Hey mates
I'm gonna buy headphones and I want them for producing and mixing electronic dance music. so which type do you recommend for this genre: closed back or open back??? If you have any idea about the brands and models let me know...
Open back VS. Closed back Headphones
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- KVRian
- 750 posts since 30 Aug, 2011 from somewhere in universe
Sennheiser HD650 is quite good.
Wonder whether my advice worth a penny? Check my music at Soundcloud and decide for yourself.
re:vibe and Loki Fuego @ Soundcloud
re:vibe and Loki Fuego @ Soundcloud
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- KVRAF
- 24456 posts since 7 Jan, 2009 from Croatia
It's totally irrelevant. Closed headphones are better when recording vocals, so that monitored signal doesn't bleed into the mic, they have better isolation for that. They are also (in general) tougher on the head for prolonged hours of wearing.
Go to www.headphone.com and you will see reviews galore. But more importantly you will also see frequency response charts and all those nice things that are relevant when picking out headphones. For critical listening/checking a mix, it's always good to have the flattest possible frequency response, no matter the genre.
Go to www.headphone.com and you will see reviews galore. But more importantly you will also see frequency response charts and all those nice things that are relevant when picking out headphones. For critical listening/checking a mix, it's always good to have the flattest possible frequency response, no matter the genre.
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- Banned
- 193 posts since 28 Apr, 2012 from Serbia, Belgrade
+1Evil]Dragon wrote:It's totally irrelevant. Closed headphones are better when recording vocals, so that monitored signal doesn't bleed into the mic, they have better isolation for that. They are also (in general) tougher on the head for prolonged hours of wearing.
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- KVRAF
- 5666 posts since 23 Mar, 2006 from pendeLondonmonium
Open-back headphones are still generally preferable for critical mixing.
Also, choosing headphones just by looking at which has the flattest response is not wise, because you will not get a 'flat' response in any headphones and how will you know what is the correct 'flattest' response?
Instead, pick a few recommended models and try to audition them yourself with your own reference CD, with tracks that you know very well. Play a track on one pair then quickly swap and try another pair. Do this first with low volume playback and then test the same headphones with high volume. You will be surprised how they differ across different volume levels. With good headphones you will be able to push the volume up considerably without the music becoming 'grating' with sharp high frequencies. For example, I can push the volume up on my Sennheiser HD650 and they sound extremely even without any trace of distortion, but when I do that on my Sennheiser HD280PROs the mid to high frequency bombardment is unbearable. Same with AKG K701 - very smooth high volume playback.
When you make your reference CD try to include some well produced acoustic songs which feature a well recorded voice (alongside other instruments like piano, brass, double bass). A human voice is one of the best sounds to use as a test to hear how the particular playback system behaves. You may not like the song or the music genre but use it as a benchmark.
Further reading:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan07/a ... phones.htm
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan10/a ... phones.htm
Also, choosing headphones just by looking at which has the flattest response is not wise, because you will not get a 'flat' response in any headphones and how will you know what is the correct 'flattest' response?
Instead, pick a few recommended models and try to audition them yourself with your own reference CD, with tracks that you know very well. Play a track on one pair then quickly swap and try another pair. Do this first with low volume playback and then test the same headphones with high volume. You will be surprised how they differ across different volume levels. With good headphones you will be able to push the volume up considerably without the music becoming 'grating' with sharp high frequencies. For example, I can push the volume up on my Sennheiser HD650 and they sound extremely even without any trace of distortion, but when I do that on my Sennheiser HD280PROs the mid to high frequency bombardment is unbearable. Same with AKG K701 - very smooth high volume playback.
When you make your reference CD try to include some well produced acoustic songs which feature a well recorded voice (alongside other instruments like piano, brass, double bass). A human voice is one of the best sounds to use as a test to hear how the particular playback system behaves. You may not like the song or the music genre but use it as a benchmark.
Further reading:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan07/a ... phones.htm
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan10/a ... phones.htm
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 15 posts since 16 Jun, 2013
Really helpful. Thanks
Actually I have two problems with open backs:
1.In each brand there are just few open back models and the good ones are expensive
2.As I work EDM, most of them don't sound good in low frequencies
I'm recently thinking about AKG K550. they're closed back but in many reviews I've read they sound like open backs.
Actually I have two problems with open backs:
1.In each brand there are just few open back models and the good ones are expensive
2.As I work EDM, most of them don't sound good in low frequencies
I'm recently thinking about AKG K550. they're closed back but in many reviews I've read they sound like open backs.
himalaya wrote:Open-back headphones are still generally preferable for critical mixing.
Also, choosing headphones just by looking at which has the flattest response is not wise, because you will not get a 'flat' response in any headphones and how will you know what is the correct 'flattest' response?
Instead, pick a few recommended models and try to audition them yourself with your own reference CD, with tracks that you know very well. Play a track on one pair then quickly swap and try another pair. Do this first with low volume playback and then test the same headphones with high volume. You will be surprised how they differ across different volume levels. With good headphones you will be able to push the volume up considerably without the music becoming 'grating' with sharp high frequencies. For example, I can push the volume up on my Sennheiser HD650 and they sound extremely even without any trace of distortion, but when I do that on my Sennheiser HD280PROs the mid to high frequency bombardment is unbearable. Same with AKG K701 - very smooth high volume playback.
When you make your reference CD try to include some well produced acoustic songs which feature a well recorded voice (alongside other instruments like piano, brass, double bass). A human voice is one of the best sounds to use as a test to hear how the particular playback system behaves. You may not like the song or the music genre but use it as a benchmark.
Further reading:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan07/a ... phones.htm
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan10/a ... phones.htm
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- KVRAF
- 5666 posts since 23 Mar, 2006 from pendeLondonmonium
It's worthwhile to save a little bit more and buy something really good.slash7 wrote: 1.In each brand there are just few open back models and the good ones are expensive
Try Sennhesier HD650. The bass here is insanely good. They can be found heavily discounted if you shop around.slash7 wrote: 2.As I work EDM, most of them don't sound good in low frequencies
I'm recently thinking about AKG K550. they're closed back but in many reviews I've read they sound like open backs.