Headphones
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Posted on Jul 04, 2009 12:51 pm
Loki
Cone Poker
Member Since: Apr 07, 2002
Hey Gang!
So I've moved into an apartment where recording super loud at night (my favourite time to record super loud) Is not an option, and the band and I want to get this album done and out of the way, so we're looking at getting a system of headphones for everyone. Ideally we'd like 6 sets for the band, and another 2 for the control room since we don't have a set of monitors. We'd also like for each musician to be able to adjust his own volume in the cans and maybe even their own EQ or reverb mix (I can't sing unless I have reverb... I know it's a crutch). Not having ever really used headphones I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to a system that could do this or come close to doing this. Current budget is about 400 for the set-up, but thats not a number set in stone. We're willing to shell out more if needed to have a good monitoring set up that won't piss of the neighbors who already have demonstrated that they aren't really fans. Any suggestions?
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Jul 04, 2009 02:29 pm $400 isn't going to cut it...
You're going to need all the phones - You can certainly "cheap out" on that, but for anything reasonably decent (you really can't mix on even the highest quality headphones due to simple physics, but that's for another thread), it's going to burn up your entire budget right there.
8 channels (16 if you want stereo) of DA to support 8 mixes, 8 channels (16 if you want stereo) of headphone amps.
If you can all get by with the same mix, you can get a couple Behringer headphone amps.
But again - If the point is actually mixing on this system also, just save the money and go somewhere else. No reasonable low end accuracy, no phase relationships, no accuracy in the stereo imaging, etc.
Getting a mix to sound great on headphones is a piece of cake. That's the problem. It can be a awful, horrible sounding mix - and it'll still sound fine on headphones.
Jul 04, 2009 03:31 pm yeah man....definately gonna need more budget....here's why...
first off yer gonna need a dedicated headphone amp (kinda like a samson HP60 or the beri) ....if you want the ability to have custom mix's for each person, you can go one of two routes.....you'll need a D/A converter for every channel, so if you have multiple outputs on yer interface, you can used that.....you can then run that into a box (i don't know the name/model that distributes every track ot the cans, then each person will have a box for their own mix......this will be expensive! i've seen the rigs in a few studios here in nashville so i know they exist...little blue bastards...
OR you can creatively use your mixer's aux outs or subgroups, to send stem mixes....via software.....like (and do this in mono to maximize channels) in your software, creat an aux buss then do a custom mix via aux sends to a dedicated output on yor interface....if you have 8 analog outputs, you can send out 6 custom mix's.....again' you will need a bari headhpone amp to distribute what to who...but i think that'll be the easier on your budget.
as far as headphones go, i LOVE my Sony MDR-V600....they are slightly "tubby" which is ideal for mixing at comfortable levels with them...good "all around" type cans.
for behind the board, i used to have Sinnheiser eh350's and have been hands down my favorite cans for referencing....it's like havin' some high end near fields strapped to your nead.
as far as cans for the performers, fostex tr40's or 50's are standard almost across the board, lol just like destressors! it's all copycat, but yeah, i've used them all and as for as good headphones that will last, i'd just dump the money in these and not have to ever worry about it for years.
but yeah, start with a good pair or two, get a dedicated headphone amp, then worry about dooin' mixes for everyone.....ususally you can get most ppl to compromise and get a workin' mix everyone can live with.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
Jul 04, 2009 09:49 pm Hey man, i saw this excellent thing just recently, this is mainly for amps though and im not sure what it would cost ya but maybe down the track you could do it.
you know the rockwool/rockwool type sheets you can buy in big packs?
well i saw this guy who bought about 8 packs, and basicly built a little enclosure around his amp buy just stacking them around it (leaving them in the plastic packaging).
so, walls (leaving enough space at the back for leads and sound pressure) and a roof.
so completely covered.
this dude says he can put his amp on 10 (this a 4x12) and he can still here his monitors in the front room 5 meteres away.
totally filters the noise. Not that yer gonna want it on 10 but you get the gist.
thought that may be usefull to ya in some way.
