Great video! 6:37 me a bit more confidence on my process for getting started with mastering. I use the LCD-Xs for mastering with sonarworks calibration set to 75%. I run them through SPL phonitor 1d with crossfeed. It's been a great way for me to get started with mastering. Saves forking out loads of money for monitors and room treatment!
I've tried most quality headphones for mastering and the ones I like best are the Audeze LCD-4z. They sound most like an expensive monitor system in a mastering studio. But as with most others, they need an eq adjustment as well. And just as important as a good pair of the headphones themselves is a good headphone amp/DAC.
Eq-ing (or calibrating) headphones can really change their sound dramatically. I recently got into it when I bought a pair of Hifiman Sundara, just for listening to music or movies, not mastering. I was at first very unimpressed with them comparing them to my old Audeze LCD-2, but then I thought let's try the EQ settings that everybody is talking about (there are people out there measuring headphones and creating EQ curves to get them closest to the Harman-curve). Well, after Eq-ing the Sundaras, they became a totally different headphone! The best bass I have ever heard on a headphone, they are great for movies or electronic music. Then I EQ-ed the Audeze LCD-2 as well and boy did they get better! There is no way I am ever going to listen to un-EQ'ed heaphones again, you can literally make them into a completely different product! If you told me in a blind test the EQ'ed LCD-2 are a different model that is double the price, I'd say yeah, that sounds fair! Same with the Sundaras. I wouldn't have kept them without EQ, but with EQ they're my go-to for watching movies now.
I agree about the LCD-Xs. However, I use the HD600s for judging the mids that the Audeze lack. Everything else sounds great. So I use both for mastering and get great results. I have a great sounding room with great speakers but I can get very good results with the combination of those two. I have Sonarworks but I hate what it does to imaging and phase particularly if you use more than about 30% of its effect
I was bought a tons of cans. From Sennheiser to Audeze... You mentioned you enjoyed "Maxwell" the most out from the box. So, this is why I my trusty M50X with me. It's not the best in details and over analyzing stuff, but they deliver the tone, the bass accury what makes my music always fly to the top 10 on the charts. By the way, it's all about preferences and taste. Thanks for the beautiful video.
I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on the Hifiman - I recently tried the Organic and LCD-X and liked them both but didn't get to try mixing on them - The Ananda were great for fast transients and punch with a more mono sound.
Great video and perspective! I’d love to see a conversation with yourself and @MasteringExplained as they master exclusively on HD 600 headphones. I mix exclusively on headphones and I’ve ran the gamut of what’s out there and I keep coming back to my HD 650.
A very interesting video it would be a comparison between HD 650 and MM 500. Since both of them have very similar eq curve. Just because everyone in other videos is talking about how the planars have more detailed sound. Personally I've tried for mixing, LCD 2 (not LCD X) and I didn't feel anything "really special" in the details compared to HD 650....but maybe it's just my ears :)
the thing with eq compensation is also, that it is a bit more cumbersome to just listen to music. sienna offers a system wide application, but not all correction software do that. and you always have to do this, if you want the kind of sound you can rely on. on the lcd-x i now try to get to know both sonic footprints. the one that is corrected with sienna is the one I work with, the uncorrected one is more relaxed and for "easy listening", which is another check for my masters from the consumer perspective. so for me it somehow turned into a benefit.
I use Audeze Penrose (PC model) with a curve applied on internal EQ based on Scan's test of them. Pretty happy. I use them corded (aux). But for mixing, not mastering... I get Other Ears involved for mastering!
It is as complicated to mix with headphones as it is to measure the rendering of a headset. The rendering will also depend on the morphology of the person wearing it. As much as it is possible to correct the acoustics of a room to optimize the coupling between the speakers and the room. Whereas for a headset it is complicated unless you make custom molded ears. I use from time to time when I have no choice, custom in-ear ears from Earsonics (EM4), the rendering is very flat.
I have tried MM-500 and MM-100. I like MM-100 more than MM-500. In my opinion, I feel MM-500 sounds more hifi. For mastering I finally will send to some experienced mastering engineer such as Streaky in London😃 But I will check master with different kind of headphones such as Audeze MM-100, HD800S, Focal Bathys…etc. For wireless close back headphone, I recommend that you may try out Focal Bathys. In my opinion, it sounds much natural than the Audeze one. If you connected it with it USB C cable and use its DAC. It sounds like a open headphone. Moreover it price is similar with Audeze one.😃
Great review Ian, agree with you on the LCD-X, I use them myself but with individual calibration that Sonorworks created for me. Without that, I can’t use them, I wouldn’t even listen to music on them. With the calibration I find they are clean, neutral and have a great frequency response. My work means I’m often on the road, so being able to take the room with me is very beneficial.
That's because the Sonarworks LCD-X curve (certainly the one for post-2021 models) is wrong, and no matter how many times users tell them it's wrong they refuse to fix it. If only they'd revisit the public curve, given what they must know from calibrating individual users' sets.
I am no sound engineer, merely a hobbyist, but you couldn't pry my HD650s even from my cold, dead hands. I've had them for nearly 20 years now. I hope they will last another 20.
I have been an unconditional fan of these high end Sennheiser headphones. BUT I am confronted with a problem in my work as a mix AND mastering engineer : there is a a very heavy trend nowadays towards very low frequency heavy productions. If you want ONE single objective proof of this, all bus compressor simulations, including very accurate ones, include a HPF filter on the sc, something that the hardware emulated units do not have. Obviously the material sent through these simulations is so heavier in the lows that to restore proper behavior of the compressor you just have to filter parts of the low frequency. And to return to my trusted hd650, they have to much bass in them for this current trend or fashion. I have since then switched to grado headphones, but am on the lookout for a headphone setup with a low frequency shelf filter to be able to work again with my HD 650
Audeze are great, no question, I had a pair of lcdx until recently when the earpads fell of. Yes, since they are glued to the frame they get old and break. Ok no problem replace them dude.. I bought the replacement pads and when I was cleaning the glue of the old ones one screw flew attracted to the magnets and pierced one driver. Yes, my fault but be aware if you have to replace the pads. Now the repair here in Germany cost thousand euros, so it would be wiser to buy a new pair, butt nope, I'm going for the focals clear this time.
I've used a set of Meze planar headphones often. There's benefits and drawbacks (most you've touched on). I mainly use a set of full range speakers in a properly treated room, but headphones, if your ears are trained up to them, can work. For me, they're priceless when mastering in a hotel room, for example.
I agree 100% on mm-500... it's an incredible pair of headphones
Great video! 6:37 me a bit more confidence on my process for getting started with mastering.
I use the LCD-Xs for mastering with sonarworks calibration set to 75%. I run them through SPL phonitor 1d with crossfeed.
It's been a great way for me to get started with mastering. Saves forking out loads of money for monitors and room treatment!
I've tried most quality headphones for mastering and the ones I like best are the Audeze LCD-4z. They sound most like an expensive monitor system in a mastering studio. But as with most others, they need an eq adjustment as well. And just as important as a good pair of the headphones themselves is a good headphone amp/DAC.
Eq-ing (or calibrating) headphones can really change their sound dramatically. I recently got into it when I bought a pair of Hifiman Sundara, just for listening to music or movies, not mastering. I was at first very unimpressed with them comparing them to my old Audeze LCD-2, but then I thought let's try the EQ settings that everybody is talking about (there are people out there measuring headphones and creating EQ curves to get them closest to the Harman-curve).
Well, after Eq-ing the Sundaras, they became a totally different headphone! The best bass I have ever heard on a headphone, they are great for movies or electronic music. Then I EQ-ed the Audeze LCD-2 as well and boy did they get better! There is no way I am ever going to listen to un-EQ'ed heaphones again, you can literally make them into a completely different product!
If you told me in a blind test the EQ'ed LCD-2 are a different model that is double the price, I'd say yeah, that sounds fair! Same with the Sundaras. I wouldn't have kept them without EQ, but with EQ they're my go-to for watching movies now.
I agree about the LCD-Xs. However, I use the HD600s for judging the mids that the Audeze lack. Everything else sounds great. So I use both for mastering and get great results. I have a great sounding room with great speakers but I can get very good results with the combination of those two. I have Sonarworks but I hate what it does to imaging and phase particularly if you use more than about 30% of its effect
I was bought a tons of cans. From Sennheiser to Audeze... You mentioned you enjoyed "Maxwell" the most out from the box. So, this is why I my trusty M50X with me. It's not the best in details and over analyzing stuff, but they deliver the tone, the bass accury what makes my music always fly to the top 10 on the charts. By the way, it's all about preferences and taste. Thanks for the beautiful video.
I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on the Hifiman - I recently tried the Organic and LCD-X and liked them both but didn't get to try mixing on them - The Ananda were great for fast transients and punch with a more mono sound.
I use LCD-5's and theyre just incredible!
Great video and perspective! I’d love to see a conversation with yourself and @MasteringExplained as they master exclusively on HD 600 headphones. I mix exclusively on headphones and I’ve ran the gamut of what’s out there and I keep coming back to my HD 650.
A very interesting video it would be a comparison between HD 650 and MM 500. Since both of them have very similar eq curve.
Just because everyone in other videos is talking about how the planars have more detailed sound.
Personally I've tried for mixing, LCD 2 (not LCD X) and I didn't feel anything "really special" in the details compared to HD 650....but maybe it's just my ears :)
the thing with eq compensation is also, that it is a bit more cumbersome to just listen to music. sienna offers a system wide application, but not all correction software do that. and you always have to do this, if you want the kind of sound you can rely on.
on the lcd-x i now try to get to know both sonic footprints. the one that is corrected with sienna is the one I work with, the uncorrected one is more relaxed and for "easy listening", which is another check for my masters from the consumer perspective. so for me it somehow turned into a benefit.
I use Audeze Penrose (PC model) with a curve applied on internal EQ based on Scan's test of them. Pretty happy. I use them corded (aux). But for mixing, not mastering... I get Other Ears involved for mastering!
It is as complicated to mix with headphones as it is to measure the rendering of a headset.
The rendering will also depend on the morphology of the person wearing it. As much as it is possible to correct the acoustics of a room to optimize the coupling between the speakers and the room. Whereas for a headset it is complicated unless you make custom molded ears. I use from time to time when I have no choice, custom in-ear ears from Earsonics (EM4), the rendering is very flat.
I have tried MM-500 and MM-100. I like MM-100 more than MM-500. In my opinion, I feel MM-500 sounds more hifi. For mastering I finally will send to some experienced mastering engineer such as Streaky in London😃
But I will check master with different kind of headphones such as Audeze MM-100, HD800S, Focal Bathys…etc.
For wireless close back headphone, I recommend that you may try out Focal Bathys. In my opinion, it sounds much natural than the Audeze one. If you connected it with it USB C cable and use its DAC. It sounds like a open headphone. Moreover it price is similar with Audeze one.😃
Great review Ian, agree with you on the LCD-X, I use them myself but with individual calibration that Sonorworks created for me. Without that, I can’t use them, I wouldn’t even listen to music on them. With the calibration I find they are clean, neutral and have a great frequency response. My work means I’m often on the road, so being able to take the room with me is very beneficial.
That's because the Sonarworks LCD-X curve (certainly the one for post-2021 models) is wrong, and no matter how many times users tell them it's wrong they refuse to fix it. If only they'd revisit the public curve, given what they must know from calibrating individual users' sets.
I am no sound engineer, merely a hobbyist, but you couldn't pry my HD650s even from my cold, dead hands. I've had them for nearly 20 years now. I hope they will last another 20.
I can relate !
This reminds me that I should buy ten or so pairs of extra muffs to last me the coming twenty as well!
I have been an unconditional fan of these high end Sennheiser headphones. BUT I am confronted with a problem in my work as a mix AND mastering engineer : there is a a very heavy trend nowadays towards very low frequency heavy productions. If you want ONE single objective proof of this, all bus compressor simulations, including very accurate ones, include a HPF filter on the sc, something that the hardware emulated units do not have. Obviously the material sent through these simulations is so heavier in the lows that to restore proper behavior of the compressor you just have to filter parts of the low frequency.
And to return to my trusted hd650, they have to much bass in them for this current trend or fashion. I have since then switched to grado headphones, but am on the lookout for a headphone setup with a low frequency shelf filter to be able to work again with my HD 650
I’m a mastering engineer, and i trust my HD650 even though it’s time for new pair 😅😅
Audeze are great, no question, I had a pair of lcdx until recently when the earpads fell of. Yes, since they are glued to the frame they get old and break. Ok no problem replace them dude.. I bought the replacement pads and when I was cleaning the glue of the old ones one screw flew attracted to the magnets and pierced one driver. Yes, my fault but be aware if you have to replace the pads. Now the repair here in Germany cost thousand euros, so it would be wiser to buy a new pair, butt nope, I'm going for the focals clear this time.
Explains the brighter sounding masters i've exported while using the LCD-Xs exclusively ^^
I have the mm-500s. Love em!!
Love your videos, Ian!
Thanks Ian. More on Dolby Atmos mixing please.
Audeze Maxwells are breaking the wall between the gaming and audiophile world!
HD650 til my last breath! 🙂
Great review there Ian!
I've used a set of Meze planar headphones often. There's benefits and drawbacks (most you've touched on). I mainly use a set of full range speakers in a properly treated room, but headphones, if your ears are trained up to them, can work. For me, they're priceless when mastering in a hotel room, for example.
From what I've seen, the Maxwell's frequency response is astonishingly close to 2018 Harman Curve. But that's a whole other can of worms.
I own both MM500 and X 2021 and I never get the bass right without checking on real (decent) monitors.
Own both as well and actually get the best results dialing in the low end on the headphones (they’re tuned to my liking).
@ Do you mean EQ-ing them? How did you verify how to tune them correctly and compared/ translated to what?