[jcfs]

Hi, nice to meet you all, my first post.

To the point, I just wanted to get some recommendations from the more experienced regarding my purchase on an earphone.

I will primarily be using it in production and mixing of classical and hip-hop music. What would be a good headphone around $200 range that will provide me with accurate and detailed notes without any kind of exaggeration on certain notes?

It seems that Beyerdynamic DT770 and DT880 are generally well-regarded for this use? Thanks guys, I appreciate your responses in advance.

 

[jcfs]

Hah, sorry guys, I know this has probably been posted a million times before, but do any of you guys have suggestions?

A headphone with (open or closed, but open is more accurate right?) accuracy and flatness in both the lower and higher frequencies...as I will be mixing two different genres together.

Thanks guys!

 

[Peter Pinna]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcfs /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hah, sorry guys, I know this has probably been posted a million times before, but do any of you guys have suggestions? A headphone with (open or closed, but open is more accurate right?) accuracy and flatness in both the lower and higher frequencies...as I will be mixing two different genres together. Thanks guys!

In a $200 price area, I have not head a headphone that doesn't alter the sound in some way. Their probably is one that I haven't heard. One that I am curious about in this price range would be the Ultrasone HFI 780. Would someone who is familiar with this headphone let us know if it "colors" the sound in any way?
Going on to headphones I have heard, but that are in a more expensive price range, two choices that come to mind are the AKG K701 and the Ultrasone Pro 750. While both headphones are excellent, accurate and articulate headphones, I prefer the Pro 750 because of it's more "definitely there" low end. The K701 has a very pleasant sounding low end but, to my ears, it doesn't sound like it's all there. This becomes most noticeable, IMO, when listening to instruments such as the Contra-Bass, Cellos and the lowest 2 Octaves on a Grand Piano.
For string sections either the K701 or the Pro 750 are excellent choices but when I take everything into consideration, including their different sound stages, I prefer the Pro 750.
Good luck in finding your headphone and welcome to Head-Fi!

 

[jcfs]

Thanks Peter Pinna for the welcome.

I have been doing a bunch of search throughout the forum and have come to some conclusions.

1. I will be working on hiphop music, and will definitely need an extension into the deeper bass.
2. The most talked about "most neutral headphone" seems to be K-701 and DT 880.
3. Am I correct in that DT 880 will be better than K-701 for my purposes, for a more neutral (unbiased, unemphasized sound) lower end?
4. Any other suggestions, I am flexible with the 200$ mark.

 

[jcfs]

anyone?

 

[Peter Pinna]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcfs /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks Peter Pinna for the welcome. I have been doing a bunch of search throughout the forum and have come to some conclusions. 1. I will be working on hiphop music, and will definitely need an extension into the deeper bass. 2. The most talked about "most neutral headphone" seems to be K-701 and DT 880. 3. Am I correct in that DT 880 will be better than K-701 for my purposes, for a more neutral (unbiased, unemphasized sound) lower end? 4. Any other suggestions, I am flexible with the 200$ mark.

When you use the word "extension" do you mean you are looking for an accurate bass response or do you mean that you are looking for an exaggerated bass response?
If you are looking for an accurate bass response where very low notes are part of the music, I suggest the Ultrasone Pro 750. I suggest you hear how this particular headphone handles bass. What you will hear through these headphones will be exactly what the producer and the sound engineer of the recording intended you to hear, IMO.
The AKG K701, while being a nice sounding, mostly accurate headphone, it does not, IMO, handle the low end as well as the Pro 750.
I've never heard the Beyerdynamic DT880 so I could not make any comment on that headphone. I have heard one model of the DT770 and while I would not consider the particular model of that headphone that I heard to be the most accurate headphone I've ever heard, it had a pleasant sound with a slightly exaggerated bass response, IMO.
For a "neutral, unbiased and 'unemphasized' sound" I will repeat my recommendation of the Ultrasone Pro 750's. The Pro 750's play accurate, strong, tight, "in the pocket" but definitely not exaggerated bass better than any other headphone I've ever heard. It also handles the full frequency range extremely well, IMO. Of the headphones I've heard, the Pro 750 is definitely my favorite.
The retail price of the Pro 750's is approximately $400 but I have seen ads for a lower price here on head-fi. You will see it called "Proline 750" sometimes. That is what they called it last year. There are some minor differences between the "Pro" and the "Proline", none of which are the sound or the technical specifications. Both sound the same. Use the links in my signature area to find out more about this as well as other information about the Pro 750.
I suggest you demo any headphone you are thinking about purchasing before you purchase them. Make sure the ones you demo are "burned-in" because there is definitely a difference in the sound.
Good luck!

 

[aaron313]

Extension means just that... extension. Bass goes low, treble goes high.

If you want neutral, go with the K701. And I have no clue what PP refers to with regard to the bass not being "all there." The K701 goes damn low in the bass spectrum. Maybe he means that it does not hit hard, which it does not (especially when lacking amplification). It is possible you would prefer the Pro 750, but it's a hit or miss headphone, with many people saying "miss." Unbiased in its presentation? Read what HeadRoom says. But many people have cited the bass as a plus. If you like it, you may love it. If you hate it... well, you know.

 

[Peter Pinna]

I have read the review "attached" to the link that Aaron 313 posted and to say that I disagree with the reviewers negative comments would be, at the very least, an understatement. I happened to show this review to a sound engineer I know who also uses the Pro 750. His reaction was (about the reviewer) "This guy is crazy!"
There's a thread in these forums that has a number of reviews of the Pro 750's. Why didn't Aaron send you the link to that thread which contains some balanced favorable reviews of the Pro 750? Instead, he sent you one isolated, erroneous review written by someone who may have had some type of hidden agenda. Who knows?
The AKG K701 has a low end that sounds "light" to my ears. There just isn't enough there to suit my tastes. It doesn't sound accurate, in that regard, when compared to high quality studio monitors, IMO. Whereas, the audio playing via the Pro 750 sounds much more similar to the sound of the studio monitors and that definitely includes the low end frequencies.
You see, IMO, this is what Aaron does. He goes onto a thread and tries to start an argument by writing negative opinions, not about what has been posted, but instead about the poster. In this case, as in a couple of other recent situations, it happens to be me.
I suggest you read the links in my signature area. I also suggest you go to the Ultrasone thread ("There's something about Ultrasone") and you will find that I am definitely not the only one who has an admiration for the sound of the Pro 750's.
Aaron 313 certainly has a right to his opinion. And, I want you to know that I support his right to express his opinion. However, what I do not support is the negative, IMO, manner in which he presents his opinion by writing ideas that more than imply an immensely negative and argumetative tone.
Furthermore, I also want you to know that I think the AKG K701 is an excellent headphone. I will even go so far as to say that I think it has a good sounding low end. But, if I take everything into consideration, the AKG K701's presentation of the low frequencies is simply not enough for my tastes and I definitely prefer the Pro 750 in this regard. And, when I take everything into consideration I prefer the Pro 750, overall.
jcfs, you will undoubtedly read a number of different opinions about headphones. In the end, only you can decide for yourself what appeals to you. I suggest you use the opinions of people in these forums (and this includes my opinions) as only "basic information" which then enables you to investigate, research and especially LISTEN to the headphones for yourself to make the judgement.
By the way, I have seen negative and positive reviews and comments in these forums and elsewhere regarding the AKG K701. This also holds true for the Ultrasone Pro 750 as well as several other headphones. I suggest remembering that these are only someone's opinion. As I indicated before, I suggest you ultimately decide for yourself.
I wish you much success in your search for headphones and in every other endeavor you undertake.

 

[aaron313]

OP: I am trying to protect you here. I never said you would not like the Pro 750, just that you should be careful when taking advice. I am not going to name names, but there has been at least one other maniacal fanboy on this site who would just not shut up about a certain product that is actually a POS. Yes, Peter is correct about the K701 being "light," but the guy evidently does not even know what "extension" means. He basically recommends the 750 to everyone, except when he recommends the SONY R10 (you know, the $6k, out of production one), which he recklessly suggested after hearing it was good.

 

[dreamwhisper]

don't forget to factor into your budget the cost of an amp to run the K701 or DT880

How about some new or old AKG K240's? I consider these an 'ol standby. New one's don't need an amp.
I would also look into Sennheiser HD25-1 II,
or Audio Technicha 900ltd/ 950ltd/ 900ti/ w100 (not the ATH-A900)

But who knows, maybe you would like the bright sounding (to me) Sony MDR-V6 or others that have gone unmentioned.

Good luck.

 

[Peter Pinna]

I have seen the word "extension" (where headphones are concerned) to mean an "exaggeration" of a particular frequency. I have also seen it to mean a wider frequency range/response. I have seen it used both ways and that is why I asked for a clarification.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I would go with one of the traditional studio headphones, not a consumer/audiophile pair.

They're out of production, but the AKG K-240DF is a very neutral, excellent headphone. Another you might consider in your budget is the Sony MDR-V6. It's long been used professionally - I enjoyed a pair for years.

I haven't heard either, but the Beyerdynamic DT100 and DT150 are about in your price range, are used professionally and have a following here. You might be able to find a used Beyerdynamic DT48 in your budget. I have a couple pairs - they're dead nuts accurate for classical work. Not so sure about hip-hop, though.

You might also want to look for a used Sennheiser HD-600. They turn up used around $200, and I love mine. I've heard of people using them professionally, as well. They're more neutral than the HD-650.

 

[Peter Pinna]

A message to aaron313:
Again, another comment from you about my R10 suggestion. Please look at Uncle Eriks most recent post. In it he writes "I haven't heard either, but the Beyerdynamic DT100 and DT150 are about in your price range, are used professionally and have a following here." Now, if he hasn't heard either of these headphones and yet, he is suggesting to the OP that he investigate them, just as I did in the post that you have repeatedly complained about, what is the difference? And, why don't you criticize Uncle Erik for the same reason you are criticizing me? If you're smart, you won't. One poster who defended me and would probably also defend Uncle Erik if you decide to criticize him (for essentially the same reason you have continued to criticize me) said something to the effect of 'These types of recommendations are done all the time on head-fi. It isn't necessary to have actually used the product. A suggestion can be based on something you've read or heard...'

I put so much thought into my 750 posts because I have actually experienced them, extensively. How could I possibly have a lot to say about a headphone like the R10 that I have not heard? And, I made that clear as well as the idea that my suggestion was based on what someone who had heard the R10's extensively had told me about their sound.

Edit: For some reason, when this comment posted, it was truncated. I wrote more than this but, I guess, this is enough for now.

 

[Peter Pinna]

I'm not sure what's going on but a couple of posts from aaron313 to which I responded are now missing from the thread. This is interesting.

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Pinna /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm not sure what's going on but a couple of posts from aaron313 to which I responded are now missing from the thread. This is interesting.

Yes, I attempted to clean up the mess from the cat fight. Keep it on topic and not personal.
Thanks,