General-purpose headphones for late-night mixing/monitoring etc.

[JimmiG]

Since I live in an apartment complex, I'm confined to using headphones after 8-9 p.m. Been using the Technics RP-DJ1200's for nearly a decade but there are a few problems with them since they aren't really meant for studio use.
-They sound great (like having a club's PA system wrapped around your head), but not very transparent. I always have to make corrections to the EQ, filter settings etc. the next day.
-I think they cause listener fatigue, either by being too bass heavy or because they are closed-back and really block out all other sounds

Because I know them in and out so I can compensate for these things somewhat, but I think it's time to invest in something more suited for mixing and monitoring.

So I'm looking for some new headphones with:
-A really transparent sound so I can actually mix accurately and not just work on arrangement and other stuff whenever I'm forced to use headphones

-They should be easy on the ears and comfortable in order to avoid fatigue. I think open-back might be more comfortable? Background noise is not a problem at all.

-Budget-wise, upper limit is around €250, but of course if there's something at €60 that fits the bill I don't mind.

[Rampus]

AKG K240 MkII

[ezelkow1]

+1 on the k240
also the krk kns-8400

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

also the krk kns-8400

had these for 2 weeks now and can't take them off my head...everything i was looking for in a studio can.....they aren't open back, but are extremely comfortable...cans rotate for ease of packing...removable cord so easy to replace...even an inline volume slider which is so convenient and gets more use than i would have imagined

beautifully clear, balanced and not at all fatiguing in any part of the frequency range

also, smack in the middle of your budget

really great

and pairing with the focusrite vrm box hsa offered some valuable insight into my mixes

[JimmiG]

AKG K240 MkII

The K240's look good. Some seem to complain that they sound "weak" compared to gaming headphones, but that might just be an indication of their flat response as opposed to the "smiley" curve of headphones and speakers meant for entertainment purposes. One problem with my Technics phones is that I always roll off the highs too much because they sound so crisp and clear on the phones.

What about the Beyerdynamic DT-990's and 880's? The 990's seem to have the same "smiley" curve as "Hifi" headphones, while the DT-880's appear to be known for their flat response. The question is, are the 880's worth nearly twice the cost of the K240's?

[tehlord]

The K240's look good. Some seem to complain that they sound "weak" compared to gaming headphones

Well duh

i've got the K271s which are the closed back equivalent and they're very good.