Good Headphones

[matt222]

Hi all,

I have a very small studio thats crammed with hardware so my Spirit Absolute Zero monitors are no doubt doing a pretty poor job - I have them in the corners of my room at head height as I tend to stand.

I don't have room to mount them anywhere else and my room has no acoustic treatment.

So, what's a good set of headphones for reliable monitoring/recording? I currently have a pair of Sennheiser HD580 which must be 15 years old.

[Sam Inglis]

What's your budget?

[John Willett]

Buy new earpads for your HD 580 - job done

My HD 25 are 25 years old and still going strong, so your HD 580 are actually quite new; and still good headphones.

[Mixedup]

your HD 580 are ... still good headphones.

^ This.

You might also want a closed-back set for lower bleed while tracking. But while it's perfectly possible to get better headphones than the HD580, you'll have to spend a fair chunk of cash to do so. Which brings us back to Sam's question: do you have a specific budget in mind?

[matt222]

Being just a spare bedroom synth enthusiast wanting to make good quality recordings/demos, it sounds like the HD580's will do and yes, I've just got new ear pads and cable!

If I was to upgrade, I doubt I'd want to spend more than £250.

[John Willett]

Being just a spare bedroom synth enthusiast wanting to make good quality recordings/demos, it sounds like the HD580's will do and yes, I've just got new ear pads and cable!

If I was to upgrade, I doubt I'd want to spend more than £250.

It will be more like a downgrade from the HD 580 if you only have £ 250 to spend.

The upgrade from the HD 580 would be a HD 600 or HD 650 minimum.

[matt222]

Well that's that then.

The HD650's can be found for £250 but if it's not going to make a significant improvement, there's no point.

[John Willett]

Well that's that then.

The HD650's can be found for £250 but if it's not going to make a significant improvement, there's no point.

Actually - I almost forgot - replace the plastic backs for the open mesh ones from the 600 or 650. The designer once told me that the 580 had originaly been designed to have these backs but was told to put plastic ones on instead. So,putting on the oen mesh ones would, basically, change the 580 into a 600 at nominal cost. I did tthis tomy own HD 580s.

[IvanSC]

Keep thinking about buying some closed backs for tracking.
I already have a pair of HD650s and a couple of pairs of AKG K240DF and K141 that I have had since Adam was a lad.

I would also like a pair of HD600s in addition to the 650s, but that is just extravagance....

[matt222]

Mike Senior in his book, recommends Beyer DT 880 PRO for the tiny studio where good room acoustics are impossible.

Would these be worth moving to from Senheisser HD580?

[4TrackMadman]

I have DT770s and love them, very comfortable for long sessions.

[al_diablo]

I have the DT880s and I love them but I was just thinking - if you are used to the 580s and you can't use your larger monitors would it be worth buying some tiny monitors to replace them?

I got a pair of genelec 8010a when we moved into a flat and my monitors were too big / loud for the room

[oneflightup]

Yep Beyer DT770's are great sounding and very comfy. I also use some of the the 'classic' DT range in the live room, and never have any complaints.

[Zukan]

Dude can get 712 Pros for that budget.

[John Willett]

Matt - whatever else you do - get new earpads for your HD 580 (and a headband pad as wellif it's worn) and the open backs for a 600 or 650 to replace the plastic backs of the 580.

It will make them like new and sounding as good as a 600.

[The_BPP]

Dude can get 712 Pros for that budget.

+1 They're accurate, plus easy-on-the-ears.

[John Willett]

Dude can get 712 Pros for that budget.

+1 They're accurate, plus easy-on-the-ears.

As long as you remember that they need a *huge* burning-in time. I think 500 hours has been mooted by some and definitely well over 100 hours.

[Mixedup]

As long as you remember that they need a *huge* burning-in time. I think 500 hours has been mooted by some and definitely well over 100 hours.

That might explain why I couldn't abide them, then!

[The_BPP]

As long as you remember that they need a *huge* burning-in time. I think 500 hours has been mooted by some and definitely well over 100 hours.

That might explain why I couldn't abide them, then!

Indeed, I was a burn-in skeptic until I got a pair of these... The K812's have the same problem.

[oneflightup]

As long as you remember that they need a *huge* burning-in time. I think 500 hours has been mooted by some and definitely well over 100 hours.

Hey John,

What would you say are the benefits of the burn-in period? Is the freq. response more even after the burn-in?

Cheers,

OFU

[John Willett]

As long as you remember that they need a *huge* burning-in time. I think 500 hours has been mooted by some and definitely well over 100 hours.

Hey John,

What would you say are the benefits of the burn-in period? Is the freq. response more even after the burn-in?

Cheers,

OFU

Basically - they sound horrible before the burn-in and fine after.

Personally, I use teh Sennheisers who need very little burn-in - the 500 hours for the AKG I got from a good friend who has the AKG

[Wonks]

100 or so hours and you're 95% there.

[Pete Kaine]

As long as you remember that they need a *huge* burning-in time. I think 500 hours has been mooted by some and definitely well over 100 hours.

That might explain why I couldn't abide them, then!

Same here... I did wonder what all the fuss was about. I suppose I'm going to have to revisit them again.

[The_BPP]

Honestly, the difference between pre-burn-in and post-burn-in on AKG's (of which, I have two pairs) is night-and-day, it's not some slight, perceivable improvement.

[Dynamic Mike]

Honestly, the difference between pre-burn-in and post-burn-in on AKG's (of which, I have two pairs) is night-and-day, it's not some slight, perceivable improvement.

Yep. I was a total skeptic regarding 'burn in' until I got a pair of 702's. You certainly don't need golden ears to appreciate it.