Recording tracks using Koss "The Plug"s

kesslari · #1 06-20-2008, 12:46 AM

Tonite I was in the studio and was really, really dissatisfied with the headphone sound I was hearing for the bass.
Through the monitors it sounded great, through the cans it was tinny.

I read the FAQ here and saw the plug (so to speak) for Koss "The Plug".
They look like iPod headphones -is that right?
Anyone use them when laying down bass tracks, and like them (more than full ear headphones)?
I'd like to hear a good sound when I'm recording...

fretlessrock · #2 06-20-2008, 08:21 AM

They are in-ear phones, and they benefit from modifying them to use better foam. I used a set of yellow foamie earplugs and did something like this:

http://www.headwize.com/projects/cmoy4_prj.htm

and it made a huge difference. That mode made them an incredible bang for the buck. Still, I don't know if I would use them for recording. Were you in a commercial studio? Did you ask about the headphone mix? Sometimes the headphone mix is tailored to vocalists and the low end has been rolled off. Also, what did you think the advantage would be to using the Plug set?

The phones I prefer depend on how much outside noise I am contending with. If it is none, like an overdub, then I just want good fidelity and the amount of isolation doesn't matter much. I use my Grado SR60 set at home if I want the least "stuffy" sounding approach.

My other go-to set is the AKG240DF. They are a high impedance set that needs a lot of power, sounds incredibly flat, comfortable, decent isolation, not especially cheap.

I have a few other sets of sealed cans that I use depending on the situation.

If you want to see a good selection with good, objective, descriptions, check out http://headphone.com/ They are god folks.

staindbass · #3 06-20-2008, 08:49 AM

blahhhh.... only one way to go. sony mdr 7506. dont let anyone tell you any different. there is a reason these are in studios more than any others. you will find headphones with more bass, but it will not be as accurate. and it will suck. you want the warm bass you feel. that 'expensive' sounding bass. very tough with headphones. mdr 7506 will get u real close. bear in mind this is for tracking, if ur playing with the drummer while wearing the phones, you may not feel anything in your head. and dont buy the ones that are the same but handle twice the power (dont remember the model #) they do not sound the same, the voice coil has thicker wire to handle higher power, and is heavier. salesmen may suggest the higher power ones for studio use, pay no attention. thats probably because in the back room, they have 22 sets of highpowerones, and only 3 sets of 7506. above all else, bring your cd player, and some bass cd's to the store. ive even tried the 250$ sennheiser ones. poo poo. johnny a

Bassman7PM · #4 06-20-2008, 08:55 AM

I've used the Koss Plugs for playing MP3's through both my Ipod and Zune and they work great especially for elinminating outside sounds, however with that being said they tend to add quite of bit of bass to the mix due to their design. I would be leary of using them for studio editting or monitoring, IMHO.

laboitenoire · #5 06-20-2008, 10:49 AM

I had a set of The Plug buds. Hated them to death. Spend the extra cash for something the Etymotic ER-6, ER-6i, or ER-4 sets. Nice stuff right there.

fretlessrock · #6 06-20-2008, 03:22 PM

+1 on Etymotic, and the Shure in-ears are good too. I had, and somehow lost, a set of the E3c's and they were very good. The only downside was the amount of sound the wiring would transmit from physical contact. Not good for walking around with an iPod unless you enjoy trying to time the thump of the cable with the kick. Excellent isolation, great for listening on a plane, and the isolation makes for a great on-stage IEM. I used them as IEMs a few times and never found the thump from the cable to be an issue.

I don't find in-ears comfortable, so I prefer an over the ear or on the ear design. I'll use them if I need extreme isolation, either from the room or isolating loved ones from the backwash

The Plug, with the foamie inserts, is a cheap way to get better fidelity from a $15 set of phones. The transducer isn't "horrible", but it isn't going to deliver like the top of the line either. The inserts that come with the stock Plug are horrible, like they were designed for Frodo or something. No human ear was ever consulted in their design. But slap on a set of foamies, and the Shure replacement for the E2/E3 are the best and easiest swap, and a lot of the uneven response vanishes and they aren't fatiguing for normal listening. The bass boost is prety much from the lack of leakage against the ear. I think it is more cranial than auditory.