Headphones: Sennheiser HD 280 vs AKG k 271s..........

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timmerman

timmerman

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Hello,

Both of these headphones are closed and have a low impedance rating, the Frequency Responce of the HD 280 is 8....25000Hz compared to 16....28000Hz of the AKG, so I guess you can compare both of them as they seem to be the same kind of headphones.

Is there anyone who uses them both, or know them enough to make some sensible comments about their characteristics?

#How do both of these headphones compare?

#Which one do you prefer and why?

#For which application do you use it most and why?


Questions relating to this subject:

# Does it make sense to get a pair of headphones for only rec. and monitoring, and to get another type for mainly checking mixes?

#Any recommended testing-purposes for choosing a headphoneset rather than just "listen and compare what you hear"

Cheers,

Eddie.
 
HEY HEY HEY NOONE USING these HEADphones here? Do not believe that! Some of you must have some thoughts on these babies.............
 
Well, I don't have either of these headphones, though I've used both Sennheiser and AKG 'phones in the past and liked them both.

The one thing everyone here will tell you is that mixing on headphones is a bad idea.

It is extremely difficult to get an accurate representation of what you are recording using headphones. This is a limitation of the medium. I won't go as far as others and say it's impossible to mix using them, but I will say you're giving yourself a major hill to climb.

Buy yourself a decent pair of near-field monitors and use your headphones for tracking.

Oh, I also wouldn't put much stock in manufacturers claimed frequency response for their headphones. I don't think there is any piece of equipment in a studio with poorer documentation or more meaningless specifications. That and every manufacturer uses different standards and data to rate their headphones. As with most things audio, you really have to listen to them. The best method is to take some CDs you are intimately familiar with to the store and, somehow, find a quiet space to listen to each of them in.

Good luck! (You're going to need it!) ;)

Ted
 
Thank you Ted for your response,

I have been reading a lot on this forum and others about headphones and mixing and recording..............mainly want to use the headphones for rec. and CHECK the mix, so not entirely relying on the headphones.

ALso agree that you have to listen to the headphones [or anything else audio wise] and listen to it in your own environment [if possible].....

So do you[or anyone else] think it makes sense to get a pair of headphones which you mainly use for recording [such as closed ones] and a pair of half-open ones just to check the mix. Or would you say: "Forget about checking mix with half-closed phones, just rely on your monitors".


Cheers,

Eddie
 
Hey guys [and girls!]

Sorry for all this talk about headphones, monitors and..............as if I can not read on what has already been said before.............

Well just read the thread about someone asking about Flatline AKG headphones, and there [as in most other postings] it becomes clear that most of you will not use headphones for mixing-purposes. So .........yes and I can see why...............

Do you think that getting a different pair of headphones which you use for different purposes is just a waist of your money, or could it be a sensible option?. Just thinking here of hearing different information of what you get through the headphone you already using.
 
Get yourself one good pair of headphones. There are a number of choices in the $100.00 range that are excellent. If you go cheaper, you can still get decent sound, but there will be compromises. One big factor I consider is comfort. Remember, you'll probably be wearing these for long periods of time. If they're uncomfortable or give you a headache, it won't matter how good they sound. If you're going to be tracking multiple musicians, then you'll want a pair of adequate headphones for each of them as well. Those don't have to be great, it's more important that they can output a loud signal but have excellent isolation.

Invest your money in a good pair of near-field monitors. There are a myriad of choices currently. If you're on a tight budget, look at the Behringer Truths or M-Audio line. Other popular choices are Alesis, KRK, Fostex and Event Audio. Go to your local music store and audition as many as possible. Take some CDs of your own mixes or commercial CDs you're intimately familiar with.

If you're store is really professional or they trust you, see if you can take pairs of your finalists home for a few days to hear them in your room.

Good luck.

Ted
 
Thank You Ted,

For you thoughs and ideas about this subjectmatter.

Will just stick to one pair of cans and shop around for some near-field monitors...........

Cheers,

Eddie
 
Eddie, here's some obvious advice. If you narrow your search to 2-3 brands of phones (and have no local shop to compare them), just buy them all and audition them at home. I did this myself and couldn't believe how certain highly recommended phones (e.g., the Sony 7506) were so mediocre for my ears. For me--and personal taste is everything here--the sound of the Senn 280s sold me within 10 seconds, and the cushy comfort and outstanding isolation were just the icing.

In short, compare before--or after--you buy. And if you need to buy first, then allocate a few extra bucks to return the losers, knowing that these extra few backs ensured you a winner for your ears for many years.

And then do the same with some nearfield monitors to use during final mixing.

Best,

J.
 
jeffree- Why didn't you like the Sony's? I'm just curious. I've had Sennheiser's, AKG's and just recently bought the Sony MDR7506 and I think they sound great! Not as comfortable perhaps, but not bad.

Ted
 
Ted, it's just personal taste. I know the Sony's are popular in many studios, so I'm sure they're great phones. After auditioning them and others, though, when I tried the Senns, I thought... oh yeah, that's the sound I'm looking for. Maybe the bass was a bit deeper or the highs a bit crisper, but the overall spread on my sample CDs (Steely Dan, Special EFX, Metheny, etc.) just sounded much better to *my* ears. I'm sure many others would disagree, though, which is why I always encourage people to listen and compare--we're all diffferent, with different tastes. You know what I mean.

Best,

J.
 
Well, if I'm not mistaken, the Sennheisers are not closed back, so I'd just go for the AKG's, I've always prefered closed-back headphones. Moreover, since you're interested in recording with them as well, you *need* a closed back design. I bought AKG K171 and the isolation is impressive (keep in mind they're smaller in size than the AKG K271, they don't go around your ears, so physically they can't get a top isolation - however they almost do!! I'm really impressed with this!), so I guess 271 will be simply perfect to record with......... Since everyone around says that you shouldn't mix with phones, just go for the closed-backs, so that you can at least record perfectly! :)
 
I don't have the AKGs that you speak of, but I have used AKGs in the past...

I do have the Sennheiser HD280. They compare very nicely to my Sony 7506s. Much better isolation with the Senns. The Sonys are slightly more comfortable with slightly better sound, IMHO. The Senns also have better isolation than the AKGs I've encountered (can't recall the model, but they were in the $100 price range...)...

I sometimes use the Sonys for checking for 'mistakes' in my mixes, but that's about it (I am also of the ilk that MONITORS are THE WAY to go for mixing)...it's nice to have both, but if I could only have one, I would choose the Senns...

Hope that helps...
Tom
 
Hello Guys, we have got sth. going here eh? Will respond to most of you.......


Jeffree.................Great, great, great, so you were sold on the Senn 280s within seconds...........guess what? Me too, but did not want to mention this straight away. Did go into shop, listened to various phones, the shopassistant just kept on passing phones to me, and I just listened, same song over and over, was not even my own music, but that does not matter at all, I know what I like to hear, and I will hear that in any kind of music, but that is beside the point eh? So I did listen and not really look at the brand at all. I know there were some AKG's and there was the k140, with the 600 Ohm imp. so you get such a drop in volume[ which is not good for when you want to compare...........] But yes Jeffree, I could hear with the Senns straight away what I like, shopassistant warned me that they would be loud [he is a DJ, so has his volume already up the whole night, which is not the case in my work-conditions..........] But I guess there must be other headphones who will come close to the sound of the Senn HD 280, that it why I originally asked....Would like to know what others feel, so sometimes you get confirmed on your own believe,sometimes you get a totally different picture....


Feanor TV: The Senn SD 280 are closed-back, therefore I feel you can compare them with the AKG K271 [which I have not done yet, as the shop does not have them at the moment] my feeling is that they will come close to the Senn's, but the Senn's may be more comfortable, but I do not know yet, this is just a feeling based on the looks of both phones.


Thom IV:...............So Tom I see you also like the Senn's for their comfort and isolation..............great!

Thanks again,

Eddie
 
I think the Senns have the best comfort to isolation to sound to $$ 'ratio' out of all the phones I've tried.

I used the Vic Firth Isolation headphones for about a day before I returned them--great isolation, but it felt like my head was in a vice. Gave me headache after about 20 minutes of tracking...the Senns do almost as good a job at isolation, and are thousands of times more comfortable!!

Tom
 
We still haven't heard from anyone who's used both the AKG 271s and Senn 280s, have we? I'd also like to hear an A/B comparison even if the AKGs cost quite a bit more.


About the Senns 280s...
As mentioned, the Senns are definitely closed-back, over-the-ear cans, with -32 db isolation (one of the highest ratings out there, even a bit beyond Extreme Isolation cans). If you're worried about mic bleed or just need to work at home while the TV's blaring in another room (my own scene), then this isolation can matter a lot.

Eddie, nice to hear your feedback. I was using the phones last night and remembered that the lowest-end punch (almost a gut-punch by the kick drum) was quite different, much clearer, than the other models I tested. I like these phones so much actually that I can't find anything to complain about (for closed-back phones, which admittedly don't sound as, well, "open" as open-back cans). Take that back, I did complain for a while about the coiled cord until I bought a 25-ft. extension. Otherwise, they're stellar, especially for the $85 (new) I paid.

Special note to home recording musicians: whatever phones you choose, check the snugness of fit. If you're walking around your studio while recording, as I do, then loose phones (like my prior ones) are a real nuisance. The Senns are very snug--in fact, maybe too snug for larger heads, which is one more reason not to trust anyone like me and instead just try some different phones and monitors before buying.

Best,

J.
 
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Hello Tom and Jeff,

Hope you are all doing well, here some more feedback to your replies.

Tom:...............Oh yes the Senn's are very comfortable, I even use them for listening to music from CD's ect. while I am in bed, and usually in this position phones do start to ache at some point, but with these that is not so much the point. But yes I agree, this is a totally different application for what most people will be using these phones for. I really like the idea of using equipment for various purposes, but again, that may be another subjectmatter alltogether.......

Jeff:..................the A/B test? Well I will do it as soon as the store has the AKG,s in. By the way in England the Akg K271s is cheaper than the Senn. HD 280, but I may be mistaken by the modelnumber, or the Senn's may be more exansive here in England.

This morning I did some A/B testing [I do that a lot these days!] with a set of Hi-fi speakers, a pair of gtr. speakers[one being a celestion, the other one I do not know] and the Senn's. I just listen to a well-produced commercial CD and was listening in particular to the bass, how well pronounced it was. Well and guess what? The gtr. speakers gave a dry, midrange sound, not unpleasant, but without all the "gloss" of the production, the Hi-fi speakers where more pronounced, but the Senn's gave most of the bass, also bass seem to sound different, deeper. So knowing all this, you could use that info when it comes to mixing. You just need to adjust things a bit.

As mentioned before I willl not rely on phones for mixing, just want to check things, just as I did with the A/B test this morning. By the way, gtr. speakers are great for listening to your CD's, they give a very dry sound. You see the celestion has a lot of midrange, lacks highend, and the other speaker is not really a gtr.speaker, it is, well I do not know, a sort of homemade speaker. It does have more highend than the celestion, so it compensates. Mixing through these will give you and idea about top-end, bass and midrange..........I know a lot of people will tell me now off for using gtr. speakers for mixing instread of "proper" monitors. Well I will get some monitors at some stage as well, but for moment I just like the hear the music over various sources keeping in the back of your mind these differences and compensate for it if needs to be.

I am sure the great producers from the early sixties and fifties did not have all these gear-options we have today, and they still came up with great results, so I do like the idea of keeping things simple, although it is not always easy when the rest of your surroundings are using all the high-tech. of the day.

Thanks again folks, and see you later,

Eddie.
 
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