| Author | Message | ||
| willie
Member Username: willie Post Number: 95 Registered: 11-2003 |
My neighbors have recently let me know on no uncertain terms that they're not happy with a 3000 watt bass rig playing next door to them and have asked me to try to play through headphones more. One problem. My pair of AKG 270's just took a crap again. I've resoldered the wirees in then several times but this time it seeems terminal. But they are about 15 years old. So I need to get a new set of heaphones. They must be studio quality because I dont just use them for practice but for recording and mixing as well. They also need great bass responnse since I'll be playing my bass through them alot and loud. Can anybody give any reccomendations on a realy good comfortable pair of headphones that have great frequency response (flat for recording and mixing)loud durable and reliable that sounds like they might be what I'm looking for? Thanks Wilie | ||
| wideload
Intermediate Member Username: wideload Post Number: 131 Registered: 6-2003 |
Grado SR-225s have served me well over the years. The 325s had TOO much low end response for me (who woulda thunk it?) Larry | ||
| tomhug
Junior Username: tomhug Post Number: 30 Registered: 7-2008 |
Hmm . . . Not to go all "Nanny" on you, but I recommend you proceed with caution . . . (Message edited by TomHug on November 14, 2008) | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3373 Registered: 7-2004 |
The article referred to above is here Bill, tgo | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2081 Registered: 3-2004 |
That was my thought, that there are a lot of volume settings between 3KW and headphones. I use Sennheiser Pro 280s when I'm recording, but I try to limit my headphone usage as much as possible. I like my ears, at least as far as they allow me to hear things. I can play through my rig just a little louder than listening to the TV with a very pleasant tone. Neighbors can't complain about that, except maybe at 3AM in a condo with cardboard walls. | ||
| jbybj
Intermediate Member Username: jbybj Post Number: 188 Registered: 6-2006 |
I don't use headphones extensively, so I can't speak for their long-term comfort, but I use the Bose noise canceling headphones. I use them on airplanes and for mixing at my computer. They have a wonderful tone, (I don't believe any transducer is truly flat, the secret is finding one with the coloration you can learn to interpret, and enjoy), and the best part is that you don't have to turn them up very loud to get a nice sonic image. The noise canceling is awesome. At my computer, the hard drives, the refrigerator, and the distant traffic all but disappear. This allows a very revealing audio presentation at reasonable levels. My recording professor, 30 years ago, taught me the importance of checking rock mixes at low volumes, and it sort of became a habit. I can tell a lot more about a mix when monitor at lower levels. Lucky I guess......... Best of luck to you, try the Bose Quiet comfort 2. JBY | ||
| poor_nigel
Senior Member Username: poor_nigel Post Number: 603 Registered: 7-2003 |
I started out in the 60's with dual Sunn bottoms and in the 70's switched to a pair of 370 cabs that were so loud that they actually had warning labels on the back of them. The bands I was in were very loud back then. It used to make me smile to see beer bottles move on the closer tables when I played. I do have significant hearing loss, especially in the range of human voices. Sometimes, if more than one person is talking, it all sounds like every one is just mumbling, and I cannot understand even the person standing next to me. It comes and goes. I played my headphones loud back then, too, and I really should not have. Their fidelity was inferior, so I would turn up the volume to compensate. These days I can listen to headphones and if they are very good ones, I can enjoy what I perceive is the full range of them - Is it? Search me. But mid-range phones sound like muddled crap to me, and I need very pricey ones for enjoyable listening, and not at too high of volumes. I use a pair of Grado RS-1's for anything I am will to be tied to by a cord, and I use a pair of Pioneer SE DRS3000C's to run around wireless. I do not recommend the Pioneers, as in my opinion they break signal too much, and I have read comments from others concerning this subject that agree. When they work, they are quite decent and not pricey. The Grado's I will of course recommend with no reservation, at all, for any purpose that requires you be plugged in. You know, when I am alone and things are quiet, I seem to have much improved hearing. I can distinguish subtle sounds, and at both ends of the spectrum. Maybe I should try out a pair of those Boise noise cancelling headphones. (Message edited by poor_nigel on November 13, 2008) | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 2114 Registered: 4-2004 |
i like the etymotics from www.headroom.com - a great site for headphones buy the better ones with more bass response- these are in the ear i have a good set of cans i would recommend and would be ready to sell- will get the model # etc later cause they're in the basement with my gear | ||
| dnburgess
Senior Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 579 Registered: 1-2003 |
I've always found the high end Sennheisers really comfortable with nice bottom end - but I've never used them for bass practice. | ||
| dannobasso
Senior Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 902 Registered: 3-2004 |
I would suggest any sort of in ear type of headphone like Flax mentioned. And if you choose to have molded ones made they block out any unwanted noise better than Bose NC phones. I had dual drive westones made and I absolutely love them. Another upside is that since they are in your ear canal they require very little energy to sound good. Also less drain on battery driven devices. | ||
| glocke
Senior Member Username: glocke Post Number: 496 Registered: 9-2002 |
Ive found in ear types to be painful after awhile. I use them for my ipod, but for practice, i use a pari of ultrasones...pricy, but worth it. If you shop around you can find some deals.. look at the pro series http://www.ultrasone.com/ | ||
| willie
Member Username: willie Post Number: 97 Registered: 11-2003 |
Thanks for all the help,now I have some places and ideas to work with. Thanks Willie | ||
| goop
Junior Username: goop Post Number: 17 Registered: 7-2008 |
i use ergo for music playback. http://www.precide.ch/eng/eergo/ergo.htm these are the evolvement of the old jecklin float electrostatic headphones of the 80's. mine are not the electrostatic model and were more moderately priced. the overall response is airy and phenominal. they are very comfortable, but the foam bits have deteriorated over the years. i highly recommend these, if you can find them. | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2082 Registered: 3-2004 |
One other thought is that I believe an open design can be less fatiguing and less likely to build pressure than the typical closed headphones or an in-ear setup. One thing that many people notice about the Bose NC models is that they feel pressure when they are turned on, almost like being up in a plane. It's about your situation and listening habits. The safety factor associated with in-ear and closed headphones that provide the best isolation from outside sounds is that you don't have to turn it up as loud to hear everything because there's no other sound to overcome. The down side is that you can really blow your ears out if you turn your volume up with these sorts of headphones on. In a relatively quiet environment where you don't care about leaking some noise out into the room, an open air set can be just as safe if not more so. I believe it gives you more margin for error before you cause damage if you get a little loud, and I know it's less tiring for my ears if I have a lot of work to do. I don't know what the actual science says about it, but that's my experience. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3374 Registered: 7-2004 |
Has anybody tried the Bose QuietComfort 3 on-ear NC phones? These are the newer, smaller ones that fit "on" the ear, rather than "over" the ear. Bill, tgo | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2083 Registered: 3-2004 |
We tried both the QC-2 and QC-3 for Lisa and kept the QC-3. The QC-2 completely encloses the ear and creates a more significant sense of pressure. I noticed it but wasn't bothered by it, she couldn't deal with it. Admittedly, she ruptured both eardrums in a diving mishap several years ago and has never been able to equalize pressure as well since. The QC-3 still gives her a feeling of pressure, but the fact that the ear isn't entirely enclosed makes it more tolerable. There wasn't much difference to me in comfort or sonic performance between the two. Noise cancellation isn't 100%, so the complete ear coverage of the QC-2 might be a little better in an environment with random noise. The cancellation is primarily about things like engine noise and such, not people talking in the next cubicle. In terms of size, the difference is pretty big. With the QC-3, She wears them in her office when the kids are screaming in the pool next door, or even if she's sleeping in the afternoon. The only knock on the Bose headphones is that they only work in noise canceling mode. Some other noise canceling models work as regular headphones if you don't power them up. Not so with the Bose. I use a set of the Sennheiser PXC-250 for travel when noise cancellation matters to me, but I don't think I'd pick them for practicing through. The Bose might be better if that's your purpose. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3377 Registered: 7-2004 |
Bob: You use the Sennheisers over the Bose for travel? What do you find better about the Sennheisers, if I may ask? Currently, for planes I use some $20 earbuds from Radio Shack that I believe Flax turned me on to. They are actually quite good for the purpose, comfortable, have a "mute" button on the cord, and at $20 you can't go wrong. They even come with a neat little carry case! Bill, tgo | ||
| pace
Advanced Member Username: pace Post Number: 389 Registered: 4-2004 |
Ive always had a pair of AKG's, but I got a newer pair of Sennheisers, and the impedance seems to be a better match for most of the stuff I plug them into.... | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2086 Registered: 3-2004 |
The Sennheisers I use were about a $150 regular price set that I got for half that on close out. I really wasn't up for the idea of $300 for the Bose setup. I like that they are much more portable than the Bose. I like that I can use them with or without the batteries/noise canceling system. I like that the batteries live in a tube in the middle of the wire that can be clipped in a pocket somewhere so that the headset weighs very little rather than having all the weight on your head. I like that the ear pieces are very shallow so that you can rest your head against a pillow without a large hard lump under your head. I do like earbuds as well, especially something like the Koss that fit in the ear and isolate very well. Still, the Sennheiser seemed better on the airplane. We flew and I had my regular iPod earbuds, the Sennheisers, and the QC-3. Both noise cancelers were more enjoyable than just the earbuds. I couldn't detect a sonic difference to justify the price of the Bose, and the Sennheisers had a number of convenience features that appealed to me. Using something inside the ear like the Koss, or Shure for higher quality, bothers my ears after an hour or two so that isn't the best option for my head on a five hour flight. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3379 Registered: 7-2004 |
Bob: Thanks for the review. I think I may check out a pair of the Sennheisers (I was considering using my Amex Reward points on the Bose QC3s - but the size difference/convenience factor is important to me, especially if the sound quality is similar). Bill, tgo | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2087 Registered: 3-2004 |
Bose used to give you a 100% money back guarantee, so they are worth checking out if you might be interested in them. Don't know about your area, but we have a Bose factory store nearby as well to try them out. If nothing else, the demo setup is pretty cool. The one here had you start listening to some George Harrison tune with the occasional voice-over. After a bit, the voice tells you to take off the headphones and there are a handful of speakers over your head cranking so that it sounds like you're sitting on a jet engine. You would never have known otherwise. | ||
| benson_murrensun
Member Username: benson_murrensun Post Number: 69 Registered: 5-2007 |
I have a set of Sony MDR7506. The sound is AWESOME. The drawback is a feeling of being too enclosed, which wears on me after an hour or less. I like to use them for bass practice with my Avalon U5 preamp/DI. | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 2263 Registered: 9-2003 |
2nd Flax's reco of headroom.com. Great people to deal with. I have the Shure SE-530PTH: the finest non-audiologist -required in-ear monitors (IEM's), IMHO. Of course, you can have an audiologist mold made of your ears for a truly custom fit, but they aren't required for decent fit and sound, unlike the uber-expensive Ultimate Ears, Westone's, etc. Oh yeah, IEM's offer MUCH better sound attenuation than active designs, with no added noise and sound degradation. I had the Bose QC III's (XMAS gift two yrs. back). I thought they were overpriced junk. The noise reduction they offer is not dramatic, and the sound quality and fit were both not great. You could also hear the added noise the noise cancellation circuitry added as well. ALL Bose stuff is expensive in price, but mediocre in sound, AFAIC. And yes, I have other Bose stuff: WaverRadio I, SoundDock I, etc., so I'm not just poo-poo'ing Bose for nothing. FWIW, all my Bose stuff were gifts...for the cost/performance ratio their stuff offers, I wouldn't have bought any of them with my own dosh. Just my opinion as an rabid audiophile since age 13. For the money, I traded 'em in for the Shures and added the HeadRoom Total Bithead Amp and case. With my iPod, it makes a super portable sound system. http://www.headphone.com/products/packaged-systems/shure-se530-with-headroom-total-bithead-and-gigabag.php I'd also recommend the AKG-701's if you want over the ear cans that are top shelf. Ck out this site for heaphone freaks: http://www.head-fi.org/ Cheers, Kevin | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3388 Registered: 7-2004 |
Kevin: What's the HeadRoom Total Bithead Amp for? Isn't the typical ipod loud enough? Bill, tgo | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 2116 Registered: 4-2004 |
i have the akg 701s for sale used for a little while- i dont like things on my ears- in em is ok on em nah these are killer cans and i have used these direct from the soundboard for playing bass. these were my choice after the etymotics... if interested email me for a price | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1993 Registered: 10-2002 |
I've been using sennheiser hd215 headphones for a while and I've found them to be incredibly comfortable if a little bulky for travelling. The sound quality is excellent - very rich bass tones and no fizzing in the upper registers -just a very musical headphone. Graeme | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 2264 Registered: 9-2003 |
Bill: The amp is for better sound...same benefit as adding an excellent hi-powered amp to any audio chain. Since the cheap op-amp headphone amp circuit on most devices ist sheisse, the bithead allows an easy load for the device headphone out and gives plenty of current to drive even difficult can loads. And yes, you can get plenty of (deafening) volume out of the thing. FWIW, the beiggest benefits to the bithead (or any HQ outboard amp) are lower bass extension, more bass weight and increased headroom. The bithead also has a patented crosstalk circuit in it to "improve" the imaging and soundstage. While it won't eliminate the problem, it helps to minimize the "in-your-head" artificial soundstage that alll phones suffer from. This has all resulted in a MUCH improved listening experience for yours truly. I've always had good phones (mostly AKG), but never really enjoyed them as the overly analytical sound coupled with the above-mentioned imaging/soundstage issues (not to mention the cloesd-in feeling of even light cans) has always made me a non-fan of headphones. The sound quality, noise reduction, comfort and relative stealth of the IEM's coupled with my ipod, total bithead and case combo have converted me over. Oh yeah, they could be used for stage use...like Westone's. Finally, even though the amp can crank with any phones, the substantial noise attenuation coupled with the awesome sound has resulted in a marked DECREASE in the volume necessary to enjoy the music. Flax: I agree. I used to prefer cans on my ears to in-ear devices. After I got the SE-530's, I did a 180. FWIW, AKG has a new version out now as well: 702's. I don't know if they are an improvement or not, though. I would love either, I just don't wanna walk around or sit at Starbucks/Barnes & Noble with cans on my head, LOL! Cheers, Kevin (Message edited by kmh364 on November 19, 2008) | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3390 Registered: 7-2004 |
I took the plunge and ordered a pair of the SE-530PTH phones off of ebay for a good price. I have to fly cross country next month, so I'll get to put them to the test. Bill, tgo | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 2265 Registered: 9-2003 |
Bill TGO: I'd recommend playing the h*ll out of the IEM's. Like everything else audio, especially anything with transducers (i.e., moving parts, energy converters in this case), break-in is critical to proper sound. I recommend plugging them into ur iPod (or other portable music source) at a decent volume and just let them play. You don't wanna crank 'em too loud in order to avoid driver damage, but noraml listening volume is fine....use music with plenty of bass and dynamic range. It may take upwards of 20-30hrs of playtime in order to break-in. Bass response will markedly improve once broken-in...I had to use the bass booster eq with the iPod until the two "woofers" in each phone broke-in. Of course, I'd still recommend the airhead/bithead (or better) amp and the case from HeadRoom. Everything fits nice in the case, and the bithead increases iPod battery life due to the easy head-out load, at the expense of disposable battery life (4 AAA) in the bithead. I use those lithium eveready's (I get 'em from amazon to save money)...they last a lot longer than regular batteries. I think the airhead has a rechargeable battery capability, but the bithead has a USb that allows you to bypass the inferior DAC's in your computer/laptop for MUCH better sound from your MP3's, etc. The bithead will also power itself from the usb, saving the on-board batteries. Just my $0.02. Cheers, Kevin | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 2117 Registered: 4-2004 |
you heading to ny bill? | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3391 Registered: 7-2004 |
Key West. Annual NORML Legal Seminar. Life's rough. Bill, tgo | ||
| hankster
Intermediate Member Username: hankster Post Number: 184 Registered: 6-2004 |
I love the sound of the Bose (not the noise reducing ones, but the non-noise-reducing on the ear ones). But they are totally inaccurate and make your bass sound a whole lot bigger and deeper than it really is. So for practicing they are great, but for accurately gauging the sound you are getting, they are deceitful. Bill, we are all hurting for you. rick | ||
| wideload
Intermediate Member Username: wideload Post Number: 132 Registered: 6-2003 |
Bill; Taking a plane, or is the organization providing "transportation"? Sorry, I should have resisted the urge... | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3393 Registered: 7-2004 |
Beam me up, Scotty! lol Bill, tgo | ||
| 262632
Junior Username: 262632 Post Number: 18 Registered: 10-2008 |
My $.02? The Bose noise canceling is great for the plane but not for a bass. I use the Sennheiser 280 Pro cans for my basses. I like the sound and the comfort of their full wrap pads plus you can get replacement ear pads. [Don't use any pad that's cracked you can actually get the flakes offs way in your ear canal - not fun and you can't remove them yourself. My Doc really chewed me up!] As far as hearing loss, use common sense on the volume and you should be okay. I've used them for years. I do have have moderate mid to high freq hearing loss. But that runs in every male in my family. Although, the wifes calm selective deafness in many cases  | ||
| edwin
Advanced Member Username: edwin Post Number: 371 Registered: 5-2002 |
I have used many headphones in my life as a recording engineer and the best deal out there right now IMHO is the Audio Technica ATH-M50. Nice sounding, good isolation and nice bass. The Beyer Dynamic DT770s are also good, but much pricier. The Ultrasone 750 Pros are also very nice. I use IEMs a lot these days and Future Sonic Atrios are nice sounding, they have a single driver but aren't a hearing aid armature type. That said, I usually use Westone UM2s. Both are excellent when it comes to low end response. Everyone hears these things differently because of different ear construction, though, so YMMV considerably. Edwin |
