Acix
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
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The M50 has a more hi fi sub like sound that makes everything sound good. It's tough to pick out flaws, which is great for general listening but a little difficult when creating or mixing music. I've been A & Bing back & forth between the M 50 and the 8.35 D while listening to Nautilus by Bob James. Instantly the M50 is a more enjoyable expansive, warm, hyped, and detailed experience in a way. The 8.35 D sound a little more clinical. Even though in some respects I feel like I get more detail out of the M50 in a musical way, the way the 8.35 D takes out the hype out of all the frequencies makes it a lot easier to pick up on certain things that's going on mix wise that I don't pick up as easily on the M50 because how sweet everything sounds on that can.
I've also been playing around with a track I made quickly a few days ago, and I had a tough time nailing down some things mix wise with the M50. With the 8.35 D I was able to zero in on the problems mix wise, and even some timing issues. It took me a matter of minutes to hear what was going on and fix it up more easily. Just needed to tighten a few parameters hear and there. Not perfection but I was able to get quick good results my first time with the 8.35 D working on a track.
As far as MDR-CD900ST goes, I'm surprised how similar they sound. I was kind of put off by it cause I don't like the CD900ST and find them pretty useless for most studio work mostly cause the sound is really compressed. You have no sense of what your levels for sounds are cause everything is brought up to the front with those cans. They share a similar timbre and resolution. CD900ST has slightly more impact in sound. The 8.35 D does not have that compressed effect. Initially it does sound like it does, cause the 8.35 D can sound a little congested at times, but when actually mixing a track and when something is off, you know it. So basically it's got nearly all the same SQ of the CD900 ST but the aspects where it really counts and sucks on Sony's for studio work are absolutely fine in the 8.35 D.
As far as the pads I got the regular pleather stock pads with the oval cut out and the material sewn on. After listening to these pads I kind of see why others would want to switch to something else to open up the sound more, cause the 8.35 D could definitely use that. Plus those pads really make me sweat like no other headphone. I take them off and there's visible wetness on the pads. It's not a deal breaker or anything just something to be aware of. Stock pads would really suck in a warm and humid environment. I could see people getting fatigued by all the extra warmth on the head.
As far as Breaking them in I believe you (Acix) said it was something like 10 hours IIRC. I've already noticed a little less distortion when EQing bass, but I'm also wondering if these headphones were revealing a flaw in the EQ on my DJ mixer. I found that the bass knob boosts up a lot of the mid bass reaching a little too far in the mids and causing congestion. Didn't really notice it too much till I got these headphones. Now I'm pretty aware of it.
Another thing I noticed about the 8.35 D is that vocals can sound a little distant. The M50 has a similar effect on sound. It's almost like you are fighting to hear the full depth of the vocals and other instruments in that range. I also noticed a general harshness or sibilance on hi hats and cymbals. Kind of reminds me of a similar sound when you lower the bitrate of a sound file to like 12 bits or what an old school 12 bit sampler does to high pitch sounds. Kind of makes them sound metallic and grainy.
The M-50 have more bass but I've found this bass to be a bit artificial, like I can hear the bass and in the same time the boost of the sane bass note, feel like someone added a boost on the bass and you cant take it off.
You're right about the Sony's this remind me my experience with the MDR7506 to have this compressed effect, is like a multiband compressor is always on!
About the pads, I'm not sure if the stock pads still are the flat pads with the oval opening, because I already had two other different pads with the oval opening.
I've found out the vocals to be great in mix with the 8.35, I mean in some point the 8.35 make a lot of sense to mix with. As well the 8.35 will easy show you the artifact of the mp3, some still use low mp's loops, or just out of phase effect in stereo field.