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Good pro headphone for mixing.


hangee_77

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I just moved to a new place & my new landlord always want to keep his house silent. So right now I cannot use my speaker monitor again but I was thinking to buy a really good professional mixing headphone.

Any suggestion?

Thanks.

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mixing headphone
Unfortunately, that's an oxymoron.

 

I do it, but only because I don't have a decent monitor setup at this time, and I know to compensate for what headphones don't do right. Plus, I'm often mixing while my wife is sleeping. And I don't expect pro results from myself, it's just a hobby.

 

Hopefully you're aware of the huge difference in stereo imaging you get with cans versus speakers. If not, ask and we'll try to clue you in.

 

I'll be interested in what folks have to recommend. I get by with what I use (Sony wireless), but I wouldn't recommend them in general.

 

In any case, whatever you end up using, be sure to listen to your favorite in-genre music a lot through them to get yourself calibrated, before doing any mixing with them. This is equally true for headphones or speakers, even world-class top-of-the-line studio monitors.

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Not that I am an expert, but from everything I have ever heard, read, or seen Jeff's comments on the oxymoron status of mixing headphones seem to be true.

 

On a further note, I would go insane if I could not listen to music, or play it a moderate volume in my house.

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Originally posted by AnCap:

Not that I am an expert, but from everything I have ever heard, read, or seen Jeff's comments on the oxymoron status of mixing headphones seem to be true.

 

On a further note, I would go insane if I could not listen to music, or play it a moderate volume in my house.

Listen to Jeff. He knows a lot about morons. He also knows quite a bit about cold beer. ;)

 

Regarding headphones - don't mix on 'em unless you're going to listen to the playback on headphones 100% of the time. If you, or just ONE of your friends tries to listen to your mix on loudspeakers, well... his head will explode leaving his ears exposed on the linoleum for the dogs to chew on. :freak:

 

Trust me on this.

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo
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Sennheiser makes a good professional quality studio headphone aptly named the HD 280 PRO.

They have received rave reviews by Professional review sites and they won't break the bank at $99 retail. You can pick them up at your nearest Guitar Center in the San Jose area or purchase them online at Music123.com, etc.

 

Of course there are other professional quality headphones that are better but you will most likely end up spending a whole lot more for them. A good example in a higher end headphone is the Beyerdynamics 250-80. But they will cost you twice as much and may not be a significant improvement to justify their higher cost.

 

Happy shopping on whatever you decide to get. :thu:

Mike
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I use Beyerdynamic DT-770s, and they are the cleanest, most transparent cans I've ever heard. THey have a big bottom, clear mids, sparkling highs, and accuracy like you wouldn't believe. Plus, padded velvet earcups make for phones you can wear for HOURS!

 

But, never mix in headphones. You will artificially skew your stereo field placement, and you'll make your mixes bottom heavy. It'll sound good in cans, and then when you listen elsewhere, you'll FREAK.

Cheers!

 

Phil "Llarion: The Jazzinator" Traynor

www.llarion.com

Smooth Jazz

- QUESTION AUTHORITY. Go ahead, ask me anything.

http://www.llarion.com/images/dichotomybanner.jpg

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They have a 650 model now, which is excellent, but pricey. I have a set of AKG 240 DFs which are quite good. If you're going to mix on phones, be prepared to go through a bunch of trial and error burns while you play your mixes on car and other stereos and try to compensate for the problems the phones will create in getting a mix that translates well on different systems.

"I don't know anything about music. In my line, you don't have to."

-Elvis Presley (1935-1977)

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I'll have to agree with everyone above about NOT mixing using headphones but I also have a pair of Beyer DT-770's like Llarion and agree with everything he says about them. I tried the Sony's, I tried the Sennheiser's ... and it always came back to the Beyers. But then again, I'm deaf so what do I know? Let your ears be the judge. Just like recommendations you'd get if you asked about monitors, take a CD of something you know inside and out (your own music, Dark Side of the Moon, whatever) and listen through different headphones. You'll find the ones that sound the best will make you happy. Next, get your landlord's schedule down pat so you know when he's gone. Then mix when he's gone. Even if it's on a cheaper set of monitors until you can scrape up the change for good ones. My two cents!

 

Kronos 88 | MODX7 | Wavestate | Crave | KeyLab 61 | CPS SSv3 | MacBook Pro | MainStage | Komplete 13U | V Collection 9 | Roland Jupiter-Xm | Slate VSM ML-1 & VSX | Behringer Poly-D | ASM Hydrasynth Deluxe | Roli Seaboard Rise 49 |  Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2, Trillian, & Keyscape | AAS Collection | More VSTs than I'll ever figure out

 

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Originally posted by Red Winger:

If you're going to mix on phones, be prepared to go through a bunch of trial and error burns while you play your mixes on car and other stereos and try to compensate for the problems the phones will create in getting a mix that translates well on different systems.

It's called comparison monitoring, and it's crucial whether you mix in a perfect studio or with tin cans and strings. But Winger's point is valid: if you're using headphones, be prepared to do more of it (more times, more stereos).

 

Tom, glad to see your sense of humor is still intact! Hope you'r finger's doing as well. C'mon out to a jam sometime, beers are on me. Tonight in Mebane. You missed a couple of the very best shows ever recently. (And one of the worst, too!)

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Try the Ultrasone line. There's as good as you'll find. I used them in June when mixing live at Bonnaroo for XM Radio. The stage was only 40 feet from my mixing position and monitors weren't the best option in that case. The two models I use are -

 

HFI-700 (a bit brighter)

HFI-550 (a bit darker)

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Originally posted by keynote:

Sennheiser makes a good professional quality studio headphone aptly named the HD 280 PRO.

They have received rave reviews by Professional review sites and they won't break the bank at $99 retail. You can pick them up at your nearest Guitar Center in the San Jose area or purchase them online at Music123.com, etc. :thu:

I bought a pair based on a review I read in Keyboard mag. I then took them home on a 3 day try out. I like the fit of them. They sound great, although the high end is slightly boosted. Unfortunately the head band has broken in 2 places. The outer casing of the headband, exposing wires & the other is where the expansion spot is. The damage was done in about a year & a half of moderate usage of maybe an hour or two per day.

Steve

 

www.seagullphotodesign.com

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OK everyone's pointed out the negatives, but you wanted some suggestions so here's a couple.

 

I have Sennheiser EH2200 and AKG K240 Studio headphones and am very happy with both, especially the AKGs - comfortable and not fatiguing.

 

I dont mix on them though.

 

John

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Originally posted by learjeff:

Tom, glad to see your sense of humor is still intact! Hope you'r finger's doing as well. C'mon out to a jam sometime, beers are on me. Tonight in Mebane. You missed a couple of the very best shows ever recently. (And one of the worst, too!)

Thanks Jeff. I appreciate the invitation.

 

Tom

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo
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Originally posted by rockfan:

Got back from the local music store.

They highly recommend Sennheiser's SHD280 PRO.

At $200 a pop, they are the best.

I asked about SONY, they said Sennheiser is taking over the market in digital electronics.

GC like makes a big margin on the 280s. Do yourself a favor and try the Ulrtasone. I've given my Sennheiser phones away since I bought the Ultrasone 550s.
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I dearly love my Grado Labs Alessandro Music Series 'phones. The most un-headphone-sounding headphones I've ever used. No good for monitoring when there are open mics, but they fatigue me not at all and are light and comfy.

 

I also like the Ultrasones a lot.

Technical Editor

Keyboard Magazine

 

More people pay for Keyboard than any other music-tech magazine. Period.

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