[kool bubba ice]

I think a lot of the recommendations so far are good.

 

[Acix]

K-702 Are very natural with some amp's best for mixing and mastering.
K-1000. Get the money for a balanced amp, bass okay.
GMP-8.35/435. My choice for mixing, monitoring performance and DJing.
K-271. Have a beautiful mids, nice highs, bass okay.
K-240MKll. Great for studio mixing 80% of the K702.
K-240DF. Very natural and flat, vintage model that still kick's not so much bass for mix. : (
K-141. Very natural, flat and balanced. The vintage ones need a good amp @ 600 ohm.
M-50 under $100.

The DT-48's are natural but not really for mixing with bass highs or sound stage.
The 48's have one of the most natural upper mids for vocals, K-1000 mids level in a close can.

 

[dasmb]

Check out the Beyer DT770s and you may save some cash (they run around $200 USD)

I auditioned them last month and they are EXACTLY as you describe, mostly neutral with a nice, round bass. Many clubbing DJs I know swear by them, both for beat tracking and recording.

 

[lejaz]

Since the OP asked about closed cans I would throw in the mdr-7509. That one got top marks for a closed headphone in an article in Sound On Sound magazine on headphones for mixing. The ones that got the highest marks were open or semi-open...the hd650, k701, and dt880. Of the closed, the DT250 and m50 also got some fairly positive reviews. They didn't test any of the GMP's unfortunately. The OP might want to look at that article. I think that issue is still in the stores.

 

[AtomikPi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dasmb /img/forum/go_quote.gif Check out the Beyer DT770s and you may save some cash (they run around $200 USD) I auditioned them last month and they are EXACTLY as you describe, mostly neutral with a nice, round bass. Many clubbing DJs I know swear by them, both for beat tracking and recording.

The DT770's are anything but neutral - they have a strong v-curved FR. They're not necessarily bad for DJing, but for mixing, they'll produce pretty bad results due to their FR.

 

[Landis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtomikPi /img/forum/go_quote.gif The DT770's are anything but neutral - they have a strong v-curved FR. They're not necessarily bad for DJing, but for mixing, they'll produce pretty bad results due to their FR.

This.

Out of all my headphones, my DT770s are probably the furthest from neutral. With that said, I'd give a look into the Shure SRH840s. Can be found for very reasonable prices new and even better prices used. Of all my headphones, they're the closest I have to neutral and arguably the best in the price/performance ratio.

 

[MrGreen]

Beyerdynamic DT250 (80 ohm if you dont need an amp) is great.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stang /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks, will look into them and tell him about them. I was looking at the SA5000 not too long ago actually.

Incase you didn't realise, you'll have to buy used or import it (B&H has them for abotu $350 USD or so). You can't get the SA5k in australia, and the sa3000 is about $760 USD (vs $120). Rip ooooff

 

[John Willett]

For mixing, you really need open cans.

In the UK the popular choices are the Sennheiser HD 600 and 650 and the AKG K701 and 702.

Closed cans do help you to cut out the outside and enable you to listen to detail - personally I use both.

My own set-up was HD 650 for the open cans and HD 25-1 for the closed (though I have now upgraded to the HD 800 for the open ones).

You do *not* want headphones that "sound good", for mixing you need headphones that are accurate and tell it "how it is".

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Willett /img/forum/go_quote.gif For mixing, you really need open cans. You do *not* want headphones that "sound good", for mixing you need headphones that are accurate and tell it "how it is".

This is absolutely true! For this reason, I really think fast transient response is preferable........not that fast response sounds "bad" but when you have a slow transient attack it can hide certain blemishes because the sound blends together......

I really think the ideal headphone for mixing and the one I presently use is in fact the HD800, however.......if that is too expensive I believe a good second choice is the Sony SA5000 which is a very fast / cold headphone and very well suited for hearing even the most minute details.

For listening, there are even times where I prefer the HD600 to the HD800 (though not often), and also, the Denon line is very enjoyable for listening.

 

[DavidMahler]

P.S. I have never heard neutral closed headphones.......a lot of people would consider the W5000 to be neutral but I hated those and didn't hear them as neutral, but rather thin and terrible......I also have a pair of R10s and while they may be the best headphone ever, they are not really neutral, they are warmish and lush.......

If you truly want neutrality it is worth considering open headphones, but if closed is an absolute must, I would consider the Denon D2000..............it's not absolutely neutral, but I feel every closed headphone has an inherent (and sometimes enjoyable) bass hump. In terms of bass response, I feel the HD800 have the single greatest bass reproduction of any headphone I've heard and it is in this realism, that I think the HD800 are the most ideal for mixing.

 

[Lunatique]

The only headphones I've ever seen the world's most respected audio engineers rave about is the Audio-Technica ATH-M50. Read the reviews on this page by various big name audio engineers:
Audio Technica ATH-M50 Closed-Back Dynamic Monitor Headphones at FrontEndAudio.com

 

[ib1dance]

I'm also looking for some neutral studio headphones. The Audio Technica ATH-M50's are on the limit of my price range.

I do require some sound isolation when making music, though will the ATH-M50's closed designed give a 'unnatural' feel to the music?.Or have the closed back designs been able to give musical isolation whilst preserving the reality that sound or vibration is omnipresent and not only in your head. Hehe just like evolution is omnipresent whilst creationism is only in the head or human imagination .

At present I have some westone 3's ,which isolate the listener( Or do they isolate the world ?). Though I find you soon adapt to this 'enclosed' sound and the roomy feel of the westones ( especially so if your in a room ) This calibrates your perception to give a relativity natural feel.

I also listen to music with some sennheiser px 100 for general out and about use in not too noisy environments.These are light weight ,cheap to replace & sound lively, even in comparison to my westone's.And because of there open design I can hear what's going on about me in environments that I need or want to hear what's going on about me.

And that brings me to my main question . Can I buy a 'better sounding' open or semi open headphone for the same price of the ATH-M50'S closed headphones .Bearing in mind the context of 'Neutral' sounding studio monitors.

Is Neutrality in Studio monitors a constant or is Neutrality just a average characteristic that the audio industry try & agree upon.

I.E - perfection is impossible improvement is inevitable as we live with a constant of evolutionary change .

Or their is no God to make you the perfect headphone but life provides means to go beyond and surpass any obstacle .

 

[Lunatique]

The M50's sound fine--no boxy sound of the closed-back design. If they sounded boxy or congested, then all those big name audio engineers would not be raving about them.

You can use something like the Redline Monitor plugin, which creates a crossfeed and makes headphones sound like speakers.

 

[plonter]

to me,the HD650 sound very neutral (even lacking some bass sometimes) ,although I know they are not considered as neutral headphones.
I will probably not like the sound of a completely neutral sound when I hear it (HD800,HD600,DT48 etc.)
just a sidestep remark from the topic, did you notice that every time when talking about neutral headphones/sound reproduction, almost all of us say that neutral and analytical sound= not fun! and not for listening pleasure,but for mixing and studing only. it seems that almost nobody likes neutral sound just for listening.

about the denon D2000, if the sound similar to the D5000 (which from what i understood it does) than they are far far from neutral,not even close IMO.

 

[Lunatique]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plonter /img/forum/go_quote.gif to me,the HD650 sound very neutral (even lacking some bass sometimes) ,although I know they are not considered as neutral headphones.

HD650 is fairly neutral, and only its deep bass is a bit recessed. If you EQ the 30~40Hz region by 9~15dB (depending on the quality of the EQ you use), it'll become pretty damn neutral.