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Post by mikec on Dec 8, 2016 11:46:03 GMT -6
Hey guys, I'm looking for recommendations for really great tracking headphones for vocals. My trusted Ultrasone Pro 650s are starting to show their wear after years of great performance. I've been looking at all the usual suspects from AKG, Beyerdyamic, and Sennheiser but every time I get ready to pull the trigger I read something negative for one reason or another. Just looking for opinions of which I know there is no lack of here.
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Post by kcatthedog on Dec 8, 2016 11:54:59 GMT -6
visit the sonarworks site they are offering 20% off calibrated headphones they will pay shipping and duties.
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Post by chasmanian on Dec 8, 2016 12:09:31 GMT -6
I like Focal Spirit Professionals.
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Post by johneppstein on Dec 8, 2016 14:21:18 GMT -6
None.
When I track vocals I prefer to use monitors. I can't hear properly with cans.
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Post by ragan on Dec 8, 2016 14:25:41 GMT -6
My favs are Beyer 770s followed by AT m50s.
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Post by Bob Olhsson on Dec 8, 2016 15:19:24 GMT -6
If you must use cans, open yield lots better intonation than closed.
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Post by ragan on Dec 8, 2016 16:19:15 GMT -6
If you must use cans, open yield lots better intonation than closed. I know that's conventional wisdom but I've found it varies. If a singer's most used to singing acoustically, unamplified/recorded, yeah it feels way more natural to have open cans. For me, the vast majority of singing I've done has been on stage (so either wedges or in-ears) or in a studio environment (cans). I'm way more comfortable in closed cans, feels like I'm more 'united' with the monitored signal and there's less of a tug of war between my voice acoustically and the recorded signal I'm monitoring.
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Post by mikec on Dec 8, 2016 17:35:10 GMT -6
If you must use cans, open yield lots better intonation than closed. I know that's conventional wisdom but I've found it varies. If a singer's most used to singing acoustically, unamplified/recorded, yeah it feels way more natural to have open cans. For me, the vast majority of singing I've done has been on stage (so either wedges or in-ears) or in a studio environment (cans). I'm way more comfortable in closed cans, feels like I'm more 'united' with the monitored signal and there's less of a tug of war between my voice acoustically and the recorded signal I'm monitoring. I'm in this same camp, but I do have a set of Beyer DT880s that are open so I will give them a try anyway. I never thought of using them due to the bleed into the mic.
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Post by johneppstein on Dec 9, 2016 3:20:50 GMT -6
If you must use cans, open yield lots better intonation than closed. True. The downside, however, is that leakage is a lot worse and the frequency balance of that leakage is way, way worse that that from good monitors. People these days have no idea how many of the greatest singers never used cans, or did so very seldom.
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Post by johneppstein on Dec 9, 2016 3:47:24 GMT -6
If you must use cans, open yield lots better intonation than closed. I know that's conventional wisdom but I've found it varies. If a singer's most used to singing acoustically, unamplified/recorded, yeah it feels way more natural to have open cans. For me, the vast majority of singing I've done has been on stage (so either wedges or in-ears) or in a studio environment (cans). I'm way more comfortable in closed cans, feels like I'm more 'united' with the monitored signal and there's less of a tug of war between my voice acoustically and the recorded signal I'm monitoring. Eeeeehhh, I dunno. Are you saying that there's less difference between stage monitors (not in-ears) and closed (or open) cans than there is between stage monitors and monitors in the studio? I don't think so. The main difference is that on stage there's a lot of competing other noise, but other than that I find there to e much LESS difference between stage and studio monitors and ANY type of cans.
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Post by ragan on Dec 9, 2016 8:41:25 GMT -6
I know that's conventional wisdom but I've found it varies. If a singer's most used to singing acoustically, unamplified/recorded, yeah it feels way more natural to have open cans. For me, the vast majority of singing I've done has been on stage (so either wedges or in-ears) or in a studio environment (cans). I'm way more comfortable in closed cans, feels like I'm more 'united' with the monitored signal and there's less of a tug of war between my voice acoustically and the recorded signal I'm monitoring. Eeeeehhh, I dunno. Are you saying that there's less difference between stage monitors (not in-ears) and closed (or open) cans than there is between stage monitors and monitors in the studio? I don't think so. The main difference is that on stage there's a lot of competing other noise, but other than that I find there to e much LESS difference between stage and studio monitors and ANY type of cans. You dunno about what, that that's been my experience? If you're used to not hearing your voice acoustically and always monitor it through a PA or cans or in-ears or whatever, closed cans can feel more natural. That's all. I'm not saying it's that way for everyone. Just is for me.
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Post by Bob Olhsson on Dec 9, 2016 14:34:40 GMT -6
Mine has been that the performance of even ultra-experienced studio singers will improve dramatically with speakers. And John's right about speaker bleed being less of a problem than headphone bleed.
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Post by johneppstein on Dec 9, 2016 15:09:54 GMT -6
Eeeeehhh, I dunno. Are you saying that there's less difference between stage monitors (not in-ears) and closed (or open) cans than there is between stage monitors and monitors in the studio? I don't think so. The main difference is that on stage there's a lot of competing other noise, but other than that I find there to e much LESS difference between stage and studio monitors and ANY type of cans. You dunno about what, that that's been my experience? If you're used to not hearing your voice acoustically and always monitor it through a PA or cans or in-ears or whatever, closed cans can feel more natural. That's all. I'm not saying it's that way for everyone. Just is for me. Again, have you actually TRIED it? Not through wedges, they're usually too colored. Through recording monitors. In the control room or through an extra set in the live room or booth. You set up so the speakers are in the mic's null as close as you can get. Some find that throwing one speaker into reverse polarity and playing back in mono helps reduce leakage.
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Post by ragan on Dec 9, 2016 15:20:37 GMT -6
You dunno about what, that that's been my experience? If you're used to not hearing your voice acoustically and always monitor it through a PA or cans or in-ears or whatever, closed cans can feel more natural. That's all. I'm not saying it's that way for everyone. Just is for me. Again, have you actually TRIED it? Not through wedges, they're usually too colored. Through recording monitors. In the control room or through an extra set in the live room or booth. You set up so the speakers are in the mic's null as close as you can get. Some find that throwing one speaker into reverse polarity and playing back in mono helps reduce leakage. I haven't no. I will though. But the post of mine you responded to was just me pointing out that for me and at least one other singer I know, closed back cans feel more natural than open backed cans. Wasn't saying anything about using no cans at all.
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Post by johneppstein on Dec 9, 2016 15:29:13 GMT -6
Again, have you actually TRIED it? Not through wedges, they're usually too colored. Through recording monitors. In the control room or through an extra set in the live room or booth. You set up so the speakers are in the mic's null as close as you can get. Some find that throwing one speaker into reverse polarity and playing back in mono helps reduce leakage. I haven't no. I will though. But the post of mine you responded to was just me pointing out that for me and at least one other singer I know, closed back cans feel more natural than open backed cans. Wasn't saying anything about using no cans at all. Ah, OK! I gotta split now, eye doctor appointment...
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Post by swurveman on Dec 9, 2016 16:18:43 GMT -6
Since we're on the subject: I've found that my intonation is much better when singing with an SM58 than with a LDC. I don't know if it's the proximity of singing close to the 58, which brings out more low end-low mids, or what, but I swear it's true.
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Post by wiz on Dec 9, 2016 17:37:40 GMT -6
Again, have you actually TRIED it? Not through wedges, they're usually too colored. Through recording monitors. In the control room or through an extra set in the live room or booth. You set up so the speakers are in the mic's null as close as you can get. Some find that throwing one speaker into reverse polarity and playing back in mono helps reduce leakage. I haven't no. I will though. But the post of mine you responded to was just me pointing out that for me and at least one other singer I know, closed back cans feel more natural than open backed cans. Wasn't saying anything about using no cans at all. I am with you raganI like closed back headphones, in fact I use the closest of closed back, extreme isolation headphones... 8) I have thousands of hours live singing experience as well.... poor monitoring kills my voice faster than anything else... I have also tried monitoring through studio monitors with the mic placed in the null point... I find I perform better , in closed back cans.. through a STA so I can "ride" its compression as I sing... I also find I lock in with the timing better (a huge thing that doesn't get discussed much) But I know other singers who like open, don't like cans... like to use a hand held.. etc whatever works for you... the single biggest thing that affects me, is the polarity of the vocal in my cans.... cheers Wiz
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Post by ragan on Dec 9, 2016 18:03:11 GMT -6
I haven't no. I will though. But the post of mine you responded to was just me pointing out that for me and at least one other singer I know, closed back cans feel more natural than open backed cans. Wasn't saying anything about using no cans at all. I am with you raganI like closed back headphones, in fact I use the closest of closed back, extreme isolation headphones... 8) I have thousands of hours live singing experience as well.... poor monitoring kills my voice faster than anything else... I have also tried monitoring through studio monitors with the mic placed in the null point... I find I perform better , in closed back cans.. through a STA so I can "ride" its compression as I sing... I also find I lock in with the timing better (a huge thing that doesn't get discussed much) But I know other singers who like open, don't like cans... like to use a hand held.. etc whatever works for you... the single biggest thing that affects me, is the polarity of the vocal in my cans.... cheers Wiz Can you elaborate on the "polarity" comment? I'm not following but would like to be
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Post by mulmany on Dec 9, 2016 18:50:04 GMT -6
I am with you raganI like closed back headphones, in fact I use the closest of closed back, extreme isolation headphones... 8) I have thousands of hours live singing experience as well.... poor monitoring kills my voice faster than anything else... I have also tried monitoring through studio monitors with the mic placed in the null point... I find I perform better , in closed back cans.. through a STA so I can "ride" its compression as I sing... I also find I lock in with the timing better (a huge thing that doesn't get discussed much) But I know other singers who like open, don't like cans... like to use a hand held.. etc whatever works for you... the single biggest thing that affects me, is the polarity of the vocal in my cans.... cheers Wiz Can you elaborate on the "polarity" comment? I'm not following but would like to be You set the monitors equidistant from the mic so that when you flip the polarity the signal is cancelled in the mic. It does not cancel in our ears because of the distance between our ears.
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Post by ragan on Dec 9, 2016 18:57:41 GMT -6
Can you elaborate on the "polarity" comment? I'm not following but would like to be You set the monitors equidistant from the mic so that when you flip the polarity the signal is cancelled in the mic. It does not cancel in our ears because of the distance between our ears. I know about that trick when using the monitors instead of headphones but Wiz said "the polarity of the vocal in the cans". That's what I'm curious about.
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Post by wiz on Dec 9, 2016 18:58:05 GMT -6
Can you elaborate on the "polarity" comment? I'm not following but would like to be You set the monitors equidistant from the mic so that when you flip the polarity the signal is cancelled in the mic. It does not cancel in our ears because of the distance between our ears. Actually, with my polarity comment.. I was referring to when I wear cans.... if you flip the polarity it thins out in my ears... I am polarity sensitive to my own voice. cheers Wiz
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Post by ragan on Dec 9, 2016 18:59:56 GMT -6
You set the monitors equidistant from the mic so that when you flip the polarity the signal is cancelled in the mic. It does not cancel in our ears because of the distance between our ears. Actually, with my polarity comment.. I was referring to when I wear cans.... if you flip the polarity it thins out in my ears... I am polarity sensitive to my own voice. cheers Wiz Interesting. On a mono vocal? I'll have to try it. I've never flipped polarity on any mono signal ever I don't think.
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Post by ragan on Dec 9, 2016 19:00:44 GMT -6
You set the monitors equidistant from the mic so that when you flip the polarity the signal is cancelled in the mic. It does not cancel in our ears because of the distance between our ears. Actually, with my polarity comment.. I was referring to when I wear cans.... if you flip the polarity it thins out in my ears... I am polarity sensitive to my own voice. cheers Wiz Is it maybe how it's interacting with the acoustic sound of your voice? I'm very curious.
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Post by sozocaps on Dec 9, 2016 19:52:43 GMT -6
I'm not sure whats best for vocals... I have 770's as my reference but my favorite tracking cans are M-Audio because of the almost live excitement experience and when tracking...
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Post by bowie on Dec 9, 2016 20:30:02 GMT -6
Would love to hear some more recommendations. I prefer speakers for my own performance but it's sometimes just not acceptable (particularly with a metronome track on a vocal/acoustic song). I have the DT880s which create the same problem as a speaker. And, some closed AT's which still leak too much.
I'd actually like to find something with just one ear. I know I've seen them before (maybe in aviation). Is there anything like that with decent enough sound for tracking?
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