 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: wjk
Date: 2004-04-25 14:13
Has anyone found a particular set of headphones reproduces recorded clarinet music more accurately than others? Is a dedicated headphone amp useful?
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2004-04-25 14:50
Sennheiser HD 580 gets my 'wallet vote'.
A dedicated 'Headroom' amplifier will give you tremendous sound, designed to get the most from headphones.
Lotsa musicians travel with the Grado 80s - not too pricey.
For me it came to the best compromise between weight, performance, earfit and price. I also own a pair of Etymotic research ER-4P but I only wear them for site recordings.
http://headroom.headphone.com/layout.php
I buy most of my new gear from Full compass, but you need to do your homework before ordering through them.
FYI - I paid $125 for the Sennheiser with the 'DSP' module at auction.
You could shell out considerably more, but these things break with use!
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2004-04-25 14:51
I have a pair of in-the-ear phones by Etymotic Research (ER-4Ps). Nothing in my experience has ever come close to those for sound reproduction for any music. You get to hear exactly what is on the recording media, including flaws in the recording and playback equipment.
Not especially cheap, but amortized over 10 or 20 years not especially expensive, either  .
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Author: Shawn
Date: 2004-04-25 20:07
I love my Grados. Now, I have the cheapest pair, so I can only imagine what the others must sound like. Sennheiser also makes very good headphones.
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Author: Phat Cat
Date: 2004-04-25 23:24
I use the Shure E5 earphones, an in-ear design similar to the Etymotics Mark C. recommends, and a bit more expensive. The E5 has separate micro-speaker drivers for bass and treble in each earphone, which results in the most accurate and extended response of any sound reproduction I have ever heard. A few cautions for anyone considering ultra-high-quality in-ear reproducers such as Etymotics or Sure.
First, they provide a high degree of acoustic isolation from the outside environment; in fact, they are now used by many stage musicians in place of studio monitors. As a consequence, they should never be used when driving, riding a bicycle or even jogging in traffic. Note: you can have custom-fitted ear-molds made at a reasonable price.
Second, although the drivers are tiny, they are directly coupled to your ear canal and can produce very high sound levels. Due to their low distortion, you might not realize how loud you are playing them until you have already reached dangerous sound levels. Do not pump up Pink Floyd as loud as your player can go.
Finally, these units are mercilessly revealing of their source material. You will hear things, both good and bad, which you’ve never heard before. Great recordings have a you-are-there presence. You will also hear keys clicking, conductors and performers breathing, bows scraping, etc. The solo clarinet, with its unique overtone series, is spectacularly good at exposing wow/flutter in recordings that were mastered in the pre-digital era.
If you are serious about sound, give either manufacturer’s products a try. They now have somewhat lower priced models that don’t have quite as wide a response range.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-04-26 14:21
A few months ago I was able to score some very reasonably-priced new MB Quart headphones on eBay (two models, SP25 and SP40, one is 100 ohms impedance and the other 300 ohms) and I've been very pleased with their sound on all forms of music.
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Author: msloss
Date: 2004-04-26 18:51
STAX Omega II or Sennheiser Orpheus.
That is, if you'd rather have headphones than a new set of Toscas or Chadash Clarinets.
Second the Etymotics and the HD580s. Also, Sennheiser recently discontinued the HD600 in favor of the 650, so those are available at a good price as well. I have used them for several years as my reference 'phones for mixing and editing, including several clarinet projects.
The op amps in most portables, and home equipment for that matter, aren't very good and not up to the task of driving really good cans. The Headroom amps are indeed terrific. If you are on a budget, Creek makes a good one for a couple hundred $. If you want transcendent to go with those great phones you are gonna buy, check out the Grace Designs 901. Sounds phenomenal, and has a built in DAC (up to 96kHz), so you can take a direct digital feed off your CD, DVD, DAT, or whatever.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2004-04-27 01:12
For what the Stax or Senn Orpheus cost, they should drive my kid to school.
The HD 580 looks suspiciously like the more expensive 600 and 650...
I wouldn't spend more than two bills on headphones until I decided I liked listening to music with them on - it takes some adjustment.
FYI - If you wear the Etymotic stuff, it will always feel like people sneak up on you when you're wearing them, they drop 25dB in isolation.
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Author: cowboyjonus
Date: 2004-04-27 02:20
sony studio moniter are simply the best
for overall reproduction
and they can hold a lot of sound no distortion
jj
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Author: ken
Date: 2004-04-27 02:44
I agree with Mark, however I use a pair of Sony Studio Monitor MDR V-600s I paid about 150 bucks for. To my ears and concept, they come the closest in duplicating the most natural sound of voice and instrument of any cans I've recorded and/or mixed with. v/r Ken
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-04-27 14:26
I've been using a pair of MDR V-600s for years, to the point where they're literally worn out --- one reason I like the MB Quart SP 25s I just got is that they sound very similar to the Sonys. Interestingly, although I'm not a huge fan of Consumer Reports, the reason I originally bought the Sonys was that they were "top-rated" by CR for 'accuracy'.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2004-04-27 19:54
What was their source material?
Depeche Mode?
Head full of Dwarves?
The sound of a thousand blenders?
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-04-27 22:12
Probably a pure sine wave at 1000Hz --- but boy was that Sony accurate!
I guess CR's endorsement makes the Sony headphones the Toyota Camry of stereo gear (whatever that is.....)
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2004-04-28 01:27
Most likely to be stolen for parts?
Least amount of fun on a cross country trip?
Voted most bland by the Mayonnaise producers of America?
******
If they sound good under $150 - buy em.
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Author: ken
Date: 2004-04-28 02:06
.... confirming testimony by David. Most definitely, accuracy well describes the MDR-V600s. The first pair I used was recording the Ponchielli, Il Convegno. As I recall, we were scheduled for only 45 minutes in the late morning (11:15 a.m. when most were already tasting that first drink for lunch). We had to really crank out the duet, 2 bed takes, 1 alternate finale and 3 transition plugs and that was it. However, I can honestly attest the V-600s was key to a successful recording. Although rolling a helpful two-track and 100% digital nonetheless, they were a pure joy to wear .... very comfortable and non-fatiguing. They not only had a very natural and believable flat response but also held their color ranging from loud staccato attacks and rapid passages to soft, legato slurs where sensitvity and tuning was paramount. Most noteworthy, they faithfully picked up the slight squeak of a chair in a full band mezzo section; not only the squeak but the imaging pinpointed the back left of the band (300-pound tubist).
The only criticism was now and again tone spread slightly on sforzandos and they were spiky above E6. Also, I can’t stand coil cords .... but that’s a personal problem. Recently, coworkers have recommended the Shure E5 transducer-type portables minis and new Sony MDR-7509s … both I'm told are pricey but superior hardware for the critical listener and advanced player. v/r Ken
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Author: wjk
Date: 2004-04-29 22:49
I just added a small Headroom "Total Airhead" headphone amp to my Sony portable CD player. With Grado 80 headphones, it is a huge upgrade in terms of tone and volume.
Post Edited (2004-04-29 22:49)
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2004-04-30 00:42
That's the ticket...
For home use, I have the "Audiophile USB" soundcard from M-Audio.
It does some upsampling, and has a handy headphone level control.
Not bad for $150!
The Total Airhead is a killer amp, and a bargain price.
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