headphone upgrade ?

[raymondh]

I have been using a pair of KRK 8400 headphones for several years, which I chose for tonal similarity to my KRK VXT-6 monitors.

I do like the KRK headphones, and I think I get better mix results using them than I do from my monitors (I'm sure it's because of room acoustics rather than any criticism of the VXTs themselves. The biggest gap I find in mixing, is probably in the bass, where both my VXT monitors and my phones sound great, but in the car or on large speakers, my tracks are boomy or muddy.

So.. I'm thinking of upgrading my phones (as cheaper than replacing monitors or spending a bunch on room treatment that may or may not help).

I've read the Sennheiser HD 600s seem to be ubiquitously popular and in my price range.
Does anyone know if that would be a significant step up from the KRK phones, any more likely to assist in mixing (bass or generally)?

thanks!

[pushedbutton]

Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50X are worth a look.

[raymondh]

Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50X are worth a look.

Thanks.
In reviewing that, discovered the the HD 600 impedance (300 ohm) would be too high for my Focusrite audio interface anyway (maximum 250 ohm)!

The ATH-M50X is only 38 ohm.

[Rising Night Wave]

try these:

https://geizhals.eu/shure-srh1840-a715927.html

Shure SRH1840

i own one. when i was buying my 1st studio reference headphones (i still have these one) i noticed everyone are talking about these Shure SRH1840 headphones because according to their price they are best buy (around 400€~450€) and beats all headphones (also studio reference) up to 1.000€.

they are absolutely best buy.

PS: i am not sure if buying a new headphones will solve your problem - too loud and too blurred drum/bass sounds on other headphones, car audio systems and hi-fi systems. i have the same problem. i think problem is that yours and mine lets say headphones can produce (are capable of producing) a clean sound. meanwhile other systems can not because these low frequency sounds are just too much to handle for those amplifiers. i think it would be better to talk with some studio personel or ask here at reasontalk forum how to properly master your songs.

[full-of-life]

the light gray "analytical" ear pads of the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro, the analytical detail and subtle variations can be picked up as an "acoustic magnifying glass"

SUBPAC quietly and accurately transfers deep bass frequencies to create an immersive, physical, full-body experience / the best thing the money can buy!

[raymondh]

Great points thanks!

I don't think I'll get away with the SUBPAC and some of those headphones are outside my budget, but the views did make me research more. From some videos, the issue may not be the phones but the way I'm using mine. Here's a good one:

[Jackjackdaw]

I use these https://www.studiospares.com/headphones ... 448780.htm

Excellent and cheap.

[antic604]

Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50X are worth a look.

For music *production* the 40s are a better choice. Not only are they ~1/3 cheaper, but they also have a flatter frequency response, whereas 50s have a "disco smile" i.e. they emphasize lows & highs for more "dynamic", arguably more pleasant listening experience.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... 0x+vs+m50x


Also DT-770 are an industry staple if they have to be closed headphones.

[raymondh]

Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50X are worth a look.

For music *production* the 40s are a better choice. Not only are they ~1/3 cheaper, but they also have a flatter frequency response, whereas 50s have a "disco smile" i.e. they emphasize lows & highs for more "dynamic", arguably more pleasant listening experience.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... 0x+vs+m50x


Also DT-770 are an industry staple if they have to be closed headphones.

Any thoughts on the DT-880's ? - they're on Black Friday sale at my local music shop this weekend.

[Kalm]

Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50X are worth a look.

For music *production* the 40s are a better choice. Not only are they ~1/3 cheaper, but they also have a flatter frequency response, whereas 50s have a "disco smile" i.e. they emphasize lows & highs for more "dynamic", arguably more pleasant listening experience.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... 0x+vs+m50x


Also DT-770 are an industry staple if they have to be closed headphones.

this, again

[antic604]

Any thoughts on the DT-880's ? - they're on Black Friday sale at my local music shop this weekend.

Sorry, no idea. I've DT-990 Pros and they're awesome for open-back headphones, just like DT-770 are awesome for closed-back. I've a feeling that 880s trying to be the best of both worlds is neither. They're not very popular, at least not as much ase 770 or 990s are.

[raymondh]

Any thoughts on the DT-880's ? - they're on Black Friday sale at my local music shop this weekend.

Sorry, no idea. I've DT-990 Pros and they're awesome for open-back headphones, just like DT-770 are awesome for closed-back. I've a feeling that 880s trying to be the best of both worlds is neither. They're not very popular, at least not as much ase 770 or 990s are.

Ok - thanks!

[EdGrip]

...whereas 50s have a "disco smile" i.e. they emphasize lows & highs for more "dynamic", arguably more pleasant listening experience.

I thought a disco smile was when you've got 6 pieces of chewing gum on the go at the same time.

[raymondh]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I ended up buying the DT-990's.

It came down to them or the 880s in the end and while all the reviews say the 880s are more neutral and better for mixing than the 990s, I opted for the 990s anyway so I have an open-back pair to complement my closed-back KRKs.

After a couple of hours running in, they sound great! They are revealing details I've missed before.
e.g.
- Don Henley's Boys of Summer - the 3 note synth hook I used to think was a filtered saw, turns out to have a square with a slow PWM. the DT990s revealed that. I put my KRK 8400s back on and I could hear it well enough all of a sudden, so the detail was always there but I had never noticed it. Or maybe my brain is filling in the gaps!
- Devo's Beautiful World - The envelope of the lead synth is much more pronounced. I can now hear that after the attack, there is a fairly fast decay to a lower sustain level.
- Yazoo's Nobody's Diary - Wow that main hook (A Juno 60 I think) has has a percussive attack.

and.. they completely reveal the bass issue I couldn't hear in my KRKs but show in the car. wow!

Very happy. In practice I think I'll use my KRK 8400s a lot still, especially while the kids/family are banging around, and then switch to the DT990s when the house is quiet. The Open Back headphones really let the outside world in!