hello everyone,

as i'm moving to an appartment soon, i need to choose complementary headphones to continue to work with ableton as best as i can without monitoring speakers.
this is only for production, on a desktop pc for audio use.

i hesitate between the names in topic title, and i already have a KRK KNS8400 which i find unconformtable to work during hours. also i noticed an important peak at 8 kHz. and lastly i absolutly need to hear what is playing around 40hZ because i produce electronica & EDM.

so i would buy one or two more headphones to compare and analyse my mixes.
i already have a PCI soundcard (RME 9632) which has an integrated headphone amp, but i don't know if it will be enough (for the KNS8400 it looks like it is) if i buy a 250 Ohms headphone.


i'm considering buying the DT880 pro anyways (229e) + one of the two others (which are 315 and 349 euros) because i can't buy the three and i don't think it is necessary.
the ultrasone hp has good feedback but i'm wondering why its spectrum is so non neutral for a cost of 350 euros. i dont think tons of bass are necessary just because i like techno, i just would like a really neutral sound... but it needs to go very low frequencies, so maybe it is why there is a such gain in low freq. so i don't know if it worth the cost.

here are the 3 spectrum for each:
http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCo...D[]=853&graphID[]=933&graphID[]=2751&scale=30


so what do you think ?

 

You won't regret buying Beyerdynamic, I can guarantee you that. ;) Actually you could save some money and just get DT770 Pro. Of these three I think Ultrasone are the worst sounding. Well, I heard *some* [can't remember the model] Ultrasone ones and I disliked them a lot. Too harsh sounding, especially if you want to mix for long hours with them. Sennheiser HD650 also sound as nice as DT770 and you can't go wrong with either, actually. I say decide between Beyerdynamic and Sennheiser.

250 ohm ones should work nicely with any normal preamp. If you have a good audio interface you can buy the 600 ohm ones with absolutely clear conscience. More ohms means more linear response. To best match the preamp and the headphones you should look up the output impedance of your preamp and it should be roughly 1/8 of the headphone's impedance. Headphone preamp on my TC Konnekt has 80 ohms of output impedance so 8*80 gives 640 and I use 600 ohms AKG K240DFs. Simple.

Cheers!

 

I've owned various reference headphones over the years, including the Beyer Dynamic DT770's, which can go low, but are lacking in the balance of mid and high range frequencies. Just didn't fit my particular taste. I personally prefer a more realistic and balanced translation for my mixing cans.
I've found the ATH-M50's by Audio Technica, to be exceptionally good reference headphones for the price.

 

have the 650's here, best ever

 

DT880 600 Ohms here. Very pleased.
Directly plugged in my MBP, sound is not loud but you get used to it (and you save your ears BTW).

I would recommend to avoid the pro version, which is a downgrade, as the name doesn't imply.
Also try to avoid the harsh 80 and 250 version if you want nice highs, as you're gonna have plenty of 'em.

It's not easy to mix with though, as the soundstage is so huge I tend to drown in.
I would suggest to pair it with an AT M50 and it would be a perfect combo.
The first one for stereo, depth and details (highs are awesome!), the second for that "in your face" sound and bass-immersion.
You can replace the M50 by a Grado SR60 (more punch) or an AKG K240 (more detail), as convenient for you.

I tried the DT770Pro, as I was thinking it would do all-the-above-in-one, but no.
On the contrary, it was all the cons and no pros IMO. A big soundstage in a small box, and very boomy but without air. Strange feeling, didn't like it.

I tried a lot of headphones and search or months online (from GS to HF ^ ^), have read hundred of threads... finally that was a good choice I do not regret.
And if M. Beyerdynamic like my comment, he can still send me some $$$ in my Paypal account.

 

I have the Sennheiser HD-650 and they're the BEST headphones I've ever had. That's just me though, but 9/10 teachers @ my school recommend either Sennheiser HD-650 or HD-600, both are great, but I'm used more to the 650 sound. One thing people seem to say about it is that it has a great stereo spectrum, most people I talk to about it say the same thing, it makes the listener feel like he's in front of some monitors, I feel that way too, no doubt I recommend Sennheiser.

Not to say the Beyerdynamics is bad, that is a good headphone too, but the bass is not as low and deep and full and the highs are a tad smoother (silky), which makes ear-fatigue almost non existent. It's like 80% of the Sennheiser HD goodness in my ears, but in the end you could even mix with earbuds as long as you kinda know how the sound will translate to other systems.. in theory this is possible ;)

p.s. haven't heard the Ultrasone so I can't say anything about it.

Hope you buy the right cans for you! Good luck!

 

i think you should choose between senheiser and beyerdynamics go and listen to them.both are grate headphones!!! *yes*

 

Yup the HD-650s are quite spooky. Pretty often, especially when listening to field recordings, they trip me with their pristine quality in such a way that i'm sure at that moment, that the sound is coming out of my speakers, but no, the speakers are off.
Those crazy cans make my head turn in order to localize the sound, making me think is outside! the phones, until i quickly realize, it's really the headphones, and inside of them.
SELF-OWNED by technology.

I hope you get my point.

 

Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro. Have used a lot of headphones including the KRKs & Sennheiser but Beyerdynamic is the clear winner

 

hi, just more info if you are interested

there are 8 videos and i think the models you listed are tested

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJh8B1QfEn0

 

thanks for replies.

for the HD 650 i was thinking about choosing this one, but i hesitated to go for it when i saw all these good comments were generally posted on "hifi sound" forums. i thought all these people are probably not all doing music production but simply look for the best sounding headphone for a movie or listening FLAC files, etc. but i think this hp is so good that it must also fits for music production so i think i'll buy it.

for the soundcard maximum output i've heard about the 1/8 rule but i wasn't sure about it. the RME 9632 is 75 ohms so i should be able to use 600 ohms headphones.

i think i'll go for DT 880 600 ohms + sennheiser HD 650. my first hesitation was mainly about the ultrasone, which looks overpriced and not perfectly built.

 

Beyer DT 770 Pro for the recording : Vocals, Guitars, Bass, etc...
Beyer DT 880 Pro for the working


Edit: Ultrasone is highly overated for the price

 

I use Beyer DT 880 Pro every day. It's real good, but I cant compare as I never used Sennheiser hd 650 nor Ultrasone pro 900.

Good sound, if you chose 600 ohms be aware that you will need a powerful output to give it enough energy.

My only critic is that at this price, it should come with removable cable.

Any way don't expect from any headphone to be able to mix low frequency.

 

Sennheiser HD 280 Pro 89.00 US Dollars on Amazon.com
the best for studio mixing tracking I guarantee you

 

You guarantee us? By what criteria?

 

Related: due to the materials and shapes that your head and headphones are, most headphone users may experience a peak around 6-8k : http://www.head-fi.org/t/413900/how-to-equalize-your-headphones-a-tutorial

 

I've always used and liked the bd dt770 but I'll have to look into the 650s, those probably weren't around when I auditioned headphones about 9 years back

 

As I 've told you before, I plug my DT880 directly into my old macbook pro and the output is correct, especially if you want to produce sound = > 0db at VU meter .
It is built like a tank ( dropped several times without worry) and super comfortable.

This is a very accurate headphones , but which requires an adjustment period , especially for the low end .
Without getting into a technical discussion , you feel the bass in your belly more than you actually listen and it is impossible in a helmet . This is why manufacturers exaggerate and add .
In short, the ideal would be a headset combo system + 2.1. This is what I use, in fact ( DT880 + Creative T3) = best value for money .

I make electronic music for over fifteen years and I 've owned / tested a lot of stuff, because you're right to doubt my seriousness . The problem with these forums is that you never know who advises you .

To conclude the DT880 and HD650 are perhaps too similar , you risk wasting your money. I tried the Sennheiser ok , but too hifi for my taste.
If you really want to buy two headsets, trying to take further . The ideal is of course to try .

Here , I am spread in my answer , but I just saw that you are French and I can not help but want to help a fellow .


Good luck in your quest.

 

Rotten Az Hell

How do you do this?
My question may be ridiculous, but, do you listen to both at the same time?

 

usually i don't use 2.1 or 5.1 systems, the drums are difficult to EQ & compress in that way. and i'm really happy with the 2.0 speakers i have.

i tested yesterday once again to produce a bassline by headphones, and then to listen to it with the VXT8...
effectively this is apparently impossible to skip the use of monitor speakers.

but i'm forced to work with headphones for the next years.
so i think i'm going to create some live 9 plugins racks first that fit for mastering with my speakers, and learn the differences i hear on the same track by using the headphones secondly. i'm also learning to use izotope insight to compare.