Advice on headphones

[scottmartin]

I would say go with anything 80 ohm or less. You might be able to run 250 ohm headphones, but the level might be a bit on the low side.

To be honest I have NEVER worried about the impedance of the headphones. It's the tonal balance that I most pay attention to. It varies a bunch between models. I've got three set of headphones which are widely used, Sony 7506, Senn HD280 and AKG K240. They all have plenty of volume but the tonal balance is very different. Depending on what I need, I'll choose a different pair. I bought a pair of Tascam headphones that people were saying were really good for cheap. The sound was AWFUL. No mids or highs, all bass. I'll probably give them to Goodwill! I've listened to the Beyer DT770s and the AT M50x, both were good, but different.

Don't get hung up on a spec that might make a minor, even imperceptible difference. You really need to LISTEN to the headphones.

As for a headphone amp, I’ve got an ART Headamp V which had 5 outputs. It puts out more than double the power of my Tascam interface. It’s rated 10 ohms vs 55 on the Tascam. In terms of “quality”, I hear NO difference. Funnily enough, I read more about audio gear return experiences at https://poshmark.pissedconsumer.com/review.html while shopping around. The ART can drive it a louder, but I don’t listen to any of them near full blast. Usually it’s about 1/2 or less.

I'd look at the Sennheiser HD 600 or HD 650 for mixing and mastering. Both are excellent open-back headphones with a fairly natural presentation. The HD 600 is a little more neutral, while the HD 650 is slightly warmer. The Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X is another solid option and easier to drive. I wouldn't rush into buying a separate headphone amp either. Try them directly with your Mbox Studio first and see if you actually need more power.

 

[rob aylestone]

I find the link with mastering, difficult. I can create nice headphone mixes, and nice loudspeaker mixes. I’ve never found one that worked perfectly on both. My trouble seems to be bass. My studio monitors, like most, tail off gradually at the bottom and over the years, my bass end seems to happily sit well on speakers and headphones. If I mix on headphones, and worse on the IEMs I used for my bass on stage, I am always aware my bass is different. Always sounds a bit thin on loudspeakers. The only headphones I can mix on and get a speaker OK mix are beyer DT100s. These are NOT the best sounding headphones, but I can make small adjustments and hear what is happening and if I just make the mid to HF a bit too bright for taste, it will work well on speakers. They seem to match my monitor bass well. I never use the word mastering, because my mixes are the master. I don’t do vinyl, or any destination media that needs adjustment.

 

[ecc83]

I was very fortunate several months ago to be able to buy a pair of Neumann KH 150 monitors. I have since got a pair of Sennheiser 480 pro closed back headphones and find they sound very close to the monitors.

BUT! I am clinically deaf, I start to roll off at 2kHz which is why I rarely if ever comment on people's recordings (except for "technical" issues like noise) so YMMV!

Dave.