Composing on headphones - 'phones recommendations

ChiDJ · Post by **ChiDJ** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 5:02 pm

Subfunk,

I used to be against mixing on cans too, but I changed my position.

I think, with a good pair of phones, a/b'ing your room mix and cans can be very valuable.

Just my 02 after working with a lot of engineers over the years.

dango · Post by **dango** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 1:12 am

beyerdynamics

dave999z · Post by **dave999z** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 3:20 am

I REALLY like my Sennheiser HD650 for composing. I live in an apt so can't be loud late at night or for long stretches. When I am designing sounds or arranging, I can wear these for hours. They are comfortable and relatively flat (in that if I design a sound or arrange a rough mix of a track on them it translates pretty well), but also they are not fatiguing (they have a softness to them - attacks are not brutal on the ear drums). In short, very pleased with them.

That said - full disclosure I did not try any other headphones. But, as the original poster pointed out, that is easier said then done. So I researched them, gave these a try, and they worked out.

Got them for like $325 from headphone.com.

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 5:17 am

I did my last song almost entirely in Sony MDR700's while staying in hotel rooms. They hype the lows and highs, but in a way this was good as I could make the mix "fun" sounding while working but it would still come out not overly bright or bassy when listened to else where. Otherwise for more true response, Sony MDR 7506's.

simpleton · Post by **simpleton** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:06 am

Sony MDR v600. Very comfortable, unless you have a big head.

illsub1 · Post by **illsub1** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 3:17 pm

beyerdynamics dt770s are wonderful. The bass response is wonderful and they feel like a pair of t*tties on your head. Also have the senn h8280pro and etymotic er-4p. They all are great for different reasons the sennies for recording (no bleed), The etymotics for intense leveling like orchestra mixing but not so much on bass. l was talking tho Richard Devine at remix hotel and his mixes are bangin and go straight from his lappy on vacation to Audi or whatever mixed and ready for tv. I asked what he used and he just uses the internal soundcard on his MBP and a pair of Ultimate Ears. They are around 1000 dollars but if you want true audio nirvana check those out. I know this thread is about cans so the beyers are my choice!!!!

Mark-K. · Post by **Mark-K.** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 4:29 pm

A friend of mine and me went trough the shops and checked out several headphones..and it results in that my friend bought the beyerdynamic dt 990..and i will definatly do the same to christmas..

so we considered the dt 770 the dt 990 and akg k217....if you go out to a shop and test them ,make sure you will test them on your interface or at least on any other higherclass interface..because of the impendance..let me explain the physical backround in an easy way...

so like the signal transfer works at its best if your headphone out of your interface got the same amount of Ohm(Impendance) as the Headphone..ok..so i made this experience in a pretty big music store here in hamburg..you can test the headphones only at their hi fi headphone amps..they are about 80 ohm...and the akg k217 got 55 ohm...
compare the beyerdynamic with 250ohm wich is studio interface standard..

so the beyers sound a bid muddy and unprecise on the low impendance hifi headphone amp...but the akgs sound much better on that one, cause theyr impendance is closer then the beyer ones..but then we checked both on one of our interfaces like motu ultralite and my Echo Audiofire 4..those are quite professional interfaces and in that range al Interfaces got an 250 ohm Headphone out!!Its STUDIO STANDARD!!

so the result was the Beyers shows up with a very Clear Stereo range and a crisp sounds on percussions and a very precised Bass...so i will definatly go for the dt 990 m8..but its up to you for what exactly you wanna use them...like if its comfortable for you to waer them a long time etc...and even consider...if you got a lot of musicians in your studio or whatever then people will swet on you headphone..

so if thats the case you should definatly go for the akgs cause they got leddar and you can just grab a wet towel and clean them while you have to wash the beyers cotton stuff or whatever...

but if you use them alone and on an pro Interface with 250 ohm headphone out then go for headphone wich got 250ohms as well....and the best ones considered the 250ohm are definatly beyers...they even got one of the best tech support and they sound really good to my ears and to heaps of other peoples in studios..

hope i could help you out a bit..if you got questions just ask..

greez mark

ps:got the sony mdrs too and even the technics rpdj but for just for reference..those are dj headphones and not for producing...just check them on your interface..you will hear the difference immediatly...promise..

rock on!

overdub · Post by **overdub** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:14 pm

To check out Grado Labs......sweeeeeeeet'n'comfy cans

supamonsta · Post by **supamonsta** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 4:02 pm

I wake this topic from the dead...

@cyberiax and everyone into this "headphones for monitoring/mixing/composing" questions:

I've read for now lots of topics about this,

and my choices are going to

-BEYERDYNAMIC DT770 pro or DT990 pro
-AKG K271

my question is :

I want good headphones, circumaural, neutral, light on the head and not too much tiring to wear, for composing and mixing my tracks at home.

My home isn't too noisy, but my home studio is in my living-room and I live with my girl, and I don't want to make too much noise for my neighbours, my girl, and not to be disturbed by surrounding ambiant noises.

I got alesis M1MK2 as monitors.

My soundcard is motu ULTRALITE, but I wasn't able to find any real clue of what is the headphone output impedance...

I tend to think the AKG271 is the most "flat", neutral choice, after reading lots of posts. the beyer DT77O or 990 seem to boost the bass domain, so I think it is not so good... (perhaps would it be good so as not to mix too much bass?)

but the AKG K271 seems to have impedance of 50 ohms... is it ok when plugged on an ultralite??

or would the DT990 pro be a best choice with this soundcard?

(I am ready to pay 150 euros max)

thanks for any answer, and I know this subject is largely debated everywhere

and I know the best is to try it, but no shop around me sells this stuff

best regards

blaugruen7 · Post by **blaugruen7** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 4:20 pm

please do check out the audio technica ATH-M50
i have both the ADK271 an the ADK 240 and the audiotechnica has more details
and deeper bass. much better.

supamonsta · Post by **supamonsta** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 4:38 pm

ah... that was not in my dual choice

but I had heard about the ATH M50... dunno why I hadn't kept it in my comparison charts...

so, after a hard preselection remaining 2 choices, I now have 3 choices... argh !

and what about my motu ultralite, does its headphone output impedence change anything to my choice??? I just see the ATH M50 are at 38 ohms, but I learned from CYBERIAX that the ultralite had 250 ohms phones out impedance....

so what?

cheers

BassTooth · Post by **BassTooth** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:06 pm

thumperjack wrote:

+1

twisted-space · Post by **twisted-space** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 7:18 pm

I use senn HD600's, they're very comfy, have a flatter bass than the HD650, translate to other systems/speakers well and imho sound amazing.
You really should have a listen to a few alternatives before you choose though, it's all very subjective, maybe even moreso than monitors.

twisted-space · Post by **twisted-space** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 7:24 pm

Oops, double post

supamonsta · Post by **supamonsta** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:30 pm

thanks for your quick answers,

but I had restricted my choice to 2 items (AKG271 vs BEYER DT770), then it becomes 3, then 4 ...

AKG, AUDIOTECHNICA, BEYERDYNAMIC, SENNHEISER...

I know that is a subjective matter, but I'd like to find the most NEUTRAL and comfortable, that suits to my motu ultralite headphones output that seems to have 250 ohms impedance (though I wasn't able to find any official information about this, even in my ultralite manual, nor on motu website...)

I know a 250 ohms headphones won't be at its best with an inferior impedance output, but what for the opposite?

is it ok to plug a 38, 80 ohms headphones on a 250 ohms output?

cheers

EDIT: BassTooth, Pantera definitely RULES any metal band on the universe, but Meshuggah is now and for long my favorite

Composing on headphones - 'phones recommendations

Don't forget