I was a bit concerned that having soft overcovers such as the Garfields would allow more ambient sound to sneak in- is it that noticeable?

OP- you don't say if you have a particular need for attenuating exogenous noise (i.e. filming on an oil rig or at a rock concert).

There are things sold that are tantamount to ear defenders with 7506s retro-fitting to them. Don't know if this changes their sonic characteristics, but if not, might be an option. Probably heavier though. Or there are the in-ear canalphones- there are some made for on-stage performers that might be worth a look.

However, for occasional use in loud environments, where you just want a sanity check (is it really recording?), I would have thought it quite useful to have a noise-cancelling set.

The sonic difference and isolation characteristics using the Garfield Softies is negligible IMO. I use in-ear HPs for high SPL situations
Though I think Trew Audio offers a modified high iso version of the 7506.

You guys are amazing.
 

Thank you so much.

I have a friend who is a recording engineer/songwriter/singer and he recommended the Audio Technica AT-M50.

"WAY better on the ears than the Sonys. Accurate and easy on the ears in the treble range. Also, well made."

I have yet to buy an M50.

I use a pair of in-ear Sennheiser CX-380 earphones. Sounds OK. Keeps stray noises out fairly well. They're also compact and allow me to wear a wide-brimmed hat to keep my head out of the sun as much as possible. Conventional headphones, with the overhead band, requires that I wear a ball cap which isn't as protective.

I own a pair of 7506, which are the standard for field work. My only complaint is when I wear them for long periods of time my ear lobes get sore pressing up against the insides. I've felt more comfortable high end headphones at the apple store but they boost bass too much, are too expensive, and aren't durable enough for field work.

I personally use a pair of MDRV-900's that I don't think are even in production anymore. I got them about 8 years ago and have been using them since. They're so comfortable that I forget to take them off during downtime.

I have not tried the AT-M50 yet, but I have read favorable reviews, Including our own reliable source Ty Ford.
I also see that Shure has released it's own version of the 7506 style. The SRH440 & SRH840 is priced accordingly to compete with Sony and AT. Has anyone tried them yet? Ty?

I use audio-technica ATH-M40fs cans with my field mixer and I'm quite happy.

I notice the 7506s come with a screw on 1/4" adapter. Does this mean you can't use standard (non screw-in) adapters?

Normal adapters work just fine.

Performers wearing headphones...
 

Another matter that came up during a recent V.O. recording was the talent wanted to wear the cans so he could hear himself. Fair enough but any movement he made, even simple gesticulating would cause the headphones to creak and click, which the mic picked up mercilessly! We pressed on without him wearing the cans so he could stay 'in character'.

How are the 7506s for this?

Is that to be expected with any 'phones

And has anyone else encountered / solved this?

Thanks

It is incredibly difficult for voice talent to do their job properly without wearing cans and insisting your talent try to work without phones is seriously crippling his ability to deliver an optimum performance. Wearing headphones is the normal practice and virtually all professional voice-overs, narration, or ADR are recorded using them. Virtually all studio music recordings are made with the talent wearing phones as well. The Sonys and other professional quality phones are made with this in mind and in my experience are completely noise free in use. I've used both Sony and Sennheiser and never had a problem with mechanical noise from the phones per se, though bleed can be an issue if you use open-backed phones at high volumes. Computer headsets or cheap consumer gear might be another story.

Yeah that's what I thought - the headphones while probably fine in their day are due for replacement. A set of 7506s is probably what I'll recommend.

It hasn't been that uncommon that an actor will prefer to work without wearing phones - maybe they feel less restricted or something - but my line of work is character animation which sometimes involves recording actors more than dedicated VO guys or singers - and as long as the signal coming through is clear & strong, I just let them work however they're comfortable.

Its all good until they start full-body convulsions to pretend they're being electrocuted or grunting out dialog to convince you they're fighting 50 enemy swordsmen at the time!

If they're moving around THAT much I'd expect problems keeping them on-mic would override any headphone problems. Good VO talent should be able to get all that inflection while keeping their mouth a fixed (close) distance from the mic.

K.C.

The 7506s are not only great for your use but they are nice for portable music and video players or anything they will plug in to. Im always having to find where the kids put them when they listen to the Zune or something.

Pretty well built for under $100USD