New Headphones... [EDIT: Senn-HD280's arrived, reviewed]

[Habanc]

Soon, I plan on replacing my beloved Pioneer HDJ-500s with a new set of cans. The right side is going out a bit at higher frequencies, and hairline cracks are forming along the headband. They really are a nice set, but it's not too durable and the bass is overpowered (not as bad as Beats though).

I'm budgeting myself at $100, because I honestly don't want to spend more than that. I've been looking at a few neat pairs, such as:

Denon DNHP500
Numark Red Wave
Sennheiser HD-280
Audio Technica Ath-M40fs
Beyerdynamic DT 235
EDIT: AKG K121

I'd love to get a pair of decent monitor speakers instead (hence why I'm budgeting myself here at $100, so I can get new speakers), but it simply will be less efficient that new headphones. I am pretty mobile when producing, as I switch between houses a few times a week. It's sort of a hassle to pack up some speakers and bring it somewhere else on a weekly basis. In addition, where my home studio IS located, is another problem. I live with three women, and thus one is always asleep at one time, so I can't play them as loud as I hope for, unless I am home alone.

So, that's why I'm looking for a set of cans over speakers. Has anyone had any experience with any of the headphones above?

Thanks!

[bartekko]

Sennheiser HD-280 All the way.
A lot of people/ponies here use them.
personally, I find them very durable and comfortable to wear, as well as giving a great sound quality, not counting that some high frequencies are dimmed a bit.

EDIT: also, these are closed headphones so they eliminate background noise pretty well, but if you don't plan on using them in high-noise situations (home in city centre, school, other places where people talk right next to you) you should take a look at open headphones.

HD380's are the next 280's, but they are way more expensive, and reading through reviews, they have even more bass-biased specs ----V

[HatBrony]

I use Sennheiser HD380 Pros. THEY'RE EXPENSIVE, BUT THEY'RE VERY GOOD (and they look better than the HD280, just saiyan). I'm not sure about the frequencies and such, but they seem to give me a richer sound quality than my laptop speakers. If you wanna go all out, I'd say use these (but I'm sure you don't wanna do that) (MOAR PARENTHESES).

[Facade]

Audio Technica Ath-M40fs

haven't used the m40s but i have the m30s and they work great the only thing that kept me from buying the m30s instead of the m40s was that the m40s have a 1/4 inch plug meaning you need to buy a 1/4 to 1/8 adapter to use them with an ipod or computer or something

[Habanc]

haven't used the m40s but i have the m30s and they work great the only thing that kept me from buying the m30s instead of the m40s was that the m40s have a 1/4 inch plug meaning you need to buy a 1/4 to 1/8 adapter to use them with an ipod or computer or something

I've used the ATH-M50s for a week, and OH MY GOD. But yeah, I figured if something could be that amazing, the M40s really couldn't be anything less than superb.

Anyways, thanks for all the input! It seems like the Senn's are winning. Hmm, I'll do some more research later.

[Mundius]

I honestly wish I could help you, I've yet to get professional headphones myself.

[Icky]

I'd recommend you to go to a store and try them yourself. If that's not possible, look up some reviews on the internet. I havent heard all of them, but all of those brands make quality headphones.

You could also take a look at AKGs or Shures, and I believe KRK also had headphones on the market now although I havent heard them yet.

[Habanc]

Oh, right, I did look at AKG K121's.

Also, I haven't heard many good things about Shure, especially when it comes to comfort.

[Icky]

Oh, right, I did look at AKG K121's.

Also, I haven't heard many good things about Shure, especially when it comes to comfort.

I have the K121s, they sound great for stuff like orchestral and jazz, but dont have a lot of bass.
I use my monitors for bass anyway, but if you're looking for headphones to use for all your producing you'd probably need something with more bass.

[Habanc]

Mhmm, well, it looks like I'm going with a pair of Sennheiser HD-280s. They seem like reasonably priced, comfortable, tried-and-true headphones from all the reviews I've read.

Thanks for all your help and input guys, really helped narrow down my search!

[LeafRunner]

Having only ever used the pair I have for pro quality headphones, I'd say the Sony MDR-7506's are pretty damn awesome, but I do mostly recording guitars. They've been a staple of recording studios since the mid 90's. I got mine for around 80 bucks. They're super comfortable, I can wear them for hours with my guitar strapped on and not be bothered at all. The have good bass that's not overpowering, with good mids and clean highs.

Just tossing that into the mix since people forget about high end Sony's a lot.

[the4thImpulse]

Having only ever used the pair I have for pro quality headphones, I'd say the Sony MDR-7506's are pretty damn awesome, but I do mostly recording guitars. They've been a staple of recording studios since the mid 90's. I got mine for around 80 bucks. They're super comfortable, I can wear them for hours with my guitar strapped on and not be bothered at all. The have good bass that's not overpowering, with good mids and clean highs.

Just tossing that into the mix since people forget about high end Sony's a lot.

They are good, but I believe they're getting outdated now.
I would personally pick either the Sennheisers or the Beyerdynamics.

[Dethonator]

I'm a Sennheiser fanboy. If you are more open to options I would lean towards HD595. They are comfortable to wear, and the quality obliterates the other headphones twice its price. Only drawback is that they aren't noise-cancelling, and people can hear what you're hearing, just at a lower level that isn't bothersome. If not, 280 it is.

[Habanc]

Yup, I ordered a pair of Sennheiser HD-280s at around 1 am this morning. *SHOULD* be here by the beginning of next week.

[the4thImpulse]

Yup, I ordered a pair of Sennheiser HD-280s at around 1 am this morning. *SHOULD* be here by the beginning of next week.

Great Purchase! Please tell us what you think of them when they arive.

[Habanc]

Okay, will do!

[Habanc]

Okie Dokie, so these babies arrived today. Sorry for the Pre-Burn-In review.

The Sennheiser-HD280 Studio Headphones:

Price:
- Usually under $99, look around. I got these for $85.

First Impressions:
- Circumaural (Fits around the ear, not on top of it), Closed back.
- Solid Build. It's made out of a tough plastic that hardly feels flimsy at all. It clearly sacrifices on style for durability with its robust, chunky design, but these things are never leaving the home studio so I don't care if they make my head look 20% wider.
- These things (as said by bartekko) are very comfortable. After adjusting to the right height, they fit like a charm over my head and my ears. They clamp a tad outside my ears, but that should change as I break them in. The headband presses down a bit, but that should also change after a week of wearing them or so.
- Light, but secure. They stick to my head like someone taped them there.
- No removable cord (or so I can tell, not about to go yanking on the cord), however it is a nice coiled cord that has a far reach.
- Fold-able (Yay!)
- Straight 1/8 inch headphone jack, comes with a screw-on 1/4 inch converter.

Performance:

~Songs listened to (As chosen by Itunes Shuffle):
- Guess What by Archie.V
- 1981 by Deadmau5
- Lower the Moon by Not A Clever Pony
- Fade Into Darkness (Vocal Edit) by Avicii
- No Access by Michael Woods

Sound Quality - For under a hundred dollars, these things are well worth it. The sounds are very clear and crisp. Unlike my Pioneer HDJ-500s, these definitely aren't overly bass-fed headphones like most mainstream headphones. The bass is definitely there, and it's deep and warm and ultimately a pleasant surprise. However, this doesn't muddle up the other sounds, and I must say the treble sounds great. The mids are also quite good, but in my opinion not as great as the treble.
~Vocals: Listening to "Fade Into Darkness", I could hear the vocals pretty much just as clearly over the bass and other instruments as when there were none. The vocals, like other sounds, do very well.

Isolation - Once again, for the money, great quality. These are indeed closed back headphones, and I can block out all the ruckus coming from upstairs (A four year-old sister who likes to yell and scream alot, or sing very loudly to her cartoons). Considering that my house is pretty old and doesn't block out sounds very well, this is one of my favorite aspects.

In summary:
Very good value. Of course they're going to need more time to burn-in, but so far they sound great. They do clamp a tad, but once again this will change once they wear-in. The sound is superb, and so is the isolation, and overall very good studio headphones for under a hundred dollars.

I don't think I missed anything, but if you have a question I'll try my best to answer.

[guitarskills]

Oh man, if you like these before the burn in, you are in for a big surprise. These things are famous for the burn in.

[colortwelve]

Ah, those phones are pretty good. I wish I had a pair to myself, rather than only being able to use them once a week at a friend's mastering studio.

But one thing I notice about them - and it may just be me - is that actually using them for extended periods of time, even if they're fitted correctly, ends very painfully. And I mean actually a bit more painful than average for having a pair of phones cupped around your ears all day. They can hurt.

But they do have great quality. Not always enough bass for me, but all-around, very good.

TL;DR - Might do better, but still, me jelly.