Too many headphones to choose from
So I sit down today with the goal of picking a pair of all-around headphones for production. I had already decided that I wanted the ATH-M50s. Closed back design for sound isolation (good for recording vocals), excellent specs and reviews. I've always really liked the quality of Audio Technica products.
Well, I did what you shouldn't do (but are want to do when you have access to something as vast as the internet) and I started searching for runners up. This led to a 2-hour scour of around 10 different pairs. Suddenly, my quick purchase turned into an afternoon of research. By the end, I was so overwhelmed with options, I nearly gave up!
But dammit, I have some unspent birthday money (awww thanks mom and dad!) and I'm not leaving until I've spent it on something. Here's what I found:
The phones that spawned my search for the perfect all-around cans. True sound, with frequency response of 15hZ to 28kHz. Everything I read claimed comfort for long sessions, but something tells me they match the comfort I get with my current phones, Pioneer SE-DJ5000. They look very similar, and man, I cant stand to wear those for more than a 15 minutes tops. I probably had my finger on the "Buy It Now" button about 5 different times.
AKG K-240 MKII
Everything I read about these emphasizes the extreme comfort. Man, this one was tempting. Only thing is, it has a semi-open ear-cup which means leakage of the sound. When tracking vocals, this leaked sound can end up in the recorded signal. BUT, some vocalists like this open cup style because it allows them to hear themselves outside of the just the signal in the headphones. This intrigues me as I am sometimes tempted to pop an ear out of the cans so I can hear my voice dry. Also, these come with two cords (coiled and straight) which can be really handy. Frequency range of 15Hz to 25kHz.
SONY MDR-7509
What more can be said about these. The Sony MDR-7509s are an industry standard. I've seen these headphones all over the production facilities at CNET. Great for field recording. Flat, true sound with frequency range of 5Hz to 30kHz. I've worn some that had been broken in over the course of who knows how long, and the cups had started to flatten out, making them a bit less comfy. But they sound fantastic.
Sennheiser HD-280
These sound like a fantastic budget buy for tracking purposes. They fit snug on the ears, and are rated high for isolation at 32 dB reduction. I've worn these at CNET a few times as well and they were fine. I wasn't astounded by the sound quality though. I'm in the market for great dual purpose headphones and something tells me these are better for tracking than no-nonsense mixing.
Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO
A last minute recommendation by kmbrown90, these sport a super comfy looking fabric ear cup. Reasonable isolation at 18 dB, wide frequency response at 5Hz to 35kHz. Dammit -- Coiled cable... I would so much prefer a straight cable, but I can deal with that. And man, I want to sleep wearing these ear phones thanks to that damned comfy looking fabric ear cup! Is that so wrong?
What do you think? I'm leaning towards either the Beyerdynamic or the AKGs.
Well, I did what you shouldn't do (but are want to do when you have access to something as vast as the internet) and I started searching for runners up. This led to a 2-hour scour of around 10 different pairs. Suddenly, my quick purchase turned into an afternoon of research. By the end, I was so overwhelmed with options, I nearly gave up!
But dammit, I have some unspent birthday money (awww thanks mom and dad!) and I'm not leaving until I've spent it on something. Here's what I found:
The phones that spawned my search for the perfect all-around cans. True sound, with frequency response of 15hZ to 28kHz. Everything I read claimed comfort for long sessions, but something tells me they match the comfort I get with my current phones, Pioneer SE-DJ5000. They look very similar, and man, I cant stand to wear those for more than a 15 minutes tops. I probably had my finger on the "Buy It Now" button about 5 different times.
AKG K-240 MKIIEverything I read about these emphasizes the extreme comfort. Man, this one was tempting. Only thing is, it has a semi-open ear-cup which means leakage of the sound. When tracking vocals, this leaked sound can end up in the recorded signal. BUT, some vocalists like this open cup style because it allows them to hear themselves outside of the just the signal in the headphones. This intrigues me as I am sometimes tempted to pop an ear out of the cans so I can hear my voice dry. Also, these come with two cords (coiled and straight) which can be really handy. Frequency range of 15Hz to 25kHz.
SONY MDR-7509What more can be said about these. The Sony MDR-7509s are an industry standard. I've seen these headphones all over the production facilities at CNET. Great for field recording. Flat, true sound with frequency range of 5Hz to 30kHz. I've worn some that had been broken in over the course of who knows how long, and the cups had started to flatten out, making them a bit less comfy. But they sound fantastic.
Sennheiser HD-280These sound like a fantastic budget buy for tracking purposes. They fit snug on the ears, and are rated high for isolation at 32 dB reduction. I've worn these at CNET a few times as well and they were fine. I wasn't astounded by the sound quality though. I'm in the market for great dual purpose headphones and something tells me these are better for tracking than no-nonsense mixing.
Beyerdynamic DT 770 PROA last minute recommendation by kmbrown90, these sport a super comfy looking fabric ear cup. Reasonable isolation at 18 dB, wide frequency response at 5Hz to 35kHz. Dammit -- Coiled cable... I would so much prefer a straight cable, but I can deal with that. And man, I want to sleep wearing these ear phones thanks to that damned comfy looking fabric ear cup! Is that so wrong?
What do you think? I'm leaning towards either the Beyerdynamic or the AKGs.
posted by Jason Howell at 6:27 PM
7 Comments:
I'd go for anything but the Sony due to lot's of customer complaints
Hmmmm I have heard good things about AKG ,Sony's are usually overpriced for mediocre performance and I do NOT like any of the Sennheisers I have ever tried on and listened too.
Have the AKG for studio work and for directing the orchestra in the pit. LOVE them for their openness (I don't track on an open mic with them... just listen w/one ear partially open in the pit). The only downside is that the plastic covers around the gold part on each earpiece WILL eventually break off. Happens to them all. Oh, and the 1/4" plug is susceptible to breaking/wear.
I also have the Sony's and like them a lot (break them in for a day with constant music). Great bass response. Not as comfy over the long haul as the 240's. I do location recording while driving the boom mic and after a long day they can squish a bit, but I think they sound better than the AKG's.
For what it's worth.
JasonY
The Sennheiser 280's become uncomfortable to wear - for me - after anything more than an hour of use. (The top head-band-thing is not cushioned very well).
My DT770's have a straight cable. Good isolation as well.
As mentioned I love my Beyerdynamics. Fantastic isolation and great response, plus super comfy for all day sessions. The build quality on these are top-notch. Not the cheapest cans but well worth it.
I've used the HD 280s for awhile now. Most people are not blown away with the sound because they are so flat. I personally love them, and have done some late night mixing using them.
Comfort wise you might want to stay away from them. They can start to ware on you after a few hours.
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