Carpenters through headphones

[andywithaz]

I'm not really sure which discussion to put this in but I think this is the right one.

What would be the best high end headphones for the Carpenter's music My guess would be the Sennheiser HD 600s or the Sennheiser HD 590s because the Sennheiser brand is probably the most respected name in the headphone business. Can anyone help?

 

[Harry]

Headphones are a rather personal item - that is, everybody has their own preferences. I remember when I started in radio, all the 'pros' recommend Koss Pro 4AA headphones - so much so that I bought a pair. True enough, they sounded great, but I found them very uncomfortable. Others swear by them - and they're still preferred by some today.

A couple of years ago, I tried on a pair of Sony MDR V600 headphones and liked them enough to buy them on the spot. I find them comfortable for fairly long periods with accurate sound reproduction. Here they are at amazon.com along with some reviews:



The current broadcaster favorite, used by many in our radio stations is the Sony MDR-7506. They're considered 'professional' headphones and are not marketed to stores. But they can be found online at various places. Here's just one:

http://www.musicclub.com/sonmdstudref.html

I've tried them, and find the sound to be just as good as my comparable V600s, but the ear cups feel smaller to me.

I don't know about the Sennheisers. I know we use Sennheiser microphones at the station.

Harry
...who couldn't live without his headphones, online...

 

[Murray]

I agree with Harry that choice of headphones is a very personal thing. In my experience, the best headphones are made in Europe. Sony also makes good headphones, but I'd avoid the other Japanese brands. My favorite headphones are made by AKG, an Austrian company. I have a pair of AKG K140 headphones, and they sound amazing (even after 20 years of use!). I would recommend the current model, the "K141 Monitor", or the higher-priced "K240 Monitor". These are professional, recording studio headphones, so they may not be that easy to find. Here's a link to info on the K141:

http://www.akg.com/products/powerslave,mynodeid,164,id,430,pid,430,_language,EN.html

The Sennheiser headphones are also excellent. They are lighter than the AKG, and have a very open, airy kind of sound. Not as much bass as the AKG, but an amazing, crystal clear high end. I don't think you'd be disappointed by the sound of either brand.

My main advice is, go to a stereo store, and try before you buy. Make sure that the headphones fit your head, that they aren't too heavy for your neck to support for long periods, that they don't pinch your ears or press too hard on the shafts of your glasses. It doesn't matter how good they sound if they aren't comfortable.

Murray

 

[thestitch]

That sounds like very good advice, Murray!

Do any of you guys know anything about the high end Bose headphones that sell for just under $250?

Marilyn,
who might be in the market for some headphones soon

 

[Harry]

Marilyn, are you referring to the 'noise-cancelling' headphones?

Harry

 

[thestitch]

Yes, Harry, I am. Do you have experience with these?

Marilyn

 

[davidgra]

Hi all.

I've got a pair of the Bose noise-cancelling headphones. They do a remarkable job of cutting down on ambient noise -- great for airplane travel, also good if you're listening in any sort of noisy environment.

But they're not all that great at accurate sound reproduction. I have several other pair of headphones (including a Sony) that are far better-sounding than the Bose. FAR better sounding.

David

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Harry, I have those exact headphones, Sony MDR V600 headphones, I've had them for awhile & still love them for up close & personal listening & they are comfortable for long periods of listening.

 

[thestitch]

Chris, how have these headphones held up for you? I followed the link to Amazon that Harry very nicely posted (thanks, Harry!) and I must say the reviews are a mixed bag! The very softness that makes them so comfortable might also be their undoing.

I think I'm gonna have to take your advice, Murray, and actually try them out somewhere rather than buy online.

Thanks to everyone for all your help!

Marilyn,
who appreciates this forum very much!

 

[Harry]

I've read those reviews and have noted particularly the ones about the soft ear padding covering disintegrating over time. My feeling is that a scenario like that might be true if used heavily in an active environment. Perhaps a professional DJ might be active at parties/functions and prone to a bit of sweating, which probably would lead to that disintegration.

I really do recommend that you try them before buying them. Headphones are quite a matter of personal taste - and I've learned that women hear things differently than men. Just ask my wife!

Harry
NP: radio at work

 

[Rudy]

One of the best sounding dynamic headphones are made by Grado (I'm thinking model SR-60 or SR-80), but I've heard they are very uncomfortable to wear, as they rest right on the outer ear, vs. being "circumaural" (going around the ear) like my Sony headphones do. I find any headphones too uncomfortable to wear for long periods, so I try not to use them very often.

My Sony also has disintegrating padding. I wonder if the Sony repair center cells replacement pads? Many are self-adhesive. I recall my Koss Pro-4X phones had replacement air-filled cushions available...these cushions actually hardened from exposure to oil from the skin.

I can't recall--I think I might have MDR-V600 Sony headphones.

 

[Andrew T.]

I need a new pair of decent headphones myself. After a couple years of constant use, my under-$20 pair from Radio Shack shorts out if you twist the cable the wrong way, and the band just snapped where it meets the earpiece.
Durability is a key asset I would look for in headphones.

 

[Rudy]

I really do recommend that you try them before buying them. Headphones are quite a matter of personal taste - and I've learned that women hear things differently than men. Just ask my wife!

Yep, they all claim we're selectively deaf!

I've always wanted to hear some of those electrostatic headphones, but I'm not up to paying more than $1000 for headphones just yet.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Funny that you mention, disintegrating ear cushions, regarding the Sony MDR-V600 headphones.

I've had these headphones for very long time, I'd like to say approx 5 years, they still sound as great today as they did when I bought them. However the downside is the ear cushions are disintegrating. All of the shiny black stuff is almost gone, but the cushions are still there in tact, still feel very comfortable..they just don;'t look to appealing but All I care about is how they play & sound really nice.

If anyone hears of a place to buy new cushions to replace yourself, let me know. Mine are still very usable but I'd be interested to know if it's possible to replace just the cushions.

I highly recomend them, I also like how they came with the adapters for mini & regular large size.

 

[jimac51]

I'd give a nod to anything Sennheiser makes. My wife uses the Direct Ear 100 infared wireless audio set(mono,lists for $200) and finds them extremely helpful while her hearing gradually decreases. We have now found them at some public auditoriums for live shows and it's always a relief to see them on the scene. They are designed like a stethoscope(rest under the chin rather than over the head) and support a nick-cad battery in them and they can still be used them for hours. Certainly not for the use most of us are using a headset,but the care that goes into the design and durability(almost 10 years ond only battery replacement)of a product like this is the same engineering that goes into all of Sennheiser products. Mac

 

[thestitch]

Thanks to all of you for your excellent advice! There's a new Electronic Expo that just opened here, but my husband says they don't have much stock yet, so I think I'll wait until closer to Christmas. Will keep you posted on what I get.

Marilyn,
who absolutely refuses to touch on the subject of what women hear differently from men (or smell differently either!!!! )

 

[Rudy]

I'd give a nod to anything Sennheiser makes.

Sennheiser and Koss are two of the oldest manufacturers of headphones that I know of. Maybe it's just me, but I haven't seen as much of Koss in recent years as I used to.

 

[coolvox]

I could be way off here but
does anyone recall a surround
sound headphone that came out
a few years back? If they were
made can you still find them?
I like the way different surround
systems accentuate backing vocals
The C's put so much work into
them its like bringing them more
to the front of the stage.I always
seem to hear something I have
missed before through the years.
JIM

 

[saj77]

Hello Fellow Carpenters / Headphone Lovers - I have been a Carpenters fan for nearly 35 years and have been into headphones for several years so I'm thrilled to see others chatting about two of my favorite topics. I am a fan of both Sennheiser (their new HD-650 headphone is UNBELIEVABLE) and Grado Labs (I have both their SR-60 and SR-225 models). Headphones are indeed a personal choice, but a buyer needs information to stack the odds of buying the best equipment for their own needs / taste. In my experience, the people at Headroom Corporation at www.headphone.com are the best source for info on headphone technology. I have used their amplifiers for years and their recommendations on this subject are simply the best. I deal with a fellow there named Todd Green and he has always been extremely helpful but any of the self-professed " Obsessed Headphone Geeks" at Headroom are a vast source of knowledge. Just remember that the impedance of the headphone (ohms) and the power output of the amplifier need to be compatible and that even the most expensive headphone in the world will sound inferior with an underpowered amp. I hope that you find their website as useful as I do.

Scott