[Reticuli]

My Ixos headphones started cracking this weekend. Same two spots where the top headband section meets the two other headband segments. It's cracking symmetrically in the same spots on both ends on the gray cover plastic. Doesn't appear to be affecting the structural integrety of it (mr. spock) but it's a disappointment. It looks like the plastic cover over the internal structure was simply being bent too much. Also, the leather earpads are starting to crack a little after only a year and a half. Still minor, but obvious sign of wear. Since I was feeling generally pissed off at them, I decided to try and drive them until they blew out or switched on their protection circuitry. Didn't succeed, but they destorted like crazy above 300mW, to the point that I'm now not sure if I can hear a slight distorting in the lower mids now at normal volumes. The packaging says they can take 3W, but they sounded like they were going to fly apart (mr. spock) w/ three 0.5W headphone amps in sequence. Hope I didn't damage them. At normal volumes with a good source I think they are near flawless sounding for closed headphones, but lately I'm annoyed that they don't have more low end kick and can't handle enough power for my musicians earplugs. Thinking about going on another headphone binge.

Candidates:

Numark PHX-1 - new, no headband padding, untested. Recieved a rating of 1 star on Nextag, or one of those price match places. Matches the look of Numark's gear. Probably was tested on their mixers.

Pioneer 1000 - too much bling bling, too small an ear hole in the large pads. Mono switch.

Stanton Pro DJ 3000 - Everything I could want except that it doesn't have a mono switch and it's untested. Low pass filter could put it over the top, though.

Sony V900 - Supposedly lots of bass and can be driven hard as hell. Slightly resonant at high volumes.

Sony 7509 - Probably not as resonant as the Aura-Nomic V900, but the earpads aren't as deep and circumaural, either. The most expensive option.

I'm strongly tempted to get them all and send back the ones I don't want. What do you guys think?

 

[nierika]

Quote:

Originally posted by Reticuli Candidates: Numark PHX-1 Pioneer 1000 Stanton Pro DJ 3000 Sony V900 Sony 7509 I'm strongly tempted to get them all and send back the ones I don't want. What do you guys think?

None of the above.

 

[bangraman]

That's very helpful, nierika...


I'd suggest the Sennheiser HD25-1 but I'm not a DJ. In hot clubs I'd be prepared to sweat a lot but I guess you will sweat buckets with any closed phone. As for power handling these will go very loud. I'm not sure about overload protection but it would be safe toassume you would be deaf before these blow.

 

[Reticuli]

They need to be closed, circumaural. The 25's are not...pad sits on your ears. Technics 1200A has the same problem. They also need to have a lot of tight, loud bass, but without muddy mids or highs. Low pass filter would certainly be a benefit. It also needs to be able to handle at least 400mW with zero distortion, be extremely sensitive, and in production.

 

[nierika]

Quote:

Originally posted by bangraman That's very helpful, nierika...

Well bangraman I'm actually in a rush to get to work and was going to make a longer post later...

Ultrasone HFI-550 Beatmasters ($140 @ meier-audio.com) are an excellent circumaural choice at the same price point. If you'd rather not spend that much, the Sony V6s are your best choice at $70-$80. My mixer is also 400mW and I also use Etymotics Musicians' Earplugs.

 

[bangraman]

Ah I see. The Ultrasones suggested would have the same chassis as the Ixos phones so I'm not sure whether you would want them, but they would seem to be the ticket. The 7506 is kind of half-on, half-off the ear depending on your ear size so it might not suit you either.

 

[Reticuli]

I hate the V6/7506 headphone. The bass isn't necessarily boosted and they're way too bright and coarse. I need a lot of tight, undestorted low end and the rest can just be neutral. Like I said, a low pass filter could possibly make that requirement a moot point. Yeah, I'm staying away from that headband design from now on. The Stanton 2000S uses the same one, as well.

Nierika, are you using the 7506 with the musicians earplugs or those Ultrazones? How much can those Ultrazones take, anyway? If you turn your mixer all the way up do they start distorting or producing resonance? The Ixos start warbling above about 300mW. My mixer actually goes up to 500mW, but I don't ever turn it up quite that high even with the ER20's in. Eventually I'll get some ER15's made up, but for now the 20's are fine when I'm stuck between two big monitors. Funny, I also own the Redsound Micro Amp. Only outputs about 500mW into the load of most DJ headphones, though. I've been using it between the Ixos and my Matrix 2 with the bass turned up for an extra kick, but that bass is still diffuse sounding. Part of the problem is likely the mixer, but since the Ixos is falling apart anyway...

Oh, and price is really no object. I'd be willing to spend up to $300 if I had to.

Damn, a Xone 32...I've been interested in those. How's the sound quality out of the headphone jack?

Oh, and does your Micro Amp have a high noise floor and hiss? I also can tune in a talk radio station when I unplug the line-in mini about halfway. Weird. With the ER4S it's pretty good. And with an in line volume control (to take out the hiss) and the Ixos I also get great sound out of the my Pioneer SACD/DVD-A player.

 

[DJGeorgeT]

Quote:

Originally posted by Reticuli I hate the V6/7506 headphone. The bass isn't necessarily boosted and they're way too bright. I need a lot of tight, undestorted low end and the rest can just be neutral. Like I said, a low pass filter could possibly make that requirement a moot point. Yeah, I'm staying away from that headband design from now on. The Stanton 2000S uses the same one, as well. Nierika, are you using the 7506 with the musicians earplugs or those Ultrazones? How much can those Ultrazones take, anyway? If you turn your mixer all the way up do they start distorting or producing resonance? The Ixos start warbling above about 300mW. My mixer actually goes up to 500mW, but I don't ever turn it up quite that high even with the ER20's in. Eventually I'll get some ER15's made up, but for now the 20's are fine when I'm stuck between two big monitors. Funny, I also own the Redsound Micro Amp. Only outputs about 500mW into the load of most DJ headphones, though. I've been using it between the Ixos and my Matrix 2 with the bass turned up for an extra kick, but that bass is still diffuse sounding. Part of the problem is likely the mixer, but since the Ixos is falling apart anyway... Oh, and price is really no object. I'd be willing to spend up to $300 if I had to. Damn, a Xone 32...I've been interested in those. How's the sound quality out of the headphone jack? Oh, and does your Micro Amp have a high noise floor and hiss? I also can tune in a talk radio station when I unplug the line-in mini about halfway. Weird. With the ER4S it's pretty good. And with an in line volume control (to take out the hiss) and the Ixos I also get great sound out of the my Pioneer SACD/DVD-A player.

The V6/7506 are bright and clear and also boomy which makes it better than the V500DJ, V700DJ. The 700DJ has kind of a bandpass filter response. You don't hear much low end bass and you don't hear much of the top frequencies, but you hear a heck a lot of mids. I use them with a pair of ER-20 musician earplugs. The Red sound micro amp is terrible terrible, what a piece of junk. I am going to get a Headroom Airhead and I hope these can put out more juice than the noisy and lousy redsound can.

 

[DJGeorgeT]

Quote:

Originally posted by Reticuli I hate the V6/7506 headphone. The bass isn't necessarily boosted and they're way too bright. I need a lot of tight, undestorted low end and the rest can just be neutral. Like I said, a low pass filter could possibly make that requirement a moot point. Yeah, I'm staying away from that headband design from now on. The Stanton 2000S uses the same one, as well. Nierika, are you using the 7506 with the musicians earplugs or those Ultrazones? How much can those Ultrazones take, anyway? If you turn your mixer all the way up do they start distorting or producing resonance? The Ixos start warbling above about 300mW. My mixer actually goes up to 500mW, but I don't ever turn it up quite that high even with the ER20's in. Eventually I'll get some ER15's made up, but for now the 20's are fine when I'm stuck between two big monitors. Funny, I also own the Redsound Micro Amp. Only outputs about 500mW into the load of most DJ headphones, though. I've been using it between the Ixos and my Matrix 2 with the bass turned up for an extra kick, but that bass is still diffuse sounding. Part of the problem is likely the mixer, but since the Ixos is falling apart anyway... Oh, and price is really no object. I'd be willing to spend up to $300 if I had to. Damn, a Xone 32...I've been interested in those. How's the sound quality out of the headphone jack? Oh, and does your Micro Amp have a high noise floor and hiss? I also can tune in a talk radio station when I unplug the line-in mini about halfway. Weird. With the ER4S it's pretty good. And with an in line volume control (to take out the hiss) and the Ixos I also get great sound out of the my Pioneer SACD/DVD-A player.

The V6/7506 are bright and clear and also boomy which makes it better than the V500DJ, V700DJ. The 700DJ has kind of a bandpass filter response. You don't hear much low end bass and you don't hear much of the top frequencies, but you hear a heck a lot of mids. I use them with a pair of ER-20 musician earplugs. The Red sound micro amp is terrible terrible, what a piece of junk. I am going to get a Headroom Airhead and I hope these can put out more juice than the noisy and lousy redsound can.

 

[nierika]

Quote:

Originally posted by Reticuli Nierika, are you using the 7506 with the musicians earplugs or those Ultrazones?

I've used both with earplugs.

Quote:

How much can those Ultrazones take, anyway? If you turn your mixer all the way up do they start distorting or producing resonance?

The most I have turned it up was 3/4ths of the way, which was plenty. And they didn't distort at all.

Quote:

The Ixos start warbling above about 300mW. My mixer actually goes up to 500mW, but I don't ever turn it up quite that high even with the ER20's in. Eventually I'll get some ER15's made up, but for now the 20's are fine when I'm stuck between two big monitors. Funny, I also own the Redsound Micro Amp. Only outputs about 500mW into the load of most DJ headphones, though. I've been using it between the Ixos and my Matrix 2 with the bass turned up for an extra kick, but that bass is still diffuse sounding. Part of the problem is likely the mixer, but since the Ixos is falling apart anyway...

If you're using custom molds with the beige discs, those should be -25dBs. (The ER20s are the one-size-fits-all plugs) Myself and a friend of mine find the -25s take out way too much detail to be useful for DJing. I use the -9s for practice and -15s for louder systems. I also own the Redsound MicroAMP, and it handles 500mW and outputs a maximum of 2W. I don't know if it has something to do with it's 8ohm output, but I find it easier to mix with just the Xone32 headphone output (which is 400mW and clearer than the MicroAMP). I just keep the MicroAMP around for leasure listening.

DJGeorgeT: A Headroom Airhead isn't going to accept an amplified signal like the RedSound MicroAMP. Good luck finding a mixer with a CUE Line-Out (I'm actually going to suggest this to Allen&Heath, wouldn't it be a pleasure to monitor with a maxed-out PPA!?)

 

[Reticuli]

I'll probably end up getting the custom molds and 15dB disc eventually. Which of those headphones do you think produces better bass for mixing?

 

[nierika]

Quote:

Originally posted by Reticuli I'll probably end up getting the custom molds and 15dB disc eventually. Which of those headphones do you think produces better bass for mixing?

HFI-550 without a doubt. The V6 has more deep bass and better extension, but that isn't useful when DJing beat-driven music (it resonates and makes the beats blend together somewhat). That is why the Sennheiser HD 280 Pros aren't good DJ cans. The HFI-550s emphasize the upper-bass and makes the beats discrete and easy to pick out.

 

[DJGeorgeT]

Mixing is not only about beats. Even if they may blend a bit as you describe it, you have a good balance in all frequencies and that helps in mixing. For some types of music, I depend on clear highs in order to 'know' for sure that I am mixing tight. For some experimental stuff, I have no beats, but I still have to match the tempo of tracks. The 7506 is more than enough and perfect for djing. My main complaint about the 'dj' headphones is the lack of clarity. Problem with the V700 for instance is that the mid bass is accentuated with a lack of lower bass and the mids are just screaming through my ears and the highs are rolled off. I guess for some this is how they can find the beat. I find that very uncomfortable and very tiring to my ears. I have never heard the HFI-550s, but I guess the way you describe it...I already detest them.

 

[nierika]

Quote:

Originally posted by DJGeorgeT Mixing is not only about beats. Even if they may blend a bit as you describe it, you have a good balance in all frequencies and that helps in mixing. For some types of music, I depend on clear highs in order to 'know' for sure that I am mixing tight. For some experimental stuff, I have no beats, but I still have to match the tempo of tracks. The 7506 is more than enough and perfect for djing.

I agree, it's not only about beats, but i think it's the most important part because it's the hardest to get right as far as DJ cans go. You have to have a good bass response when you have a loud and bassy monitor(s) pointed at you.

Quote:

My main complaint about the 'dj' headphones is the lack of clarity. Problem with the V700 for instance is that the mid bass is accentuated with a lack of lower bass and the mids are just screaming through my ears and the highs are rolled off. I guess for some this is how they can find the beat. I find that very uncomfortable and very tiring to my ears. I have never heard the HFI-550s, but I guess the way you describe it...I already detest them.

It's lack of clarity and lack of quality. You won't see anyone on this board singing the praises of Numark headphones because they don't make anything outside of muddy sounding DJ headphones. The HFI-550s are nothing like the V700s. The mids aren't boosted and the highs are "slightly recessed" but not rolled off. They also utilize a proprietary technology called S-Logic where you "perceive the same volume at significantly lower sound pressure (3-4dB). Up to 40% less - compared to the headphones of our competitors. As a result, hearing strain decreases and the danger of hearing damage may be reduced enormously."

 

[Reticuli]

Clearly separated beats are extremely important to my mixing. You just talked me out of the Senn 280's that I was about to get at DJmart. I wonder if the 7509 or the Stanton 3000 would still be good to try. Still hesitant about that headband, though, on the Beatmasters.

That meier-audio.com thing goes to a **** site, by the way.