[CB3874]

Hello,
 
I'm in the market for a new pair of headphones to replace my SRH440.  I like my SRH440 but the more time I spend on this message the more I'm craving to upgrade. Here is my current setup:
 
 
Ebtech Hum Exterminators ->
Monster Power Station Pro 1000->
2010b 27 Apple iMac ->
Audioquest Carbon USB Cable ->
Apogee Duet 2 ->
Mogami Gold TRS Balanced Patch Cables->
KRK Rokit 5 2nd Gen & Shure SRH 440
 
I mostly listen to Jazz & Rock (old & new) and do some recording & mixing in Logic 9. So far, the SRH940 / 1440, HD650 / 600, Grados i325, RS2 have been on my list. I've only heard the RS2 (I dig them!) and read many reviews on the others: Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks!
 
 
 
 

 

[CB3874]

bump

 

[fabio-fi]

Go for the RS2's. The 325 are more on the bright side.  

 

[MalVeauX]

 
Quote:

Hello,
 
I'm in the market for a new pair of headphones to replace my SRH440.  I like my SRH440 but the more time I spend on this message the more I'm craving to upgrade. Here is my current setup:
 
 
Ebtech Hum Exterminators ->
Monster Power Station Pro 1000->
2010b 27 Apple iMac ->
Audioquest Carbon USB Cable ->
Apogee Duet 2 ->
Mogami Gold TRS Balanced Patch Cables->
KRK Rokit 5 2nd Gen & Shure SRH 440
 
I mostly listen to Jazz & Rock (old & new) and do some recording & mixing in Logic 9. So far, the SRH940 / 1440, HD650 / 600, Grados i325, RS2 have been on my list. I've only heard the RS2 (I dig them!) and read many reviews on the others: Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks!
 
 
 
 

 
Heya,
 
Hifiman HE-400
Sennheiser HD600
Denon D5000
 
Very best,
 

 

[KG Jag]

Consider the Alessandro MS-2--based on the Grado 325.

 

[CB3874]

Thanks for the help! Does anyone own one open & one closed pair in the arsenal? I like to mix with headphones over speakers in Logic(I know most people will say it's better to mix with speakers) and wonder if the end product would be drastically different from one another .

 

[wmenochs]

 
Quote:

Thanks for the help! Does anyone own one open & one closed pair in the arsenal? I like to mix with headphones over speakers in Logic(I know most people will say it's better to mix with speakers) and wonder if the end product would be drastically different from one another .

 
What is the benefit of mixing with speakers rather than headphones?

 

[Hoax]

I used to do alot with music (still got a homestudio of mostly hardware) . in my opinion its best to mix on headphones and also speakers (ofcourse not both at the same time)
 
The beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO's are excellent studio headphones and are also widely used in many studios

 

[MalVeauX]

 
Quote:

Thanks for the help! Does anyone own one open & one closed pair in the arsenal? I like to mix with headphones over speakers in Logic(I know most people will say it's better to mix with speakers) and wonder if the end product would be drastically different from one another .

 
Heya,
 
I would mix with closed.
Master with open/any/speakers.
 
If you mix in open air with a "V" frequency response (eg; DT990) the resulting recording when you go to mastering is going to be quite different on speakers, especially a full range set. This is why you would want to mix on a flat response headphone, preferably closed, so that you're removing as much "it's the headphone" effect from what you're hearing, so that it doesn't translate into something different on a full range set of speakers once mastered.
 
Very best,

 

[Hoax]

 
Quote:

 
 
Heya,
 
I would mix with closed.
Master with open/any/speakers.
 
If you mix in open air with a "V" frequency response (eg; DT990) the resulting recording when you go to mastering is going to be quite different on speakers, especially a full range set. This is why you would want to mix on a flat response headphone, preferably closed, so that you're removing as much "it's the headphone" effect from what you're hearing, so that it doesn't translate into something different on a full range set of speakers once mastered.
 
Very best,

 
Its best to mix on open headphones (assuming you're into a studio without alot of noise coming from outside) .. open headphones give a better stereo image as well.
 
But if you're going to mix or master tracks both headphones and speakers is the way to go. for example a nice master trick is to put on headphones and set the volume very low and you might hear certain sounds being a little too loud or soft which would have been harder to hear if you had speakers on. Then again, for listening to the bass its best to use speakers again (assuming you're in a room that does not have a standing waves issue that increase the bass again. Also to my knowledge a closed headphone will give you a much more headphone image than an open one if you want to reproduce a good sound stage

 

[alv4426]

You sure about this? Ive been in two admittedly low budget studios, not one person used open headphones, and from my understanding Mal's explanation is correct and the one that from my experience people adhere to the most.
Quote:

 
 
Its best to mix on open headphones (assuming you're into a studio without alot of noise coming from outside) .. open headphones give a better stereo image as well.
 
But if you're going to mix or master tracks both headphones and speakers is the way to go. for example a nice master trick is to put on headphones and set the volume very low and you might hear certain sounds being a little too loud or soft which would have been harder to hear if you had speakers on. Then again, for listening to the bass its best to use speakers again (assuming you're in a room that does not have a standing waves issue that increase the bass again. Also to my knowledge a closed headphone will give you a much more headphone image than an open one if you want to reproduce a good sound stage

 
 

 

[Hoax]

 
Quote:

You sure about this? Ive been in two admittedly low budget studios, not one person used open headphones, and from my understanding Mal's explanation is correct and the one that from my experience people adhere to the most.
 
 

 
Im very sure
 
I got mine after many recommendations from pro's .. People with high end studios and lots of releases on their name. If you dont want to believe me I suggest looking up some reviews on the net. Also many shops selling studio equipment for producers / mixers also sell the DT - 990's because they are very popular in the studio.
 
Note that these are not headphones that make your music sound good .. They are meant to sound neutral so you can master your tracks to sound good on most systems rather than just sounding good in your own ears. They are a bit bassy though but not too much..
 
Anyways, just use common sense.. You recommend someone to get rid of the so called headphone sound and then recommend him a closed headphone? That doesnt make sense at all, the sound has nowhere to go and that will get you the typical in head sound rather than a wide stereo image

 

[CB3874]

That's what I'm looking. I want to find a pair of headphones that are transparent, not favoring a particular frequency range. I'm looking for something that will reveal the mixing flaws in my recordings (beside them sucking musicianship-wise). 

 

[alv4426]

this is a contradiction to the comments of the recording master posted above you. DT990 are NOT neutral.
Quote:

That's what I'm looking. I want to find a pair of headphones that are transparent, not favoring a particular frequency range. I'm looking for something that will reveal the mixing flaws in my recordings (beside them sucking musicianship-wise). 

 
 

 

[CB3874]

OK,
 
Scratch the DT990 from the list, I like bass (been playing bass for the 22 years) but not exaggerated or inorganic ( what the Beats HP sound like IMO) in playback.  It seems like most of the review I've read said that Beyerdynamics emphasize bass. 

 

The Shure SRH940 reviews are intriguing. I'll have to stop by the local Guitar Center to try them out.
 
I gave the B&W P5 a listen this weekend and was disappointed. Everything sounded very cluttered.