Reference cans

[JD01]

My AKG K701s have just died for the last time.
Might replace them with another pair or a pair of K702s.

My preference is for open back, I want them for detailed listening.

Budget is about 100-150 quid.

[JD01]

Fuck it. Found a decent deal on 702s

[vomitHatSteve]

Total pivot, but what's the advantage of open back cans?

I get especially confused when people use open backs to track. It's like they want bleed!

[Lt. Bob]

Total pivot, but what's the advantage of open back cans?

I get especially confused when people use open backs to track. It's like they want bleed!

I use open backs .... for pure listening I prefer them.

And for tracking vocals you can hear enough from outside to not need to take one earpiece off which is common with closed back phones.

Bleeding is a non-issue AFAIC ...... I've never had enough bleed to matter.
Unless you're running your cans stupid loud I don't see how it could be an issue unless you're one of these guys that solos the track, cranks it up and can hear anything and find that unacceptable.

Certainly your recording and your rules and if the slightest bleed drives you crazy then you have that right.
But I've never used anything but open-air ever, and I do pretty good recordings and there's never been a single time that I ever noticed any substantial bleed.

I like Sennheiser 650's BTW

[JD01]

Total pivot, but what's the advantage of open back cans?

I get especially confused when people use open backs to track. It's like they want bleed!

I like open backs for detailed listening, mixing etc. I find they give a much more accurate representation, particularly of the low end. I find closed cans really accentuate the low end.

I use closed back for tracking... not to prevent bleed especially, more so I can block out the loudness of the amp cos I'm generally standing right next to it! So closed backs kind of act like an ear defender and also enable me to hear the mix well over the noise of what I'm playing.

[Greg_L]

Total pivot, but what's the advantage of open back cans?

Almost none. Sometimes they can be more comfortable for long periods because they don't clamp to your head. But that's about it as far as I'm concerned.

[Armistice]

I have Audio Technica ATH M70 Xs, which I bought on the recommendation of the local audio shop. Closed.

I hate them. Everything sounds awful - which probably means they're doing what they're supposed to, seeing everything I do starts out sounding awful anwyay. I could never use them for actual listening to music, but that's not really what they're for.

They are very good for editing and tracking, however - they keep the accompaniment out of the mic - at least for vocals and acoustic guitar.

[vomitHatSteve]

I am very paranoid about bleed, Lt. Even if I know it's not enough to make it into the mix, I find it very distracting. (And I do sometimes work with vocalists that need a ton of themselves in their cans)

I guess for the boosted low end, I'm used to it, so all my references have the same boost.

[Lt. Bob]

as I said, your recordings .... your rules ...... I'm never trying to convince someone to change ..... I'm always just stating my personal preferences.

But music and recording is such a personal thing and the person doing it has to do it the way that works for them.
That's the reason you never see me nit-picking about others recordings ...... there's a lot of different ways to do things so who am I to suggest my way is THE way?

So I only comment on things that are grossly bad ..... that rarely happens here.

[Greg_L]

I am very paranoid about bleed, Lt. Even if I know it's not enough to make it into the mix, I find it very distracting. (And I do sometimes work with vocalists that need a ton of themselves in their cans)

I guess for the boosted low end, I'm used to it, so all my references have the same boost.

I've tracked a lot of singers that want their cans painfully loud so they can "get into it" like it's a live performance. Open-back headphones just won't work at all in that situation.

[Tadpui]

As far as I understand it, open-backed headphones have a more "natural" bass response compared to closed-backed. At least that's the going advice I see over and over. I've actually never owned a pair of open-back cans, all of mine are closed back since I only use them for tracking. It seems that each pair of my headphones has its own unique way of making the low end unlistenable. I'd be curious to try a pair of open backs, just to hear if there's a difference.

[Armistice]

I am very paranoid about bleed, Lt. Even if I know it's not enough to make it into the mix, I find it very distracting. (And I do sometimes work with vocalists that need a ton of themselves in their cans)

I guess for the boosted low end, I'm used to it, so all my references have the same boost.

I've tracked a lot of singers that want their cans painfully loud so they can "get into it" like it's a live performance. Open-back headphones just won't work at all in that situation.

As I'm listening back through various Jongs tracks I'm finding bleed on vocal tracks that I'd consider unacceptable today. Mainly his - I didn't worry too much about it at the time but in hindsight I should have said "no" to request for more volume in the cans when he was singing.

[Lt. Bob]

As far as I understand it, open-backed headphones have a more "natural" bass response compared to closed-backed. At least that's the going advice I see over and over. I've actually never owned a pair of open-back cans, all of mine are closed back since I only use them for tracking. It seems that each pair of my headphones has its own unique way of making the low end unlistenable. I'd be curious to try a pair of open backs, just to hear if there's a difference.

open backs are closer to what you'd hear on speakers and they lose some of that 'in the head' feeling you get with closed backs.

My Sennheiser 650's thru my Headroom headphone amp with the crossfeed engaged sound almost identical to listening to my studio monitors

[vomitHatSteve]

as I said, your recordings .... your rules ...... I'm never trying to convince someone to change ..... I'm always just stating my personal preferences.

Absolutely. I wasn't reading it as you trying to convince me to change.

It's just not the same without hearing loss!