I am considering getting either one of these two, but I see that there is an ongoing debate on the internet whether these two items are identical or not.

Unfortunately I think I'll only get to try 'Clear MG' and not the professional one.

99% of the time, I'll be using it for mixing/producing music purpose. and I'm a bit worried about buying 'Clear MG' for this purpose since I've seen people saying 'Mg Pro' is for creators while 'MG' is for listeners.

Anyone ever had an oppportunity to try out both of these? I would love to hear any opinion about it. Is 'Clear MG' not suitable for mixing purpose?

Thank you in advance

 

For mixing and mastering, let's look at what the pros use and what most use.
I do not recommend buying the Focal brand. The Focal is more of a lifestyle product for the upper class, so audiophiles and people who have too much money. For the recording totally unsuitable. Better take this one: Beyerdynamic, AKG, Audio-Technica, Sennheiser.

Here is the list of the best selling headphones:

1 beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro 80 Ohm
2 beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro 250 Ohm
3 beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro
4 Superlux HD-681
5 Audio-Technica ATH-M50 X
6 beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X
7 AKG K-240 Studio
8 beyerdynamic DT-1990 Pro 250 Ohm
9 beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X
10 Audio-Technica ATH-M40 X
11 beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro 32 Ohm

 

Yes and they are both not neutral. They have an individual soundcolour.
Try Austrian audio hi-x65!

 

and that is the big mistake! buying what is best selling results in what is best selling!
i really recommend strongly to try out the austrian Audio hi-x65. outstanding!

 

Hi thanks for your opinion. I'm currently using Focal Solo6 and really enjoying it. So I was expecting similar quality from their headphones.
Out of your recommendations, can you please recommend me the ones you tried and enjoyed?
the list is giving me so many options suddenly making me more confusing lol.

 

Thanks I'll try them out.

 

beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro
https://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/dt-990-pro.html

beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO
https://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/dt-1990-pro.html

 

if a list with the k240s on it may influence your decision making about a 1500$ pair of headphones you originally asked about; you should listen to a bunch of them in person. AKG's in general, should come with a headfi account, so you can start learning how to make nice expensive cables, while you wait for them to break and your order on terminal factory backorder.

 

Last edited: Feb 22, 2022

I have always wondered: does it really matter if the frequency response is a bit different from neutral when you can use Sonarworks to make it as neutral as can be? I have a Shure SRH1540 and a Sony WH-1000XM3 (that I absolutely dislike) and they both sound pretty darn close with Sonarworks. The thinking here would be to buy a high-end audiophile headphone that you can enjoy both as an audiophile and mixing device.

If the only goal is pro use then I guess it's obvious to go for the pro standards. But if it's not, why not go for the audiophile device, say like Hifiman Arya or indeed a Focal one?

 

I'm looking forward to trying the Beyerdynamic ones but what I've noticed the more "higher-end" headphones/earbuds tend to go obscenely harsh on the high frequencies. I guess to some this equals clarity but to me it feels like thumb tacks being shoved into my ears... I just went through this with the Hifiman Sundaras.

 

One should always use headphones and monitoring monitors that reproduce the recording in a very neutral way. You should always use the same headphones that you know by heart, only then will you be able to really judge recordings over the years and mix them more correctly.

You don't need Sonarworks, either you master the recording over the monitors or you give your mix into professional hands.
I still do not understand why you always employ these expensive headphones for 1700 €, which no recording engineer uses.

 

Who do they sell the LCD-04's to? What he can he hear on them he can't on 2 or 3 grand worth of monitors already? I think some % of this is to check your work on these things, only in case someone else checks using them.

 

Last edited: Feb 22, 2022

You could have One high end headphone.. (Focal, LCD, Hifiman or any other brand)

Or have: DT880 + AKG K712 + HD650 + Phillips 9500 + Neumann NDH20 + ATH-M50x + AKG K371.. (or any other selection)
For roughly the same price. (~1500€)

Not saying the high enders are not good tho,
I wish I could put my hands on any of them, like the Arya..

But if you think about it, that's a lot of different experiences and good points of reference,
and all the headphones I listed are very great performers in their own right..

Also only few totl headphones are actual great performers, like:
Arya (and above), HD800S, LCD-X.. erm what else?

 

Yes, the Price for sure effects my decision. But for now, I have a chance of getting Clear MG for 800 Euros.
Thats why I am leaning towards more on getting them besides other good headphones that can save my budget

 

Beside my tasks in production, I was an audiophile headphone junkie for many years. I had nearly all up to €2000,- of the common known in the scene. And beside their individual amenities, all ended up in the relatively new and still less known Austrian Audio HI-X65 for me! Moreover they cost ludicrous $430,-!
But they gain more and more attention!

https://recordingmag.com/news/austrian-audio-hi-x65-named-as-finalist-for-namm-tec-award/
https://gearspace.com/board/reviews/1358053-austrian-audio-hi-x65.html
https://www.tecawards.org/
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...65-professional-open-back-over-ear-headphones
The company is young, having been founded in mid-2017, but at its core is a group of ex-AKG employees who have decades of experience in the headphone industry.

 

Last edited: Feb 23, 2022

Seems you really like them. Fsho I'll try them out over the weekend. Thank you

 

Yes! I have them now for over one year and am still crazy excited!

 

DT880 vs MG:
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/t...amic-dt-880/23743/431?usage=19&threshold=0.10

DT1990 vs MG:
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/t...dt-1990-pro/23743/628?usage=19&threshold=0.10

Technically speaking MGs are certainly not bad..
A bit more Bass than DT880, but apparently Veiled on the Highs.

And just a bit behind the DT1990.

However even when 800€ is a great deal, being half price,
DT1990 costs around 400€, and DT880 only 200€..

So in pure Technical terms, I don't know if the extra price is justified.
(twice as much, or four times as much for a new one..)


Ofc the Delivery/Presentation is very important,
and that's why it's very important to always try them in person..

But yeah, for that price I'd rather get the DT1990,
and maybe some AKG K702/712 for soundstage..
(Although 1990s seem to have better soundstage than the old 880/990 generation..)

And then of course there's the anomaly of Superlux HD681 and Phillips 9500,
which being very cheap, still manage to outperform most headphones on a technical level..

I never tried them,
but I guess these could be interesting points of reference too, or at least worth a try..

I mean, how can a 30€ headphone outperform most 200-3K€ headphones?

Are they harsh, lack detail, or have any tonal problem?
It doesn't make much sense so I always wondered..

 

Last edited: Feb 23, 2022

Like the AKG K66 by Harman, for 40€! not available anymore. Was an insider tip between producers