Best Headphones for Monitoring?

16th October 2002, 06:04 PM

I'll be doing a lot of my mixing with headphones. Can anybody suggest a good pair? I need to hear those subs...

Jay Kahrs · 16th October 2002, 06:27 PM

I like the Sennheiser HD25SPs a lot. So far it's the only set of headphones I've used that I can mix on.

vsl666 · 17th October 2002, 12:32 AM

big bass on these and they are black

Curious G · 17th October 2002, 01:02 AM

I don't mix on 'em but I like to check my mixes on a set of Sennheiser HD600. They're pricey but grey market ones are available on eBay at about half the local retail price. Some folks prefer the HD580. These are both open ear phones so they're useless for tracking. (unless you like headphone bleed!)

P.S. Hope your tour went well!

Wiggy Neve Slut · 17th October 2002, 01:06 AM

Sennheiser HD 600.... they is da bomb

PEACE
Wiggy

17th October 2002, 01:43 AM

Welcome back soldier!

I reckon you need semi open backed cans (DT150's are closed) for mixing -so you can hear - doorbells / telephones / me asking if I can help myself to something to eat ...etc etc...

Martin likes Senheiser 580's - so does Rich, I bought a pair - I can lend em to ya fer a while. (or buy the 600's if they are superior)

Oh and please say you will be our Gearslutz Computers & Software "PC moderator" now that you are off tour! Our Mac guy Al is all on his own down there! Think about it!

C.Lambrechts · 17th October 2002, 02:15 AM

Hey Meg .... haven't had the chance yet to praise you for the great job you did getting gearslutz online. You disapeared right after it was launched .... how was the tour btw.

on the headphone thing :

Senheiser HD 600 ... hard to beat imho.

I hate mixing with headphones but I do use them to listen to them after they're done.

17th October 2002, 02:57 AM

I think a pattern is emerging here!

vsl666 · 17th October 2002, 03:10 AM

BevvyB · 17th October 2002, 09:13 AM

I've done a fair bit of mixing with the 580's. They are fairly well matched to my Genelec 1029a's so it doesn't do my head in when I take off the cans and hear the monitors.

But

No matter what I do, when I go back to the monitors, it sounds a little 'strange' when i've mixed entirely on the headphones....hard to put your finger on...I mean, it's close, but no cigar

Even if you had a tiny pair of speakers you could somehow listen back to JUST to check the balance of instruments once you'd mixed on the cans that would be a good idea. I find that it's hard to gage the proximity of things in the cans and they always need a bit of moving about once I'm hearing them coming out into a room.

How about also getting a tiny set of speakers that people use for walkmans? I always have a problem getting lead vocal levels right on headphones, and bass drums always seem to be pushed too loud. (but that's just me)

But yeah, the 580's may not be the best but they have had a price drop.

Hope the tour kicks ass.

Jay Kahrs · 17th October 2002, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BevvyB
How about also getting a tiny set of speakers that people use for walkmans? I always have a problem getting lead vocal levels right on headphones, and bass drums always seem to be pushed too loud. (but that's just me)

You're pretty much describing Auratones. AKA, horrortones. I don't have a real pair around but I do have Rat Shack Minimus 7s which fill the same purpose.

hollywood_steve · 25th October 2002, 03:21 AM

The big, heavy, expensive closed back Beyers are the only headphones that I would trust for a "phones-only" mix. And they have several other advantages; they can handle silly amounts of volume, they are better constructed than any other brand I can think of (and designed to be easily repaired) and they are 600 ohm which makes us stone-age types happy.

steve
lex125@pacbell.net

davemc · 25th October 2002, 04:36 AM

Another vote for HD580's.
Do not let a mix go home wityh out double checking these and all my shit speakers.

jajjguy · 25th October 2002, 06:02 PM

How about Grado's? I've never heard them myself, but audiophiles seem to like them. Any one tried them for mixing?

joeq · 26th October 2002, 04:51 PM

I have the Grado SR 225's. They are really nice and neutral. If you have to mix on headphones they translate pretty well. Not the most comfy pair in the world but you can Bend them to rest properly on Your head.

I love listening to music on the Sennheisers- but I don't know that I would want to mix on them. they are too sexy.

Bob · 1st November 2002, 01:00 PM

HD 580 for me. I've had several others, such as e.g. the AKG 270 studio, doesn't even come close in my opinion.

I'd like to know: which closed pair (for tracking) most resembles the HD 580?

Cheers, Bob

Neve Sucks! · 2nd November 2002, 07:51 PM

Beyerdynamic DT-250.

adam_w · 5th November 2002, 09:56 PM

I'm a big Grado Labs fan too...I've owned 125's (which I gave as a present to my assistant just before he went to rape and pillage australia as a goodbye prezzie..really good bass, soft westlake-ish top & very translateable.) ..and now have 325's. really great.. but horrible looking ! At least no-one will steal them..

It's worth going to a hifi shop and spending too much time there
trying this stuff out. A lot of the pro phones, while built like tanks and good for isolation sound like crap/totally hyped when compared to reference things like this.

Mike Jasper · 27th November 2002, 06:28 PM

Here's a great site for everything you've ever wanted to know about headphones.

http://www.headphone.com

I was going to buy the Sennheiser 600 headphones, but this site pretty much sold me on the 580.

Jasper

Bob Olhsson · 5th December 2002, 09:44 PM

I really enjoy my 600s but I find I can troubleshoot better with Sony 7506s which are sort of the NS-10s of headphones except that they have plenty of low-end.

Knox · 5th December 2002, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Neve Sucks!
Beyerdynamic DT-250.

The beyers are hard to buy in the States. They are tough for studio use and good for closed heaphones to block out drums etc . . . . but over here, they are expensive and somewhat hard to get. I always think of them for good tracking headphones as the open headphones seem better for using as reference, but obviously not as good for isolation and tracking. Closed headphones, after a certain point, seem somewhat claustrophobic. (Just my view)

chessparov · 6th December 2002, 12:46 AM

I have a pair of AKG 240DF's.
How do they stack up comparatively?

Chris

Jay Kahrs · 6th December 2002, 05:20 AM

AKG makes some decent phones. The problem with them is that they aren't very effcient and need lots of power to get them as loud as something like the 7506 or AT M40's.

kwk13 · 14th December 2002, 03:16 AM

This is an interesting thread because I have recently been debating between the Grado SR125, the Sennheiser 580, Sony 7506 and the AKG K501. Any help would be greatly appreciated in comparing these phones. I would like them to be very accurate with accurate bass representation.

Thank You,

Keith

chessparov · 14th December 2002, 03:33 AM

I went "budget" and got a pair of Sony MDR-V6's off e-bay.
They're supposed to sound just like the 7506's, will let you
know how they are then after they arrive.

Chris

dave-G · 14th December 2002, 04:32 AM

From the stock of studio workhorse cans, I have yet to find anything I like or trust as much as good ol' AKG 240's. I'm just so familiar with them, and I appreciate their genuine flatness; they don't hype anything.

Conversely, I find the Sony 7506 to be piercingly bright, and while the Sennheisers I've heard were nice, they seemed nice in a kinda "hi-fi" way.

As for the lack of efficiency with the 240, there's apparently a 55ohm version out now, with a non-captive cable (now, there's an idea).

-dave

Knox · 14th December 2002, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dave-G
From the stock of studio workhorse cans, I have yet to find anything I like or trust as much as good ol' AKG 240's. I'm just so familiar with them, and I appreciate their genuine flatness; they don't hype anything.

Conversely, I find the Sony 7506 to be piercingly bright, and while the Sennheisers I've heard were nice, they seemed nice in a kinda "hi-fi" way.
-dave

I'm with you regarding the Sonys . . my ears can't take them . . . way too bright for me. I like my Sennheiser 580s, and I like the AKG 240s for a good studio can (wouldn't mix with them) . . . . what I can't stand is the AKGs being such a pain in the ass to fix, and they break so damn easy. The Sennheiser 280 Pro seems to be a good studio can for me now. Bought a lot of those and they seem to be working out for now.

sonic dogg · 16th December 2002, 09:14 PM

the whole line of the sennheiser 'pro' series cans sound good....i bought the little 212pro's for any tracking that might go on and they sound great....they wont take a lot of volume but that is not a concern here....and at $49 they're disposable.......i personally like my 7506's for mixing but then maybe i dont turn em up as loud as others who dont seem to like the 'toppiness'...down at a quiet and full listening volume they seem to translate better than my akg's .....

jajjguy · 16th December 2002, 10:32 PM

I recently auditioned a couple pairs of grados against a pair of AKG 240s (which i own). The AKGs were definitely flatter, and I find them very useful in tracking for getting sounds. I don't like them at all for mixing, though, because every instrument seems to occupy its own space, and the mix never sounds like a mix. What's helpful for tracking isn't for mixing. The grados (i think they were 225 & 325, very similar) sounded more finished, more filled in, with more coherence to the mix as a whole. They were still very precise and detailed. I don't know if I could really mix with them, but they'd be better than the AKGs for mixing, I think.

Ivory Force · 19th December 2002, 03:56 AM

has someone tried out the Beyerdynamic DT770?
Those closed headphones are souding great to me, are very confortable for a long time use, and seem indestructible.
They have a wide audio range (5Hz to 35k) and are very precise, although not flat at all.

i'd love to get an audio engineer opinion on that one...

cheers

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16th October 2002, 06:04 PM	#1
Meg Lee Chin Guest Posts: n/a	Best Headphones for Monitoring? I'll be doing a lot of my mixing with headphones. Can anybody suggest a good pair? I need to hear those subs...

17th October 2002, 12:32 AM	#3
vsl666 Gear maniac Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: london Posts: 199	beyer dt 150 big bass on these and they are black __________________ damian

17th October 2002, 02:15 AM	#7
C.Lambrechts Lives for gear Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ans (Liege) Belgium Posts: 3,214	Hey Meg .... haven't had the chance yet to praise you for the great job you did getting gearslutz online. You disapeared right after it was launched .... how was the tour btw. on the headphone thing : Senheiser HD 600 ... hard to beat imho. I hate mixing with headphones but I do use them to listen to them after they're done. __________________ Chris Lambrechts MiLaR Event ITB or OTB ... Who cares .... it's all about MIXING.

17th October 2002, 03:10 AM	#9
vsl666 Gear maniac Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: london Posts: 199	makes a change ! __________________ damian

17th October 2002, 01:02 AM	#4
Curious G Gear addict Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 318	I don't mix on 'em but I like to check my mixes on a set of Sennheiser HD600. They're pricey but grey market ones are available on eBay at about half the local retail price. Some folks prefer the HD580. These are both open ear phones so they're useless for tracking. (unless you like headphone bleed!) P.S. Hope your tour went well!

17th October 2002, 01:06 AM	#5
Wiggy Neve Slut Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,843	Sennheiser HD 600.... they is da bomb PEACE Wiggy

17th October 2002, 01:43 AM	#6
Jules Guest Posts: n/a	Welcome back soldier! I reckon you need semi open backed cans (DT150's are closed) for mixing -so you can hear - doorbells / telephones / me asking if I can help myself to something to eat ...etc etc... Martin likes Senheiser 580's - so does Rich, I bought a pair - I can lend em to ya fer a while. (or buy the 600's if they are superior) Oh and please say you will be our Gearslutz Computers & Software "PC moderator" now that you are off tour! Our Mac guy Al is all on his own down there! Think about it!

17th October 2002, 02:57 AM	#8
Jules Guest Posts: n/a	I think a pattern is emerging here!

17th October 2002, 09:13 AM	#10
BevvyB Mindreader Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: London Posts: 2,602	I've done a fair bit of mixing with the 580's. They are fairly well matched to my Genelec 1029a's so it doesn't do my head in when I take off the cans and hear the monitors. But No matter what I do, when I go back to the monitors, it sounds a little 'strange' when i've mixed entirely on the headphones....hard to put your finger on...I mean, it's close, but no cigar Even if you had a tiny pair of speakers you could somehow listen back to JUST to check the balance of instruments once you'd mixed on the cans that would be a good idea. I find that it's hard to gage the proximity of things in the cans and they always need a bit of moving about once I'm hearing them coming out into a room. How about also getting a tiny set of speakers that people use for walkmans? I always have a problem getting lead vocal levels right on headphones, and bass drums always seem to be pushed too loud. (but that's just me) But yeah, the 580's may not be the best but they have had a price drop. Hope the tour kicks ass. __________________ Julian Moore \| Georgia Wonder \| Biz Blog

25th October 2002, 03:21 AM	#12
hollywood_steve Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: uh..... Hollywood Posts: 1,170	studio headphones The big, heavy, expensive closed back Beyers are the only headphones that I would trust for a "phones-only" mix. And they have several other advantages; they can handle silly amounts of volume, they are better constructed than any other brand I can think of (and designed to be easily repaired) and they are 600 ohm which makes us stone-age types happy. steve lex125@pacbell.net

25th October 2002, 04:36 AM	#13
davemc Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Melb, Australia Posts: 1,029	Another vote for HD580's. Do not let a mix go home wityh out double checking these and all my shit speakers. __________________ Bye Ya Dave INDENT

25th October 2002, 06:02 PM	#14
jajjguy Gear addict Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA Posts: 368	How about Grado's? I've never heard them myself, but audiophiles seem to like them. Any one tried them for mixing?

26th October 2002, 04:51 PM	#15
joeq Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: New York Posts: 3,899	I have the Grado SR 225's. They are really nice and neutral. If you have to mix on headphones they translate pretty well. Not the most comfy pair in the world but you can Bend them to rest properly on Your head. I love listening to music on the Sennheisers- but I don't know that I would want to mix on them. they are too sexy.

1st November 2002, 01:00 PM	#16
Bob Gear Head Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 47	HD 580 for me. I've had several others, such as e.g. the AKG 270 studio, doesn't even come close in my opinion. I'd like to know: which closed pair (for tracking) most resembles the HD 580? Cheers, Bob

2nd November 2002, 07:51 PM	#17
Neve Sucks! Gear maniac Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 277	Beyerdynamic DT-250. Attached Thumbnails

5th November 2002, 09:56 PM	#18
adam_w Gear maniac Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: England Posts: 249	I'm a big Grado Labs fan too...I've owned 125's (which I gave as a present to my assistant just before he went to rape and pillage australia as a goodbye prezzie..really good bass, soft westlake-ish top & very translateable.) ..and now have 325's. really great.. but horrible looking ! At least no-one will steal them.. It's worth going to a hifi shop and spending too much time there trying this stuff out. A lot of the pro phones, while built like tanks and good for isolation sound like crap/totally hyped when compared to reference things like this.

27th November 2002, 06:28 PM	#19
Mike Jasper Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 1,335	Here's a great site for everything you've ever wanted to know about headphones. http://www.headphone.com I was going to buy the Sennheiser 600 headphones, but this site pretty much sold me on the 580. Jasper

5th December 2002, 09:44 PM	#20
Bob Olhsson Motown legend Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Songwriter Gulch, Nashville TN Posts: 5,271	I really enjoy my 600s but I find I can troubleshoot better with Sony 7506s which are sort of the NS-10s of headphones except that they have plenty of low-end. __________________ Georgetown Masters 615 254-3233 Bob's room 615 385-8051 Music Industry 2.0

6th December 2002, 12:46 AM	#22
chessparov Jr. Gear Slut 2nd class Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 990	I have a pair of AKG 240DF's. How do they stack up comparatively? Chris

14th December 2002, 03:16 AM	#24
kwk13 Gear interested Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 9	This is an interesting thread because I have recently been debating between the Grado SR125, the Sennheiser 580, Sony 7506 and the AKG K501. Any help would be greatly appreciated in comparing these phones. I would like them to be very accurate with accurate bass representation. Thank You, Keith

14th December 2002, 03:33 AM	#25
chessparov Jr. Gear Slut 2nd class Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 990	I went "budget" and got a pair of Sony MDR-V6's off e-bay. They're supposed to sound just like the 7506's, will let you know how they are then after they arrive. Chris

14th December 2002, 04:32 AM	#26
dave-G Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 2,096	From the stock of studio workhorse cans, I have yet to find anything I like or trust as much as good ol' AKG 240's. I'm just so familiar with them, and I appreciate their genuine flatness; they don't hype anything. Conversely, I find the Sony 7506 to be piercingly bright, and while the Sennheisers I've heard were nice, they seemed nice in a kinda "hi-fi" way. As for the lack of efficiency with the 240, there's apparently a 55ohm version out now, with a non-captive cable (now, there's an idea). -dave

16th December 2002, 09:14 PM	#28
sonic dogg Gear addict Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: pacific northwest Posts: 481	the whole line of the sennheiser 'pro' series cans sound good....i bought the little 212pro's for any tracking that might go on and they sound great....they wont take a lot of volume but that is not a concern here....and at $49 they're disposable.......i personally like my 7506's for mixing but then maybe i dont turn em up as loud as others who dont seem to like the 'toppiness'...down at a quiet and full listening volume they seem to translate better than my akg's ..... __________________ the clubhouse studio....home of drool'n dogg rekords

16th December 2002, 10:32 PM	#29
jajjguy Gear addict Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA Posts: 368	I recently auditioned a couple pairs of grados against a pair of AKG 240s (which i own). The AKGs were definitely flatter, and I find them very useful in tracking for getting sounds. I don't like them at all for mixing, though, because every instrument seems to occupy its own space, and the mix never sounds like a mix. What's helpful for tracking isn't for mixing. The grados (i think they were 225 & 325, very similar) sounded more finished, more filled in, with more coherence to the mix as a whole. They were still very precise and detailed. I don't know if I could really mix with them, but they'd be better than the AKGs for mixing, I think.

19th December 2002, 03:56 AM	#30
Ivory Force Gear interested Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Paris Posts: 14	has someone tried out the Beyerdynamic DT770? Those closed headphones are souding great to me, are very confortable for a long time use, and seem indestructible. They have a wide audio range (5Hz to 35k) and are very precise, although not flat at all. i'd love to get an audio engineer opinion on that one... cheers __________________ Jerome Noel Ohm Force http://www.ohmforce.com