Headphones for Mobile Work

[timkiel]

Hi All - lend me your ears (or at least your advice)

I'm going to be out and about a lot over the next few months and will be using a macbook pro as my main DAW and wanted to get some decent headphones to use for composing and mixing. I'm currently torn between something like the AKG K702 or the Sennheiser 650s, but also interested in the Ultrasone 900s (but I think they may be a little expensive). What do you use and what would you recommend as a good pair of headphones that are both comfortable and light.

Many thanks

Tim

[JBacal]

I very much enjoy my Sennheiser HD 600's-- extremely comfortable to wear all day long and a lovely sound!

Best,

Jay

[timkiel]

Thanks Jay - do you use them direct into your Mac/PC - I've heard that some machines will have trouble driving them due to their high impedence?

[JBacal]

Yes they are plugged right into audio jack on pc.   Plenty loud!   No need for separate headphone amp.

Best,

Jay

[Beat Kaufmann]

I'm doing most of the work with a HD 600 as well. A confortable headphone with a high quality sound.

Keep in mind: The HD-600 is an "open" model (I don't know whether this is the correct expression or not).

If you are looking for a headphone for live recordings it wood be better to get a "close" one.

Kind regards

Beat

[hbuus]

I also use the HD 600's, but contrary to the others, I won't recommend them.

The sound quality is superb and very detailled, much more so than in my previous headphones (Denon, can't remember the model).

However  to me the HD 600 headphones feel slightly annoying to wear.

It's usually not something I feel until after taking them off.

Then I get the feeling - oh, that was nice (to get them off).

Anyway, if I were you, I would probably go down to the nearest high quality audio store with a bunch of your favorite CDs.

Then sit down and listen to these CDs.

To begin with, try several different headphone models with different price tags.

Switch between them to compare.

Then when you find the pair you like the most, make sure you spend at least 30 minutes wearing them.

If you still like the headphones after this, that's the model you should buy :)

Good luck with it!

Best regards,

Henrik

[hbuus]

Btw. do yourself a favor and buy a pair where you can switch the cable if necessary.

Then you don't have to buy a whole new set of headphones if the cable gets damaged.

You can do that with the HD 600's. I just did a few weeks ago.

[timkiel]

Thanks for the comments so far guys - I'll probably pop into DV this week and see what they have on offer.

Looks like there's a problem with the UK distributor for the Ultrasone's - had an email from the parent company saying they're looking for a new distributor and it'll take 10 days at least before things are sorted out - if anyone has any experience of them please let me know if I should hang about or not

Cheers

Tim

[Beat Kaufmann]

@hbuus said:

I also use the HD 600's, but contrary to the others, I won't recommend them.

The sound quality is superb and very detailled, much more so than in my previous headphones (Denon, can't remember the model).

However  to me the HD 600 headphones feel slightly annoying to wear.

It's usually not something I feel until after taking them off.

Then I get the feeling - oh, that was nice (to get them off).

 

 

You are right Henrik, I remember, the pressure of the two earpieces was too high. I bought the "bridge" (don't know the correct word) of the next lower model and exchanged the original. Since then - every thing is OK.

Beat 

[hbuus]

Beat, thank you very much for the tip.

It is indeed the pressure that is too high!

I didn't know you could switch 'bridge' (don't know the correct word either!)

That is definitely something I will look into.

Best regards,

Henrik

[Beat Kaufmann]

@hbuus said:

Beat, thank you very much for the tip. It is indeed the pressure that is too high! I didn't know you could switch 'bridge' (don't know the correct word either!) That is definitely something I will look into.

Best regards, Henrik

 

I tried to give you the spare part number of the "softer bridge" - but then...

Sorry for the bad news now... I've checked the headphone box. I'm owner of a HD-650 with a "bridge" of a HD-600.

So I'm not sure whether the upper tip works for you.

The story is that I tried to widen the "bridge" because of the high pressure. "Fortunately" the brige was broken then.

Then I realized in the headphone store that the model HD-600 has a softer "pressing force"... I ordered the spare part

"bridge HD-600". Because the name of the headphone is printed on this bridge I thought first that I'm owner of a HD-600.   

Best

Beat 

[Beat Kaufmann]

BTW

In the manual of HD-650 (bought around 2006/2007)

... caliper pressure     3,4N

Current Sennheiser Homepage

HD-600 / HD-650

... caliper pressure     2,5N    ?

Beat

[hbuus]

Well, anyway, I will contact the shop where I bought the Sennheiser's and ask them if anything can be done about the pressure.

Perhaps it's possible to adjust it somehow, who knows.

Mine are also from around 2006/2007 btw.

I do like the headphones very much, yet a slightly lesser pressure would still be nice :)

Best regards,

Henrik

[timkiel]

By way of an update...

I bought a pair of Sennheiser 650s which were pretty nice, but after a while they didn't strike me as anything special so in the end I returned them and bought myself a pair of Ultrasone 900s. These are fantastic - ok they're £100 more then the 650s but the difference is amazing. Very clear and precise and it's much much easier to pick out different instruments in a mix. Highly recommended!

Regards

Tim

[clemenshaas]

I use AKG K701. Like them.

[hbuus]

Just for the record, and in case anyone is interested, I have been in touch with Sennheiser about the too tight bridge on my HD-600's.

Apparently the company produced a few batches of too-tight bridges a few years ago, which is exactly when I bought my pair.

I can have the bridge replaced, so I am happy!

Best regards,

Henrik