Hi, it's always a subjective matter this thing of "the best headphones for mixing" or even "the best monitors", but I'd check the KRK KNS8400. I've got several headphones but for that price I think they're pretty amazing.

 

You know i have often wondered if we should do that too !

 

I thought it couldn't get much better when I got my AKG K701, Then they topped them with the 712 and then once again with the K812,
They are all voiced quite similar in a "family" sort of way and the law of diminishing returns does start to set in. So I was extremely satisifed with them for reference use (For tracking I have a few options but I usually go for my Beyer Dynamic DT770s, They are excellent for closed back headphones and the price is fair). However for whatever reason I am my own worst enemy in always having to try out new stuff which I have not heard before or tried, Even if whatever it might be ins't new and this is when I stumbled upon a very different approach to headphone design which for whatever reasons didn't take off like whatever becomes the standard (Just as an example Betamax against VHS, Its just the way things are), Tascam where the brand using the design of the first pair that I heard/tried and they we're very impressive, Then I heard/tried a pair by Audeze, They utilize magnetic planner drivers instead of the magnetic moving voice coil. They cost me over a thousand shekels and I'm a cheap bastard as much and as often as I can be, These were that special though I just had to have a pair. Whatever sound/work the best for you personally are what to go for regardless of the price and reputation though at the end of the day

All the best to all as always

Shekelstein

 

No, but I understand what I am doing, and what it means.

 

yes you can. the impedance is more for headphone outputs. you will never blow out the drivers, in a headphone amp section, and resistance is negligible when your dealing with low wattage and a 1" driver. also its MUCH safer to push them and not have the speakers turn to mud.

 

I'd also add higher impedance results in better crosstalk performance and depending on transducer construction, could help make transients "faster". I'll be soon writing an article on this.

 

Hey, a quick question. I'm planning on getting the DT880s, would the PreSonus AudioBox be enough to amp them or would I have to get a dedicated amp?

 

check the specs on the headphone out of your box...
http://www.innerfidelity.com/category/solid-state-home-headphone-amplifier-reviews

http://www.wirerealm.com/guides/top-10-best-headphone-amplifiers

there's a couple good places to start... I am interested in the Schiits if need be

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jan 10, 2016

I use AGK Q701 (open back) They have an extremely flat response headphones, massive stereo field, and have a great attention to detail in the mids and higher frequencies. They are great for isolating problem frequencies in individual tracks. They Cost about 300 Dollars

 

hey thanks, but the PreSonus isn't a headphone amp, it's an audio interface. I'm just curious if it is able to amp 250ohm headphones as well.

 

bahaha, I think I'll get this just for the looks!

 

exactly.. and I said check the specs to see if the headphone out jack will power a 250 Ω set of cans...
I don't know about your specific interface...

read up a bit on it m8 !

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jan 10, 2016

First, you need to decide what maximum peak volume is acceptable to you - for me, it's 100dB, actually 95dB, but I keep that extra 5dB as a spare headroom for tracks that are not normalized.
Then find out impedance and sensitivity for specific headphone, for example, DT880 600Ohm version has sensitivity of 96dB/mW.
Then measure or find out maximum RMS Voltage output for your DAC and its output impedance.
To drive DT880 600Ohm into 96dB (1 miliwatt), the interface needs to provide at least 0.775V RMS

Three things are important when determining whether certain device has enough power:

• Voltage out (RMS or Vp-p)
• Output impedance to ensure proper electrical damping
• Maximum current rating

 

GRADO SR60e (Site)

 

@Andrew waiting for your article man.. gonna be a hum dinger..

 

fyi.. headphone output rating is minimum impedance so anything above stated impedance is safe. if the Impedance is lower thats when you run the risk of blowing up your output stage the Phones out jack--- the lower the impedance the closer you are to dead shorting. IE connecting +/- directly together..

 

Audeze LCD-X here. Theyre fucking awesome, like a proper treated studio-environment (i worked in room-in-room studios).

 

Closed backs are ok for mixing if outside/ambient sound is an issue. I live next to a busy road and need that isolation.

Just grabbed a pair of AKG K271 MKII's and I have to admit I'm not impressed. The bass response is very, very flat. There is also an unusual space to the high mids, cant put a finger on it. In hindsight, should have went with the Beyerdynamic DT 990's like (pretty much) everyone else.

 

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/akg-k7xx-massdrop-first-edition-headphones

http://www.head-fi.org/t/743280/the-akg-k7xx-massdrop-first-edition-thread

 

You got bitten also then? Cool, It is really difficult to try to describe them in words really even compared to the AKG K701, K712 and even my K812s which I really thought couldn't be improved on to be honest. I got a taste of the plannar drivers first via a pair of Tascam headphones, They sounded really good and can be had for alot cheap than the LCD-X and the other LC models but yeah these LCD-X headphones are phenomenal and definately worth the investment if they are in one's budget