VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

mythwoman · Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 5:02 pm Post subject: On the subject of Headphones

Thank you for your responses. Today I did some major shopping at the Guitar Center and I can’t help but feel unsure if I chose the right things. For instance, I asked the customer salesperson (this man has experience recording voiceovers and music, or so he said) which headphones are best and he recommended the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro/80. Upon listening to them in the store I thought they were great. I bought the headphones but I haven’t opened the box yet.

I have looked at the responses from my last post and everyone has a preferred brand. By any chance, can you guys tell me your thoughts on these headphones I have bought?

On the website that Nick gave me, www.headphone.com the customer rating for the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO/80 headphones was 2.5 out of 5.0

I guess I am a sucker at following customer ratings because I feel as though I made a mistake and bought headphones that will not be useful.

I have decided not to buy monitors just yet, especially if I decide to return the headphones. And I realize that obsessing over headphones is probably ridiculous, but I’m so new to all this and I would hate to waste time and money if the product is suitable for voiceover recording.

I would appreciate your thoughts.

Mary

Philip Banks · Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 5:05 pm Post subject:

Fret not, they'll be great.

Jim Barton · Guest

Please describe for us what you will be using the headphones for.

Thanks, Jim

mythwoman · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 10:13 am Post subject: Beyerdynamic Headphones

The headphones will be used for recording. Not just voiceovers asI plan to record music and singing later on. The guy I spoke to at Guitar Center records music, voiceovers (he doesn't do them he records them), and other things (I don't recall everything he mentioned). I am too exhausted to drive 45 minutes back to the store to return them. I have been advised by some people to just keep them but a few have e-mailed me saying I should return them and buy cheap ones.

My parents want me to keep them, especially because I am too tired to attempt a second trip this week.

Deirdre · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 10:22 am Post subject:

Mary--Don't worry about the 'phones.
Think about how much your time is worth.
Unless you dropped 2 or 3 bills on 'em it's not worth the headache of orchestrating a return.
Just enjoy 'em.
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Jim Barton · Guest

Mary:

The reason I asked what you were going to use the headphones for was to confirm that you weren't planning on buying a nice pair of headphones instead of a set of monitor speakers. I believe it's a mistake to mix audio through headphones.

I've harped on this in the past, but what you should be looking for in both instances (especially speakers) is accuracy. Not necessarily what makes your voice sound the best. You want to be confident that the audio you're listening to at your place is similar to what the client will hear in his/her facility.

Jim

mythwoman · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 11:07 am Post subject:

Mr. Barton,

I agree with you by all means. One of the things that amazed me about the headphones was that when I listened with them on, the clarity was far greater than the $10 headphones I use to listen to music in my room (I never liked playing music on stereos for everyone in my house to hear). And the Guitar Center had music and sound effects booming in every direction from room to room yet still I could focus on hearing a recorded announcement in the store's sound proof studio, even with the door wide open. That's what made me buy the headphones.

And something else, this is my first studio and I know I have tons to learn even after I get experienced, but still I have fears of making too many mistakes, yet that is part of any learning process.
Thank you for your thoughts, and to everyone else too! I imagine that when everything is up and running I will have more posts to share.

kgenus · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 1:18 pm Post subject:

If you take them back, go for a pair that have a flat response curve (usually drawn on the back of the box or available in the documentation) that are comfortable for long term wear - should you use headphones in that manner. A review is just one person's opinion.....

An engineer once told me, "Education is what you get after you don't get what you initially wanted."
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Genus

VO-Guy · Guest

donrandall · Guest

Hart · Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:58 am Post subject:

Charlie Channel · Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:57 am Post subject:

Ha! Have you ever neutralized xmtr finals? I inadvertently put a screw driver across the plate power feed, with the dip switch in the wrong position after not checking and telling myself it wasn't. I recall seeing the handle of the screw driver tumbling through the air. After I returned to consciousness, and getting up from the floor, I can testify that that exerience probably ranks somewhere close to personally witnessing a thermonuclear detonation. Three inches of the tip of the screw driver was vaporized by 50 kv. Shocked

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Charlie

Hart · Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:02 am Post subject:

Oh MAN!

Our engineer here keeps a similiar screwdriver (involving a similiar story) at the transmitter site as a reminder to himself, and the rest of us I guess, to always check the power.

Sometimes, late at night, I wonder if all the time I've spent around transmitters will cause any future babies to have three arms.