Mixing on Headphones

restart

New member
I have to use headphones and I have heard that it's not ideal. I use ATH-M50X.

Can Someone explain what "mistakes" or tendencies that mixing on headphones cause?

Thanks
 
To me, the biggest issue with headphone mixing is stereo imaging. But combined with this is that anything mixed center with headphones sounds loud, so I always reduced the volume, then when checking on a speaker system, the center-panned sound was too low in the mix.
 
Comparing Open Back to CLosed back headphones is what you need to do first for headphone mixing.

then theres a thing called CROSSFEED and other words, that simulate listening to monitors.
with monitors & rooms both ears hear both speakers, so its a kind of stereo/mono really. These headphone gadgets or plugs can do this too, kind of a stereo/mono crossfeed thing which makes headphone mixing less huge in the stereo field.

thats my 2 cents... open back headphones and the crossfeed thing for headphone mixing.

Ill add the main issue I always had with closed back headphones, great for tracking, but bad for mixing is because the bass is so huge in the closed back designs...open backs suck for tracking due to the obvious bleed/leak of source on mic'd stuff.
I use closed backs for tracking and the in mix mode the open-backs and crossfeed get turned on.
 
What mjb says is correct but there are a number of issues to beware of........and some explanations are lengthy. In short.........you're fighting the characteristics and sound quality of the headphone itself. The ath-m50 is a decent tracking but not mixing headphone......best used by vocalists to avoid sound bleed into the mic. So....keep the m50 for that and consider getting an open back set of phones if you will not be able to get or use decent monitors anytime soon. There are a number of acceptable models that will not lead you too astray. On the cheaper side I have used the Phillips SHP9500 and have gotten good results. On the more expensive side I use the Sennheiser HD600 and they are better to some extent. In any case......experience will show you the drawbacks of using only headphones to mix.
 
You can mix well on headphones if you take time to get to know them (use reference tracks, etc), use high quality open backed models, and understand the traits of them as MJB pointed out.
 
I have to use headphones and I have heard that it's not ideal. I use ATH-M50X.

Can Someone explain what "mistakes" or tendencies that mixing on headphones cause?

Thanks

The biggest mistakes tend to come from perception of stereo field.

With speakers your left ear hears right and left, as does your right ear.
I.E. Cover one ear and you still hear everything.
With headphones if you only have one ear on, you only hear one side of the mix.

This means that our perception of width is accentuated and our perception of volume of central information is skewed, on cans.

Generally that translates to listening on speakers and wondering why the mix doesn't sound as wide, and why the vocals/bass/snare are too quiet.

You can also run into difficulties picking up cancellation, for the same reasons.
The lack of bleed from L to R means that if you have hard pan left and right tracks which cancel each other to some degree, that will be much more obvious on speakers than on headphones.

In short always, at least, check width, central information volume, and cancellation, on monitors once in a while, if the lion's share of work is being done on headphones.
 
Comparing Open Back to CLosed back headphones is what you need to do first for headphone mixing.

then theres a thing called CROSSFEED and other words, that simulate listening to monitors.

Open-back are certainly much better for any mixing attempts...and likewise, they are better for listening...much more natural.

I've tried the crossfeed thing on a headphone distro box I tested out last year, and I didn't care for it. I mean, it didn't really make it sound like monitors.

Generally speaking...it's better to mix on monitors and then listen on headphones...then everything becomes that much more immersive...
...as opposed to mixing on headphones and listening on monitors/speakers...and then everything becomes smaller and skewed.
 
Thank you everyone for the feedback I will look at potentially getting some new headphones. But I will definitely try to keep checking the mix in on other speakers and try to use mono mixing more.
 
I second what everyone else has said. It's hard to pull away from the headphones. I know I have done great mixing in a great closed-back set only to find that it lacked a lot of excitement when played on actual speakers. True monitors and a treated room are where you need to be but not possible for everyone. Open-backs would be your best second choice.
 
I dug up this list of "Top 10" Open Back Headphones for 2018 : The Top 10 Best Open-Back Headphones on Earth - The Wire Realm

I'm stuck using headphones for the next year or more, so I'm shopping for better mixers.

Reading all the 1-star reviews on Amazon for the top 3 on this list, all have complaints of poor wiring, poor soldering, losing
audio in one ear - all after only a few months light usage. There are way more 4 and 5-star reviews, but I tend to believe many of
those are written before the common problem(s) strike.
 
I bought some on Amazon a used set, it was a waste of time. The pads were worn and it was like "yuk" so I ordered brand new pads to put on and all that put me within $$$small to get brand new ones.

Id recommend brand new.

Another Used set I bought years ago, 7506 on CL ,looked good...got using them...again new pads, then they just didnt fit right.
Eventually determined the band was bent and would never fit very good....

I'd recommend buying brand new , twice.

A college did a study on successful people. The study found everyone made mistakes, but the successful people didnt repeat the msitakes they made while the others, less successful repeated their mistakes.
 
Hi.. I am very new to the forum and not sure if this is the right way to ask a question but I really need some insights urgently. I am planning to buy a new pair of headphones, but my budget is only between 300-450 EUR, though I am open to go till 550. What do you think my options are if I am planning to use them for mixing? And what about IEMs (I like the idea of portability) viz-a-viz overheads? And would you go for an IEM or an overhead at that price range?:confused:
 
I've tried (bought) more headphones than I care to mention..........all very popular for mixing. The best ones for me.........and many others........have been the Sennheiser HD-600. Very accurate........although not designed to be portable. The MDR7506 is also very good and fairly accurate......and very portable. The ATH M50x are popular and portable but.......in my opinion.......not very accurate........but in one sense.......represents the headphones many people will hear your music on.
 
You 100pct cannot mix only with headphones. The #1 reason is bass response is usually poor and if a headphone has good bass, then the highs are weaker. Can't be done.
 
Funny timing on this thread. Just today Warren Huart (produce like a pro) came out with a video of some Focal headphones that supposedly you can actually mix on.
At 1,500 something a pair you'd better be able to. Hell, for that kind of money they should make me coffee too. :D
 
Headphone mixing can be done - but a lot of people prefer studio monitors

I personally use both to make sure it sounds good on all mediums

I like to use headphone mixing for trebles and higher pitch sounds but I prefer using studio monitors for the bass and low end
 
Back
Top