What headphones are you using with your Helix?

[sunnyhaair]

I use two interchangeably - Focal Spirit Professional, and Avantone Mixphones. I've tried some others before like Sennheiser (HD280, 650), Westone, and studio classics from Sony and Shure, but they all had their translation issues.

 

I settled on the Focals and Avantones for a few reasons. 1.) They're similarly "transparent" (nothing is truly transparent, hence the quotes lol) to one another.

2.) I mix and monitor through Focal CMS 65s and 40s and an Avantone Mixcube.

3.) The Avantones have a mono switch built it. Which is great since I record some things in mono (clean, high gain) and some in stereo (delay, reverb), so it's nice to be able to check easily.

 

Ultimately, I've found them to help easily craft tones that translate perfectly for me since I can pick up on the slightest EQ tweaks. Even more so than through studio monitors and an FRFR.

 

I'm just curious about what others are using. Or if you're using headphones at all. I know some people prefer not to.

[DunedinDragon]

I'm not a particularly huge fan of using headphones as most of my efforts are directed toward live performance.  That being the case I'd rather dial in my sound on the system that will actually be used.  I do have a pair of Beyerdynamics DT 770 Pro 80s that I use when recording and have tried them out on the live rig.  But I just tend to be more comfortable in the results if I dial in my patches using the FRFR speaker (DXR12) I'll be using on stage.

[klangmaler]

...was discussed here with regularity, for example

http://line6.com/support/topic/23319-helix-through-headphones-sounds-awful/

Tip: This forum has a search function ;)

[willjrock]

I dont use headphones for the Helix much, but anything that rolls off the highs works for me. My good phones i plugged in once and there was too much detail so i never used them after.

[Charvel2]

...was discussed here with regularity, for example

http://line6.com/support/topic/23319-helix-through-headphones-sounds-awful/

Tip: This forum has a search function ;)

Yes, it's been discussed before, and yes there's a search function, but sometimes a topic bears raising again without dredging up old threads. Thus my question to follow...

[Charvel2]

If I may hijack this thread, I've been wondering the same thing since I just got my Helix. Up to now I've been using IKM Amplitube with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 as the output, JBL monitors, and a pair of Sennheiser HD280 'phones. Because I have young kids, I do a lot of my playing and recording with headphones, so their sound is important. I plugged the Sennheisers into my Helix, and the sound was ... not great. Hard, sterile, unyielding, and not terribly musical.

I tend to gravitate towards vintage Marshalls for my core tones, Plexi, JTM-45, and the like, so I'd prefer something warmer in the mids. The Beyerdynamic DT 770's seem to be a popular choice - can anyone with experience compare them against the Sennheisers? I'm after warmth and smoothness, so are there any specific recommendations?

And on a related note, should I be looking at lower or higher impedance 'phones? I believe my Sennheisers are 80ohm.

Any thoughts welcome, thanks!

[saks]

I have a two sets. Seins HD 380 Pro and the Ber DT 770 M, I tend to lean towards the DT 770 as the reproduce my studio monitors ( Fostex 8" 3 ways ) pretty well, sometimes I have to take them off to ensure I'm not still routing through the monitors in the middle of the night.

 

Edit: I really like the 380 Pro also. I don't think either one would be a bad choice. They are both closed back with the 770s being a bit more isolating.

[PeterHamm]

I end up having to use headphones a lot for playing at home.

I alternate between Shure SE 215 IEMs (which because they aren't conventional headphones but are IEMs means that I can actually tweak sounds with this and use them live with almost no adjustment)... then I switch to Sennheiser HD380s which I like a lot (but need to break in before they sound good) and an old broken in pair of AKG K240Ms.

 

I like using it with headphones, actually.

[ronballllllls]

I've been into hi-fi audio for about 5 years and got my endgame set of headphones about a year ago. Audeze LCD-XC closed back https://www.audeze.com/products/lcd-collection/lcd-xc. Sold a pair of used Audeze LCD-2's for the same price I bought them ($700) then found this pair for $1100 so net cost for these was about $400 (at least that was my reasoning lol wife didn't seem to buy it)

[cruisinon2]

(at least that was my reasoning lol wife didn't seem to buy it)

Whenever the wife throws the old stink-eye in the direction of new gear, I just wander over to her closet and start counting (aloud...) pairs of shoes. By the time I get to double digits, the conversation is over. ;)

[wafry1975]

my old headphones broke right after buying the helix, so I bought a pair of the Sennheiser HD280 PRO that Sweetwater has on sale... I set my patches up for live, and they only needed a little tweak

[tedulrich]

I end up having to use headphones a lot for playing at home.

 

I alternate between Shure SE 215 IEMs (which because they aren't conventional headphones but are IEMs means that I can actually tweak sounds with this and use them live with almost no adjustment)... then I switch to Sennheiser HD380s which I like a lot (but need to break in before they sound good) and an old broken in pair of AKG K240Ms.

 

I like using it with headphones, actually.

 

Good to hear, I've been eyeing the SE215s myself since I can't currently swing for a pair of 64 Audio A6 IEMs that I really want. 

[PeterHamm]

Good to hear, I've been eyeing the SE215s myself since I can't currently swing for a pair of 64 Audio A6 IEMs that I really want. 

 

 

I know people poo poo them because they are single-drive, but my experience with them has been fantastic.

[lungho]

Good to hear, I've been eyeing the SE215s myself since I can't currently swing for a pair of 64 Audio A6 IEMs that I really want. 

 

Until I had saved up enough money to drop on a decent FRFR speaker, I used the SE215's to setup my patches (I also use them live).  To be only a single driver, they worked very well for me.

[wafry1975]

hold on, and I'm sorry if I am hijacking... I'm a n00b and I'm learning new stuff every day here... 

 

1) IEMs can be used to set your live mix, and that translates well? but studio headphones don't? 

 

2) those 215s just look like regular headphones, with an 1/8" plug... how are you using them as wireless IEMs? 

[cruisinon2]

hold on, and I'm sorry if I am hijacking... I'm a n00b and I'm learning new stuff every day here...

 

1) IEMs can be used to set your live mix, and that translates well? but studio headphones don't?

 

The real-world answer is that it will depend entirely on the headphones or IEM's in question (AND the person wearing them), and whatever amp/PA speakers you're running through live. What works for me, may or may not for you... it will forever be a crap-shoot. For every guy you find who says model "X" headphones translate perfectly to their live rig with little to no tweaking, I'll show you 3 others who'll swear on their mother that the very same combination resulted in horrifying sonic chaos from one to the other. There's really no "buy these and you'll be fine" solution to this one...too much of it subjective and dependent upon YOUR ears.

 

What you can be sure of though, is that after a while you'll start to know ahead of time what tweaks you'll need to make between different monitoring methods, and the whole process will get faster... but don't expect to be able to create one set of patches that can be used for any and all circumstances. You're not gonna get that lucky, none of us do. I've got live patches, and headphone/ studio monitor patches...never the twain shall meet.

[wafry1975]

ok, cool, that's kinda what I thought... but hey, if there ever is a magic bullet, sign me up! :D

 

my live sound didn't need much from the sound guy... he rolled off the lows some and added a little to the mids, and that was that.... even with a stereo rig out of the helix... my output knob (LT model, so no separate headphone volume) was the same, from home to live, too, if that makes a difference. 

 

that said, I strive to make sure what I hear in practice at home is what the crowd hears too... but playing at full volume at home, with a toddler is not always feasible. plus the difference in space from an 11x11 office to a much larger room, with different acoustics and materials.. 

[cruisinon2]

ok, cool, that's kinda what I thought... but hey, if there ever is a magic bullet, sign me up! :D

Me first, lol. ðŸ‘

[PeterHamm]

hold on, and I'm sorry if I am hijacking... I'm a n00b and I'm learning new stuff every day here... 

 

1) IEMs can be used to set your live mix, and that translates well? but studio headphones don't? 

 

2) those 215s just look like regular headphones, with an 1/8" plug... how are you using them as wireless IEMs?

 

IEMs like the 215 work a little differently from headphones, and behave a little more like speakers. That's how it was explained to me when I noticed I could tweak to them and get closer than conventional headphones.

[Lachdanan0121]

I have a set of AKG K712 Pros.  (the orange ones) These things have a great sound stage, clear sound, flat response (relatively) and I can wear them for hours without much fatigue. I haven't heard a better set of headphones, but they don't come cheap. I got them for about $348 on a major sale, and that was a few years ago when they cost even more than they do now, back when they were actually made in Austria. (when they typically cost $700-$800) You can get them for around $500 on a normal day these days, and I think they are made in Slovakia. 

 

I sometimes go out of the Helix headphone out, but a lot of times I go line out L+R 1/4 inch into a Little Dot MkII tube headphone amp. I have changed the tubes out for some nice aftermarket German, and Soviet tubes.  This gives me a little bit warmer sound, with what I consider a slightly better/wider sound stage. I can pin point direction-ally  on pc games a little better with the tube amp as well. Some of the improvement could be a bypass of any impedance mis-match with the Helix headphone out, but I also think Headphone amp has a nice quality to it as well.

 

Take all this as I am not a touring musician, I am strictly studio. I use a mix of headphones, studio monitors, and other monitoring methods. 

[Digital_Igloo]

Sennheiser HD600.

[ibisibi]

Beyerdynamic DT150 in studio

Shure SE425 IEMs live

[ThePup]

HD650

[DanishMic]

Normally only using Headphones when i need to play and something in the house reauires me to be quiet  ;) 

 

Using Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO.

[MusicLaw]

I use Sony MDR-V6 Studio Monitor Headphones (I have several pair) and Shure SE530 IEMs with the Helix. They sound great with the Helix. I have used them for years before getting the Helix, so I am very familiar with their sonic character. YMMV.

[Tehzim]

I use a set of Audio Technica ATH-M50s