What headphones or monitors (speakers) should I buy?

[zircon]

This is a discussion thread for headphones and monitors. Here is some basic info to get us started, feel free to post if you have anything to add.

HEADPHONES
---------

* Avoid "listener", consumer-grade headphones. The goal of headphones as a musician is to hear the most accurate sound as possible. Some consumer headphones have features that try to 'improve' the sound somehow. You don't want that.

* Ideally, you want closed headphones that cancel out noise. The reasons for this are pretty obvious. :)

* Expect to spend about $50. If you don't have $50, don't bother buying anything, and save your money. Your listening setup is one of the most important parts of your workstation.

Good brands::
- Sennheiser
- Sony
- AKG

Recommended models:
- Sennheiser EH2200 ($50-$75)
- Sony MDR7506 ($100)
- AKG K171 ($160)
- AKG K240 ($100)

MONITORS
--------

Monitors are essentially like speakers. Typically you get two at a time, though a surround setup or a subwoofer is possible also. There are two kinds of monitors, "active" and "passive".

"Passive" monitors require some sort of amplification system. This means you will need additional gear besides the monitors themselves. You will have to do a little more setup and spend some money on the amplification, but generally this will cost less.

"Active" monitors have amplification built in, so you just plug them in and go. These are usually a little more expensive.

* Most monitors below $200 have a marked decrease in quality. These "low end" monitors are consistently ranked poorly by professionals and trade publications, so ideally you want to get something in the midrange for truly accurate results.

* Try to ensure that your room is a good environment for listening. In other words, you typically want a small room with little sound leakage, and some sort of materials to dampen reflections. This process is known as acoustic treatment. Even the best monitors are useless if you're in a terrible listening space. (more info would be helpful here too)

* Make sure your monitors are positioned properly. (I know someone here has more info on this)

Good brands:
- Tapco
- Event
- Samson
- Mackie
- Tannoy
- Alesis
- Behringer (low end)
- M-Audio (low end)


Recommended models;

[realpolitik]

This is a discussion thread for headphones and monitors. Here is some basic info to get us started, feel free to post if you have anything to add.

HEADPHONES
---------

* Avoid "listener", consumer-grade headphones. The goal of headphones as a musician is to hear the most accurate sound as possible. Some consumer headphones have features that try to 'improve' the sound somehow. You don't want that.

* Ideally, you want closed headphones that cancel out noise. The reasons for this are pretty obvious. :)

* Expect to spend about $50. If you don't have $50, don't bother buying anything, and save your money. Your listening setup is one of the most important parts of your workstation.

Good brands::
- Sennheiser
- Sony
- AKG

Recommended models:
- Sennheiser EH2200 ($50-$75)
- Sony MDR7506 ($100)



I'd like to add to this list the Beyerdynamic DT250's, which I currently own and strongly recommend. I got my pair on Amazon for $140 dollars, $40 dollars off everyone else's price ;)

and

Good brands::
- Sennheiser
- Beyerdynamic
- AKG

Not good brands::

- Sony

The MDR-V6/7506 (actually the same headphone) are the only decent monitoring headphone put out by Sony. The rest aren't worth it.

[JJT]

I am in favor of both headphones and monitors.

[realpolitik]

Monitors > Headphones

Monitor price < Headphone price



Ideally everyone could afford a pair of Mackie HR824's, with a virtually flat frequency response, but anyone lacking the $1,200 bones to purchase them turn to headphones.

[zircon]

I would not say that, [scene]. It's ultimately up to the ear of the mixer and how familiar they are with their setup. I've personally been using a pair of $50 speakers from Staples and $50 Sennheiser headphones, and I do just fine.

[Compyfox]

Well actually there're more kind of "speakers":
- Active and Passive (which declares how they're amplified)

- Nearfield, Midrange, Longrange
Nearfield Monitors are for mixing. If you sit in front of them 2-3m away, they sound best.

Midrange speakers are made for "consuming". In other words those speakers are used in a studio to checkup how the stuff will sound in a room where the speakers and the listener are far apart (starting with 4-5m). Usually you setup speakers in the corners of a room. These are for good "general checks", but can also be used for production and mastering of course (some even recommend those over Nearfield)

Widerange aren't uninteresting for us. They're made for on stage purposes. You know... those big speakers in front of the stage, at the sides of it, etc. In other words... Live performance.


The prices differ here too. Nearfields are 1/3rd to 1/2 as much cheaper than midfields. It depends on your the purpose you need it for. But generally you can say, if you work in a "small studio" (which most of us do), you don't really need midfields - nearfields are blend in with midfields nowadays anyway. There's no big difference anymore as in 10 years ago.

Another important thing is... no branch is generally "bad" or "lowend" cause they're cheap. If you know how to handle the speakers, and you can live with the sound of it (and balance it out compared to other speakers), then you can do everything with it.



Setting them up.

You usually set them up at the height of your ears. Around 2m away from you, but not "straight pointing at you", but more like with a 30° angle towards your ears (like a piramid). The point where the acoustic preasure overlaps with each other is the so called "hotspot". THis is where you should sit.

There a lot of other things involved to get the "right sound". Just look at goodle for "studio speaker setup" (also at sound on sound) and you'll find tons of information about that.


PS:
zircon, the AKG K141 are halfopen ones, and cheaper than the K171 closed ones. The K240 is at 79USD atm (regulary 160USD, at least that was it once) and the K141 are at 74,50USD (both straight from the US AKG page). However... the K240 and K141 differ drastically in terms of sound. Both are mixing headphones, but the K141 has a bit more boosted bassrange.

[Hy Bound]

Personally, I recommend a pair of Sennheiser HD 600s. I own a pair and have to say that they have the best sound i've heard. They do run a bit steep... (about $250). I have also heard that they're a bit bright, but I havent run into that.

[Xelebes]

Right now, I'm looking to buy AKG K271 (around 279 bucks Canadian here) and either a pair of Samsons (600 bucks) or KNK's (1300 bucks). Don't know which of the two monitors I would buy yet. I have no clue what the monitors models are - I should ask LP again what models they are exactly.

[Compyfox]

The AKG 271 are "closed cabinet" ones. So you'll be cutoff from outside, and the outside from what's going on in your speakers. Might not be comfortable to you. I'd consider halfopen ones (example: K240) as long as you don't record vocals or other stuff.

Also a bit easier for the ear.

[Xelebes]

Well, for my purposes, I am quite used to closed cabinet headphones. I know why I am buying them. If I need to be wary of my surroundings, I'll use something other than the closed cabinets.

[Yoozer]

Just adding bits here :).

Well actually there're more kind of "speakers":
- Active and Passive (which declares how they're amplified)

Passive can be divided in 2 types too - "powered", which means that there is a separate amplifier in the speaker, and "bi-amplified" which means that there is a separate amplifier for the tweeter and the mid.

Another important thing is... no brand is generally "bad" or "lowend" cause they're cheap.
This is not the case. When buying monitors ("for real"), don't go below the $1000 mark. Generally, from that amount and up the differences will be much less noticeable.

For passive monitors, use either the recommended amplifier or use a hi-fi component amplifier with all EQ settings to zero; you don't want it giving you a distorted image.
If you know how to handle the speakers, and you can live with the sound of it (and balance it out compared to other speakers), then you can do everything with it.
Yes, and no. Room acoustics have a lot to do with this too, but since it's territory most remixers can't change anything about, reference monitors is where it's at.

You usually set them up at the height of your ears. Around 2m away from you, but not "straight pointing at you", but more like with a 30° angle towards your ears (like a piramid).
Helpful diagram:
http://img460.imageshack.us/img460/6569/monitorplacement8ze.gif (http://imageshack.us)

The point where the acoustic preasure overlaps with each other is the so called "hotspot".
No, it's called the sweet spot :).

[Compyfox]

Okay... then it's the "sweet spot". Whatever. Both words woth, but if we want to be correct on that, then it's "sweet spot".

[Theowne]

I'd like to say that if you can't afford top-notch monitors the stuff M-Audio is a good choice.

See here: http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.list&ID=studiomonitors

[speculative]

KVR has some interesting posts on monitors as well:

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=105338

and

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=113624

I'm thinking about getting monitors, but I'm not sure they'd mix well with my apartment lifestyle... ;) I was looking at the Behringer Truths that retail for $499 a pair... I haven't bought speakers in 8 years, so I figure I could afford to pick up some mid-range ones. It would be great if I lived in a big city and could listen to a bunch of different ones, but that would be a 12-hour drive minimum...

Thanks for the info - I'll check into those headphones.

Edit: After reading up on studio monitors on the 'net for about 30 hours or so, I know to stay away from the Behringers - the quality control is just too spotty. The other thing I learned is that... there is no perfect solution, unless you want to shell out upward of a grand... :/

[Zoola]

For the home studio I'm so valiantly recreating (http://www.ocremix.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=72496), I chose the Event Studio Precision 8's (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search/detail/base_pid/603279/) as my monitors to buy. Any decisions against it?

[speculative]

Another possibly good source of info: http://studio-central.com/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=15

[realpolitik]

For the home studio I'm so valiantly recreating (http://www.ocremix.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=72496), I chose the Event Studio Precision 8's (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=rec/search/detail/base_pid/603279/) as my monitors to buy. Any decisions against it?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Recording/Monitors/Headphones?sku=605250

flattest frequency response i've ever seen from a monitor.

cheers

[Ghetto Lee Lewis]

Can someone compare the Sony MDR7506 with the Sony MDRV700's (assuming they're priced the same)? It seems to me like the MDRV700's have a better frequency range than any other headphones available (but I'm sure there are more important things).

I want to use the headphones for monitoring/mixing (balanced mastering that will sound good on any setup). I also want to use the headphones for recording, so I need them to be as sound-tight as possible so no sound bleeds through.

If there are better headphones for recording what are they? I will probably get monitor speakers in place of headphones anyway, so the more comfortable, closed sound headphones are preferable to high sound quality.

Also, cheaper is better (but willing to pay extra if it's worth it).

[Theowne]

What do you all think of M-Audio's Studio Pro 4s as low budget reference monitors?[/i]

[Ghetto Lee Lewis]

What do you all think of M-Audio's Studio Pro 4s as low budget reference monitors?[/i]

I heard m-audio's monitors are crappy. As a rule of thumb don't spend less than $150-$200 per monitor (on speakers, although headphones are obviously a lot cheaper).

[Theowne]

Where did you hear that? I've looked all over the net, so far I've only seen good reviews about the sound (except for ones about malfunctioning and such)

So what kind of monitors you reccomend, that don't cost five hundred bucks?

[Ghetto Lee Lewis]

I heard that from bLiNd actually. I think some of the responses from certain frequencies are weak.

If you want some serious monitors for under $200 each check these out:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--YAMHS50M

These are made supposedly in the tradition of the NS10M's. The saying goes, if you can get your music to sound good on them, you can get it to sound good on anything. There is also a larger model available if you're on a higher budget, the YAMHS80M'S, for $350.00 each: http://www.zzounds.com/item--YAMHS80M

I wouldn't really see anything wrong with the cheaper ones, unless 70 watt speakers are too weak for you (if you're in a quiet room using near-field monitors they should be perfect though).

I don't use speaker monitors yet, so I would recommend doing more research or asking someone else (bLiNd is a great person to talk to on the subject though).

[Nineko]

Headphones: I use this (http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Aiwa%20HP-X111%20Headphone:1990294489:page=details;_ylt=ArO2 N86zpeSBpTFg5tNWf4z1SHAD;_ylu=X3oDMTBiZ2o2Y3ZwBHNl YwNzaWJzcGVj), and it's great.

[Legion303]

If I wanted to buy either headphones or monitors, would people consider it acceptable to buy mail-order if I audition the real thing at a music store first? I would never buy a guitar online because of the vast differences in tone and playability in each individual guitar even of the same make and model, but I don't know what kind of manufacturing tolerances there are in headphone/monitor production. Thanks.

-steve

[Ghetto Lee Lewis]

Retailers have to get their stuff shipped from somewhere. I would think the quality in headphones/speakers would be the same as buying them from a store; and in any case, why would you buy a display product, if everyone who goes in the store uses it?

I see no problem at all with buying online. I bought my Sony MDR V600's from amazon. They were in the same package you'd find in a retail store anyway.

If you get into delicate or hand-made items like violins or guitars I could see why you'd want to try before buy, but well-built manufactured items like speakers it should make no difference.

[Legion303]

Cool, thanks. I've had my eye on some AKG K-171 studio phones for awhile now (thanks for the recommendation, Compy), which I feel would suit me better than monitors right now because of the noise levels where I do most of my music. Now I just need to wait for my bonus to hit the paycheck and I'm all set. :)

Edit: whoa, K240 phones are going for $80-$100 on ebay from "authorized dealers" with 100% positive feedback. There seem to be a couple of different versions of them, though...for laptop mixing and production, I would want the low impedance model instead of the high impedance model, right?

-steve

[zircon]

As I understand it, you need to match the impedence up with the rest of your signal processing stuff.

[lazygecko]

* Ideally, you want closed headphones that cancel out noise. The reasons for this are pretty obvious. :)

I tried one of these, and it felt more or less like the equivalent of putting two seashells on your ears.

[Liontamer]

What's the consensus on the analoq-endorsed Grado headphones? Are they too impractical due to being open-eared? Aaron mentioned the sound quality was pretty good.

[Fridge]

From everyone I've heard, Grados are consistently ahead of their pricepoint as far as sound goes - but this is in terms of listening enjoyment, can't say anything about flatness or how good they are for mixing. The greater portion of high end headphones are open, so as long as you have a quiet listening environment this won't be an issue.

http://head-fi.org/

Excellent forums for headphone/amp/etc info, several manufacturers (including grado) have put out special models just for the members there...

[ILLiterate]

* Expect to spend about $50. If you don't have $50, don't bother buying anything, and save your moneyLOL RIGHT

Sennheiser HD 202 Headphones only $20 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000065BP9/sr=8-4/qid=1145075340/ref=pd_bbs_4/103-5016049-4537435?%5Fencoding=UTF8)

Cheap as HELL, if you don't really want to throw down much on the headphones these are insanely good for the price

[zircon]

I didn't say that there wasn't anything that cheap; simply that there is a sacrifice in quality when you go that low.

[ILLiterate]

Just throwin down a link baby I was going to throw anyways baby :D

[Ceiphied]

Does anyone have experience with Sennheiser's 580s or 485s? I'm replacing my work headphones (no bass in the right ear), and I'm undecided between the two.

[Piano]

Have a look at the reviews on this page: http://www.headphone.com/products/headphones/all-headphones/

[Appleskates]

I need some help in finding headphones that can stand heavy cardio work-outs (running on a treadmill, eliptical trainer, etc). The ones i have broke in about a month. I can not exercise without music and would like to avoid getting fat again. Please help.

[Kriko]

Appleskates>> Do you want some beefy headphones or can it be good with a pair of smaller earplugs? If so, Iv'e tried "Koss Sparkplug" (or The Plug) They are pretty cheap and sound quite good if they are to be used as for normal music listening.

If you're going for some quality headphones (for mixing etc), i would certainly recommend Akg K240s. And by the way, those Sennheiser HD-202 feels fragile and plastic. They could be used for some beginning mixing, but if you're planning on going on further with music production, it's really worth investing in a pair of quality headphones (or monitors).

[OverCoat]

I think those around-the-back headphones fall off the least. Have you tried those kinds yet?

Normal headphones and earbuds, I imagine, are shit for moving around [like cardio].

Maybe you can just use a stereo :) unless you work out in a gym and don't want people to know you do jumping jacks to Kraid's Lair. Which is an understandable feeling, believe me :D

[Legion303]

Maybe you can just use a stereo

GHETTO BLASTA!

/me cranks up the Newcleus and busts out some backspins

-steve

[Legion303]

(new response, sorry)

I'm getting very close to picking up a set of AKG K240S phones (or 271 if I can score them cheap enough). I know the 240s are semi-open, but does anyone have experience using these with a microphone? I figure if I have the volume low enough I shouldn't have a big problem with bleed-through, but I don't know. Thanks.

-steve

[Kriko]

Legion303>> Good choice :) I haven't used them very much with microphones but i dont think it would be any problem.

[CC Ricers]

You could scour the garage sale bins and find something nice like this lucky bastard here (http://www.djforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43910).

Can anyone agree if it's okay to use DJing headphones for production and listening? There's probably a difference between DJ/monitoring heaphones and listening type headphones. Is it just the frequency range or is there something else I'm missing? I currently have Technics RP-DJ700.

[Kriko]

DJ Headphones usually have a bit boosted lower bass. Check out the frequency curve for these two for example (Akg K.240s (http://www.headphone.com/products/headphones/all-headphones/akg-k-240-s.php) and Sennheiser HD-25 (http://www.headphone.com/products/headphones/all-headphones/sennheiser-hd-25.php)) I can't tell if that is a bad thing but i guess if you here the bass stronger than what it is, you might put the bass down in the eq and "normal listeners" might feel the bass is a little low..

But curves can vary pretty much between headphones. Check if you can find a frequency on your own headphone.

[Salluz]

SONY SPEEKAHZ AH DA SHIIIIIII!

Recommendation. As for mics, get CO1U from Samson.

[danvx6]

Question from a n00b: What is the big difference between "monitors" and consumer speakers? Is it just sound quality? And are consumer speakers suitable for remixing (just as a hobby of course)?

[OverCoat]

Computer speakers work, I mean, I don't get a lot of complaints about my sound quality and I have these $40 Creative speakers. But monitors give you the raw, flat audio, unfiltered. So you wouldn't game or listen to CDs with them [though you could and it would probably be fine!] but for serious music recording they do help.

[Cerrax]

True studio monitors are designed to allow pure unadultered sound to be heard. In other words a completely flat frequency response. Every single frequency is given the same amount of energy. This allows a sound engineer to create a sound that will be very close to the same on any system.

Unfortunately, consumer speakers do not have flat frequency response. Most consumer systems give higher energy to the bass and treble frequencies. As a result, the sound that comes from them is not natural, because it has been changed to "sound better and more realistic" but the truth of the matter is, that the sound is being augmented from its original form and therefore cannot not be true natural sound. So while that hip-hop song that you wrote and mixed on your consumer speakers will sound awesome, someone else's system will make it sound totally different, because his speakers have a different frequency response than your system.

The point of flat frequency response is that you can hear the sound as it is naturally created, without any augmentations to the frequencies. This allows for you to get the best and most effective sound possible.

[zircon]

True studio monitors are designed to allow pure unadultered sound to be heard. In other words a completely flat frequency response. Every single frequency is given the same amount of energy. This allows a sound engineer to create a sound that will be very close to the same on any system.

No monitoring systems I'm aware of have a perfectly flat frequency response. I just don't think those even exist. But really, you don't NEED a perfectly flat response.. you can work with something that's not perfect, learn the ins and outs, and make a good mix with it. You just have to keep in mind that when you're working on something, it won't necessarily sound as good as it would on a huge home stereo system.

In addition, it's just not true that all engineers necessarily prefer a more flat/"truthful" response. For example, the Yamaha NS10 nearfield monitors are relatively inexpensive and inaccurate. Yet for a time they were some of the most popular and widely-used monitors nationwide. This is because they are closest to consumer sound systems that engineers were mixing for.

[The Nameless]

I personally favor the Sennheiser HD series. I have the HD 595 and it is really something, it sounds better than it costs ;) then there are the HD 515, 555, 595, 600, 650, where 650 is the best but the MOST expensive and the 515 wich is the "worst" but the cheapest one. The HD sereies are high quality acoustic headphones.

[realpolitik]

those aren't monitoring headphones dude :P


those are open headphones used for listening, not monitoring.


whatever works for you i guess.

[Hsia Nu]

If you want the best of the best for headphones and monitors:

headphones: Sennheiser HD-650: $499.99
Monitors: Yamaha HS50M 5' Powered Monitor: $199.99 each

This stuff is pretty much industry standard nowadays. Especially the yamaha hs50M's they are so crisp and clear you would think they are digital monitors.

[VRXJudge]

Wouldn't the most accurate headphones be Grado RS1's? Closed headphones are inherently less "natural" sounding.

[Señor Quetzalcoatl]

What's the consensus on the analoq-endorsed Grado headphones? Are they too impractical due to being open-eared? Aaron mentioned the sound quality was pretty good.

Wouldn't the most accurate headphones be Grado RS1's? Closed headphones are inherently less "natural" sounding.

Well, yes, but the price range is pretty high on those. Also, the AKG K701 is good at that $500-$600 price range, and is a suitable competitor to the RS1.

If you happen to like the Grado sound but want more neutrality (Grado's aren't neutral, they tend to be bright cans, well, anything below the SR325 models, at least), I suggest to get Alessandro Music Series headphones:

http://www.alessandro-products.com/headphones.html

I own the MS1 and, at $99, they are a very good deal. They are pretty much modified a Grado SR125, and sound very pleasant, can handle all genres nicely, and best of all, sound great without a dedicated headphone amp due to the low ohms (32ohms), though they do benefit more with a decent amp. The SR125 are brighter and just cost more than the MS1, so I'd just go for the MS1 (keep in mind that most people get hooked in the Grado lineup with the SR60 or SR80, which are Grado's entry level cans, so the SR125 is higher up in the chain).

I highly recommend these, especially if you are outside the US and want to try the Grado-ish sound (Grado prices outside the US are just too high).

As far as them being "open," well, they do leak a lot, but if you're in a quiet room, it isn't a problem. Also, it lets you hear any outside noise, or if someone happens to call for you, you won't be totally oblivious to them calling out your name, so I like that. However, for commuting on bus and the like, ANY open can, no matter how expensive, just cannot drown out the noise enough for you to enjoy the music, which means you will most likely pump up the volume to compensate for this and feed your ear dangerous volume levels of music.

[Villainelle]

Just wanted to toss this in: largely because of recommendations on this site, I picked up a pair of KRK RP5s last week, and am really pleased with them. Listened to a bunch of other monitors in the same $300-400/pair price range at a Guitar Center and these sounded the flattest and clearest. Thanks for the recommendation, OCR. It really is a whole new world of sound through decent monitors. :S

[DJDarkmaster]

i use a $40 pair of Maxell NC-II noise canceling headphones with closed cabinet. they perform very well...except on real heavy bass

As far as them being "open," well, they do leak a lot, but if you're in a quiet room, it isn't a problem. Also, it lets you hear any outside noise, or if someone happens to call for you, you won't be totally oblivious to them calling out your name, so I like that. However, for commuting on bus and the like, ANY open can, no matter how expensive, just cannot drown out the noise enough for you to enjoy the music, which means you will most likely pump up the volume to compensate for this and feed your ear dangerous volume levels of music.

That is why i like the closed headphones despite the slight quality degradation. besides a good pair of closed headphones shold be able to compensate for that effect anyway.

[syn@ps3]

Krk Rp8 All The Way I Highly Reccomend Theese As They Are Affordable And Reference Very Well !

[Cerrax]

Just bought a pair of Sennheiser HD 280Pro headphones (they are being mailed as we speak). From what I've read they're quite nice and they looklike they have a decent frequency curve. Any have any experience with these cans (good or bad)?

[avaris]

I got those same headphones. I've had em for about a month. They are the only monitor headphones I've had so I don't have much to compare to. I really do like them though. The big thing for me is the response from sounds that are near/far/left/right. In all the reviews I've read the only criticism I've heard is that the response is a lil greater for high and low freq. The quality for price they can't be beat IMO. I really like em.

[Isosceles]

I used a pair of Sennheiser HD280 PRO's for a while. It got to where I just couldnt use them anymore because they were so damn uncomfortable.

[Lunahorum]

I would not say that, [scene]. It's ultimately up to the ear of the mixer and how familiar they are with their setup. I've personally been using a pair of $50 speakers from Staples and $50 Sennheiser headphones, and I do just fine.

true

don't fall for the marketing hype guys

[big giant circles]

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/MAudioEX66ReferenceMonitor-main.html

these are supposed to be phenomenal.

as for me, i recently purchased some BX8A's. they sound pretty hawt.

[LITHE]

nobody has posted on this subject in a while, but I just got the sennhieser HD650's and the sound is truelly amazing! I bought these for composing, since most of the time I work on my music late at night and I dont want to wake everyone in the house. some people say these headphones are great for listening but not creating. I highly disagree! I have only read good things about these headphones, and when I saw that it had the most perfect frequency reponse on head room (headphone.com) I was sold. I apgrade from Audio-Technica's ATH-M50's and the upgrade was worth it! these are the only headphone I have ever wore that gave me a sense of depth and feel for where the sound is comming from. I listend to some orchistra tracks and when I closed my eyes I felt almost as if I was listening to a live performance. every other headphones Ive used gave me a sense that the sound is comming from the center of my head rather than around me. rock music sounds as powerfull as it should sound through these headphones.
the most important thing I can say about these headphones is that I can hear things in a song that I have never heard before. that includes problems in my own music.

I highly recomend these headphones for anyone composing music. the only thing I wouldnt recomend the headphones for is recording or anything else that requires noise insolating. obveously sealed back headphones are much better in this case. these headphones are so "open" that you can hear pretty much everything outside of the headphones. for example, Im listening to music right now at a mid volume and I can here the the clicks comming from keyboard. so these wouldnt block out screaming babies on an airline.

[conyeezy]

enough people have already mentioned the mid-range sennheisers (HD280's), and they are a good bang for the buck; they and the audio-technica atm40fs are decent starting headphones for those wanting something to mix with

a great mid-range set of mixing headphones would be the audio-technica ath-m50's, and they are standard in mixing booths that do a lot of hiphop work

at the really high end, the sennheiser hd650s are golden; to lithe, these are incredible for mixing work, but the key is using them in an acoustically treated environment...

[prophetik music]

so, under 200$ (unless there's a huge performance gain for going a little over)...what should i get? what's the best, most flat sound you can get?

[conyeezy]

so, under 200$ (unless there's a huge performance gain for going a little over)...what should i get? what's the best, most flat sound you can get?

audio technica ath-m50's

[LITHE]

audio technica ath-m50's

I have a pair of these too. I absolutely love them! they have a decently level, full range frequency response. probably the best sealed back headphones out there. very well insulated and great for vocals and other types of recording.
I usually use my ath m50's for recording, and final mastering with my sennhieser HD650's. that is until I get my Adam a7 monitors in about two weeks...

[prophetik music]

whoops, i meant speakers. monitor speakers. sorry, guys. i tend to shy away from headphones.

[conyeezy]

for under 200$ i would get the mackie mr5's, hands down

if you were to shoot a little bit higher, step up to the MR8's and throw some auralex mopads underneath them

[The Derrit]

hey,

i'm not trying to mix anything. or make music. i want a pair of great headphones that i can listen to music on.

i've been looking at the A40 by astrogaming which apparently does an amazing job of both a headset and great sound quality but i'd like to hear from you people

[Scrap McNapps]

Audio-Technica ATH-m50 are pretty good. I personally went with the Ultrasone Proline 550... they are AWESOME.

[Sou]

Has anyone here had any experience with the KRK VXT series Monitors? I was thinking of getting one to be used in my room while I work on my tracks and projects. I've saved up a bit already and don't want it to go to waste on my 1st Monitor purchase.

Here is the link for anyone who is interested http://www.krksys.com/product_vxt.php

My budget would be preferably around USD$250, and I'm also open to suggestions if anyone has any other ideas for monitors (even if its out of the budget, I'll look at it). Thanks again

[Souliarc]

Hey folks, just ringing in here for anybody looking. I just bought some Alesis M1Active 520 monitors ($200 at Sweetwater). They sound very good to me. They are no JBL's, but for $200 you get an incredible sound and I am impressed enough to keep them. I'm listening to "Human Race" by DHS and the bass is very full! But I think where it shines is its Mids to Highs.

75 Watts per monitor
Bi-Amped
Room Correction settings
Silk Tweeter
Power light doubles as a clip notifier
And more....

Just my 3 cents :)

[Brian]

If you can't use monitors because 1. it'll wake everyone up, and 2. your room is untreated.
Then here are some good recommendations on headphones.

AKG 701/702, Beyerdynamic DT880/770/150/250, Sennheiser HD600/650/280, AKG K240DF, AKG K271 MKII, Sony 7509/7506/v6, Equation RP-21, Fostex T50RP, GMP 8.35, Audio Technica M50, and Ultrasone Pro 750.

Though be aware that some of them require a headphone amp for it to be driven properly.

Below is the estimate street price if you buy used. I copied this from an old thread I created a year ago from another forums. The purpose of the thread was to collect information on what was the most "detailed and revealing" headphones there are. Not all headphones I listed above will show on the list below.

Circumaural / Full-Sized Headphones

Closed
Beyerdynamic DT150 [$200]
Ultrasone Proline 750 [$200-$400]
Beyerdynamic DT 48E [$300-$400]
Audio Technica ATH-W5000[$500-$700]
Stax SR-4070 [$1350-$1500]
Sony MDR-R10 [Discontinued]

Open
Ultrasone Proline 2500 [$190-$275]
AKG K701 [$200-$250]
Sennheiser HD600 [$200-$300]
Sony MDR-SA5000 [$300-$380]
Stax SR-404 [$325-$425]
Ergo AMT 2 [$1100-$1400]
Stax SR-007 Omega II [$1500-$2000]
AKG K1000 [Discontinued]
Sony Qualia Q10 [Discontinued]
Sennheiser H90 "Orpheus" [Discontinued]
Sennheiser HD800 [$1400]

Semi-closed
Beyerdynamic DT 880 2005 250ohms [$200-$300]

Supraural Headphones

Closed
Sennheiser HD 25-1 II [$130-$200]
Ultrasone Edition 9 [$1050-$1500]

In-Ear Monitors (IEM)
Etymotic ER-4S [$140-$180]

[Arcana]

Hey all.

I have a possible $400 to spend on stuff and I'm considering something like monitors. However based on this thread I've heard a few things.

First, my room is definitely untreated. Is this a huge factor? Like, does it basically mean I waste $400 if I put them in an untreated room?

Second, the thread recommends against low-end monitors, like those in the $400 range. I am wondering, with the recent explosion of inexpensive studio monitors, if this still holds true.

Currently I mix on headphones but I'm kind of getting mixed results with them and I am wondering if I can improve my mixing abilities. Perhaps you can recommend if monitors are a good idea, or if I should consider something else (for example, to simply mix more, or read a book) until I can get a stronger setup.

Regards,

[prophetik music]

i'll be purchasing a set of grado music series two (http://www.alessandro-products.com/headphones.html) headphones in a few days. there's a dealer at my school, and he gave me excellent pricing options on it (they're normally 300$ or so, and i'm getting it for 155!). i'll also be purchasing a set of sennheiser HD280 pros for using as a monitor during recording (the MS two headphones are open ear, so i can't use them while i'm recording myself).

i'll post some feedback when i get them in. the guy's on vacation till the 20th, and hopefully they'll be in when he's back in town.

edit: interestingly enough, he's selling the 700$ model for 320. i don't want wood headphones, though :<

[ExtremeYoshiFan]

I personally wouldn't recommend speakers at all due to the fact that a cheap(like $20) pair of headphones usually sound better than a $50 pair of speakers, I also feel you should list the fact you may want a Sound Card for either choice as my 3 year old laptop's integrated sound is worse than my 6 or 7 year old SoundBlaster card(which wasn't even the best on the market at that time).

[No Escape]

I personally have little combo going. I use AKG K240's for my recording and rough mixing (very reliable company, I still have my old AKG K220 M's as a back up) and a pair of Event 20/20's for my serious editing. I would not recommend Beyer Dynamic DT 770's because the drivers are prone to blowing out. Granted, they have good response, but I personally feel that they provide that "sexy" sound low and high boost and colorize the sound too much. The Event 20/20's are great, but the low end simply isn't there. Gotta get a sub (which I haven't purchased yet). Speaking of subs, any ideas there? It needs to be active, like the Event's, and reasonably priced. Thanks guys!:-)

[articpenguin]

This picture may help. -----> http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/6936/headphoneguide.jpg
Or this thread. -----> http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=868300

Let me know if it helped.

[Anti-Syne]

So I've finally decided to get a pair of studio monitors as right now I'm having to mix everything on my headphones.

I'd be looking to spend AT MOST £150 (which is roughly $240 or 175 Euros apparantly). I know this budget won't allow me to get brilliant monitors, mainly it would just be nice to be able to play mixes out loud.

So i'd just like to know if anyone here can reccomend me any within my price range?

Thanks!

[Marcusg]

I don't want to spend too much money on monitors, I heard Mackies are pretty good.
What do you guys thing about this?

http://www.amazon.com/Mackie-MR5-Reference-Monitor-Speaker/dp/B0012PTJAE/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t

[Souliarc]

Hey there is a killer deal on a pair of M-Audio BX5a Deluxe's at audiomidi.com. They are b-stock (mostly just open box) and going for $199. I paid $300 for mine and they've served me very well for a 5" driver (kevlar).

http://www.audiomidi.com/cust_search/BX5a-Deluxe-Monitors-B-STOCK-price-per-pair--P14970.aspx

[calvinthedestroyer]

I use a set of these speakers from MCM Electronics for my ZR76 synth:
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/80-492
Very nice high and low end sound, and very durable too.

[brother]

what about bose?

[SonicThHedgog]

im thinking of geting KrK Rokit 8 orKrK Rokit 6 moniters, which one should i get, i need replacement speaker XD

[Zeroboros]

Though I perfer headphones over monitors, Definitely get the rockit6's and not the 8s

[SonicThHedgog]

Though I perfer headphones over monitors, Definitely get the rockit6's and not the 8s
any reason why?

[Metal Man]

[........]

[SonicThHedgog]

Yes, you most probably don't have the room and the workspace set up for the 8s because the bass will get too dominant, break your mix and ear pleasure. KRK RP6s are the perfect balance for an average room/studio. At best, you must treat your room.

My monitors: KRK Rokit 6 G2 (around 500-600$)
My headphones: Shure SHR 440 (around 120-140$)

I recommand both for the prices and quality, but one can always go higher with money :)

well my room is fairly big, but i will go with the rp6s

[Drakken]

Are Sennheiser HD-280s generally considered pretty decent for mixing? I was planning on getting mixing headphones rather than monitors since I don't want to spend a ton of money (headphones are cheaper) and will probably be moving into an apartment soon (less noise), but I already have the HD-280s and read some positive comments about them earlier in this thread. Up until now I had just thought of them as listening headphones. If they're good enough for mixing with, I might be able to go ahead and spend ~$300 on a pair of decent monitors.

Also, a friend of mine just gave me his old Alesis Monitor One reference monitors. Not the Monitor One Mk ii, I'm talking the original Monitor Ones which were apparently introduced back in the '90s and are now discontinued. Is it safe to assume those aren't even worth getting an amp for and hooking up? I did some looking around and saw some mixed comments on them, but most of the reviews I found were super old and thus likely outdated.

[Cerrax]

I have the Sennheiser HD-280's and I love them for mixing. The low end is a bit weak so anything with low bass or sub is going to be hard to pinpoint, but overall they are excellently balanced. I do a lot of mixing with them.

[Chernabogue]

I'm thinking about getting the Sennheiser HD-558 headphones. Anyone uses them?

[Metal Man]

[........]

[zircon]

Don't get any closed headphones. IMO Senns are typically very closed and thus make it hard to do bass mixing properly. Get semi-open headphones like AKG240s or Beyerdynamic DT880s.

[tschiefer]

Don't get any closed headphones. IMO Senns are typically very closed and thus make it hard to do bass mixing properly. Get semi-open headphones like AKG240s or Beyerdynamic DT880s.

Do you think headphones officially made for monitoring (like the 240s) offer good results with mixing?

[Neblix]

Do you think headphones officially made for monitoring (like the 240s) offer good results with mixing?
Some of my friends use AKG 240s and they swear by them for mixing.

[prophetik music]

i've got a pair of sennheiser hd 280 pros that i'll use with mixing, but my primary headphones that i use are a fantastic pair of open-ear headphones made by alessandro labs. highly uncomfortable, but just stellar sound quality.

good open ear headphones beat great closed ears every day of the week.

[No Escape]

Don't get any closed headphones. IMO Senns are typically very closed and thus make it hard to do bass mixing properly. Get semi-open headphones like AKG240s or Beyerdynamic DT880s.

Dead on my friend. I have a pair of each for both studio and live mixing and I'll never look back. The DT880's are far superior in my opinion, but I may just be a BeyerDynamic fanboy (I had a pair of 770's for almost 5 years before my current set). My boss however (who is a 25+ year engineer by profession), swears by the Sennheiser 280's and Sony V900's. I guess it's preference.

[prophetik music]

who is a 25+ year engineer by profession

that's why he swears by them =) when it comes to different models of high-quality, high-end headphones, what you're used to and practiced on is almost better than something with a more accurate response. i still think that certain styles mix better on a crappy logitech 2.1 system than my current set of studio monitors.

[CpKaka]

So AKG K-240 is a good choice for headphones? I feel that it would be nice to have something better to use instead of my 3-year old cheap headset that I've been using so far.

[Neblix]

So AKG K-240 is a good choice for headphones? I feel that it would be nice to have something better to use instead of my 3-year old cheap headset that I've been using so far.

My friends say they're really good, and zircon includes them in his posts a lot so I would assume so. I think the Studio versions are the same thing with less meaningless features, and they're $80 on Amazon. Not bad for monitoring headphones.

[GallenWolf]

I want to +1 on the recommendation for AKG K240 MKIIs.... very nice phones for the price I think. I only have my SR80s to compare with, very different sound signature. I though the AKGs were very balanced, compared to the grados that were over the top detailed. Would love to try some DT880s down the road :)

Driven by my laptop output they're quite good, and really shine when driven by my audio interface.

[SPEED and HONOR]

I think any decent studio monitors or headphones will work for an amateur studio. In my case I have a pair of Behringer Truths and AKG K141 MKII studio headphones. If I had make an economic pick I would probably look for KRK studio monitors of the same size supposedly A5 or A6 size and AKG K701 studio headphones. I think that for mixing/ mastering and referencing. Any gear can do provided you have more than 1 source. The audio will give you a good aspect on one monitor but will sound bad on another. The real deal is knowing how to work with frequencies/harmonics, etc... to get a good sound. So probably I'd say for those looking for good solution for studio is to have both studio headphones (mine I use for mixing low frequencies and high frequencies) and use studio monitors for mids and balance. Though you might want to check overall audibility on studio headphones after that. It's also not a bad idea to check how the audio sounds with smaller mp3 player headphones or in a car to get the most polished impression, however keeping balance between all the versions is what will be decisive for the audio in the end. So good luck for those of you looking for gear, there is a lot to choose from!!!!

[Guardian_Force]

So, based on recommendations in this thread, along with some input I read across various other forums and reviews, I decided to plunk down $160 on a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M50's as my starter set of headphones.

So far, I'm extremely pleased with what I'm hearing. These are no question a billion times better than the $20 Sony headphones I'd been getting by on (just for listening, not creating). These sound (to me) crystal clear. I realize now that cheap pair of Sony headphones in fact sound like mud by comparison.

I couldn't say anything truly specific about their range, since I'm by no means anywhere close to knowledgeable in those realms yet, but for newcomers like myself, I feel that if you're used to a massive amount of bass in consumer headphones, you might find the ATH-M50's a bit light in that area by comparison. I think someone at a different forum stated the ATH-M50's have bass in "quality, not quantity", and that feels right from what I'm hearing.

That said, I'm just powering it out of my laptop's headphone jack alone right now (no amp yet or external soundcard), playing lossless audio files in Foobar. I plan to make those items my next purchase.

I'll update my thoughts as a newcomer when I get a chance to demo some other solid pairs of headphones, since this thread was quite helpful in my purchasing decision. Thanks, all.

[SPEED and HONOR]

So, based on recommendations in this thread, along with some input I read across various other forums and reviews, I decided to plunk down $160 on a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M50's as my starter set of headphones.

So far, I'm extremely pleased with what I'm hearing. These are no question a billion times better than the $20 Sony headphones I'd been getting by on (just for listening, not creating). These sound (to me) crystal clear. I realize now that cheap pair of Sony headphones in fact sound like mud by comparison.

I couldn't say anything truly specific about their range, since I'm by no means anywhere close to knowledgeable in those realms yet, but for newcomers like myself, I feel that if you're used to a massive amount of bass in consumer headphones, you might find the ATH-M50's a bit light in that area by comparison. I think someone at a different forum stated the ATH-M50's have bass in "quality, not quantity", and that feels right from what I'm hearing.

That said, I'm just powering it out of my laptop's headphone jack alone right now (no amp yet or external soundcard), playing lossless audio files in Foobar. I plan to make those items my next purchase.

I'll update my thoughts as a newcomer when I get a chance to demo some other solid pairs of headphones, since this thread was quite helpful in my purchasing decision. Thanks, all.

Those are decent headphones, make sure to differentiate though, that for sound in general there are room properties. Headphones will generally not cover much on that aspect. You can still pull out a good mix if you know how to work, or if the headphones are specifically made to sound in one way that might sound well in given conditions (clubs or such)

(out of topic, but interesting to know: )

That's why most mastering studios use very expensive Very Wide Field Loudspeakers. These are not the typical near fields studio monitors that they sell for normal prices, and these are pricey in general. To get the most out of the quality of your production. ( I guess you need your headphones for production, correct? ) You need to use your tools in a way you'll learn by yourself. For instance these headphones might help you judge the frequencies around the bass tones better than studio monitors, but they will not give you the final sounding image. They will help you on the mix but you will have to vary the sound output sources, to get good idea of the sound. Sometimes it will sound worse on 1 system, better on another, so you have to decide on which that is. Until you find a way to balance all those parameters, and make the mix commercial sounding masteringwise.

[20abox]

Hi guys, I just found out this old thread and I was wondering if one of you could help me.

Since a couple of days I'm trying to find monitors.
However, I'm a kind of a beginner and I don't want to throw the little money I have everywhere. I want to start to record my stuff and maybe trying to remix some of my favorite VGM.

I'm open to suggestions (monitors and headsets) with a good quality VS price ratio. And... since it's black friday maybe there's something good out there!

Thanks !

[GallenWolf]

If you are just starting out, why not just use what you have? If not, for headphones the AKG240 MKII seems like a popular suggestion.

And welcome to ocremix :)

[20abox]

Thanks for the suggestion,

I thought that mixing and mastering with regular speakers/headphones was a bad thing to do (It's what I have).
However, I guess that over all the remixes on this website not everybody has a professional home studio and does that as a job. (I really hope so ahahah)