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Main => Gospel Music Lounge => Topic started by: stix_clgi on July 01, 2014, 08:38:45 PM
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Wassup ere'body,
Been a while....I've been looking for a new set of headphones for tracking and mixing. I figured I'd ask you guys/gals what you're using? I'm currently using my Bose QC15's and they're cool, but I'd like something with a somewhat flatter reproduction. The Bose's hype the bass a bit (not as much as Beats or SkullCandy's). Plus they aren't passive headphones....I have to turn them on for them to work, and I don't always like noise cancellation if I'm tracking, especially with other musicians in the same room. Does anybody else feel the same way lol?
Anyways, I've ordered a pair of Audio-Technica M50x's as they have rave reviews from just about everybody, but I'm definitely open to other suggestions. I'm also considering:
Sennheiser HD6
Grado SR80i
Sony MDR-7506
Sennheiser HD
Any other ideas? To kinda limit this (there's 1 million different pairs out there....) Let's keep this between $200 and $400...I def don't want cans that need to be driven by an amp or only sound good with flac files lol. Open or closed back, but tell me why. Not completely adverse to Beats style phones, as long as the rest of the sound spectrum isn't muddied by the low and mid bass. Thanks yall!!
Chris
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Glad to see you return. Welcome back
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Well, your post inspired me to check out the M50x's...which inspired me to grab a pair. I'm a headphone addict and can't resist rave reviews. I think I'm going to sell either my Beats or Monster Inspiration. I have a pair of Shure 535s that cost a pretty penny, but they're nice. They pull out each detail of a song. Earphones and Headphones are two different beasts, though, so they don't punch like a good set of cans. I have a pair of Ultrasone HFI that are pretty nice, but the highs can be a bit much.
Excited to give the M50x's a run. Thanks for the tip.
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Glad to see you return. Welcome back
Lol thank you sir, I lurk here every couple o' weeks, I just don't post much.
Well, your post inspired me to check out the M50x's...which inspired me to grab a pair. I'm a headphone addict and can't resist rave reviews. I think I'm going to sell either my Beats or Monster Inspiration. I have a pair of Shure 535s that cost a pretty penny, but they're nice. They pull out each detail of a song. Earphones and Headphones are two different beasts, though, so they don't punch like a good set of cans. I have a pair of Ultrasone HFI that are pretty nice, but the highs can be a bit much.
Excited to give the M50x's a run. Thanks for the tip.
Yeah hopefully my M50x's will be here Friday. It seems like every enthusiast website I check out lists the M50/M50x's in the top ten, no matter the price range. It's not hype if the guys at sound on sound and headfi say similar things about them. I can't afford the higher end Grado's and don't think something requiring an amp will suit my needs.
You know what's crazy, I've also ordered a set of open-backed cans from MCM Electronics. I studio professional swears by them, and they're only around $20 if you catch them on sale (regular price is $25). I'll let you know how they sound....but you can't go wrong for that little bit of money. I'm not a fan of the black and red, but it's all good.
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/35-5960 (http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/35-5960)
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I dont mix, I just listen. And I dont have a fav. Ive got some Monoprice Studio joints, and the fake beats Studio HD (which still sound pretty good, mine have the crossover in it. Its just starting to crackle at loud volumes, but Ive had them for a while so Im satisfied. The monoprices are good solid phones, nicely built and priced affordable.
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Well, your post inspired me to check out the M50x's...which inspired me to grab a pair. I'm a headphone addict and can't resist rave reviews. I think I'm going to sell either my Beats or Monster Inspiration. I have a pair of Shure 535s that cost a pretty penny, but they're nice. They pull out each detail of a song. Earphones and Headphones are two different beasts, though, so they don't punch like a good set of cans. I have a pair of Ultrasone HFI that are pretty nice, but the highs can be a bit much.
Excited to give the M50x's a run. Thanks for the tip.
SMH... rich kids...
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I dont mix, I just listen. And I dont have a fav. Ive got some Monoprice Studio joints, and the fake beats Studio HD (which still sound pretty good, mine have the crossover in it. Its just starting to crackle at loud volumes, but Ive had them for a while so Im satisfied. The monoprices are good solid phones, nicely built and priced affordable.
From some of what I've read, it seems like some people use their mixing sets for casual/critical listening too. People need to jump on the Monoprice wagon before they decide to start raising their prices....the deals they have are phenomenal!
Where do you buy fake beats from???
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So, when I see the title, I start thinking, "Beyonce, J-Lo..."...then I see the explanation and I'm like, "Oops..."
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From some of what I've read, it seems like some people use their mixing sets for casual/critical listening too. People need to jump on the Monoprice wagon before they decide to start raising their prices....the deals they have are phenomenal!
Where do you buy fake beats from???
ioffer (seller with highest ratings), got em for $60 or $70 months ago. Came with all the accessories, and sound great. I only wanted the ones that were powered, my coworker had some first and hipped me to it after I tried his outSo, when I see the title, I start thinking, "Beyonce, J-Lo..."...then I see the explanation and I'm like, "Oops..."
um yeah, had no idea headphones were called "cans" but those other ones.......
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So, when I see the title, I start thinking, "Beyonce, J-Lo..."...then I see the explanation and I'm like, "Oops..."
I was thinking bout "soda cans, potato chip cans, garbage cans...", I should've been on your level, lol.
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I don't know about the m50x's but I have the m50's and they are too bassy. They are not as extreme as the fashion headphones ei beats, skull candy, monster, but for production they won't do for me. When I first got them I plugged them in to my keyboard on the power grand patch. It sounded like it does when you plug a keyboard into a bass amp a lot of bass and highs and shallow wishy-washy mids. I use Senn HD-280 pro's they are much more honest. I still have the m50's but I keep them in my recording kit for people that don't bring heads to track with.
The m50's have great low end extension more so than the 280's but it comes at the expensive of the mid's. When it comes to tracking considering how much information is in the lo to hi mids, I'd much rather sacrifice the sub bass for accuracy. When it comes time to balance the lows (<100hz) I use a sub.
Now when it comes to listening to music, it's a toss between the two. I'd take either on a long bus trip. The m50's natural mid scoop is pretty pleasant for listening. The 280's accuracy will let you hear stuff you've never heard before on a quiet trip.
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So, when I see the title, I start thinking, "Beyonce, J-Lo..."...then I see the explanation and I'm like, "Oops..."
Lawd and I posted on the gospel site for da saintz...... lol ... I picked up the lingo from headfi.org....maybe not the best choice.....
But Beyonce and J-Lo.....yeah.......
ioffer (seller with highest ratings), got em for $60 or $70 months ago. Came with all the accessories, and sound great. I only wanted the ones that were powered, my coworker had some first and hipped me to it after I tried his outum yeah, had no idea headphones were called "cans" but those other ones.......
I'll have to check them out then...if he has the noise cancelling replicas then I may try them out...
I don't know about the m50x's but I have the m50's and they are too bassy. They are not as extreme as the fashion headphones ei beats, skull candy, monster, but for production they won't do for me. When I first got them I plugged them in to my keyboard on the power grand patch. It sounded like it does when you plug a keyboard into a bass amp a lot of bass and highs and shallow wishy-washy mids. I use Senn HD-280 pro's they are much more honest. I still have the m50's but I keep them in my recording kit for people that don't bring heads to track with.
The m50's have great low end extension more so than the 280's but it comes at the expensive of the mid's. When it comes to tracking considering how much information is in the lo to hi mids, I'd much rather sacrifice the sub bass for accuracy. When it comes time to balance the lows (<100hz) I use a sub.
Now when it comes to listening to music, it's a toss between the two. I'd take either on a long bus trip. The m50's natural mid scoop is pretty pleasant for listening. The 280's accuracy will let you hear stuff you've never heard before on a quiet trip.
Def appreciate the personal experience...I find it's difficult to get a decent review without a bunch of hoopla, especially on the "audiophile" forums. I'll definitely be doing some back and forth between those, my Bose pair, and the "Full Size DJ" set I got from MCM...they got a pretty great review from a guy who's been mixing/mastering for 20 yrs (according to him). They were only $20 and they're open backed, so I'll see how they stack up.
From what I've read, the m50x's have a more tame upper register compared to the m50's. They say the bass response is about the same. Hopefully they're not like my Bose pair, which are really mid-scooped.
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I bought some $20 headphones over the weekend that were on sale at guitar center. Can't remember the name right now. I have another pair that has a short in the wire. I'm thinking about drilling a hole and adding a 3.5 female jack.
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My M50x's came in yesterday and I picked them up today, I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet, but I will later on this evening while I'm at work. According to what I've read they would benefit from a 12 hour "burn-in," idk how true or untrue that is, but I figure it can't hurt. I'm going to download a continuous white noise track and play it through the headphones overnight. These things fold just about every way I can think of though, which is a pretty nice touch. The feel nice and sturdy, but I'll see how that translates to comfort for extended listening periods.
The other el cheapo pair should come in next week (I got the Super Saver shipping lol), so I'll compare these while mixing and see what I like.
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So an update now that I've had my m50x's and "Full Size DJ Headphones" for a few days....
The m50x's are great headphones...they're some of the best I've heard in my limited experience.
The m50x's lean towards a low/lo-mid boost, though they do have some clarity in the higher mid ranges. I'm probably just used to my Bose headphones, so I won't disagree with 6stringapprentice assessment. I wouldn't say they are the most accurate pair with that low end boost, but I can definitely mix on them...unlike with my Bose noise-cancelling pair. They are definitely more accurate than my studio monitors (I'm considering selling them now). They sounded great when I hooked them up to my Zoom H4n for silent bass practice. They were also perfect for movie watching on my laptop.
They really shine in the construction quality dept. They are mostly plastic with a little metal, but they are super sturdy and don't feel like they will break if you drop them or something. The earcups also fold in every direction imaginable which makes them suitable for all head shapes...plus you can lay them flat on your collarbone when you're not listening to them. The earcups are also pretty large and nicely padded so while they are tight fitting, they don't press too hard on my ears, which is important since I wear glasses, and pressing on my ears means pressing my glasses into my head...that starts to hurt after a while.
So....here's the potential problem: My $20 no-name pair ("DJ" headphones) from MCM electronics came in....they sound JUST LIKE the m50x's which were $170! I could not tell the difference between the m50's and the DJ's when I A/B'd a track I was working on. This is crazy to me lol...
The biggest differences are construction and headphone type. The DJ's are built like "My First Headset." Lightweight plastic, minimal padding, a weird rubber grommet type adjusting mechanism, and a cable that does not detach. The earcups are larger than the m50x's, and they don't fit as snug as the m50's, but they're definitely comfortable. The adjust mechanism will allow the headphones to fit on any size head, but you cannot fold the headphones up at all, which means they're out for portable use IMO.
The DJ headphones are also open-backed (supra-aural...I looked it up lol)...which means there's little to no isolation when you put them on. I could still hear the TV in the background, although it was muffled a little bit. I wouldn't wear these on the train or plane as you'll still get a lot of outside noise. That said, they're perfect for listening at home or even playing at church if you play with a backing or click track.
The m50's are closed back, and isolate very well, although not to noise-cancellation levels.
I've decided to keep both pair of headphones for now, although I made send the m50x's back and try the Sennheiser HD-280's the 6string mentioned