Recommendation: Try a bunch of headphones at your local music gear store and take a device with some reference audio on it - tracks you've heard a bunch of times so you know how it should sound. Headphones are super subjective as to which works well for each person. We all have different sized and shaped heads, different ears, different states of health in the nerves between our ears and brain, differently shaped ear canals. So a great set of headphones for me, may not work well for you and vice versa.
Hi Curtis! I have some exciting news: I've joined Red Bull India as the EP for their new gaming TH-cam channel, and I feel indebted to creators like you who share so much educational material for making this possible! I feel like I learn more about sound or light not just from your educational videos, but also from your reviews, and for that I am and will always be grateful. Thank you for the very real difference you have made in my life!
i also find that using tone generator to check the response of the headphone while referencing from available measurements online is a good way to check for the sound character for the headphone
Did this today. The NTH’s won for comfort. Its like a Kangaroo snuck into my bedroom and measured my ears then had a set made just for me. The lack of pleather cups was a genuine high point. They pair well with the headphone output on my FX3 and will live a peaceful life married to that camera as monitors.
Impressive for Rode’s 1st attempt into the headphone market. Pretty sure the other makers are noticing some of those features like interchangeable cables and the ear cup lock.
Got these last week. Love them! The isolation is pretty good and definitely good enough if you want to listen while you mic up an instrument without having to have them loud to overcome the acoustic bleed from the instrument. Great to have a choice of sides for the cable entry. I found the headband a bit intrusive on the top of my head, but it’s ok once you get used to it. They seem a good price for the high quality of the sound / design of them. The sound is a good match for my studio monitors. Definitely a good production tool. Would be great to have a hard case for them.
Very nice review, straight, to the point, evenly modulated and thorough. I've been using these for about 2 weeks now and love them in the studio for mixing/editing, etc. Another fine product from "down under" and another excellent review from you Curtis. Thank You.
After about 7 months of nearly daily use, one of the plastic adjustment clamps broke releasing the earphone assembly from the head band. I pieced it back together and wrapped it with gaffer's tape and went on, thinking it was just a fluke. This morning the other side broke, so I fixed it the same way. Since I am the only person using the headphones, the adjustment stays fixed, but the plastic clamp piece is too thin and weak and is stressed when pulling the headphones away from each other to put them over one's ears. I bet a lot of people have problems with this. I'm thinking Rode needs to redesign this piece and maybe offer the redesign to folks that bought the first version. Other than that one weak part, the headphones have been perfect for my use.
Thanx for this review. With all the hype that follows the Rodes you are the first YT reviewer to mention that these cans sound a bit veiled and not having so much good clarity. That was my initial impression too when I first audition them. Thank you once again for not being biased by what others think about these and thank you for giving us an objective point of view, as objective it can be ofcourse.
Good review! I have some Neumann NDH20 phones which are marvellous (once you get used to them), but also have the problem with mechanical cable noise being transferred to the earcup. The headphone amp is also a very important consideration, although the Rode's relatively low impedance should be quite accommodating.
Thanks Curtis. I quite like the NTH-100 in preference to the Sony 7506 because of its treble sting and the DT700 because of its bass lift and treble sting! This one seems like a mid point between the two. Not perfect, but then again, no headphone is really! One thing about the cable entry that most reviewers might have missed. Rode supply a rubber bung in the plastic bag with the 6.5mm adapter and coloured rings. That rubber bung needs to go into the unused socket of the headphone. So if you plug in to the left cup, then the bung needs to go into the right cup socket. It acts as a physical impedance control so that the bass response from each cup is the same. With no bung, the bass response isn’t the same in each cup. I don’t think Rode explain this properly in their instructions.
Hi Curtis, thank for this great review. What portable DAC would drive these best in your view? I am on a very basic setup listening to music via iPad Pro and iFi Go link portable DAC. I’m pretty happy with the quality of audio but wondering if I could get even more out of these with different portable AMP/ DAC? TIA Rob
Thanks Curtis, always a professional fully fledged informative review. Am interested to see what Rode can do in the Headphone space, might pick up a pair for the studio.
I'm glad you didn't ACTUALLY spit out your drink! I did have a chance to listen once to a set of $50,000 audiophile headphones. They sounded great, but I'd never spend that kind of money for headphones.
I am a full time audiobook narrator. I received my Rode headphones this week. I love them so far. Very comfortable and I love the flat frequency response. I’ve retired my Sony 7506’s.
Hi there. I have my guitar plugged into an amp and now I need a headset to plug in so that I can practice silently. What headset do you recommend? Thank you
Junk, bought a pair, listened for quite hour, I was to embarrassed to give them away, I literally threw them in the garbage and moved on with my life. Are they better than nothing, ? Maybe,,,I don’t have the time to waste.
I feel that the hype marketing could be quite misleading since some the early reviews seem to be only quoting Rode's description. My impression after listening to the miked sound demo seem to be just like the frequency response that you showed especially on the highs. There's not enough highs above 5 or 6KHz even for something designed to be close to flat sounding. The richness is also seem to be not very good. I found it hard hearing sparkly type of highs usually at about 5K - 7K. Another thing I found lacking so far is the transient. It's not fast enough for reproducing accurate percussion hits. Haven't tried it myself but so far my conclusion is this headphone is not gonna be great for music production in terms of editing, mixing, and mastering. Should be ok for recording monitor, casual listening, and could be ok for voice production although I personaly would suggest other option 👍
I'm listening to this on a pair right now! B&H just delivered to my door. They are very impressive indeed. After a few seconds it doesn't even feel like you're wearing them. Not that they're light weight, more so the comfy fit. Compared to my Sony V6 they are as you said night and day due to the eq-ing. They seem less harsh and easier, longer listening. I get what you're saying about the cable. It's very soft like a quality rubber but maybe a bit too tacky. Think Sony coiled cable but tackier and straight so it will catch clothing a bit. Once a hefty signal is pushing the drivers you can't really hear it at all. I'm no audiophile but these are pretty dang sweet for my editing needs. Happy so far out of the box!
The plastic housing on the interior of the fitlock shattered for me after a few months of use. Just took them off one day (holding by the earphones) and it exploded off. Very disappointing that such a crucial component that apparently gets stressed during mundane usage is made with such a cheap material instead of metal.
They are fantastic for listening to music, one of the best headphones in that regard. I do not do mixing nor podcasting so cannot comment but I ilsten to a lot of music and have done for over 60 years and these are outstanding.
Not related to this particular set but have a question for you. I asked for suggestions on wired headphones recently and went through some of the suggestions. Starting with a pair of the sony mdr 7506 and beyerdyanmic dt 770 pro. Keep in mind I'm just getting more refined in the audio department. I'm a photographer that's transitioned into video the past few years. They both sound nice clear. The most distinguishable difference to me is the sony seem to have the vocals/spoken bits more pronounced, they sound louder and more in the foreground. I can notice the difference in testing music and my own video work. I film a lot of on site reviews of mtb trails and have presenters speaking a good bit of the videos. I don't necessarily have a preference of one over the other in terms of sound quality otherwise but I also added into the mix my beats fit pro wireless buds with the idea that most people will be listening to my work that way, a lot of the stuff I shoot ends up on TH-cam. Between the two, the beyerdynamic sound much closer to the beats fit pro. Super scientific experiment, I know. This raised the question, which one between the sony and the beyerdynamic is more "accurate"? I don't even know where to begin to figure that out.
The more important question is about using the same headphones regularly so you “learn” them really well. Then you’ll be able to find and fix issues. To answer your original question, my guess is that the Beyerdynamics are a bit more “accurate.” But the important thing is to learn your headphones.
I have heard that this breaks easily so I'm trying to find the best headphones for voiceover . I have a warmaudio jr mic with a Motu M4 audio interface. My studio is treated so I need a good pair of headphones to start my VO business.
Thanks, Curtis. Awesome job as always. Great information and a super learning experience. ie. There are headphones that cost $2000? WOW! Have a great day! 😀
Thanks Michael! I once had a chance to hear the Sennheiser HE-1 headphones which, at the time, sold for $60,000 USD. They were quite impressive but I'd have a hard time every considering that much money for a set of headphones. It is sort of like a halo car, but from a headphone company.
❗️ WARNING ❗️ Don’t buy these headphones. They break VERY EASY on the opposite side of the locking knob. It’s just thin plastic holding the cup to the headband and it snaps easy. It’s happened to a lot of customers.
@@curtisjudd I just put them on my head yesterday and the left assembly just came off. I thought it was loose but no the cheap plastic holding the metal headband and speaker assembly together cracked and came apart. It’s a terrible design to adjust them when they so easily break like that. Because they are new I googled it and it’s happened to others with the same headphones. Mine are 1 month old. They are nice and comfortable but that design is bad and unless rode change that design to stronger materials steer clear of these headphones
@@curtisjudd I just put them on my head yesterday and the left assembly just came off. I thought it was loose but no the cheap plastic holding the metal headband and speaker assembly together cracked and came apart. It’s a terrible design to adjust them when they so easily break like that. Because they are new I googled it and it’s happened to others with the same headphones. Mine are 1 month old. They are nice and comfortable but that design is bad and unless rode change that design to stronger materials steer clear of these headphones
Thank you for your honest review. I’m an entry-level podcaster, content creator & translator, and I’ve been struggling to find quality headphones at an affordable price point which remain comfortable for extended wear. Just wanted to say thank you for your honest review.
I am still on the hunt for a few other headphones to find a comfortable pair which is more on the flat side. Owning NDH20, Sony MDR M1ST with brainwaves pads and Koss Kph 30i. It is always awkward trying to find a next pair when a certain standard wants to be met to not buy a pair which has no potential use for me. I could just go to a music store if Id be not this lazy. The last headphones I kinda want to have are HD800s, 1990 pro, NTH100 and maybe the new 900 pro x or the classic Sony MDR CD900ST. In the end I do not need any new ones except I want to see a stark difference in audio or relive some music and games with retro headphones which is why I kinda also want the dt770 pro again. 800s would be sound stage. 1990 pro just to see what is on the bright and unique side and NTH100 for more comfort. Lastly CD900ST to see how different these are compared to the M1ST. Simply said: I dont need new headphones and buying any headphone would pain me in some way when I could get some good speakers instead with some tinkering how to make space on my desk to have 5-8 inch speakers to achieve a full and good sound staging experience.
If you have the opportunity to test out a pair of KRK KNS 6400’s…they are excellent closed back flat frequency response headphones. They cost around $100. Not great because of their price, just great for how they sound.
I’ve been wondering if I should upgrade from my Sony MDR-7506 to something a little better for awhile now. I’m used to them, but there are definitely a few things I don’t like about them. Still trying to figure out if these would be a worthy upgrade or if I should hold out for something else.
Yes as a general rule it is usually not a good idea to buy the first generation of anything electronic or even cars. It's bound to get better in many ways. These phones are marketed on B and H as professional headphones which of course is a pretty dubious term these days. Too bad Rode didn't take the route as Beyer Dynamic and call everything Pro this or Pro that. That whole adding the word Pro to name of something and thinking it legitimizes the item is getting a bit stale an approach to marketing. Hey if you have to put the word pro in your name how pro can you really be? Of course the biggest first question I ask is where the product is made. Rode mics are marketed to medium to medium high end users but they deliver a decent value and usually I have found the items made in Australia are very good quality and better than Rode items made in China. For example the VXLR, made in China, is not nearly as well made as the VXLR+ which used to be made in Australia but I think is not made in China. Simple things like how an adapter holds onto a 3.5mm plug can vary alot. And it seems Curtis is not the only one who has found the Beyer DT 900 Pro X having a dip at around 4500 So did the other testers I have read from www.soundguys.com/beyerdynamic-dt-900-pro-x-review-61886/ but their graph is a bit less dramatic.
Excellent review as always! Would you be able to review a few of the industry standards such as the Sony MDR7506, CD-900ST, M1ST and provide some useful insights? That would help a lot of budding mixers out there looking to procure their gears =)
hey Curtis Thank You! Wondering if you have came across the AIAIAI TMA-2 Studio Wireless+ (Latency: 16 ms ,2.4 Ghz) and if you would suggest them for LiveSound Recordings paired with SoundDevices mixer II
Hi Luca, I haven't heard of it or tried it. Sorry about that. One note: 16ms of latency is noticeable, so I'd be hesitant to use anything with more than 10 ms of latency for recording/mixing.
I'm no expert, but wouldn't the sound smearing you talk about mean that the separation between frequencies in noise would be less prominent, and thus the frequency response would seem flatter in your test, the curve having been averaged out more than on the reference headphones with their higher clarity and separation? Just a thought...
@@curtisjudd Anything to do with sound (or indeed all kinds of perception) is quite tricky when basically what anyone hears is subjective, different to what anyone else hears, and the only objective measurements that can be done therefore cannot be correlated with anything but individual experience. In other words: There is no substitute for trying things out for oneself. The results of other people's experience only gives a statistical indication of the likelihood you may like it yourself. As such, of course, your review is very useful as one of many data points that prospective buyers of these headphones may want to consider if they don't have the chance to try them on before buying. Other reviews I've seen certainly also seem to indicate they are good value for money, the price also possibly hitting a sweet spot in what many - myself included - might want to budget for if they use headphones a lot. And they do look comfortable. Anyway, great video as always.
Really? I am a legally blind Podcaster and think this is a great idea. I often have a hard time with some headphones determining which side is which. Thanks for the comment.
I'm half deaf anyway, so "distinguishing different frequencies in a busy mix" in full clarity isn't high up on my priority list, LOL. Replaceable cable and muffs, and user comfort are. I am going to order some. Thanks, Curtis.
Got my Rode NTH-100 headphones and I really like them. Lots of room under the muffs with lots of clearance for my behind the ear hearing aides and over the eyeglasses. The additional hearing aide clearance was an unexpected but significant benefit in eliminating feedback which is a problem with my 7506's.
@@curtisjudd right---OEMed... btw signed up for your MixPre course today. I would have liked to see the total runtime on the promo page (I figured out it's just over 5 hours by pasting the times into Excel 😂) Cheers!
@@curtisjudd btw maybe a minor issue in your course. You mention that the signal was very hot when sending unbalanced output to the near field monitors, even when you set the output "all the way down to zero". But did you realize that output setting can do below zero? All the way down to OFF.
Impressive what comprehensive thought Rode put into these phones. Only thing I wish they'd include is a coiled cord option. Fortunately, the cords are detachable, so, fingers crossed, Rode will offer a coiled cord accessory in the future. I wrote them to suggest it.
@@LearnLightAndSoundSessions 🤠 The new Senny 400 HD Pro released this year are apparently the same 🎧 as the 560S but you can find the older model cheaper.
I'm a DJ but I tend to go for studio headphones over ones designed for djing because I don't like swiveling ear cups. I like everything about these that I've read and seen but one question... Are they collapsible? That matters to me. If not do you have any recommendations of headphones in this price range that don't have swiveling ear cups and are collapsible? Thank you
@@curtisjudd that is a good recommendation being as I had a pair of those for 10 years but really like having the capability of swapping out the cables if needed and also realized that those things sound quality were terrible once I tried other headphones
Looking for a replacement closed back and these have such a good build quality, hope they venture into the broader casual listening market with that sort of design.
Yesterday I heard “Booth Junkie” Mike Delgaudio’s review, and while listening I ordered the Røde headphones. So they’re on their way from Thomann to join the Sony MDR 7506 that I received the other day. I must say I’m really happy with the Sonys, and I like it that they fold up quite small. Which the Rødes do not do, according to Mr. Booth. As usual I buy stuff that isn’t too expensive, but I sometimes wonder if it wouldn’t be wiser to buy less, but more expensive gear. But $2000 for a pair of cans is just too much, I’m afraid. But boy, would I love to try them! Which can be dangerous as well. Many years ago (in the 1980ies) I needed a new bow for my cello (the old one had broken near the tip during practice in the opening chords of the Elgar cello concerto and couldn’t be repaired), and I was ready to pay around $700-800 for a new bow (the broken one had cost around 500). But I was “dumb” enough to try a $1500 bow, and it just wouldn’t leave my hand! I just had to buy it.
as an audiophile who likes neutral sounding gears, i can assure you the good ones are the cheaper ones. The higher the price, the less neutral it gets (unless you're talking about Genelec speakers)
Good review as always. Is there a headphone you recommend for field work that has good external noise isolation so you can clearly hear what you are recording?
Rode didn't comment on my question in their instagram post about these headphones if the gel in the pads freezes solid in -30. If they market these for field use as well I definitely wouldn't want frozen solid headphones on my head. I get to freeze enough already :D
That is one element/measurement that is useful, but it doesn't tell the entire story. I suspect that if a frequency response chart is plotted based on a frequency sweep, it doesn't give a good representation of how the drivers respond in real-world situations where they have to reproduce multiple frequencies at the same time.
@@curtisjudd i never said it was perfect, i just said that it's a good predictor of a neutral sounding headphone. There are some frequencies that are generally translates well from measurement rigs to real human ears like 500hz-2khz which is also essential to judge if a headphone is tuned for neutral or not some of the headphones in the market that is considered neutral enough is Sennheiser hd 6xx, 600, 650, 58x, Beyerdynamic dt880 pro, shure srh840, and oppo pm3. If you looked at their frequency response you will find similar patterns in their graph which is flat bass and around 10db boost in 3khz region which is considered neutral for human ears. Though i think headphones are quite problematic because they are sensitive to the placement on your ears and can change sound if you place it incorrectly, so i prefer in-ears like Etymotic ER4SR which is also tuned for flat speakers in a well treated room.
@@ericfernando4296 I completely agree. I'm just saying that how they come up with those frequency response charts also matters. Frequency sweep vs. pink noise or other test options. Drivers can do funny things when they attempt to produce multiple frequencies at the same time.
@@curtisjudd yup, that's why test tones are also an important part to measure how a headphone sounds, only using music can often be misleading because there's too much information at once i think currently the only reviewer that can properly display how a headphone sounds when playing music is Oluv's gadget, you should check out his channel. Be sure to use a neutral headphone when hearing his sample so that you don't add further coloration of the headphone sample. It's not perfect but it's the closest thing there is.
So i do love my Denon AH-D7000 cans for some entertainment and detail but they are not flat. I do love my Oppo PM3s for their clarity although they need the help of a bass boosting headphone amp to make them work. I think in some way now I am starting to really like my Rode NTH-100s for not trying to sing at any specific frequency but still being pleasant and somewhat entertaining to listen to. I have to say that Rode almost made a winner with this set and I feel allot more confident when mixing my vocals now and feel like I can better hear the tone of the vocal over the Bass and High Frequencies. I have found them comfy for long sessions and I really like the isolation and lack of bleed to my microphone. Cable handling noise and cup noise is sub par but beyond that I don't have a bad thing to say. Yes they are a little " veiled " in comparison to my more entertaining headphones but not to the extent that they are inaccurate IMO. I would like for them to sing a little more in the vocal frequencies and be a little more detailed in the low end but I guess thats what paying more than $400 would get you. I would love to put these side by side with the Beyerdynamic range to see what would be the better headphone for me. I feel that if they could slightly increase the presence of these, add more sparkle and remove the smearing in the upper base they would be perfect. For now they are pretty good for the price. I intend to use these on location while filming and doing a bit of mixing and gaming so they should be fine. EDIT: Having done more A and B comparisons. It is a real shame that Rode boosted those Low Frequencies in such a muddy area and dipped down those sparkly highs. Allot of folks are commenting about their thick use of foam and from my A / B testing it is very apparent that the smearing is coming from that foam. Looking forward to a sound Mod to replace that foam insert.
@@LearnLightAndSoundSessions thank you for your reply. I edited my comment to mention that I have noticed the smearing and lack of detail through A / B testing. I think its the foam insert they are using. Perhaps you know some engineers that could work on a solution to fix that. There be gold in them hills!
@@LearnLightAndSoundSessions I have been slowly but surely increasing the quality of my studio recording products over time. I was curious, without you feeling too much pressure, what headphones I should endeavour to try in store when i get the chance. I just want to know exactly what i sound like on the microphone and the most accurate presentation possible of my voice. I own the typical Sony sound guy headphone also with that wild coiled cable. They are falling apart now and sound pretty tinny as they don't achieve a very good seal anymore, perhaps getting some new thick soft pads for those would do the trick? I just returned my Rode headphones. I have seen that the locking mechanism is pretty poorly constructed and i can see it easily breaking on shoot.
@@ClaireMcHardy Are you doing VO? Production/location sound? I use a variety of the Beyerdynamic DT headphones in the edit suite. For open-back, I like the DT 900 PRO X. They're not perfectly flat, but once learned, they're comfortable and reliable and I trust them at this point.
Nice review. Was waiting for it. When I started the video I was wondering if there's any headphones that allow to switch the cable from left to right or vice versa. Got the answer. Thanks. Question: is it possible to plug in 2 sources on the headphones and if yes, how does the sound mix? Does it still stereo or will it be 2 mono sources?
In general (headphones or anything else) you can’t plug two sources into what is effectively a parallel connection. Because the impedance of each source is low and the impedance of the destination (headphones) is relatively high, each source will end up trying to feed into the other source, rather than feeding the “destination”. Result: you will hear nothing (or very little) and what you hear won’t sound good. Equipment has to be designed to mix sources. For example an audio mixer separately amplifies each source before they mix together inside the mixer.
@@curtisjudd Nice advertisement but not true or I will give my 30 years Hifi trained ears away 😜 This headphone have nice build features but the size of the ear cups and the sound is for me so bad.
I am sorry, if you enjoyed HD820 and think they sound "correct" - Then I can't take your words seriously. 820 measures poorly and just like their measurements, they sound poorly and hollow. The general consensus is that HD820 is a failed product from Sennheiser.
Ok. Note that the Beyerdynamic headphones are what I typically use for mixing and dialogue editing. The HD820s are for enjoying music and movies for me. Also, if you try the RODE NTH-100s, I think you’ll hear what I mean when I say they sound “veiled” and not as good at distinguishing many frequencies at the same time.
Recommendation: Try a bunch of headphones at your local music gear store and take a device with some reference audio on it - tracks you've heard a bunch of times so you know how it should sound. Headphones are super subjective as to which works well for each person. We all have different sized and shaped heads, different ears, different states of health in the nerves between our ears and brain, differently shaped ear canals. So a great set of headphones for me, may not work well for you and vice versa.
Hi Curtis! I have some exciting news: I've joined Red Bull India as the EP for their new gaming TH-cam channel, and I feel indebted to creators like you who share so much educational material for making this possible! I feel like I learn more about sound or light not just from your educational videos, but also from your reviews, and for that I am and will always be grateful. Thank you for the very real difference you have made in my life!
@@evilarhan1 congratulations , Arhan! I’m very happy for you!
i also find that using tone generator to check the response of the headphone while referencing from available measurements online is a good way to check for the sound character for the headphone
Did this today. The NTH’s won for comfort. Its like a Kangaroo snuck into my bedroom and measured my ears then had a set made just for me. The lack of pleather cups was a genuine high point. They pair well with the headphone output on my FX3 and will live a peaceful life married to that camera as monitors.
@@agenericaccount3935 Glad to hear! 🎧
Awesome review, even considering how tough it is to communicate headphone quality via video. These are absolutely my favorites! 🎧
Thanks, Tom!
@Ale_dishave They're ok. If you like a lot of bass and high end, there are others that will make listening to music more exciting.
Impressive for Rode’s 1st attempt into the headphone market. Pretty sure the other makers are noticing some of those features like interchangeable cables and the ear cup lock.
I agree. Nice 1st attempt! Love the comfort.
But those are being done already. In that case Rode is “the other maker”
Got these last week. Love them! The isolation is pretty good and definitely good enough if you want to listen while you mic up an instrument without having to have them loud to overcome the acoustic bleed from the instrument. Great to have a choice of sides for the cable entry. I found the headband a bit intrusive on the top of my head, but it’s ok once you get used to it. They seem a good price for the high quality of the sound / design of them. The sound is a good match for my studio monitors. Definitely a good production tool. Would be great to have a hard case for them.
Glad you like them and thanks for sharing!
Great review! As a NTH-100 owner I would say this is one of the very few reviews that's accurate and covers the major cons about the headphone.
Thanks.
Very nice review, straight, to the point, evenly modulated and thorough. I've been using these for about 2 weeks now and love them in the studio for mixing/editing, etc. Another fine product from "down under" and another excellent review from you Curtis. Thank You.
Thanks Tom.
Very smart of Rode to get in the headphone business! They’ll do well hopefully 👍🏻
👍
After about 7 months of nearly daily use, one of the plastic adjustment clamps broke releasing the earphone assembly from the head band. I pieced it back together and wrapped it with gaffer's tape and went on, thinking it was just a fluke. This morning the other side broke, so I fixed it the same way. Since I am the only person using the headphones, the adjustment stays fixed, but the plastic clamp piece is too thin and weak and is stressed when pulling the headphones away from each other to put them over one's ears. I bet a lot of people have problems with this. I'm thinking Rode needs to redesign this piece and maybe offer the redesign to folks that bought the first version. Other than that one weak part, the headphones have been perfect for my use.
Thanks for sharing, Joe.
As always, great coverage.
Thanks Kevin!
How are you, Kevin?
@@yawningmarmot Slow, but geting there. :)
@@BasicFilmmaker Glad to hear! I hope you get better soon and we see more videos from you! Your content always puts a smile on my face.
Thanx for this review. With all the hype that follows the Rodes you are the first YT reviewer to mention that these cans sound a bit veiled and not having so much good clarity. That was my initial impression too when I first audition them. Thank you once again for not being biased by what others think about these and thank you for giving us an objective point of view, as objective it can be ofcourse.
Thanks. I'm glad to hear me and my wife are not the only ones who experienced that.
Good stuff! Especially the commentary on the difficulty in reviewing headphones.
Thanks Casey. 👍
I’m looking forward to my pair of NTH-100’s arriving this week. This was excellent feedback Curtis. Gosh those Senheiser headphones Curtis 🤑🤑
Congrats on the new headphones! I hope they work well for you!
I actually prefer the Sennheiser HD800S over the HD820, even though they're a few hundred bucks cheaper.
The HD800S have a much wider soundstage.
@@QoraxAudio 👍
My son got his in already! He loves them. It fit great, sounded great, and what he really liked is how cool it kept his ears!
Yes, definitely seems to make them more comfortable for longer sessions.
Good review! I have some Neumann NDH20 phones which are marvellous (once you get used to them), but also have the problem with mechanical cable noise being transferred to the earcup. The headphone amp is also a very important consideration, although the Rode's relatively low impedance should be quite accommodating.
Absolutely. 👍
Thanks Curtis. I quite like the NTH-100 in preference to the Sony 7506 because of its treble sting and the DT700 because of its bass lift and treble sting! This one seems like a mid point between the two. Not perfect, but then again, no headphone is really!
One thing about the cable entry that most reviewers might have missed. Rode supply a rubber bung in the plastic bag with the 6.5mm adapter and coloured rings. That rubber bung needs to go into the unused socket of the headphone. So if you plug in to the left cup, then the bung needs to go into the right cup socket. It acts as a physical impedance control so that the bass response from each cup is the same. With no bung, the bass response isn’t the same in each cup.
I don’t think Rode explain this properly in their instructions.
Thanks Ian.
Hi Curtis, thank for this great review. What portable DAC would drive these best in your view? I am on a very basic setup listening to music via iPad Pro and iFi Go link portable DAC. I’m pretty happy with the quality of audio but wondering if I could get even more out of these with different portable AMP/ DAC? TIA Rob
I just use the DACs in my audio interface or recorder and when I’m traveling light, the headphone jack on my MacBook.
Another terrific review! Thanks for bringing balance to the world of TH-cam. 🙌🏽🙏🏽
Thanks Carlos!
Thanks Curtis, always a professional fully fledged informative review. Am interested to see what Rode can do in the Headphone space, might pick up a pair for the studio.
Thanks! Happy recording!
Hey Curtis :) Which would you pick out of the Rode NTH-100 and the Beyer Dynamics DT700 PRO?
They Beyerdynamic DT700 Pro X for sure.
I about spit out my drink when Curtis said $2,000 headphones. 😂 I guess my audio world is small. Maybe someday…
I'm glad you didn't ACTUALLY spit out your drink! I did have a chance to listen once to a set of $50,000 audiophile headphones. They sounded great, but I'd never spend that kind of money for headphones.
I am a full time audiobook narrator. I received my Rode headphones this week. I love them so far. Very comfortable and I love the flat frequency response. I’ve retired my Sony 7506’s.
👍🎙
Hi there. I have my guitar plugged into an amp and now I need a headset to plug in so that I can practice silently. What headset do you recommend? Thank you
I personally like the Berydynamic DT series. The RODEs are comfortable, though not my favorite sound for music.
Junk, bought a pair, listened for quite hour, I was to embarrassed to give them away, I literally threw them in the garbage and moved on with my life. Are they better than nothing, ? Maybe,,,I don’t have the time to waste.
Glad you moved on with your life 👍
I feel that the hype marketing could be quite misleading since some the early reviews seem to be only quoting Rode's description. My impression after listening to the miked sound demo seem to be just like the frequency response that you showed especially on the highs. There's not enough highs above 5 or 6KHz even for something designed to be close to flat sounding. The richness is also seem to be not very good. I found it hard hearing sparkly type of highs usually at about 5K - 7K. Another thing I found lacking so far is the transient. It's not fast enough for reproducing accurate percussion hits. Haven't tried it myself but so far my conclusion is this headphone is not gonna be great for music production in terms of editing, mixing, and mastering. Should be ok for recording monitor, casual listening, and could be ok for voice production although I personaly would suggest other option 👍
I’d be hard pressed to cite another set of headphones priced at $150 USD that are substantially better.
I'm listening to this on a pair right now! B&H just delivered to my door. They are very impressive indeed. After a few seconds it doesn't even feel like you're wearing them. Not that they're light weight, more so the comfy fit. Compared to my Sony V6 they are as you said night and day due to the eq-ing. They seem less harsh and easier, longer listening. I get what you're saying about the cable. It's very soft like a quality rubber but maybe a bit too tacky. Think Sony coiled cable but tackier and straight so it will catch clothing a bit. Once a hefty signal is pushing the drivers you can't really hear it at all. I'm no audiophile but these are pretty dang sweet for my editing needs. Happy so far out of the box!
Glad you like them so far!
such a thorough and fair review Curtis as I have always come to expect from you....thank you!
Thanks Paul 🎧
This audio is great.
What mic is that sir?
The plastic housing on the interior of the fitlock shattered for me after a few months of use. Just took them off one day (holding by the earphones) and it exploded off. Very disappointing that such a crucial component that apparently gets stressed during mundane usage is made with such a cheap material instead of metal.
Thanks for sharing and sorry to hear it. Good for others to know. 🙏
Look interesting for the money, Would ne interesting to hear compared to my DT 880
I prefer the sound of the DT880 Pros but not really a fair comparison as the DTs are semi-open back.
They are fantastic for listening to music, one of the best headphones in that regard. I do not do mixing nor podcasting so cannot comment but I ilsten to a lot of music and have done for over 60 years and these are outstanding.
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Not related to this particular set but have a question for you.
I asked for suggestions on wired headphones recently and went through some of the suggestions. Starting with a pair of the sony mdr 7506 and beyerdyanmic dt 770 pro. Keep in mind I'm just getting more refined in the audio department. I'm a photographer that's transitioned into video the past few years.
They both sound nice clear. The most distinguishable difference to me is the sony seem to have the vocals/spoken bits more pronounced, they sound louder and more in the foreground. I can notice the difference in testing music and my own video work. I film a lot of on site reviews of mtb trails and have presenters speaking a good bit of the videos.
I don't necessarily have a preference of one over the other in terms of sound quality otherwise but I also added into the mix my beats fit pro wireless buds with the idea that most people will be listening to my work that way, a lot of the stuff I shoot ends up on TH-cam.
Between the two, the beyerdynamic sound much closer to the beats fit pro. Super scientific experiment, I know.
This raised the question, which one between the sony and the beyerdynamic is more "accurate"? I don't even know where to begin to figure that out.
The more important question is about using the same headphones regularly so you “learn” them really well. Then you’ll be able to find and fix issues.
To answer your original question, my guess is that the Beyerdynamics are a bit more “accurate.” But the important thing is to learn your headphones.
@@curtisjudd appreciate the advise and your time. ✊
Thanks for another great video. Headphones clearly marked left and right are not as common as they should be. I hope other manufacturers take note.
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had mine for 6 months and the plastic pieces broke on each side with very little stress.
Fail! Thanks for sharing.
I have heard that this breaks easily so I'm trying to find the best headphones for voiceover . I have a warmaudio jr mic with a Motu M4 audio interface. My studio is treated so I need a good pair of headphones to start my VO business.
I have used Beyerdynamic headphones for years and love them. DT770 Pro oe DT 700 PRO X are worth considering. th-cam.com/video/L6qbQAjx7t0/w-d-xo.html
@@curtisjudd Thank you
Thanks, Curtis. Awesome job as always. Great information and a super learning experience. ie. There are headphones that cost $2000? WOW! Have a great day! 😀
Thanks Michael! I once had a chance to hear the Sennheiser HE-1 headphones which, at the time, sold for $60,000 USD. They were quite impressive but I'd have a hard time every considering that much money for a set of headphones. It is sort of like a halo car, but from a headphone company.
@@curtisjudd haha, HE-1 definitely is a hassle to bring anywhere, not great for professional use
Is it possible to use the NTH-100 with a balanced cable?
No, the inputs are unbalanced.
Are these good for everyday music listening?
They’re ok. I prefer Beyerdynamic DT700 PRO X : th-cam.com/video/L6qbQAjx7t0/w-d-xo.html
is this headphone suitable for personal and general listening ?
Yes, but I prefer the Beyerdynamic DT700 PRO X
❗️ WARNING ❗️
Don’t buy these headphones.
They break VERY EASY on the opposite side of the locking knob. It’s just thin plastic holding the cup to the headband and it snaps easy. It’s happened to a lot of customers.
Thanks for the warning. Curious, how did yours break at that point?
@@curtisjudd I just put them on my head yesterday and the left assembly just came off. I thought it was loose but no the cheap plastic holding the metal headband and speaker assembly together cracked and came apart. It’s a terrible design to adjust them when they so easily break like that. Because they are new I googled it and it’s happened to others with the same headphones. Mine are 1 month old. They are nice and comfortable but that design is bad and unless rode change that design to stronger materials steer clear of these headphones
@@curtisjudd I just put them on my head yesterday and the left assembly just came off. I thought it was loose but no the cheap plastic holding the metal headband and speaker assembly together cracked and came apart. It’s a terrible design to adjust them when they so easily break like that. Because they are new I googled it and it’s happened to others with the same headphones. Mine are 1 month old. They are nice and comfortable but that design is bad and unless rode change that design to stronger materials steer clear of these headphones
@@UberSynth Wow. that stinks. I'd cash in on RODE's warranty and keep cashing in until they get the design right.
Best review I’ve seen 🔥🔥🔥🔥👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks 👍
Are they worth upgrading to them from Beyerdynamic DT990 250ohm for streaming/mixing/podcasting/monitoring/listening to music?
I wouldn't, no.
Thank you for your honest review. I’m an entry-level podcaster, content creator & translator, and I’ve been struggling to find quality headphones at an affordable price point which remain comfortable for extended wear. Just wanted to say thank you for your honest review.
Thanks Karen. Happy recording!
Is it a good choice for location sound, and could you please suggest some good headphones for on-set location sound?
Headphones are super personal, but I prefer the Beyerdynamic DT700 Pro X.
@@curtisjudd Thank you so much. I will order this by the end of the week
For watching movies and listening to music. Which would you prefer?
I am undecided between the NTH-100 or the beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro 32 Ohm.
Which would I prefer? For comfort, the RODEs. For sound quality, the Beyerdynamics (though I have the 80 ohm version).
These will be my next headphones, when my Pioneers stop working... in a few years, possibly decades :D Great review!
👍
I am still on the hunt for a few other headphones to find a comfortable pair which is more on the flat side. Owning NDH20, Sony MDR M1ST with brainwaves pads and Koss Kph 30i. It is always awkward trying to find a next pair when a certain standard wants to be met to not buy a pair which has no potential use for me. I could just go to a music store if Id be not this lazy. The last headphones I kinda want to have are HD800s, 1990 pro, NTH100 and maybe the new 900 pro x or the classic Sony MDR CD900ST. In the end I do not need any new ones except I want to see a stark difference in audio or relive some music and games with retro headphones which is why I kinda also want the dt770 pro again. 800s would be sound stage. 1990 pro just to see what is on the bright and unique side and NTH100 for more comfort. Lastly CD900ST to see how different these are compared to the M1ST.
Simply said: I dont need new headphones and buying any headphone would pain me in some way when I could get some good speakers instead with some tinkering how to make space on my desk to have 5-8 inch speakers to achieve a full and good sound staging experience.
Good thinking.
If you have the opportunity to test out a pair of KRK KNS 6400’s…they are excellent closed back flat frequency response headphones. They cost around $100. Not great because of their price, just great for how they sound.
I'd like to try those. 👍
I’ve been wondering if I should upgrade from my Sony MDR-7506 to something a little better for awhile now. I’m used to them, but there are definitely a few things I don’t like about them. Still trying to figure out if these would be a worthy upgrade or if I should hold out for something else.
Tough call. Ideally, would be best if you could try them at a local music store to see how they work for you.
The 7506 is a great headphone and most importantly, you can buy parts from Sony and from the aftermarket as well.
Yes as a general rule it is usually not a good idea to buy the first generation of anything electronic or even cars. It's bound to get better in many ways. These phones are marketed on B and H as professional headphones which of course is a pretty dubious term these days. Too bad Rode didn't take the route as Beyer Dynamic and call everything Pro this or Pro that. That whole adding the word Pro to name of something and thinking it legitimizes the item is getting a bit stale an approach to marketing. Hey if you have to put the word pro in your name how pro can you really be?
Of course the biggest first question I ask is where the product is made. Rode mics are marketed to medium to medium high end users but they deliver a decent value and usually I have found the items made in Australia are very good quality and better than Rode items made in China. For example the VXLR, made in China, is not nearly as well made as the VXLR+ which used to be made in Australia but I think is not made in China. Simple things like how an adapter holds onto a 3.5mm plug can vary alot.
And it seems Curtis is not the only one who has found the Beyer DT 900 Pro X having a dip at around 4500 So did the other testers I have read from www.soundguys.com/beyerdynamic-dt-900-pro-x-review-61886/ but their graph is a bit less dramatic.
Note, these headphones are manufactured in Australia, I'm told.
Thanks again for the clear info, Curtis. Curious, what microphone are you using for this video?
That’s the Earthworks SV33.
Excellent review as always!
Would you be able to review a few of the industry standards such as the Sony MDR7506, CD-900ST, M1ST and provide some useful insights?
That would help a lot of budding mixers out there looking to procure their gears =)
First I’d wed to try them 🙃
How do you compare these in sound clarity to something like the ATH-M50 ? And thanks for the review
I don’t have the M50s on hand to compare so I’m not sure.
hey Curtis Thank You! Wondering if you have came across the AIAIAI TMA-2 Studio Wireless+ (Latency: 16 ms ,2.4 Ghz) and if you would suggest them for LiveSound Recordings paired with SoundDevices mixer II
Hi Luca, I haven't heard of it or tried it. Sorry about that. One note: 16ms of latency is noticeable, so I'd be hesitant to use anything with more than 10 ms of latency for recording/mixing.
@@curtisjudd thank you 😊
I'm no expert, but wouldn't the sound smearing you talk about mean that the separation between frequencies in noise would be less prominent, and thus the frequency response would seem flatter in your test, the curve having been averaged out more than on the reference headphones with their higher clarity and separation? Just a thought...
Quite possibly, yes. Of course I’m struggling to find the right words to describe the difference I hear, much less why or how.
@@curtisjudd Anything to do with sound (or indeed all kinds of perception) is quite tricky when basically what anyone hears is subjective, different to what anyone else hears, and the only objective measurements that can be done therefore cannot be correlated with anything but individual experience.
In other words: There is no substitute for trying things out for oneself. The results of other people's experience only gives a statistical indication of the likelihood you may like it yourself.
As such, of course, your review is very useful as one of many data points that prospective buyers of these headphones may want to consider if they don't have the chance to try them on before buying.
Other reviews I've seen certainly also seem to indicate they are good value for money, the price also possibly hitting a sweet spot in what many - myself included - might want to budget for if they use headphones a lot. And they do look comfortable.
Anyway, great video as always.
Typically fantastic bang for buck from Rode, love them.
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pearl izumi!!! yay ROADIE!!!
Yay!
Your turn, Deity.
Ha! Indeed!
Funny that the cups are marked L and R in braille code.
Works nicely if you're in a dark studio or edit bay.
Really? I am a legally blind Podcaster and think this is a great idea. I often have a hard time with some headphones determining which side is which. Thanks for the comment.
@@AngelaADD You're welcome.
These are definitely our next headphones. Look superb! Thanks for making this Curtis. ❤
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I'm half deaf anyway, so "distinguishing different frequencies in a busy mix" in full clarity isn't high up on my priority list, LOL. Replaceable cable and muffs, and user comfort are. I am going to order some. Thanks, Curtis.
Happy monitoring!
Got my Rode NTH-100 headphones and I really like them. Lots of room under the muffs with lots of clearance for my behind the ear hearing aides and over the eyeglasses. The additional hearing aide clearance was an unexpected but significant benefit in eliminating feedback which is a problem with my 7506's.
@@JoeMustang99 Great to hear! Happy monitoring!
I'm curious if it's hard for you to find problems in the frequency because your ear may be trained with the other headphones.
Could be.
Thank you for this review. Very helpful. I may have missed it sorry, but which VO mic are you using in this video?
That's an Earthworks SV33.
is that braille on the ear cups???
Yes
Curtis is that Auray COHH-2 Clamp-On Headphones Holder for Mic Stand or another product?
This one is branded Oktava but I suspect it may just be branded by Oktava and made by a manufacturer who makes them for other companies.
@@curtisjudd right---OEMed... btw signed up for your MixPre course today. I would have liked to see the total runtime on the promo page (I figured out it's just over 5 hours by pasting the times into Excel 😂) Cheers!
@@curtisjudd btw maybe a minor issue in your course. You mention that the signal was very hot when sending unbalanced output to the near field monitors, even when you set the output "all the way down to zero". But did you realize that output setting can do below zero? All the way down to OFF.
@@quantum_ocean thanks for the feedback.
@@quantum_ocean I’ll take another look at that.
antiage headphones hahahah
?
Impressive what comprehensive thought Rode put into these phones. Only thing I wish they'd include is a coiled cord option. Fortunately, the cords are detachable, so, fingers crossed, Rode will offer a coiled cord accessory in the future. I wrote them to suggest it.
Agreed re: the thought. Nice that other cable options could become a possibility.
Thanks! Nice start point price! Look and construction look very inventive. Good job, Rode.
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Rode,🤔..... We see...
?
What microphone are you using in this video? It sounds really great on you! Edit: looks like an RE20 but I can't be certain.
Earthworks SV33.
@@curtisjudd Thank you so much! Sounds great on you!! :D
Wonder if RØDE is going to make a variant with a head boom, for podcasters.
Hmm, yes, good idea.
🤠 Rode NTH or Sennheiser HD 560S?
No idea, I haven't used the HD 560S 😀
@@LearnLightAndSoundSessions 🤠 The new Senny 400 HD Pro released this year are apparently the same 🎧 as the 560S but you can find the older model cheaper.
Nice to know, thanks for sharing!
Great video Curtis. I love rode gear and had I needed a set of headphones would probably have looked to test these out. Thanks again J.F
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yes, the best
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I'm a DJ but I tend to go for studio headphones over ones designed for djing because I don't like swiveling ear cups. I like everything about these that I've read and seen but one question... Are they collapsible? That matters to me. If not do you have any recommendations of headphones in this price range that don't have swiveling ear cups and are collapsible? Thank you
Sony MDR-7506?
@@curtisjudd that is a good recommendation being as I had a pair of those for 10 years but really like having the capability of swapping out the cables if needed and also realized that those things sound quality were terrible once I tried other headphones
New font (i think it's new) in Summary is harder to read ;)
Anyway, love your content 👍
BTW. NTH-100 vs Beyerdynamics dt 770? Any thoughts. For mixing vocals/podcasts.
I’d personally choose the Beyers but that’s twice the price.
These look comfortable and like a good causal gaming headphone
Yeah, I agree.
Looking for a replacement closed back and these have such a good build quality, hope they venture into the broader casual listening market with that sort of design.
👍🎧
Yesterday I heard “Booth Junkie” Mike Delgaudio’s review, and while listening I ordered the Røde headphones. So they’re on their way from Thomann to join the Sony MDR 7506 that I received the other day. I must say I’m really happy with the Sonys, and I like it that they fold up quite small. Which the Rødes do not do, according to Mr. Booth.
As usual I buy stuff that isn’t too expensive, but I sometimes wonder if it wouldn’t be wiser to buy less, but more expensive gear. But $2000 for a pair of cans is just too much, I’m afraid. But boy, would I love to try them!
Which can be dangerous as well. Many years ago (in the 1980ies) I needed a new bow for my cello (the old one had broken near the tip during practice in the opening chords of the Elgar cello concerto and couldn’t be repaired), and I was ready to pay around $700-800 for a new bow (the broken one had cost around 500). But I was “dumb” enough to try a $1500 bow, and it just wouldn’t leave my hand! I just had to buy it.
I hope you like them.
as an audiophile who likes neutral sounding gears, i can assure you the good ones are the cheaper ones. The higher the price, the less neutral it gets (unless you're talking about Genelec speakers)
Sounds like a positive review, until you add "for the price" 😅
That's a critical point. Am I going to give up my Beyerdynamics? No. If one has a total budget of $150 USD for headphones, good choice.
I'm wondering if the odd dip at that one frequency is due to mechanical limitations of the dynamic drivers they chose?
It very well could be. Really strange.
great video!!! Gotta try this one on in store!!
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I have to say, I really appreciate the summary at the beginning of the video 🙏🏽
Great review 👌🏽
Thanks Shay
Good review as always. Is there a headphone you recommend for field work that has good external noise isolation so you can clearly hear what you are recording?
If isolation is a top priority, these would be a good choice.
@@curtisjudd thank you
NIce, and I’m still waiting for the Zoom F3 review. :)
Me too!
@@curtisjudd LOL!!!
Rode didn't comment on my question in their instagram post about these headphones if the gel in the pads freezes solid in -30. If they market these for field use as well I definitely wouldn't want frozen solid headphones on my head. I get to freeze enough already :D
That makes me cold just thinking about it.
@@curtisjudd Want to try putting them in a freezer for me? ;D
@@heikkiillikainen3471 Mmmm, maybe.
The review we can trust. :-) By the way, what is the microphone you are using in this review?🙄
Thanks. That is the Earthworks SV33.
@@curtisjudd Thank you... and the price is... wow...!!
Ohhhh nice. Is that an EV R20 mic Curtis?
No, that is an Earthworks SV33. It is a condenser studio microphone vs. the RE20 with its dynamic broadcast design.
@@curtisjudd maybe I should invest in some new glasses vs a new mic haha. Cheers Curtis.
i wish Rode just posted Frequency Response graph like audiophile headphone reviews, frequency graphs are a very good predictor of sound quality
That is one element/measurement that is useful, but it doesn't tell the entire story. I suspect that if a frequency response chart is plotted based on a frequency sweep, it doesn't give a good representation of how the drivers respond in real-world situations where they have to reproduce multiple frequencies at the same time.
@@curtisjudd i never said it was perfect, i just said that it's a good predictor of a neutral sounding headphone. There are some frequencies that are generally translates well from measurement rigs to real human ears like 500hz-2khz which is also essential to judge if a headphone is tuned for neutral or not
some of the headphones in the market that is considered neutral enough is Sennheiser hd 6xx, 600, 650, 58x, Beyerdynamic dt880 pro, shure srh840, and oppo pm3. If you looked at their frequency response you will find similar patterns in their graph which is flat bass and around 10db boost in 3khz region which is considered neutral for human ears.
Though i think headphones are quite problematic because they are sensitive to the placement on your ears and can change sound if you place it incorrectly, so i prefer in-ears like Etymotic ER4SR which is also tuned for flat speakers in a well treated room.
@@ericfernando4296 I completely agree. I'm just saying that how they come up with those frequency response charts also matters. Frequency sweep vs. pink noise or other test options. Drivers can do funny things when they attempt to produce multiple frequencies at the same time.
@@curtisjudd yup, that's why test tones are also an important part to measure how a headphone sounds, only using music can often be misleading because there's too much information at once
i think currently the only reviewer that can properly display how a headphone sounds when playing music is Oluv's gadget, you should check out his channel. Be sure to use a neutral headphone when hearing his sample so that you don't add further coloration of the headphone sample. It's not perfect but it's the closest thing there is.
Solid intro. Appreciate it
Thanks.
So i do love my Denon AH-D7000 cans for some entertainment and detail but they are not flat. I do love my Oppo PM3s for their clarity although they need the help of a bass boosting headphone amp to make them work. I think in some way now I am starting to really like my Rode NTH-100s for not trying to sing at any specific frequency but still being pleasant and somewhat entertaining to listen to. I have to say that Rode almost made a winner with this set and I feel allot more confident when mixing my vocals now and feel like I can better hear the tone of the vocal over the Bass and High Frequencies. I have found them comfy for long sessions and I really like the isolation and lack of bleed to my microphone. Cable handling noise and cup noise is sub par but beyond that I don't have a bad thing to say. Yes they are a little " veiled " in comparison to my more entertaining headphones but not to the extent that they are inaccurate IMO. I would like for them to sing a little more in the vocal frequencies and be a little more detailed in the low end but I guess thats what paying more than $400 would get you. I would love to put these side by side with the Beyerdynamic range to see what would be the better headphone for me. I feel that if they could slightly increase the presence of these, add more sparkle and remove the smearing in the upper base they would be perfect. For now they are pretty good for the price. I intend to use these on location while filming and doing a bit of mixing and gaming so they should be fine.
EDIT: Having done more A and B comparisons. It is a real shame that Rode boosted those Low Frequencies in such a muddy area and dipped down those sparkly highs. Allot of folks are commenting about their thick use of foam and from my A / B testing it is very apparent that the smearing is coming from that foam. Looking forward to a sound Mod to replace that foam insert.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I seem to find over time that decent headphones and learning how they respond to be the important combination.
@@LearnLightAndSoundSessions thank you for your reply. I edited my comment to mention that I have noticed the smearing and lack of detail through A / B testing. I think its the foam insert they are using. Perhaps you know some engineers that could work on a solution to fix that. There be gold in them hills!
@@LearnLightAndSoundSessions I have been slowly but surely increasing the quality of my studio recording products over time. I was curious, without you feeling too much pressure, what headphones I should endeavour to try in store when i get the chance. I just want to know exactly what i sound like on the microphone and the most accurate presentation possible of my voice. I own the typical Sony sound guy headphone also with that wild coiled cable. They are falling apart now and sound pretty tinny as they don't achieve a very good seal anymore, perhaps getting some new thick soft pads for those would do the trick?
I just returned my Rode headphones. I have seen that the locking mechanism is pretty poorly constructed and i can see it easily breaking on shoot.
@@ClaireMcHardy Haha! Yes, the engineers at RODE would be my first suggestion. 😉
@@ClaireMcHardy Are you doing VO? Production/location sound? I use a variety of the Beyerdynamic DT headphones in the edit suite. For open-back, I like the DT 900 PRO X. They're not perfectly flat, but once learned, they're comfortable and reliable and I trust them at this point.
Great review. Appreciate the honest input.
Thanks Cam.
Thanks Curtis for another great video!
Thanks Jase!
Nice review. Was waiting for it. When I started the video I was wondering if there's any headphones that allow to switch the cable from left to right or vice versa. Got the answer. Thanks.
Question: is it possible to plug in 2 sources on the headphones and if yes, how does the sound mix? Does it still stereo or will it be 2 mono sources?
Oh, I'd be concerned about attaching to both inputs at the same time. Not designed for that.
@@curtisjudd agreed, too much voltage could happen. Thanks.
In general (headphones or anything else) you can’t plug two sources into what is effectively a parallel connection. Because the impedance of each source is low and the impedance of the destination (headphones) is relatively high, each source will end up trying to feed into the other source, rather than feeding the “destination”. Result: you will hear nothing (or very little) and what you hear won’t sound good. Equipment has to be designed to mix sources. For example an audio mixer separately amplifies each source before they mix together inside the mixer.
@@MarkHarmer thanks a lot for the explanation.
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The ear pads are to small for a lot of ears and the sound is not made for music.
Only gaming and TV 🤢👎
Made for gaming and TV? In their marketing, they pitch them for mixing both live and for post.
@@curtisjudd Nice advertisement but not true or I will give my 30 years Hifi trained ears away 😜 This headphone have nice build features but the size of the ear cups and the sound is for me so bad.
@@stephannordmann5346 Ha! Ok. Yes, perfectly valid.
your review seems good but the fact that I feel very bored listening to you is weird.
Thanks for the feedback. If you want edutainment or a hard-sell affiliate marketer instead, you might try other channels.
I am sorry, if you enjoyed HD820 and think they sound "correct" - Then I can't take your words seriously. 820 measures poorly and just like their measurements, they sound poorly and hollow. The general consensus is that HD820 is a failed product from Sennheiser.
Ok. Note that the Beyerdynamic headphones are what I typically use for mixing and dialogue editing. The HD820s are for enjoying music and movies for me. Also, if you try the RODE NTH-100s, I think you’ll hear what I mean when I say they sound “veiled” and not as good at distinguishing many frequencies at the same time.
I’m an audio engineer for more than 15 years. Tried them all. Shure SRH940 and I never look back.
Did you try these, too? 😉
@@curtisjudd Thanks for commenting. I have no reason to, Shure SRH940 has no muffle at all. They are warm, clear and perfect!
I have been waiting for a good review on these, they look interesting! Thank you Gary Busey of audio!
I think you meant that as a joke or compliment but I'm not a fan of Gary Busey.
@@curtisjudd unfortunate to hear. I for one hold him in high regard. I liked him in LW and Predator 2. He is a great actor!