Bose QuietComfort 2 Headphones For Monitoring In-Camera Audio?

[Jason Woodbury]

Since I already have these excellent around-the-ear headphones, I figured I would try them on my HG20 for monitoring audio levels while recording. I have never used headphones for monitoring audio before, so I have nothing to compare to - but they seem to work very nicely.

Anyone else use these for monitoring audio and like them?

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Jason Woodbury

Since I already have these excellent around-the-ear headphones, I figured I would try them on my HG20 for monitoring audio levels while recording. I have never used headphones for monitoring audio before, so I have nothing to compare to - but they seem to work very nicely.

Anyone else use these for monitoring audio and like them?

Sorry, but 'audiophile' headphones such as those are a poor choice for monitoring, especially since those Bose are also 'noise reduction' headphones. The noise reduction is applying signal processing which is altering what you hear. Similarly, they are designed to shape and contour the sound so it sounds like what the manufacturer thinks people want their music to sound like. This is all well and good when you're listening to music for pleasure but that altering of the original signal is exactly what you DON'T want when you're monitoring. You need to hear the original signal as it actually is in order to evaluate it, not filtered and equalized to make it sound better than it is. The industry standard monitors, found on feature film sets the world over, are the Sony MDR7506, with Sennheiser HD25 or HD280 in second place, and a smattering of Beyerdynamics. And the Sony's cost a third, the Senny's a half, of what the Bose cost.

[Jeff Kellam]

Bose is not exactly known for their fidelity.

[Neil Bolton]

Jason

Having had a couple of Bose noise-cancelling headphones and now having a Sennheiser set, treat yourself to a non-Bose experience and find out what you've been missing.

But don't go noise-cancelling for this job - you'll fall in love with the Sennheiser HD280.

Seriously, there is just NO comparison. Zilch. Zero.

Noise cancelling is great for planes, Bose is a great marketing operation, but I wouldn't even bother to plug them in if you can get hold of something decent - which, as someone else said, will be much cheaper anyway.

Disclaimer: As a wanna-be audiophile I am duty-bound to be a Bose-hater, but I really think I am being accurate here! And I have owned two of them in the past, which I did pay for . . .

Neil

[Jason Woodbury]

Thanks for the responses everyone. Sorry I've been out of pocket for a few days - my wife gave birth to our first child this past Wednesday. Needless to say my computer time has been limited since then. :)

Are the Sony MDR-7509HD headphones that much better than the 7506s to spend double the cost of the 7506s? It seems overkill for someone like me who will use these plugged into a Canon HG20 every now and then.

If my wife will allow, I think I am going to get the 7506s, the Beyerdynamic velour padded earcushions, and a Sennheiser MKE400 microphone to round out my HG20 kit.

Thanks and best regards.

[Jim Andrada]

I've got them both - the 7509's are bigger, more comfortable, probably easier to wear for a long time.

The 7506's seem to be less "mellow" more focused, and probably easier to hear in a noisy environment.

This is just my opinion based on not much use of either one, but I think I hear more things that need attention with the 7506's.

I didn't get them because of any unhappiness with the 7509's, but they were on sale for $70 or so and I thought that at the price I'd give them a try.

Again, just personal opinion. I wouldn't spend the extra $$$ for the 7509's - and the 7506's are easier to stuff in your kit.

[Neil Bolton]

Originally Posted by Jason Woodbury

. . . my wife gave birth to our first child this past Wednesday.

Congratulations! Wonderful! Fantastic!

Best thing that will ever happen to you!

Neil