Tip #1 for Voice Actors: Get yourself a good pair of headphones.
You have amazing ears and in order to get the best out of them, reproducing the sound appropriately is super important! However, not every pair of headphones will give you the response you need. There are tons of headphones and choosing a pair can get really tricky. As we know quite a bit about it, we're here to give you some guidance on how to choose a great pair of headphones.
- Make sure they are Closed-Back Headphones: Closed-back headphones are super versatile and will give you a better isolation and less leakage of sound when listening to your recordings. This will allow you to more easily pick up most of the noises present in a recording, making your editing process much faster and more accurate.
- Be careful with frequency boosts: Usually, closed-back headphones have a small boost in the low frequencies. Make sure you take a look at the frequency response graphic and choose the one that has the flattest response. Keep in mind that it's impossible to find headphones that are 100% flat, so choose the ones that have the least boosts.Example: Frequency response for the Sony MDR-7506. Taken from http://en.GoldenEars.net
- If you can, test them before buying them: Your headphones will work as “clothing” for your ears and, as such, they should feel comfortable for them to work appropriately. If you can, try the headphones on and see how good the feel on your ears. Are your earlobes showing? Are they too tight or too loose? Make sure you choose the ones that feel the best over your ears. If you can’t test them, be sure to read the reviews and take a look at the materials they’re made up of.
We recommend the Sony MDR-7506 headphones. All our QC agents use them to review your takes, and several other team members use them as well. They are widely known for being used in a lot of studios and by famous artists, so these are a safe choice.
Was this useful for you? Which headphones would you personally recommend? Do you have other useful tips to keep in mind when buying headphones? Let us know in the comments!
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I have been pleased with the MDR-7506 as well, and if agents are using them, then it is the best choice in Voicebunny land. But I have also had recommendations for Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 ohm Closed-back Studio Mixing Headphones from very good sources. Note that they are more expensive. Harlan Hogan has also come out with his signature headphones.
I am in love with my MDR 7506 as well! I love how their response is the most stable from the headphones I've used. I like the DT 770 Pro 80 and I love them for mixing music but I've found that they tend to have a boost in the low frequencies that, to my ears, is not very desirable for voice overs.
I think it's more of a matter of getting used to your headphones! I also own a pair of AudioTechnca ATH-M50x. These are less expensive than the MDRs and they also work super super well! I use them to monitor my voice overs and have helped me a lot to make my squeaky voice sound more balanced!
Absolutely. Got two pair of MDR 7506s. But I forgot to mention Bose noise cancelling. They are NOT for audio mixing. And NOT for listening to tracks for recording. BUT if you need to get on a plane, or you need to listen to something while walking around, and do not want speakers on (which can bother people), AND you have disposable income, they are worth a look. They are really amazingly comfortable.
I repeat they are NOT useful in Voicebunny land.
And they are around $400 bucks. Yikes.