[hebjam]

Hi everyone,

I've recently gotten into computer DAW recording after 15 years of using
studios. My current phones are crappy sonys. I'm looking for something
unhyped with a wide frequency range as I really need to hear what's
going on in the sub-bass region. I've read all the posts and my brain is
going to fall out with all the contradictory opinions! My price range is $100
or less. Is there anyone in this situation with some advice? Should I go
Senn 495, 280pro/ grado 60, 80/ sony v6,7506/ beyer/philips???
I also want something to cover my ear for comfort over 5-6 hr periods.
Music style is hard rock ,pop.

thanks!!

 

[The Quality Guru]

I've heard that the Sony CD3000 headphones are 'made for studio purposes' and are 'analytical,' which means that they are probably optimized for professional use, but they probably are still good headphones otherwise (other than being non-musical). 'Analytical' in an audiophile context means (I think) to be able to hear a lot of the invidual sounds of the instruments. Such an ability for a headphone is probably something good to have for your uses. I dunno, I'm no expert when it comes to mastering, because I like to listen for fun, nothing else.

 

[hebjam]

thanks Guru, but I think those are way beyond my budget.
I'm in Canada and after exchange/tax the cost is double for me!
I don't need the greatest phones, just an improvement over these sony
mdr-cd170's(yeecchh!)

 

[kwkarth]

The CD3000's are not closed cans and therefore do not isolate from outside noise at all.

Go for Beyer DT250/80's. Oh, sorry, these are beyond your price range too. The Sony MDR-7506 looks like your best option at this point.

 

[hebjam]

Yea, that's what I was centering on.
However, I'd pay the extra if it's REALLY worth it.
Also, I hate harsh treble. Is it true the 7506's can be harsh?
And do they fit around the ear well?

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally posted by hebjam Yea, that's what I was centering on. However, I'd pay the extra if it's REALLY worth it. Also, I hate harsh treble. Is it true the 7506's can be harsh? And do they fit around the ear well?

Yes, the 7506's can be harsh, but not terribly so.
They fit around your ears just fine providing your ears aren't too big.

IMHO, the Beyers are worth the extra money without question.

 

[schiss]

I like my beyers better that my V6's, too. If you can pay for it, go for it.

However, I find the treble on the V6's harsh only when the recording is that way... so if you're buying for recording purposes, you might use it to your advantage. You'd know if you were pushing the treble too far forward in the mix, EQ'ing to hot, etc.
Why not buy them, compare them to your studio monitors (see if the treble is clean when it's clean on your monitors) and take it from there?


Schiss

 

[hebjam]

Thanx for the replies!
Anyone else with an opinion?
What about Denon?I tried some today(AHD something or other), and I
prefered them to the senn 570's they had there.
How do the Senn 280 pros compare to Beyer DT 250's?
Thanks again!

 

[Snufkin]

I'll add another vote for the Beyer 250-80, haven't heard the Senny 280 so can't comment on how they perform.

 

[Mike Walker]

I record/mix/master on my 7506s every day, and consider their "analytical" quality a blessing from God. Yes, their high end is a little "hot" in absolute terms. Thank you Jesus! This keeps me from committing one of the greatest sins of many (most?) of today's (nearly deaf?) engineers...applying WAY too much high end eq/processing! Do it with the 7506, and your ears will BLEED! But that's not their fault. They're simply revealing that your high end is OVER THE TOP!

HIgh end response has been creeping up over the years...gradually becoming brighter/hotter with the passage of time. Don't believe me? Pull a great recording from the 70s such as "Rumors" by Fleetwood Mac, and compare the far darker, more richly textured sound with most anyting out today. Can you tell that I think today's recordings are TOO F@@KIN' BRIGHT? Use the 7506, and I dare you to sin in this (all too common) way

 

[hebjam]

Yea Mike, I totally agree with you.

As Bob Dylan said,"the radio today makes a horrible noise."

Are the 7506's good for enjoyment listening as well, or do you use others
for that?

Also, does anyone know of a site that would ship these to Canada?

 

[Mike Walker]

Yes, the 7506 is great for listening too. However, it isn't my first choice. I find the amount of mid/hf content, and resulting "detail" which are quite welcome during production just a little too "in my face" when I just want to LISTEN for enjoyment. For that I choose either the Sennheiser HD-580, or Beyerdynamic DT-990pro (which kind of "splits the difference" betwen hyper-"detailed" studio 'phones, and more "laid back" 'phones for music listening).

I have great expectations for the new Sennheiser M@H40 'phones which I have ordered, a new version of the (in my opinion) CLASSIC Sennheiser HD-40. Yes, I know this new model costs only 29.99. Tee hee! Fortunately headphones are one area of audio where price has almost no relationship to quality! There are wonderful 'phones under 100 dollars, and truly awful ones at the highest price levels (while I suspect many will agree with that statement, we could argue endlessly about which models are wonderful, and which AWFUL!)

Since I'm not extremely wealthy, I find it a great blessing that I have been able to find so much musical enjoyment from truly inexpensive headphones! Which I hope to find with my M@H40s when they arrive (I ordered two pairs. If they truly do sound like the old HD-40s, I don't want to ever be without them again!) Those who remember, and loved the HD-40 will tell you that it had greater bass extension, flatter response, lower coloration, lower distortion, and a far more natural presentation than most of Sennheiser's other far more expensive models. I've always wondered if that's why it was pulled...because it was a "giant killer" even within Sennheiser's own line! Note: I ONLY owned the high impedance version of the HD-40. The M@H40 is supposedly a "clone" of the later (last year or so of production), low impedance (and much easier to drive!) HD-40. I have it on good authority that they (the high and low impedance versions) sound(ed) the same. But I can't confirm this from my own experience. So when I receive my M@H40 'phones, I'll let you know. If they truly are (as I expect) GREAT headphones at only 30 (US) bucks a pop, then we ALL benefit! (Especially those of us on a budget!)

 

[Atomicarnage]

Uh, hello! People, have you guys even been reading about the recently professed excellence of the HD-280? I have these bad boys on right now, and let me tell you they hit 8hz. Is that low enough for you? The bass is deep and fairly tight, and I haven't broken them in for more than 10 hours yet. They also offer great isolation (greater than the beyers and the Sony's) and according to Delenda they are very balanced after break in. Even right out of the box the treble isn't near harsh. I just cranked up the treble to see how they react to eq'd up high end, and i'd have to say that even with the treble turned up they are still very forgiving. But that doesn't mean you won't notice that the treble is too high. They are pretty analytical headphones that allow you to . . . well, analyze. And here comes the best part! They're just under 100 american bucks! Perfect price! You cannot go wrong with these.

 

[blr]

Quote:

Originally posted by Atomicarnage Uh, hello! People, have you guys even been reading about the recently professed excellence of the HD-280? I have these bad boys on right now, and let me tell you they hit 8hz. Is that low enough for you?

Now, don't get me wrong, I also have the 280s and I like them very much, but how do you know they hit these 8 Hz?
Have you looked at the specs? If so forget about it.
These figures doesn't tell anything about the sound of the phones. Even if the phones were capable of staying flat down to 8Hz (which I doubt) your reproduction equipment and hearing aren't.
That said I agree with you that HD 280s has extremely deep, tight and articulate bass and the high end is more natural sounding that V7506.

 

[Mike Walker]

While "forgiving" might be a worthwhile characteristic for music listening (it certainly will make more of your music library listenable/less "harsh"), trust me..."forgiving" is exactly the last sonic "attribute" one should seek out in a headphone for serious recording/mixing/mastering use! Consider the nature of the term "forgiving"...it means that you can commit "sins" (such as "really eqing the highs up") and they will be "forgiven"! Exactly my point about the 7506...their analytical nature won't let you commit the sin to begin with! Eq the highs too hot and your ears will BLEED! This is absolutely a good thing for PRO AUDIO!

As for the new Sennheisers "hitting 8hz", YAWN! That's nice, Atomicarnage. Too bad your ears don't! That's more than an octave below the point where human beings perceive air pressure changes as being SOUND! Hey, I'll be they go even lower. I'll be they "respond" to dc as well. Take off the ear cushions, and hook a 1 1/2 volt battery across the terminals. When you hook it with the plus terminal of the battery going to the plus terminal of one channel of the 'phones, does the diaphram move forward? It does? Great! Your 'phones "responded" to dc, or 0hz. Now tell me Atomicarnage, what does it SOUND LIKE?