Headphones for recording/editing

N

nealg

Member
Hey all,

Just curious what some of you folks might use in terms of headphones for recording and (more importantly, for my situation) post audio-referencing. I'm looking to pay less that $150, which I know it's a lot, but any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!
 
If you mean using the headphones as a audio reference and not for mixing then I would recommend the Sony MDR series (ie7506 or 7509), or Sennheiser hd-280pro in your price range. If you are referring to mixing in post..then you will need quality studio monitors and not headphones since the are not flat.
 
nealg said:
Hey all,

Just curious what some of you folks might use in terms of headphones for recording and (more importantly, for my situation) post audio-referencing. I'm looking to pay less that $150, which I know it's a lot, but any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I'll second smithy. You can use 'phones in post to evaluate takes, edit dialog, maybe do some noise reduction, but most emphatically you simply cannot mix down your tracks reliably on headphones. There's not a pair made that has the right frequency or spatial characteristics to properly balance a mix. Multimedia and gamer's speakers won't cut it either - to do any serious work you have to bite the bullet and get some proper studio monitors and unfortunately a budget of $150 won't even get you in the door. For now, get a pair of the industry standard Sony MDR7506 for monitoring recording and to use for basic editing and start saving your pennies.
 
Sony MDR-7506 are the industry standard for recording, and also work quite well for editting and evaluative listening. However, as has already been stated, they're ill-suited to mixing. For starters, you'll be missing much of the lower frequencies, and perspective distances will be exaggerated. Recently, I've fallen madly in love with my new Remote Audio HN-7506 headphones. They're essentially a pair of MDR-7506's with additional noise baffling, rather like a helicopter pilot's `phones. Exceptional outside noise rejection without sounding much different from my trusty old `7506's, great for recording mining machinery and rock bands.
 
Thanks

Thanks

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm aware that studio monitors are ideal for mixing, however, seeing as though I'm working in a busy office with about 10 other people, I think I'd better stick with the headphones...
 
nealg said:
Thanks for the suggestions! I'm aware that studio monitors are ideal for mixing, however, seeing as though I'm working in a busy office with about 10 other people, I think I'd better stick with the headphones...
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It's not a matter of being ideal - it's a matter of what works and what doesn't. You know, picking the right tool for the job and all that ... Be prepared for some very rude surprises down the road where what your client hears doesn't even vaguely resemble what you heard in your headphones, some of which may defintely not be career enhancers. Something to think about if this is part of your job, which from your "office with 10 people" comment it sounds like it might be.
 
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i also like the 7506's - was all I used in a commercial audio recording studio, but have had better noise isolation with AKG k171's.
J
 
The 7506's for sure.

If you have to mix on them, listen to a bunch of commercial dvds that you're familiar with to learn how a mix sounds through them, and emulate that with your own stuff.

You can mix on anything as long as you "know" them/it. Pro mixers for dvd and video will always check their mixes on Auratones. (the studio version of those cheezy speakers inside a tv)
 
yeehaanow said:
The 7506's for sure.

If you have to mix on them, listen to a bunch of commercial dvds that you're familiar with to learn how a mix sounds through them, and emulate that with your own stuff.

You can mix on anything as long as you "know" them/it. Pro mixers for dvd and video will always check their mixes on Auratones. (the studio version of those cheezy speakers inside a tv)
Click to expand...

It's not just that you need to know how the headphone's tonal qualities compare to speakers ... there are some things such as comb filtering effects due to phase reversal in one channel that won't be apparent until the tracks are played on speakers.
 
While Veehaanow is correct regarding the importance of "knowing" the system on which you mix, I believe he is misunderstanding the real reason behind the Aurotones: one ought to mix with the destination format in mind. Film and television playback venues run the gamut from THX-certified surround systems right down to the mono dime-store speaker built into the side of an old TV. However, only a tiny portion of the potential audience will be listenning to the mix on headphones (unless you're mixing for mobile video or iPods).

Dynamics, tonality, perspective, and stereo imaging will each sound significantly different on headphones compared to speakers. This is not a function of particular headphone models, rather it comes down to the way sound propogates. While headphones are a great cost-effective way to edit and even pre-mix a track (especially if a quiet mixing space is unavailable), you'll still need to run through a final mixing pass in a proper mixing stage. If you finalize a mix on headphones, you'll be setting yourself up for some nasty surprises when you screen in a theater.
 
SMuir said:
Recently, I've fallen madly in love with my new Remote Audio HN-7506 headphones. They're essentially a pair of MDR-7506's with additional noise baffling, rather like a helicopter pilot's `phones. Exceptional outside noise rejection without sounding much different from my trusty old `7506's, great for recording mining machinery and rock bands.
Click to expand...

Congratulations! As I've often said (as a location audio recordist), the HN-7506's are by far the most important piece of gear I use. They'll feel more comfortable after you've had 'em a while - especially if you wear glasses...
 
For those of you interested in high isolation headphones like the HN-7506, you might also consider these

http://www.gk-music.com/ultraphones.htm

They are essentially the same idea, 7506 drivers inside iso headphones. I believe they are a bit cheaper. They are commonly used for studio drumming.
 
The Ultraphones look like a good product, especially at that price. However, the big selling point of the HN-7506's for me was that they'd fit comfortably under a hard-hat.
 
Just to chime in briefly, I use the 7509HD cans and like them a lot. Of course once you get used to any phones/speakers and understand how they 'translate' into real world it makes it a hell of a lot easier. However, don't fall into the trap of thinking because your material sounds great on your system it will sound great on everyone elses...wait I think someone has alrady said that...especially for movie sound (and if possible) finalize your mix on a mixing stage. If not possible, be VERY aware of the properties of the acoustical space you are mixing in and try your mix out in the closest thing to the destination(s) your track will be recieved.
Sound is one of the most challenging things to get right but can definitely ruin a movie if done poorly.
There's some great info on www.filmsound.org
Cheers.
 
The Ultraphones aren't as sturdy, have less isolation, and don't have the same type of gel-filled pads that really seal 'em to your head. IMHO, if you're gonna pay the $220 or whatever for the Ultraphone, you'd do a lot better to go with the $289 for the HN-7506's.
 
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