Headphones recommendation?
 

Just a quick question: I'm serious about sound recording quality with my EX1; which headphones would you recommend? Any particular specs required, or will just good hi-fi set suffice?

I use normal hi-fi headphones.
I did a shoot a while ago with the EX and Sennheiser shotgun mic,the bands were on stage with speakers set up but what i was getting through my headphones sounded better than what i was getting through the stage speakers when i removed my headphones.

Paul.

OK, let's just assume we're talking Sennheiser here - which model? Any specific impedance required?

What you see most in the field is Sony MDR-7506s.

$99 from many mail-order pro-gear sources.

Pros like them because while not particularly "accurate" they are very efficient (good volume from modest power sources like camcorder headphone jacks) and have a "presence peak" that supports better monitoing of dialog and other spoken content in field situations.

Remember spoken content is what typically does the heavy lifting in communications pieces, so knowing if you've got the dialog recorded well is often the single most critical part of field recording.

FWIW

I have the 'best ENG headphones' Sennheiser HD25 mk.II. They are really good and recommended for ENG.

Like wot it sez on the box. :)

They are pretty indestructible (a friend has had the first generation headset for ages and apart from a little gaffer tape here and there, it's going strong). I agree having bought my own set having gone through two or three noise canceling Sennheiser sets (wires fell out of the sides).

However, I have to say that they're not the most comfortable cans I've owned. Not the worst, but I wouldn't use them for anything else - whereas the Sennheiser 250s were constant traveling companions (and the reason I switched to a higher bitrate for my iPod rips).

I use Shure E4C's, in-ear-monitors, as I like to be as low-key as possible and also like the portability of them, I can just put them in my pocket. Isolation-wise, they are as good if not better than any over-the-ear headphone I have tried if you can get a good seal with the IEM tips that fit your ears. I would upgrade to a pair of Westone UM2's if I could afford it.

A savings note!
 

For all who are interested in the Sony MDR-7506s, they are $99.00 at B&H with free shipping. B&H is one of our valued sponsors.

Mike

I bought the Sony MDR-7506s and got them from Amazon UK at a cost my PMW-EX1 supplier said was below his cost price.

Having said that I've used my Bose Noise Reduction headphones more than the Sony's. Make my ears sweat but help cut out external noise and ensure I'm hearing what's being recorded.

Ian,

I'd be VERY careful with this approach.

Nearly all noise cancellation headphones work by sampling the environmental sounds, then making a copy of them, inverting the phase of the sampled sound, and adding it back into the mix at at full level. This works great when the environmental sound being eliminated is completely unwanted - as is the case of jet engine noise when flying.

But using that same technology at, for example a rock concert - what you're doing is taking samples of the BAND sounds out of the environment and inverse-mixing it back in with the BAND sounds you WANT to record.

I think this would have the potential to lead to TERRIBLE mixing in a concert, theatre, or any live recording setting.

FWIW.

Exactly why I did not go with the noise canceling kind. It sounds like a good idea, but perhaps not practical.

What happens if there is a sound you don't want that occurs on a set. These headphones would try to cancel it out and give you a false reading of what is actually there. It is still going to be recorded, but you may not know about it. These have gotten very reasonably priced lately, but I would not use them for monitoring sound.

Mike

I use Sony 7506's on camera, they fold up small and are very comfortable. They are great for blocking out unwanted external noise which is what most HiFi type headphones don't do.
http://bssc.sel.sony.com/Broadcastan...Model?id=52568

For any quiet editing work and general music listening I use Sennheiser HD650's, they are great headphones but would be useless for on camera stuff as they are open type and allow noise to pass straight through.
http://www.sennheiserusa.com/newsite...ransid=USHD650

Paul.

We use quite cheap headphones made by Takstar. I have a few Sennys and Sony 7509s. The el cheapo Takstars we buy off eBay leave anything else for dead plugged into a camera unless you have a headphone amp. They are amazingly sensitive, at least 10dB more than the 7509s which are quite expensive. Obviously these cheap cans are not for mixing, for that I've got the good cans fed with enough watts or my studio monitors. But for in the field when at times it's hard to know if what you're hearing is coming out of the cans or leaking into the cans they really cannot be beat.

I use Sony MDR 7506. Look around at sound guys on TV, you will almost always see them wearing these.

Sennheiser HD-25-1-II
 

Hello, the hd-25 is a very robust and high quality closed studio monitor. This piece is a one time investment. The best headphone i ever used