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03-16-2009, 04:57 AM
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#1
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,140
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What are the best headphones to mix with?
I will be doing some recording (mainly just vocals) away from my studio and I will need to use headphones to do my mixing. Which headphones are best to mix with?
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03-16-2009, 05:37 AM
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#2
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Lincoln, UK
Posts: 1,034
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AKG K 240 DF. Best I've found anyway, and I'm a headphone junkie!
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03-16-2009, 05:46 AM
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#3
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Cowtown
Posts: 1,562
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For comfort in long sessions and for their bass level (which is what I ALWAYS overdo on headphone mixes otherwise), I really like the Beyer DT 770 Pro/80.
Scott
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03-16-2009, 05:51 AM
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#4
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 522
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I like the old Sony Pro MDR 7505, but be sure you use something like this:
http://www.112db.com/redline/monitor/
or the mix image won't translate to speakers later.
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03-16-2009, 06:06 AM
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#5
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Gaylord Michigan
Posts: 1,696
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I just bought a set of Sennheiser HD380's yesterday. Man....am I loving them.
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03-16-2009, 06:56 AM
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#6
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Malmö, Sweden
Posts: 369
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Got AKG 271 S. Less bass than 240 but maybe some more detail in the mids... some people say. Haven't tried the 240 though.
/Jens
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03-16-2009, 07:07 AM
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#7
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: South
Posts: 1,211
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spyrow
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Consider that for 50 dollars i can get a professional DAW with many plugins like Reaper, €69.00?.... I think the price is not reasonable! !!
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03-16-2009, 07:27 AM
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#8
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Hamburg
Posts: 1,279
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zargon the Destroyer
AKG K 240 DF. Best I've found anyway, and I'm a headphone junkie!
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Sorry but they have most unnatural, exagerated highs.
The AKG 141 may be less comfortable but its much closer to real monitors.
Remember - working with bright monitors means a dead sounding mix and visa versa.
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03-16-2009, 08:04 AM
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#9
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,027
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonespnice
I will be doing some recording (mainly just vocals) away from my studio and I will need to use headphones to do my mixing. Which headphones are best to mix with?
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AKG K240
Obviously it would be best to reference with monitors... but you won't get too far off base making decisions with K240s.
Jim Roseberry
www.studiocat.com
jim@studiocat.com
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03-16-2009, 11:09 AM
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#10
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Lincoln, UK
Posts: 1,034
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maa
Sorry but they have most unnatural, exagerated highs.
The AKG 141 may be less comfortable but its much closer to real monitors.
Remember - working with bright monitors means a dead sounding mix and visa versa.
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That's not my experience, perhaps you have bright ears?
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03-16-2009, 11:17 AM
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#11
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 1,057
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Yeah, the AKG 240's. I don't really 'like' them- but they always seem to do a great job of translating to monitors.
__________________
Comp Specs: WIN XPSP3, Q6600, ASUSP5K, 3 GB PC6400 RAM, Focusrite Saffire, AlphaTrack, lots of plugins and hardware.
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03-16-2009, 11:29 AM
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#12
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Barrackville WV
Posts: 283
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Sinn HD650's
It's really about what your ears get use too. I bought a pr of HD650's a few years back and they have literally ruined me for anything else. They are however, open back and aren't worth a hoot in a noisy environment. I've found it very helpful to include a very well mixed control track at the bottom of the project. Being a bass player, I tend to get the bass too loud when mixing with headphones. Using a control track helps set my ear.
__________________
If it sounds good, it is good. (Duke Ellington)
Last edited by GreyBeard; 03-17-2009 at 06:45 PM.
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03-16-2009, 12:18 PM
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#13
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Berlin, GER
Posts: 199
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sstillwell
For comfort in long sessions and for their bass level (which is what I ALWAYS overdo on headphone mixes otherwise), I really like the Beyer DT 770 Pro/80.
Scott
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+1. IMO nothing in this price range can beat them.
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03-16-2009, 12:41 PM
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#14
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonespnice
I will be doing some recording (mainly just vocals) away from my studio and I will need to use headphones to do my mixing. Which headphones are best to mix with?
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Audio Technica ATH-M50 IMHO.
I also have Sony 7506, MDR V6 (the originals), AKG 240 and Senny HD650.
For me, the Audio Technica sound most natural.
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03-16-2009, 01:21 PM
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#15
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: in the middle of the icecube.
Posts: 7,403
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I love my K240s
but I also really like my new Sennheiser HD 25-1 II.
.t
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03-16-2009, 01:50 PM
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#16
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: traîne mes guêtres en Québec...
Posts: 5,390
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Seems headphone are a personal thing, I have k240s here and I hate them. They're cheaply built, bass definition is terrible, more burp than bass, and highs are overhyped. Only redeeming quality is that they're the most comfortable headphone I've ever used, bar none, why I bought them in the first place.
Oh, and all IMO
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03-16-2009, 01:58 PM
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#17
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 142
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stang_2003
Audio Technica ATH-M50 IMHO.
I also have Sony 7506, MDR V6 (the originals), AKG 240 and Senny HD650.
For me, the Audio Technica sound most natural.
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I've only heard good things about these.
I myself ordered a pair of M40. I dont have them yet.
__________________
"Many people take the bad management for destiny!" - Kim Hubbard
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03-16-2009, 02:03 PM
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#18
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: in a hotel room near you
Posts: 1,175
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i have the sony 7506. all i can say is 'way too bright'. Good sound otherwise, but that kind of top end just doesn't exist in reality. Fine for putting a mic in the right place though.
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03-16-2009, 02:23 PM
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#19
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 253
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Whatever you use, I recommend getting a pair of cheap ear buds - preferably the ones that come with your average iphone/ipod/etc. I like my k240's and love my dynaudio monitors, but I've found it's very useful to check your mixes against those little monsters. In fact, I've done a few mixes entirely on ipod earbuds (which I fnarking hate) for music that was being distributed entirely online. It's a sad fact, but most people aren't listening to your music through high def systems. Your mixes are often more in need of translation to the worst headphones imaginable than to a home stereo.
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03-16-2009, 02:50 PM
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#20
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Mobile
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London & São Paulo. Hardcore commercial REAPERite
Posts: 1,669
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HD650 are awesome - i compared to AKG K701 in the shop and went for 650s on the basis of depth & crisp sound + although both are open back I do find the 650s shield a little more.
I find HD497 pretty good for working in noisy environments
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Proudly using REAPER exclusively for...
* Media and event music composition & production, sound design + auto-processing at Qsonics.com
* Broadcast branding, promos, education & training and narration voice-overs at DrewWhite.com
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03-16-2009, 03:22 PM
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#21
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
Posts: 346
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Audio Technica ATH-M50 - been rocking my world since I got them. Sony MDR-7506 and Sennheiser HD-280 are in a drawer for guests. Nobody touches my ATs!!
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03-16-2009, 03:35 PM
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#22
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Exmouth, England
Posts: 2,687
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonespnice
I will be doing some recording (mainly just vocals) away from my studio and I will need to use headphones to do my mixing. Which headphones are best to mix with?
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From your quote above, am I right in assuming you'll be using them while you record your vocals as well. If so, another factor in your choice will be that the headphones will need to give good isolation.
Pete
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03-16-2009, 03:40 PM
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#23
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,070
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stang_2003
Audio Technica ATH-M50 IMHO.
For me, the Audio Technica sound most natural.
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+1
************************************************** *******
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03-16-2009, 04:02 PM
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#24
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Noosa, Australia
Posts: 259
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Audio-Technica ATH-M50
I've been using the Audio-Technica ATH-M50's for about a year now. Just love them! Very comfortable on the head and sound terrific to my ears. Great price too.
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03-16-2009, 04:21 PM
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#25
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 3,955
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i have a couple of pairs of older sennheiser hd265's. they're GREAT for tracking and microediting. they sound amazing but i wouldn't complete a mix with them - they just sound too damn good.
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03-16-2009, 04:48 PM
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#26
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,019
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Something to keep in mind with these kinds of posts is:
How may pairs of studio headphones has this poster actually used for mixing projects? 5? 3? 80? Not many people with access to a wide variety of headphones are doing lots of mixes on a wide variety of them.
Not to be a little debbie downer, but in my experience headphones (even the best ones) are not good for mixing decisions.
Beyond that, it's mostly a matter of getting adequate ones and then learning the specific ways in which you need to compensate for them.
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03-16-2009, 06:15 PM
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#27
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Lowell, MA, USA
Posts: 271
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Quote:
Not to be a little debbie downer, but in my experience headphones (even the best ones) are not good for mixing decisions.
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Yeah, I thought the OP was a trick question. Seems like every 20 minutes there's a thread up here where we talk about how headphone mixes never sound right.
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03-16-2009, 06:44 PM
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#28
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adimatis
I've only heard good things about these.
I myself ordered a pair of M40. I dont have them yet.
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The M40 is similar in sound.
You'll like them.
It takes a bit for the headband to loosen up a little, but it will so don't worry if it's a little "clamp like" at first.
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03-16-2009, 07:03 PM
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#29
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Bristol, UK. Slowly sinking island next to mainland Europe
Posts: 542
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I use AKG K240 and K240DF if I can get away with open backed. The outside world is your speakerbox!
DT100 for strict analysis, hey really don't flatter.
DT150 for the same with extended low end if it is needed, according to the material.
Don't forget to use some kind of spacial plugin to compensate for HTRF.
http://www.traxmusic.org/home/?p=39
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10core Xeon w.128gig RAM, lots of SSD, HDSP9652, MOTU828, Tannoy System 8 NFM.
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03-16-2009, 08:27 PM
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#30
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,140
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stratman
From your quote above, am I right in assuming you'll be using them while you record your vocals as well. If so, another factor in your choice will be that the headphones will need to give good isolation.
Pete
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Well actually I won't be recording my own vocals but other folks. This is the situation, I will be moving in with my girlfriend (we're taking the relationship to the next level) so I will not be doing any recording in my studio (except my personal stuff), but their are 3 or 4 people that I still want to work with so I plan on setting up a mobile setup. I will need to mix the song at their place (in headphones). Right now when I try to mix in my Sony MDR-7506 and then listen back on my event ASP8 monitors it sounds totally out of whack.
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03-16-2009, 08:33 PM
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#31
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,140
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yep
Something to keep in mind with these kinds of posts is:
How may pairs of studio headphones has this poster actually used for mixing projects? 5? 3? 80? Not many people with access to a wide variety of headphones are doing lots of mixes on a wide variety of them.
Not to be a little debbie downer, but in my experience headphones (even the best ones) are not good for mixing decisions.
Beyond that, it's mostly a matter of getting adequate ones and then learning the specific ways in which you need to compensate for them.
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I have 5 different pairs of headphones and to be honest the only one that I remember the model # for is the Sony MDR-7506, I am not in the studio to check the other 4. Headphones are rather expensive so I wanted to get some good suggestions before I spend any money. I have a pair of event monitors but I will be doing recordings away from the studio (using a mobile setup) and I will be limited to headphones. I have heard of people using headphones to mix before (I know it's not recommended) and I just need something that translates well.
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03-16-2009, 09:24 PM
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#32
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Perth, Australia
Posts: 634
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I have just been researching and buying headphones for a new studio. Their budget was AU$600 (~US$400)per set My conclusion was:
AKG 701 - A well balanced sound, the comparable Sennheisers seem too toppy. I find I mix dull if I have toppy phones.
Beyerdynamic DT250 - The best closed headphone I think. Not sexy but highly functional and really defined bass. the flattest closed phone in my opinion.
As mentioned by earlier posters it's really a matter of opinion and function. For singers recording I would got the DT250 and for monitoring I would go the 701's.
This guy really knows his shit:
http://headphones.com.au/pbrowse?catID=1
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03-16-2009, 09:40 PM
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#33
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,019
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonespnice
I have 5 different pairs of headphones and to be honest the only one that I remember the model # for is the Sony MDR-7506...
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That you can only remember one set might by itself give you an indicator.
Assuming that the 5 pairs of headphones you already own are semi-studio-grade, you probably have as much exposure as most to "mixing" headphones. My own favorites are Audio Technica M50s, but I haven't even come close to trying every headphone on the market. More to the point, mixing on headphones is just difficult. Things never seem to sound the same in the car or on the home stereo.
If for some reason you cannot use speakers, then obviously you gotta do what you gotta do. But nowithstanding the input of old studio hands like Jim Roseberry, you might do better to check reviews and forums more frequented by people who actually have exposure to lots of sets of headphones with actual mixing experience on them. A lot of people who say "X are the best I've ever used" are comparing them with ipod earbuds or $40 best buy headphones.
Sorry if this is being a downer, just trying to help you not waste money.
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03-17-2009, 02:38 PM
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#34
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,140
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Here is a list of the headphones that I have, and to be honest I have never looked at the model before (2 pair were given to me, 1 came with my stanton mixer, and I bought the sony 7506 and the ATH M-30).
Sony MDR-7506
Audio Technica ATH M30
Sony MDR CD250
AKG K-240
Stanton DJ-Pro60
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03-17-2009, 03:01 PM
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#35
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 22,567
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so is tehre a consensus about what headphones are best for JUST mixing (I already have 3 pair of monitoring headphones....
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03-17-2009, 03:09 PM
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#36
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: London
Posts: 11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sstillwell
For comfort in long sessions and for their bass level (which is what I ALWAYS overdo on headphone mixes otherwise), I really like the Beyer DT 770 Pro/80.
Scott
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 404NotFound
+1. IMO nothing in this price range can beat them.
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+1. These work for me - and i do quite a diverse range of music.
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03-17-2009, 07:24 PM
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#37
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 251
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Masarin
Got AKG 271 S. Less bass than 240 but maybe some more detail in the mids... some people say. Haven't tried the 240 though.
/Jens
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I have both the 240 and the 271S. Prefer the 271S (better isolation). I've created an EQ preset for both that is a "mirror" of their published frequency response and use it as an insert in the headphone out, allowing me to get more balanced results during mixing.
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03-17-2009, 10:33 PM
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#38
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: May 2006
Location: NA - North Augusta South Carolina
Posts: 4,294
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K-240m's.
I've never associated "hyped high end" with K-240ms, but with Sonys...?
Last edited by chip mcdonald; 03-17-2009 at 10:36 PM.
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03-17-2009, 11:03 PM
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#39
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 777
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Two words..............
Audition Grado
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03-17-2009, 11:04 PM
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#40
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,562
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k-240s here. Not too comfortable for long sessions. Gets fatiguing after a while...
Get something thats really comfortable. All this high and low bass won't make a difference if you're comforable listening to your music.
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