Helpful ReplyRecommend me some headphones

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jude77
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2018/12/05 16:40:16 (permalink)

Recommend me some headphones

Hey Guys:
 
It's time to get new headphones.  I'd prefer to keep it under $300, but you know . . . .  Tell me what you prefer (and if you have the time, why you like them).
 
Thanks!

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#1
sven450
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/05 17:52:05 (permalink)
I just went through this.  I am coming from some oldish Audio Technica m40s. I also have the venerable Sony MDR 7506. I just purchased some Beyerdynamic 880 pros.  DAMN.  What a difference.  Not only is the quality of the sound better (much more low end without being hyped along with beautifully clear mids and highs), but the semi open design/frequency response really opened up my mixes.  Big soundstage, and everything is in its place perfectly. Much less "in your face" if that makes sense.  To top it all off, the build quality is amazing. They are very sturdy and very comfortable.  Doing some quick A - B comparisons, I couldn't believe I lasted as long as I did with the ATs.  They were all midrange by comparison.
 
The one small detriment to the 880s is that they have a bit of a spike at around 7K.  I didn't seem overt to me.  However, I use Sonarworks for monitor/room correction, and Sonarworks has a ton of premade profiles for popular headphones as well.  The 880 was in there, so I kicked it on and their profile brings down the 7K to match the rest of the otherwise flat profile.
 
Happy shopping.  Hope this helps.

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#2
batsbrew
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/05 18:28:36 (permalink)
save up more dough.
then get something.
 
that price range isn't quite high enough to get into a really good set.
 
you didn't specify if you are using the headphones for tracking,
or for mixing.
 
big difference.
 
also, didn't specify if you like open back or closed back......
 
big difference.
 
knowing those things, then folks could give you a good reference.
 
there are some good selections in the 300-500$ range,
i like the Sennheiser HD 650's

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#3
davdud101
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/05 19:24:24 (permalink)
Good advice from batsbrew. 
OP, do gird yourself for a barrage of comments saying to never mix with headphones 
 
I went on Massdrop and got the Hifiman HE-4XX for $170. Great sounding planar-magnetic, open-back cans. I don't do a lot of polish-work these days, more of demos and gumming around in the studio on bass guitar and various synths, so for stuff like that, I have no issue using a pair of good cans rather than bothering everyone in my house with the monitors. Sound-wise, very balanced, just good, even bass, treble, and mids all the way through, of course EQ'able to taste.
The build quality is also great in my opinion, very solid and on the heavy side, something that's very important to me when buying gear like this, not much skimping on material quality.
 
I also just love giant headphones! 
 
Not necessarily condoning them for mixing use, but I do like me some headphones/IEMs.

 
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#4
Wayfarer
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/05 20:20:20 (permalink)
Unless you're in a situation where you absolutely have to do everything in the headphones, then I don't think accuracy is really that important. Nothing will sound the same as your studio monitors anyway, and you'll still find yourself doing all kinds of test recordings to see how things sound over actual monitors. I've got an expensive set of AKG K240DF cans that I absolutely hate. Too much high-end, not enough lows. I think they cost around $300 25-years ago. I've also got some cheaper AKG K240 Studio Monitor phones, which sound much better but still aren't accurate and also have brittle highs. The best cans I ever had was a $35 set of Radio Shacks. I imagine they were made by Koss. Honestly, they sounded great, were lightweight, and were comfortable. They were quite good enough for tracking. Wish I still had them.
 
Bill
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jude77
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/05 20:30:23 (permalink)
batsbrew
you didn't specify if you are using the headphones for tracking,
or for mixing.
also, didn't specify if you like open back or closed back......



Batsbrew: good questions there.  I would use them mostly for tracking, almost never for mixing.  I'm guessing for tracking you'd want closed back?

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#6
batsbrew
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/05 22:32:38 (permalink)
jude77
batsbrew
you didn't specify if you are using the headphones for tracking,
or for mixing.
also, didn't specify if you like open back or closed back......



Batsbrew: good questions there.  I would use them mostly for tracking, almost never for mixing.  I'm guessing for tracking you'd want closed back?


yep, closed back for tracking.
 
tracking headphones, don't really matter as much, you will never do detailed editing with those anyway...
 
i use akg ear buds for tracking. simple, sound full range, totally quiet in the room.
 
i've used the Grado Prestige Series SR80i, and really liked those.
also, some higher end Ultrasones.
 
https://www.wirerealm.com...closed-back-headphones
https://www.gearank.com/g...closed-back-headphones

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#7
jude77
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/07 16:56:18 (permalink)
Thanks BB!

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#8
TheMaartian
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/07 17:47:14 (permalink)
sven450
I just went through this.  I am coming from some oldish Audio Technica m40s. I also have the venerable Sony MDR 7506. I just purchased some Beyerdynamic 880 pros.  DAMN.  What a difference.  Not only is the quality of the sound better (much more low end without being hyped along with beautifully clear mids and highs), but the semi open design/frequency response really opened up my mixes.  Big soundstage, and everything is in its place perfectly. Much less "in your face" if that makes sense.  To top it all off, the build quality is amazing. They are very sturdy and very comfortable.  Doing some quick A - B comparisons, I couldn't believe I lasted as long as I did with the ATs.  They were all midrange by comparison.
 
The one small detriment to the 880s is that they have a bit of a spike at around 7K.  I didn't seem overt to me.  However, I use Sonarworks for monitor/room correction, and Sonarworks has a ton of premade profiles for popular headphones as well.  The 880 was in there, so I kicked it on and their profile brings down the 7K to match the rest of the otherwise flat profile.
 
Happy shopping.  Hope this helps.


+1 for the 880 Pro cans. Love mine.
 
I have some less expensive Sennheiser HD280 cans if I need closed back, or to use with my phone. My 880s are 250 ohms, too much for little phone amps.
 
Good to know about the peak at 7K.

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thornton
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/07 19:24:09 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby jude77 2018/12/08 02:15:58
Akg k240 sounds great I use them all the timr. No briddle high end(unless it's in the music being mixed) no ear fatigue sound natural to me. Great low end response. My suggestion is to go to your local zmusic store play your mix and your favorite artist to hear what you like. All ears are different.
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DeeringAmps
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/08 04:52:33 (permalink)
Picked up a pair of DT-770 for tracking in the studio. Like them so much I picked up the DT-990 (top open back pick on the web site bat linked) for the office.
T

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soens
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/08 10:46:55 (permalink)
Wayfarer
The best cans I ever had was a $35 set of Radio Shacks. I imagine they were made by Koss. Honestly, they sounded great, were lightweight, and were comfortable. They were quite good enough for tracking. Wish I still had them.
 
Bill



Same here. My R/S HPs had "KOSS" written on the plug. Miss those HPs. Haven't found a pair that cheap that good yet. but haven't really looked either.
 
Current $120 pair suffering from head & ear cushion flakation - li'l pieces of black flaking off everywhere.

post edited by soens - 2018/12/08 11:26:02
#12
gswitz
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/08 11:54:45 (permalink)
Soens, in the past I've helped flaky headphones along. I peel off the padding and chuck it. This results in wonderfully comfy off-ear headphones with no isolation. Your ears can breathe! Yay. This to me is everything. Expensive headphones that do not breathe are for guests. 😁

As you can guess, I have a great heap of inexpensive well-aged headphones. I have one pair of $70 headphones that collects dust.

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jude77
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/08 15:38:38 (permalink)
DeeringAmps
Picked up a pair of DT-770 for tracking in the studio. Like them so much I picked up the DT-990 (top open back pick on the web site bat linked) for the office.
T

Thanks, I'm looking hard at the DT-770.

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Jesse G
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/11 15:26:35 (permalink)
I have a few Audio-Technica ATH-M50 that I love using, however, the headphones I love are the KRK KNS 8400.  After listening through them at Guitar Center, I searched for the lowest price and they were all about the same.  I then received an email that the lowest price was being sold by Walmart and each day the price was going down.  
 
I posted the sale in the Deals forms here at Cakewalk about 2 yearns ago and the lowest price was about $65.00 a pair.   Not sure what happened with Walmart but that was one pricing mistake I bet they regret.  I ordered 4 pairs and have been satisfied.
 
If you search Walmart on line, they have a lot of audio equipment in which they play middle man in selling.
 
Keep in mind that you don't want to use open back headphone for yours singers as the sound bleeds in to the microphones.

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#15
pwalpwal
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/11 15:58:20 (permalink)
mixing i use sony mdr-7506 (sonarwaorks has a profile for these)
tracking i use t-bone hd990d
 
can you tell i'm cheap?

just a sec

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davdud101
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/11 16:15:49 (permalink)
To be honest I've alwats loved the 7506's for pleasure listening. They're super bright and sparkly but in my opinion they're just darned fun to listen to.
 
pwalpwal
mixing i use sony mdr-7506 (sonarwaorks has a profile for these)
tracking i use t-bone hd990d
 
can you tell i'm cheap?





 
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bluzdog
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/11 16:17:30 (permalink)
+ 1 for the DT-770's.  They come in 80 ohm and 250 ohm versions.
 
Rocky
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jude77
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/11 16:58:46 (permalink)
Bluzdog:
I'm hearing great things about the DT-770's.  Thanks for weighing in.

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bluzdog
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/14 16:07:24 (permalink)
jude77
Bluzdog:
I'm hearing great things about the DT-770's.  Thanks for weighing in.




You're welcome. I.MO. They're way comfy, sound great and if you need them to be more accurate Sonarworks has a profile for them.
 
Rocky
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msmcleod
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/14 19:26:56 (permalink)
davdud101
To be honest I've alwats loved the 7506's for pleasure listening. They're super bright and sparkly but in my opinion they're just darned fun to listen to.
 
pwalpwal
mixing i use sony mdr-7506 (sonarwaorks has a profile for these)
tracking i use t-bone hd990d
 
can you tell i'm cheap?






Andrew Scheps uses the 7506's when mixing on headphones, so they can't be all bad.

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jackson white
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/21 02:13:51 (permalink)

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pwalpwal
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Re: Recommend me some headphones 2018/12/21 12:08:15 (permalink)
msmcleod
davdud101
To be honest I've alwats loved the 7506's for pleasure listening. They're super bright and sparkly but in my opinion they're just darned fun to listen to.
 
pwalpwal
mixing i use sony mdr-7506 (sonarwaorks has a profile for these)
tracking i use t-bone hd990d
 
can you tell i'm cheap?






Andrew Scheps uses the 7506's when mixing on headphones, so they can't be all bad.




yeah i did choose them as they're fairly standard in studios, low cost, and have a sonarworks profile, and they turned out to be accurate and comfortable :)

just a sec

#23
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