looking for new headphones

[dongna]

Ever since I can remember I've used Sony MDR-V600's (currently on my second pair) and have basically been satisfied with them. My current pair has developed a buzzing sound in them, so assuming this is something non-repairable (is anything repairable these days?) I'm looking for a new pair of cans. I'm mostly just using them for evening playing when I don't want to disturb others in the house-- not for professional mixing or anything. So I'd like something decent quality, but don't want, or need, to spend a fortune. Don't even remember what I paid for the MDR's... maybe around $100? Something in that price range seems about right.

 

Anyone got any suggestions?

[timwat]

In that price range, I think it's hard to go wrong with the Sony MDR 7506, under $100 (before tax and shipping, if applicable).

 

I also like the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro, and the Audio-Technica ATH-M40, each at that "$99" price point. If possible, you'd probably want to try to A/B them at a local store as they don't sound identical to one another.

 

BTW, for a budget knock around headphone, I might suggest anyone give the Superlux HD 668b a try. You will never guess the sound from these cans only cost you $37 dollars, and if you take them to a gig and they get swiped or broken you won't feel badly about it.

[ElmerJFudd]

There are so many on the market now - but some thoughts on type for your purpose.

 

#1 sound good on piano

#2 comfortable to wear for extended practice

#3 material that touches your skin doesnt make your face/ears sweat

#4 open vs. closed back

 

If you are in the room alone, consider open back headphones. less sound build up, allows for some air to pass, but people in the room with you can hear what your listening to. If you want to play in the same room the Mrs. is watching TV, then go closed back.

 

On the cheap maybe Yamaha HPH-150B Open-back Headphones $99

 

These Beyer Dynamics Look comfy for $200, Beyerdynamic DT 990 Premium Edition 250 ohm Open Studio Headphones

 

I"ve been surprisingly happy with these, Samson SR850 Semi-open Studio Headphones $45. For the price, sound and comfort, impressive.

 

If you liked your MDRs they of course still make them.

$100, Sony MDR-7506 Closed-Back Professional Headphones. Very easy to find replacement ear pads for the 7506, they sold so many of them.

[Mighty Motif Max]

AKG makes nice-sounding headphones for playing extended periods of time. The K275 is a good general-purpose headphone that sounds nice with keys IMO. The K240 Studio is cheaper and semi-open-back vs closed back, it's all a preference thing. I have both and like them both. They're also nice if you have big ears - you'll forget they're even on.

[KuruPrionz]

I have the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro, they sound nice but I get tired of having them on my head. I have a pair of EX-25 Extreme Isolation headphones, those are good for tracking vocals. They don't sound "right" to me for music.

 

I have a vintage pair of AKG K240 headphones made in Austria, got them at Goodwill for $2.50. I actually have 2 pairs but only one works. I like them, they sound good and are comfortable.

And I have a pair of AKG K52 headphones, which are cheap and sound good but just feel cheap.

 

There are TONS of good sounding headphones in the $100 range. Comfort is your first consideration and all of us are different. If possible, try some different sets by different brands and see what you like.

 

If you like the Sonys you've been using, just get another pair of those and be done with it.

[dongna]

Thanks all.

 

Kuru, in spite of the fact I've owned 2 sets of the Sonys, I can't say as I've been completely happy with them. The first pair kind of fell apart quality-wise, and now the second pair as I mentioned has developed a buzzing sound.

 

Comfort has also been an issue with the Sonys-- I sometimes wear them for hours at a time, and I've found the Sonys have sometimes gotten a little hot.

 

Another unanticipated issue has arisen-- impedance. I'm finding a pretty wide range (from like 32 ohms up to 250 ohms). I'm using a Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 (3rd gen) interface... will this interface drive any of these?

 

A buddy of mine turned me on to the Beyerdynamic DT770 pro... a little more expensive than my stated price range, but any opinions on them?

[KuruPrionz]

You should be OK on the impedance, You may have to turn some sets of headphones up higher on the volume knob than others but you'll have plenty of extra volume left over.

 

I've never tried the Beyer headphones. For comfort I've liked the AKG the best so far. Audio Technica and Shure both sell headphones and are well regarded, I've never tried those either.

Somebody gave me the Sennheisers, I got a stupid deal on the Extreme Isolation headphones from a local music shop that was closing it's doors after 40+ years.

 

Honestly, I wouldn't know what to buy if I didn't have some that are pretty OK. I do use them as a mix reference or for when it's late at night and firing up the monitors would not be popular in a multi unit.

 

I will be curious what you decide to get and how you like them!

[elif]

Koss Porta Pro. 45 USD. Unless you have a really small head, you'll probably need to clip out the little blue plastic thingy that defaults them into the ear-fatiguing-head-squeeze position. Don't use them for mixing but for casual listening or band practice where you want to hear the ambient sound, they do fine. Good bass response.

[Ed A.]

In that price range, I think it's hard to go wrong with the Sony MDR 7506, under $100 (before tax and shipping, if applicable).

 

I've owned many headphones over years and the Sony MDR 7506's are my favorite. For almost thirty years I used Sony MDR-V6 that look and sound similar to the MDR 7506, but they aren't made anymore. Both have excellent clarity and don't exaggerate the bass.

I also have the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro, but they're too uncomfortable and they exaggerate the bass. I recently tried the KRK KNS 6400 and hated them. Way too muddy and undefined, IMO.

[ImproKeys]

DT 770 pro are Great for recording, as they are closed. I use them since years. DT 880 pro is semi open and very neutral and clean sounding. I use them when not needing a closed one.

BTW beyerdynamic also offers âedition' versions, which sound exactly the same but have a different cable and less pressure on your head, while being cheaper sometimes.

[Mike Martin]

I was a huge MDR-7506 fan for yeas. I probably still have a few pairs of them.

 

A couple years ago a friend of mine at AKG sent me a pair of K371 headphones. I've honestly never been a fan of their headphones but a few things struck me right away.

They sound really good but not overly hyped. They do seem to have a lower frequency response but not in a exaggerated way. They're crazy comfortable for long time use. I've had to mix on them countless times and they translate significantly better for me than the Sony headphones.

[Stokely]

It's a jump in price but not hugely so, if prices still hold...I got some Massdrop Sennheisers (hd58x, which is basically the hd600) for 150 bucks. These are far and away the nicest phones I've had, which includes my Senn 280s and various others. They are open-backed, which makes them better for mixing and casual use (more comfy for one). Not as good for privacy so for tracking I'd use my 280s.

 

Massdrop is a group buying site and you can save a lot. Normally the hd600s are over 300 dollars. They also have hd650s but they were 50 bucks more, and from what I read there wasn't a ton of difference, with some people preferring the 600s.

[Flavio Maia]

If you can find the Takstar Pro82, they are very comfortable, and sound nice. Maybe a little sharp on treble, but has adjustable bass. And it's well below $100.

[dongna]

I don't think I've ever owned or used open back phones. I wouldn't be using them for tracking, so some sound leakage would not be an issue. But can anyone tell me just how loud the leakage is? Say for example if my better half was trying to work in the same room while I was playing, would the sound leakage be enough to disturb her? I realize there's some subjectivity to that question, but any opinions welcome.

[hardware]

I haven"t been handcuffed for a long time.

IEMs have made the one size fits all curly cabled headphones very cheap.

Think I"ll use my Amazon coupons and get me some.

 

Good Thread

[Stokely]

I don't think I've ever owned or used open back phones. I wouldn't be using them for tracking, so some sound leakage would not be an issue. But can anyone tell me just how loud the leakage is? Say for example if my better half was trying to work in the same room while I was playing, would the sound leakage be enough to disturb her? I realize there's some subjectivity to that question, but any opinions welcome.

 

 

A good question. I'd have to round up my kids so I could hear how much leakage there are with my hd600s. I don't think it would be a ton, but of course that would depend on how loud you were playing. And if it's a quiet room, trying to work I could see just about anything bothering someone (including thunk thunk of your keyboard, that would likely bother me more than the headphones but only your wife could say!)

 

Closed phones are more fatiguing, at least the ones I've tried. in-ear buds as hardware suggested would be silent as well for your wife, and might or might be comfy enough to use for a session of playing. I've tried a number of these as well for live monitoring and I can wear them for a four-hour show, though honestly none of them are the most comfortable things I could put on. The worst being my customs, go figure.

[drawbars]

I use a set of HD580s, and the leakage isn't huge, but it is noticeable in a very quiet room. It's generally not any louder than the thump of playing notes, which I would personally find more distracting; and certainly not as loud as say, strumming an unplugged Stratocaster. But each person has a threshold for that kind of thing. I wouldn't think it would be an issue if your BH was across the room, but sitting next to each other on a couch might be a problem.

 

From a sonic point of view, Sennheiser open-back 'phones are a joy, and have always been, even back to the HD414s I had in college.

[ElmerJFudd]

I was trying to think of how to describe the leakage from open back headphones, it really has to do with your listening volume. Personally I try to listen with headphones at softer volumes because our ears adjust to volume effortlessly and listening at loud volumes is terrible for our listening longevity. That said - as one might imagine, it"s really the highs that people around you may notice. And the louder you push the phones, the more information leaks and you start to recognize what Is being played.

 

Thankfully, YouTube wins again for better explanation.

 

[video:youtube]

 

So 50% or less volume is hardly noticeable in the room. Cranked, yeah someone next to you is also listening. But as mentioned above - your foot tapping, pedal lift drop, keys on the keyboard impacting - more annoying to your family than open back headphones.

[dongna]

It doesn't appear that the sound leakage is anything too significant. And I agree with the points made that the thunking of the keys is likely to be more audible and disturbing to someone else in the room.

 

I think I might investigate the open-back alternatives a bit further.

[dongna]

Just a quick follow up to say I ended up getting the Sony MDR-7506, and so far have been very happy with them. I just hope this pair lasts a little longer than the other Sony's I've had.

 

Thanks to timwat and any others I may have missed in this thread who suggested them.

[Docbop]

DT 770 pro are Great for recording, as they are closed. I use them since years. DT 880 pro is semi open and very neutral and clean sounding. I use them when not needing a closed one.

BTW beyerdynamic also offers âedition' versions, which sound exactly the same but have a different cable and less pressure on your head, while being cheaper sometimes.

 

 

I just picked up a low ohm version of the DT 770 to replace my 'old over the ear" Sony's and loving the sound of the DT 770. They do cost more than the OP wanted. Being I use them a lot with my iPad and plugging directly into headphone jack of my keyboard the low ohm version is working out good.

[Dave Bryce]

I'm one of the crazy people that owns Audezes. I have a set of their in-ears and a set of the LCD-MX4.

 

Yes, they're way expensive. I absolutely think they're worth it.

 

[flame suit]

 

dB

[ElmerJFudd]

I found my 7506s in storage yesterday. They are a decade + old, the ear pads are torn and shredded (easy to replace), but they still work and still sound crystal clear. If anything, I always found them bright - in a revealing way.

[dongna]

Unfortunately those Audezes are open back or for sure they would have been in the running.

[rogs]

I found my 7506s in storage yesterday. They are a decade + old, the ear pads are torn and shredded (easy to replace), but they still work and still sound crystal clear. If anything, I always found them bright - in a revealing way.

 

I've used my Sony 7506 'phones pretty much every day for several years. Definitely my favourite headphones!

 

The original earpads disintegrated a while back. I've always thought they were the poorest part of the phones, so I decided to try some decent replacements and went for Brainwavz sheepskin ones.

Expensive for ear pads, but worth it, IMHO ( they seem to have sale on at the moment - which helps a bit! https://www.brainwavzaudio.com/collections/small-oval-earpads/products/sony-mdr-sheepskin-earpads )

 

I like the fact that the Sony 7506s are quite 'bright'. When you get a bit older, you tend to need a bit of help with the higher frequencies!

 

I decided to get a new pair of headphones and tried the Beyer DT770s, but they didn't sound anywhere near as good as the Sony 7506 -- at least not to my old ears!.

Even my good old Sennheiser HD25s don't perform as well as the Sony phones for me.

 

So I bought a second pair of 7506s -- Someone had started a rumour a while back that Sony were going to drop the 7506s, so it seemed wise.

I have to say it doesn't seem very likely - although Sony can 'move in mysterious ways' sometimes!

[Dave Bryce]

Unfortunately those Audezes are open back or for sure they would have been in the running.

There's a closed back model of the LCD-2.

 

LCD-XC is closed back as well.

 

dB

[erik_nie]

I"ve been surprisingly happy with these, Samson SR850 Semi-open Studio Headphones $45. For the price, sound and comfort, impressive.

 

I agree on these Samson SR850 headphones: Nice for rehearsals with band and alone, pleasant to listen to and comfortable. Too much low, but I like that, gives a 'live' feeling.

For accurate mixing I use monitors and my AKG K240 mkii that I know so well.

[EricBarker]

I'll second the Massdrop Sennheiser HD58X Jubilees. I actually have the Senn650, but the Jubilees are EXTREMELY close, and $70s cheaper. Fully open-back is a complete game changer. I only switched about 9 months ago after years of being boxed in with closed and semi-open Senns (280, 380), AKGs (271, 240), and Beyers (770). The 650s absolutely blew me away, it was like I was listening for the very first time all over again. It really feels like the music is there in the room with me, I never thought listening with headphones could be this exciting!

 

Do yourself a favor, and get yourself on the Massdrop list for next month's shipment, it's an incredible bang-for-your buck!

[zephonic]

I can't say enough good things about the Beyers, mostly the DT-990 (which I have) and its closed-back twin DT-770. I just replaced the earpads on mine, $30 for the parts, and now my 14-year old cans look like new. I love that about Beyers, almost all parts are replaceable, and available.

 

They are so comfortable I frequently forget I have them on and walk away only to have them almost yanked off. Which is no big deal, the cable is replaceable as well.

 

 

P.S. I also have AudioTechnica ATH-M20X and Tascam TH-300X. Both are okay for what I paid, but not even close to the DT990's.

[D. Gauss]

i've found nothing better than these. sometimes, with luck, you can find them on sale for 100 bucks. if so grab them.

 

Audio Technica ATH M50x

 

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86