Tune Up: Top 3 Studio Headphones
posted in: Features • Reviews & Playlists
In the past, OurStage has tried to offer blog readers articles about recording equipment and techniques along with advice about the best gear to buy. Well, for all you techies that craved more, I bring you OurStage’s new column about the latest cutting edge technology: Tune Up. Every week I’ll review new gear on the market, list equipment that I think every artist or music lover should own and offer tips on how to use the tools you’ve got. This week’s installment: studio headphones.
Headphones for studio use are quite different than ones intended for recreational use (i.e. listening to music). Studio headphones have what’s called a “flat response.” This means the headphones don’t have bass-boost, don’t polish upper frequencies and certainly don’t have “noise-canceling technology.” When you’re in the studio, you want a high-end pair of cans that will let you hear exactly what audio you’re recording, mixing or mastering. Say you were mixing your track on the best listening headphones you own. It sounds great, right? That’s because you’ve got the noise-canceling technology activated, and the headphones give you a great low-end. But what if someone plays that same song in their car, on their earbuds or on their laptop speakers? Simply put, they won’t hear the same great sound because you didn’t mix on flat-response headphones to make sure the actual audio is molded and mastered properly.
Beyond this, there are few key considerations. “Spec” pages can be a little daunting so I’ll give you three important specifications to look for. First, make sure your headphones have a good frequency response. Keep in mind that the human ear can theoretically only pick up between 20 and 20,000 Hz (often this range tops out at something closer to 18,000 Hz). The second consideration is the sensitivity and impedance of the headphones. For flexibility, you want the ohm rating to be between 8 and 32 ohms (considered low impedance), because you won’t need a headphone amp to get the full signal and volume. Finally, look at the physical construction of the cans. Make sure they reduce noise by fitting snug over your ears and are comfortable to wear and won’t break over time. After all, you are probably going to be spending a long time wearing them. Of course, when choosing a pair, it doesn’t hurt to consider if a notable artist uses a particular product. For example, artists like Lady Antebellum and Seal choose Sennheiser products.
So what headphones should you buy? My top three choices for monitor headphones are the Sony MDR-7506, the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro and the Ultrasone HFI-450. Here’s why:
Sony MDR-7506
These headphones were the first pair of suitable studio monitors that I ever bought. I’ll give you the three key spec’s:
Frequency Response: 10-20,000 Hz
Impedance: 63 ohms
Construction: Over-the ear, gold-plated plug
The Pros: These headphones have the necessary frequency response (without going too far beyond it). From personal experience, I can say these headphones are comfortable to wear and isolate the listener from a lot of outside noise. Not to mention, these phones are used by many seasoned producers and engineers.
The Cons: The bad side of these cans seems to fall within the physical construction. I’ve found that these headphones do wear over time and I had to go headphone shopping about two years after their original purchase. They do seem a little weak in construction right out of the box (thin metal adjusters, loose ear cushions).
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro
I’ve never owned a pair of these, but they have become somewhat of a standard with audio editors and DJs alike.
Frequency Response: 8-25,000 Hz
Impedance: 64 ohms
Construction: Over-the ear, extensive padding
The Pros: The frequency response on these headphones is huge. As you can see, it goes well beyond the bounds of theoretical human hearing. Many say this is unnecessary, but some maintain that these sub and supersonic vibrations actual do affect the listening experience. Either way, you’re covered with these. The headphones are also very sturdy and very comfortable with a lot of noise isolation.
The Cons: Similar to the Sony’s, the impedance on these is a little higher than the low impedance range. Your audio interface will probably work well for these, but something like an mp3 player may not push enough current out to really make these headphones operate at full volume. Please note that these are still not considered “high impedance” headphones. A minor point: they’re also a bit bulky.
Ultrasone HFI-450
This model of phones is my current choice for mixing, mastering and sound design. Ultrasone isn’t exactly an industry standard, but I’ve been really pleased with them.
Frequency Response: 20-20,000 Hz
Impedance: 32 ohms
Construction: Over-the-ear, rugged and sturdy
The Pros: The frequency response covers everything we need without going too far. The impedance is perfect here, because it falls at the top of our low impedance range without being too low (sometimes too low of an impedance level won’t give you the ideal sound when using a headphone amp or audio interface). They are very comfortable, noise-isolating, sturdy and they fold up for easy transport. They even have a modeled surround sound for your surround mixes (particularly handy when scoring video).
The Cons: Not much to say here. Ultrasone isn’t as much of an industry veteran as, say, Sony or Sennheiser. The surround technology is also a little distracting sometimes when you are trying to work with stereo audio simultaneously with a surround output.
Overall, any one of these pairs of headphones provides a full frequency response without any artificial bass boost or other frequency attenuation. In general, I’ve been the most pleased with the Ultrasone because they offer flexibility and value. All of these headphones are within the $99 price point (but keep an eye out for sales” I got my HFI-450’s for $49). No matter which one you choose, you will be mixing your audio accurately, allowing you to master your final products to their ideal sound. This way, you’ll get the best sound possible, even if your song is being played on the worst quality speakers.