Headphone Recommendations

Started by Werkshop, July 11, 2012, 04:42:29 PM

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Now_And_Then


I used to use AKG K240's but found them to be extremely fragile and repair required sending back to AKG, at close to the price of a new pair. So I don't use AKG anymore.

Werkshop

Alright guys, I'll keep the Sony's in mind as well. I've heard they are excellent cans, but I judge with my eyes too much. :P I think I have perhaps started dwelling into the gorgeous, HiFi, amp-required, cans that sound AMAZING for music, but might not suit my needs for mixing/recording/tweaking settings on my POD HD500 and GR-55.

Ugh... They're sooo beautiful.  :'( (And SOOOO expensive...  ::))

But I guess the best thing to do would be try all of my choices out. I wish there was some way of calling ahead and asking Guitar Center to make sure to have a pair to demo for me... Hmm...

tekrytor

You could try the telephone---or just order a pair and return them if you don't like them-
SY-300/BeatBuddy/VoiceLive 3/GR-55(v1.50)/33/1/50/700/VGA-7/V-Bass, Yam-G10, GPK-4, DIY X-Bee HighlyLiquidCPU "Cozy-Lil-Footie", FCB-1010, other MIDI stuff, Godin Freeway SA and various other GK equipped controllers, Sonar X1, Audacity, KXstudio, Misc devices

Werkshop

Quote from: tekrytor on July 28, 2012, 07:54:38 AM
You could try the telephone---or just order a pair and return them if you don't like them-

::) Smart ass!

Haha, what I meant was, I don't think they'd do that for me, but the return policy totally slipped my mind! Thanks for the painfully obvious (yet genius) tip!  ;D

lespauled


BasV

#30
Interesting thread :-) i needed headphones, been using a cheap sennheiser till now.
After reading this thread and doing some investigation myself, i ordered a beyer 880 pro today, the 250 ohm version, should be great with my focusrite saffire audio interface with vrm :-)

EDIT: DT-880 pro is delivered, listening right now ....damn, these cans sure reveal a lot !!! Just heard a black crows song (hard to handle), that doesn't too good (lacking lots of bass), while another CD from Bright Blue Gorilla (singersongwriter duo) with just some guitar, bass and drums sounds really great. Together with VRM on the focusright the sound really comes to live :-) Very convincing simulations of studio rooms, living rooms, bed rooms with all kinds of speakers and mini-systems (pc speaker, lowbudget micro systems, etc). Now listening to a song (vocal and guitar and foostomping on the floor) on a living room simulation, it's sounds like i'm actually in that room with the performer :-)) Amazing !

Cheers,
Bas

cell7

Bas - dont forget the 'burn in' effect, so the dt880s will smooth out a bit and warm up after a day or so of burn. Mine certainly seemed to sound even better...

BasV

Yep, I have seen that comment in thread about the burn in.
I'm loving the dt880 already a lot as they are right now. When they sound even better after the burn in, then i'm just in can heaven haha
Also, practising the stick with these cans sure is a pleasure. The cans i had before this one were just too boomy in the lows. Also when practising on my instrument, the dt880 is extremely honest, so i'm sure it will also improve my dexterity and intonation on the instrument, especially now i also practise without any effects.


Cheers,
Bas

rolandvg99

Quote from: Now_And_Then on July 28, 2012, 01:18:04 AM
I used to use AKG K240's but found them to be extremely fragile and repair required sending back to AKG, at close to the price of a new pair. So I don't use AKG anymore.

Not my experience at all. I own 4 pairs of K66, 1 pair of K141 monitor, 1 pair of K701 and 1 pair of K240DF. All working perfectly and the oldest, the 240DFs, are 16 years old, accidentally fell out of my car and got towed by it's cord for 60 km and still works!  :)
To V or not to V: That is the question.

My little Soundcloud corner

Kevin M

Quote from: rolandvg99 on November 10, 2012, 06:18:38 AM
Not my experience at all. I own 4 pairs of K66, 1 pair of K141 monitor, 1 pair of K701 and 1 pair of K240DF. All working perfectly and the oldest, the 240DFs, are 16 years old, accidentally fell out of my car and got towed by it's cord for 60 km and still works!  :)

Likewise. I own a pair of K240's, which I've had for over ten years now, with zero issues. I really like them as monitors.

billbax

#35
Hi,

Don't forget the importance of what's driving your headphones.  A few years back (2006) before shelling out on a pair of Sennheiser HD650's, I decided the best way to appreciate the majestic sound of these headphones, was to design a dedicated headphone amp.

Why have one headphone amp when you can have two



OPA2134 is at the heart of the schematic (LM4562 is another op-amp choice)



Component Overlays



Low Total-Harmonic-Distortion



The project headphone amp's audio quality compared to an integrated amp, or other headphone output is something to experience.  Listening to a pair of HD650's and the project amp is not dissimilar to monitoring 95dB SPL in a quality studio environment.

Full project headphone amp schematics, pcb legends, overlays and component values are available on request.

Regards,

Bill

www.separate-strings.co.uk








mooncaine

Quote from: musicman65 on July 16, 2012, 09:21:04 PM
Phones that alter the tonal balance will make you tweak your tones to fit the phones and may sound thin when recorded or used live.

I use the older Sony MDR-V6 which are specifically designed as reference phones.
Awesome to know; thanks! I have been using these same phones for years, but I was ignorant about them. I inherited them from a videographer.

Now that I've read your post, I feel better about the money I spent on replacement ear cushions for these phones.

vxboogie

Here's my experience. I own these three:

Senn HD280 - sound decent, good isolation so I use them when I mix FOH. These are #3.

Sony 7506 - good flat response phones. I've had these for many years and now use them at work. On my third set of cushion/covers. Would rate them #2

AT ATH-M50 - Best overall sound I use them for rough mixes when I need to be quiet and can't use my studio monitors or for spot checking. #1 for me.

Elantric

Quote
AT ATH-M50 - Best overall sound I use them for rough mixes when I need to be quiet and can't use my studio monitors or for spot checking. #1 for me.

VXBoogie, Thanks for this recommendation,   I have been tracking in a studio that had Sony MDR-7506's, but unlike my well maintained MDR-7506's, the "high miler" versions in the studio sounded terrible, mostly due to their abused rubber ear cups left barely intact, it was tough to hear anything below 500Hz on these worn out MDR-7506's.

I acquired a set of  Audio Technica  ATH-M50S (straight cord version ) and fell in love - probably the best bass definition I have heard in headphones, yet still had well defined high end, and a very nice smooth response across the full audio spectrum. Thanks for pointing these cans out among the pack available today.
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B000ULAP4U

Ringleader

Anyone tried the Yamaha HPH-MT220s? Found out about them in this deal at JRR shop they seem like they could be nice, but not much info about them.

http://www.jrrshop.com/line-6-pod-hd500x-yamaha-hph-mt220-headphones-bundle

Spiritinthesky

I swear by my Sennheiser PXC 405 headphones. Had them for 6 years, been round the world, perfect.

Paresh

slightly OT:
anyone have experience with a hanger for headphones? My cans take a beating. I just saw a review for these:
http://www.harmonycentral.com/expert-reviews/31110576?src=3BNM4DPA

Thanks.
paresh

cjb

Hi all, I know this topic hasn't been active for a while, but since I'm looking for new headphones, it may be worth making it up to date.

The price range of the MDR-7506, ATH-M50X and DT770 looks interesting to me.

From what I see in the forum, the M50X and DT770 look like the best alternatives.
Does anyone here own them both to give me a hint on which to get?

thanks!

JolietJake

You know what, I love these headphones:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/JVC-HA-S160-B-E-FLATS-Lightweight-Headphones/dp/B004M7SQNU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437126920&sr=8-1&keywords=jvc+flats

They are insanely cheap, they are light and don't feel like you have ear muffs on. They just sound bright and clear with a good bass response. Oh and they fold flat. I do wish they had a slightly longer cable, but extension cables are pretty cheap too and its useful to have a breakaway join in a cable when you are standing playing a guitar with headphones on.
I think if they were over £75 a pair people would be raving about them, such is human nature that at around £10 people don't even look at them.
They are widely available and cost next to nothing so why not give them a go. If you hate them then throw them in a drawer and keep them for the next time you are on a flight somewhere.

vxboogie

Quote from: cjb on July 17, 2015, 02:49:33 AM
Hi all, I know this topic hasn't been active for a while, but since I'm looking for new headphones, it may be worth making it up to date.

The price range of the MDR-7506, ATH-M50X and DT770 looks interesting to me.

From what I see in the forum, the M50X and DT770 look like the best alternatives.
Does anyone here own them both to give me a hint on which to get?

thanks!
You can read my comments above on the others from a year and a half ago and my opinions are the same. I still use the 3 above for the same things as listed. The only addition is that I added custom molded Alclair RSM in-ear-monitors to the mix for when I play live. They sound amazing, best sound I've ever heard and what I now judge others against.

To your question, I have heard the DT770, but the "M" or high isolation version. My brother-in-law(drummer) has a set that he uses when playing live and I didn't care for them. To me, my Senn HD280s(#3 on my list) sounded slightly better, have as much isolation and are half the price. In full disclosure, it was at an outdoor gig comparing them against my HD280s, at the board with some good pre-gig music that I was playing from my iPod.