Hi everyone,
With the family getting bigger, I don’t have space anymore for monitors as the studio is a baby room now.
Do you think it is possible to do most of the mixing with headphones only?
Any special type of headphones that could suit my need?
Thank you
I do this for similar reasons like a lack of space. I use DT-770s as headphones straight out of Octatrack. It’s plenty loud enough. Obviously, it’s not the greatest solution for mixing, but it gets the job done. Then once something is ready for a final mix in Ableton Live, I try to play it on as many shitty speakers and headphones as possible to get it sounding as good as can be. A good tip is to constantly listen to other music on your headphones of choice so that you know their sonic characteristics inside out and can try to get your own music to a similar standard 
You want open back headphones, Akg 702, Beyerdynamic Dt 880/990 etc. Or Audeze LCD X if you’re feeling a bit rich. Sennheiser 600/650/660s are popular too.
Plus what Craig said, as long as you understand how the reproduce stuff, it’s not as much of a big deal as some people might tell, most of all for composition.
You can mix with closed backs, it’s down to you, but it’s easier on open back.
well, most of the mixing, that’s right.
what you can’t do with headphones is checking whether L and R channels are in phase and will they cancel each other with certain settings.
it’s very noticeable on stereo system (speakers), but not in headphones, because headphones are not stereo by definition, they are binaural, so there’s no any field where L/R channels interact.
Thanks guys. Another thing that bothers me is that I read a lot about hearing loss with overuse of headphones.
I guess using it a good quality headphone with a low volume should prevent it…
@og_tea_boi “if you’re feeling a bit rich” 
I’m in a similar situation. My “studio” is now an IKEA wardrobe in the corner of the living room.
I’ve kind of got used to mostly using headphones.
I’ve been using Waves Abbey Road Studio 3 headphone monitoring plugin. I’m not convinced it has helped my mixes get any better, but it does make using headphones a lot more pleasant. It gives you a much better sense of space. I keep the head tracking part switched off as I find it distracting, but it does do some sort of magic!
Oh, and remember to have plenty of headphone breaks.
Ooh, nice. Never checked out that plugin before. And it’s 75% off at the Waves site right now 
https://www.toneboosters.com/tb_morphit_v1.html
I don’t like Sonarworks, it sounds like it just breaks the cans. This ^ however, different story. Loads of profiles, costs £40, from a not so famous company, try it out though and see what you think, be sure to let me know…
I know the Audeze LCD-X are pricey but honestly, they’re pretty impressive. The low bass response is superb on them. But also they have so much clarity all through the range - I find it much easier to pick out problem frequencies and hear what’s happening since using them. For my situation, I am never going to be able to use my space as a proper studio room so I figured it was money better spent than on monitors and room treatment.
No problem IMO. As someone saId, if you learn how they translate to real system, you can mix on airpods. Just watch your levels and keep your ears safe.
it can be done! i’m using Neumann NDH-20 with pretty good results!
Shure srh1840 is a great pair of cans to consider - extremely comfortable and non-fatiguing with excellent reviews.
I’d avoid buying any cans second hand or from a non reputable seller - so many fakes on eBay…
I’ve used headphones everyday all day at werk. Approx 10 hours each day (while I had a job) for at least the last twenty years. Plus while I’m riding, snowboarding, playing games or just walking around.
No hearing loss. Ears are as good as ever and I test at around a 15 - 20 year old (tho I’m not even CLOSE to that 
)
The key…I have NEVER used closed back or in ear headphones. 
and I don’t blast the music so loud that I block out what’s around me.
I started primarily using headphones for production and mixing a year ago since I share a small one bedroom apartment with my partner and think it’s possible to get good results.
I use my DT770 pros for pretty much everything and do final tweaking with Sony V6s and do a listen test on an old pair of iphone earbuds. I also always use Goodhertz CanOpener at the end of my master channel (making sure to turn it off when bouncing).
When I got the DT770s I thought I could never get a decent mix with them because they tend to make everything sound pretty good, but after getting familiar I can get close to where I want the mix to be.
The V6s bring out the ugliness and give me a better idea of what track levels will be like on other systems, and are definitely better for mixing than the dt770s. Proximity to my girlfriend watching TV or on phone calls for work make me prefer using the DT770s as much as possible, but the V6s are good for finishing things up.
Finally I listen to the mix on my iPhone earbuds, which are useful due to how familiar I am with them. My laptop speakers can also be helpful since they tend to distort if I overdo it on the compression.
I try to be very aware of my volume levels at all times because I’ve had some pretty bad tinnitus. I have used headphones almost exclusively this year and my tinnitus is actually the best it has been in a while, though the absence of live shows might have more to do with that.
Anyway, headphones can work but a secondary pair is likely helpful. I enjoy the combination of nice sounding set (DT770) and a clinical set (V6, or 7506), though I think familiarity with what you have is the key. Just make sure you have something comfortable to wear so you enjoy putting them on.
Thanks! I know what you mean about Sonarworks. I think I’ll give this a try. I hadn’t heard of it before somehow.
You should try the demo. I really like it.
In my experience open backs are better at spacial representation but often lacks low end.
Closed back for normal is better in the bottom end. You have to learn both though
Yes, having both options on hand is always preferable. I have some 10-year-old DT990s that my gf uses for playing synth as well as my newer 770s for my own use. If anything the 990s sound bassier for some reason. More worn in? Luck of the year I bought them? Anyway, the moral is the more sources you having for listening back, the better off you’ll be for comparing and contrasting
the “low end” you are hearing is the bass being trapped in the closed cans. you are effectively hearing more bass than you would normally. sounds GREAT…but is a misrepresentation.
Grado, Sen open air have GREAT bass…and isn’t tempered by an enclosed sound stage.
I think a good pair of open backs might well be my next big purchase (well, I also need a new audio interface).
I’ve been using a pair of Audio Technica M50Xs for years now. They’re fine, especially using correction software and I know them very well, but I always have a nagging feeling that I could have a much better experience with a better pair.