Dubstepforum.com

Had a pair of AKG K240s MK IIs for few years.

They're semi-open but ive never been able to go more then couple hours before having to take them off.

Always assumed this was just a natural consequence of closed/semi headphones, but I've realised with my Dad's cheaper Seinheisser I don't get this. So maybe it's discomfort rather than fatigue? Equally I can produce for much longer periods when on just shitty speakers.

So I'm wondering, what's the standard time before ear-fatigue kicks in, and what brands are considered more comfortable headphone? I just want something where I can slog out a track without my ears feeling boxed and violated.

Obviously monitors would be ideal but not practical for an upstairs flat.

1. There is no standard time for ear fatigue to set in.

2. Are you taking a 10 minute break of silence every hour? If not, you should.

3. Ear fatigue is very subjective. Example: I typically found headphones fatigue my ears very quickly (hour tops), but had never owned even fair headphones before I bought AKG 240s. I've worked on 240s for a couple years and find them not at all fatiguing. In fact, I found my KRK Rokit 6 monitors more fatiguing than these headphones! The AKG design and response work so well for me I upgraded to a much more expensive pair of them.

4. Excepting the case I describe above, I agree that speakers are generally less fatiguing and that only seems logical to me.

5. 10 minutes of silence for every hour you work.

6. Don't do marathon sessions for mixing.

7. 10 minutes of silence for every hour you work.

I use AKG 240s and don't feel these issues, guess this is just something relative and you'll have to try out what works for you.

I'd say if you haven't taken a break at least once within 3 hours, stop for the day.

legend4ry wrote:I'd say if you haven't taken a break at least once within 3 hours, stop for the day.

Agreed. At that point you are almost certainly doing small amounts of damage that will add up over time and I feel like anyone's ears would be too tired to even do sound design or arrangement properly.