Scott wrote:
> I am considering the MDR-7506 phones, and from what
> I read, these are industry standard for live
> recording application.
I did a double-take on this message, since in a parallel thread a problem w=
ith using the Sony MDR-7506 for field recordings is being discussed. Namely=
: wind noise.
Their second, more significant, problem is that they are not accurate. So i=
f you want to actually know *what* you are recording they are not a great o=
ption. You will however know that you *are* recording, which is all many EN=
G folk care about. They are cheap, relatively durable, and efficient, so pe=
ople on TV shoots like them. They are the least bad solution. Which is a go=
od place to be, sometimes.
If you want isolation and honesty without spending a bomb, get the Sennheis=
er HD 25-1 II. They are durable and relatively compact. You'll be able to h=
ear a lot more detail in your recording.
> I have a budget around $100.00 for the new phones.
To be blunt: that's not enough. Though I scored my HD 25 for 85 pounds ster=
ling, I doubt that is going to happen in dollar land. And the other options=
cost two or three times as much. Don't go cheap. Headphones are important =
and last (almost) forever. Save for something decent.
Of course eventually you'll have three or four pairs and wonder how you eve=
r though just one would do!
> I notice the impedance of those phones
> and recorder are unmatched, but is that really an issue??
No, forget that. The sensitivity of the phones gives some idea of how loud =
they can be driven, but there are so many other factors (frequency response=
and isolation being but two). Though you can aim for high sensitivity, the=
re is no one measurement that is going to tell how loud the phones will app=
ear.
> hope the amp in the Tascam is sufficient
> to drive the Sony phones to full fidelity
All headphones that are worth listening to in the first place are improved =
with a good source. Don't expect "full fidelity" from a headphone amp in a =
portable recorder -- it probably cost a few pennies. But it might well be "=
good enough" for the purpose.
P.S. I have never found Sony cans I thought were optimal. There always seem=
s to be a better pair from another brand for the same money. I currently ow=
n Grado, AKG, Sennheiser (x2), and Koss. I would also recommend checking ou=
t Beyerdynamic. But be warned: There are as many opinions on headphones as =
there are pairs of ears.
-- Robin Parmar
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