Headphones for mixing that can take a beating as well

The Lounge Other Gear
#44

i dont have the best credibility when it comes to mixing knowledge, but i’ve been using Sennheiser HD 450BT’s when i ride the stationary bike and make beats on the M8. i think it sounds great for that use case, and it has a detachable cable. i have charged them maybe one time in the two years ive had them since i never use them for bluetooth, and they dont need to be powered on to use the physical cable.

but they have lasted me quite well, even after sweating hardcore into them and tossing them around my workout bag. only ever had to worry about the padding slipping out of its spot but its been easy to put back on.

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#45

Just wanna say thanks for this topic. Following closely :slight_smile:

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#46

Definitely the Sony MDR-7506’s if you’re after something that can take a beating, they fold up into a bag too and I find them more reliable to mix on than the DT770’s personally - although those are more comfortable.

An option that hasn’t been mentioned that could be worth considering are the Audio Technica ATH M50x’s - although I don’t think I’ve ever mixed with them. Unlike the other two you can replace the cables easily and they’re solid.

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#47

I tried these for mixing once… Once.

Pleasant sounding, to be sure; but definitely not flat.

Cheers!

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#48

These sure look impressive. I’ve never used them though.

I too would be curious to hear any unbiased and qualified opinions…

Cheers!

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#49

On an empirical level, it seems rather puzzling how you could ever meaningfully assess whether or not the mixing headphones mentioned in this thread could in fact take a beating. How would anyone know for a fact unless they slammed theirs’ several times against the wall, squeezed them into the depths of their backpacks and reported afterwards whether the frequency response remained unscathed? :wink: How about a hard case for your to be repaired AKG pair? Or would you describe their design as fundamentally flawed?

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Closed Back Headphones to replace my Bose QC15?
#50

What about getting two sets of reasonably priced but quite different headphones, like an open and closed set? As an alternative to one more expensive set that will probably still have some shortcomings?

I dunno, anything I record when using cheap ear buds sounds and translates better than anything I make using better headphones.

My only recent experience is with Sennheiser HD280s or whatever they’re called. I’ve had them long enough for the coating on the padding to start flaking off, but they are solid and durable.

I recently got a set of DT900x and I prefer the sound of them, and the comfort. They come with a nice package too, two sets of mini xlr to 3.5mm cables ( long and short) and two 3.5 to 1/4 inch adaptors, as well as a carry bag.

The weak point would still be the cables that join one ear to the other.

#51

I also got a problem with my akg701. They are too light in the low end, so i tend to boost my bass when mixing. So i had the idea to get another pair, more bass heavy, as to compensate for it. I would thjnk that its a good idea. I think i would go for a closed back unit this time, maybe also use take them out of the house too… Any suggestions?

#52

I’m quite surprised by the amount of people here recommending the DT770 as a pair of cans that can take a beating. I have a pair of 880 and unless the design is very different, they don’t feel like they are ready for a backpack trip. I do take care about them but after some trips, they slowly start to disintegrate. Living room cans if you ask me.
Just the size they take doesn’t make them realky trip friendly, not even mentioning the quality of materials used. The discomfort itself to have them around the neck between 2 planes is worth suing the company.

#53

I think I’m gonna go for this -
A fairly cheap pair, that still holds a candle in a mixing context but not top of the line, and that’s going to be some kind of Sennheiser set.

Then, I’m going for those Shure headphones I mentioned above. I don’t really buy gear these days unless it’s something from Chase Bliss, and I have no treated room and no access to one, so if I’m going to shell out on something, it should be this.

All in all, I’m looking at spending maybe 700Euro on this in total.

#54

There. Ordered the Shure cans. Found a good deal, a 100Euro discount, so I got a step closer to my original headphones in price. Waiting with the other ones, gonna get to know these first.

If anyone’s interested, I’ll post a short review in this thread after I’ve warmed them up (or they’ve warmed up to me :smiley: )

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#55

Here to vouch for the HD600s. They are absolute beasts sound wise, super comfortable, and as aforementioned modular (have replaced the cable and head piece foam numerous times over the past 20 years). Just keep in mind that the are open backed so not well suited for vocal recording.

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#56

So, what has been your latest CBA acquisition? Were you tempted by any offer a few days back?

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#57

Classic.

I can second this, and if you order out of New York, B&H or Adorama, Id check both, but they make model specific terry cloth ear cups. REALLY tight getting on the headphones BTW, but once on, comfort is to the max… inexpensive headphones… but closed back, so they get toasty… the cups are a game changer.

And its because the price point that I use these the most… I have both the M50x’s and DT770’s, which may be better, incrementally in my opinion, but I kinda go hard with fat waveforms of bass… and hard AF drums…

…so Im not really paying too much attention to nuance.

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#58

I haven’t owned a pair in a while so thanks for confirming :grin:

#59

It is. 880’s are semi open, even looking at the photos you can see that they wouldn’t be as robust as the 770’s :ok_hand:

#60

Nope, not really. The Mood MKII was my latest, but I’m finding, somewhat to my surprise, I’m not using it as much as I thought I would when I first got it.

The CBA kits I use the most, and would be hard pressed to give up if I for some reason would want or have to cleanse gear, is the CXM 1978, Generation Loss MKII and Blooper. They do so many unique things in a useful way (looking at you, Habit - you’re special but not all that useful most of the time), that I wouldn’t know how to recreate what they do in a more convenient way.

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#61

that’s what i did. i went for the Austrian Audio Hi-X55, i’m not saying they’re great, i’m sure others are better. the AKGs are a really useful analytical tool but i cant use them as my only studio headphone, for exactly the reasons you state.

#62

I would suggest not trying to overload a set of headphones with having to do everything but rather use different pairs for different needs. What works well for mixing in a quiet environment (flat response, open backs, over ear construction) isn’t the same as what you want from an out and about listening headphone (closed backs and noise cancellation availability, an exciting sound profile, foldability, portability, robustness). Ultimately the needs are so at odds with each other, it’s not really possible to make something that does it all.

Personally I use DT1990s for mixing, Sennheiser Momentums for out and about listening and HD25s for DJ mixing. With use of Sonarworks and careful referencing I find I can produce on the Sennheiser pairs in a pinch, if it’s all I have available, but I’d always want to check on the 1990s and they are just a better tool for the job.

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#63

very much this