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ears wide open
A Sound Editor's Look at—and Listen to—Over-the-Ear Headphones
by Michael Hertlein, MPSE

photo by Wm. Stetz, model: Fred Arteaga

A few years ago a colleague of mine had an extra pair of Sennheiser HD580 headphones that he was looking to sell. I had been using a pair of Sony MDR V600s for editing but the earpads were wearing out, and having trouble finding replacements pads I decided to just get new headphones (how’s that for logic?). What a revelation! Now, almost two years later, I still can’t believe it took me so long to get better “cans.” My Sonys made my earlobes red and sore from being pushed against my head. They were hot and stuck to the sides of my head, and since I’m not the most frequent shaver, my facial hair was tearing up the padding.

With those Sennheiser HD580s, the ear pad fit over my entire earlobe (circumaural) and was made of a soft velvet fabric. I figured my unkempt facial hair would tear these up in no time as well, but I was wrong. We all know how important sound quality is, especially when you’re editing dialogue. My opinion is that sound takes a close second to comfort when it comes to headphones. Notice I said a close second. Sound is very important but if wearing the headphones that the sound is coming from is uncomfortable, you won’t want to wear the phones. I’ll sacrifice a little sound quality to have cans I can wear all day. A little. Can headphones sound great and really be comfortable? Yes, but just because they’re expensive ones doesn’t mean they can accomplish both.

There are two kinds of headphones: open and closed. My Sonys are closed headphones, which tend to be a little warmer to wear because not much air can circulate through them, and the Senns are open. The main advantage of closed headphones is that they block out not only noise coming from outside but sound coming from inside the headphones. The trade-off is that closed headphones tend to color the sound more and can make you feel like you’re boxed in.

If you’re editing in a relatively quiet edit bay, you probably don’t need closed cans. You may find they work a lot better if you’re trying to do work on a mix stage or outside recording sound effects. Closed headphones are also severely affected by the seal created when they’re on your head. If the ear cups aren’t flat on your head the bass response won’t be as good. For the closed headphones to seal on your head they have to squeeze more.

For me, open headphones have a more, well, open feel to them. I don’t feel like I’m cut off from the rest of the world, and they certainly aren’t as warm to wear. Open headphones have a more transparent, natural sound. That’s why I chose to take a look at—and a listen to—open headphones. Some of these cans also can be found in closed versions that are very similar.

Instead of going to a local music shop and trying to determine what headphones I would be wearing for the next few years while listening to I don’t know what through who knows what system, I thought it would be better to audition them in the environment that I’d be using them. So I researched some headphones that are well respected and not typically used in audiophile circles. Audiophiles (I don’t claim to be one) are people who tend to take amps, DVD players, speakers and the like very seriously, spending more on speaker wire than some of us spend on our entire home systems. No kidding.

The line-up consists of Grado Labs (sr325i), Ultrasone (PROline 2500), two Beyerdynamic headphones (DT880 and DT990) and my tried and true Sennheisers (HD 580). Instead of delving into technical aspects such as frequency response graphs and impedance, I wanted to concentrate more on comfort, price and “real world” sound. Saying one headphone sounds better than another is a little like trying to convince someone that one color is better than another. Generally speaking, with these high-end cans one may appeal more to another person’s ears for different reasons. A comparison of headphones for editing (ie, daily use) can’t be complete without a mention of how they handle music and singing. Most dialogue editing doesn’t use the entire frequency range fully and since music covers a greater spectrum I did a lot of music listening as well.

Grado SR325I ($295)

Grado's SR325i model

Grado’s (www.gradolabs.com) SR325i model has a very retro, almost minimalist, look to it and is very well respected in audiophile circles. To adjust the size of the headphones, you slide a thin metal rod up and down through a plastic piece. It’s very simple and easy to adjust, but I have to wonder how they would stand up to daily use. The earpads were not my favorite. It is the “press against the earlobe” (supra-aural) design that is uncomfortable to me. Fortunately, these are very lightweight and they don’t squeeze your head like some cans do. The cable comes out of both ears (which bothers some people but not me) and terminates to a 1/4” jack (no 1/8” adapter is provided), and is not removable.

The sound is extremely detailed in the mid-to-upper frequencies, and what I would describe as very forward. I felt like I wanted the sound to be a little further from my ears. You could probably hear the actors blinking if you edited with these headphones! I did find them lacking in bass, although what bass they did have was tight. For all-day listening, the high end was too much for me and the pads were too uncomfortable. These caused both sonic and physical fatigue when wearing them for more than a short while.

Ultrasone PROline 2500 ($399)

Ultrasone PROline 2500

These cans were the most expensive of the five I reviewed but they also come with the most accessories. The box includes two different cables that can be easily removed from the cans, one straight and the other coiled like a phone cord. Both terminate with a 1/4” plug, but a 1/8” adapter is included. Ultrasone (www.ultrasone.com) also includes an extra set of earpads that can be removed with a simple twist. The round earpads are comfortable and made from an almost gauze-like material, but stronger of course. These cans fit over my earlobes but the headband was almost vice-like and my head hurt after I wore them all day, especially since I wear glasses. This may loosen up over time, but none of the other cans were this tight. Like my old Sony V600s, these cans fold into themselves and come with a bag in which to carry them. This is a pretty convenient feature that isn’t found on enough headphones.

According to the Ultrasone manual, “The PROline products are reducing magnetic radiation up to 98 percent in comparison to ordinary headphones” and that “according to medical experts, this radiation may be risky to your health.” Every bit helps, especially for those of us who wear headphones all day, every day.

Soundwise, I liked these headphones. The bass was strong, maybe even a little too strong, and the high-end detail was very good too. It wasn’t until I listened to these headphones that I realized there could be a difference in attack. Percussive sounds were noticeably faster through these headphones compared to the others. This may sound weird on paper but the first time I heard it I immediately knew the difference.

Beyerdynamic DT880 ($299) & DT990 ($249)

Beyerdynamic DT880 and DT990

These are the top-of-the-line Beyer-dynamic (www.beyerdynamic.com) open headphones. Even though Beyer has the DT770 (not reviewed) and the DT990 (reviewed) in its line-up, the DT880 is the most expensive. Several people at work tried on these headphones along with the DT990s and immediately commented on how comfortable they were. The DT880 and DT990 are the same in terms of comfort, size and shape. The large, round earpads are made from very soft velvet and are extremely comfortable. I had no problem wearing either of these all day. Both cans have the same soft padded headband that can easily be removed if it ever needs replacing.

For some reason, I feel better knowing that the cable is easily replaced just in case something happens to it, but unfortunately the cables on these Beyers are fixed. The ends terminate with a 1/4” plug that unscrews to reveal a 1/8” plug. With the 990s you get a coil cord while the 880s have a straight one. More money was spent on the packaging for the 880s. They come in a foam-padded tin box that provides more protection than the cheap box the 990s come in but it isn’t very convenient for carrying. The tin box has no handle and the lid is flimsy.

The 880s have a little more mid-range detail than the 990s but both are very accurate headphones. The 990s are a little more sibilant and have a more exaggerated bass response than the 880s. At this price range, I would probably cough up the extra money to go with the 880s over the 990s, although some may like the bass boost in the latter.

Sennheiser HD580 ($200)

Sennheiser HD580

My Sennheiser HD580s (www.sennheiserusa.com) were the most comfortable, best sounding headphones I had ever worked with…before this review. They are still very comfortable headphones. The earpads are oval instead of round and are covered in soft velour that has held up very well in the two years I’ve been using them. Never in my two years with these cans have I felt anything but comfortable wearing them. They’re like an old shoe now perfectly contoured to my head.

The HD 580s have long been revered in the audiophile circles. Sennheiser has come up with some higher-end versions (HD600 and HD650) that are considerably more money. I’ve always found the HD580s to be easy on the ears and warm sounding. The upper mid-range is not as detailed as the others but it also isn’t as sibilant. This might be why I never found these cans to be fatiguing or harsh sounding. Even though the mid-range isn’t as detailed as the others, I’ve never been surprised by something I’ve edited wearing them when it got to the mix stage. They provide a very accurate representation of what was recorded on set.

The 10’ straight (not coiled) “Y” cable is replaceable, terminating at a removable 1/4” to 1/8” plug. Several third-party companies make cable upgrades for the Sennheisers that are said to improve the sound. One of them, Cardas (www.cardas.com) was kind enough to let me audition one of theirs. They do make a slight improvement but I don’t think it justifies the $150 price tag.

Conclusion
This comparison opened my ears to how different headphones sound and feel. My HD580s will still get a lot of use but I can tell they’ve loosened up quite a bit and it may not be long before they just fall off my head. Factoring in everything I’ve touched upon (price, sound, comfort), if I needed to buy another set of cans, I would have a tough time deciding between the DT880s and another pair of Sennheisers.

The prices listed are retail and many of these headphones can be found much cheaper with a little searching. The website www.headphone.com has a great deal of useful information about headphones including reviews, opinions and frequency response charts. The guys at this site call themselves “headphone geeks” and will even write bad reviews for headphones they sell. They also have several of these cans for sale.

If any readers have headphones they think are comparable to the ones mentioned here, I’d love to hear about them. In a subsequent issue of Editors Guild Magazine, I will consider in-ear monitors; they’re more than just an upgrade for your iPod headphones.

Michael Hertlein, MPSE, is a dialogue, ADR and foley editor working in feature films. He can be reached at dialedit@yahoo.com.

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