What are the best headphones for mixing Electronic Music?

[WittyzTH]

audio-technica ATH-M50 with EMU0404 USB or EMU1616M.

[Philco]

I strongly disagree with that statement.

Originally Posted by lordmozilla

fun but no good for mixing.

[vvanrij]

AKG K701, neutral and accurate. You will need a decent amp to make it shine though, especially the low-end.

[LobsterSan]

DT770 is too bassy for accurate mixing. When you mix it will sound good to you but half of the people out there will hear no bass.

I also wouldn't use the Senn HD580/600 for mixing, especially not electronica. They are just too dark/veiled and laid back (unless you're amping them properly and have a nice cable replacement).

I was never very professional with my mixing when I recorded electronica (mostly IDM) on my computer, but I used MDR-V6 and felt it was a good choice for details but I usually had to adjust the bass so that it sounded just a bit too heavy (since the V6/7506 tend to be a bit bass-heavy). In retrospect, these are probably better choices:

The AKG K240 is often used professionally in mixing because of its very flat response, as you experienced. This is really the best way to go. Be aware though that there are two flavors of the K240 -- the S and the M. The S is much lower impedence and much easier to drive properly. The M is rated at 600 Ohms and is a beast to amp properly.

Another route to consider going is in-ear canal monitors, like the Etymotic ER-4 or something from Ultimate Ears. They also have very neutral response, and will give you complete isolation without a studio setting.

Lastly, you may want to consider going the "earspeaker" route -- STAX or AKG-K1000. Something a little more open, and with the electrostat sound. Personally, I love listening to electronica with electrostats -- there's a certain quality about it that mates perfectly with the genre. STAX and AKG-K1000 also give you that semi near-field monitor experience, instead of the all "in-the-head" experience of closed phones.

You will also want to consider what your target audience will be most likely listening with. If you're making dance floor music, then the DJ's are going to pump the bass regardless, so you may want to mix with something on the bassier side. If you're mixing IDM or more casual-type listening stuff, a more neutral headphone may be preferable.

Just my .02

[majkel]

Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro - yes
Fostex T50RP - yes
AKG K240 Studio - yes
Sennheiser HD600 - no (too specific and unique sound signature, bass below average)
AKG K701 - no (unrealistic bass, disputable treble consistency)
electrostats - no because the mix might come out unlistenable on dynamic transducers (MHO)
earspeakers - no 'cause you won't know much about the bass

[Dutchess of York]

For mixing electronic, Ive heard sony SA-5000's are king. Do you have an amp? Almost all of the headphones recommended here require a dedicated headphone amp.

[death69]

Originally Posted by Dutchess of York

For mixing electronic, Ive heard sony SA-5000's are king. Do you have an amp? Almost all of the headphones recommended here require a dedicated headphone amp.

No I don't have an amp but I am going to get one. Someone recommended Behringer Amp 800 earlier and I checked it out and like it. It is cheap and seems like what I want.

I am just still mulling around my options for mixing headphones. I am glad I am getting this much feedback and I am looking into all the options presented.

Keep the feedback coming please. I am going to try to narrow my search down tonight or tomorrow and see what everyone thinks.

[Kees]

Ultrasone PRO750.

[Shahrose]

ultrasone pro750/2500, beyerdynamic dt880.

(i've heard of the sony SA-5000s being good for listening to electronic music, but never for mixing it)

[Philco]

When using headphones to mix, you HAVE to use some kind of crossfeed, otherwise the bass will be way off (too much or not enough), even with the best headphones money can get, even with Stax, even with K1000s, even with R10s.

Bass is highly phase dependant and you need some crossfeed to mix when using headphones, as simple as that !

Now about the DT770...IMO they are not bassy at all. I'm used to hear full-size speakers in studio environements and the bass they put out is phenomenal. True bass provides impact and deepness while being controlled at the same time. This is what I get with the DT770.

I said it before and I will say it again : most people here have a wrong perception of what the bass should sound like. This is mainly due to a lack of experience, a lack of ear, a lack of using some kind of crossfeed, or simply adhering blindly to the putrid "audiophile standard" which dictates that bass is a bad thing and should be dry and low in volume to be acceptable.

To my ears, the DT770 present excellent, true bass characteristics that remind me a lot of full-size speakers in a treated room. They posess excellent spatial resolution and clinical treble reproduction, something usually only found on costly studio monitors. With crossfeed, they get even better and the bass is mostly accurate when translated to speakers.

If you want to hear bad bass, I suggest the Sony MDR-7509/V900 (not the HD one though) and the Audio-Technica ATH-M50.

My AKG K240S is also untrue in the bass and don't extend that low compared to my DT770. Despite this fault, I still prefer them to my HD600 which are awful in every way possible.

Also, it is an excellent practice to check the mixes on every system (cans, speakers, car systems,etc. ) you can, therefore avoiding the "mix will sound good to you" effect.

Originally Posted by LobsterSan

DT770 is too bassy for accurate mixing. When you mix it will sound good to you but half of the people out there will hear no bass.