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 Now online (2)dariusgriffin belb ...and 142 guests Last 5 registered Oplandisks nothingstar N_loop yipe foxtrotromeo Browse members... |
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Hi, I'm going to be investing in a better pair of headphones, and I'm hoping for close-to-professional results without needing a separate headphone amp. I'm planning to use them for making music so I want them to be as high-quality as possible without having to spend more money on an amp, so help a brother out. What would you recommend? Is it unrealistic to expect headphones which don't need an amp to perform even slightly as well as top-of-the-line cans? If an amp is somehow necessary, then what amp + headphones combo would you suggest? Thanks. |
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i dunno much, but sennheiser are a good brand ppl say. i've got the model, don't think you can get them anymore though, i like em coz they're small but cover your ears totally. single sided detachable cable too, yay. were only 40 pounds. many years ago i think i had the same model is a voice/languages recording studio i ran at a university here. which is why i sought them out again. but i'm sure others here actually know something useful. |
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Do you require a closed or open-air design? After you determine that, you can really start entertaining suggestions. |
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If you're willing to really dish some money out, these things are amazing. You can turn noise cancellation on/off at any point and any outside noise virtually disappears. |
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ace headphones, my house mate used to work for bose and bought a set of these home, app the noise cancelation is designed more for like constant droning type background, engines etc but there still super dooper cool. |
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You could try some low-impedence headphones like the K701s, but even they can often need a decent amp to drive them. For a while, I used my echo indigo laptop soundcard (which has a decent built-in headphone amp) with my Sennheiser 650'S. In fact, I wrote my whole album with that setup. Buying my headphone amp really did make a considerable difference to the sound quality though. Right now, I couldn't actually imagine things sounding any better. If you have the money, it's definitely the route you should take. For what its worth, an un-amped pair of decent headphones will probably still sound a lot better than your current setup, so don't be afraid to buy now and upgrade to an amp later. |
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STAY AWAY FROM BOSE! They are an audiophile's worst nightmare - overpriced, cheaply built, and not balanced or flat in any sense of the word! If you want good headphones that won't require an external headphone amplifier, then you will want to stay with headphones which possess a low-ohm rating. These include Grado, AKG, Audio Technica, and some Beyer-Dynamic models. If you aren't going to be using these headphones for live performance, and want headphones with excellent transients and frequency response, then I would recommend Grado. I've used their products for a number of years and have loved the results. Just be warned that they are open-air, so they do have a tendency to leak sound, and they will not block any outside noise. They are also a bit uncomfortable for long periods of use. I also own a pair of AKG K271S headphones, which I believe are now discontinued. I'm actually wearing them right now - I endorse any and all AKG headphones from the K240 and up -- by far the most comfortable headphones I've ever owned, very transparent, and can be amplified properly by pretty much any audio device. Beyer-Dynamic and Audio Technica headphones, in my opinion, are not as great for music-making, especially in the electronic genre. The sound is geared more towards listening than towards faithful audio reproduction, so you lose some of that ability to objectively judge your mix. |
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Thanks a bunch for the responses, everyone. I supposed b6 is right in that I need to determine whether I want open- or closed-air design. Well, on that matter, I've been unsure. I had been sort of leaning toward closed-air headphones because I've never owned a pair and am interested to hear what they sound like. However, these headphones will be for use at my desktop computer, and likely nowhere else, so I guess I don't really need to worry about sound leakage (in or out). Brisk, I'm currently running my (shit) headphones through a Profire 610. The sound output of the headphones when running them through the 610 is really low and I have to turn the knob all the way to 100% to hear it with the same volume as my computer speakers on like 30% volume. Is that a possible indication that the Profire has trouble powering even really weak headphones, and that I would almost certainly need an amp? Or could I just be doing something wrong with the audio settings in Logic? I stumbled across one that recommended the for the $250 price-range. They're open-aired, and low enough ohms that they should be usable without an amp. Part of the reason I'm shying away from buying an amp is that the good ones all seem to be pretty expensive, and I just dropped $400 on the profire 610. Still, I'm open to all suggestions as to what the best setup for my needs would be. |
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Bose = "Buy Other Sound Equipment" are extremely wonderful for the price, not at all like the commercial phones from the same manufacturer. They don't have the staging that the finest Grado or Sennheiser give you, that can make you feel like you're in a concert hall, but otherwise they are fantastic. |
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I used to own the HD595s. They've got excellent bass response, though this isn't well-balanced so it can at times sound muddy. The soundstage that the HD595s possess is magical - it's like no other headphone I've ever worn. Truly 3D. It should be noted that this may not be at all what you're looking for, though, and I'd propose that these headphones are much better for listening purposes than for monitoring/mixing/performance purposes. But they're well-made, sturdy, and do sound pretty great for certain things. As far as your volume issue, it may be caused by a number of things. For all we know, you're deaf! Or, more probably, you've got (as you said) shit headphones! Do those same headphones sound just as quiet if you run them directly through your computer's headphone jack (ie 1/8inch speaker port) as they do through your ProFire unit? Frankly, I've had good results with M-Audio gear (even lower-end stuff) amplifying headphones rather well, so I'm betting this is either a software issue or a headphones issue. I will again extend my recommendations towards AKG and Grado for low-ohm rated headphones with excellent sound quality. From there, you have to determine whether you prefer something cheaper or something with better comfort - or something with better resolution vs. a more flat frequency response - or some combination of those conceptual questions... |
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I'm working at an after sales service so then : BOSE = shit APPLE = shit SONY =shit SENHEISER = pretty good SURE = good when you know what you're buying AKG = good when you know what you're buying |
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hmm, that is an appealing price, for sure. How comfortable are they? Do you were glasses? I'm a bit concerned because my current headphones seem to be a very similar physical design to the MDR7506, and after about 30-45mins my ears start to hurt when wearing them. I'm not sure if it's solely because I wear glasses or if the headphones themselves just push to forcibly against my head, but I'm hoping to find some headphones that I can wear for hours with my glasses on. Thanks for the recommendation, btw. |
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Hi TroutMask, thanks for the information. It's hugely helpful that you owned the 595s, because they're on sale at J&R right now for $170, so I'm sort of seriously considering them. I will definitely look into AKG and further into Grado, but most of the Grado's I read about were supposedly not all that comfortable, at least not for long sessions, and I'm a slut for comfort. About my current headphones, I do have to turn the volume up a few clicks from where it normally is for computer speakers when I use them on my PC, but they don't seem to be inherently quiet or anything. At the very least, getting a nice set of headphones will help me find the real problem with the volume. |
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push too* forcibly. I forgot to fix that before hitting 'reply' |
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Hm, I think they can be uncomfortable with glasses in the summer when it's hot and sweaty. But when it's not a heat wave I can wear them with my glasses for hours and hours. One thing I'll tell you about those Grados is they're an open back design and they give you no isolation at all... this is an issue if you're recording something like acoustic guitar or voice with a mic and listening to a mix in the cans. The mic can pick that up. Also, good luck trying to ignore noise around you with open back cans. Also, if you listen to something with a lot of high end like clicky glitch IDM it sounds like ice picks in your ears. But for listening to jazz or classical they're real nice. |
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would you say it's a problem with all open-back headphones, or more specifically Grados? I read somewhere that closed-back cans often have slightly muddier bass response, whereas open-back cans are more tight and punchy. Now Troutmask is saying that the open-backed 595s were sometimes muddy, so I don't really know what to believe. |
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All open backs are leaky. Don't think I'd call the 7506es muddy. They are immersive, and listenin to something bassy like Luke Vibert - A Fine Line, which I'm listening to in them right now, is hell of tubby in a good way. One thing about the 7506es that makes them good for production is you hear flaws clear as day. They're meant to let you hear what something sounds like, not to make it sound "nice". Ace production sounds ace in them, and ass sounds like ass. I think some of the Senns and Grados are more forgiving... |
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I see. Well, for that price, I suppose I can't go wrong. I'm trying to get to the core of what my mixes sound like, so I guess the 7506es would be a good choice. Thanks for your help, I'm going to do some more research and sleep on it for a night or two before I purchase anything. |
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Frankly, I've never heard a Sony headphone I've liked, and I would NEVER trust them with any audio equipment, ranging from headphones to studio mixing boards. I've simply never liked a Sony product, and have never found them to be of good value. Sony headphones are really not found in any respectable studio -- there's a reason for that. |
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"All open backs are leaky." I was referring to "Also, if you listen to something with a lot of high end like clicky glitch IDM it sounds like ice picks in your ears." Was that a comment about Grados, or all open-backed cans? |
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the 7506s were my first pair of headphones and i never tried another |
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Sony headphones are really not found in any respectable studio -- there's a reason for that. Shows how many respectable studios you've been in. The MDR 7506 is standard for production because it reliably monitors what's happening in your mix and is basically indestructible. If you do manage to break part of one you can get replacement parts. Don't confuse it with the headphones in Sony's consumer range. |
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Hes referring to Grados, speicifically the sr60 & sr80 models. Grados have the reputation of having a very sharp and metallic high end with very accurate lows. The sound can be a bit fatiguing when listening for extended periods of time for the average listener. That said, Grados a highly revered for a reason, as they those models tend to be the biggest bang for your buck in that proce range. 'Open Back' phones are all going to vary in their 'sound flavour' from manufacturer to manufacturer. Sennheisers open air phones tend to be a bit warmer for example, but that said Open Back headphones are ALWAYS going to be more accurate than closed designs. Its really just a matter of finding a brand, model and sound that you prefer. |
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The less expensive Grados are particularly peaky in the high end. I think the really expensive models are more balanced, but I only ever listened to them in the shop with classical music. |
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Hi again, just out of curiosity, can anyone tell me a bit about the boons of using headphone amps? I've noticed that many of them have multiple outputs, whereas some just have 1. Are there amps in the "multiple outs" category that are basically just designed to split one signal between multiple sets of cans, or do they also help the signal in other ways? Do you need a 300 dollar headphone amp to get good results, or will a $50 amp (depending on the brand, of course) be useful as well? I haven't purchased any headphones yet, but if it helps, I'm leaning towards the 7506es. I don't think those really need an amp but I'm curious about the subject all the same. Thanks. |
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The best studios I've ever been in (and my own studio) have always used AKG headphones for tracking and monitoring. The worst have used Sony. That's because the 7506s are the most uncomfortable and unbalanced headphones I've ever heard for $100. It's absurd, in my opinion, what Sony tries to get away with in their "pro" line. |
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Often times amps with multiple outputs have outputs with two different impedances. Say, 0 ohms and 120 ohms. This obviously offers greater amplification flexibility - you have to check with the manufacturer to get the exact details on that. You don't NEED an amplifier, period, because no matter what headphones you buy, you'll still get sound to come out of them. The cheapest amp in the world will still power your headphones better than with no amp, as it will provide more gain headroom and more transparent audio fidelity. The more you pay, the higher quality the amp gets, and the better the amp is at serving that function. |
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one word of advice before you choose one, make sure the input jack is not some strange size, if it's a standard 1/4" then it's cool. headphone cables get fucked over time because of standing on them, chairs rolling over them, cats chew them and so on. then you get crackles and loss of signal. when you go to buy a new cable, you might find you have to get a specific one, which might cost up to £30 where as a standard 1/4" jack to jack would not cost much at all. I believe some manufacturers design the cables to be weak, so you have to come back to buy a new one, but only from the supplier or third party, who get them from the supplier. regards Luan |
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Thanks for the replies, guys. It's greatly appreciated. Troutmask, as far as AKG cans are concerned, which models, specifically, would you recommend? |
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the 7506s become unconfortable just after some hours of nonstop utilization, but if you're talking 'pro' you already know that after one hour of use you gotta take a break for the sake of your ears, any brand you choose. their weight it's the price you pay for having almost indestructible headphones and it's particularly suggested for particularly messy people. |
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