One of Many : List of best mix/mastering headphones 2020

[spantini]

I found this pretty fair listing of headphones for mixing and mastering. It's an 8 best list for year 2020 - updated July 20, 2020. There's a mixture of open and closed, hi/lo prices.

I was searching for a decent set of open backs at a reasonable price. The first one on the list here is from Grado Labs at (for me) an unreasonable price of $2700.00 - I haven't made it to that level yet. I could manage the AKG K701s, however.

Strange pricing, though.. Sweetwater has the AKGs at $449.00 yet Amazon is at $249.99..!!!! Crikey!!! Probably fakes!! Ya think?

Check 'em out - see what you think. The 8 Best Headphones for Mixing and Mastering 2020

 

[CoolCat]

$229...$249...Amazon.
AKG 701 looks nice, leather and holder...$450 most places...even the AKG site.

It is 65ohms so a good amp might be needed. Its not 250ohms or 600phms, but it is double the 32 ohm standard.

Nice looking headset.

The DT990 PRO are at 250ohm...and even $100 cheaper. (I have the 880 pro and love them)

 

[spantini]

So.. the higher 250 ohms would offer better results with a headphone amp for optimum effect. The DT 990 PRO would fit in there + an amp. Not too bad, price-wise.

As I look into amps, there should be one amp per headphone within a single device - so the power isn't split between multiple outs.

 

[CoolCat]

not 100% clear on the 600ohm and 250ohm but I think there is some added bass ability, supposedly what the higher end audiophiles prefer.

I got addicted to the open back sound, and now the closed backs are for mic/tracking only and sound pretty "boxed in and boomy" to me for general playback.

I paid more for my Used 880 Pro! than these 990 Pro brand new...lol

Those multi headphone amp units work well, imo. My interface was designed for 250ohm...and I got a GraceDesign 901 thats my "confidence" check.
I dont know but the 32 ohm standard work fine too, and Ive had a few in between 32 to 350 and theres just subjective differences. imo
As with a lot of audiophile rabbit holes ...the huge differences disappear quickly.

 

[spantini]

My Tascam TH-200X phones are rated at - - Impedance: 32 ohms / Sensitivity: 95dB ± 3dB and I'm getting more than enough volume from the US-2x2 interface without an additional headphone amp. But these are closed over-ear, and they are also "boomy".

One of my problems is I'm mainly a bass player who likes to hear that bass and I want to wean myself off of it so I don't get into the habit of punching it up in the mixdowns. I've read and heard open-back phones cut back on the bass, which is fine, I want to get accustomed to that. I'm fairly well dialed in on the bass sound I'm needing on my current project but I've got it a little too loud. I need to play with the frequencies a bit so I can lower that and still have it sit where I want. That's where me looking for my next set of phones comes in.

 

[CoolCat]

Closed and Open back are worlds apart....

32 ohm is going to get the most volume and is the most common of your US 2x2, which is designed for 32 ohm so I would stick to that.
The hard part is picking a brand of speaker you like for all the reasons, sound, comfort, price.

ime, I had four or so headphones and they all had their own thing. Closed vs Open was noticeable....32 vs 180 vs 250 not so noticeable a change. The higher the headphone ohm(impedance) the less volume.
My headphone amps were approx 4 types and 3 of them sounded very similar, while the USB powered Interface worked best with 32 ohm.(it was designed for 32ohm)

If you read the audiophile stuff on ohms its interesting .
Headphone Impedance Demystified: Do I Need a Headphone Amp? - Headphonesty

thats why I got the Grace Design, the Bob Ludwig version, and my interface amp sounds really as good, nearly as good as does my Behringer multi port HP amp($50 used). Just wanted to hear if there was some big improvement and see what all the fuss was about.

Thats why as you mention liking your interface, which is designed for 32 ohm, Id get a Open back 32 ohm set....you have the Closed back set, get an Open back set.

I dont think the 180 250 etc is worth the hassle and is a really small difference and the higher headphone ohms/impedance might require you to buy a Headphone amp due to a drop in volume.

If you do try a few amps and headphones its an interesting day trip... I dont regret going down the rabbit hole on the subject.
Ive never tried 600ohm, but my interface amp is designed for up to 150-600 Z. (correction)

Cheap- I have some cheap TAKSTAR laying around that sound amazing but the headband and stuff is cheaper made and needs to be handled with care. the Beyer's are just well built...like Sennheiser 280/6xx and AKG 701..etc.. are just better built and worth it.

Im guessing... those 64ohm AKG 701....would work fine with your 32 ohm amp design. Did you pull the trigger?

 

[CoolCat]

Another list..gearrank...gets more specific into Tracking or Mixing applications...

Beyer DT150 might be heading my way? hmm..

The Best Headphones for Recording / Tracking - Closed Back - 2020 | Gearank

 

[spantini]

...Did you pull the trigger?

Not yet.

Thanks for the links. Ah'll be back

 

[peghead]

$229...$249...Amazon.
AKG 701 looks nice, leather and holder...$450 most places...even the AKG site.

I am a AKG 701 user and I am very satisfied (I use them in conjunction with a pair of Sennheiser HD600).
Are you sure they cost that much? The AKG702 (which is the same as the 701 but is black and has removable cable) on Amazon Italy costs less than 160$ (135euro).
Perhaps it would be cheaper for you to buy from Amazon.it even with the added cost of shipping.
Bear in mind that ony a few years ago the AKG701/2 price was nearly twice as much as it is now.

 

[spantini]

While looking at headphones online I check pricing and availability. Features and pricing look good on several models but... Not Available! There are 2 very nice sets which are actually on sale right now but no availability. I don't like the idea of buying and waiting till whenever for it to be delivered.

 

[spantini]

Came across many mentions of headphone driver burn-in requirements, which I never knew about.

Here's a burn-in file from JLab Audio:Audio Burn-in Download - JLab Audio.

There are also directions for how to do it yourself.

New Info : The Science and Myth of Burning In New Headphones - Tested

New Info : �� The Ultimate Headphones Test (Original AudioCheck.net Headphone Test) • Commented + Subtitled - YouTube

 

[spantini]

While attempting to find an affordable set of open backs for mixing ($50-$300), a couple of things have become clear:

I have no idea what the market for open back headphones was 20+ years ago - probably more oriented towards studio mixing - but it appears to me that the gaming industry and audiophile segment are influencing the open back headphone marketing since then. Today. The soundstage is a definite plus for gaming where you can pick target locations by sound location.

Models are being marketed to audiophiles and being developed with more bass response. I get the impression Mfrs may be targeting the audiophile segment which is probably much larger than the Pro/Home studio segment.

I see a nice pair on sale today which will work nicely with my US-2x2 interface @ 32 ꭥ but the frequency response is 15-25000Hz. Not bad for the audiophiles but a bit Hi-Lo for studio mixing, I think - eh? (Though my hearing probably falls well within this range, but may be less attractive to a potential future buyer if I upgrade). The sale price is almost too good to pass up @ $59 but I would still buy a better set later, so this will probably be a waste of money in the long run.

Sets with better frequency response (5-39000Hz+) are in the 120 ꭥ - 300 ꭥ range at $159 - $200+ and I would need an amp at another (roughly) $120+ which I'm not opposed to - actually leaning that way.

 

[CoolCat]

new stuff can be a big improvement, new technology...but also Pro's in the industry have the engineering in place and machines.KRK, SHURE, BEYER, AKG, Senn.

I wouldnt look at Headphones as resale, ymmv.
After a few years theyre probably crusty and smudges with oil and nasty... I bought used, immediately wanted new Ear Pads, then that ruined the savings, so buy NEW...is my headphone shopping motto. I also bought a previous pair used 7506, and the headband was twisted/bent and they never sat right ...wasted cash trying to go cheap.

If I were you for studio, just reading the recording forums kind of leads you to a "confidence" level of other posters experience.
AKG 701,702 are often great reviews, Sennheisers 280 closed and HD6XX open...BeyerDynamics 770 closed, 880 open....

I just plugged in my Senn 280 64ohms....SONY7506 63ohm...BEYER 880proOPEN Back 250ohm
Results, the 880's are about 30% less volume (your interface Headamp might be different)

Those AKG 701's would probably be really nice, well built, confident purchase with thousands of hours listening time built in. Senn HD600 $299 seem to be well liked. Beyer 880 32ohm probably great, $199 from a reputable German company. Then you could test a headphone amp out, if you dont find some magic....return it. ....this is fun spending your cash...

 

[spantini]

...

If I were you for studio, just reading the recording forums kind of leads you to a "confidence" level of other posters experience.
AKG 701,702 are often great reviews, Sennheisers 280 closed and HD6XX open...BeyerDynamics 770 closed, 880 open....

Yeah.. I meander off in all directions looking at all the options and I always wind up at the AKG 701. All the numbers click except the price. That super low price on Amazon ($200 less than other outlets) worries me. Are they real, or a knock-off? Not cheap enough to roll the dice. I'll probably wind up springing for the full price model at some point - just have to do without for a couple months : food, meds, car insurance, what else... oh yeah.. shoes .. air..

....this is fun spending your cash...

You go, CoolCat.

 

[spantini]

While ♫ 'floating through the in-ter-net'♫.. ♫'in the merry merry month of .. August??'♫ .. ♫'much to my sur-prise, but what came upon my eyes, this ar-ti-cle a-bout head-sets'♫ .. ♫ dum dum ♫

Mixing On Headphones

 

[CoolCat]

yeah, I convinced myself with enough data/posts/articles and real tunes mixed on headphones that "it can be done".
Im not delusional and think its better than a professional room with monitors the cost of my home and car....but headphones mix has already been done and if success is making the Billboard, its already been done so that argument faded for me.

then it was a personal choice of dumping money in a room or a easier, cheaper route of nice open backs and a headphone amp. maybe I have an exceptional headphone amp in my interface but it sounds great in comparison to the dedicated headphone amp. Like a cheap mic sounding very close to a expensive mic, and after mixing and reverbs and eq...and being home recording, the end results require squinting a lot. lol

my problem is the GAS, the 701's are great but I dont need 2 pair of headphones or 3....the Senn 600 would be nice to try but again I have the 880Pro 250ohm which are fine. Those Beyer DT150 might be better at isolating for tracking though (a sets in my cart...hmmm? haha )

I will guess is you are in the 32-64 ohm range you dont need much in headphone amp, though it would be easy to test-drive an amp.
Youve probably read where someone buys a 600ohm set then plugs into a 32ohm amp and it doesnt work. I have some Takstar 671 that are 120ohm, $65 ish...sound amazing, and built cheap.

You pull the trigger? I was noticing on Amazon theres a few stores that are TAX FREE, so that might save 10% , with Free Shipping save another 20%.

Tempting to look at USED....Save $100...but I did that twice and burnt both times. lol

 

[spantini]

I'm not going used. Right now, I'm at the AKG 701 Pro - hoping the 62-ohm won't be too high for my 32-ohm interface as far as volume goes.

... or a different model which is under $200, higher ohms and requires an amp at $120 (wouldn't want a low price single amp).

Was also checking out AKG 712 Pro @ $399 ($100 off !), but backed off slightly after a review mentioned they're a lot of plastic.

Yesterday, I was listening to a bunch of (our) basement songs from 40-45 years ago as well as early studio sessions of a couple of (our) old bands from 35-40 years ago. All mp3 versions and my closed phones were muddy and booming like crazy. Pulling the cups away to break the seal instantly rectified this, making each instrument stand out.

 

[CoolCat]

The AKG K701 wont be noticeable I will venture to say, and your amp will be fine.
If it was a 600 ohm set, that would be a downer for the interface amp.

win in the bling! category...those are so frkn nice looking and the holder too.

the SOS article put them in very high ratings, if not the best in that group.

at $249...its weird?

reminds me of the SYmetrix channel strips, new selling at $800-$900...and used were $80 or $600? lol..crazy prices?

Headphones have to be about the worst thing ever to buy USED!

 

[spantini]

The AKG K701 wont be noticeable I will venture to say, and your amp will be fine.
If it was a 600 ohm set, that would be a downer for the interface amp...

...Headphones have to be about the worst thing ever to buy USED!

Thanks! That's another nudge towards the 701s

 

[spantini]

I believe I'm going to pull the trigger on Amazon's K701s. Below is a link to a fake/no-fake discussion which has reassured me. When they arrive I'll call AKG and ask them to verify the serial number. If they're fake I can return to Amazon and wait for the real ones later.

FAKE K701's??? - Gearslutz