Hi All,

What would you guy suggest on buying a head phone? what brand? Not too expensive.Also I am thinking of buying a Wireless handheld mic.
Please give your opinion on that as well

Thanks
Matthew

just my opinion. Sony MDRV700DJ is a great set of headphones, they are made for DJs (which is my day job and a have a pair) and they work great for what us video guys need, plus they are very comfortable and isolate very well. they are only 99 bucks and come with a nice pouch.

my pick for wireless mics go to the sennheiser G2 Evolution series. i have about 5 sets.. 3 lavs and 2 handlelds... and in several years of hard use none of them have ever failed me in the slightest.

The Sennheiser G2 is a good wireless lav, and you can get, for about $100 more, the "ENG" package, which includes the transmitter which can plug into the end of any pro hand held or shotgun mic.

I use cheap headphones, usually Sony. I think they're good enough for dialog. Last set I got was around $100 but they're probably more now. I like the kind that have plenty of insulation-the bigger ones, to help keep out background sound so I can hear the dialog better.

Specific recommendations would depend on your application and budget. Without that info it is hard to make a specific recommendation that is tuned to your needs. That said:

I have been satisfied with the Sony UWP-C1 series wireless mic. This is a LAV version, there are handheld versions as well. I have a UTX-P1 transmitter for use with a handheld mic. For a lower price point consider a VHF model. The application is event/wedding type work.

Many professionals like the Sony MRD-7506 headphones. (I've been using the lower priced MDR-V600, mainly as a carry-over form music listening. They are a bit more bulky and heavier, and were I buying today I would probably go for the 7506.

When selecting headphones be sure to try them first if you can. Some makes/models have a rather low sensitivity (they require a fairly high output signal) or rather low impedance, and that can be problematic with some camcorder headphone outputs.

I highly recommend these headphones:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/49510-REG/Sony_MDR-7506_MDR_7506_Headphone.html

They are an industry standard in the film and recording industries. For convenience, they fold together in a compact package.

They are $99 and are top-of-the-line professional image and use.

The foldability really makes a difference when working with small cameras and cases.

If you are ultra low profile, you can use any ipod earbud or headphone with a 1/8" jack. But if you want real headphones, the Sony above can't be beat. (They also make the smaller pad version for half the price that also work well, but they don't fold.

The MDR-V6 are arguably the same headphone as linked above with cosmetic differences (I have heard slightly different frequency response, but others have said they perform the same) and are about $30 cheaper. I've seen plenty of pro sound guys using the V6 and the 7506 interchangeably. Great cans and I myself have used them for many years.

I also use the Sony MDR-7506 and love it.

I've also got the Sony UWP-C1 series wireless mic setup.

I think it's an excellent little package.

Can't help you with the headphones.

AKG K141 monitor. about $100 and great for all audio applications. i own a small recording studio and use them every day!

I like the Sennheiser 280's I got for about $100. Very good sonically and well isolated from noise.

It's worth mentioning again that the foldability of the Sony MDR-7506 is a very advantageous feature, as is the curled cord.

With a camcorcord and a long cord dragging around is quite a bother. And packing away a full size set of headphones is not convenient.

All parts on the Sony headphones are replaceable and easily available, but this may also be true of other headphones, I don't know.

I use AKG K518DJ (35 Ohm) in the field, and AKG K240DF (2x600 Ohm) back at home. The first is a closed construction and isolates well from surrounding sounds to let me concentrate on the audio coming from the mic. The second is an open construction used in audio studios which requires more amplification but delivers superior sound. The AKG K518 delivers good audio quality and can be driven effectively by small amplifiers in e.g field recorders, camcorders, etc. The AKG K240DF, due to its open construction and resistance, is less useful in the field.

Sony MDR-7502, about $50 at B&H. They are loud, have a flat EQ, and are durable. And they don't make me sweat like those giant earmuff headphones.

I have 2 pairs of Sony MDR-7506's and they've always been great. I use them for audio and video recording, and for listening to music while playing my drums (acoustic and electronic drums). They isolate a decent amount, but it's tough to hear things like room ambience in the mic versus the actual room, unless you squeeze them to your head and turn up the headphone volume. That's probably true with anything, though noise canceling phones might be nice in that instance.

I also have a pair of Sony MDR-V150's. They're on-ear, compared to the larger over-ear models and they don't fold up. The cord doesn't coil either. They sound nice and smooth, but the worst problem with the smaller on-ear size is they bend the stems on my glasses! I wore them for about 2 hours one night and my glasses no longer fit correctly and I had to take them in for an adjustment the next day. If you're wondering why I own them, they came with my XL2 as part of a used package and were basically free. I wouldn't recommend the smaller size Sony phones to anyone wearing glasses. Thick plastic stems on sunglasses are probably fine, but thin metal ones, no way. :)

Eric

...though noise canceling phones might be nice in that instance.

My experience with noise canceling is they mainly work on low frequency sounds (such as jet engine noise in an aircraft and the low frequency noise from the shopping mall that leaks into the demo store). They are not very effective on anything approaching voice frequencies or above, at least no better than standard over the ear headphones.

For noise canceling in my sound proof recording studio I use Studio Kans.
http://www.indoorstorm.com/Studio_Kans_Stereo_Headphones-p-549.html

But for video work I use the Sony 7506 pack great and nice sound.

I worked with a guy who had a pair of noise cancelling phones about 11 years ago. It was a fairly quiet office, but there were about 10 computers, A/C, copies, printers, laser fax with fans in it, etc. They seemed decent, but I can imagine them working better on lower frequencies because it's easier to reproduce lower frequencies with cheap microphones. The highs are more difficult. :)

The 7506's are great. I've been wearing a pair for the past 6 hours watching tutorials and things. They're a little head fatiguing at first, but once you get used to them, they're nice.