Fostex: T50RP Headphones

Most studios have pairs of T40RP headphones on hand for tracking. I've got three and have been using them constantly. The cups don't swivel all around like some headphones so they're easy to take on and off while playing guitar, the cables are easily replaceable with locking 1/8" plugs on the headphone end, and the rubber headband across the top keeps them from slipping off unless the drummer's hair is too greasy. The T50RP is the new big brother of the 40, with a slightly bigger earcup size and wider frequency response (claimed to be 15 Hz - 35 kHz!), but all the good features remain. In tracking use I found that these 'phones were a little less midrangey than the 40 series, which sometimes was good and sometimes bad. One drummer claimed she couldn't hear as much through them as T40s or Sony MD 4506s, ironically probably due to the wider response and less harshness in the mids. I tracked some bass on these (along to live drums and guitar) and found that I was hearing the lows pretty well, which I liked. I also found the T50RPs good for checking mixes on, more like a pair of audiophile 'phones than the usual tracking headphones. Basically these headphones are great for certain situations, just be aware that they don't rock the mids like their little brother the 40RP. ($199 list / $99 retail if you look hard enough, www.fostex.com)