spacey


I went here Dude....a long time ago....and got these. FWIW.

Very comfortable too. Not one session have they ever been uncomfortable
and they just don't tire my ears like other sets.
Sound....well that's for one to decide - If/when they go bad I'll replace in-kind.

I have a question and since i cant buy anything anymore without the help of this forum here it goes. I need some headphones for mixing/mastering. Before anyone dogs me about it i know this is not the way to mix but realisticly, its about the only way i can. Im sure im like most people in which i cant listen to my monitors that much cause ive got my wife watching tv ive got neighbors, i dont have kids but im sure alot of u do and im sure everyone mixes til all hours of the night like i do. Therefore, I need some really good headphones. So the people out there that does the majority of your mixing through headphones, what are u using? Ive read some reviews at guitar center on a few brands like the Sennheiser HD650. The reviews are pretty good but id like to hear from people that i know will be using headphones the same way im using them.

Dude Ivey

I love my VRM box. Once we had the baby i invested in it and i use all the "crappy" presets like computer speakers to check my mix.
 
it's not really necessary to have great headphones to mix, as long as you know what your headphones sound like. My old old old sony monitors were a little bass-light.  So i'd add bass. then when i put it in the car, it was too boomy. And my old Sennheisers (forgot the model, but they were open back and designed for symphonic music) always caused me to have too much low-mids and when i played it at home, it was too muddy.  so it takes experience so you automatically know that your most commonly used cans are "bass heavy" or "bass light" and so you mix with that in mind. and any high-quality car system is going to be bass heavy or top heavy. Right now i use Grado sr225is which are open back so noise does leak out, but it's a better sound and doesn't give me as much ear fatigue as a closed headphone does. and since you're not supposed to track and mix at high volumes, the sound leak does not bother my wife. YMMV.
 
i dont know your experience level so i dont want to 'talk down' to you, but also keep in mind the old methods of carving out using EQ to balance the instruments and be aware of stacking up too much in a single freq band. the VRM box is pretty good at revealing problems on different types of systems. i use the Japanese White Speaker setting mostly since they are less forgiving than the Genelec presets.
 
and of course, comparing your mixes to commercial mixes is very handy and to me is a constant reminder that mastering is a SCIENCE and the outcome of mastering depends on how well you prepared everything before the mastering session.

ive got my wife watching tv

Danny Danzi
 
Guys mixing in cans for long periods of time....please PLEASE be careful. You'll lose your hearing faster with loud cans than you will loud music live or in speakers. Try to use a level that allows you to hear everything at a volume you could close your eyes and sleep with. Seriously. All my friends tell me "you have golden ears".....the only truth to that is, while they used loud cans and didn't wear hearing protection and answer with lots of "huh's and what's", I always was conscious of how loud my cans were as well as always wearing ear plugs from the time I was 12 years old. My "golden" part of my ears is only the fact that I can still hear at 45 years old....not because they are "golden". :)

Danny Danzi

Bub

Danny Danzi

If you can find them, AKG K-240 DF's are by far the best I have ever used and translate perfectly everywhere to me.

Hi Danny,

I searched for these headphones and found some replacement models since these are discontinued.

There is an AKG K-240 (Without the DF) for $99 bucks, then out of the 4 suggested replacements, it goes up to the 701's for $349 bucks.

Do you remember what price range the DF's were in and do you think the suggested replacements would be comparable (at any price range)?

I'm in a situation now where I have no music room any more. I'm doing everything on the dining room table, so I'm forced to use headphones. My plans for a full blown recording room have been put on hold permanently. So I've been looking in to headphones and don't mind dropping several hundred on them, or more.

I'm using a $20 pair of Sony headphones from Target ... and I have to say, I'm getting really good and mixing/mastering with the meters and compensating for what I know sounds wrong on these, but will sound good in the car or elsewhere. It would just be so much nicer to not have to compensate so much and just enjoy the sound if you know what I mean.

Thanks,

Bub

Edit: Link to Sweetwater's recommended replacement list.

Hi Bub,
 
The replacements are K 240 MK II. I've never actually used them so I can't tell you if they are as good or not. Thankfully, I have 4 pair of the old faithful DF versions here and a set of the K 240 Studio cans which are usually my go to cans for quick monitoring these days. The only time I use cans to mix or master is when I'm on a plane or train and even there, I of course always check things out after on real monitors. I usually come so close with these cans though....I could definitely get away with allowing my decisions to stand. All other times I'm either using them for mic placements or quick references.
 
These two http://www.sweetwater.com/store/search.php?s=akg+k240 are what I would recommend. The MKII's are supposed to be the equal to the DF's I mentioned, and the Studio model (if they haven't changed them) sounds just about the same as the DF's. The difference used to be a detachable cord and a bit better cup comfort. I haven't bought any AKG's in a long time though, so I can't really say what I'd do in this situation. I'd probably take a shot at the MK II's as they are closer in price to what I paid for my DF's. ($199)
 
I know this probably won't be a tune you'll like much, but in 2010 when I first started working with Acme Bar Gig developing their "Shred" plugin for guitar, this was one of my first little demo's I did for them. It's nothing special, but the entire thing was mixed and mastered through those AKG's. This was just a little test file, but for what it was it turned out pretty fair. The real version smokes it pretty good..lol...but this is a general idea on what I've been able to get with the cans.
 
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4909348/Danny%20Danzi/Shred%20On.mp3
 
Hope some of this helps....but you may need to do a little compensating at first until you learn them but only with the low end. One thing I love is mids and highs are no problem. You just have to judge the bass on "if you can feel it, you're using too much". Hearing the bass is fine, it's when you start to feel it pump in the cans...that's when you'll notice you have to back it down.
 
-Danny
 
P.S. Ed: Yeah, those cans don't have lots of output...which is a good thing. The one thing we ALL have to remember with cans is, they are being sent directly to your ears and can damage hearing so fast, you're better off with lower output. The good thing about the AKG's is, after a certain volume (which is my opinion is way too loud) they start to clip/break up. With the others I have like the Sennheisers or Sony MDR's...man they just keep going up and up and up...and you can kill your hearing in one session if you're not careful.
 
Guys mixing in cans for long periods of time....please PLEASE be careful. You'll lose your hearing faster with loud cans than you will loud music live or in speakers. Try to use a level that allows you to hear everything at a volume you could close your eyes and sleep with. Seriously. All my friends tell me "you have golden ears".....the only truth to that is, while they used loud cans and didn't wear hearing protection and answer with lots of "huh's and what's", I always was conscious of how loud my cans were as well as always wearing ear plugs from the time I was 12 years old. My "golden" part of my ears is only the fact that I can still hear at 45 years old....not because they are "golden". :)