[mn24viii]

Did you compare the 250OHM and 32OHM and find the 32 was more balanced and didn't have the typical Beyer recessed mids?

I haven't heard the 250s but there hasn't been a single claim to that tune in the massive body of information I've read on these headphones.

I had them both. The mids of the 250 are much more recessed. I couldn't hear music with them except for electronic or hip hop.

The 32 also has recessed mids, but I find them rather pleasant to listen to. A lot is due to the different kind of pads used. Pleather vs cushion. But they didn't sound the same when I exchanged them.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Reading elsewhere on this site, I hear a lot about SRH440 and M40x being perfectly flat. I used to have the M40x but sold them unfortunately and don't even remember how they sounded.

 
I had the M30x, M40x, and M50x.
 
First, take a look at this and how much of a bass boost the M50x has.
 
http://cdn.head-fi.org/2/2b/2bec6adf_Audio_Technica_ATH-M50X.png
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AudioTechnicaATHM50x.pdf
 
It overwhelms and muds up the mids. But aside from that and some treble roll-off, it's the highest-performing of the three.
 
The M40x sounds like the M50x except for less lower frequencies, more upper frequencies, and perhaps slightly less technical performance. It's definitely the most neutral one, as you can see here: http://goldenears.net/board/GR_Headphones/5705574
 
The M30x is a bit thinner and brighter, but without EQ I still prefer it over the M50x.
 
Check out those measurements I shared for the STAX SR-207. That's as close to neutral as I've heard without EQ.

 

[MorrisL]

   
I had the M30x, M40x, and M50x.
 
First, take a look at this and how much of a bass boost the M50x has.
 
http://cdn.head-fi.org/2/2b/2bec6adf_Audio_Technica_ATH-M50X.png
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AudioTechnicaATHM50x.pdf
 
It overwhelms and muds up the mids. But aside from that and some treble roll-off, it's the highest-performing of the three.
 
The M40x sounds like the M50x except for less lower frequencies, more upper frequencies, and perhaps slightly less technical performance. It's definitely the most neutral one, as you can see here: http://goldenears.net/board/GR_Headphones/5705574
 
The M30x is a bit thinner and brighter, but without EQ I still prefer it over the M50x.
 
Check out those measurements I shared for the STAX SR-207. That's as close to neutral as I've heard without EQ.

 
Thanks for that! Wow! I didn't realize the m40x's were that neutral. What's amazing is it's ruler flat exactly where it needs to be, where music is most audible. It even betters HD 600, looking at these graphs. I'm gonna buy another set of those, no doubt. This might be exactly what I was after.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Thanks for that! Wow! I didn't realize the m40x's were that neutral. What's amazing is it's ruler flat exactly where it needs to be, where music is most audible. It even betters HD 600, looking at these graphs. I'm gonna buy another set of those, no doubt. This might be exactly what I was after.

 
That dip in the upper mids / lower treble can still interfere with things, though. I'd really consider doing at least a little EQ. You could also try the free trial of the Sonarworks Reference 3 Headphone software, which has very high quality presets for many headphones, including the M40x.

 

[MorrisL]

   
That dip in the upper mids / lower treble can still interfere with things, though. I'd really consider doing at least a little EQ. You could also try the free trial of the Sonarworks Reference 3 Headphone software, which has very high quality presets for many headphones, including the M40x.

Cool. I'm gonna do that. Sounds like I got off pretty cheap here. A new $100 headphone and my girl will leave me alone working as late as I want. Order placed. Waiting for the mailman!

 

[sikki-six]

Focal Spirit Pro is my choice for a closed mixing hp. They have some boost in the upper mids / low treble, which makes transients, compression etc very easy to hear. Bass is quite clean and extends nicely. There's some air missing in the trebles, but that's what you usually get with a very sealed pair.

They have a tight clamp that some find too much. I'm cool with this - the earpads are nice & soft. These a a very good deal in the eu-zone especially, my pair was 211€ from Thomann, Germany.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Focal Spirit Pro is my choice for a closed mixing hp. They have some boost in the upper mids / low treble

 
No way. The mids and treble are almost entirely sucked out! (Like I mentioned on the last page, I had two Spirit Pros.)
 

 

[sikki-six]

No way. The mids and treble are almost entirely sucked out! (Like I mentioned on the last page, I had two Spirit Pros.)

Yeah, I read you're post, that's why I thought I'd chime in. I disagree.

I have HD600 too and they have a slight boost in the 3k area, but I'd say the FSP is more forward in that general range. Cymbals, spikey guitars etc can be too much on bad mixes especially. I'd say the Focals are kind of warm because of energy lacking in the high treble, but there's no way these don't have mids or highs. And these aren't bassy headphones, even though there's more energy than 600s there. I think most of this comes from more subs.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Yeah, I read you're post, that's why I thought I'd chime in. I disagree.

I have HD600 too and they have a slight boost in the 3k area, but I'd say the FSP is more forward in that general range. Cymbals, spikey guitars etc can be too much on bad mixes especially. I'd say the Focals are kind of warm because of energy lacking in the high treble, but there's no way these don't have mids or highs. And these aren't bassy headphones, even though there's more energy than 600s there. I think most of this comes from more subs.

 
Well, I can agree with it being more forward in that area than it is in other areas. But it's much warmer and darker than neutral. That was one of the main reasons I got rid of it. It was difficult to equalize effectively. The measurements don't lie: the bass is boosted by about 5 dB and the entire upper mids and lower treble are recessed by 5 to 15 dB (that's an extreme amount) except for that peak around 4 kHz, which only goes up to a neutral level, so there aren't even any peaks at all in its FR. (Which is at least a better thing than having nasty peaks.) Since the other frequencies are lower than that, though, I can understand what you mean about that area being emphasized. I never had a problem with it, and I can't stand excess brightness.

 

[Malfunkt]

  HD 600 is my reference headphone for mixing/mastering, but unfortunately I often need to work at nights and don't want to disturb my girlfriend. 
 
I have DT 770 32ohm but it's so different from my reference ideal, it's confusing to work with those. Does anyone know which closed headphones would bring me closest to the HD 600 sound?

If you are mixing electronic, or any music with bass, I highly recommend the MDR-7520. They will work well for other mix applications. 
 
http://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/sony-mdr-7520
 

 

[starfirepro]

How is a closed back headphone supposed to sound like HD600? I personally haven't heard them, but from what I've read about them, they are one of the most open headphones out there. You cannot emulate the soundstage of such an open headphone into a closed back one - not that I'm an expert in the area, but I assume that's not how it works...

 

[mn24viii]

How is a closed back headphone supposed to sound like HD600? I personally haven't heard them, but from what I've read about them, they are one of the most open headphones out there. You cannot emulate the soundstage of such an open headphone into a closed back one - not that I'm an expert in the area, but I assume that's not how it works...

I only know the HD650 and it's soundstage is not that great. There are closed headphones that can get at least close to it.

 

[Fearless1]

How is a closed back headphone supposed to sound like HD600? I personally haven't heard them, but from what I've read about them, they are one of the most open headphones out there. You cannot emulate the soundstage of such an open headphone into a closed back one - not that I'm an expert in the area, but I assume that's not how it works...

Once again, the DT150.

It has a ridiculously similar tone to the 650/600 while extending a bit lower in the bass department. As far as soundstage, it is more open and airy then the 600/650.

It is also ugly as heck, but it is built to survive in a studio environment .

 

[MorrisL]

Once again, the DT150.

It has a ridiculously similar tone to the 650/600 while extending a bit lower in the bass department. As far as soundstage, it is more open and airy then the 600/650.

It is also ugly as heck, but it is built to survive in a studio environment .

It's not that it's ugly... It's just decidedly uncomfortable by all reports. Everybody who praises these phones feels obligated to finish their praise by admitting how uncomfortable these are. To me, comfort is the most important part of a headphone, right next to audio quality. 

 

[SHAMuuu]

  It's not that it's ugly... It's just decidedly uncomfortable by all reports. Everybody who praises these phones feels obligated to finish their praise by admitting how uncomfortable these are. To me, comfort is the most important part of a headphone, right next to audio quality. 

The dt100 is so strangely uncomfortable, i need to have pep talk before wearing them
 
Though i assume the dt150 with the fatter pads is "better"
 
but i have seen on tht dt150 thread someone put pilot pad and alpha muffs and they look'n deadly comfy and deadly deadly
 
I think i could drop this thing from a plane, and it would survive