this kind of comparison. It ended being between an AKG pair and some Sennheiser HD525s, and there was one track on one CD that had a part I just couldn't hear on the AKGs, so I went with the Sennheisers. Your ears may be different. Leave a lot of time for this process.

I recently bought a portable, fold-up pair of Sennheisers, which are ok, but they're NOT the same as the 525s, which themselves aren't to the level of the 600s. So try a bunch out, and see what you like.

phuzzee_demon · Post by **phuzzee_demon** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 5:31 am

i've got a pair of sennheiser hd535 and they sound awesome although i wish the cable was a bit more rugged.

vincilizer · Post by **vincilizer** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 11:59 am

AKG 271 - rules. Stop thinking! Hear! Try it!

cu
Vincilizer

the ar · Post by **the ar** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 3:27 pm

I use AKG k271s and the Pioneer HDJ1000 (which I'm not to keen on regarding sound quality [too subby], but they're amazingly sound-insulated and never distort, even at terribly high volumes).
So, I'd suggest the AKG's for studio monitoring, clear and uncoloured sound, awesome quality headphones...
The Pioneer's, instead, I find very good for dj monitoring at gigs.

Cheers,
the ar

muthafunka · Post by **muthafunka** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 12:03 am

2 pairs of Technics DJ1200 rockin' the house here, probably not flat enough to be mastering tracks in but damned good at what they do ie block external noise and sound great and punchy as hell for djing/listening \m/_

chelfyn · Post by **chelfyn** » Wed Aug 25, 2004 2:14 am

I've been absurdly happy since i took everyone's advice and ditched my heavy sony MDR-V700s in favour of Senheiser HD-25's. They manage to be flat and predictable enough for studio work (and comfortable for long periods) and rugged and light enough for DJ use. I also have a pair of Beyerdynamic DT-901s which i sometimes use for mastering comparisons, but they're just a bit too bulky for everyday use. Nice sound though, but not as good as the senny's. The only downside is that they can go so loud I fear they may cause untold damage to DJ ears!

pe · Post by pe » Wed Aug 25, 2004 4:57 pm

headphones are "dangerues" in many cases....

-mixing
-stereo imag.
-damage ear's
-room sensitivs

pe

anti-banausic · Post by **anti-banausic** » Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:56 pm

Yes, headphones are much loved, and much maligned...

However, as a serious testimonial, I played out last Friday, a set that I had sort of mastered on the fly, a mix of samples from other people's tracks with my own additions, and my own tracks.

The only mastering/mixing that I could do was through headphones as I live in NYC...enough said....I expected to have to tweak a lot on the spot for the room, but....

One of my friends is an audio engineer, and he was very impressed by the mix....just LIVE through a standard numark two channel....I only really cut the highs a little.....

All this through mixing with a pair of HD265s and HD280pros....what did it tell me...

At least for live performance, you can get by with some good ole headphone mixing, and also to trust my HD280s on the high end....if it was a little much on them, it was a little much in the mix....and that they don't quite, not quite represent the deep lows....

And also, they are awesome because of the noise reduction...I didn't have to crank it too loud to still hear the cues....

Oh well, that was a good ramble.

Cheers,
AB

kent_sandvik · Post by **kent_sandvik** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 6:28 pm

iPod miniplugs? Why? Because it's good to sometimes listen what the average customer will hear... --Kent

PS: Not using them all the time in the studio :-).

generic · Post by **generic** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 2:31 am

i'll add a third vote for the Byerdynamic DT770 closed. i've had a pair for years. they still sound sweet. they are so comfy too. the pads are super soft and coverd with crushed velvet.

later
e

"if it were socially acceptable i would drape myself in velvet."
george costanza

ultrasource · Post by **ultrasource** » Sun Aug 29, 2004 11:19 pm

AKG 240's + Grado SR-60's here. Both have their high points and low points but I absolutely love the Grados but can't use them unless I'm in my "studio."

tomperson · Post by **tomperson** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 4:18 pm

If you want low distorsion, and can work at lower levels, go for a hi impedance model, such as AKG 240. If you need all the power you can get, go for low impedance, such as MDR 7506. The most probable thing is that your ears will explode way before you go all the way up with the volume with those beasts. The AKG are really comfortable on the other hand.

I got a pair of MDR 7506, mostly because they are closed back, and universally known as "standard" (check out videos on TV with people singing on booths, you will definitely see some 7506 there), as well as being sturdy (as sturdy as a headphone can get, at least).

I love 'em and I'm sure they can stand hard use.

Vercengetorex · Post by **Vercengetorex** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 7:21 pm

Check this site out...
Great reviews, very friendly forum, and more headphone data than you can shake a stick at:

http://www.head-fi.org/