Best Headphones for Mixing Under $150?

[cmac3317]

Hi, I'm in the process of exploring some upgrades/changes to my home studio setup. I currently have a pair of old Sennheiser HD280 Pro closed back headphones that I've had for over 15 years. They still sound great (although I have nothing else to compare them against), but I'm going to need to replace the ear pads soon. I'm wondering if it's worth the $30 to get the replacement pads or if I might be better off looking into a different set of headphones for my needs.

Ultimately, I'd like something that's good for mixing (primarily) as well as tracking (ideally), as I have to do most of my mixing in my relatively small house after my wife and young daughters have gone to bed. I'm open to closed and/or open back headphones, maybe even a pair of each.

What have you all found to be the best headphones for mixing (top priority) and tracking under $150? Is there any reason to move away from my Sennheiser 280 Pros? I know that in the past, I've been a little disappointed by how my mixes have sounded on different stereos after mixing with the Sennheisers, but again, I have nothing to compare them against.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions!

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by cmac3317

What have you all found to be the best headphones for mixing (top priority) and tracking under $150? Is there any reason to move away from my Sennheiser 280 Pros? I know that in the past, I've been a little disappointed by how my mixes have sounded on different stereos after mixing with the Sennheisers, but again, I have nothing to compare them against.

Given your budget, I'd say stick with the 280 Pros. I'm not a fan of closed back headphones for mixing, but you're not going to find a better option under $150. If you can stretch your budget to $220, the Drop/Sennheiser 6xx headphones are a great value.

[Rudy4]

I LOVE my Beyerdynamic DT 770 phones, they are in your sweet spot for price.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DT770pro--beyerdynamic-dt-770-pro-250-ohm-closed-back-studio-mixing-headphones?mrkgadid=3316426439&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=gp la&mrkgbflag=0&mrkgcat=studio&recording&&acctid=21 700000001645388&dskeywordid=92700046938540301&lid= 92700046938540301&ds_s_kwgid=58700005285191706&ds_ s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007215323&dsproductgro upid=567311333034&product_id=DT770pro&prodctry=US& prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=c&netwo rk=g&matchtype=&locationid=9057525&creative=303058 207329&targetid=aud-945936780674la-567311333034&campaignid=1465808290&gclid=CjwKCAiAn IT9BRAmEiwANaoE1S5891OlDE_U1aPtjkyfn4bINrbhqleoKGP O8eX49Uo5K82UVchb8BoCz5YQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

That said, if you can go audition a bunch it would be worth it.

Phones are such a personal choice it almost dictates trying them out if you want to avoid ending up with a few sets that don't quite trip your trigger.

[runamuck]

For under $150 I'd say Grado.

[keith.rogers]

I have both the Senn 280s and Beyer DT770s and they're good for tracking and even some listening (though the 280s are not my choice). I don't think either are particularly suited for mixing, but it depends a lot on what you're mixing, too.

Many folks suggest open back headphones for mixing. I have a pair of Sennheiser 5xx somethings - definitely less than $150, and while I'm not a huge fan of them for listening, I've found they are pretty good for mixing, and they're reasonably comfortable (though not like the 770s).

I would shop around for replacement pads. I see sets for around $10 on Amazon. No need to stick with OEM parts for that. (If you can find velour pads, though, worth every penny. I put those on my old Sony cans a long time ago, and they've outlasted 2 sets of the OEM Sony's and feel wonderful.)

[lkingston]

Headphones are great for tracking, but I have yet to hear a good mix done that way.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by keith.rogers

I would shop around for replacement pads. I see sets for around $10 on Amazon. No need to stick with OEM parts for that. (If you can find velour pads, though, worth every penny. I put those on my old Sony cans a long time ago, and they've outlasted 2 sets of the OEM Sony's and feel wonderful.)

Very true. I have a pair of Sony MDR 7506 headphones that I bought about 20 years ago. They're still work fine but the pads were cracking and flaking. I found a pair of pad replacements on Amazon for under $20. I retired those headphones from my studio years ago (too bright to be useful) and they're permanently attached to my desktop pc these days.

[lkingston]

I replaced the pads on both my Sony MDR and Bose headphones with cheap replacement ones off of eBay. In both instances, the quality was fine and the headphones once again are like new. Just do a search for replacement ear pads for your model of headphones. When you find them, buy extras.

[AcousticDreams]

Originally Posted by jim1960

Given your budget, I'd say stick with the 280 Pros. I'm not a fan of closed back headphones for mixing, but you're not going to find a better option under $150. If you can stretch your budget to $220, the Drop/Sennheiser 6xx headphones are a great value.

I have the Senn 380 Pro headphones. They are good...but I miss the feel and sound of openback headphones. Thus your suggestion for the HD6xx looks pretty interesting.

Is there a problem with Feedback in the Open back headphones when recording? Back in the Seventies I used Openback Senns...they were truly openback in those days..with just foam. Seemed to work o.k for recording. But things were pretty primitive back then for me.

Open back might be Ideal for Tracking Vocals. There is always a problem stay on perfect key with close headphones.

[DukeX]

I'm using Grado SR80s.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

Is there a problem with Feedback in the Open back headphones when recording? Back in the Seventies I used Openback Senns...they were truly openback in those days..with just foam. Seemed to work o.k for recording. But things were pretty primitive back then for me.

Not so much a feedback problem but what's coming through the open-back headphones can show up on a track so I only track with closed back. I used to use my MDR 7506 headphones for that but some years back I bought a pair of the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro and those handle tracking duties. They're not overly bright like the Sony and they fit over the whole ear where the Sony sat on the ear.

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

Open back might be Ideal for Tracking Vocals. There is always a problem stay on perfect key with close headphones.

Same problem.
But if you're having trouble with pitch when tracking, it might be solved with some adjustment to the mix in the headphones. Sometimes the arrangement of various instruments working together can throw a singer off. I've done that to myself on occasion and solved the problem by muting the instruments that were throwing me. You can also encourage a singer to singer louder or softer by raising or lowering the volume of the mix in their headphones. If someone is singing too loud or too soft, that can make them pitchy. Tricks like that won't work on everyone. Some people just don't sing well. But if someone is a decent singer, it should be possible to coax a good track out of them even if you get it from compiling a composite derived from multiple takes.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

I have the Senn 380 Pro headphones. They are good...but I miss the feel and sound of openback headphones. Thus your suggestion for the HD6xx looks pretty interesting.

Is there a problem with Feedback in the Open back headphones when recording? Back in the Seventies I used Openback Senns...they were truly openback in those days..with just foam. Seemed to work o.k for recording. But things were pretty primitive back then for me.

Open back might be Ideal for Tracking Vocals. There is always a problem stay on perfect key with close headphones.

Lots of singers simply go with slipping one side off the ear so they can hear themselves accurately.

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by jim1960

But if you're having trouble with pitch when tracking, it might be solved with some adjustment to the mix in the headphones.

Agreed. Vocals are actually my stronger suit, and I find that getting the headphone mix is crucial for pitch. Very often, it's simply a matter of turning down the backing tracks. I find I don't really need to be able to hear the music that much, and I need to be able to hear myself much more, than I'd expect, when wearing headphones.

That said, headphones (and your head itself) can have resonant frequencies when singing that make certain pitches problematic. That's where slipping one side off (doesn't even have to be completely) can help.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

Agreed. Vocals are actually my stronger suit, and I find that getting the headphone mix is crucial for pitch. Very often, it's simply a matter of turning down the backing tracks. I find I don't really need to be able to hear the music that much, and I need to be able to hear myself much more, than I'd expect, when wearing headphones.

For myself, it's about finding the right balance for the particular song. For every song there's a particular level and range I'm striving for and I need the mix to not get in my way but also not be so low that I get lost if my vocals get a bit louder and drown out the mix. And bare bones usually works best for me in most cases.

[Wrighty]

I use a pair of AKG 702 open back for my mixing - pretty good (although I also use Morphit to correct the tonal response)

Certainly the best I have used s far for mixing - not sure about prices now but I picked mine up used for under your budget.