Heya,

I would like to know if anyone here is experienced with quality speakers and headphones. I would like to know what brands should I consider to buy and what brands should I avoid.

Any suggestions of products, experiences or beneficial information about speakers and headphones would be very appreciate.

The use I will give them is for audio production.

Thanks in advance!

I just bought BEHRINGER MS20 20 Watts 2.0 24-Bit/192 kHz Digital Stereo Near Field Monitors (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836196007) about 2 months ago. I love them! The sound is crisp and has a nice ballance to them. The only thing that would make them better would be if I also had a surround sound system to go along with them. With my two months experience with this product, I would recomend the Behringer brand (Plus they're made by the Germans. You know the Germans make good stuff! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwRISkyV_B8)).

Headphone wise, I use nothing special. I use $25 US Sony Stereo Studio Headphones from Best Buy. They do the job just fine.

http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm My favorite website. The owner passed away last month so I'm not sure if it'll be in the care of somebody else, but good information nonetheless. Check under monitors in the left navigation pane.

What's your budget? I would use near field monitors for general audio production while using headphones for monitoring and checking any flaws and hiccups in a mix. Stay away from the el-cheapo consumer headphones even if it says something like reference, professional, monitoring, studio, premium, etc. A cheap $30 headphone is still a cheap $30 headphone.

Thanks for the comments!


I just bought BEHRINGER MS20 20 Watts 2.0 24-Bit/192 kHz Digital Stereo Near Field Monitors about 2 months ago. I love them!

I will be paying close attention to those. Thanks for name it!


(Plus they're made by the Germans. You know the Germans make good stuff! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwRISkyV_B8)).

Haha!



http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm My favorite website. The owner passed away last month so I'm not sure if it'll be in the care of somebody else, but good information nonetheless. Check under monitors in the left navigation pane.

I remember that site, never read the monitor section though. Thanks for the link.


What's your budget?


Budget is not really a problem. But I would like to be careful with the money I will be spending in my upgrades. I am giving it around 1,000 dollars at the moment.


Stay away from the el-cheapo consumer headphones even if it says something like reference, professional, monitoring, studio, premium, etc. A cheap $30 headphone is still a cheap $30 headphone.

Thanks for the info.

I hope there are professional wireless headphones, or at least that you can take off the cable from the headphone. That is a big worry I have, if I screw the cable... :heh:

That's a very good budget imo. I thought you were going to cheap out lol.

I'd stay away from wireless headphones if I were you because sound quality is a priority in any studio. Wireless headphones cannot deliver that compared to a wired one. It's not worth it.

Here are some of my recommendations

Monitors
http://www.zzounds.com/item--YAMHS80M
http://www.zzounds.com/item--ADPA7
http://www.zzounds.com/item--MACHR624MKII
http://www.zzounds.com/item--KRKVXT6

Headphones
Sony 7506
Audio Technica ATH-M50
AKG K271 II

There's more but they usually require a dedicated amplifier to sound their best so I'm going to exclude them.

Hm... Headphones. I wanted to get them *THE PROPER KIND*, but all I have is earphones, which I hate. Gives me headaches just listening to 3 songs. TT;; But just don't get a cheap headphone like brncao. If you're going to get one, get one that's at a decent price. Don't get the one that's super expensive! Trust me... I've learned that on experience already with one of my possession. TT

lol, I have a Sony earphones that cost 17-19 dollars, these are very good for listen to music and very loud too.

Thanks brncao for these recommendations! I will be looking at them in the next days to see what I end buying. :)

Don't get the one that's super expensive! Trust me... I've learned that on experience already with one of my possession. TT
Mind telling me what you have? :P Your idea of expensive might be different from mine.

I have the AKG K701 ($250 on Amazon, but I bought it used for $175). They're the ones Mio wears from K-On.
http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh419/dtshyk/090501-0216580792-960x720.jpg
Just to note I bought them because it has the capability of revealing everything in a recording (A must have for transcribers and audio engineers), not because I'm a Mio fan or anything :lol:
However, they need a headphone amplifier to bring out its full potential, which takes out another $240-$260 (I'm building one). That's about $425 for this rig.

The difference between a cheap $30 consumer headphone and this one is huge! I'm hearing everything in a recording I've never heard before! I'd recommend these headphones to Nyu, but the fact that they need to be amped, thus costing more, will probably scare him away lol. Besides, most of the budget needs to be allocated towards monitors as first priority.


lol, I have a Sony earphones that cost 17-19 dollars, these are very good for listen to music and very loud too.
Wait till you hear my headphone rig:P


Thanks brncao for these recommendations! I will be looking at them in the next days to see what I end buying. :)
Good luck! Let us know what you bought. Secondly is the room acoustically treated?

Well, it's not a headphone, but definately a microphone for my Spanish class online. I have to use it and my parent bought it for me for about... 40-50 dollars. And... It broke down after a couple of months. I gotten a headphone with a microphone to it *Office people use it all the time...* and it costs about 30 dollars and it's perfectly fine... I even use it right now. :P (Well... Let's just say I use it to listen to music. I don't have any other headphones than that... I should really get one that's MEANT for music, not business. TT)

Not sure if it's the situation you're in about the "expensive" type, but this is how I define it.... For me, I just say that anything under 20 dollars isn't really a type of thing that's going to work and anything above 40 dollars is just going to be a huge risk. Unless the headphones and other objects are professionally made and not junk, then that's fine. I just don't have enough money for it... *Mumbles*

PLUS, you must have some wicked headphone that looks like Mio's! :3

not because I'm a Mio fan or anything :lol:

I was already thinking that. :P


thus costing more, will probably scare him away lol.

What actually always scare me, or better to say annoy me, it's the damn shipping. Even if is just a few dollars. xP



Good luck! Let us know what you bought. Secondly is the room acoustically treated?

Sure. And no, this room is not acoustically treated. I will be moving from this place in a few month.


Not sure if it's the situation you're in about the "expensive" type, but this is how I define it.... For me, I just say that anything under 20 dollars isn't really a type of thing that's going to work

My earphones are excellent, these Sony earphones I have are worth and if you are careful of not pulling the cable, you will have a cool earphone for a very long time. But just for listen music in any place, not for professional use. :P

By the way, I once bought an earphone that cost me less than 99 cents, lol!

Not sure if it's the situation you're in about the "expensive" type, but this is how I define it.... For me, I just say that anything under 20 dollars isn't really a type of thing that's going to work and anything above 40 dollars is just going to be a huge risk. Unless the headphones and other objects are professionally made and not junk, then that's fine. I just don't have enough money for it... *Mumbles*
In other words "you get what you pay for." A buyer's remorse. This is how companies make a lot of money. They sell junk because they know consumers are cheap. It breaks, they buy more cheap products, and the cycle continues to the point they finally see it's worth spending over a certain amount. But by then they'll realize how much money they've burned if only they weren't cheap in the first place! I always settle in the middle.

For monitors, a pair at $1200 ± $200 is considered to me as middle ground for professionals.

For headphones, $200 is considered to me as middle ground for professionals.

And another off topic middle ground budget example, $1500 for a DSLR camera is in the middle believe it or not.

My point is, if you do plenty of research, you'll be able to find what the middle ground is, set a realistic budget, and avoid spending money in the low-end. The high-end on the other hand is a small niche market and is expensive, mainly for hobbyists and perfectionists. I generally don't go that route because I'm poor, but also the law of diminishing returns applies to almost every high-end product.

This will take me a while to figure out which one would be the more suited for me. But I am seeing the AKG one is mentioned a lot. I will be buying the headphone first. In case I move before time (To avoid more heavy stuffs to ship to a different localization XD).

By the way, are there stores in the US where you can test headphones or monitors in their stores?

By the way, are there stores in the US where you can test headphones or monitors in their stores?

I think you can test headphones at Best Buy and Bose stores.

Do not touch anything that is "Bose" or "Monster". They're extremely overpriced. They spend tons of money on marketing just to hype up their products so they can charge more.

Best Buy is usually not the best place to listen and audition. Where are you from Nyu?

Here's a full list of Circumaural / Full-Sized Headphones that's at the professional level (better than the ones I've mentioned above):

Closed
Beyerdynamic DT150*
Ultrasone Proline 750

Open
Ultrasone Proline 2500
AKG K701*
Sennheiser HD600*

Semi-closed
Beyerdynamic DT 880 2005*

*Amp recommended

I am territory of US. The other localization is Florida.

Thanks a lot for your help brncao, aslo thanks to porsche too. :)

Is it the K702 the successor of K701?

I just saw this in amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/AKG-K702-Open-Back-Headphones-HP4/dp/B0039K4WCU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1284222797&sr=8-3

A friend and another person also suggested me the Sennheiser HD600 +

I found this other in amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Open-Air-Audiophile-Headphone-Adapter/dp/B0039L0O7G/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1284225473&sr=1-6

I saw the HD800 but that was $1,399.95

I am checking the main website of each brand to see the descriptions of each headphone and checking reviews.

I found this interesting software also:

http://112db.com/redline/monitor/

I have reduced the list of the headphones after doing research. I think this is between the AKG 701 / 702 and the Sennheiser HD600 / HD650.

What amps would be recommendable by the way?

And brncao, what monitors are you using?

I am territory of US. The other localization is Florida.
The reason I asked was because in different parts of the U.S. there are so called "meets," particularly for headphone enthusiasts and audiophiles. There was an international headphone/hifi meet several months ago, and I was able to attend it because it was in my area. I had the chance to try out many many headphones and what not. Within my budget, I was able to pick my favorite. Your ears are different from mine so your mileage may vary. However, with that list I gave you, you should have an idea what to look for. The FL meet is usually held in Fort Myers. If you live in a big city, maybe I can create an interest check meet with other members for you if you like.


Is it the K702 the successor of K701?
Yes. The only difference is the color, has a detachable cable, and has 8 bumps underneath the headband rather than 7 bumps which evens out the pressure (the 7 bumps feels like it's boring into your skull with the center bump).


A friend and another person also suggested me the Sennheiser HD600 +

I found this other in amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Open-Air-Audiophile-Headphone-Adapter/dp/B0039L0O7G/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1284225473&sr=1-6
The Sennheiser HD650 is the successor to HD600, but some people refer to the HD600 as more "neutral" while the HD650 feels "laid back." It depends on what you're amping it with. I've tried both of them at the meet. They clamp a little too hard though. If you have a big head, then prepare for the vice grips lol. Overall, they sound good imo. A tad dark, but good nonetheless.


I saw the HD800 but that was $1,399.95
I've also heard these as well (what haven't I heard? lol). They're completely different from the aforementioned headphones. Much more airy, big soundstage, and overall neutral and balanced. I love the bass; quality>quantity. Very comfortable too! I could wear these for hours.

In case you wanted to know, these are the holy grail of headphones
http://www.stax.co.jp/Export/4070e.html (closed)
http://www.stax.co.jp/Export/SR007mk2.html (open)

I've only heard the latter. They use electrostatic technology rather than dynamic (magnetic coils). These blew me away. The Japanese sure know their stuff lol.


I found this interesting software also:

http://112db.com/redline/monitor/
I've heard of this as well. It uses "crossfeed" so it sounds like you're listening to virtual monitors on your headphones.

If you want to take it up a notch, read this http://www.smyth-research.com/products.html Although, it's not necessary, having a pro studio is better. However, you can calibrate it to almost anything. If you want to find out how well your song will translate to a philharmonic hall in Chicago or LA, then it will do that for you. Movie theater? That too. Hell if you want to find out how it'll sound like in the president's private bathroom, it can do that too! Just ask permission :heh:


I have reduced the list of the headphones after doing research. I think this is between the AKG 701 / 702 and the Sennheiser HD600 / HD650.
This I cannot speak for you. The best way is to audition them via meets.


What amps would be recommendable by the way?
I'd recommend DIY amps, but that depends on what headphones you're choosing.


And brncao, what monitors are you using?
None :( It's way out of my budget atm. Not only that, I'm not going to do an extreme makeover to my room (acoustic treatment). In the future, I'll build myself a studio so it's wise I don't spend money on studio equipment now.

The reason I asked was because in different parts of the U.S. there are so called "meets," particularly for headphone enthusiasts and audiophiles. There was an international headphone/hifi meet several months ago, and I was able to attend it because it was in my area. I had the chance to try out many many headphones and what not. Within my budget, I was able to pick my favorite. Your ears are different from mine so your mileage may vary. However, with that list I gave you, you should have an idea what to look for. The FL meet is usually held in Fort Myers. If you live in a big city, maybe I can create an interest check meet with other members for you if you like.

Fort Myers is out of the area for me, In Florida I will be located in Miami. Miami should have its audio places somewhere.


Yes. The only difference is the color, has a detachable cable, and has 8 bumps underneath the headband rather than 7 bumps which evens out the pressure (the 7 bumps feels like it's boring into your skull with the center bump).

I am liking the detachable cable, it makes me feel more secure if I break the cable I can replace it. :P


The Sennheiser HD650 is the successor to HD600, but some people refer to the HD600 as more "neutral" while the HD650 feels "laid back." It depends on what you're amping it with. I've tried both of them at the meet. They clamp a little too hard though. If you have a big head, then prepare for the vice grips lol. Overall, they sound good imo. A tad dark, but good nonetheless.

I don't have a big head, so I don't have to worry about that, lol.


I've also heard these as well (what haven't I heard? lol). They're completely different from the aforementioned headphones. Much more airy, big soundstage, and overall neutral and balanced. I love the bass; quality>quantity. Very comfortable too! I could wear these for hours.

I would go for these headphones, but I don't wanna go over 1,000 dollars. I am already going high with the headphones. I will have to use another 1,000 dollars for monitors. But headphones will be first. Seeing how my situation is going to be, headphones will have their important role for me. In special when I stay up late in the night working with something.



I've only heard the latter. They use electrostatic technology rather than dynamic (magnetic coils). These blew me away. The Japanese sure know their stuff lol.

There are also a few fantastic samples I have heard from the Japanese. The one that most amazed me was the sampling of an electric guitar. I don't remember correctly the name. But their logo is a P that looks like a dolphin. Promi... Prome... something like that, lol.



I've heard of this as well. It uses "crossfeed" so it sounds like you're listening to virtual monitors on your headphones.

If you want to take it up a notch, read this http://www.smyth-research.com/products.html Although, it's not necessary, having a pro studio is better. However, you can calibrate it to almost anything. If you want to find out how well your song will translate to a philharmonic hall in Chicago or LA, then it will do that for you. Movie theater? That too. Hell if you want to find out how it'll sound like in the president's private bathroom, it can do that too! Just ask permission :heh:

That software should be of a big help for composers. I saw some composers that loved it.


I'd recommend DIY amps, but that depends on what headphones you're choosing.

Thanks! By the way, do you think these amps that appears with the headphones in these links of amazon are worth? Usually combos tend to be a crap, lol...


None :( It's way out of my budget atm. Not only that, I'm not going to do an extreme makeover to my room (acoustic treatment). In the future, I'll build myself a studio so it's wise I don't spend money on studio equipment now.

Even if you do not have monitors the arrange you posted in the composition forum came out pretty well, very balanced and clean.

Anyway, as I said, my choice is between the AKG and the Sennheiser. I am stuck between those two, lol. I need to find a way to test them.

Otherwise...

I have another question. I read many times the AKG K701 does not have a strong bass, is it true? I feel many of these people that complain of the bass are those that like to boost the bass A LOT.

Also does the AKG K701 makes the music feel too spaced? Would that make a big difference for the composer/producer to have an idea of how would sound in monitors or a crappy system?

Thanks! By the way, do you think these amps that appears with the headphones in these links of amazon are worth? Usually combos tend to be a crap, lol...
I'd avoid buying that amp. You're correct, when companies combine products, the latter product is usually inferior and/or doesn't sell well.

Anyway, as I said, my choice is between the AKG and the Sennheiser. I am stuck between those two, lol. I need to find a way to test them.
I can call for a meet in Miami for you if you like. I believe there was one previously.

I have another question. I read many times the AKG K701 does not have a strong bass, is it true? I feel many of these people that complain of the bass are those that like to boost the bass A LOT.
This is all subjective of course. Bass heads will hate it no doubt. Then there's the question whether they are using the right amp, which again is subjective. Then there's the question if the source is lacking bass or has suffered from the loudness wars (you know what happens to the bass when a music is overly-compressed right?). A well mastered song and a good amp will show you the bass. It reaches very low. I've heard it and compared it to other headphones. I don't think it's lacking bass at all, but ymmw and is all too subjective since everyone's ears are different. But you've already established what purpose you want to be using headphones for. Light mixing during the night and monitoring (checking for flaws). AKG K701 and HD600 does well in this area. Those "people" you've mentioned are not studio professionals nor sound engineers, they're audiophiles with a different mindset.

If this worries you, you can build a solid state amplifier that has a bass boost control. This adjusts the gain in the lower frequencies. It's called the "M³". I'll be building one soon after I go over the parts list with my dad. I can build one for you if you like (plus labor fee). When built, markups are generally low and you can be sure you get the best price/performance ratio.


Also does the AKG K701 makes the music feel too spaced? Would that make a big difference for the composer/producer to have an idea of how would sound in monitors or a crappy system?
Too spaced? Not at all imo. The sound signature of a headphone compared to monitors and crappy systems is irrelevant. Headphones and monitors are different (apples to oranges). You cannot possibly ask the question if your headphones, no matter how expensive it is, will be able to translate to other systems. The only way to accomplish that is to use SVS Realiser, which is very expensive.

Do your mastering and final mixing on real monitors. Monitoring and late night light mixing with headphones.

I'd recommend DIY amps, but that depends on what headphones you're choosing.

Do you mean DIY as "Do it yourself"?



I can call for a meet in Miami for you if you like. I believe there was one previously.

How would this be?


Thanks for all your comments.

Do you mean DIY as "Do it yourself"?
yes


How would this be?
Via forums. If I get enough people interested, it goes official and I'll PM you. You'll have to give it a few months to prepare. If you do not want to go to such meets, then I won't. It's up to you. Do you want one or not?

I don't know how available I would be in my visits. Since I stay for 2-3 days and my travels tend to be one or two day after I buy the ticket. I would be interested once I am totally located there though. But that will be in a few months. Meanwhile I am checking with other contacts to see if I find stores that let me test or if they know someone that own the headphones.

About the amp, would not that be more expensive or cheaper?

I don't know how available I would be in my visits. Since I stay for 2-3 days and my travels tend to be one or two day after I buy the ticket. I would be interested once I am totally located there though. But that will be in a few months. Meanwhile I am checking with other contacts to see if I find stores that let me test or if they know someone that own the headphones.
Don't worry. Meets don't happen in a matter of days. It takes several months. By then you'll already be there and unpacked.

Good luck with your quest! The problem with stores is that you cannot test them with your own music. If you do meet someone who owns headphones, most likely it's the consumer type and ampless.


About the amp, would not that be more expensive or cheaper?
It's cheaper imo.

Explanation
The retail amps are marked up much higher than DIY amps. With retail amps, compromises are made to cut costs. There are labor costs and overhead costs added. A retail store needs to mark it up so it can earn profits, and the supplier before it also needs to mark it up to earn profits. That's double markups right there.

A DIY amp cuts out the middleman. You'll only need to buy the parts and that's it. No labor costs. Plus if you want me to build one for you, I'll keep the labor fees low since I know you. Me on the otherhand I was able to save by salvaging a chassis so that saved me a ton.

Good luck with your quest!

Thanks!


The problem with stores is that you cannot test them with your own music.

Yeah, and probably they won't have the kind of tracks I would like to hear for have a good evaluation. But still, would be good if I get to test them in a store even if it is music that I don't listen. At least is a chance to test them!


If you do meet someone who owns headphones, most likely it's the consumer type and ampless.

The only people I would try to contact are professionals or semi-professionals. I doubt anyone that is not into music production would have a good headphones here.


It's cheaper imo.

Explanation
The retail amps are marked up much higher than DIY amps. With retail amps, compromises are made to cut costs. There are labor costs and overhead costs added. A retail store needs to mark it up so it can earn profits, and the supplier before it also needs to mark it up to earn profits. That's double markups right there.

A DIY amp cuts out the middleman. You'll only need to buy the parts and that's it. No labor costs. Plus if you want me to build one for you, I'll keep the labor fees low since I know you. Me on the otherhand I was able to save by salvaging a chassis so that saved me a ton.

I do not know much about amps, I would rather first know more about all the brands and how it works before I put my eyes in one or contact you.

My situation:
I've been doing some audio work lately and I know the general rule of thumb is to not to review a song through headphones, as monitors produces a very different response. But the dilemma I've been having as of recent is that I live in an apartment now and the neighbors have complained about the noise from when I am reviewing a clip. I asked the complex if they'd permit me to install some soundproofing to a room and they denied my request. So now I'm to the point where I'm either going to listen to a mix very quietly (that'll work well), head over to a local recording studio and rent a room each time I'm doing a review (totally not that rich), or figure something else out for making things quiet (dang it, Plan C).

So I decided to review the headphone solution again.

The ultimate goal of this would be to eliminate all the background noise that I'm not able to get rid of (refrigerator, HVAC, stomping of feet, yelling, young child jumping off of the top bunk bed upstairs) and to obtain the same sound quality that a monitor would give. Noise canceling isn't exactly what I'm looking for as that produces that annoying hiss which makes it possible to miss something in a clip.

So I did some research, and I've kinda narrowed things down, but I'm at a loss now because I can't exactly demo the headphone sets I've found, so I'm a bit curious to hear what everyone here has to say about them.

From the looks of things, people here are more slanted towards the AKG and Sennheiser brand, but I'm a bit curious about ATs, Shure, Denon, Stanton, and others and how they match up for the above. I heard that the AKG k70x series does a good job, but the soundstage is too monstrous for techno or fast moving music, which is making me a bit leery to go with them (as that's where it looks like music is heading towards). Similarly, I heard that Sennheiser is way overpriced for a comparable set of headphones. Audio Techica's ATH-AD700 seems like another potential solution, but I keep hearing mixed reviews from those that have used their headphone sets. Shure (yeah, the Microphone company) also is in on the match with their SCR750DJs, but they seem to color the output quite a bit by throwing in way too much of a driver, causing bass to amplify (though, they would work well in a loud environment when queuing).

I'm trying to keep it under 300 USD, but that's flexible, depending on the lifetime and quality of the product.


Second off, I'm going to need to buy a decent Headphone amp for these. While I already have a crappy amp I made back in high school and I was commercial all through college, I'm curious on the opinions of the hyped CMoy Pocket Amplifier DIY (http://tangentsoft.net/audio/cmoy-tutorial/). Is it really equatable to a commercial 200+ USD Amp (particularly a V-CAN (http://www.musicalfidelity.com/products/V-Series/V-CAN/V-CAN.asp)-level amp)? Or is this a internet myth and the 20 USD amps for headphones are the same as the 200 USD one? I'm not afraid to do such a project, but I'm just a bit curious on what level of quality it would have. Should I be looking for something in particular in circuit design to improve quality, or is it the standard "add caps to clean, add resistors to control, and add power to increase" philosophy still held true?

I think I'm the only guy here who can offer advice on headphones haha. What you want is a sealed or closed IEM or headphones respectively. Do you want IEM or circumaural headphones?

Those CMoy amps are for less demanding headphones: IEM, earbuds, and any headphones that are easy to drive. Headphones that are much harder to drive requires a better amp. My K701 will not be fully driven by a Cmoy since K701's are difficult to drive. I can't suggest any headphone amps until I know what type of headphones you're looking for.

I'm predicting you want a solid state amplifier. If you want to go the DIY route like I did, take a look at AMB Mini³ (http://www.amb.org/audio/mini3/) (for portability) or AMB CK²III (http://www.amb.org/audio/ck2/) (for home).

I think I'm the only guy here who can offer advice on headphones haha. What you want is a sealed or closed IEM or headphones respectively. Do you want IEM or circumaural headphones?

Those CMoy amps are for less demanding headphones: IEM, earbuds, and any headphones that are easy to drive. Headphones that are much harder to drive requires a better amp. My K701 will not be fully driven by a Cmoy since K701's are difficult to drive. I can't suggest any headphone amps until I know what type of headphones you're looking for.

I'm predicting you want a solid state amplifier. If you want to go the DIY route like I did, take a look at AMB Mini³ (http://www.amb.org/audio/mini3/) (for portability) or AMB CK²III (http://www.amb.org/audio/ck2/) (for home).

I much prefer Overear to the IEM style. IEMs give me a headache after about ten minutes of use. I actually gave away a pair of ATHCK7s because of this.

And it looks like it was a good thing that I asked about the amp. I was thinking about attempting a double block of the Cmoy model thinking that it would drive whatever choice I made, but from what I'm gathering even that wouldn't be a correct assumption. Thanks for the advice.

Look at some custom IEMs then. They're custom-fit and molded to the shape of your ears providing maximum comfort. Ultimate Ears comes to mind, but there are others as well (their name escapes me atm). If you like to review music on the go then custom IEMs are perfect; plus you don't need an expensive amp (a cmoy is good enough).

M, if you have not bought anything yet, it would be good to take a look around in online stores. I saw headphones at very good price in this last weekend, with the black Friday and the cyber Monday.

I don't know about the Sennheiser 650's, but I have the HD 595s, and they're amazing, in my opinion. They have no trouble at all keeping up with complex songs with a bunch of instruments/high and low tones (everything remains very clear; you can hear all the instruments perfectly fine, no matter how many of them are playing at once; the sound never muddies together), and the sound stage they produce sounds huge. You can make out where all the separate instruments would be standing if you were listening to a live performance. So, uhhhhh. Yeah, that's all I have to say about that, I guess. I can absolutely recommend the Sennheiser brand to you!

Oh, I can add one more thing, I guess. I don't know how the 650's are, but I find the 595s extremely neutral, which I love. The bass is always present, but not overpowering, and the treble is full without being tinny. The headphones favor all genres of music equally, giving you an accurate picture of what the song's actually supposed to sound like, unlike some headphones that overpower you with bass or amp up the treble.
Cheers lol o/

And M, Sennheisers being overpriced? All the reviews I've read said they compare with headphones more expensive than them, which is what lead me into buying them in the first place, instead of going with a pair of Shure or AKG.*

*Edit lol: Again, talking about their 595s. When you move up their product line, I have no idea how well they compare cash-to-performance-wise. X3

HD595 are also great as well. I guess I'm not alone here, people spending over $100 for HP:) Then again I've seen people burn cash on mediocre HP like Beats (Monster overprices their products, which shouldn't be a surprise). If you do get the HD595 make sure it's the 50 ohm version and not the 120 ohm version otherwise you'll need an amp to sound its best. There's no need to spend a fortune on HD650 or HD800.

I ended getting the AKG K702 on December. I bought it in the Black Friday or Cyber Monday, I don't remember which one. I thought I would let you know that, haha.


Here is a pic I took months ago of it:

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r153/Nyu001/166371_1821727065775_1318153176_1968653_5770033_n. jpg


I really love it. EXCEPT for 2 things. It feels tight on my head still, but I think I am getting slowly used to that, and the other is that I don't have an A/C to not feel heat. I wish my A/C never got on fire. XD

Congrats! It should loosen up over time the more you wear it. As any headphones can feel tight when bought new. Sounds uber amazing over your old ones doesn't it :P Like you've entered a whole new world of audio. Makes others envy:heh:

They'll need lots of burn-in to get the drivers going. They're usually stiff when they're new. I still haven't finished building that amp I spoke of months ago. They really need to be amped to sound their best. Better start saving up! ^.^

Also, if you wear them too long, you might feel like they're boring into your skull (the bumps under the headband). At least with my K701

As for me, I should try to buy a complimentary headphones (Beyerdynamic dt880 600ohm) to go along with my K701 to keep my ears fresh during music production.

The bumps under the headband can be solved by putting a sponge on your head. xD I have not tried that yet, but the bumps does not really bother me.

After exploring headphones, I felt like wanting to collect them, lol. I know that won't happen anyway. xD

The music that worked the best to me with these headphones was the orchestral music and vocal. All other genres worked too, but orchestral was like woooh. XD

I suggest we sticky this thread

The bumps under the headband can be solved by putting a sponge on your head. xD I have not tried that yet, but the bumps does not really bother me.

After exploring headphones, I felt like wanting to collect them, lol. I know that won't happen anyway. xD

The music that worked the best to me with these headphones was the orchestral music and vocal. All other genres worked too, but orchestral was like woooh. XD
x2 on the orchestral and vocal music. Large soundstage! Having a collection of headphones/speakers can be a good thing if you're an audio enthusiast (aka audiophile) seeking different sound signatures. I like to listen to music with different setups and perspective, but it would gravely hurt my wallet lol.



I suggest we sticky this thread
Nyu has been the only person seeking for advice so far iirc. This subforum is relatively new so I think we'll wait until there's more demand in this thread.

I just got a headphone, and I'll tell you what... it's so much better than using earphones to make music. You can definitely feel the difference.

I use a pair of studio headphones by Audio-Technica. They're wonderful :D ATH-M50s. You can hear everything! And since they're not so bass-heavy, you can actually mix rather easily.

I use a pair of studio headphones by Audio-Technica. They're wonderful :D ATH-M50s. You can hear everything! And since they're not so bass-heavy, you can actually mix rather easily.

I use these too, although I find the mids to be a tad under-represented given the clarity of its bass and highs. If you can get these from a discount dealer, they're dirt cheap and does their work.

I used to use Ety ER6i's before they went tango uniform .\ /.

Necro'ing.

I have been using a pair of Sennheiser HD 215's for about five years now and recommend them strongly. Not only are they very reasonably priced, the quality is the best I've ever experienced. For the purposes of this thread, I've been sampling some songs and, oh boy, are they clear. Frantic guitar playing, nature tracks, large choral pieces, these headphones can take it all. I've actually picked up some noises from recordings such as the turning of sheet music or some other background noise. I also used them extensively during my Counter Strike days and they helped immensely when trying to listen for enemy footsteps. Got a bit of an unfair advantage actually.

Thought I'd throw a review into the mix. Also I'm thinking of getting a pair of noise cancelling headphones, it can get a little noisy at home and if I need to concentrate I need relative quietness. A friend of mine brought Audio Technica's ATH-ANC7b Noise Cancelling headphones. I sampled them in store and was very impressed. Even without music playing I couldn't hear anything that the store attendant and my friend were saying to each other. Other than wanting something with more noise cancelling power, the HD 215's are perfect.

Edit: My brother just informed me that the tip is gold plated, offering better sound than other metallics. Awesome.

I dislike pleather earcups. They wear out fast if you wear them often. Speaking of Sennheiser, I got a pair of HD600. They are a lot more comfy than the AKG K701/K702.

Professional IEM (In-Ear monitors) > Noise Canceling. If you want near absolute quietness and clear pristine sound, take a look at professional IEMs (IEMs are not earbuds). I haven't been to head-fi in a while but go take a look over there and read some reviews. What is IEM? (http://www.head-fi.org/a/basic-guide-to-in-ear-canalphones)