HD800 for monitoring

[deejayen]

I’m doing a bit of tracking and mixing at home, and have been using my HD-600 headphones. Everything I read states that using headphones for this task isn’t ideal, and I think I can agree with that now. I would say that the HD600s give me a cosy sound, and when I take the subsequent recording and play it on other systems (in my car, for example) all the tones are completely different. For example, a lead guitar which sounds okay on the headphones can have the proverbial ‘ice-axe through the eardrum’ brightness to it when listened to in my car. Also, when mixing, it’s difficult to get the levels of different instruments sounding the same when heard through the headphones or speakers. It could be that the headphone output of my recording gear isn’t driving the HD600’s properly.

I was going to look at getting a pair of studio monitors – I’ve read that mixes done using Proac Studio 100’s can translate well to other systems. However, using headphones would be much more convenient for me – I currently don’t have an acoustically-treated room.

I had a quick read of the HD800 review in HiFi+ and it seemed to be saying that the HD800’s perform like speakers, and I wonder if I’d be able to use them for getting an accurate tone while tracking, and for mixing.

Thanks

David

[Acix]

The K702 are great for mix/mastering K702 in the Studio I'm not sure about the 800 yet...I hope to have better answer in the near future.

[GuyDebord]

You will need the Phonitor

[Bullseye]

How about some Fostex T50RP? They are used in studios. Or about Beyerdynamic DT48E, also for ENG/EFP work.

You also have the Sony MDR-7506 (if the numbers are correct). Just maybe those cans are better for what you want to do.

[John Willett]

I bought my own HD 800 specifically for studio monitoring after testing them with my own master recordings.

[subtle]

Originally Posted by GuyDebord

You will need the Phonitor

No you will not.

[Acix]

Originally Posted by subtle

No you will not.

lol, please explain.

[number1sixerfan]

Honestly, I don't think the HD800 would fit the bill here. They have some coloring to them, which can interfere with mixing. Some people may use them for it and that may be fine for them, but they are no less colored than the HD600 imho.

You may want look into more neutral cans like the K271 or DT48 which have actually been used for this purpose.

[Acix]

The DT48 are a little limited for mix, especial in the low end.

[lejaz]

There were three sets of AKG k240DF's on ebay earlier tonight. One was buy it now, so it may be gone already. Those sound very much like my monitor speakers, and were engineered specifically to be flat/neutral/accurate. They are a little weak in the bass, so I use Equation RP21's to check the low end. If you can pick up a set for under $100, I'd say you got a bargain. Also check the Redline Monitor plugin by 112DB that just came out, if you're mixing on the computer. It simulates speaker placement over your headphones...60 day free trial. In my experience, the sony's don't translate well. YMMV

[John Willett]

Monitoring headphones come into two distinctive types.

Closed cans like the Beyer DT48 and 770, the Sony (who's numbers I always forget), Sennheiser HD 25, HD 380 etc. are all reference closed cans and are ideal for ENG and location work but are not good for mixing on (except for checking detail).

Open cans like the AKG 701 and the like are much better for editing, mixing and mastering - for this sort of work the HD 800 is eminently suitable. I have told Sennheiser that I expect a large number of HD 800 will be sold for this purpose.

Martin Walker in Sound On Sound wrote an excellent article about Mixing on Headphones - you can read it HERE.

[Acix]

Originally Posted by John Willett

I have told Sennheiser that I expect a large number of HD 800 will be sold for this purpose.

You can tell Sennheiser what ever you want, but first the 800 need to match the sound and the price of the K-702 ... I mean if you want to sale Sennheiser to musicians.

[Bullseye]

Originally Posted by John Willett

Martin Walker in Sound On Sound wrote an excellent article about Mixing on Headphones - you can read it HERE.

What a coincidence, they tell you to use a Sennheiser Headphone, John

[MrOutside]

Hello my friend. No, the HD800 is not good for monitoring or mixing as it is slightly coloured and is too pricey for a coloured headphone specifically for this purpose.
I would also not recomend the DT48 because it has a big roll-off in the highs (A version) and the other version has a slight roll off (E version).
If you are looking for a neutral can to mix with, go with DT880, HD600 (rolled of highs) or something like an ultrasone proline 2500 (slams a bit heavy).

From my selection, for mixing I would probably use the DT880, even though its one of the headphones I use least at the moment (l3000 and r10 get more headtime).
Thanks

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Acix

You can tell Sennheiser what ever you want, but first the 800 need to match the sound and the price of the K-702 ... I mean if you want to sale Sennheiser to musicians.

Who said anything about musicians?

And it certainly does *not* need to match the sound of the 702 - it needs to be as faithful to the original as possible.

Originally Posted by Bullseye

What a coincidence, they tell you to use a Sennheiser Headphone, John

No he doesn't, did you actually *read* it?

He also mentions AKG, Grado & Sony with links to their websites. It's a totally unbiased article written by a very well respected writer with absolutely no connection to Sennheiser at all. It gives an extremely good insight to mixing on headphones and is often linked to on pro websites by people as part of any answer about mixing on headphones.

I am a recording engineer of classical music and my area of expertise is in recording and reproducing live music as close as possible to the original - my editing software is Sequoia which I think is about $3,5000 in the US so I am well experienced in these things. I *do* have a life outside Sennheiser you know.