Modartt user forum - Convenient headphones

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (boehnbr) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:43:45 +0000

does anyone have any experience using the Audio-Technica ATH m50 headphones? the Senn HD600's are really intriguing, but i think my next set needs to be closed and very isolating. The m50's seem to get great, great reviews everywhere, particularly for their price....but has anybody used them specifically for listening/ recording piano samples/ pianoteq?

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (Piet De Ridder) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:16:22 +0000

Mark Williams wrote:

Absolutely love my Sennheiser HD 600s. Simply amazing set of headphones.

I agree.

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (boehnbr) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:22:25 +0000

LLpiano wrote:

boehnbr: I'm missing a lot of bass range, especially in the mid-range and lower range (near the mids)....
I can clearly hear the sympathetic resonance in Pianoteq but the bass range (in the symp. resonance) is quite insignificant.....
don't know how to describe it. Bass range is much better with old SONY headphones, but there is a problem with the mids and discant :-)
Maybe Steve is right and the good amp or output should be used. I've got only Echo Indigo Cardbus with output.

interestingly, i found a pair of ATH 40's i had bought several years ago because they had flatter response, but i never warmed up to them. i tried them again last night and i ran into the same issue- i felt the middle ranges were right in front of my face and the bass was somewhat lost. the K240's had a much nicer balanced sound across the spectrum. so i can appreciate what you are saying.

of course, i wonder if the truth of the matter is that i've actually properly broken in the 240's and that alone is why i like them better. is this "break-in" period for headphones legitimate science or just urban legend.....?

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (LLpiano) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:58:14 +0000

boehnbr: I'm missing a lot of bass range, especially in the mid-range and lower range (near the mids)....
I can clearly hear the sympathetic resonance in Pianoteq but the bass range (in the symp. resonance) is quite insignificant.....
don't know how to describe it. Bass range is much better with old SONY headphones, but there is a problem with the mids and discant :-)
Maybe Steve is right and the good amp or output should be used. I've got only Echo Indigo Cardbus with output.

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (Steve solum) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:17:38 +0000

I agree with Joe. I have K240s and AKG K701s and, after a good break-in I find the 701s much much more detailed, clear, and flat. They need a fairly good headphone amp, and might not do the trick straight out of a computer output, but they are world-class when driven well. K240s have been one of the studio standards, but that's for a much different purpose with different needs.

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (sigasa) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:55:19 +0000

boehnbr wrote:

LLpiano wrote:
Hi there, please, could you recommend convenient headphones for Pianoteq. I'm asking, because I've got AGK 271 but to be honest there is a lot of mids and the sound is not so complex. Is there any other better model please ? Thanks a lot.
LLpiano- can you elaborate on your dislike of the 271's? you got me interested in them as an alternative to my semi-open 240s (my earlier posts elaborate on my external noise issues...) but it sounds like you really don't care for them at all. not enough bass or high end?
thanks...

I've just bought the 240 MKII's and love 'em!

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (boehnbr) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:42:14 +0000

LLpiano wrote:

Hi there, please, could you recommend convenient headphones for Pianoteq. I'm asking, because I've got AGK 271 but to be honest there is a lot of mids and the sound is not so complex. Is there any other better model please ? Thanks a lot.

LLpiano- can you elaborate on your dislike of the 271's? you got me interested in them as an alternative to my semi-open 240s (my earlier posts elaborate on my external noise issues...) but it sounds like you really don't care for them at all. not enough bass or high end?
thanks...

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (jcfelice88keys) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:14:40 +0000

Hello All,

After a year of daily listening to them, I am extremely happy with my AKG 702 headphones in terms of clarity of sound and sheer comfort of wearing them. The AKG 702's are reference quality and are used in many recording studios. The difference between the 702 and the 701 is that the 702 has a detachable cord, in case it needs to be replaced.

The 702's retail for $499 USD but are currently available in stock for $299 USD at the following location:

http://www.headphone.com/headphones/akg-k-702-black.php

These are open air headphones, meaning that you can still hear ambient sounds in the room around you, but this gives them an extremely open sound.

Cheers,

Joe

EDIT: I have no affiliation, whatsoever, with AKG nor the headphone.com company.

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (sigasa) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:26:15 +0000

I think 'isolating refers to you not hearing outside noise whereas 'bleeding refers to others not hearing what you are listening to. I could be wrong though so check this out. The K240 MKII's are absolutely fantastic and yes, the dynamic range is better than the original model. I hear things I didn't hear with my previous headphones! I had Sony MDR-V700's before but they are far from studio reference! You will need to do some research regarding finding the best headphones for your basement / fan environment. I suggest first visiting the AKG website http://www.akg.com/site/press_center/po...id,33.html Hope this helps.

Chris

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (boehnbr) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:51:35 +0000

LLPiano, Sigasa - i am interested in your findings. i currently use an older set of K240's which i think are outstanding. I was thinking of switching over to the K271 because it supposedly "isolates" better than the 240, which i guess they call "semi-open". my studio in my basement has a noisy heating system. so i either gotta freeze and wear fingerless gloves like Bob Cratchett, or i have to hear the drone of the blower fan over my playing. I was hoping the "closed" 271's would give me a better solution.

so i guess i'm asking if the 240 has a better/wider response than the 271, or are they basically the same.....

or maybe i should look at the HD 600s?

anybody got any other ideas for closed /isolating headphones that are comfortable and sound great for solo piano playing....?

EDIT: or maybe i'm not understanding the terminology- is "isolating" referring to others not being able to hear what i am hearing in my headphones (whereas open means they could if they really tried..), or is it referring to isolating the user from outside noise. I know that is what "noise-cancelling" h/phones do- but to me they really sound artificial is you aren't in a particularly noisy enviroment....

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (LLpiano) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:26:23 +0000

Thank you for that.....as I wrote, sound with AKG 271 headphones is quite strange....a lot of mids and not so much bass part, but for another music the sound is very good.

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (sigasa) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:16:16 +0000

Just got my AKG's this morning. haven't had chance to really try them out yet but will let you know the verdict when I have!

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (Mark Williams) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:46:36 +0000

Absolutely love my Sennheiser HD 600s. Simply amazing set of headphones.

Re: Convenient headphones

null@example.com (sigasa) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:18:46 +0000

LLpiano wrote:

Hi there, please, could you recommend convenient headphones for Pianoteq. I'm asking, because I've got AGK 271 but to be honest there is a lot of mids and the sound is not so complex. Is there any other better model please ? Thanks a lot.

I've got some AKG K240 MKII's coming tomorrow (Thursday)!
(Industry standard improved!)

Actually, Modartt use these so I thought I'd get some so that I hear what the guys at Modartt hear!

Highly recommended. Check out the AKG website and independent reviews

Hope this helps

Chris

Convenient headphones

null@example.com (LLpiano) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:56:32 +0000

Hi there, please, could you recommend convenient headphones for Pianoteq. I'm asking, because I've got AGK 271 but to be honest there is a lot of mids and the sound is not so complex. Is there any other better model please ? Thanks a lot.