Headphones for Pro studio...?

[RockyTCR]

Looking to get more headphones at the studio I work at. This is for a Pro enviroment, they dont have to be great sounding just durable and if parts go bad they can get replaced. They kind that we bought last time were the Fostex T90's but, they are crap when you get them. If you've had any great experiences with a simple pair please let me know which ones and about how much they are. Thanks

[sonikbliss]

Sony 7506's. Love 'em.

[Professor]

If you mean studio headphones for the musicians to wear, I must say that I've been VERY happy with the Sennheiser HD-202. They are closed ear, circum-aural, full-range, list for $30 and BSW in Tacoma sells them at 5 for $89. They are fairly durable, and cheap enough to be disposable, though the 18 sets I have at the school have been going strong for about a year and a half.

If you mean for mixing, editing, mastering, and other control room work, then it would have to be Sennheiser HD-600 if you can swing the $450 list price or HD-580 ($250 list, $150 street) if you can't. Both are open ear, circum-aural, with soft velveteen ear surrounds. They are the most comfortable cans to wear and sound absolutely gorgeous and natural, like a nice pair of speakers. I can honestly say that I've worn them for over 3 hours at a clip (location concert recordings) and not been the least bit uncomfortable.

-Jeremy

[Mark Alan Miller]

As far as tracking goes, Sony MDR-7506's here too.
Only complaint is that they sometimes are a bit bright to some people.
Easiest time I've ever had getting a whole band happy with the headphone mix has been with these.

I keep a handful of Sony MDRCD-180's around. They typically run under $20 each, so if I have a rambuntious band in and don't wanna mess up my $89-$99 or more 'phones I put these out instead. They are actually the best sounding cheapo cans I've heard so far.

[Kilroy]

Sony 7506's. Love 'em.

Just got a pair this past week and love these. They sound great to me.

[eh91311]

For musicians, Sennheiser HD202's are good to track with. Sony 7506's are a kind of standard. Audio-Technica ATH-M40 are good-sounding headphones. A-T's repair and technical service is great, which helps if they break (and they will).

I can tell you what NOT to use; Sony 7502's are not worth the $50 they cost.
A friend has the Sennheiser HD580's, but they broke soon after he bought them. He liked the sound when they were working, but...

Try 7506's for your good check-the-mix phones, HD202's for musicians to track with. You can do much worse. Don't spend zillions on phones, they all break.

[Professor]

Yeah, I guess 7506s always come up, and indeed I keep 4 pairs of them around the school studio. They're kinda bright and quite loud, but very good for closed ear cans. I just always cringe at putting $100 cans out for the musicians, especially since mine are college students, though even the faculty make me worry.

-Jeremy

[Aeroplane Audio]

I am very happy with my Audio TEchnica M40-fs ones. Flat response...long cord...comfy as hell. Love 'em. 60-70 bucks street price for new.

[Tim Casey]

We've been using AKG D240 headphones for about twenty-five years. They sound great, and you can wear them for days if you have to. They're kinda quiet, though (600 ohms). They're usually $89.

They make a "studio" pair of these now with lower impedance (= higher volume); I think they're called "D240S".

If you're tracking quiet stuff, you may want to look into headphones with extreme isolation so nothing bleeds into the mic (like a click track). Also, the drummer will need some extreme isolation so that he can hear his drums through the headphones instead of in the room without pumping five hundred watts of audio through his skull!

[junkstar]

I'd recommend the AKG D240's as well. I've only had one pair crap out on me due to some knumbnuts stressing out the cord. Otherwise, total bang for your over-ear buck.

[i am monster face]

On the topic of isolation. I don't want to spend $100 for isolation headphones when the drummer is going to be the only person listening to them (no offense drummers). I have heard Vic Firth has a set of headphones that are pretty cheap, and I don't care really about audio quality. I just want attenuation.

Any suggestions?

Ian

[logancircle]

I saw a guy in a business suit riding a longboard on Capitol Hill with a pair of those INCREDIBLE Grado open-ear headphones--the wooden ones. That is the life (except the Capitol Hill part) See http://www.gradolabs.com/product_pages/rs1.htm

[analogcabin]

I too use quite a few pairs of the 7506's. My only 2 gripes are the way the earpads "shed" after a little while. Anyone have a source for Cheap replacements? The other thing is the coiled cord. It always gets tangled around stuff. I'd love to rewire them with straight, longer cord. Anyone have a suggestion as to where to find Headphone Cable (light flexible gauge) in lengths longer than 25 feet?

Thanks........

[bluetarp]

Ditto on the 7506 shedding earpad, somebody please post a source! Many thanks in advance!

Can't any three conductor cable be used for headphones?

[Meriphew]

MDR 7506's work great for me.