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Beyerdynamic DT 880 pro. These sounded exactly like my Mackie HR624’s in a treated room…..with one exception: on the cans I could hear what was happening in the low end with a touch more clarity. It was a little more defined below 80hz.
I use them only for checking mixes.
In addition, I have another pair of no name $12 headphones that is the last check I do on a mix after aventones, Mackie, and DT 880’s. Those little no name garbage headphones help spot high end oddities on occasion.
I know this topic is way out of date but thought this might be useful for people who work in headphones a lot or write when traveling…
This fantastic tool has made mixing on headphones a much more enjoyable and “real world” experience for me:
http://www.newaudiotechnology.com/en/products/spatial-sound-card/
It’s the first virtual room monitoring plugin I’ve found that sounds real. They’ve taken impulses of some fantastic rooms and monitoring systems in them, and it makes working in headphones a very pleasant experience… It’s also quite handy for listening across various speakers in different rooms.
Hey Dpwave. I have a pair and use them daily… I Couldn’t recommend a better headphone, especially when compared to higher priced offerings from Sennheiser etc…
Very comfortable, easy on the ears for sure, and the sound is absolutely lovely…
CheersInteresting… I’ve had mine for about 5 months. All’s well, but that’s short term in terms of what I expect form a good pair of cans, so will certainly use them with an open eye…
(or ear perhaps!) Thanks for the heads up Art…Even though the thread is old, the concept is not. So, I just thought I would chime in with my opinion.
I am very happy with my Sennheiser 800s headphones and Dangerous Source amp. I also use the new Waves NX plugin. I dont use any of the head tracking options, but I like this setup.
The Sennheiser 800s are extremely comfortable. I love the detail I can hear in the mix. The NX plug helps get enough bleed into both ears so the stereo imaging is similar to using my speakers. Some people say comments about harshness, I dont hear any of that. But, I am 50, so maybe my ears are less sensitive now.
I cant compare with every option out there, and I am not saying that anyone should go buy any of the gear I have. But, mixing on headphones is a pleasure to me, probably because I love hearing so much detail that I really dont hear through my studio speakers.
I also have a well well treated control room and JBL4328/4312 speakers in a 2.2 arrangement. No amount of treatment fixes the issues in most rooms, particularly with getting accurate low end representation. I do not have a perfect shaped room, so there is only so much i can do.
I guess I like having both options, headphones and speakers. If i could only have one, I would stick with the headphones. They basically sound the same no matter where I am sitting, or what is going on around me.
Finally, I will say this…you can mix well on anything, once you understand how its sound characteristics translate to the outside world. It is less about the gear, and more about understanding “your” gear, your space, and reference. No two people are the same, so just get what you want, what you can afford, and learn to use it well.
Love my Sennheiser HD 650’s. If it sounds good on them & my Focal Twins, there’s a good chance the mix is a success. Of course, the car & the living room stereos are still mandatory references.
I can strongly recommend Shure SRH 1840. Been mixing with them for the past 2 years and learned to trust them 100%. Combined with Sonarworks Reference plugin it’s a killer combo
Absolutely +1 for the Shure SRH 1840s. Love them. They balance very well for me with the Focal Twin6 Be monitors.
When it comes to mixing without loudspeakers, it seems everyone is focusing on “cans” . . . standard headphones. Well, I would recommend looking into a pair of high-end in-ear monitors. To me, it’s like plugging directly into your brain. If you can find a pair that are reasonably “flat,” you’ve won most the battle.
Think about it . . . no room reflections, no standing waves, no worries about loudness, not having to sit in the “sweet spot” for hours, incredibly accurate imaging, no large boxes and amps to deal with and most of all, a very portable and consistent mixing environment.
It is important that the in-ears fit into your ear canal precisely for optimum bass and isolation. The size and shape of the “earbud tips” are paramount. But, this is all easier than it sounds.
My current buds are Ultimate Ears UE 5 Pro – around $500. They are incredibly flat and true and I frequently mix on them or at least reference them against my regular bi-amped loudspeakers. I’m sure there are several others out there and I would be interested in hearing from others who are doing the same with other brands.
Happy New year to ALL.
I guess this is all a matter of taste. I do a lot of mixes on Headphones that are under 50.00..
The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter if you use $1 headphones or $1500 headphones. What does matter is if you know what you are hearing and how it translates to the final mix.
Case in point: The Yamaha NS-10 – I struggle to hear anything properly on these without making numerous adjustments. But using any of the 3 sets of cans I have and maybe the Toneboosters Isone plugin if needed I am on point 95% of the time.
May I suggest the AKG240 as a prime budget headphone. They are comfortable and the only drawback is they are light on the low end, but once you learn how they operate they translate nicely.
I used to aggressively push the opinion that headphones could not be used exclusively for mixing. Not anymore.
Waves NX in conjunction with Sonarworks headphone calibration software have proven to be very effective in creating a system where mixes translate well. Both of those plugins have competitors that are probably just as effective.
That being said I use Grado SR80e for 95% of my headphone mixing. If I’m in a noisy environment I switch to Sennheiser HD380 Pro, but they really benefit from the calibration.
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