M-Audio IE-30 Earphones for mixing?

[thatguy]

Does anyone use these? I like to work on stuff late at night but my neighbors aren't too happy about it. Are they comparable to a decent pair of monitors or is it just a stupid idea to get some?

[thefool]

you should not mix on any kind of headphones

[thelike5]

Does anyone use these? I like to work on stuff late at night but my neighbors aren't too happy about it. Are they comparable to a decent pair of monitors or is it just a stupid idea to get some?

Man, those are earbuds. You can't (or better yet, shouldn't mix on those!!) Are you kidding? I'm not trying to be a jerk but you will either go deaf "mixing" or insane from all the noise and fatigue/stress pounding in your ears.

Contrary to what The Fool says, You CAN mix on headphones, just not earbuds. I have the Sony 7506 headphones. I think they were around $150 or maybe less. I would not recommend "mixing" on them full time. Get a set of Rokit 5's by KRK or the new Mackie monitors. Run about $300 a pair new.

You don't need to blast music ass-loud to get results!! It's not going to sound any better when you have it cranked. Turn the monitors down when you mix and you will achieve the best results. You also won't piss off your neighbors!

[thatguy]

I don't know if you've ever been in a New York City apartment before, but my neighbors hear when I take a piss, playing any sort of music at night, no matter what the volume, is not an option. Thanks for the advice though, I guess I'm just doomed to have shitty sounding mixes until I move to the woods.

[Sales Dude McBoob]

I have IE-30 earbuds. I'm a bad person to offer my opinion on earbuds, because I hate them in general. The IE-30 do sound good, but only when you physically hold them in your ears. The problem with them (and all in-ear headphones in my opinion) is that they don't hold their position in your ear very well. As soon as one of them shifts a little bit in your ear, the frequency balance changes. When I shove them all the way in and hold them there I can hear a decent amount of mids and bass, but as soon as I let go the response changes. I tried the different ear pieces (foam, rubber, small, large) and it was the same thing. If the frequency response changes then you cannot accurately mix.

Just get a decent set of studio headphones and you'll be way better off. Like these Ultrasones that are $10 more than IE-30's:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/3 ... lding.html

[beats me]

The IE-30 do sound good, but only when you physically hold them in your ears. The problem with them (and all in-ear headphones in my opinion) is that they don't hold their position in your ear very well. As soon as one of them shifts a little bit in your ear, the frequency balance changes. When I shove them all the way in and hold them there I can hear a decent amount of mids and bass, but as soon as I let go the response changes. I tried the different ear pieces (foam, rubber, small, large) and it was the same thing. If the frequency response changes then you cannot accurately mix.

You can run down to Home Depot and get a large c-clamp and screw the ear buds into your ears securely.

[zsazsa]

if you want to mix on headphones (better than getting beat up by your neighbours) get some AKG 271.
Not too expensive, light, comfortable and very neutral.

Just my $ 0,02.

[rikhyray]

Does anyone use these? I like to work on stuff late at night but my neighbors aren't too happy about it. Are they comparable to a decent pair of monitors or is it just a stupid idea to get some?

Nothing stupid about it except perhaps overpaying for them, list price is excessive but they sell for less. They are only branded by M audio and made by Ultimate ears, I see no reason really not to buy real thing.
They are some people here who use those IEM for everything including mixing. I decided to replace my HD 25- means tracking and monitoring on stage- never mixing. If at all I would use HD 600 or 650 but even then I would never let any audio leave my studio without at least checking on real monitors.
I took advantage of Messe and checked the top players today. How different then internet opinions- Westone no.1 on many rankings -absolutely rubbish, wouldnt take for free, obvious the company works for deaf people.
My favs Shure new 3 and 4 pro series. 5 is too bulky for me.
Ultimate ears the EB- extended bass is what Sales DmcB meant that M audio also sales, wouldnt fit, like with Shure i see no much point intriple quadrupal ports (at expense of size, weight and $$$)
I got UE 5 Pro Studio which have 2 ports but the single port SHure SCL 3 or 4 are as good.
The special thing about those inside ear phones they sound very different in different ears so no surprise that some may like more different models price is not always the factor.as long as you stay withUE or Shure pro stuff you will be OK. Sennheiser will bring some pro IEM within month but they didnt have anything yet.
Edit- I went for UE 5 pro but like them only a little bit better then Shure, wouldnt even say one is better then other it might really depend on ears. UE sit very comfortably and steady, already tested them on my way home. The M audio you ask about are supposedly same model.

[thelike5]

I'll hold my ground; anyone who mixes on a pair of earbuds is asking for trouble. I don't care if they are $3 or $300. They are earbuds and regardless of the technology behind them will cause fatigue quicker than the worst pair of studio monitors.

I need to record or mix with sound in front of me but not directly in my eardrums. Anyone who mixes with ear buds is risking a fate worse than a bad recording or upset neighbors. You will go deaf!!

[micro-jr]

My take on it ( remember, i know nothing about mixing or earphones):

Stay away from in-ear stuff, IMHO they rarely comfortable and will make your ears bleed.
Go for open headphones, better sound ( in my experience), not as tiring as closed ones. Open headphones leak more sound though, they are useless in a noisy location ( on a train/ plane etc.)

Mixing on headphones requires a lot of test listening on speakers, you will have to check everything on a system after your neighbors have left the building. After a while though you will probably learn what sounds good in your phones and bad on the monitors and vice versa.

[rikhyray]

I'll hold my ground; anyone who mixes on a pair of earbuds is asking for trouble. I don't care if they are $3 or $300. They are earbuds and regardless of the technology behind them will cause fatigue quicker than the worst pair of studio monitors.

I need to record or mix with sound in front of me but not directly in my eardrums. Anyone who mixes with ear buds is risking a fate worse than a bad recording or upset neighbors. You will go deaf!!

You confuse earbuds and IEM, I can kill my ears with my Genelecs or HD 650 or gf screaming.
Since I decided to shift from HD 25 I did some search, also of this forum and was surprised that some people use those successfully even for mixing. I dont and wont but your hysteria about loosing hearing by using IEM is without serious ground.
I not only had SHL but got out of it by my own treatment so I know about the tinnitus,SHL etc too well. Standing next to speaker in a club is no less stupid then cranking I pod with some earbuds or IEM.
I am shifting to IEM to protect my hearing not to fuck it up.

[adventurepants_]

i really dig the canalphone style earphone for listening. because the isolation is so good, i have the volume up much less than i do with headphones.

i had to go through a few sets and earplugs before i found something that fit well, without it moving in the ear and breaking the seal.