Heads Up! Extreme Isolation Headphones

Okay..so, I need to know, are these THAT uncomfortable? I found them on sale for ~$82 and I need headhpones for drum tracking that will isolate bleeding acoustic drum sounds. I want to hear the differences in microphone placement on drums via only the headphones as I play drums. Is the extreme isolation headphones my best choice for the best price?

-dejacky
 
On Sale??? $82???

dejacky said:
Okay..so, I need to know, are these THAT uncomfortable? I found them on sale for ~$82 and I need headhpones for drum tracking that will isolate bleeding acoustic drum sounds. I want to hear the differences in microphone placement on drums via only the headphones as I play drums. Is the extreme isolation headphones my best choice for the best price?

-dejacky
Click to expand...

Where can you get them for $82. Even with them being uncomfortable I can afford 4 pair. Otherwise my wife and kids have to listen to my mixing while they are trying to watch Oprha!


L.O.L.
:) D

I really am interested.
 
Yup, I got 3 of these a while ago from MF's at $79
I don't think they're as nice sounding as described, though that's jusy my opinion. I like my AKG's 240 S better. They do offer very good isolation as described, prolly the best I've seen on current HP's in the market. Say bye to HP bleed for sure, say hello to musicians tracking in the same room and beign able to actually hear monitor mixes. Also, they are great for mic placement practice. Just set an aux monitor feed, take these cans to the recording room, put them on, grab the mic and place it where it sounds sweet, and without hurting your ears if its loud. There could be drums, or a loud guitar amp, but still these provide enough iso to actually hear what the mic sounds like during placement. Very nice.
They come tight from the factory, but they became more comfortable after some hours of use.
A little strange thing happened while I was tracking a guy from a band, playing acoustic guitar. He suddenly became a little dizzy with the isolation. He's been the only one that has had this experience with these headphones so far in my small studio. But I read somewhere else the same awkward story.
 
Another English lit person here, and a onetime university press proofreader (OK, that establishes my lack of credentials): Dan, in the last line of your piece on the headphones, I was taught "hobbyist". Pistols at sunrise?
 
i have built a set of isolation headphones using a pair of heavy construction ear muffs. they are pretty cheap and they do a great job isolating out side noise. they use these things for jack hammering concrete etc. i used the speakers from another set of headphones and just transfered them to the construction muffs. they probably dont have a perfect sound but for tracking they work very well, i wouldnt use cans to mix no matter how good they were.
 
MrGrooves said:
Yup, I got 3 of these a while ago from MF's at $79
I don't think they're as nice sounding as described, though that's jusy my opinion.
Click to expand...

I have tried some of the newer black models that I didn't think sounded as good as the original gray ones that were sent to me for review.

Also, theses aren't "high-fi" sounding at all. I still use my pair as my first go-to cans.

Dan Richards
The Listening Sessions
The Project Studio Handbook
 
I'm getting the grey ones for ~$82 after shipping. These will be used primarily for mic placement so it seems these are the ones to get. I might as well do an additional review for you all when I'm done if you're interested :).
 
Dejacky, here's a vote for a review. I'm looking at replacing 4 sets of headphones soon.
 
my main point of interest is being able to get the best sounding drum sound with my shur sm48 on kick drum and two oktava mk012 cardoids as overheads. So, I'll be using these mainly for mic placement. If any of you are interested in me listening and testing these headphones for certain things, please let me know. I ordered from www.frontendaudio.com :).

-dejacky
 
I have a low cost alternative to the EIH for anyone on a tight budget.

Use these combined with something like these .

First the ear buds go in, then the ear protectors over that.

I have used this set up very succesfully for live drum monitoring for the last several months, as well as for setting up mics by myself for recording.

This worked excellently to help me find the best mic placement while playing the drums myself (I'm not a drummer, I had no choice this instance)

The only hurdles with this setup:
You will need a headphone extension cord and a way to support the connection up and behind the drummer, or fasten it somehow to a belt loop. The cord is very short.

The isolation is excelent and the sound of the earbuds is pretty good too, great low end. The foam makes them fairly comfortable.

You also don't need as much output from your headphone amp since the speakers are right in your ears.

I picked up "The Plug" at Kmart for about $15.00

For around $30.00 bucks a good budget solution for drummers.
 
Maestro,
thanks for the AWESOME info! I'm gonna try this in addition to the Exreme Isolation headphones for comparison. Is there any feasible way to permanently implant "The Plug" into these hearing protectors so they don't go directly in a person's ears? I wanna make a few isolation type headsets for band members I record..so the idea of putting The Plug in more than one person's ears isn't very appealing hehe.

-dejacky:eek:
 
Yo Dot of Extreme Phones, etc.:

The cans are uncomfortable -- not after one stretches out the headband over a big speaker -- like I did.

The quality is NOT top grade. Muffled sound--as opposed to a pair of Beyer 250s.


They do serve a purpose but the cans are not quality...


The cables on the cans are made of Kleenex wire -- one foot on and, Voila, NO Cable left standing.

They may serve some useful purpose for a drummer or someone who needs isolations; however, THE CANS ARE NOT REAL QUALITY CANS.

Are they ok? Yeah, you can use them; however, they are not quality.

Green Hornet



:D :p :p :D :cool: :cool: :cool:
 
dejacky said:
Is there any feasible way to permanently implant "The Plug" into these hearing protectors so they don't go directly in a person's ears?
Click to expand...

I don't think so, the design won't allow it. Think "super budget version of shure in ear monitors". If they're not in your ear, you won't really hear them as they're intended to sound.

I wanna make a few isolation type headsets for band members I record..so the idea of putting The Plug in more than one person's ears isn't very appealing hehe.
Click to expand...

I know exactly what you mean. Sell them each their own pair? Actually they come with 4 pair of foam plugs that fit them, but that won't get you very far. For the price you can probably get them to spring for their own set.

Hope it works out for you.:cool:
 
Green Hornet, I've never called the Extreme's quality "top grade". I've never said, "They sound like headphones costing 10 times more." I don't think they're cheap at all, though. I think they're well-made and solid. And I still think the design is very well thought out. I think the thin cord is a good touch. Have you ever used a pair of Vic Firth headphones, with the big ass weighty curly cord hanging off of one of the cans.

I've had a pair of Extreme's I've been using heavily for about a year and a half, and I've had no problems with them. No, they're not Grado, and I specifically said in my review that they're not "hi-fi".

They're actually sort of industrial. And they do the job for exactly what you described: They may serve some useful purpose for a drummer or someone who needs isolation..

Dan Richards
The Listening Sessions
The Project Studio Handbook
 
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