MIXING HEADPHONES what'ca use?

[Max Field]

Been on AD500x for the past 3 years, they've helped me get compliments on my mixes.

 

Just upgraded to the AKG K701 and they have nothing in the low end. Tried the Sony MDR-7506 and those are god awful at 200hz.

 

What are my fellow filmmakers using to mix their projects when it's too late in the night for speakers?

 

Thanks.

[Jay Young]

I use AKG K702. I have for about the past 4 years. I've tried with different amps, clean DACs, the whole deal. Since they are an open design, they will differ considerably to something like a closed circumaural SONY design - of which I think has far too much low end to be decent.

 

I love my AKG's, and got them before total manufacturing went Chinese. The K702 is designed to be flat, and used in a relatively quiet and flat environment. They are very revealing.

 

 

Perhaps you might wish to check out http://www.head-fi.org for their forum and reviews.

[Max Field]

How common is counterfeiting for AKG headphones? I got them off eBay for $180 brand new and the frequency response I saw online doesn't really feel like it matches what I'm hearing. If anything my low end would sound higher but it feels way lower.

 

I'm using this site/chart for reference. In it I have my old headphones and my new ones.

http://graphs.headphone.com/index.php?graphID%5B0%5D=113&graphID%5B1%5D=703&graphID%5B2%5D=&graphID%5B3%5D=&scale=30&graphType=0&buttonSelection=Update+Graph

[Jay Young]

Three years ago, counterfeits were rampant. That is an interesting website, not sure where their data comes from. I'll have to read about that more.

 

Its pretty much established that the 702 is different than the 701, which is cheaper in price and has a different sound stage.

 

If you want AKG, and you want more base, try the 712.

[Max Field]

They had the serial number on them and I registered it on the AKG website and it checked out. Is it still possible they are fakes even with a registry?

[Jay Young]

They had the serial number on them and I registered it on the AKG website and it checked out. Is it still possible they are fakes even with a registry?

 

No, I don't think so. Its been several years tho. There were several writeups about how to spot a fake. You should look those up!

[Wesley Lawrence Curry II]

If it's late at night, and it is very very often that I work through the night on a score, I simply turn all the volumes down. This gives me an idea of where the 'real' peaks are musically, and provides strong objectivity to the final full volume mix and master.

So....using earphones, closed back or not, to mix a music that is meant to be played in a theater ( on surround possibly? ) not recommended. I score almost exclusively using full orchestras, and not so big on the 'Pop, Grunge, Trip Hop, thingy.

[Giacomo Girolamo]

Just buy some Sennheiser headphones and be happy.

[Landon D. Parks]

If you're mixing for speakers, don't mix with headphones. The two are not dynamically the same. I'm not aware of too many professionals who do mixes with headphones, actually. Headphones are usually reserved for recording sessions.

Edited December 14, 2017 by Landon D. Parks