Best Monitoring Headphones

[Pollyrythm]

Hi Guys, im looking to buy a new pair of monitoring headphones. After 10 I cant work on the monitors any more due to the neighbours. Im currently using a pair of Sony 700's but I tend to find them a little to taxing on the ears & the liner response of the Sony's isn't great.

Iv heard the AKG's are good??? Any ideas?

Cheers

[NesNeedsGear]

countless threads on this.

for under $100....I use Senn hd 280's

wanna up your budget....Ultrasones.

[Oscar]

Here's a quick opinion from someone who's demoed far too many headphones. You're dead on with the Sonys. They are very taxing on the ears, have super hyped high frequencies, and are generally just shit. Something in the price league of the Sony cans I feel comfortable recommending to anybody for any purpose is the AKG 240s. They are super smooth, never taxing on the ears, and make almost everything sound good (which is a good thing if you're not trying to mix on them). There are headphones out there that you would like better if you demo them all, but I have yet to meet the person that doesn't like the AKG 240s. I think they are unhatable.

[Pollyrythm]

Originally Posted by Oscar

Here's a quick opinion from someone who's demoed far too many headphones. You're dead on with the Sonys. They are very taxing on the ears, have super hyped high frequencies, and are generally just shit. Something in the price league of the Sony cans I feel comfortable recommending to anybody for any purpose is the AKG 240s. They are super smooth, never taxing on the ears, and make almost everything sound good (which is a good thing if you're not trying to mix on them). There are headphones out there that you would like better if you demo them all, but I have yet to meet the person that doesn't like the AKG 240s. I think they are unhatable.

Hey Oscar, thanks for your input!!!! I was looking at either the 240's or 271's. Are they no good for mixing??? I doubt i would mix on them, but id like to think I could if need be on my new pair of headphones. Cheers!

[con?one]

i've always dug the Fostex T20RP.

[jkung]

i use sony 7509 and they have always been pretty accurate to me. most times i mix things with my monitors and think i have everything about right and then put the cans on and realize that there is too much verb or bass or whatever.

[Pollyrythm]

Originally Posted by jkung

i use sony 7509 and they have always been pretty accurate to me. most times i mix things with my monitors and think i have everything about right and then put the cans on and realize that there is too much verb or bass or whatever.

Exactly! This is the very reason id like a pair of headphones with mixable quality's. Have you/anyone ever used the AKG 271's?? In hearing allot of great reviews about these.

[AMIEL]

Originally Posted by jkung

i use sony 7509 and they have always been pretty accurate to me. most times i mix things with my monitors and think i have everything about right and then put the cans on and realize that there is too much verb or bass or whatever.

[TyRip]

My advice would be to just make sure you get open phones if you are mixing with them.

Closed phones are too weird and hyped (not to mention fatiguing) to even try to mix with or listen to for a long period of time.

[Alex Wyler]

Sennheiser HD280 Pro

Good
Cheap
Easy to find
Isolation is decent

Don't waste more money than you have to!

Between a set of these and a set of good nearfeilds like Yamaha NS10's or Paradigm Mini Monitors you are set for life.

[jkung]

i have tried akgs but i still like the sonys better. maybe that is cuz i am used the sony sound. in asia the standard is the 7506 but i just stepped up and got the 7509. the akgs are good but i remember them as needing more power than the sonys. dunno man, just personal pref. one thing tho.... any head phone will make your imaging a bit crazy. i suggest pans still be done on monitors.

jef

[jkung]

alex

that is funny that you mention the paradigm mini monitors. i never thought of using hifi speakers for mix until i did recently. it worked out great using them interchangeably with my sp5bs which kinda suck but at least are accurate to my ears. i was using paradigm titans. worked out nicely. check out chinese hip hop at

www.xihagongyuan.com track 2

[ryanmarc]

ok, i have a random suggestion for you. i am in the same boat with late night mixing with my baby girl in the next room. i just got a pair of GRADO Labs SR 125's and they are GREAT! i have done the sony thing for a long time now and they really suck for monitoring due to design flaws and the fact that they were built to hype and make music sound "better" to the average consumer. question... are you an average consumer? the grados are open ear design which means you can hear noise from the room you are in (dont try to use these on a plane) which makes them entirely more accurate. their website is http://www.gradolabs.com/product_pages/sr125.htm and you can usually pickup a pair from a high fi home theater store (not best buy/ circuit city)... a high fi joint, for about 125 and they are awesome. dont be weary about the cheap look of them. they do look cheap and even feel a little cheap, but the money is in the sound quality. thrust me on this one, you will not be bummed.

[Dopamine]

I just ordered the new Audio Technica M50's -- I'll let ya know in a few days

[Oscar]

Originally Posted by jkung

i use sony 7509 and they have always been pretty accurate to me. most times i mix things with my monitors and think i have everything about right and then put the cans on and realize that there is too much verb or bass or whatever.

Maybe it's only me, but I've never liked the Sonys. In their defense, tons of people use them everyday and like them. I think they sound smiley face eq'd. Pollyrythm - I'm not saying you should go out and buy the AKG 240s, but I strongly recommend giving them a listen.

[kingofswing]

I love my HD 600's - beautifully flat sound and translate very well to other speakers.

Also loving my new Sony 7509's, but it has a different vibe to the Senns, a bigger sound, deeper bass, but slightly less clearer than my 600s.

[TonyBelmont]

I use AT A900's.

[cynic one]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

I use AT A900's.

tony.....pm's.............

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by cynic

tony.....pm's.............

huh?

[cynic one]

check your messages.....sent you one about some mics a few days ago.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by cynic

check your messages.....sent you one about some mics a few days ago.

Oh... Got it.

[Alex Niedt]

Originally Posted by Pollyrythm

Exactly! This is the very reason id like a pair of headphones with mixable quality's. Have you/anyone ever used the AKG 271's?? In hearing allot of great reviews about these.

Buy 'em.