ATH M50 vs DT770 vs other

[LeSedna]

Hi there,

I will have to rely on headsets for a short while, especially for simple pre production (recording, editing, simple mixing) and when I am in the hotel.

I wanna give a go to these. Would you still recommend them today against my HD650 ? I wanna try something else maybe even both if I find them used for cheap.

Any alternative ? Devon ? Must be closed (my HD650 are open and it's annoying in a noisy hotel)

Also, which impedance is the best on the DT770 ? Should it match my card output impedance ?

Thanks !

 

[schismatic]

I'm GASing for the Focal Spirit Professionals. Take a look at those.

 

[Arsonstudios]

i have the dt770's with 250ohm and the m50.
headphones with lower impedances will be able to provide more volume. this is sometimes critical with my dt770. for example on the train my iphone would be at max volume when listening to music with the dt770. with the m50 that would make my ears bleed.
the beyers have very little low end compared to the m50 but i wouldnt call the m50 hyped in the low end maybe just a little hifi sounding. so soundwise for mixing i like the m50 more not so much because of the level issue but more because of the low end resolution. the dt770 on the other hand is way way more comfortable to wear for longer periods the m50 gets uncomfortable after a while... but it might just be the shape of my head maybe it works better for somebody else
can't comment on the comparison to the hd650.
feature wise the m50 is also very sexy if you want it portable. it comes with a bag they can be folded and you can disconnect the cable on the new ones. the price is also very good i think.
maybe the dt770 with 32 ohm are better. probably louder but maybe also a bit more low end.

 

[guitarfishbay]

Maybe I just have big ears and a big head but I do not find my ATH M50s comfortable for long periods of time. The pads sit on my ear rather than going around it. My old Sennheiser HD380s were much more comfortable in that regard but I do feel the M50s sound a bit more accurate and seem to translate to my monitors (HS8s) better. The newest M50X version supposedly has redesigned ear pads but I have not yet tried a pair to see if it will solve the comfort issue for myself.

 

[LeSedna]

Isn't it like a sacred graal of DT770, produced before 2005 or something ? I remember Ermz talking about that when he was trying to find better cans some years ago.

I know the effect of impedance on volume but there has to be a point where it affects quality otherwise the lower would be the better ? So there must be a sweet spots on top of the fact 32ohms is good if you plan on using it with your favorite mp3 player ! It would be cool though to be able to use it on the laptop 3.5mm jack at a good volume though, because it is practical once in a while an my internal sound card is good enough for mixing only, latency wise.

 

[Code001]

Maybe I just have big ears and a big head but I do not find my ATH M50s comfortable for long periods of time. The pads sit on my ear rather than going around it. My old Sennheiser HD380s were much more comfortable in that regard but I do feel the M50s sound a bit more accurate and seem to translate to my monitors (HS8s) better. The newest M50X version supposedly has redesigned ear pads but I have not yet tried a pair to see if it will solve the comfort issue for myself.

Bend the headband if they're pressing against your head too much.

 

[LeSedna]

Just for info about comfort, the HD650 are very very comfortable, I could listen all day long with them. They don't press your head, they are circumaural and smooth, and boeing open they are quite clear and you have little boxy effect. I am satisfied with them but would like to try the usual suspects to make myself a more accurate opinion on all those cans and find the one that fits me the best ! Also the HD650 are just not meant to be used for tracking as they bleed a lot with their open design (useless with my rode NT1 for example if I want a silent and subtle recording).

 

[Arsonstudios]

I know the effect of impedance on volume but there has to be a point where it affects quality otherwise the lower would be the better ? So there must be a sweet spots on top of the fact 32ohms is good if you plan on using it with your favorite mp3 player ! It would be cool though to be able to use it on the laptop 3.5mm jack at a good volume though, because it is practical once in a while an my internal sound card is good enough for mixing only, latency wise.

headphones with higher impedance are supposed to have a better transient response and higher accuracy due to lighter/thinner coils than headphones with lower impedance which use thicker/heavier coils.
but i have never done a comparison on that. there might be a big difference between the two beyerdynamics because of that but i only heard the 250.
soundwise i still think the m50 is better though its only 32ohm.
not sure if this was your question haha
i never used the new m50x version so i can't say if comfort has improved.

 

[MatrixClaw]

M50s for accuracy - DT770s for comfort. If you're going to be mixing for long periods of time on headphones, I'd opt for the DT770s, they're not as accurate, but damn those things are insanely comfortable.

Those Focal headphones look interesting, though... at least until I read the part where it comes with two cables, one which has a microphone built into it for smartphones. Why the fuck would Focal build studio headphones for plugging into your smartphone? Now I just feel like they're a gimmick.

 

[egan.]

I think I can answer the focal question. They're trying to hit 2 markets simultaneously. Why design two separate headphones when you don't have to? The market for $300 headphones plugged into iphone is likely a lot larger than the market for purpose built studio phones. If you can hit both markets with a simple cable, why not?

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

I had the M50's for a long time and loved the sound, but I too found them tight and uncomfortable over long periods. I went to B&H in Manhattan a few months back to try a bunch of headphones and actually ended up going for the Beyer 990's (250 ohm) which I love - I really didn't like the 770's very much, I remember them sounding kinda harsh and scooped, and the 880's were overly bassy and kinda bloated sounding. Tried a couple of AKG Pairs (don't remember the models, but they were in the $100-$300 range) and wasn't impressed either.

The only disadvantage of the 990's is they're pretty quiet, so you have to crank the output volume (my Galaxy S III is only just loud enough through them, not sure how the iPhone headphone amp compares), but quite honestly, they sounded better than every pair I tried except for the M50's (tie) and HD650's, so I'd say they'd be worth getting even if you have to buy a small external Headphone amp! And also, holy shit are they comfy, it's like wearing a cloud

EDIT: Also, the 990's are semi-open, which is probably why they sound more like listening to good speakers than the closed M50's, but it also means there's some leakage, so not good for commuting

 

[LeSedna]

The thing is, for commuting, I use these, which are not as good as studio headphones but the noise canceling feature is awesome in a plane or train, because it removes that low end rumble which is very tiring. Also, even though they are of course pricey, you would be surprised at how much detail you can get with those ! http://www.bose.com/controller?url=...ncelling_headphones/quietcomfort_15/index.jsp and my HD650s are very comfortable in my opinion ! Like you say about your Beyer, they feel like a cloud to me !

So maybe I will foliow the consensus which seems to be : the m50s are the most accurate in this price range ! I don't need something ultra comfy, this would only be for occasional short time mixing and especially recording/preprod/editing and all. Because if anything, I am more confused now than before

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

Oh right, missed that you already have the 650's, so the 990's would be kinda redundant for you - M50's all the way then I'd say!

 

[LeSedna]

Wow there is a destock of them for -30% brand new in my cities music store ! Basically I'm gonna buy them 105euros in their box. Such a no brainer !

 

[xTomx]

Love my M50s, they can get a little clammy after long periods but they translate well (other than having a noticeable dip at 80Hz).

 

[egan.]

The thing is, for commuting, I use these, which are not as good as studio headphones but the noise canceling feature is awesome in a plane or train, because it removes that low end rumble which is very tiring.

FWIW I worked with a bigish engineer last year and he used those Bose for listening. "They don't sound perfect but I know them better than anything."

 

[FrancescoFiligoi]

GASing on the Focal Spirits too, they get top notch reviews everywhere. Take a look at those definitely!

 

[amarshism]

senn hd600s are ultimo comfort along with the 770s and i dig em. i like the athm50s but they are super uncomfortable as i wear glasses and they get pretty painful to wear for very long

 

[atoragon]

i have a pair of dt880 pro, and probably are the best headphone i've ever tried, both for tracking and for mixing.

 

[Nimvi]

I really didn't like the 770's very much, I remember them sounding kinda harsh and scooped

I agree on the scooped thing. I have been using 770's as a mix reference and as tracking headphones (for myself) for a few years now, but mainly for the comfort (pretty much every other headphone gives me a headache within minutes) and the bass reference. They may not be 100% accurate in the bass, but I have grown accustomed to how the bass should sound in them, so it's functional to me.

The mids definitely sound recessed to me; I always want to boost them while wearing these phones, so I've learned to just not make any changes in that area while wearing them.

The (somewhat) harsh thing is kind of handy imo. I don't like overly bright mixes, so I set the high end so it sounds open but not painful in those phones and that usually translates very well

I don't find them very good as tracking headphones for vocalists, because imo they bleed quite a lot. I rather use sennheiser 280 for that. Same goes for micing guitar cabs.

So my fnal verdict for the 770's: decent, comfortable headphones with some clear strengths and weaknesses. Absolutely usable for mixing, but imo you should have at least one other reference for the mids. Isolation could be better.