Help! Your recommendation for THE MOST ACCURATE headphones.

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clubzero

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Ok, I know good expesive monitors would be the most "accurate", but I work under the conditions that I'm unable to use subwoofers or monitors so I had to do my work with headphones. After the song is finished, I take a listen to it with ordinary stereo, but because of the crappy headphones I've got it sounds different. Not bad, but different. OF COURSE it sounds different with different playback setup, but I'm sure u know what I mean! I want ACCURACY so I don't have to back to the song all the time and change things...
Help please... pro ppl..

Club Zero
 
You have to understand that headphones and consumer component systems are created to make music "sound good".

Semi and Pro monitors are designed, in a nutshell, to produce a "flatter" response. So, you will be able to the music the way it "really" sounds, instead of how the consumer based speakers and headphones make you think that you're hearing something that is not truly there.

Does that make sense? I hope that it does. :)

peace...

spin
 
So u say there aren't "accurate" headphones designed eg. for engineers who have to know what they hear? I can't believe this is true...
 
Engineers use monitors, for mixing down, not headphones.
 
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But there ARE headphones that are designed to give an accurate respons. For situations that require having accurate respons, but don't allow the use of monitors. (cameramen, ...)

The DT770 of BeyerDynamic is very accurate. I like it alot. Most of all the headphones I listened to...
 
club,
Believe it............Spinster has nailed it for you.

No matter what the headphone manufacturers might say, headphones just don't have that "flat response" .........enough said.

Peace.........ChrisO :cool:
 
I've maintained all along that you CAN actually mix with headphones -- given enough trial and error in practice to understand how to compensate for the sonic differences....

But there's no way someone new to mixing period is ever gonna be able to do that....

Bruce
 
on recommendations,

Grado rs-1 : $500

Stax Lambda nova with tube amp :"$1500

Embodiment of accurate
 
I must say that I agree with the previous respondent who recommended the Beyerdynamic DT770's. They were described by a Sound On Sound reviewer as the closest thing you can get to a pair of decent nearfield monitors. Having said that, I must confess that I eventually came to the conclusion that a pair of monitors is essential. But a pair of really good all-round active monitors can be very expensive. Most of the cheaper, quality models tend to be a bit lacking in the bass department. If you are pushed for cash, the Tannoy Active Reveals are pretty good and very reasonably priced. You can always put the headphones back on from time to time to check out what's going on down below. The Beyerdynamics have a very good bass response. However, bear in mind also, that it's not a straightforward choice between speakers and headphones. Strictly speaking you need both. Headphones, for example, are better for panning as they give you a clearer picture of the stereo field. But my mixes have certainly improved since I bought the speakers. Hope this helps a bit. I am new to all this myself, so I am not claiming to be an expert. Good luck,
Alan (Mole)
 
clubzero, follow the spinster's advice! Why spend over a $100 on a pair of headphones when, if you add another $100 or more you can get a nice pair of nearfields or directfield monitors.

Tannoy Proto-J's is a good example @ $159!!
 
clubzero, this topic was also (basically) discussed on another bbs. An audio expert there, with extensive experience with many headphones for live mixing-his username
is Nika, whose specialty is classical recording, rated these three.

1) His favorite headphones are the Sennheiser HD600's

2) Runner-up (for less $$) the Sennheiser HD580

3) "Bang for the buck", the AKG 240DF's (I have a pair and love em!)

So you may want to try these out too.
 
How about Sennheiser Orpheus... ;)


I have the HD600´s, and I like them a lot. Compared them against the Beyerdynamic DT911, and the DT911 sounded pretty harsh with it´s upper middle peak... It´s great how the HD´s go all the way to the 15hz... Low sine waves feel like they could come from a huge subwoofer system.
 
Hey thanks for all the replies. I'll look thourh some of those headphones. It's a shame I can't use monitors since all the people who live around me are old and I'll get convicted if I start banging my music with monitors or subwoofers.
I want to hear every little detail so I prefer good headphones. I like the way the music goes directly in my ears and then to the brain. :D

Club Zero
 
Hello,
SONY 7506's are the industry standard? Well, I was recently searching for the best-bang-per-buck studio monitoring headphones when I came across "Audio Technica ATHM40fs Precision Extended-Response Monitor Headphones."

http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/love.music?p=p.AUTATHM40FS&z=1222707237172

Zzounds is selling them for $99.95 and based on the user reviews on the site, these might have SONY's 7506's beat. Users claim that these Audio Technica phones have less-added low-frequency color and that they have an over-all flatter sound than the 7506's. Can anyone who has experience with these guys throw their two cents into this pile of spare change so that "Club" and I might make our selection?

Thanks!
 
AKG 270S
You'll pay for them but ... they're very accurate, very comfortable ... you won't want to put anything else on your head.
As mentioned above ... monitors are the best way to mix ... but even when you have a situation where you can do that ... the 270S will be an extremely nice set of sealed cans that you can use for vocals and have minimal leakage.
 
The AKG 240DF's sound better (flatter) than the; ATH40fs's, and the
AKG 270's. My first pair of "real" headphones were the ATH40fs, and I've
used the 270's a bit (a little too much high end). It's like comparing a
"stock" fast car to a souped up one as the 240DF's were designed with
broadcasting standards in mind.

My understanding is that George Massenburg, the engineer/producer,
will be checking out a pair of Sennheiser HD600's to replace the Sony's
he currently uses-if it's worth a listen for him, maybe it's worth it for you!
 
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