Reference quality headphones

[feyshay]

Grado RS-1 headphones are to be heard to be believed (or believed to be heard). I have a pair, and the money spent has been well worth it.

[picksail]

I swear by my Sennheiser HD 600s. Hell, I've actually mixed on them. (shhhhh, don't let any one of our little audiophile friends know this)

[ISedlacek]

Originally Posted by picksail

I swear by my Sennheiser HD 600s. Hell, I've actually mixed on them. (shhhhh, don't let any one of our little audiophile friends know this)

What is the difference between HD 600 and HD 650 ? (I have 650)

[Toad]

600's sound more neutral to me. 650's have a wierd curve!

[s-boogie]

i got used to my stax srs 3030 system.
i mix on those at home for preproduction...
it´s pretty reliable after a short time!
and you can wear it for hours and more hours...

[T.RayBullard]

etymotics er-4s

I also have HD 600s but like the er-4s much better

[synthetic]

I found Grados to be rather harsh. I like my AKG K271s. However, there's a little switch inside that turns them off when you take them off (to prevent bleed in the studio), but it's alreay starting to wear out after 2 years. I guess that's about how long my headphones usually last, though.

They sound nice, though.

[SiliconAudioLab]

Sony MDR series.

[Hope209]

Oops, forgot to say I need a pair of headphones with good bass response...rock/pop bass, not hip-hop bass

[DaveH]

Sennheiser HD650
Ultrasone PROline 750
Sony MDR-7509
AKG K271 Studio

Of the various headsets in the studio here
of which there are 6 or 7 flavors these are
the top 4 listed in order of preference.

HD650 is first choice for me, bass response very good,.
Did not like PROline 750 at first.

This is said often here. Listen to everything you can
get your hands on. The variation between headsets is unbelievable, more
than you would ever guess. Even when “specs” look similar.

The other thing that made a huge difference was getting
a reference amp we are using the Grace M902. I would have never spent
that much money on a “headset” amp. But after hearing it I was hooked.

[GYang]

AKG 271 will deliver nice bass, IMO better than Sennheiser.
Sennheiser 600 has less high-end and often is preferred over 650, but equally excellent open type. They share same character overall.
Sony is OK, too.
Don't forget amp, it will make more diffrence than cans alone.

[picksail]

The HD 600s sound incredible when paired with a Benchmark DAC-1.

[Djun-Djun]

check out www.ultrasone.com headphones they are great for mixing (as best as they get) and there safer then all other cans. they shielded the magnetic radiation so you not bombarding your brain with EMF's

[hrn]

I once had the old Koss Pro-4AA. I know they manufacture it again but I don't know if they are as great as the old ones. Very detailed sound nice to check mixes through.

Or some of the STAX Electrostatic headphones maybe.

[Chucho]

My new HD600s have just alerted me to the fact that my speakers are shite.
Damn.
Need to find $1000.

[aaronsternke]

I loooooooovvvvvveeeeee my Sony MDR-V900. They can be had for only $129 at http://www.BHphotovideo.com.

Aaron

[feyshay]

Originally Posted by synthetic

I found Grados to be rather harsh.

The last thing I would say about Grado RS-1's (recommended above) were that they were harsh. You must have tried a lower end Grado.
For the poster--You have some good recommendations. Problem with headphones is that some places you cannot return them.
I think open headphones are better for tracking, although some will make arguments for canal headphones (like the Etymotics).
The Sennheiser's have an impedance that makes a headphone amp very important, so think about your headphone output. The 600's are hard to beat for the price.
The Ultrasones were nice but I thought had a poor bottom end.

[baikonour]

Sony MDR 7509... great great great...and I mix with them too shhhhh...

[genlock]

For mixing I'd always recommend the AKG K1000 (powered by a suitable amp). IMHO, they're unique in their resolution and flat frequency-response (down to 50 Hz, diffuse-field). Actually they behave more like mini-monitor speakers in front of your ears than a pair of headphones. That said, any bass mixed on these needs some serious double checking in the real world.

[GYang]

Originally Posted by genlock

For mixing I'd always recommend the AKG K1000 (powered by a suitable amp). IMHO, they're unique in their resolution and flat frequency-response (down to 50 Hz, diffuse-field). Actually they behave more like mini-monitor speakers in front of your ears than a pair of headphones. That said, any bass mixed on these needs some serious double checking in the real world.

Some engineers don't like them.
I managed to do excellent mixes on them alone, even without studio monitors, but you need to get used to their low end (actually lack of it).
Also, min. 3 Watts of power amp is must to get them sing.
In all other respects by far the most extraordinary offering in headphones world.
I think that K 1000s are not first cans I would recommend for studio, specially considering price + amp + cable in range of mid priced nearfiled monitors.
But if I need to mix in the night they replace monitors easily.

[Sam Lord]

I love my Sennheiser HD580s for mix. That said, nothing I've heard approaches Stax Electrostatic 'phones (http://www.stax.co.jp/index-E.html). I tried a demo of binaural playback through them. I jerked my head around to see who was talking to me. Nobody there...spooky good.

[benelli]

I second the recommendation for the Grado RS-1's. With just decent power they are magnificent. Extremely transparent sound stage, and a very refined bottom end. Not overhyped, just a great representation of what's there. They are fantastic - I'll never switch.

best,

[klaukholm]

I am a very big fan of the K1000. The bass issue is largely due to inferior amplification. We now use a 150W Krell amp for them and it is nowhere near overkill. In the mid and highs they are very true. Sonically they feel a bit like nearfields.

kjetil

[Stick]

I've got the Ultrasone Proline 650s and dig 'em. I've done a sad amount of mixing on them over the past year, as my temporary room blows large wet chunks.

[Don S]

Another for the HD600!

[Rob G]

HD600/650's are great. Had a set of Grado's. Grado's have a darker sound to me. If I'm referencing a professional recording, or mix I'd say use the Sennheiser HD series.

Rob G..

[allaccess]

HD-580's are the shiznit...

[mikesilence]

Beyerdynamic DT770


Greetz,

Mike

[George Necola]

beyerdynamic DT 770 pro or M ( I use the M for trakin drummers.. up to 35dB gainreduction from the outside!! vic firth has only 24dB with a shitty sound).

man, those headphones cured my "I HAVE TO USE THESE AKGs"-sickness.

listen to them.. incredible.