Originally Posted By: AudioTrack
I'm no expert here, but I use both. Sometimes headphones give the the ability to listen to critical nuances in a recording, including the ability to detect artifacts that might not be obvious. Monitors give the ability to listen to the production as a whole including balance, levels, quality, fidelity, mix and more.

Both are versatile tools, but I think that good quality monitors take precedence in deciding on a final production.

I fully agree here. I really only use headphones when recording or to check a mix, but I do all my work using good monitors (Mackie HR824 mk1's, and a pair of Rokit 5's as backup).


Originally Posted By: sslechta
Same, and I also check the mix in the car.

YES. It's always good to check your mix in the worst possible environment - most cars fall at the bottom of the list.


Originally Posted By: Mike Halloran
After a couple years of constant use (if you're lucky), the pads will start falling apart.

Most brands will do this. I've had my M50's for 9 years now and had to replace the pads once - not bad.


Originally Posted By: Byron Dickens
The reason for using proper monitors is so you can be sure of what you're hearing, not the end user. It is really hard to make good mix decisions if your listening environment is not accurate. That is the biggest obstacle to making mixes that translate.

You do the best you can while listening to the most accurate representation you can get and then you have to let go. Once it gets out into the wild, all bets are off

To some extent this is correct, however the key is in knowing your equipment VERY well. Some people use their studio monitors and studio headphones only when mixing, and use something else for casual listening - this can easily lead to a bad mix, as you're not used to the sound of your monitors or headphones. I use my main monitors for casual listening for hours a day, which makes it MUCH easier to notice problems in the mix than if I used a different sound system. This is also why checking your mix in the car is a good idea, providing you spend a lot of time listening to tunes in your car.

Making your listening environment more accurate will always help, but not as much as knowing your monitors. There are limitations of course - if your monitors can't produce bass below 100hz or treble above 8khz, then you can't hear those frequencies to know whether they sound good or not.

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