[death69]

First I want to say... I know mixing on headphones is not ideal and should basically not be done. I live in apartment that all I can use at the moment to listen to the music I am creating is through headphones. So help me out here on those "None" comments.

Thanks.

My set of Sony MDR-7506 just went out on me and it is time to get a new pair of headphones. I liked these headphones but I just feel like there is a better pair out there for my mixing.

Can someone please help me find a pair of headphones that would be the best to use for mixing Electronic music. I create all of my music with a computer and can be a bit bass driven. So it is important that I have a pair of headphones that are accurate with base levels.

Price is also a concern. I am willing to pay for a good set but of course I don't want to pay to much.

Thanks for any and all help.

I have been looking at a few pairs at the moment...

Sennheiser HD580 / SENNHEISER HD600 - I hear there is no real difference between the 2 besides newness.

AKG K240 - I had a pair of these awhile ago but they were just soooo low in volume it drove me crazy. They were also very very flat which I guess is what I am looking for. But I didn't really like them.

KOSS PRO-4AAT - Because they are extremely cheap but that is not always good.

 

[death69]

Someone has to have an opinion.

I want to try to pick some up this weekend. So any feedback would be great.

Thanks!

 

[taso89]

I haven't tried these, but people recommend Beyer DT880's (2005 ed.) for tight, accurate bass, as well as detail and soundstage across the board. Anyone with actual 880's wanna confirm on that?

 

[captian73]

well here's my ten pence. If you're looking for a neutral, non commercial sound, then IMHO there's nothing that i own, tthat's better than a pair of Rolands.

AKG's?? the few i own...they can be rather bass heavy and compared to the Rolands, fairly coloured...but compared to the Rolands everything's coloured.

think about Equation audio and don't let the price tag put you off.

 

[tru\head]

dt770-80

 

[lordmozilla]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tru\head /img/forum/go_quote.gif dt770-80

fun but no good for mixing.

Do you want open phones for mixing? I guess the HD600/580 are often used as reference, so would be good for mixing.

 

[death69]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordmozilla /img/forum/go_quote.gif fun but no good for mixing. Do you want open phones for mixing? I guess the HD600/580 are often used as reference, so would be good for mixing.

I am not sure if I want opened or closed. I am not going to be doing tracking so open is fine. I just want the best for mixing in general, open or closed.

I write electronic music. So I am looking for the best for that genre so to speak. I write a lot of beats with sound effects and all that.

I hate writing on headphones but I have no choice at the moment and my sonys went out so I need replacements asap. I am getting withdraws, hehehe.

 

[lordmozilla]

whats your input? HD580/600's sound great for you but they are quite hard to drive well.

Maybe have a look at the audio technica phones, I don't know much about them though.

 

[death69]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordmozilla /img/forum/go_quote.gif whats your input? HD580/600's sound great for you but they are quite hard to drive well. Maybe have a look at the audio technica phones, I don't know much about them though.

At the moment I am using just plugging into a generic soundcard on my computer and I write everything on my computer. I need to get a good soundcard eventually too.

 

[Peter Pinna]

Quote:

Originally Posted by death69 /img/forum/go_quote.gif First I want to say... I know mixing on headphones is not ideal and should basically not be done. I live in apartment that all I can use at the moment to listen to the music I am creating is through headphones. So help me out here on those "None" comments. Thanks. My set of Sony MDR-7506 just went out on me and it is time to get a new pair of headphones. I liked these headphones but I just feel like there is a better pair out there for my mixing. Can someone please help me find a pair of headphones that would be the best to use for mixing Electronic music. I create all of my music with a computer and can be a bit bass driven. So it is important that I have a pair of headphones that are accurate with base levels. Price is also a concern. I am willing to pay for a good set but of course I don't want to pay to much. Thanks for any and all help. I have been looking at a few pairs at the moment... Sennheiser HD580 / SENNHEISER HD600 - I hear there is no real difference between the 2 besides newness. AKG K240 - I had a pair of these awhile ago but they were just soooo low in volume it drove me crazy. They were also very very flat which I guess is what I am looking for. But I didn't really like them. KOSS PRO-4AAT - Because they are extremely cheap but that is not always good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by death69 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am not sure if I want opened or closed. I am not going to be doing tracking so open is fine. I just want the best for mixing in general, open or closed. I write electronic music. So I am looking for the best for that genre so to speak. I write a lot of beats with sound effects and all that. I hate writing on headphones but I have no choice at the moment and my sonys went out so I need replacements asap. I am getting withdraws, hehehe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by death69 /img/forum/go_quote.gif At the moment I am using just plugging into a generic soundcard on my computer and I write everything on my computer. I need to get a good soundcard eventually too.

You're right, mixing using headphones is not common in professional recordings. However, the AKG K701 and the Ultrasone Pro 750 enable accurate mixes, IMO. I prefer the Pro 750 because the low end of the K701 has always seemed slightly "light" to me where as the Pro 750 has a very definite sounding low end, to my ears.
I would never mix with Sony headphones because, of the ones I've heard, they tend to alter the sound, IMO. They produce a pleasant sound, it's true, IMO, but it's an altered sound, none-the-less, in a situation where accuracy is key.
All things considered, from the headphones I've heard, my top choice for mixing "Electronic Music" (I believe I understand what you mean by "Electronic Music") would be the Ultrasone Pro 750's. My second choice would be the AKG K701. If your music has a lot of bass riffs, I would definitely go with the Pro 750's.
Also, it takes more to "drive" the K701's than it does the Pro 750. Consequently, the Pro 750's will be louder than the K701's when plugged into the same source at the same volume. Also, keep in mind that the K701's are "open" headphones whereas the Pro 750's are closed and consequently have better isolation.
If you're on a budget and you're looking for an inexpensive headphone amp, I suggest you check out the Behringer Amp 800 which costs about $40. It certainly would be better than running direct from your sound card, IMO.
Here is a link to a reputable on-line and physical store that sells the Behringer Amp 800:

Behringer | AMP800 - MINIAMP Compact 4-Channel | MINI AMP AMP800

I have purchased from this store and have found them to be excellent in their reliability.

I wish you the best.

 

[WittyzTH]

audio-technica ATH-M50 with EMU0404 USB or EMU1616M.

 

[Philco]

I strongly disagree with that statement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordmozilla /img/forum/go_quote.gif fun but no good for mixing.

 

[vvanrij]

AKG K701, neutral and accurate. You will need a decent amp to make it shine though, especially the low-end.

 

[LobsterSan]

DT770 is too bassy for accurate mixing. When you mix it will sound good to you but half of the people out there will hear no bass.

I also wouldn't use the Senn HD580/600 for mixing, especially not electronica. They are just too dark/veiled and laid back (unless you're amping them properly and have a nice cable replacement).

I was never very professional with my mixing when I recorded electronica (mostly IDM) on my computer, but I used MDR-V6 and felt it was a good choice for details but I usually had to adjust the bass so that it sounded just a bit too heavy (since the V6/7506 tend to be a bit bass-heavy). In retrospect, these are probably better choices:

The AKG K240 is often used professionally in mixing because of its very flat response, as you experienced. This is really the best way to go. Be aware though that there are two flavors of the K240 -- the S and the M. The S is much lower impedence and much easier to drive properly. The M is rated at 600 Ohms and is a beast to amp properly.

Another route to consider going is in-ear canal monitors, like the Etymotic ER-4 or something from Ultimate Ears. They also have very neutral response, and will give you complete isolation without a studio setting.

Lastly, you may want to consider going the "earspeaker" route -- STAX or AKG-K1000. Something a little more open, and with the electrostat sound. Personally, I love listening to electronica with electrostats -- there's a certain quality about it that mates perfectly with the genre. STAX and AKG-K1000 also give you that semi near-field monitor experience, instead of the all "in-the-head" experience of closed phones.

You will also want to consider what your target audience will be most likely listening with. If you're making dance floor music, then the DJ's are going to pump the bass regardless, so you may want to mix with something on the bassier side. If you're mixing IDM or more casual-type listening stuff, a more neutral headphone may be preferable.

Just my .02

 

[majkel]

Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro - yes
Fostex T50RP - yes
AKG K240 Studio - yes
Sennheiser HD600 - no (too specific and unique sound signature, bass below average)
AKG K701 - no (unrealistic bass, disputable treble consistency)
electrostats - no because the mix might come out unlistenable on dynamic transducers (MHO)
earspeakers - no 'cause you won't know much about the bass