Recommendations for isolated headphone for high-noise locations? (ie- Remote HN-7506 and others?)

[Jim Feeley]

I'm ending up in more and more loud locations (e.g., factories and music venues). I don't want to keep cranking the volume on my cans. So I'm looking for some headphones that offer greater isolation than the standard Sony 7506. I'm really used to the 7506, but will consider headphones built around other drivers.

 

I know about (and once wore) the Remote Audio HN-7506 High Noise Headset, with up to 45dB reduction, but what else? 

https://remoteaudio.com/products/hearing/high-noise-headset/

 

Anyone tried the Beyer Dynamic DT 770 M that says it reduces exterior sound by 35 dBA. 

https://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/p/dt-770-m

 

And then there are drummer headphones (mostly) from MI companies. Here are a dozen from one big US-based online reseller:

https://www.sweetwater.com/c412--Drumming_Headphones

 

Anyone have personal experience with any very isolated headphones other than the HN-7506?

 

Thanks! 

 

 

[acdave]

Hi Jim!

 

I've been using the GK Music headphones for many years. They use the 7506 drivers. 

https://www.gk-music.com/product-category/high-isolation-headphones/

Not cheap, but have served me well in a variety of high noise environments. But, they will sound different than standard 7506s, because of the additional isolation.

I've also used IEMs inside regular high isolation ear muffs, as well.

Worth a listen.

Dave W

San Francisco, CA

[The Immoral Mr Teas]

Good old DT-100s ? (I have the DT-150s - and they, like every headphone under the sun, sound much better than the 7506s - it's a question of comfort, but isolation isn't particularly comfortable). I overuse my 7506s not so much for the comfort however but because they're the only 'phones I have with level limiters which I consider more important than quality for casual rather than critical use.

 

If you had the opportunity to try some for size though I would certainly look into the 770s - my 550s (open) are superb.

 

Jez

[Jason Nicholas]

I’ve been using the Shure SE 846 with custom moulded ear inserts. These certainly isolate extremely well and have quite good sound. The only issues are microphonics with the cabling (though these are less so than others I’ve tried as the cabling goes up and around the earlobe to take off some strain; also, unlike cans, you can’t just pop them on and off when you need to hear something in the environment or speak with a colleague, etc.). It’s a bit of an effort to insert and remove them. However, once in, they are lovely and especially comfortable with the custom inserts. I think the primary benefit is the ability to listen at low levels in a noisy environment without risking ear fatigue or damage. I suppose, also, they are quite expensive and delicate; they aren’t something you want to just toss about in a bag. Another obvious benefit is, if you are doing field recording out in public places with a hand healed recorder or the like, with IEMs you just look like everyone else; you aren’t advertising the fact that you are recording (of course, 87% of the people on the street are looking at their phones regardless so it probably is moot).  

[jason porter]

Etymotic in ears, because loud is often accompanied by a hardhat.

[OB1]

If you don't require high fidelity and just need to hear the channels/mix clearly, then these work beautifully and can be found for $75 on sale (July 4th anyone?).

 

https://vicfirth.com/collections/headphones/products/vic-firth-stereo-isolation-headphones

[The Immoral Mr Teas]

1 hour ago, jason porter said:

Etymotic in ears, because loud is often accompanied by a hardhat.

 

I will add - since the hardhat is mentioned (and thus the inability to yank off the headphones) that a noise-limiting circuit is an absolute must for ear safety. Fair enough, these may be built in to the workflow in the earphone limiter of the mixer/recorder headphone amp - but make sure they are. I have used Etymotic 4s for years, and love them in certain circumstances - but would not put myself in a position where they could do damage and couldn't be pulled out instantly.

[Tom Craca]

https://www.sensaphonics.com/

 

Pick your brand/drivers.  They'll refer you to a local shop to take the molds.  They use soft silicon, not hard plastic like most others.  Way more comfortable, don't break if you drop them, aren't freezing cold, and can remove them and replace if you want.  I had one set of molds done and had silicon custom tips made for both etymotics and shure 535s at the same time.  

 

 

[edward chick]

Depending on the job either Remote Audio High Noise cans or Myrna IEM.  RA are heavy and if you wear glasses eventually press the stems into the side of your head it can be painful at end of day. But sore scalp or damaged hearing. Myrnas are good but tend to leak a little bit . Not the best for extreme noise .

I use them when I work college football , basketball etc. The RA definitely for automotive racing Indy Car , NASCAR etc. Also rock concerts  Amazing how low a volume I can listen to them and still critical mix. And more importantly my ears don’t ring afterwards. 

 

Before I had any job specific headset or IEM I used Shure SE 215 with a shooters’ muff over them. Not the most comfortable but very affordable. 

 

Bottom line we make a damn good living with our hearing. Protection should never be an after thought. 

[Jason Nicholas]

I needed to test something else out and just had a walk around the block wearing my IEMs; as you can see from this image, they are quite stealthy and one can hardly see that I'm wearing headphones at all. I could probably walk right up to people and record any they would never know I was doing so. 

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

I didn't think the DT770s were still made, but your link says otherwise.  I've been using the much pricier DT1170Pro and they are about as isolated as I've found for closed-back over-ear headphones.  I hate having stuff in my ear canals, so I haven't tried those, but my understanding is they are even more isolating.

 

Of a lesser tier:  Audio Technica ATH-70X is the best compromise between flat / neutral sound and isolation, but they aren't durable enough for set use.  However, their lower-end sibling the ATH-50X is more robust and sounds almost as good.  The critical point of failure on the ATH-50X is made of metal instead of plastic.  Go figure.

 

I tend not to trust active noise cancelling because it modifies the audio signal, but they might also be worth a look if you can tolerate the possibility of artifacts in your audio; hands down the best isolation I've ever heard was a noise-cancelling Bose headset in a helicopter.  Totally transforms the experience; you can speak and listen in an everyday speaking voice in the cockpit of a helijet.  As far as I know, Bose's consumer noise-cancelling headsets use the same tech and are equally effective.  I didn't notice any obvious artifacts while wearing them, and the experience was miles better than the old-fashioned 10-pound radio headsets that you used to find in aircraft.

[The Immoral Mr Teas]

8 hours ago, Jason Nicholas said:

 I could probably walk right up to people and record any they would never know I was doing so. 

 

 Laugh of my day cheers Jason!

[Axel Mishael]

I've used the David Clark's 10S/DC , they have a -23dbs attenuation, the sound is good and so the attenuation, here's the specs:

 

https://www.davidclarkcompany.com/files/literature/NRR Sheet, 10S.DC.pdf

 

https://www.davidclarkcompany.com/files/literature/Spare Parts, 10S.DC.pdf

 

Axel. 

[Jim Feeley]

10 hours ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

didn't think the DT770s were still made, but your link says otherwise.  I've been using the much pricier DT1170Pro

 

There are six or so DT 770 variations. The 770 M are modified for FOH, drummers, and the like. No idea if they're still being made, or if there's just a lot of stock in the channel. Don't know what will happen with their sale to Cosonic (whom I hadn't heard of before).

 

 

[Philip Perkins]

I do a lot of music recording while having to be in the same space as the players, the HN7506s have worked out really well for me for this for many years.  For dialog jobs I hated using them--insufficient spatial awareness for doco and even set-recording of drama.

[resonate]

KZ ZS Pro X with foam  Iems provide a lot of isolation and a comfortable, accurate monitoring if you are working in a noisy place. Cheap, too! 

https://kz-audio.com/kz-zs10-pro-x.html

Memory foam tips : https://pl.aliexpress.com/item/1005007224646265.html

[Jim Feeley]

This has been a helpful conversation. Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts, experiences, and recommendations.

[inspire]

BTW, for me Sony MDR-7506 is still the best 😀