Headphone recommendations.

[Jerrick]

My birthday is coming up, and one thing im looking for is a good set of monitoring/studio headphones.

I dont want to go much higher than $400. But I figure because im usually up late, I might as well be able to record and mix well, then check the stuff out fully on my monitors during the day and when the band is in to check how their stuff is sitting in the mix.

Right now im looking at these.

But im not too savy on headphones and what is good and isnt.

Let me know what you think about these, or what you would go and get with $400.

Thanks.

 

[lolzgreg]

Sony MDR-7509HD.

I do all my mixing on em, they're pretty true to the mix.

 

[LydonB]

Beyerdynamic dt770s. Get the 250 ohm version, not the 80.

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

I've got AT ATH-m50 and they rule

 

[Nectar-and-Fuel]

The HD600s rule, my favorite headphone ever. Never tried the 650s 'cause I hear they emphasize the bass. 600s sounded great plugged into anything, even cheap hardware with shitty built-in amps listening to low bitrate encoded mp3s.

I spent $150 on the Cardas cable like a jackass though, impossible to say if it's any drastic improvement since I no longer have the original cable.

If you get any Senns, remove the foam pad on the inside of the earcup. It just comes out.

 

[Jerrick]

If you get any Senns, remove the foam pad on the inside of the earcup. It just comes out.

Thanks for the tip.

The HD600 is calling out to me, but ill be checking out the others soon

Ill be running them from the phone out on my ultalite mk3. Should be good.

 

[Meisterjäger]

Beyerdynamic dt770s. Get the 250 ohm version, not the 80.

Been looking at these. I don't have a headphone amp, and I've been told if that's the case, the 80ohm ones are best

 

[Jevil]

I've been using the HD595 Ovation many years, but yesterday one of the phones fucked and died.

So now i'm searching for good headphones... Sennheiser is my first option, but... I've been recommended this:

http://www.akg.com/personal/K_701,pcatid,4,pid,1,_psmand,1.html

 

[Yhanthlei]

I've been using the HD595 Ovation many years, but yesterday one of the phones fucked and died.

So now i'm searching for good headphones... Sennheiser is my first option, but... I've been recommended this:

http://www.akg.com/personal/K_701,pcatid,4,pid,1,_psmand,1.html

I got the K 701, they're very transparent, have a good soundstage...
The only problem is they tend to emphasize the highs, you really have to get
used to 'em so your mixes won't suck on monitors

However listening to some classic is awesome on these, especially strings!

 

[Jerrick]

Those AKGs look nice too.

Im not sure if im going to notice the sound quality difference of 200 dollars. Like if the extra $200 price tag is going to add quality into the headphone that make it worth it over something cheaper.

 

[Proggm]

DT770s all the way. I have the AKG 240s too, and I prefer the Beyer's by far.

 

[Jevil]

So... these are the options I'm thinking about to buy

- Sony MDR-7509HD .... ...........147 € + 19 €= 166 €
- AKG 701 .......... ....... ...........200 € + 32 € = 232 €
- Sennheiser 600 ...... ............200 € + 32 € = 232 €
- Sennheiser 595 Pro ..... ..........130 € + 35 € = 165 €
- beyerdynamic dt770 80 ohm .... 106 € + 20 € = 126 €

All in Ebay, new items, shipping from USA to Europe.
Any other cheaper store?

 

[Jerrick]

So... these are the options I'm thinking about to buy

- Sony MDR-7509HD .... ...........147 € + 19 €= 166 €
- AKG 701 .......... ....... ...........200 € + 32 € = 232 €
- Sennheiser 600 ...... ............200 € + 32 € = 232 €
- beyerdynamic dt770 80 ohm .... 106 € + 20 € = 126 €

This is what im down to now. Though ill probably have to limit myself to phones that dont need a amp to run.

Though if I go for one of the $200-$300 options, then ill have some extra money for phone amp.

 

[Jerrick]

And now AKGs are out. The price, and then most likely having to get an amp, is just too much for me. [EDIT: Sony might be out too. Been reading about it having some extra bass compared to others that are more flat. And I just want a flat listening to truly here my mix. But we'll see.]

Ill be going to Guitarcenter this Wednesday to setup a system and start trying out headphones.

Thanks for all the help. Now one last question.

I have a motu ultralite mk3, and the phone out on it should be fine for now and hold me off until I get a headphone amp. But once I get the amp, how will I connect it from the interface?

Ive never messed with the amps, so im hoping its something as simple as plugging from the interface to the amp to my ears.

 

[Jevil]

Are you sure you need a preamp for the phones?

 

[Jerrick]

I might not. Ill test it through my interface first. But some reviews are saying you need a phoneamp for it to get its best quality.

 

[Nectar-and-Fuel]

More about the HD600s: it's said they do sound best when amped, but I could not tell the difference between listening to them on the Headroom amp I had and plugging them directly into my mixing board.

You may want to consider some Grado phones also, I got my first pair (SR80is) and they sound great. They do need a little equalization but after that they sound awesome.

 

[Jerrick]

Haha, thanks. Another brand to add to the list and research.

 

[Jevil]

Well, after googling for one day now my options have been reduced:

AT M50 ........ 144 €

AKG 701 ......... 209 €

People say great things about both.
AT is cheaper but they are closed and I don't want isolation.
AT have too much bass and AKG just the opposite.

 

[Jerrick]

Id go with the AKG and learn how to deal with the bass.

Same could be said with the M50s, but after trying some out today, I just like the AKGs better.

EDIT: Found this headphone amp. I heard that its really amazing, specially for the price.