Headphones please can someone tell me which headphones are best suited for mixing mastering. My budget is up to €500. Do you have experience with which brand would be best?
I have heard good things about Sennheiser HD 660S but it seems to lack bass. Some people say that the Audeze MM-500 is like a HD 660S but with bass, the MM-500 are planar magnetic headphones which seems to be good for mixing/mastering, but the price is like 4 times as expensive than the HD 660S. Audeze has a cheaper version of the mm-500 called MM-100, so maybe that could work for you? You should be able to return them if you don't like them.
Open backs are good for mixing to help lessen ear fatigue as some sound can escape. However, closed backs are often preferred for recording. Sound bleed from open back headphones can be picked up by mics if used in the same area. Depends on one’s setup.
Which ones are best is purely a matter of preference and what one gets used to, and what fits best and is most comfortable to wear for a long time. What works for me, may be completely different for someone else. I do suggest keeping in mind durability.
That said, please take my following thoughts with a grain of salt as these are what I found I like. AKG makes some good work horse hps for open backs on the less expensive side. For example, AKG K240 studio headphone are popular and do a nice job, imo. The cups are a bit larger and fit a little looser which is good if wearing eyeglasses, imo. Also, good for me as I am pulling them off and on all the time. There are more expensive ones in their lineup also that may have better specs, however these are go all-arounders and get the job done for me.
For closed backs, Sony MDR-7506 are popular and reasonably priced. They can tend to be just a bit bass heavy imo, however not a problem if using headphones calibration software, like Sonarworks or others. Andrew Scheps has said in several interviews that uses them all the time and without any calibration software. He got use to them in studios just as they are. I find them comfortable to wear for a long time although a bit tighter fit.
I also like Audio-Technica ATH-M40x. They can be bought at a reasonable price, too. A plus for them is that the cord detaches, so if it goes bad, a replacement can be bought. The Sony and ATH-M40x headphones have coiled cords which allow some extra give if stretching with them on. The AKG has a straight cord. It is no problem for me, though. I got use to it and like that it takes up less space on my desk. So either is just a matter of preference.
When I got my first pair of h/ps, I went to a nearby music store (GC), where I was able to check out for durability and hold several different types,. That was very helpful for me in deciding that day for that pair and even latter when I got additional ones. Hope this helps!
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