Studio Headphones that Don't Bleed?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Carby
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Carby

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Hey Guys,

So I play guitar in a duo where the other member is the sole vocalist. We want to start recording our covers, and I'm pretty set on the idea of buying a RØDE NT-USB condenser microphone for recording. It's nothing high-end, but it will be perfect for what we want to record, which will be vocals, acoustic guitar and perhaps some light percussion.

My question is:
Which pair of closed-back headphones are ideal for playback whilst recording? I need a pair that doesn't bleed much sound or any at all to avoid issues with the final recordings. I've done some research into some headphones and narrowed it down to three pairs of headphones that are likely to do the job. These headphones are:

SONY MDR-7506
SHURE SRH440
SENNHEISER HD 280 PRO

Each of these sets of headphones are regarded as "Professional Studio Headphones" but I'd like to hear your input and/or preferences. Any other headphone recommendations within this price range are also welcome. Thank you!
 
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I have both the 7506's and the HD280's. I prefer the 7506's when tracking as they seem to have a bit more clarity than the HD280's. The HD280's have a tonal quality which is more like what I hear on my monitors and are good for listening to recorded tracks.
 
I'm pretty similar to Arcaxis. I have both the 7506s and HD280s. I tend to use the Sonys for live mixing when I need a good level and lots of isolation for setting up individual channels of a mix. However, in terms of sound quality, I much prefer the Sennheisers. Either should give you plenty of isolation with bleed problems.

I know you didn't ask but I'd seriously suggest you consider an XLR mic and a USB interface rather than a USB mic. It might cost slightly more but it'll pay real dividends when it comes to monitoring options and the ability to gradually add a choice of mics.
 
I've got HD380s and they will bleed very loud or sharp sounds (like a click track) when guitar or voice get quiet. Second the condenser/interface solution over USB. Much more flexible down the road, and much better quality of recording now. Decent interface will run $100 and you can get a starter mike (I'd recommend the MXL 2001 that I use for voice and acoustic--listen to some of my acoustic guitar recordings (try "Hello") if you have questions about the tone and quality of the mike) for under $150. The R0DE may be cheaper to begin with, but it's throw away and start over when you want to upgrade...
 
I have the Sennheisers and a pair of Beyers.
Out of your list I'd recommend the Sennys because I know they're good and like mine.
I know nothing about the Shures but know that the Sonys are faked on the same sort of level as sm58s.

Id strongly advise against buying Sonys unless you're buying retail direct from Sony.
 
I'm not a fan of the entry level Shure models, they're flat and lifeless sounding. No experience with the Sony's.

Lots of experience with the HD280s, and they're great for tracking and casual playback. If/when you want to do a bit (but not all) of your mixing you'll want better headphones than these three. But for your needs, definitely the Sennheisers.
 
I've had pretty good results with the HD280s. Yes, a loud click could be picked up in a quiet acoustic guitar recording.

IEMs have the least bleed. Being so close to the eardrum they don't have to put out as much real volume. Good ones isolate well so what little they put out doesn't get out.
 
I have the sony MDR-7506 headphones and really like those. I think there will be a least some bleed if you monitor at louder volumes but I'm sure those headphones you listed will work well for your needs. I also agree with the others that you should probably go for a usb interface and XLR condenser. If you are concerned about headphone bleed so much, it would be better for you in the long run to get an interface and XLR mic.
 
Time for me to repeat my usual pedantic, fun-crushing old git post.

If you're monitoring loud enough that you get bleed from a decent closed cup mic like a Sennheiser, it's likely that you're monitoring at a level high enough to do permanent damage to your hearing, particularly if you go in for longish recording sessions. The wide use of headphones and ear buds is having a disastrous effect on hearing these days. I recall back when I was about 50 and my son and his friends were about 20, we had a play with a frequency sweep in my DAW. It was shocking to discover that, despite my age, my upper hearing range was in the 15-16k range while the youngsters (all mp3 player/earbud users) got nothing above about 13-14k.

Anyway, rant over--go back and enjoy yourselves!
 
Bobbsy said:
Time for me to repeat my usual pedantic, fun-crushing old git post.

If you're monitoring loud enough that you get bleed from a decent closed cup mic like a Sennheiser, it's likely that you're monitoring at a level high enough to do permanent damage to your hearing, particularly if you go in for longish recording sessions. The wide use of headphones and ear buds is having a disastrous effect on hearing these days. I recall back when I was about 50 and my son and his friends were about 20, we had a play with a frequency sweep in my DAW. It was shocking to discover that, despite my age, my upper hearing range was in the 15-16k range while the youngsters (all mp3 player/earbud users) got nothing above about 13-14k.

Anyway, rant over--go back and enjoy yourselves!
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Well said gramps. :D
 
Pinky said:
Well said gramps. :D
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Speak up youngin', couldn't quite hear ya'........

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bouldersoundguy said:
I've had pretty good results with the HD280s. Yes, a loud click could be picked up in a quiet acoustic guitar recording.

IEMs have the least bleed. Being so close to the eardrum they don't have to put out as much real volume. Good ones isolate well so what little they put out doesn't get out.
Click to expand...

I agree with this guy wholeheartedly: the only true way to almost guarantee no bleed from headphones (especially when using a decent mic like the Rode NT series that are fairly sensitive, especially when paired with a decent preamp) is to use IEMs (in-ear monitors). You don't have to get anything super-expensive, and unless you'll be using them live consistently, no custom molds are required either. I used a pair of Shure IEMs when recording one of my band's debut records for Virgin for three months in Austin, and they worked great for that purpose. No custom molds or anything, just the little foam earpieces that came with the IEMs.

Unfortunately, I kept snagging the IEM cable and yanking it; I eventually yanked one of the earphones wires right out, so I replaced the Shures with a midrange set by Westone. Sweetwater.com has a good deal on the most basic set of Shure IEMs right now; I think they're going for like $89. They also have great prices on Westone units, and they just began a really cool customization setup for Westone stuff. Just jump on their site and look into it. And, if you've never bought from Sweetwater before, be ready for the BEST experience EVER. They have the best customer service of ANY company I've ever dealt with in ANY field. No joke. They're amazing.
 
Bobbsy said:
Time for me to repeat my usual pedantic, fun-crushing old git post.

If you're monitoring loud enough that you get bleed from a decent closed cup mic like a Sennheiser, it's likely that you're monitoring at a level high enough to do permanent damage to your hearing, particularly if you go in for longish recording sessions. The wide use of headphones and ear buds is having a disastrous effect on hearing these days. I recall back when I was about 50 and my son and his friends were about 20, we had a play with a frequency sweep in my DAW. It was shocking to discover that, despite my age, my upper hearing range was in the 15-16k range while the youngsters (all mp3 player/earbud users) got nothing above about 13-14k.

Anyway, rant over--go back and enjoy yourselves!
Click to expand...

Also, this is a very important point in general, but *especially* when dealing with IEMs: DO NOT crank them up! Cranking up headphones is bad enough, but IEMs place the sound nearly directly into your eardrums from only a few millimeters away, and assuming you know the inverse square law of sound pressure, that's some really dangerous shit yer messin' with. Protect your ears at all times, folks: when I went to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, you could TOTALLY tell you were by a music school when walking or driving past the main building. Every time an ambulance/police car/fire engine would drive by with their sirens blasting, you'd see 30-40 people stop walking; drop their instrument cases & whatnot; and plug their ears until the offending siren had passed. I still do this to this day, even when I'm in my car and a loud siren passes. Hell, I know a great studio engineer from Chicago who actually wears -15db custom earplugs just WALKING DOWN THE STREET, as there's SO MUCH sound to damage your ears in a city: airbrakes from a bus releasing that big "PSSSSSHT!" sound to jackhammers & construction noise to the El (well, here in Chicago that is an issue; the elevated tracks are louder than balls).

Once you've damaged a certain frequency severely enough, you'll never hear it again. And it should be pretty obvious why that is a serious concern for just about ANY musician, but especially those of us who record, produce, & mix our own stuff or material for others. HEED THE WORDS OF BOBBSY!!!
 
Love Sweetwater. 'Tis true which thou speakest, sir John.
...and again. Like it hasn't been said. Be careful with iem's not only because of the proximity to the eardrum, but also because you've SEALED the cavity. The pressure on your eardrums is completely absorbed by those three little bones. ALL the pressure.
 
BroKen_H said:
Be careful with iem's not only because of the proximity to the eardrum, but also because you've SEALED the cavity. The pressure on your eardrums is completely absorbed by those three little bones. ALL the pressure.
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Excellent point. I wasn't even considering the sealed nature of IEMs. DANGER, WILL ROBINSON! WARNING!! ;)
 
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