Choosing the best headphones for live sound
When packing your bag to go to a live sound gig, the first item should always be good headphones that allow you to check for audio signals, provide a reference sound to which you can calibrate your PA system and to potentially mix a show on them as well. A hundred different engineers will choose a hundred different brands or models that they prefer, however, all good live sound headphones meet the same demands and tick the same boxes. If you are on the market for a brand new set or just rethinking your current choice, here are some of the things you should keep in mind.
Headphone design
Over-ear headphones are divided into three major categories, according to the design of the cup. The closed type has a full headphone cup, providing maximum containment of the sound leakage from the headphones speaker into the environment. For that reason they are used in studio work during the recording process, since we are concerned about the monitoring signal being picked up by sensitive microphones. On the down side, they are not the most detailed, since the sound pressure can build up in the earpiece, causing sonic anomalies and increased pressure to the very sensitive human hearing apparatus. The semi-open type has small openings in the back of the headphone cup, providing some relief to the sound buildup, but increasing the level of sound emanating from the headphones into their surroundings. The open type disregards the sound pollution from the headphones and focuses on providing the most detailed sound experience for the user. They are usually used by producers and engineers in the sound design or mixing process for best possible results. In live sound, however, we are more concerned with keeping sound pollution from entering than escaping. If you are working in very loud environments, the best way of hearing details when using headphones is to have the best isolation possible. It is the only thing that will enable you to actually hear anything without having to run the headphones at levels that can negatively affect your hearing. So the obvious choice is to go with the closed type.
Cup size
Staying on the topic of isolation of ambient sounds from entering our listening environment, the cup size should be such that allows for complete covering of your outer ear. Your ear should be able to fit into the headphone cushion. That cushion should also provide the best seal possible to help with increased isolation. Compare that to smaller cup sizes that sit on top of your ears rather than around them. The irregularly shaped surface of the ear makes it impossible to have a great seal, greatly reducing their ability to isolate the users from the outside sound, forcing them to use higher levels and by that increasing the danger of hearing damage, not to mention the loss of detail of the monitored signal. It is also a comfort issue. If you want your headphones to truly have a great contribution to your live sound work, they have to become your reference headphones - a known and reliable sound print that is a baseline for all sonic decisions you make down the line. You can only get them to that level by using them a lot, listening to reference tracks, mixes, source signals, even test signals, like pink noise. Having a pair of headphones crushing your earlobes for hours on end becomes extremely painful, so choose a headphone size that is comfortable and seals well. Being on the subject of cushions, make sure they can be easily replaced, as they are most likely to be torn or worn out first and will have to be replaced.
Impedance
Even if the headphones will provide the best isolation possible, using them in extremely loud environments will mean that they have to be quite loud. They will also have to achieve adequate levels for monitoring even when driven by headphone preamps which are built into consoles. Those preamps can be quite basic, due to spatial restrictions, and are not equipped to offer enough “juice” to run headphones with high impedance values at levels that can overcome the ambient noise of a loud show. So the only choice is to use headphones with lower impedance, realising that we are usually sacrificing a bit of detail because of that. That detail, however, wouldn’t even become a fully realised potential, because it would get drowned out by the potentially loud environment of our work place. Aiming at values up to 50 Ohms should keep you in a safe region of models that can be used on just about any mixing board in any live sound environment. I have met engineers that would use high impedance headphones by also bringing a dedicated headphone preamp with them, but that is a matter of choice and sometimes comes down to how much space you have in your case and what you consider to be the best use of that space.
Quality of construction
Headphones, used by sound engineers, live a pretty rough life. They get thrown in bags and cases, get used on a daily basis in all weather conditions, have to endure the winter cold and summer heat, their cables get stepped on and pinched and they can get connected to all sorts of gear on just one gig. So they have to be road worthy, with a build quality that can withstand all that abuse- at least for a while. Here is what I look at when considering headphone construction:
- How compact can they get when folded? That determines how much space they take up in your bag and whether or not you can bring a couple of additional tools with you.
- How comfortable is the headband? The headband will be touching the top of your head if you want to get the best fit, so it should be padded enough not to create discomfort, yet not too bulky.
- How much do they weigh? You would be surprised how sensitive our heads are when it comes to weight. A couple of grams can make a huge difference when you have to wear the headphones for an extended period of time.
- What do the joints look like? Are they made of flimsy plastic or sturdy metal? Do they look like they will break if you stare at them too long or do they look solid?
- What connection do they offer? I always go for the combined connector that offers both ¼” and ⅛” connection. I also prefer the connector that gets screwed on rather than just pushed on - it ensures a better and longer lasting operation.
- What type is the cable? This is going to be more of a personal preference, but I prefer to have a coiled cable than a straight one. It is less messy and offers more flexibility, but is not necessarily a deal breaker for me. It can also be beneficial if the cable can get replaced easily since it is one of the parts that gets broken the most.
Price
I never talk about exact amounts when I discuss gear pricing, because the definition of expensive or cheap is extremely subjective. However, I just wanted to point out that the price should be something that you are willing to pay, fully knowing that you will be using these on the road. That can mean losing them with luggage, having them stolen, exposing them to the elements, scratching them, someone accidentally sitting on them… the list of potential complications is endless. If you think you would be constantly stressed about the fate of your headphones because you spent an enormous amount of money on them, then you should reconsider your choice. My rule of thumb - if I can pay for them with my next two shows, that is within my price range. Some people go for more than that, some less - there is no right or wrong here, only what you are comfortable with after making an informed decision.
Sound engineers tend to use the same pair of headphones for a long time, just because they are so used to having that reference baseline. But that does not mean we can’t be on the lookout for whatever the manufacturers are developing and presenting to the market- sometimes just because others ask for our advice on what to buy for themselves. Besides telling them your selected brand and model, it also helps to tell them why we chose that and what personal preference that decision is based on, so they can have more options and make better choices.