Specific headphone requests?

Question

Ok I know this question has been asked many times and I saw it was the second question on the main page (at the time of this post) but I am just looking for something in specific.

My last pair were the Sennheiser hd 280 pros and I loved them, but I no longer have them.

As some of you said in the topic I had read they do have their flaws and are not the greatest headphones for sound design.

I have only done music production before but am very interested in sound design for movies but do not know what headphones would be best for both movie sound design and music production and mastering.

I would specifically like something with an all around better frequency response then the Sennheiser 280s (if that is what is best for sound design and production)

I was looking up a few different models around the same price as the hd 280s but I can't really find much. (because I have no clue what I am looking for)

At this point I either want a $100 pair that has little but noticeable difference or just jump the gun from there and pay all out price for top quality. (If I am not going to find better than the hd 280s for 100 or under I want top quality headphones.)

Answer 1

The other major competitor in that price range is the Sony MDR-7506/V6. These are pretty standard issue for editors, but as for your uses I dunno if they will be 'better' than HD280s. If you want to jump up in price and quality, this link has pretty much all the info: http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-50-headphones-compared

Answer 2

The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro is a pretty good set of headphones--in particular it has a pretty flat midrange response, which is helpful for mixing. Drawbacks: a little hyped in the bass and high treble. Offers good isolation from outside sounds if you need that.

The Sony MDR 7506 (or V6, which is an earlier version) sounds different but not necessarily better--there is a mild midrange peak, the high treble tends to roll off, lower mids are a bit recessed, bass is extended (though not quite as extended as the HD 280, which is capable of response to below 20 Hz). Isolation from outside sounds is fair--the HD 280 is better in that respect. Interesting option: you can get a special high isolation version from Trew Audio in Nashville, that puts 7506 drivers into what is essentially a helicopter pilot com headset--it's called the HN-7506. Putting the 7506 drivers into such a different environment makes them bass heavy, but the sound is still useable, and the isolation is better than just about any other headphone out there--if you need to mix while onstage with a band, the HN-7506 is what you want.

If you do not need isolation, the Sennheiser open-ear headphones are good, if expensive choices. The HD-600 is very neutral sounding--you might check it out.