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Hey, what kind(s) of headphones do you guys use? Serious recording work, pleasure listening or whatever, what do you use?

I use the Sony MDR-V150 phones. Their sound is amazing and the price is unbelievable.

Sennheiser 570s or 600s are what I prefer, though there are others that sound really, really good too like many of the Grados models. It's all fairly high end stuff though, so more considerably more expensive than stuff you'd find at Best Buy, etc.

I rarely listen to music without headphones...unless you have amazing speakers, the difference will be night and day and you'll never want to go back to traditional speakers or those awful earbuds that come with ipods.

There are forums, magaines, and books for audio enthusiasts out there with a lot more in depth discussion of headphones going on. Do your research and buy what will work best for you and your needs.

I second getting Sennheiser brand headphones. I use the PX 100 collapsible pair, and am generally pleased with them. I'm a bit of an audiophile, and these are some of the best I've heard, (Sennheiser in general sound great.) The 100 doesn't bust the bank, either; you can find them on sale at places like Circuit City for about 35-40 bucks.

Sony MDR-V6 or their kissin' cousin, the MDR7506:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V6-Monit ... 412&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR7506-Prof ... 412&sr=8-2

I've used V6s for nearly 20 years. I know a lot of audio folks (engineers, sound mixers, etc.) who swear by the. Find someplace local that has them and take in some CDs to demo them with. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

...D

I use Bose Quiet comfort 2 around-ear headphones.
I used to use skullcrusher headphones but they broke in a month.

AKG 240. They are a bit old, but have atleast the clarity of any pair that I've heard anybody produce. They used to be the industry standard for recording studios, not sure if they still are.

I'm saving for the Bose QC2. In the meantime, I use my '70's vintage Koss HV1-A. They're comfortable and sound great. I found them on eBay 6 or 7 years ago. I had to replace an ear cushion and Koss had it for $5.00 with free shipping. As a backup, I use the Koss Pro 4AA. I bought them brand new in 1975.

Koss Sparkplugs. Dollar for dollar, the best earphones out there.

http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones-head ... 00429.html

The bass is amazing!

Along with the Sennheiser headphones I recommended earlier, I also must recommend the new pair I got to replace those, the AKG Acoustics K24P Foldable Stereo Folding Headphones. They sound better than the Sennheisers, at least to my ears, and give the music more of a stereo division. Plus, they're cheaper.

Like Mojo, I use the AKG K240s, they have a wonderful natural, even, clear sound. They are my reference headphones for anything and everything. They're EXTREMELY comfortable - I can wear them all day and not be bothered by them. They require a strong signal though, as they have large drivers. This means they're not great for some portable devices, mainly my MiniDisc player. The ear cushions also come off if you handle them too roughly, though they go back on easily enough.

I have some Sony MDR CD-180s that I use sometimes, they're fairly even sounding and survive better in my backpack than the AKGs. They have a stronger bass signal than the AKGs but they don't have the true even natural sound of the AKGs. They're more efficient than the AKGs so they work better with my MiniDisc player if there is too much outside noise.

My budget "stick them in my pocket" headphones are Griffin TuneBuds, and I like them well enough. They don't break up at high levels and have a fairly natural sound with good bass. They also come with a nifty little zipper pouch which is nice for being in my pocket.

Sennheiser HD-580 - recording or with a travel amp
Grado 60 - non amped travel
Etymotic 4 - when I want privacy

poomshanka wrote:Sony MDR-V6 or their kissin' cousin, the MDR7506:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V6-Monit ... 412&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR7506-Prof ... 412&sr=8-2

I've used V6s for nearly 20 years. I know a lot of audio folks (engineers, sound mixers, etc.) who swear by the. Find someplace local that has them and take in some CDs to demo them with. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

...D

*raises hand* Sony MDR-V6s right here myself. I got them for Christmas 5 years ago. My dad owns a pair himself (that he got nearly 20 years ago and still uses to this day) but did some serious shopping for them anyway, listening to dozens of headsets in all price ranges to find something better for me....but failed. Since receiving I have listened to several other sets myself and simply cannot find anything better without going into the $300+ range...and most of those headphones use electronic enhancers to improve the sound which takes away from the natural effect and pure unadulterated sound these 'phones produce.

http://www.slickdeals.net/?permadeal=11700#direct_deal_11700 wrote:Amazon has Sennheiser HD-280 Professional Headphones for $100 - 30% coupon HCZEXRI7 = $70 with free shipping. Lowest on PriceGrabber from a rated merchant is $95. Thanks D@xter

Make sure you purchase the item from Amazon, and not a third party, since only Amazon qualifies for the 30% discount. Use "More Buying Choices" section if Amazon is not shown as the main seller by default.

Other items which qualify for this promotional code

* Sennheiser PXC 300 Noise Cancelling Headphones $220 - 30% = $154
Lowest on PriceGrabber $200
* Sennheiser RS 130 Wireless Surround Sound Headphones $160 - 30% = $112
Lowest on PriceGrabber $116

I use the HD280s. They take a while to get used to, but once you get used to them, recordings take on a new dimension. A little more bassy, but a relatively even frequency response and recordings seem to 'breathe' a little easier.

Bose on ear headphones;
they deliver that nice bose sound for a smaller hole in your pocket.

AKG K701 is the most realistic sounding I have ever heard. Get a headphone amp for it too and you'll be amazed.

Headfi.org
Headphone.com

Koss Pro-4AA when I'm mixing or doing live sound.

But I'm old school.

At the radio station I use Sennheiser's. Or when I bother to bring my Ultrasone's I use those. For my iPod I have some Bang and Olufsen's.

Etymotic ER6 for personal playback-very flat response and their noise isolating design helps keep the volume to very low levels so I won't damage my hearing.

I haven't mixed sound in many years but my favorite set of phones were AKG 240s.

Chen wrote:AKG K701 is the most realistic sounding I have ever heard.

Absolutely, totally agree.