Advice needed! Choosing portable studio headphones

[Artemiy]

Hey all!

I presently have AKG K271 studio monitor headphones, and I love them. But now I am looking for smaller headphones to carry with me when I work with my mobile music devices. I am also looking for closed-back ones only, like the 271, and I'd like the price to be around $80-100. I am not searching for thump and loudness as in DJ-oriented headphones, but for accurate dynamics and frequency response, as much as it's possible in this price range.

Currently AKG K77 seem like what I need. But what would you guys suggest?

Thanks!

[KRE8A]

Artemiy,

Here's a range of mini - headphones to glance at, for your own interest.

http://www.akg.com/personal/Mini,pcp_id,173,_psmand,1.html

http://www.audioproducts.com.au/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=K430

[Artemiy]

Thanks for your advice, KRE8A!

Yes, those K4xx and K5xx series look interesting, but I have tried similar ones a while ago and didn't like the fact that my ears were being squeezed The sound also had too much mid-range. I am kind of inclined to think the around-your-ear design like in K77 will be more comfortable, even though it's not that compact (but compared to my K271's they ARE compact ).

[aha00]

I use Audio-Technica ATH-M50 and love it. It's professional studio monitor headphones.

http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headphones/0edf909675...

[Artemiy]

aha00, they might be too big for me - I have AKG 271 studio monitor, as I wrote, and they are fantastic but I don't want to carry them around. Need something with closed back, around the ear design, but more compact.

[KRE8A]

I know what you mean by squeezed

I had the same problem with a set of Sennheiser. I Sent them back and replaced for a set of Audio Technica, which muffle around the ear much more comfortably.
* For studio purposes.
Anyway, cutting the story short...hope you find the right set soon

[MeNotU]

aha that weblink went wierd on me and I never found them, but did find these for $99 - it's the same site, but hmmm - somin to do with being in Aussie?

http://www.tag.com.au/component/option,com_acat/method,...

These are full size, but the menu on the left offers plenty others - I need some too - so let me know what you think.

[Artemiy]

I wish I could get in-ear phones of same quality but they go for $150 as I know, at least those targeted at broadcast/studio monitoring, not for casual listening or DJ'ing.

I think I'll go for the K77's. Will surely let you know what I think!

[MeNotU]

I see they retail here at $89AU, but can be bought new and warranty 1 year on e-bay (free post) for $65AU.

[I AM]

Art, i have theese and they sound like Sony MDR-7505, a bit quiter, of course and much better than same sized AKG's.... i LOVE AKG, but this is true

http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/p...

they're small and portable and not very expensive

[MeNotU]

I bought the AKG K77, arrived today - I stood on my oldies a long time ago lol, so thought I'd take your knowledge Art, and cash in on these for a very cheap $65AU post free.

Funny thing was I put them on, just to try them for comfort - no music, then walked to my studio, about 100 yards, and every footstep echoed through the phones - I was walking on grass, seemed very wierd, but they were fine in the studio. Just don't walk about that forest when you're creating Art lol.

Tried them out with the new EP from ULTRNX, Art you should check them out, some great processing going on.

http://files.earmilk.com/upload/mp3/06%20Rockstr%20%28S...

EP link...

http://www.earmilk.com/2010/09/13/ultrnx-the-byterockin-ep/

[Artemiy]

I AM:

Yes I got recommendations on the PX 200 phones in a store. However, if you look at K77 you will see they are much bigger, they're not of compact type such as these 200's. I have doubts that PX 200's will sound better than K77... I think I am gonna have to check out in the store personally with my iPod.

MeNotU:

Congratulations on your purchase! So do you like them? Do you have any other headphones that you can compare them to?

[MeNotU]

I had my old ones for 12 years, I'd have to rip the repair taping off just to find out what they were lol. I know they cost 90UK. I'll let you know.

Tried one of my working mixes, and the stereo field was very noticable, (I'm already rethinking my panning). They were louder and clear, I could hear subtle effects very well on voices. I wouldn't say they were 'colouring' the mix much at all for such a cheap price.

So they may turn out to be useful mixing phones, nice firm fit, your ears ring from the silence when you put them on lol.

I use mine for doing vocal, so I will appreciate being able to turn down the amp, less headaches yay.

Let you know how I go tomorrow, I have some vox to do

Please can you try the first track above - I would love to know what you think of ULTRNX - their process work seems quality and they mix up their tunes very well.

[Artemiy]

Glad to hear you like them, MeNotU! I have K66 here which are around 10 years old, got them for around $25 back in the day I think. They're fine but have a slight middle-frequency boost that I don't like now, and I haven't been using them since a long time ago when I got my K271's (they were about $200). These are fantastic cups, really professional studio monitor headphones. After them, it's very hard for me to get myself comfortable with anything "lesser", you know what I mean. But I prefer headphones which have a soft frequency roll-off and no annoying peaks in the frequency response.

[Artemiy]

Hey, I actually took my K66's out of the storage box, and they're note that bad! I mean, yes, compared to K271's they have much less detail, of course. And they do sound a bit acoustically resonating in the mids. But otherwise they're very smooth and pleasant.

I still need closed-type cans though, so K77's are on top of my list now unless I find something radically better in the same price range. One thing for sure - I want headphones with pads that do not push on my ear, but cover my ear and the pads are on my head.