Comments on: Dont go deaf- change your headphones. http://www.djtechtools.com/2007/09/29/dont-go-deaf-change-your-headphones/ A complete recource for digital dj's and performers that use digital technology including controllerism Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:28:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: DJ Anonymous http://www.djtechtools.com/2007/09/29/dont-go-deaf-change-your-headphones/#comment-14273 DJ Anonymous Sat, 04 Oct 2008 19:01:11 +0000 http://djtechtools.com/?p=37#comment-14273 I have been taught to take care of my ears since childhood. Crazy as it seems there are DJs here in Dubai and perhaps elsewhere too who think they still have the ear in good shape but because of faulty ears as they either blow up speakers or turn away clubbers from ridiculously unbalanced audio mix. It is dangerous to let ego overcome the realities of going deaf. I have been taught to take care of my ears since childhood. Crazy as it seems there are DJs here in Dubai and perhaps elsewhere too who think they still have the ear in good shape but because of faulty ears as they either blow up speakers or turn away clubbers from ridiculously unbalanced audio mix.

It is dangerous to let ego overcome the realities of going deaf.

]]> By: MsoB http://www.djtechtools.com/2007/09/29/dont-go-deaf-change-your-headphones/#comment-7823 MsoB Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:14:58 +0000 http://djtechtools.com/?p=37#comment-7823 certainly :) Thanks for creating this great resource and sharing so much of your knowledge with the community! certainly :) Thanks for creating this great resource and sharing so much of your knowledge with the community!

]]> By: Ean Golden http://www.djtechtools.com/2007/09/29/dont-go-deaf-change-your-headphones/#comment-7805 Ean Golden Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:49:16 +0000 http://djtechtools.com/?p=37#comment-7805 thanks a lot for that great contribution MsoB :-) thanks a lot for that great contribution MsoB :-)

]]> By: MsoB http://www.djtechtools.com/2007/09/29/dont-go-deaf-change-your-headphones/#comment-7797 MsoB Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:39:09 +0000 http://djtechtools.com/?p=37#comment-7797 I recently picked up a pair of shure e500 IEMs (late model, they are now called se530, but the drivers are identical) and I've been using them to mix. As Ean said, they are pretty impressive in terms of detail and accuracy, but there are definitely benefits and drawbacks, same as mixing in headphones vs. using monitors. I use Ableton, so beatmatching isn't an issue, but there are other things. Some music just sounds very different in IEMs than they do on a big old (bass heavy) club PA, and i find myself spending lots of time on all these subtle effects and tweaks, which I'm sure no one but me can hear... That being said, all the drawbacks i've noticed so far don't outweigh the value of my hearing :) Addressing imrod's question, I've tried something similar to this, using Etymotics ER20 hifi earplugs under my Ultrasone HFI 700 headphones. I'm guessing Dirty South probly has the custom molded ones which i can't yet afford, but same idea. This definitely works, as long as the earplugs don't protrude so far out that the headphones press them into your ears. I actually recommend those ety plugs for anyone who likes loud music and also values their hearing - they are cheap($12), reusable, and they provide a fairly flat 20db reduction across the frequency spectrum (unlike the cheap foam ones you get at the drug store, which muffle the hell out of highs and high-mids). Circumaural headphones with good isolation (Sennheiser HD280s come to mind) serve much the same function as the IEMs Ean was talking about, but again, you'd have to keep them on both ears all the time. I'm still undecided about what is my favorite way to monitor, but it's good to see other DJs actually caring about their hearing, and spreading the word. The one big advantage that old-style musicians (guitar, bass drums, vocals, etc.) have, in terms of monitoring, over DJs/Controllerists/(whatver the hell we are) is that they have a sound guy. All they need to do is focus on playing the music, and just trust that what the sound guy is sending to their monitors (in ear or floor wedges) is a close approximation of what the crowd is hearing. DJs (at least at smaller venues)are usually expected to be totally responsible for the FOH mix - which can be a big job when you are mixing 4 or more channels, using all sorts of effects, and/or playing synths. as a side note on IEMs: The strong low end response of the higher end models is really nice, but listening to music with lots of really low bass (I'm thinking along the lines of Benga) can be... unsettling. There is something weird, and kinda uncomfortable about having 25Hz basslines pulsing directly into your eardrums. ...unreasonably long reply post over. I recently picked up a pair of shure e500 IEMs (late model, they are now called se530, but the drivers are identical) and I’ve been using them to mix. As Ean said, they are pretty impressive in terms of detail and accuracy, but there are definitely benefits and drawbacks, same as mixing in headphones vs. using monitors. I use Ableton, so beatmatching isn’t an issue, but there are other things. Some music just sounds very different in IEMs than they do on a big old (bass heavy) club PA, and i find myself spending lots of time on all these subtle effects and tweaks, which I’m sure no one but me can hear… That being said, all the drawbacks i’ve noticed so far don’t outweigh the value of my hearing :)

Addressing imrod’s question, I’ve tried something similar to this, using Etymotics ER20 hifi earplugs under my Ultrasone HFI 700 headphones. I’m guessing Dirty South probly has the custom molded ones which i can’t yet afford, but same idea. This definitely works, as long as the earplugs don’t protrude so far out that the headphones press them into your ears. I actually recommend those ety plugs for anyone who likes loud music and also values their hearing - they are cheap($12), reusable, and they provide a fairly flat 20db reduction across the frequency spectrum (unlike the cheap foam ones you get at the drug store, which muffle the hell out of highs and high-mids).

Circumaural headphones with good isolation (Sennheiser HD280s come to mind) serve much the same function as the IEMs Ean was talking about, but again, you’d have to keep them on both ears all the time.

I’m still undecided about what is my favorite way to monitor, but it’s good to see other DJs actually caring about their hearing, and spreading the word. The one big advantage that old-style musicians (guitar, bass drums, vocals, etc.) have, in terms of monitoring, over DJs/Controllerists/(whatver the hell we are) is that they have a sound guy. All they need to do is focus on playing the music, and just trust that what the sound guy is sending to their monitors (in ear or floor wedges) is a close approximation of what the crowd is hearing. DJs (at least at smaller venues)are usually expected to be totally responsible for the FOH mix - which can be a big job when you are mixing 4 or more channels, using all sorts of effects, and/or playing synths.

as a side note on IEMs: The strong low end response of the higher end models is really nice, but listening to music with lots of really low bass (I’m thinking along the lines of Benga) can be… unsettling. There is something weird, and kinda uncomfortable about having 25Hz basslines pulsing directly into your eardrums.

…unreasonably long reply post over.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.djtechtools.com/2007/09/29/dont-go-deaf-change-your-headphones/#comment-7761 Anonymous Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:16:11 +0000 http://djtechtools.com/?p=37#comment-7761 <blockquote>At Ultra this year, I think i saw Dirty South put on sum earplugs before his set and using them under his headphones. Has anyone ever tried this?</blockquote>

At Ultra this year, I think i saw Dirty South put on sum earplugs before his set and using them under his headphones. Has anyone ever tried this?

]]> By: imrod1988 http://www.djtechtools.com/2007/09/29/dont-go-deaf-change-your-headphones/#comment-4025 imrod1988 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:17:08 +0000 http://djtechtools.com/?p=37#comment-4025 At Ultra this year, I think i saw Dirty South put on sum earplugs before his set and using them under his headphones. Has anyone ever tried this? At Ultra this year, I think i saw Dirty South put on sum earplugs before his set and using them under his headphones. Has anyone ever tried this?

]]> By: Ean http://www.djtechtools.com/2007/09/29/dont-go-deaf-change-your-headphones/#comment-21 Ean Tue, 23 Oct 2007 08:34:55 +0000 http://djtechtools.com/?p=37#comment-21 your welcome!!! good luck with your ears. your welcome!!! good luck with your ears.

]]> By: Dj Fitty Dolla http://www.djtechtools.com/2007/09/29/dont-go-deaf-change-your-headphones/#comment-11 Dj Fitty Dolla Tue, 16 Oct 2007 15:42:42 +0000 http://djtechtools.com/?p=37#comment-11 My ears have been ringing for a minute. I have stoped using monitors and have been using headphones only. Now I'm gonna try these in-ear monitors and hope they help. I went out and purchased some m-audio's. The sound is amazing! Will be giging with them this week and will let you know how it goes. Thanks! My ears have been ringing for a minute. I have stoped using monitors and have been using headphones only. Now I’m gonna try these in-ear monitors and hope they help. I went out and purchased some m-audio’s. The sound is amazing! Will be giging with them this week and will let you know how it goes.

Thanks!

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