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I am in need of another pair of headphones that i can plug into my mixing board or even keyboard.
I am astounded at today's pricing of headphones either at on line web sites or even at my local music dealerships.
Any thoughts as to why they are so expensive these days especially when they are manufactured in some far of Asian country that generally pay nothing to their workers.
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When compared to the past, a lot less people purchase studio grade headphones that don't add color to the audio. Many people get by with ear buds while there are a lot less commercial studios than before. Even in music stores it is getting increasingly difficult to find consumer grade headphones. Many manufacturers only make commercial grade (expensive) studio headphones, "audiophile" headphones that color the audio and consumer grade headphones.
Why do so many audio interfaces use the 3.5mm headphone jack instead of the 1/4" standard of old? Because most people will use what they have in hand instead of investing in headphones that cost as much, or more than the audio interface.
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w, What are the prices of the headphones you're looking at? I'm a fan of Audio Technica and I presently use ATH-MT40x. I was just having a look around the internet and here's a link to some entry level Yamaha headphones that would be worth investigating. They're on special for under $37.70. https://www.bigmusicshop.com.au/yamaha-hph50b-headphones.htmlRegards, Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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I once went to an Australian retailer (DS) to get headphones and the guy said "buy these they are digital." I asked "why so expensive" he replied "you must understand they are completely digital". I said "no thanks my ears are analogue I can't hear in digital" he gave me a blank look and I left.
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They're on special for under $37.70 Dear Mr Magoo Noel's price of course is in AU$ I'm not sure what the currency conversion is in outer-space 
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They're on special for under $37.70 Dear Mr Magoo Noel's price of course is in AU$ I'm not sure what the currency conversion is in outer-space Thanks, Trev. I keep forgetting that there are other currencies out there 
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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They're on special for under $37.70 Dear Mr Magoo Noel's price of course is in AU$ I'm not sure what the currency conversion is in outer-space Thanks, Trev. I keep forgetting that there are other currencies out there Which is why one needs a currency converter like this: http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/So $37.70 AU is $29.72 USD, 24.67 EUR, 22 British pounds or 1.293 billion bit-space-coins.
I think my wife has started to show the first signs of dementia.
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It is true, a good pair of headphones can certainly cost a pretty penny. However, I am a strong believer in you get what you pay for (with obvious exceptions). I myself am a giant fan of Audio Technica, they have never steered me wrong! And even though they can cost a bit, they last a long long time.
Cheers,
Deryk
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I went to a music store a few years ago with $350 in my pocket to burn on some cans.
I was comparing the quality of the sound in the high dollar cans to that of my $20 ear buds. The buds are the Creative EP 630 model. After having the sales guy drag out three different "nice" sets of cans, and comparing them side by side with the same exact source audio..... I concluded that they were about the same as my $20 ear buds and left after thanking the sales guy for his time and consideration. I still had my $350 in my pocket.
The last song I put up on the User Showcase was mixed primarily with a set of RH-5ma cans from Yamaha. I bought them from a half price bargain bin in a music store for $30. My older Realistic cans were falling apart.... so I bought the Yamaha's to replace them. They are brighter and I do tend to use them to mix. I compare the monitors with the cans.... split the difference and call it done.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 01/11/18 08:30 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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I compare the monitors with the cans.... split the difference and call it done. Same thing I do on my Sony MDR-7506 cans and monitors.
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I find the editorial by the OP about Asian factory workers a bit out of place. But if you want to buy overpriced crap, get some Beats headphones! They sell for hundreds, but I hear they are made of about $15 worth of material. I bet the people who make those are paid really well!
For my part, sound is not all I pay for in a set of cans. For the last 20 years my primary phones have been Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (first 250 ohms, now 80) Reference Headphones. I first got them in the mid 1990s for medical transcription and have found them to be the most accurate, comfortable, and durable I had ever used, with the added benefit of providing wonderful passive acoustic isolation.
That last is important for rejecting ambient noise (critical as a transcriptionist in an office environment) and containing noise (bleed) when tracking in the studio. The comfort was also essential, as I wore them for eight hours on shift, plus more in my home studio. Even wearing glasses I could have them on comfortably for 10-12 hours a day.
Accuracy is a given, and apparently isn’t that hard to achieve. I paid $50 and $100, respectively, for Audio Technica M40fx and Sennheiser HD-280 phones that sound almost as good as the DT 770 (they lack the dynamic range and aren’t as comfortable).
A kicker is durability. I paid $86 for my first pair in 1997 and they lasted for 15 years. I replaced the ear pads, but the drivers themselves wore out. In cost per year, that makes them ridiculously cheap. You will pay $150-$175 today, but everything is replaceable now, so I expect my ROI to be similar.
Bottom line: When buying commercial-grade phones, you are paying for—and receive—much more than good sound. Your $30 Apple Earbuds may sound almost as good, but they will not be as comfortable, last as long, or offer the other benefits that a professional set will.
And that is my considered professional opinion.
Richard
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I agree with Richard. I will add that if your earbuds leak sound, I have heard this with others earbuds, and you are recording via a mic then the mic will also pick up that leak. This makes editing extremely difficult.
Over the ear good headphones is the only way to go IMHO.
I think my wife has started to show the first signs of dementia.
She said she can't remember what she ever saw in me!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Over ear headphones Must be closed back or you will get Bleed.
I for one think there is too much on the clean recording thing.
As when I listen to music through my byerdynamics I hear breathing rustling etc, in a lot of pro recordings of various artists.
This adds to the recordings not detract from it.
As mentioned in this topic by an earlier post the byers are absolutely fantastic, even if you pick a pair of second hand ones up, as you can fully refurb as all components/or nearly are available to replace/refurb.
And they are awesome for recording vocals/guitar etc, and mixing.
I have the dt 770.
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Here's a guess to answer the original question, taking it literally: rare earth materials in the magnets.
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Why are headphones so expensive is a very open question.
W, what do you consider expensive?
Bob
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I for one think there is too much on the clean recording thing.
As when I listen to music through my byerdynamics I hear breathing rustling etc, in a lot of pro recordings of various artists.
This adds to the recordings not detract from it. Absolutely! Hearing Yehudi Menuhin’s chair creak, or the valves working on the sax before the first note is played, or the tiny bit of hum the engineer couldn’t quite eliminate from the guitarist’s amp—all add to the sense of being in the same room with the performers! It’s a completely wonderful thing! R.
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Why are headphones so expensive is a very open question.
W, what do you consider expensive?
Bob Bob makes an excellent point. I thought my Beyerdynamic DT 770 were a bargain at $175 when compared to moon rock alternatives at three times or greater the price.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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I also have a Beyerdynamic DT 770. Very solid for monitoring and tracking. If I don't use that, I use an open air similar to Grado, the Alessandro One.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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I use open back AKG K240s for mixing and would not trade them for the world. They used to be $110 and now they are $60.
I use AKG K52s for recording vox because they are closed back and don't allow leakage. They are about $30. I don't consider that too expensive.
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Agree but only with respect to the much older/original K240's .
Larry
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