Once you have established which studio headphones to buy among the many models sold online, it is important to make the most of our new device’s potential to obtain the best results in both mixing and mastering.
If you don’t have the faintest idea how to make it work, below we give you some useful tips on the correct use of these devices, so you can go to the recording room prepared or create your music tracks at home without too many worries.
Difference Between Closed and Open Headphones
Depending on the type of use the headphones are intended for, some factors can influence the choice more than others. If, for example, the goal is to record songs and tracks, the priority should be sound isolation.
At the same time, those who plan long mixing and editing sessions will have to focus on comfort, especially if the headphones will be worn for many hours a day.
In this regard, you can choose between two different types of products: closed-back headphones and open ones. The former is the best for recording because they can isolate external sounds and noises, preventing them from “infiltrating” the microphone mixing with the tracks.
Open headphones, on the other hand, are perfect for mixing because, in addition to minimizing bass frequencies, they return a more precise and “real” sound, giving a general idea of how the music created would sound if it were played in an open room or in a particularly large environment (such as discos, theaters, and stadiums).
However, since both types have their pros and cons, most musicians prefer to purchase both models for use in different circumstances and contexts.
The important thing is to remember that open headphones behave essentially in the opposite way to closed ones, as they offer better sound quality at the expense of less sound insulation.
The Musical Genre Makes the Difference!
Also, to use the studio headphones correctly, it is important to ask yourself if the songs we will listen to through the device’s speakers have a predominant sound.
The musical genres that require greater accentuation of low tones, such as electronic music and hip-hop, need headphones with a good response at low frequencies.
In contrast, models with more precise and balanced responses in the medium-high frequencies lend themselves well to listening to, for example, classical or jazz music.
If, on the other hand, we want to listen and mix a bit of everything, it is better to opt for headphones with the most neutral sound possible or, if we have a high enough budget, to buy two complementary models.
Which Device Will They Be Connected to?
The last question is about the device to which the studio headphones will be connected. If, for example, it is a low impedance device, such as a laptop or smartphone, then it is better to use headphones capable of withstanding low voltage values (about 16 or 32 Ω) to obtain a level of sound intensity.
Alternatively, you can also use a good amplifier to match a high impedance headphone model (300 or 600 Ω) to a low impedance device. At the same time, the reverse is always not recommended because, in this case, the headphones will tend to distort the sound.
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