Headphones?

[mattmiranda01]

So, i'm in the market for some headphones for my studio. I need a pair that is good for overall work, mixing mostly. I also need some headphones with really good isolation and volume for the drummer to play too. I'd like to get them for under 75 bucks, 100 at the very most. Suggestions?

[Professor]

I use Sennheiser HD-202 headphones for the musicians in the live room. They are sealed-ear, circumaural (goes around the ear) and sound quite nice while still being dirt cheap. They are sold by BSW in Tacoma at 5 sets for $89.
For mixing, I would recommend speakers.
But if you really must use headphones, you should look for open-ear designs as they sound more natural and 'speaker-like'. Sennheiser is again my choice there, although I aim for higher quality sets like the HD-525, HD-580 or HD-600. They are way over your budget but can sometimes be found cheaper online.
Someone will invariably recommend the Sony MDR-7506 which sells around $100 a pair and they sound great, but they are sealed-ear and so sound cramped and small and aren't as goos for trying to mix.

But for the best, unbiased reviews of all headphones, you should visit Headroom in Bozeman. They actually do independent testing of every set of cans they sell.

-Jeremy

[toddjal]

(added:someone already mentioned this now, sorry)

There is two philosophies behind the construction of headphones.

The first is open designs. They have...well...open...backs. This allows The sound to bounce on, in, and off the ear more realistic to the real world. This design is usually used on more expensive headphones (Like the gorgious ones by Ultrasone). They are much better for mixing but obviously no good at isolation.

The second is closed designs. Much better for isolation. An extreme example is the ones by Vic Firth (typically a drum manufacturer) that are basically construction ear-covers with drivers built into them. The problem is that the isolated sound is forced to bounce within the closed in room creating all sorts of minor sound problems. The end result is usually slightly muffled compared to real speakers or open designs, and not quite as nice for mixing.

The biggest problem with mixing on phones (and a good reason to spend much more time listening on speakers) is that the stereo image is hyped. When you listen to speakers you hear room ambience and sound from both speakers ends up on the opposite ear. When you mix on phones(especially isolated ones) the sound from one phone never gets to the other ear. This usually means that the engineer mixes a considerably more narrow stereo image on phones that often sounds boring and mono-ish on speakers. This is ok though if you know it in advance and try to compensate as best as possible.

As for what to buy, it sounds like you might want to sacrafice both a bit and find a balance in a pair that's closed but not hugely insulated. Honestly, the difference in phones in the 100 dollar range is not big, often led more by name brand, loyalty, or comfort than it is by quality. Find a pair that sits well on your ears for hours and you're good to go. Most of them have the 1/8th inch to 1/4 adapters now-a-days and those break fairly quickly, at which point you buy a nice five dollar 1/4" jack and solder it on. People used to like the AKG's but I can't wear them for more than 5 minutes, and the harness broke alot in my old studio. I still use some old $100 sony's I bought before I knew anything about audio, they're comfy, semi-open, new 1/4" and will last untill I can afford a pair of Ultrasone's.

Best of Luck.

[mattmiranda01]

so then, what's a good set of inexpensive speakers?

[jspartz]

Is it just me or has the Sony 7506 changed the way they sound? I have a few pairs I bought a couple years back that sound so much smoother and better to my ears. The last couple I have bought sound harsh and hyped in a not so nice way. Did they change the way they make them or is it just me?

I am also looking for a pair of closed back headphones that sound good, have good isolation (keep the click track out of the vocal performance type of thing), and are under 100 dollars. What are people using?

Jason

[kayagum]

mattmiranda01-

Pay a visit to Metro Sound Studios in St. Paul (Fairview and University)- you can try whatever you want, and they have stuff in your budget range.

[mattmiranda01]

thanks. that's a great idea, i'll check it out.

[instamatic]

Are there any surprisingly good and cheap headphones that anyone has come across out-there?

[8th_note]

I've tried several low cost headphones so here's a quick review of what I've found:

Koss UR40: Open back, $40. These and the Koss R80 are the best bargains I've found. The UR40s sound amazingly good for $40.00.

Koss R80: Closed back, $50. These are pretty good for monitoring phones. They sound very clear but they only have average isolation.

Koss Pro4AAT: Closed back, $100. Fairly good isolation but these headphones have a boosted midrange that give them limited usefulness. OK as monitoring phones but I would go with R80's first.

Sennheiser HD280: Closed back, $100. I use these as my monitoring phones. A little better sound than the R80s and a little better isolation.

Audio-Technica ATH M30: Closed back, $70. These sound quite good but have poor isolation. The Koss R80 is a better value for monitoring headphones.

Vic Firth Stereo Isolation Headphones: Closed back, $50. They sound like dog doo, they don't go very loud without distorting, but they have by far the best isolation. Give them to the drummer who's already lost most of his hearing anyway.

[themagicmanmdt]

I really like the HD 280's by Sennheiser, but there's a couple things to be noted.

1) they're great for monitoring. they need to be 'broken in' to make the highs less shrill and the bass actually present. i'd recommend plugging them in your stereo and letting them play for a day or so

2) they have great isolation, and great spatial orientation. some people's heads have the stereo image placed higher than the line of your ears, so maybe give em a try to see if you like them.

3) if you dont mind those two - they're magnificent! i mean it! break them in and don't have an exceptionally large head!

[instamatic]

someone gave me a pair of the Koss UR40's and they are surprisingly good.

[Roboburger]

bhphotovideo.com has HD 280s for 73 bucks, no tax , no shipping. if ya wanna step up, they have the superior tone/ less isolation 580s for 140. also no tax no shipping.

[adam]

I'll second the Sennheiser 280s. Better cans exist, but not for <$100 imo.

For the drummer, those Extreme Isolation headphones really aren't bad. I actually used them tonight for smaill room live recording, and I could hear pretty well.

[JWL]

sennheiser HD280, +1.

They sound good, and have very good isolation. nothing better in the price range imho.

I use broadband earplugs, and crank the shit out of these headphones when placing mics in a loud room. Works great.

[lg]

for $100 headphones, i like the HD280's as well, with the one caveat that they can get rather uncomfortable on the ears after awhile. much more so than the sony's (at least on my fat head)...so fatigue can be a factor- not listening fatigue, as i do like the way the sound, but just physically how they feel.