Are headphones the unsung heroes of the audio classroom? Not only do they keep your neighbours happy, protect you from your students' more 'experimental' compositions and make things like our old favourite the JamHub possible, they're pretty much constantly being battered, beaten and dropped.
So, if you're taking advantage of the Christmas break to give your audio equipment a bit of a spruce, we'd recommend starting with your headphones. And we have a few suggestions as to which might be best for you...
For student workstations: AKG K44. Great for where you need lots of pairs for student workstations, the AKG K44 has a straight single-sided cable, which means it's less prone to getting caught or snagged and snapping than your typical, double-cabled headphone.
For media students: Sony MDR-7506. Sony's MDR-5706 provides your media students with excellent sound quality, while combining a closed back design and single-sided coiled cable to ensure they can stand up to the rigours of outdoor shooting (it also minimises the amount of cable around to get tangled up in).
For the recording studio:Beyerdynamic DT100. If you're trying to replicate an industry standard workflow, try using the DT100, which is the industry's standard closed back headphone. It offers you minimal sound leakage and a tough-as-nails industrial design, with all parts being individually replaceable if they sustain damage.
For critical listening: AKG K240. These high quality monitoring headphones give your students an excellent frequency range and open backed design, making them ideal for exercises where students need to listen critically, such as when they're listening to recorded performances or monitoring instruments.
For use in noisy environments: Sennheiser HD-25-1 II. With its pro quality sound reproduction, closed back design, excellent background noise attenuation and rotatable ear cups, this Sennheiser model is great for anyone trying to hear clearly in noisy environments. It's proved very popular with professional cameramen and DJs, which we're taking as a sterling recommendation of its noise reduction abilities.
For monitoring on a budget: Sennheiser HD205-II. The 205-II's single-sided cable and closed back design make it a sturdy choice for anyone who needs headphones for monitoring, recording or general listening that don't break the bank.
Want to know more about headphones for your music students? Give us a call on 03332 409 306 or email audio@Jigsaw24.com. For all the latest news, reviews and recommendations, follow @Jigsaw24Edu on Twitter or 'Like' us on Facebook.
By Liz Sunter