looking for small isolating full size headphones for live sound

[marcnyc]

Hello I am looking to buy a pair of headphones to bring on the road and plug in to do PFL etc... I would like something that is very isolating but small in size, however I would like a full size type headphone, not earbuds.
I did this gig once where the house provided something similar. They were surprisingly isolating even though they would go around the ear but over the ear. The ear muffs were small and fit in the palm of one hand... Unfortunately I don't remember the brand... I seem to remember that they had a red and blue sleeve on the cord but I might be wrong about that...
Any idea what I might have seen or do you have something like that to recommend?
Thanks

[yoink]

Originally Posted by marcnyc

Hello I am looking to buy a pair of headphones to bring on the road and plug in to do PFL etc... I would like something that is very isolating but small in size, however I would like a full size type headphone, not earbuds.
I did this gig once where the house provided something similar. They were surprisingly isolating even though they would go around the ear but over the ear. The ear muffs were small and fit in the palm of one hand... Unfortunately I don't remember the brand... I seem to remember that they had a red and blue sleeve on the cord but I might be wrong about that...
Any idea what I might have seen or do you have something like that to recommend?
Thanks

While perhaps categorized as earbuds have you ever considered IEMs? In ear monitors can be very accurate and provide the kind of isolation you so desperately need. Aside from the "miniature, but extremely accurate, inside-your-brain sound stage" some of the more advanced multiple driver designs are very good alternatives to full-sized closed designs.

I have a pair of Shures that are wonderful, and come with a variety of fitting options so you can get it just right.

The problem with what you want to do is that other than IEMs, what you need are full-sized circumaural closed headphones, as you clearly know and state. The only other one I can think of are Sony 7506s, which fit over the ear, but I wouldn't used them to make any decisions with. That's just me, others swear by them and they're pretty standard for a lot of location sound recordists (though I often wonder why.)

If you do give up and go full sized, I hear from many trusted sources that Audio Technica is making wonderful closed headphones these days.

Still, I again heartily recommend looking at IEMs. They're available from a variety of folks other than Shure, including Etymotic and even Grado now. Being able to carry such accurate reproduction devices in a small case in one's pocket has its advantages.

[bishopthomas]

Originally Posted by yoink

If you do give up and go full sized, I hear from many trusted sources that Audio Technica is making wonderful closed headphones these days.

I have the newer AT's and love them (ATH-M50, I think?). I was always a fan of the HD280's but when mine got stolen I decided to try something different; I'm glad I did. The problem is, of course, no matter how high quality the headphones are, in high SPL situations you will never have accurate monitoring of the low end. I agree with yoink here: IEM's are the way to go, and a lot of people use isolating headphones over them for further noise reduction.

[marcnyc]

The ones I remember seeing/having used had ear muffs the size of a golf ball that would go over (not around) your ear... but the pressure and the material was such that the isolation was really great
I really like that because they are more portable and easy to pack.
I don't like IEM because it takes too long to put them on, in a live situation you wanna be able to just swiftly move one side of the phones over your ear and remove it just as quickly, you know?

[bishopthomas]

Yeah, that's the drawback to IEM's, I certainly feel you. Maybe someone else will chime in if they know of the specific phones you are talking about. I would be interested as well.

[marcnyc]

Yeah, they vaguely look like these:

Sennheiser HD 25-SP II DJ Headphones HD25SP II HD25 - eBay (item 300344851430 end time Oct-04-09 08:39:30 PDT)

It might even be these but from what I remember the padding part was a little smaller and the "sound hole" in the middle of the padding was smaller

however these do have the red and blue cable so it might actually be these...
I'll have to go to a store and check these out... once I see/touch them, I'll remember

[John Willett]

I use the HD 25-1 for location work - the cheaper new HD 380 Pro are full circumaural cans, are cheaper, fold flat and come complete with a slim, tough, zip case.

[mathieujm]

Originally Posted by John Willett

the cheaper new HD 380 Pro are full circumaural cans, are cheaper, fold flat and come complete with a slim, tough, zip case.

And how do they sound ?

JMM

[Piedpiper]

Etymotic Research ER4P for in ear for superior isolation and transparency, or Denon AH-D7000 for circumaural for unusually deep and clean bass, among other things, but pricey.

dealer disclosure.

[boojum]

I am on board with the Etymotic ER4's. I have had a pair for ~15 years now and they are still great. I am able to get them in and out of my ear pretty quickly. A couple of seconds is fast enough, eh? ;o)

[yoink]

I know that Shure also makes an attachment that allows you to listen to the outside world without taking your IEMs off. I can't remember what it was called but it will work with any IEMs and not just Shure's. It's essentially a little button and microphone that will feed the room/environment sound to your IEMs so you don't have to take them off.

A bit geeky though. I'd still rather yank one out.

[marcnyc]

Interesting! I like the attachment idea, although you are still dependent on a mic and you are not really getting the real thing, but that would be very interesting to try.. can you remember what it is? I'd love to know...

BTW, I do own Etymotics ER4P but I wanted full size headphones I can quickly yank off ;-)

[c.gymer]

The Extreme Isolation EX29 are a great pair of cans. I've been using mine solidly for 18 months on FOH and they're spot on for what I want. Plenty of isolation, clear sound. Big thumbs up from me.

[7rojo7]

bang for a buck, audiotecnica ATHM40

[jinksdingo]

I recently got a pair of EX29's and they do the job and would suit your needs and are a reasonable cost to purchase.

[Piedpiper]

Originally Posted by 7rojo7

bang for a buck, audiotecnica ATHM40

The ATHM50 are even better for a bit more. IMHO, neither are as good as the above mentioned Denon's cheaper siblings, the AH-D1001 or AH-D2000 for a bit more.

[marcnyc]

all those headphones are great at isolating but too bulky
I ended up buying a pair of Sennheiser HD25 for my live sound gigs and tested it today... great isolation and definitely decent enough sound for PFL and live use

[Piedpiper]

glad you found want you wanted.