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First set of practice headphones...

#21
Joe Louvar said:
I’ve used many different headphones over the years and no matter how much I spent sooner or later in the end they all end up either wearing out or breaking so now I just use the cheap $30 Yamaha RH2C headphones - they last as long as more expensive cans and sound good for bass.
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I agree, there are some headphones out there that are not cheap but still use structurally weak materials (eg: plastic head bands, notorious on the Beats stuff)

Help yourself on a (used) Audio Technica M50. It's got a solid metal headband and frames so it's not gonna break if you look at it wrong ;)

Grado's (SR-60/80) also use metal on their headbands and incidentally sound great for rock music.
The Sony 7506 also use strong materials and some has survive almost a decade of studio use!
 
#22
zombywoof5050 said:
I like my AKG K240S headphones.
Very comfortable, nice long straight cord, great sound. The ear pads will deteriorate after many years, but replacement ear pads are available. The cord is also detachable, and replacement cords are available. My pair were made in Austria, and I hear that they are now made in China, but I've heard that they are still good headphones. Some places online refer to them as AKG K240 Studio headphones, same thing.
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I wouldn't recommend them. The bass doesn't really cut through and are really hard to drive. I use a tube headphone amp, and I usually have them cranked to about 1 or 2 o'clock to hear them. Plus I don't think they make them anymore.

In my collection I usually practice with Sennheiser HD650's but those need a decent amp to have them sound good andare expensive. They are also open headphones, so you can here everything going on around you and everyone can here you. Otherwise I would recommend the Audio Technica M50's as well. Since they are closed, they have more bass.
 
#24
I've been using Grado SR60s for bass practice thru a Pandora for a couple of years now, and can't recommend them enough... They sound great - and are very detailed for playing bass... They are open backed, which means someone sitting right next to you will hear a little something - but they won't in the next room... For my needs, open backed is actually better, since I can also hear my vocals - so I can practice singing while playing, and be able to hear all of it just fine...


- georgestrings
 
#26
I have Sony 7506, Sennheiser HD600, Audio Technica M50 and Koss Porta Pro.

Of these, for bass practicing, I use the Koss Porta Pro the most. Reason - they are the very easy to use, are light on head, keep on head well and they have slightly pronounced bass, which I like for this purpose. Head nodding friendly.

My second preferred would be the HD600 - very comfortable on head, but they may feel quite clumsy, if you are carried away by music and start noding your head to the rhythm.. :bassist:
However, the sound is the most accurate you can get. These are for long time the standard for analytical listening or even mixing by mixing engineers. Quite expensive too.

sad_katz said:
Sony 7506, the go-to studio monitors in the audiophile world
Sony MDR-7506 | Sweetwater.com
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These are go-to in studios to give them to the recording artists, because they are indestructible and have minimal leak to outside.
Otherwise, they have quite harsh and unpleasant highs and pronounced bass.

Audio-Technica M50 - good sound, but the leather ear surrounds might feel sweaty after while.

I would go with Koss Porta Pro and be happy. They have some leak to outside, but it would not be louder than string clacking of an unamplified bass.
 
#27
Sony MDR7506. $100. Available anywhere. They are total workhorses. I keep a pair at my house, and a pair at my practice space (my band practices through a JamHub, via headphones in someones apartment). They are very transparent, cheap, and most importantly for long sessions: comfortable.
 
#30
nemo said:
I have Sony 7506, Sennheiser HD600, Audio Technica M50 and Koss Porta Pro.

Of these, for bass practicing, I use the Koss Porta Pro the most. Reason - they are the very easy to use, are light on head, keep on head well and they have slightly pronounced bass, which I like for this purpose. Head nodding friendly.

My second preferred would be the HD600 - very comfortable on head, but they may feel quite clumsy, if you are carried away by music and start noding your head to the rhythm.. :bassist:
However, the sound is the most accurate you can get. These are for long time the standard for analytical listening or even mixing by mixing engineers. Quite expensive too.


These are go-to in studios to give them to the recording artists, because they are indestructible and have minimal leak to outside.
Otherwise, they have quite harsh and unpleasant highs and pronounced bass.

Audio-Technica M50 - good sound, but the leather ear surrounds might feel sweaty after while.

I would go with Koss Porta Pro and be happy. They have some leak to outside, but it would not be louder than string clacking of an unamplified bass.
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The great Hd600 vs Hd650 battle;)
I always wanted to try the Koss's out. I've heard many good things about them especially for their price point.
 
#32
I've always bought Sony and have never been disappointed. Although I have a nice set right now I use a pair of $25 Sony's that have some of the best uncolored frequency response I've ever heard in something at this price. To be honest unless you're mixing sound professionally you probably don't need more than this for practice.
 
#36
phangtonpower said:
I wouldn't recommend them. The bass doesn't really cut through and are really hard to drive. I use a tube headphone amp, and I usually have them cranked to about 1 or 2 o'clock to hear them. Plus I don't think they make them anymore.
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You sure you're not thinking about the old K240M set? Those were 600 ohms and hard to drive (made for running several sets in parallel in the studio). I never had a problem driving the K240S set (55 ohms) with anything, even a battery powered MP3 player.
 
#38
Another vote for Grado, I too got a free upgrade because they were out of the ones I ordered. The Grado cans I've used are very flat and detailed, easy on the ears. I've done some tracking using the Vic Firth cans as well, they're really fat, like a bass amp strapped to your brain. Not as flat and detailed but the sound isolation and bass response is killer.
 
#39
I'd second the Grados (I have SR125s) and the Audio Technica ATH-M50s. The former for open air headphones (lots of bleed both ways. Everyone in the room can hear what you are listening to) and the latter for closed (the second best isolating set I have. The first are Beyer DT770s which are a lot more expensive and less accurate.).

Headphones, though, are very personal. I wouldn't trust anyone's opinion here to be absolutely right for you, including mine.
 
#40
zombywoof5050 said:
You sure you're not thinking about the old K240M set? Those were 600 ohms and hard to drive (made for running several sets in parallel in the studio). I never had a problem driving the K240S set (55 ohms) with anything, even a battery powered MP3 player.
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Actually it's the DF's. Those were my first pair of nice headphones that I bought for recording. I never really heard how good they were until I bought my amp a couple of years ago. Still used them anyway. I haven't heard the other 240s, but I know they are easier to drive. My bad :) I actually have the AKG 701's now. I like them for listening to music, but prefer my HD650's or M50's for practice. I find AKG's to be bright for practicing, but I can only compare the headphones I own.

Edit: Here's the set up I used to use if anyone is interested.
Link Removed
 

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