Recommending closed-design headphones for critical work/mastering

[Franco]

Closed Design? No.

Open Design? How much can you spend?

[mir]

Originally Posted by Franco

Closed Design? No.

Open Design? How much can you spend?

I'm currently more than happy with K702's - really no need to upgrade.

But if there's something equal or better than them (in closed-design/isolating variant), I might consider upgrading.

[fradoca]

Originally Posted by mir

Hi folks,

can somebody recommend closed-design headphones for critical work/mastering? I'm using K702's, which are open cans. Of course I'm using them in complement with my studio monitors - I wouldn't rely on headphones completely.

I'm not looking for funny/smooth sounding headphones - I need to hear distortion/clipping/harshness/sibilance/imbalance/etc. problems very precisely (just as I am used to hear with K702's).

Perhaps a "closed-design/isolating K702's" would be a better name for this thread I've done quite a bit research on this topic but I'm still confused - and I realize that "such headphone doesn't exist" can also be an answer.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

if you need to hear distortion/clipping/harshness/sibilance/imbalance

buy a pair of sennheiser hd800 and proper amp to drive them

you won't regret it

[mir]

Originally Posted by fradoca

if you need to hear distortion/clipping/harshness/sibilance/imbalance

buy a pair of sennheiser hd800 and proper amp to drive them

you won't regret it

Thanks. I wrote I can hear such things with K702's, so there's really no need to upgrade.

I don't want to start another thread about the best analytical headphones ever made, there are already such threads.

I would like to know if somebody is using closed-design headphones for purposes I wrote about in the first post of this thread.

Thanks in advance for not going off-topic

[mir]

By looking at the measurements done by InnerFidelity, I wonder if these particular headphones (Shure SRH-940) would do the job?

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/ShureSRH940.pdf
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AKGK701.pdf

Similar impulse and square wave responses. Also their frequency responses looks similar:



Anybody here using Shure SRH-940 for purposes like revealing distortion/clipping/harshness/sibilance/imbalance/... problems?

[Franco]

Closed designs tend to be less "flat", there's going to be a compensating factor for not leaking out sound from the ear cups that usually results in a hyped/lacking freq response.

If isolation is the primary factor, have you considered high-end IEMs? I haven't checked the Custom line from Ultimate Ears, but have read some good reviews about them as reference monitors (might be what you're looking for, over a neutral SS amp). I'm definitely temped to check out the Capitol series (not for working on audio, but for personal use as my headphone system is pretty much set).

[mir]

Originally Posted by Franco

Closed designs tend to be less "flat", there's going to be a compensating factor for not leaking out sound from the ear cups that usually results in a hyped/lacking freq response.

If isolation is the primary factor, have you considered high-end IEMs? I haven't checked the Custom line from Ultimate Ears, but have read some good reviews about them as reference monitors (might be what you're looking for, over a neutral SS amp). I'm definitely temped to check out the Capitol series (not for working on audio, but for personal use as my headphone system is pretty much set).

Thank you for your reply. I've been thinking about high-end IEMs too, but that's a different story. Full-size sealed headphones is what I'm currently looking for.

[duke89061]

Try Beyerdynamic DT-770!

[mir]

Originally Posted by duke89061

Try Beyerdynamic DT-770!

What exact version do you mean? Afaik, there are several versions of DT-770 (pro and home, and with different impedances)...

[duke89061]

Depends on your setup. If you've got a powerful amp, the 600 ohm version is my favorite.

[Audiop]

Originally Posted by mir

Similar impulse and square wave responses. Also their frequency responses looks similar:

It's because a headphone is a minimum phase device. If the frequency response is identical between two designs, so will square wave and impulse response be.


/Peter

[Audiop]

Originally Posted by duke89061

Try Beyerdynamic DT-770!

Nice allthough with a bass bump and lift in the highs. Relying purely on such a device (without cross checking on other devices) will lead to a mix lacking in bass and top.

/Peter