Headphone reccomendations

[willie]

My neighbors have recently let me know on no uncertain terms that they're not happy with a 3000 watt bass rig playing next door to them and have asked me to try to play through headphones more. One problem. My pair of AKG 270's just took a crap again. I've resoldered the wirees in then several times but this time it seeems terminal. But they are about 15 years old. So I need to get a new set of heaphones. They must be studio quality because I dont just use them for practice but for recording and mixing as well. They also need great bass responnse since I'll be playing my bass through them alot  and loud.
Can anybody give any reccomendations on  a realy good comfortable pair of headphones that have great frequency response (flat for recording and mixing)loud durable and reliable that sounds like they might be what I'm looking for?
Thanks
Wilie

[wideload]

Grado SR-225s have served me well over the years. The 325s had TOO much low end response for me (who woulda thunk it?)
 
Larry

[tomhug]

Hmm . . . Not to go all Nanny on you, but I recommend you proceed with caution . . .
 
(Message edited by TomHug on November 14, 2008)

[lbpesq]

The article referred to above is here  
 
Bill, tgo

[bsee]

That was my thought, that there are a lot of volume settings between 3KW and headphones.  I use Sennheiser Pro 280s when I'm recording, but I try to limit my headphone usage as much as possible.  I like my ears, at least as far as they allow me to hear things.  I can play through my rig just a little louder than listening to the TV with a very pleasant tone.  Neighbors can't complain about that, except maybe at 3AM in a condo with cardboard walls.

[jbybj]

I don't use headphones extensively, so I can't speak for their long-term comfort, but I use the Bose noise canceling headphones. I use them on airplanes and for mixing at my computer. They have a wonderful tone, (I don't believe any transducer is truly flat, the secret is finding one with the coloration you can learn to interpret, and enjoy), and the best part is that you don't have to turn them up very loud to get a nice sonic image. The noise canceling is awesome. At my computer, the hard drives, the refrigerator, and the distant traffic all but disappear. This allows a very revealing audio presentation at reasonable levels.
 
My recording professor, 30 years ago, taught me the importance of checking rock mixes at low volumes, and it sort of became a habit. I can tell a lot more about a mix when monitor at lower levels. Lucky I guess.........  
 
Best of luck to you, try the Bose Quiet comfort 2. JBY

[poor_nigel]

I started out in the 60's with dual Sunn bottoms and in the 70's switched to a pair of 370 cabs that were so loud that they actually had warning labels on the back of them. The bands I was in were very loud back then. It used to make me smile to see beer bottles move on the closer tables when I played. I do have significant hearing loss, especially in the range of human voices. Sometimes, if more than one person is talking, it all sounds like every one is just mumbling, and I cannot understand even the person standing next to me. It comes and goes. I played my headphones loud back then, too, and I really should not have. Their fidelity was inferior, so I would turn up the volume to compensate.  
 
These days I can listen to headphones and if they are very good ones, I can enjoy what I perceive is the full range of them - Is it? Search me. But mid-range phones sound like muddled crap to me, and I need very pricey ones for enjoyable listening, and not at too high of volumes. I use a pair of Grado RS-1's for anything I am will to be tied to by a cord, and I use a pair of Pioneer SE DRS3000C's to run around wireless. I do not recommend the Pioneers, as in my opinion they break signal too much, and I have read comments from others concerning this subject that agree. When they work, they are quite decent and not pricey. The Grado's I will of course recommend with no reservation, at all, for any purpose that requires you be plugged in.
 
You know, when I am alone and things are quiet, I seem to have much improved hearing.  I can distinguish subtle sounds, and at both ends of the spectrum.  Maybe I should try out a pair of those Boise noise cancelling headphones.  
 
(Message edited by poor_nigel on November 13, 2008)

[flaxattack]

i like the etymotics from www.headroom.com - a great site for headphones
buy the better ones with more bass response- these are in the ear
i have a good set of cans i would recommend and would be ready to sell- will get the model # etc
later cause they're in the basement with my gear

[dnburgess]

I've always found the high end Sennheisers really comfortable with nice bottom end - but I've never used them for bass practice.

[dannobasso]

I would suggest any sort of in ear type of headphone like Flax mentioned. And if you choose to have molded ones made they block out any unwanted noise better than Bose NC phones. I had dual drive westones made and I absolutely love them. Another upside is that since they are in your ear canal they require very little energy to sound good. Also less drain on battery driven devices.

[glocke]

Ive found in ear types to be painful after awhile.  I use them for my ipod, but for practice,
i use a pari of ultrasones...pricy, but worth it.  If you shop around you can find some deals..
 
look at the pro series
 
http://www.ultrasone.com/

[willie]

Thanks for all the help,now I have some places and ideas to work with. Thanks
Willie

[goop]

i use ergo for music playback.
 
http://www.precide.ch/eng/eergo/ergo.htm
 
these are the evolvement of the old jecklin float electrostatic headphones of the 80's. mine are not the electrostatic model and were more moderately priced. the overall response is airy and phenominal. they are very comfortable, but the foam bits have deteriorated over the years. i highly recommend these, if you can find them.

[bsee]

One other thought is that I believe an open design can be less fatiguing and less likely to build pressure than the typical closed headphones or an in-ear setup.  One thing that many people notice about the Bose NC models is that they feel pressure when they are turned on, almost like being up in a plane.  
 
It's about your situation and listening habits.  The safety factor associated with in-ear and closed headphones that provide the best isolation from outside sounds is that you don't have to turn it up as loud to hear everything because there's no other sound to overcome.  The down side is that you can really blow your ears out if you turn your volume up with these sorts of headphones on.  In a relatively quiet environment where you don't care about leaking some noise out into the room, an open air set can be just as safe if not more so.  I believe it gives you more margin for error before you cause damage if you get a little loud, and I know it's less tiring for my ears if I have a lot of work to do.  I don't know what the actual science says about it, but that's my experience.

[lbpesq]

Has anybody tried the Bose QuietComfort 3 on-ear NC phones?  These are the newer, smaller ones that fit on the ear, rather than over the ear.
 
Bill, tgo