Headphones VS. Cheap Monitors for recording?

[Harry Hughes]

As I've said Mischa, you really don't want to go beyond 90 decibels when mixing anyway. That's already enough to cause hearing damage as it is when exposed to it for several hours on end, and much louder than that, your ears get a skewed perception of frequency response anyway. Typically, an adult screaming is about 90-100 decibels decibels to give you an idea, a screaming baby as much as 105 decibels or higher.
I'd aim for a bit lower for extended sessions, like 75 decibels.
As long as monitors can get you to about 80 decibels without any clipping, you should be fine. Ideally you should be mixing around 70-75 decibels anyway IMO, since that allows you to do it for extended periods without killing your ears.
Ultra amounts of headroom with the super expensive monitors is more about transient response and a whole bunch of other stuff that will only make sense to you if you've been reading about monitors for ages anyway.
I'd go with the Yammies over the Rokit 5 personally, or at least the Rokit 6 over the Rokit 5, if not for the extra headroom, but a better idea of the low end

 

[Demoniac_Industries]

Thanks man. Yeah at the moment it's looking like a tossup between those Wharfedale ones and the Yamaha HS set.

 

[Demonstealer]

If you want a great set and affordable get the TAPCO monitors. I picked up mine for Rs.25,000 a pair which is basically 500 USD in India. It is probably half the price in the US

 

[egan.]

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/equipment/508780-studio-monitors-vs-headphones.html

 

[Demoniac_Industries]

Oh shit, sorry for the irritating done-too-much thread guys. Egan, thanks for the info

 

[Trevoire520]

I've got Yamaha HS-50's here and love them. Only monitors I've used that I like better were the £7000 ATC's I used when I was at college.

 

[P-E]

Hi guys, I'm pretty much new here, but have been directed here by more than a few members over at 7string.org, and they seemed to think i'd be able to get a couple of questions answered

I'm only really about to start recording, so nothing flashy at this point, and am looking to get either a set of monitors (a friend has recommended (for my budget) either KRK Rokit 8's, Behringer B3031A's, or the Yamaha HS80's), or a really good set of headphones (AKG 272HDs or something like that).

Now i've not really done any recording before, only MIDI/sampled stuff, so this will be a first. Mst of what I do is very Industrial in flavour if that makes a difference, with very little guitar and mostly noise/synth/percussion.

Thanks in advance for your help

If you ever buy headphones, don't buy these. I compared all the standard "sutdio" headphones and the best (and one of the cheapest too) was the Audio Technica ATH M50.

 

[Demoniac_Industries]

Awesome as, thanks very much.

I ruled out the AKG272's last night after finding out they make the K701's which are more aimed at recording and whatnot, and now you've suggested the Audio Technica ones to have a look at as well!

I have to check a couple of things out, mainly how much it will be to get some of those Wharfedale monitors shipped from the UK, but at the moment it's a tossup between those Wharfedales and some headphones. Sorry for the n00bishness, hopefully I learn quick