[ZOKROX]

Which headphone is best for studio mixing?

These are the TYPE of famous recording/mixing studios I'm talking about:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ording_studios

I ran out of space and left off many headphones such as the
Sennheiser HD280 PRO. Feel free to vote for any other headphone in this thread. I will count them too.

I misspelled ORPHEUS (NO "O").

The K500 should be K501.

The K270s should be K271s.

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IEM (INNER EAR CANAL HEADPHONE) POLL:

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=148681

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Link to main studio mixing headphone thread:

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=147566

 

[cosmopragma]

K1000s with an individualized BAP1000 do sound similar to studio monitors if that's what you are looking for.
The BAP 1000 is discontinued, and the individualization service is discontinued, too.

 

[ZOKROX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmopragma K1000s with an individualized BAP1000 do sound similar to studio monitors if that's what you are looking for. The BAP 1000 is discontinued, and the individualization service is discontinued, too.

Thank you

 

[YngwieJMalmsteen]

Well, I think all of our first choice would be the orpheus, but its not likely you'll be able to find one. Also most pro engineers use powered studio monitors.

Also the beyer 880 is a great option that you left off. To my ears they are very detailed, neutral phones. They need a good amp/source, though.

 

[ZOKROX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by YngwieJMalmsteen Well, I think all of our first choice would be the orpheus, but its not likely you'll be able to find one. Also most pro engineers use powered studio monitors. Also the beyer 880 is a great option that you left off. To my ears they are very detailed, neutral phones. They need a good amp/source, though.

A vote for the DT880 is noted. Thank you.

 

[neilvg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmopragma K1000s with an individualized BAP1000 do sound similar to studio monitors if that's what you are looking for. The BAP 1000 is discontinued, and the individualization service is discontinued, too.

what is this BAP 1000? Are you referring to the AKG K1000 headphone amp?
http://www.sac.de/sac/start_frame.php?Pfad=2_4_79&BL=3

It is still available.

 

[cosmopragma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilvg what is this BAP 1000? Are you referring to the AKG K1000 headphone amp?

No.The Audiosphere BAP (binaural audio processor) 1000 was launched in 1992.Basically it was a programmable diffuse field equalizer and crossfeed processor (plus a tiny bit reverb) with 6 presets and one cartridge slot for user specific cartridges.AKG offered a service in order to measure the individual HRTFs and program them into the cartridge.Main market for the BAP 1000 and the service were european sound engineers, but some of them were sold to consumers.
The BAP 1000 and the service are discontinued since 1998(?).Most of those thingies are still in use in studios, and from time to time one pops up in the market for used gear.AFAIK there are even some NOS BAPs available in Germany, but they are not cheap and without the service it doesn't make much sense IMO, maybe you are better off with the (not individualizable) cheaper successor (the HEARO series) nowadays.

Edit: I didn't mean that the HEAROs are any good for mixing/mastering purposes, but the BAP without the service isn't much better than the HEARO consumer gear.

 

[Ferbose]

I was told by someone in the film business that professionals almost always use these headphones (industry standards):

Studio: AKG K240S
Field recording: AKG K240M
TV production: Sony 7506

 

[WarBaby]

This is a timely thread for me. I just finished recording a rock/trance song in my home studio (one-man-band style using a Korg synth and multiple overdubs) on a Roland 24 track digital recorder and have been pondering how to best level, EQ, mix, and master the song. For monitoring, I have 7506, 7509 (with 50mm magnets), ER4S, and Mackie 824 studio monitor speakers. In order to achieve the EQ and mastering that will have that "professional" sound on all playback systems, I have carefully listened to the song through all of them.

***Yes, I know that I should use the Mackie speakers for EQ/mix/mastering but sometimes I work in the middle of the night and must use phones.***

Listening repeatedly, I have found that the 7506 sounds "small", seriously lacks bass, and is bright. The 7509 is somewhat less bright but has loads of mids/bass and sounds very close to the Mackie speakers. The ER4S sounds very good but needs tons of low frequency EQ boost. Each of these monitoring methods require quite different EQ settings for the best sound but the 7509 EQ is closest to the Mackie speakers EQ--very close in fact.

Why is there so much support for the 7506 when, to me, they sound tinny and empty. Is it just me? What am I missing here?

 

[cosmopragma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferbose I was told by someone in the film business that professionals almost always use these headphones (industry standards): Studio: AKG K240S Field recording: AKG K240M

Really?
Well, the K240S is a relatively new fun headphone.There's a reason why it's often called the "groovelizer".Lots of coloration.Impedance 55 Ohm, sensitivity 91 dB/mW, quite easy to drive, even by portable gear.

In central Europe the "industry standard" for tight budgets is clearly the AKG K240DF (DF = diffuse field equalized according to the IRT definition).It's cheap, repairable, cables for different purposes are available.For an average listener diffuse field equalization sounds close to neutral speakers.
Unfortunately due to our individual HRTFs no one is exactly average, and you will always have to apply a little EQing to get it perfect.That's just the prize you have to pay in headphone audio.
The aforementioned BAP 1000 was an attempt to provide this individualized DF EQ for the K1000 (which is technically way better than the K240 series or the crappy Sonys, way more resolution and an unique headstage )
In the realm of headphone audio the HRTFs are similar important as the listening room in the realm of loudspeaker audio.
Impedance 600 Ohm, sensitivity 88 dB/mW, no portable will drive them, but many dedicated headphone amps and believe it or not many loudspeaker amps with some cheap resistors in series, those older studio cans are engineered to be driven by an output impedance of 120 Ohm, and now you know why.You can even drive them without any resistors or transformers in the way.An amp designed to drive a 4 Ohm load doesn't deliver much power into a 600 Ohm load, typically clearly less than 1000 mW at 0 dB.You have to be a bit careful with the volume knob, but in most cases you still get a usable range on the pot.

 

[shawntp]

I am surporised so many are voting for the Grado's ...I always thought they were very coloroed, but colored in a way that rendered them enjoyable and pleasing for listening.

I gave never owned Grado's or heard this model so if anyone wants to put there 2-cents on experience with them I would love to hear.

 

[discord]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferbose I was told by someone in the film business that professionals almost always use these headphones (industry standards): Studio: AKG K240S

That's what I read too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shawntp I am surporised so many are voting for the Grado's ...I always thought they were very coloroed, but colored in a way that rendered them enjoyable and pleasing for listening.

not the hp series.

 

[Oski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shawntp I am surporised so many are voting for the Grado's ...I always thought they were very coloroed, but colored in a way that rendered them enjoyable and pleasing for listening. I gave never owned Grado's or heard this model so if anyone wants to put there 2-cents on experience with them I would love to hear.

The Grado HP-1000 series (HP-1/2/3) were made in the early 1990s (possibly late '80s) by Joe Grado specifically for recording engineers and monitoring use. They are generally accepted around here as the reference in accuracy and are utterly neutral and resolving. Only about 1,000 of these phones were ever produced. Then John Grado took over the company and began to make phones that appeal to the consumer sector, which are more colored and fun...but in the process increasing the company sales greatly.

 

[ZOKROX]

Bump.

 

[boodi]

the hp1000 as studio mixing headphones ..
curious , at least to my taste ..