Headphones: Hd800/LDC's Worth it?

[DimensionX]

So I've been mixing on k712's and dt770's and I now have some money to buy hd800's or lcd's, I absolutely LOVE headphones and have dreamed about the hd800's for quite sometime (just look at some of the custom paint jobs! https://www.google.com/search?q=colorwa ... CAYQ_AUoAQ)

Are they worth it? Has anyone tried all of the above (or something better?) and can say it's worth the money to get the pairs? I love the separation in the k712's and I love the bass in the dt770's! (Though frequency response doesn't entirely matter as the master can be eq'd?)

From the many threads it seems the hd800's are great for the soundstage and although people complain the highs being too high as a result of having an acoustic "ringing" in the space within the earcup, it seems it has been resolved with a DIY mod here: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/di ... axilus-mod

The bass in the Dark Prince/LCD's seem preferable of the 2 but again, I could just eq the master on the either of the headphones, thus the frequency response comparison seems redundant so perhaps I should be comparing soundstage, or? hmm...

HD800's?

[Hashkey]

I'd go for a pair of 650-600. The 800 are really expensive and are not much loved across the head fi community :/.
looks like got some problems with the highs and the cable.
Check headfi and see for yourself

[AxeD]

Focal Spirit Pro

[cyclopian]

you should never be Eq'ing your master bus to make up for inaccuracy of the playback device btw

[DimensionX]

Cylopian why not?

[cyclopian]

Cylopian why not?

lets say your headphones/monitors have a dip around the 800hz range, if you boost 800hz on your master to even the frequency response then what happens to people that that don't have a 800hz dip on their playback system? There will be boost in the 800hz range for them, but for you it sounds 'flat'.

[fragments]

yea...EQing monitors/headphones doesn't really work. Considering how good heaphones half that price are I honestly can't imagine blowing over 1K on headphones...even if you can't use monitors or can't often use monitors and can't use them in a treated room if you could...still doesn't seem worth the dosh...

If you can't get to the level were you are essentially profiting on your tunes with cheaper headphones, I can't see justifying the expense. Especially if you have K712s already and DT770s already...it just seems really redundant. I mean if you "collect" headphones or something...whatevs...

I'm currently using AKG 702s and honestly as far as mixing on headphones, I can't imagine really spending nearly 4 times that...I get good mixes that are 90% there using mostly those and referencing on Equator D5s, my bose HiFi, in the car and on a boombox.

Also, I highly doubt anyone that frequents this sub-forum has worked extensively on 1K headphones unless they work at a studio or go to school somewhere that has them...

At that price point I'd say buy a pair of monitors even if you can only use them occasionally. You could almost get a pair of Equator Q10s for that price...

Fuck dude... buy vibe-y analog hardware synth or something...shit...even for a working musician with all that referencing options already available just seems a waste. Like...seriously...fuck...buy a Culture Vulture saturation unit or something...

[AxeD]

Wait they are a 1000 quid? Get Genelec 8130's imo. It's not really worth it
to spend that much on headphones. Any pair of headphones is going to have
the same problems compared to a good loudspeaker setup in a studio.

Really, I decided three years ago I'm going to stick to headphones and later
get small Genelec speakers and use them together. That way you have a proper
stereo image on very flat/neutral speakers for your mixdowns and the rest you can
do on the cans.

[DimensionX]

@Cyclopian I totally didnt think of that thanks man!

I got a pair of Focal cms'65's but it's hard to imagine being able to take them out of storage as Im always on the move... The analog synth idea however...

Thanks again guys

[VirtualMark]

Cylopian why not?

lets say your headphones/monitors have a dip around the 800hz range, if you boost 800hz on your master to even the frequency response then what happens to people that that don't have a 800hz dip on their playback system? There will be boost in the 800hz range for them, but for you it sounds 'flat'.

Simply disabling the corrective EQ when you export fixes this problem. There's a new program called Sonarworks Reference, which is basically an advanced EQ that does exactly this. And you'd need to disable it whenever you export the track, and maybe when you bounce, depending on your DAW settings.

In Cubase you can use the control room, and have this plugin on a separate track to the master, so that it only affects the headphone output. I can't say if that's possible in other DAWs.

[VirtualMark]

So I've been mixing on k712's and dt770's and I now have some money to buy hd800's or lcd's, I absolutely LOVE headphones and have dreamed about the hd800's for quite sometime (just look at some of the custom paint jobs! https://www.google.com/search?q=colorwa ... CAYQ_AUoAQ)

I use AKG K702s, but was thinking of buying something different as they're a bit bass light. What do you think to the K712s? And do you run them off a decent headphone amp?

Have you considered the Oppo PM-1s? They're magneplanar headphones, currently about £1000 and supposed to sound amazing. The reviews certainly look good.