Headphones for field recording? What r u using?

8string

8string

Well-known member
My Sony MDR-Q55s headphones are about shot, and I'm trying to find a solid pair of headphones for field recording. I really hate long cords, and most headphones use bad cabling (the MDR-Q55's use a special cord tangle free cord that allows you to unplug the first 1' when you are close to the camera). I'm not worried about paying more for a decent headset, but would like to have some flexibility in the cord length.

What is the concensus on headphones? Does everyone just put up with huge cord length or is there some trick to shortening the cord (obviously I can use a hair tie or rubber band, but wondered if there's something else I'm missing here). I sort of like the MDR-7505's but with a 7' cord (!) that seems like asking for trouble.

Thanks in advance.
 
Sony MDR-7506 FTW. For the price they are the only way to go the way I see it. That and they are extremely flat so you can really hear what you are recording.

I think BH has thse on sale now for $95 with a free copy of acid
 
DAMN, really good sale. They are down to $90 with a free copy of acid. I just bought about 5 pair a month or so ago. I want my 50 bucks back!
 
Sennheiser HD-202. Not fancy, but the best value out there IMHO.

Like your sig says, its the results, not the tools.
 
Sony 7506 has long been the standard for good reason. Great sound, good isolation, built tough, foldable for packing up or to use one ear cup ala DJ. But the coiled cable might be too long for your taste apparently.
On the other hand, a classic local story involved a camera guy on headset who reached over to hand something to the on-camera talent and pulled the entire camera & tripod crashing to the floor. Good bye lens.
 
BVX said:
Sony 7506 has long been the standard for good reason. Great sound, good isolation, built tough, foldable for packing up or to use one ear cup ala DJ. But the coiled cable might be too long for your taste apparently.
On the other hand, a classic local story involved a camera guy on headset who reached over to hand something to the on-camera talent and pulled the entire camera & tripod crashing to the floor. Good bye lens.
Click to expand...


Sounds like he unwillingly had to "embrace the suck"
 
I know this is against conventional wisdom but my nice Sennheisers have not left the studio in a long time.

I use Klipsch Custom-1 that were much more expensive when I bought them. If you consider it go with the Custom-3 model. That are GREAT! Very clean, act as ear plugs, short cable, and no sloppy ear sweat from those giant cans on my head.

Shure and some others make similar products. I know critical listening is important, but in this modern digital age the noise floor is very low so most headphone listening is to make sure there is no background noise and technical errors.

I still own nice circumaural head phones the last time they did leave the studio it was so the client could listen during the shoot. Sharing the in-ear ones is gross unless you carry extra rubber tips for every person that needs to hear.
 
The Sony 7506 have been the "standard" as BVX stated, and I agree. I have all my cables shortened. I have five of these headsets. I believe the worst thing about them is, after ten years or so to rubber covering on the ear pads starts to flake but it is not a big deal.
 
Thanks folks, I ordered up the Sony 7506 and used them today (bought before I read all the rest of the posts). They worked excellent, much better than my old set of a different model. I was doing a long interview, and they did an excellent job of allowing me to hear the mic differences, and background noise, when it happened. I think the cord issue is one I can get around, as I have almost pulled the camera over when not thinking about the headsets. Never has happened yet, but not to say it won't! The ability to fold them up small for my case, and still have a covered ear is great.
 
Headphone of choice.

Headphone of choice.

I have always used Sony 7506's and that's whatI always see on set of almost everyone sound related. They work great and are very reliable.
 
sewolla said:
I use Sennheiser HD-212's and HD-280's. Very nice headphones, I highly recommend them.
Click to expand...
I second that, I use a pair of 212's and they are pretty damn fine for the price, also they have a long cord but sometimes this is an adavntage other times its not so I just tie it up with a hairtie, no problems.
 
I use Sony MDR-7506 for interviews. Yes it has a flat sound perfect for monitoring vocals. But expect the ear pads to come off once in a while especially if you are in a hot sticky rugged recording location.

Isolation is not too good for MDR-&506. For loud locations I use AKG K-77
 
Ive had the same pair of 7506 for about 15 years. You can get rplacement ear pads from trew audio and im sure other places as well. built like tanks.
 
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