So what do you do if you do not have the space or money to get a pair of studio monitor speakers? Well the answer would be to get a great pair of studio headphones. After reading through this article you will have a better idea of what to look for and find the best studio headphones for you and your studio, lets get into it!
The Myth of Mixing with Studio Monitor Headphones
When I started out working on headphones I was told it was not a good idea by my professor. He proceeded to lecture me for about 30 minutes on how there is no acoustic interaction and how you will over compensate in a mix. All of this may be true, however great mixes have been done on a good pair of headphones.
More and more the new generation of audio engineers are relying heavily on headphones to mix, master and record. More of us are mobile, do not have an acoustically treated space, and have less money to spend.
I would rather spend $100-$200 on a great pair of headphones then spend the same amount on near field monitors with a non acoustically treated room. The end result will be a better overall mix and improved music production quality that everyone will enjoy. If possible listen to your music on a few sources to check for transferability just like you would use studio monitor speakers.
Ear Buds vs High Quality Headphones
Most likely we have all used a pair of ear buds and those are fine if you are casually listening to music, these will not work well while mixing and recording. The difference in ear buds and a good pair of headphones would be the equivalent to an mp3 and a full wave file, it is night and day.
The first time I listen to some of my favorite music on my Sony MDR-7506′s my mind was blown everything sounded better it is like the music came to life. It was like I head a new pair of ears. It was quite an ear opening experience that has changed they way I listen to music forever more.
Beats by Dre did a great job at exposing people to this concept, and have made a ton of money from it I am sure. If you have not yet check it out for yourself go listen to a good pair of headphones and compare it to your every day iPOD ear buds. Are you ready to take the red pill and see just how good your audio will sound?
Factors when Deciding on the Best Studio Headphones for your Home Recording Studio
How do the headphones sound? - I talk about this a lot I know and for good reason. When moving into audio it is extremely easy to spend endless money on gear. There is even a term for this it is called a “GearSlut“. The truth is you will never have all the gear you want and you will always want more. Like I mentioned before get the best quality you can with the money you have. That or save until you can get your idea item.
How comfortable are they? - Can you honestly see your self with these on for hours a time? Chances are while you are working on your music it will be doing it for long periods of time. I used to have a pair of gaming headphones during my World of Warcraft days and I loved them but over long periods they would hurt my head. Guess who ended up not using those headphones any more? Yup this guy!
How do they sound? - This should be a given but I thought I should throw it in. Really listen what are the headphones doing to the music?
Closed Back vs Open Back Studio Monitor Headphones?
Looking at head phones you will notice that some headphones have the drive facing out and some in. The types that have the driver facing in are known as “closed back headphones” as the drive is enclosed. These are generally less expensive and are a good starter set of headphones. The down side is there is less room for bass to develop and you will have less acoustic interaction as everything is “enclosed”. Two solid pairs of these are the Sony’s MDR-7506s which I personally own and Audio-Technica ATH-M50′s.
If I did it again I would be going with the M50′s however the 7506′s were required when I went to school for audio production and I can not justify spending $120 with a minimum return in sound quality.
Beats by Dre vs M50′S
Open Back Headphones
If they drivers are facing out they are known as “open back” headphones. This allows some sound to escape and generally allows for better bass responds. They tend to be a little more expensive but most audio engineers prefer them for mixing, between having a better bass responds, and allow your ears to breathe more which is better for longer mixing sessions. They are not as good for tracking as they bleed sound out which will come through when recording.
Here is a good video that also goes over the differences between open back and closed back headphones
At the end of the day it is really up to you as no set of ears are the same and we all perceive sound differently. Take some time try on different headphones and really listen you will know when you have found the best studio headphones for your situation.
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