Need help deciding cheap mixing headphones

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djluis48

New member
Im looking to buy a cheap headphone for mixing. As background, Im kind of newbie, although i have been playing guitar for about 7 years, and previously attempted to produce music, I'm starting it again more seriously. I have a cheap but decent IMO interface, Tascam US1200 (Also an Avid Eleven Rack i use for guitar tones, but it also works as an interface), already have a condenser mic, midi keyboard. I don't have monitors right now, but anyway my home-studio room (bedroom) is not properly treated so investing in a decent pair of monitors is waste right now as i won't be able to hear everything faithfully, so I'm looking to buy some headphones for mixing purposes.

I already own a Tascam TH2 and they sound good enough for tracking and stuff, but everything i have read so far suggests me to get an open cans set for mixing, so thats why I'm looking to get them. My budget is up to about US$80, although the lower the better, I'm on a really tight budget right now. Price is really important right now as i need to buy more stuff. Even 5$ i can save it helps. I WILL be getting better cans down the road, but i need something cheap now, but something that works.

Im considering these for now, but I'm open to suggestions:

- Samson SR850 (Current Prefered based on reviews, research and price)
- Superlux HD681
- AKG K240
- Sony MDR7506

Question: How do i know if the headphones doesn't have a hardwired cable? I would prefer to have a detachable cable.

Thanks a lot for your answers and time.
 
What do you mean by hard wired cable? Detachable from what? For $80 you can pick up a pair of Shure whatevers. Invest some time in finding out what you're talking about. The internet can be a wonderful thing.
 
From your list I have only used the Sony ones. I had a pair of those for about 5 years and they served me well. They are a bit bright and there's plenty of bleed, but they're super comfortable and very articulate. I used them mainly for tracking but kind of mix as I go and I did have to compensate later for a lot of those early mixing decisions when I heard what I'd done through monitors. I could mix with them, but it wasn't easy.

They fell apart, and I replaced them with Sennheiser HD280's. I love these. Not as comfortable and lightweight, but much better bass response and more neutral imo. I continue to make mixing decisions with these on as a track and when played back through monitors, no bad surprises so far. I guess I recommend them for your needs based on my limited experience. I got them off amazon for just north of 80 bucks.
 
If you're seriously going to only use headphones for mixing, they shouldn't be cheap.

These are really the only headphones I'd recommend for actual mixing. Most of the ones mentioned on here I've used, and the majority of them seem to be designed more for tracking than mixing anyhow.

Focal Spirit Professional Pro Studio Headphones - Closed | Sweetwater.com

Invest in a pair of those. That's what we double check our mixes on at the studio I work at so we can get an idea of how they sound without room influences. They don't sound "pretty" or "punchy," they sound flat. And that's what you'll want when you go to mix. They aren't bright, they aren't bassy. They're flat.
 
MrWrenchey said:
If you're seriously going to only use headphones for mixing, they shouldn't be cheap.

These are really the only headphones I'd recommend for actual mixing. Most of the ones mentioned on here I've used, and the majority of them seem to be designed more for tracking than mixing anyhow.

Focal Spirit Professional Pro Studio Headphones - Closed | Sweetwater.com

Invest in a pair of those. That's what we double check our mixes on at the studio I work at so we can get an idea of how they sound without room influences. They don't sound "pretty" or "punchy," they sound flat. And that's what you'll want when you go to mix. They aren't bright, they aren't bassy. They're flat.
Click to expand...

And unfortunately, 4X the OP's budget!

Mixing with ANY headphones is a compromise - at best. You can 'learn' your headphones - listen to commercial music thorugh them to hear what it osunds like, burn copies of your mixes to CD or move them to a thumb drive and listen on every system you can find - car stereo, home surround sound, buddy's Bose player, etc, so you get an idea how what you hear in hte phones translates to other systems. You'll probalby find you have to do this step many many times to get a half (at best) decent mix.
 
What everyone before me is telling you about mixing with headphones is ABSOLUTELY correct !! Especially what MJBphotos said about getting to know your headphones by playing your mixes on things you're familiar with. That being said, however, and you seem to know that it's a compromise, I would go with the AKG 240's. At one time they sold for much more and they are fairly well balanced. I have a pair and I do use them from time to time as a reference that I'm now very familiar with. They're also very comfortable and lightweight. Treat your room and get some monitors as soon as you can.
 
I use K240's, theyre relatively cheap considering how good a job they do. Sennheiser HD280's would be my #2 pick. Both are $99 new. I think you cant do significantly better without spending double / triple / more.
 
djluis48 said:
Im looking to buy a cheap headphone for mixing. As background, Im kind of newbie, although i have been playing guitar for about 7 years, and previously attempted to produce music, I'm starting it again more seriously. I have a cheap but decent IMO interface, Tascam US1200 (Also an Avid Eleven Rack i use for guitar tones, but it also works as an interface), already have a condenser mic, midi keyboard. I don't have monitors right now, but anyway my home-studio room (bedroom) is not properly treated so investing in a decent pair of monitors is waste right now as i won't be able to hear everything faithfully, so I'm looking to buy some headphones for mixing purposes.

I already own a Tascam TH2 and they sound good enough for tracking and stuff, but everything i have read so far suggests me to get an open cans set for mixing, so thats why I'm looking to get them. My budget is up to about US$80, although the lower the better, I'm on a really tight budget right now. Price is really important right now as i need to buy more stuff. Even 5$ i can save it helps. I WILL be getting better cans down the road, but i need something cheap now, but something that works.

Im considering these for now, but I'm open to suggestions:

- Samson SR850 (Current Prefered based on reviews, research and price)
- Superlux HD681
- AKG K240
- Sony MDR7506

Question: How do i know if the headphones doesn't have a hardwired cable? I would prefer to have a detachable cable.

Thanks a lot for your answers and time.
Click to expand...

Sony MDR-7506 - Thomann

I am so happy it was in your list. Personally tried them out and they rock :)
 
I have to use headphones once the boy's gone to bed... But I don't 'mix' in them. Use them for 'making' and recording (vocals and acoustic as well as drum programming/ sample chopping) after boy's lights out)
I use the classic Beyer Dynamic DT's... Comfy as hell and I can wear them all night! They don't sound great but that's a sacrifice for comfort and I can mix through my monitors...
 
I agree with the comment about the Sony phones falling apart. 100 bucks for a set and the foam started deteriorating and one side quit working. The were pretty good while they lasted (2 years).
 
Don't worry about getting a detachable cable on cheap headphones. It's just something else to go wrong.

What everyone is saying to you about mixing on headphones, especially mixing on cheap headphones, it true.

However, if you MUST then buy something very cheap from Sennheiser (like the HD 201 or HD 202) and put the money you save into a bank acount to start saving for proper monitors and proper headphones. At least the Sennheisers will make a bit of effort to sound accurate compared to some of the rubbish on the market and the move from 30 bucks to 80 bucks won't make the headphones any more suitable for real mixing.
 
MrWrenchey said:
If you're seriously going to only use headphones for mixing, they shouldn't be cheap.

These are really the only headphones I'd recommend for actual mixing. Most of the ones mentioned on here I've used, and the majority of them seem to be designed more for tracking than mixing anyhow.

Focal Spirit Professional Pro Studio Headphones - Closed | Sweetwater.com

Invest in a pair of those. That's what we double check our mixes on at the studio I work at so we can get an idea of how they sound without room influences. They don't sound "pretty" or "punchy," they sound flat. And that's what you'll want when you go to mix. They aren't bright, they aren't bassy. They're flat.
Click to expand...

Although well outside of the OP's budget, these were exactly what I was looking for. I currently use the audio-technica ATH-M50, and find I'm doing increasingly more and more work with headphones. While I love these headphones, there is definitely some mild coloration that I still need my monitors to resolve. The Focals appear to be the kind of quasi-monitor replacement headphones I want, and for less than $500 they're a steal if they deliver the kind of quality people writing reviews claim.
 
I'm not a headphone expert but I like either the senheisser hd25's or the AKG K240's, both pretty comfortable and honest, but yeah, anything can sound different out of the monitors. You need them for a true reference
 
The Sony's are nice. The ATH-M50's are also great. You might be able to find a refurbished set in your price range. I think I spend around 70 for mine.
 
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