Open back headphone recommendations?

[MonoKultur]

Hi folks,

long time reader - first time post.

By the way, for me it´s sweet pickles

Back to Headphones, i want to share my opinion on headphones in use with modeler (HX Stomp, Ampworx, Tonex Pedal, Interface & Ampsim, Pod XT):
#1 HD599 (cream coloured)
#2 HD 560S
#3 DT770 PRO (80 ohm)
#4 some old AKG 240 monitor (600 ohm)

For use with modeler i prefer HD599 - they are not to bright with balanced mids but the "stage" /Stereo-field is not that prominent. Volume is good, they are loud.

The HD560S are very nice - they are like HD599 but slightly brighter but they also deliver a very prominet "Stage". To me they sound more detailed or analytic compared to the HD599´s but semm to be slightly lower in volume (might be their higher imepdance).
I like them very much for listening /mixing, but when rocking with a modeler such details are not what i want to hear...

DT770 Pro are nice for recording with mics (closed cans) but almost every modeler sounded shite to me (brittle, shrill, no mids) - no inspiring tones for me...

The AKG 240 Monitor-version i bought 2nd hand a long time ago and they flet quite qorn.in already back then... To me they sound dark, dull, low volume almost no stage. Could be age or impedance but i didnt use them since quite some time...

 

[burningyen]

I’ve been thinking about open backs but can’t you hear the guitar strings while you are playing? I’ve realized lately that I appreciate not hearing the string acoustically in closed backs.

This, and IME the open-back bleed-through gets intolerable when you're using pitch shifting/digital alt-tuning.

 

[OrganicZed]

Open back headphones do sound great but are less than ideal for playing guitar with a modeler. I found that the sound bleed of the strings led to me turning up the volume too high for my long term hearing health. When I play though headphones I use IEMs. They have excellent rejection of string noise, the sounds translate well to live playing, and they are light weight / unobtrusive which make them comfortable for long term wear.

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

By the way, for me it´s sweet pickles

 

[toneseeker911]

I have the HD650. Comfortable , but they do have a wooly low end. Any presets I make without compensating for this, sound way too bright through other systems.

 

[the swede]

Its true about open hp and guitar bleed. Depending on play-style it may be a dealbreaker. I find it tolerable for my playing, but not ideal when I need to raise volume without it being to loud.

 

[Jarick]

I hear the strings when I play at low volumes through monitors or my amp anyway, so that part doesn't bother me as much. But I'm not doing pitch shifting.

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

Slate VSX

Thank me later.

 

[deadpool_25]

Slate VSX

Thank me later.

Hmmm. I was initially curious about these but have heard some mixed reviews iirc. Tell me more.

 

[toneseeker911]

VSX is great for mixing with their room emulations. Don’t particularly like it on guitar with all emulations off.

 

[Cactusprick]

I find headphones are quite personal thing and really depend on what you prefer.

For me once I had gone to open back i've never looked back.

I use Closed back only for vocal tracking and close monitoring.

Currently using HD600 and Philips cheap ass SHP9500 - both serves me more than good.

For me, HD280 were terrible and could not get rid of them quicker

 

[ian_dissonance]

Hmmm. I was initially curious about these but have heard some mixed reviews iirc. Tell me more.

To get the most out of them you have to run them through the software, which means monitoring through your DAW. I’ve spent about 30 hours over the last 5 days with them monitoring professional release stuff and doing a few test mixes and they are pretty special for headphones when paired with the software. The rooms have depth and the punch/transient picture is very accurate. The few things that I put together definitely translates better directly to other sources than mixing on my DT-990 Pros or my mostly untreated room with monitors. The low end accuracy with the HD linear corrections is super clear so kick/bass balance comes out the way you hear it when you take it to some hyped earbuds or the car. Overall happy with my purchase once I figured out how to listen to iTunes and YouTube through the software. For affordable open backs I like my DT-990s, though. Great sounding headphones for $120.

VSX is great for mixing with their room emulations. Don’t particularly like it on guitar with all emulations off.

They’re kinda boxy and upper-mid forward without the emulations. I could definitely track with them, but I wouldn’t want to dial anything in.

 

[Richard_G]

I do like my AKG K702 headset. But I might just be used to them (which isn't necessarily a bad thing).

 

[LCW]

PSA - AKG K702 on sale at GC for 70%!!! Off. 129 instead of 429. Yes $300 OFF!

Got a pair just out of principle. Plus I hate my DT990’s.

 

[deadpool_25]

TL / DR:

I would get a pair of Sennheiser HD6xx open backs from Drop for $220 or less, and a pair of Audio Technica M40X closed backs which are $100 all day long. You'll have some really good reference style headphones and some rugged tracking headphones.

Update: I got a pair of HD650s and a pair of M40Xs, both on Black Friday sales. Great recommendations!

The M40Xs seem great with the QC even though I typically hate playing guitar with headphones.

 

[mercifulfuzziness]

 

[rocknrollshakeup]

If you can wait a few weeks for Black Friday, I’m sure the Sennheiser HD6xx will go on sale again. Basically HD650s for half price and the best bang for the buck for open backs.

I love my HD6xx’s!

 

[Mikael Dez]

Mostly for guitar through either plugins or a modeler, and also some music production type stuff.

I have some Sennheiser HD280 Pros and while they're decent, I'm thinking it's time for an upgrade. Any recommendations? Let's keep it under $500 because y'all can just get out of hand lol ($250 would be much better).

Also they don't have to be open back, I've just heard good things about that design in the past. /shrug

I love my HD600s!

 

[Cactusprick]

Update: I got a pair of HD650s and a pair of M40Xs, both on Black Friday sales. Great recommendations!

The M40Xs seem great with the QC even though I typically hate playing guitar with headphones.

I love my M40X for tracking - a word of warning though.. the earpads are complete shite and will breakdown only after few years. Have them replaced with proper ones. I have stored them in a hard case with desiccant yet disintergrated into black powder. Very maddening.

 

[Jarick]

I love my M40X for tracking - a word of warning though.. the earpads are complete shite and will breakdown only after few years. Have them replaced with proper ones. I have stored them in a hard case with desiccant yet disintergrated into black powder. Very maddening.

The upside is the replacement pads are relatively inexpensive. $25 every few years isn't so bad.