Best Sound Isolating Headphones

rattledaddy · 13th July 2007, 10:19 PM

Hi all,

Here is a "softball" for the group. I am looking for some high quality sealed cans that don't bleed and are very comfortable. Budget is not a concern. Personally I use Etymotics for this but not everyone can use "in-the-ear" phones. Suggestions?

Thanks,

Scot

Black Seal · 13th July 2007, 10:31 PM

I use BeyerDynamic DT770's for tracking with little to no bleed at all during tracking.

rattledaddy · 13th July 2007, 10:52 PM

Thanks DT

tINY · 13th July 2007, 11:11 PM

You say "not everybody can use them (IEM)", so realize that peoples heads and ears are a bit different and you'll probably want a few sets of cans.

In the list, you should probably have Senn HD280, Beyer DT250, AKG K240, Sony 7506, and maybe a few others....

You said price was no object.

-tINY

TornadoTed · 13th July 2007, 11:46 PM

I use GK-Music Ultraphones. No bleed at all and pretty comfortable in my opinion. I use them to find the sweet spot on amps all the time too.

warhead · 14th July 2007, 01:12 AM

HD280 = comfortable headphone with decent sound.

War

steelyfan · 16th July 2007, 10:26 AM

I also use the BeyerDynamic DT770's , very nice for tracking and recording drums. Really, they sound pretty good tracking most things.Plus i think they're only @ $200.

Chrizcol · 16th July 2007, 11:49 AM

Akg 240 or 271. Standard ones.

Hysteria · 16th July 2007, 12:22 PM

I must have been very unlucky with the DT770s (DT770 Pro), I bought a pair last year and I absolutely hate them. I thought they'd be a step up from some cheapo audio technicas that I had but the ATs sounded miles better, just a bit dull.

My DT770s have such a mid-scoop that it makes tracking vocals painful especially if there is any verb in monitor mix. There's loads of bass, loads of highs but no mids!

Initially I thought maybe they need a bit of burn-in time, so I left them for a few days with the some CDs running through them. But it made no difference.

I got them because I had seen some good reviews but afterwards I did some more research on some of the dedicated headphone boards and it seems that others have had this same thing. It was suggested that the 250 ohm versions (mine) had this problem but a redesign on the newer 80 ohm cured it. I've no idea if it's true.

I tried them on a number of sources and got the same result. The ATs don't have this problem and I've got some HD600s (which sound Grrrreeeaaaatttt

) so I know the problem is in the (my) cans not the kit.

Maybe I was just unlucky. I want to get some Sony 7509s but they are very expensive everywhere...never seen them at a decent price.

PhiloBeddoe · 16th July 2007, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rattledaddy

Hi all,

Here is a "softball" for the group. I am looking for some high quality sealed cans that don't bleed and are very comfortable. Budget is not a concern. Personally I use Etymotics for this but not everyone can use "in-the-ear" phones. Suggestions?

Thanks,

Scot

How much isolation do you need? IMO, some of the ones mentioned here (e.g. Senn HD280, AKG 240) are fine headphones but aren't all that isolating. If you're looking at something for a drummer, you may want to look into something more for purpose like Extreme Isolation or something.

Screws · 16th July 2007, 10:30 PM

I use these...

http://www.remoteaudio.com/hn7506.htm

Sony 7506's in 45db isolation cans. Pricey, but wow.

canderson · 16th July 2007, 10:34 PM

ditto the above recommendation. Best isolation headphones I've ever used, and I have used a good number of them.

rattledaddy · 18th July 2007, 03:45 PM

Thanks all... great feedback!

Telefunken USA · 18th July 2007, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrizcol

Akg 240 or 271. Standard ones.

Yes to the K271's, but no to the 240's simply because they are open back (not great for isolation).

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13th July 2007, 10:19 PM	#1
rattledaddy Gear Head Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 39	Best Sound Isolating Headphones Hi all, Here is a "softball" for the group. I am looking for some high quality sealed cans that don't bleed and are very comfortable. Budget is not a concern. Personally I use Etymotics for this but not everyone can use "in-the-ear" phones. Suggestions? Thanks, Scot

13th July 2007, 10:31 PM	#2
Black Seal Gear addict Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 310	DT770 I use BeyerDynamic DT770's for tracking with little to no bleed at all during tracking. __________________ www.snapjoint.com www.myspace.com/snapjoint

13th July 2007, 11:46 PM	#5
TornadoTed Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Wales Posts: 863	I use GK-Music Ultraphones. No bleed at all and pretty comfortable in my opinion. I use them to find the sweet spot on amps all the time too. __________________ Ed Lewis Giant Wafer Studios, UK www.giantwafer.com www.myspace.com/giantwaferstudios

14th July 2007, 01:12 AM	#6
warhead Jai guru deva om Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 8,328	HD280 = comfortable headphone with decent sound. War __________________ Warren Dent Email: warren (at) frontendaudio (dot) com Front End Audio Sells Gear Tuesday Testers: Hear the Gear Shootouts Product Videos on YouTube: Overviews of Gear

13th July 2007, 10:52 PM	#3
rattledaddy Gear Head Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 39	Thanks DT

13th July 2007, 11:11 PM	#4
tINY Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 6,067	You say "not everybody can use them (IEM)", so realize that peoples heads and ears are a bit different and you'll probably want a few sets of cans. In the list, you should probably have Senn HD280, Beyer DT250, AKG K240, Sony 7506, and maybe a few others.... You said price was no object. -tINY

16th July 2007, 10:26 AM	#7
steelyfan Gear maniac Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 267	I also use the BeyerDynamic DT770's , very nice for tracking and recording drums. Really, they sound pretty good tracking most things.Plus i think they're only @ $200.

16th July 2007, 11:49 AM	#8
Chrizcol Gear addict Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 317	Akg 240 or 271. Standard ones.

16th July 2007, 12:22 PM	#9
Hysteria Gear nut Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: UK Posts: 119	I must have been very unlucky with the DT770s (DT770 Pro), I bought a pair last year and I absolutely hate them. I thought they'd be a step up from some cheapo audio technicas that I had but the ATs sounded miles better, just a bit dull. My DT770s have such a mid-scoop that it makes tracking vocals painful especially if there is any verb in monitor mix. There's loads of bass, loads of highs but no mids! Initially I thought maybe they need a bit of burn-in time, so I left them for a few days with the some CDs running through them. But it made no difference. I got them because I had seen some good reviews but afterwards I did some more research on some of the dedicated headphone boards and it seems that others have had this same thing. It was suggested that the 250 ohm versions (mine) had this problem but a redesign on the newer 80 ohm cured it. I've no idea if it's true. I tried them on a number of sources and got the same result. The ATs don't have this problem and I've got some HD600s (which sound Grrrreeeaaaatttt ) so I know the problem is in the (my) cans not the kit. Maybe I was just unlucky. I want to get some Sony 7509s but they are very expensive everywhere...never seen them at a decent price.

16th July 2007, 10:30 PM	#11
Screws Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 570	I use these... http://www.remoteaudio.com/hn7506.htm Sony 7506's in 45db isolation cans. Pricey, but wow. __________________ Steve Cruz Cruzified Music Florida http://www.songramp.com/homepage.php?userid=3788

16th July 2007, 10:34 PM	#12
canderson Gear nut Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin TX Posts: 80	HN-7506's from Remote Audio ditto the above recommendation. Best isolation headphones I've ever used, and I have used a good number of them.

18th July 2007, 03:45 PM	#13
rattledaddy Gear Head Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 39	Thanks all... great feedback!

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