Decent "mixing" headphones for $100 or less?

GroupDIY Audio Forum

Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Consul

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 3, 2004
Messages
1,653
Location
Port Huron, Michigan, USA
When I say "mixing" headphones, I don't mean to do actual mixing, rather to check and adjust mixes. I might be able to swing $100 or so for a decent pair of headphones for this task. Which models should I be looking at? Thanks!
 
I have HD380 and use them a lot for mixing... cheking bass response mostly, since I dont have a sub and their low end is flat and tight they came very usefull. They are over $100, I've bought them for 100 Eur 2 years ago.

I dont know other Sennheiser, I own a HD202 but is not for this. The 7506 wouldnt be my choice, I've used them and I dont like what I hear...

JS
 
I owned Sennheiser 600's, nice for listening to music but too laid back for mixing. The 280's are designed for studio monitoring; they are pretty flat & can trust what your ears tell you about a mix. You will need a crossfeed circuit to get a correct stereo image on the phones.
 
AKG K240s

I own a pair and do most of my mixing on them.  Very clear sounding headphones and for the most part everything I do on them translates really well.  I generally only need to make small adjustments to bass or kick levels but that is kinda expected on a headphone mix.
 
I was going to buy myself a nice pair of cans for listening to tunes at my desk at work. I pretty much decided on some AKG's (K242's or similar) because the big AKG's were the real deal in my old studio days.

A requirement was that they were the closed type so that I would not irritate others around me.

I was about to get them on ebay, but then decided to call past a local headphone shop here in Perth that specializes only in headphones, and they let you try before you buy. I went in with my ipod and the guy lined up a whole bunch. I started with the AKG's and thought, yep. pretty sweet.

My audition tune was "the world has turned and left me here" from what I think is one of the greatest sounding albums of modernish times. Guitar tone to die for (I think anyway)

Then the guy put some cans on me and said "these are open type, but just have a listen"

My world changed at that moment.

When I went back to the AKG's or to Senheiser's or whatever for under $400, all I could hear was tizz and thump. Flaccid.

It was very puzzling to think how we train our ears to think something is normal and the best it can be, and then have a stark demonstration of how it is not.

These headphones were "Alessandro MS1's", made by Grado and were only $139. Sadly no good for the office because they were too loud for my neighbors (I have been back to buy some though). So from then on my auditioning process was to find something as close to that sound as possible, but in a closed style. I settled on Audio Technica ATH-ESW9's (which I highly recommend, except they are 3 times the price of the Alessandro).

So, My 20 cents says, if you can go open style, do so. So much more of a open, natural and balanced sound. And much better sound for your $. If I was still in the mixing business I would have loved to try these Allesandros. Yeah, Grado is a "audiophile" type of company and probably not accepted in pro audio circles, but who cares.

Oh and another thing - Apparently headphones are a big counterfeit market, so beware of cheap deals on Ebay (and my AT's are a model for which there are many fakes floating around)

Cheers,

T
 
Wow, everyone has a different opinion. :) That's cool, though.

I wish I could listen before I buy, but there aren't any hifi shops within a hundred miles of me anymore. At this point, it's between the Sennheiser ($99), and the K 240 (also $99). I looked up the Alessandro MS1, I couldn't find anywhere that sold them. As was said above, I'm leery of eBay for this kind of purchase. EDIT: I take that back. It looks like they sell direct these days: http://www.alessandro-products.com/headphones.html

But I just found out I need to put more money in my car, so this might not happen after all.
 
http://www.amazon.com/AKG-Acoustics-K-240-Studio-Headphones/dp/B0001ARCFA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_3/188-7233392-7302322
 
Autophase said:
alexc said:
Audio Technica AH-M40fs closed back.

I like these.

+1
I use these for checking stuff all the time, they are flat, blanced and soft on the head
These were my favourites for a long time, used them for musician's foldback and for critical listening, but I have retired them because the "skin" of the cushions decompose and one ends up with kinda black dandruff after wearing them; some musicians and lady singers came quite angry about it...
I have replaced them with EX29's, which are surprizingly close in terms of sonics.
I wanted a better set for critical listening, bought an AKG K241, which was very expensive at the time - and supposed to be in the Top 3, but I've been given an ATHM50 by the factory, and it is better than the 241 in several respects, it's more sensitive, lighter and not lacking in the sonics department.
 
Ill +1 the k240's (new or old they both sound pretty good to me)  I have a few pairs of those in the studio for people to break, i mean use.
 
Oh I agree, but for the $20 more you get the new detachable cable which, usually was the first thing to go on those (besides the ear pads cracking if you cleaned it with anything other than leather cleaner)

OOOOhhh AHHHHHH!! lol 
 

Latest posts

Back
Top