Why I Hate Headphones.

[boosh]

Just because when I move my head the sound stays the same.

 

When I listen to monitors and turn my head the soundfield changes.

 

What was left can shift to the middle if you know what I mean.

 

On headphoes it just follows your movements. I hate that. It doesn't sound natural to me.

 

I hate the fixed position of the sounds.

 

Like going to a concert and have the whole band run around you when you move your head sideways. Unnatural.

[Mark L]

We're so different

 

I only ever listen to music through headphones

 

Diff'rent strokes....

[the stranger]

I dislike them because it gets tiring having them on for long periods. I also would rather be pushing some air when I'm listening. But, they are an indispensable tool, so what can you do?

 

Tracking? Gotta have them. Critical listening? They can really help. A lot of times I'm jumping between tracking and mixing and they end up staying on. But, I still don't commit a mix until I hear it moving some air.

[the stranger]

 

Just because when I move my head the sound stays the same. When I listen to monitors and turn my head the soundfield changes. What was left can shift to the middle if you know what I mean. On headphoes it just follows your movements. I hate that. It doesn't sound natural to me. I hate the fixed position of the sounds. Like going to a concert and have the whole band run around you when you move your head sideways. Unnatural.

 

 

One of the best ways to check a mix is turn it up and go in the next room. I always move all around and see what things sound like in different spots.

[boosh]

I have never ever used them while mixing. Only time I have them on is to check a final mix.

 

I check final mixes on a little mono-radio,a carradio, a tv set and an Ipod.

[the stranger]

I have never ever used them while mixing. Only time I have them on is to check a final mix. I check final mixes on a little mono-radio,a carradio, a tv set and an Ipod.

 

The best test is the small speaker mono setup, like the TV and clock radio type. I notice all the time audio tracks on tv/cable that routinely distort the TV speaker. It's like they don't ever bother to check, which I'm sure they don't. They probably think it's actually some marketing plus.

[guitarflyer]

I read a thread where a sound man felt monitors were best for mixing as you got more of a natural depth feel when doing the mix...like in a concert..he's probably right...but one has to ask with most of the people these days using earbuds and Ipods....maybe mixing with earbuds(that's what I do ) will help get a more approximate finished product to how most listeners will hear your music.

 

My recording below was done with ear buds...some feel the guitar is to far out front...maybe monitors would have made that more apparent, and I would have done the mix a little different...

 

Henley used to take final mixes to his car, drive around...with the logic that back in the day, that music had to sound good on the car radio....

[MikeRivers]

 

Just because when I move my head the sound stays the same. When I listen to monitors and turn my head the soundfield changes.

 

A couple of AES shows ago, Beyer showed the Headzone headphone system for surround monitoring followed your head movements with some DSP gimmickry and an ultrasonic tracker mounted on the headband. Listening on it and moving around was an odd feeling.

[the stranger]

 

I read a thread where a sound man felt monitors were best for mixing as you got more of a natural depth feel when doing the mix...like in a concert..he's probably right...but one has to ask with most of the people these days using earbuds and Ipods....maybe mixing with earbuds(that's what I do ) will help get a more approximate finished product to how most listeners will hear your music. My recording below was done with ear buds...some feel the guitar is to far out front...maybe monitors would have made that more apparent, and I would have done the mix a little different... Henley used to take final mixes to his car, drive around...with the logic that back in the day, that music had to sound good on the car radio....

 

 

I used to always do my final check in the car...but what always tripped me out about the prevailing wisdom was I always felt the car was hyping a mix and making it sound better. The main reason I always used the car to check a mix was the car was always the best place to check the bass. If the bass passed the car test, it was good to go.

[boosh]

Odd as in good? Or didn't you like it?

 

 

A couple of AES shows ago, Beyer showed the Headzone headphone system for surround monitoring followed your head movements with some DSP gimmickry and an ultrasonic tracker mounted on the headband. Listening on it and moving around was an odd feeling.

 

[MikeRivers]

 

Odd as in good? Or didn't you like it?

 

Odd in that I might like it if I got used to it, but then I don't do surround recording and I don't listen to it either. I can see it if you're doing a live surround mix. You might want to get an idea of what would get lost if you turned this way or that.

 

For ordinary stereo listening I'd much prefer things to be stable when I moved around. I want to listen to the MUSIC, I'm not after a creative (or otherwise) supplement to the music.

[Ernest Buckley]

I mix mostly on phones. I listen to music mostly on phones. Considering most people are blasting their ears out while listening to music via phones, it only makes sense to me to mix that way.