Hi, tilbergman!
I do mostly on location classical music recording, and after spending many years listening to various “cans” I finally settled on Etymotic ER-4P “earphones” for several reasons:
- They’re virtually flat response when comparing the electrical signal with the live audition (one ear with ER-4P using a reference calibration DPA 4007 microphone flat through my mixer, and one ear without to listen to the live sound). They provide a very exact representation to your ears of what you are recording. [The ER-4P’s were designed by an audiologist, Dr. Mead Killion, who’s been developing hearing solutions for several decades.]
- They’re incredible isolation from surrounding noise and other distractions.
- They’re small in size making them easy to schlepp!
They aren’t ideal for everyone, as you feel you’re inserting them into your brain when you put them into your ear canals; and they cannot be removed in haste to chat with someone as they seal snugly in your ears. Although they do reproduce bass nicely, they don’t permit you to “feel the bass” because they’re not physically capable of doing so, anymore than conventional headphones! Another issue is the somewhat stiff wires to the ear transducers that tend to conduct physical noise when moving around. I’ve licked that problem by wrapping the wires over my ear pinnas (ear lobes), and then clipping the cable to the front of my shirt. Finally, they’re not inexpensive at an MSRP of ~$299 USD, but you may be able to find a used set on eBay for less, assuming they haven’t been abused, as the ear tips are easily replaced for sanitary reasons!
That said, there is a convenience factor to be able to remove conventional headphones quickly. But their design always results in compromises, and the closed back design presents considerable issues with a limited volume and resonant chamber behind the diaphragm, and reflections back through the diaphragm to your ear. Amongst some of the better brands are Beyer, Sennheiser, Grado, and Koss.
Your best bet if you really prefer headphones, is to find a reference CD you listen to a lot, and are familiar with how it sounds, and then visit a local audio/music store to give a listen to various headphones using your “reference” CD. The drawback with this audition technique is that you are at the mercy of the mastering engineers, and what you’re used to listening to for music. The more live music you listen to, the better off you’ll be at knowing what sounds “right” and what doesn’t based on live listening to the “real thing”.
Hope this helps you out. And don’t be afraid to return to the forum with questions. There’s likely somebody who’s had a similar issue as you and can help you resolve it.