Signal Dept Edition 8
Headphones Part 2 - a Producer's Guide
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Signal Dept. curates electronic music from the margins—tracking experimental drops, uncovering hidden producers, and mapping sounds that grow in the shadows of the mainstream. Through playlists, brief artist conversations, and cultural deep-dives, we document how electronic music communities actually function: the networks, the exchanges, the quiet revolutions happening in bedrooms and basements worldwide.
Music production is inseparable from the ecosystems that nurture it. We examine not just the sounds but the infrastructure—which labels champion what aesthetics, how artists navigate different performance spaces, what tools shape which communities. Our lens moves fluidly between granular sonic analysis and wider cultural patterns.
In this Edition:
Signal Scan Track Notes - 5 Songs that caught my attention the last 2 weeks
Feature Article: Headphones Part 2 - A Producer’s Guide
SIGNAL SCAN - Track Notes
Highlights from the ever-growing Signal Dept Electronic Music New Releases 2025 playlist. across various genres of house, tech and electro. There are several established acts but the focus is on the lesser known artists.
1.MOVEMENT by Weval
Great groove that DOES make you move :)
2. TRUTH by Ripley
Uplifting, soulful, vocal, melodic, dreamy, HUGE voice!
3. YOU’RE SO HOT by Secrytt
Very groovy and funky electro / electro pop. Love the vocals, great voice
4. BANYATHELE (Visualizer) ft. Maline Aura by BlaQRhythm
Fantastic track, multi layered, exquisite rhythms. Deep and uplifting
5. DAWN/DAY (Lighthouse Session at Poolbeg, Dublin) by ROYA
Great blend of electronic with beautiful Celtic overtones
Part 2: Studio Headphones for Electronic Music Producers - From Bedroom to Pro Room
How Speakers Actually Work (And Why Headphones Are Different)
Before diving into studio headphones, let’s understand what’s happening inside these things. Every speaker - whether a massive club monitor or tiny earbud - works on the same electromagnetic principle discovered in 1820.
The Physics Behind the Sound
All electromagnetic speakers operate on the Lorentz force principle. The vector form is F = I ℓ × B (magnitude F = I ℓ B sin θ), where the effective force on a coil segment that sits in the gap is proportional to the number of turns that actually lie in the high-flux region.
In simpler terms: When you run electrical current (I) through a wire that’s sitting in a magnetic field (B), the wire experiences a physical push or pull force (F). The stronger the magnetic field and the more current you send through the wire, the stronger the force. In a headphone, this force is what moves the diaphragm back and forth to create sound. The “ℓ” represents the length of wire actually doing the work - more wire coils in the magnetic field means more total force.
Here’s the step-by-step process:
Your audio interface sends an electrical audio signal to the headphone driver
This signal flows through a coil of wire (the voice coil) suspended in a permanent magnetic field
The varying current creates corresponding magnetic forces that push and pull the coil back and forth
The coil is attached to a lightweight diaphragm that moves with it
This diaphragm displacement pushes air molecules, creating pressure waves
These pressure waves travel to your eardrum and get converted to the neural signals your brain interprets as sound
Magnetic Circuit Engineering: High-end motor designs often aim for high flux density in the gap because force is proportional to flux density; reported gap flux densities commonly range from below 0.5 T up into the ~1.0–1.5 T band for compact, neodymium-based motors, depending on magnet type, pole geometry, and saturation limits of the pole-piece steel.
Think of “flux density” as the concentration or strength of the magnetic field in a specific area - like how bright a flashlight beam is when focused into a tight spot versus spread out wide. The “gap” is the narrow space between the magnet’s north and south poles where the voice coil sits and moves back and forth. Engineers try to squeeze as much magnetic strength as possible into this tiny gap because stronger magnetism means more force on the voice coil, which means better speaker performance. Tesla (T) is the unit measuring magnetic strength - for comparison, a typical refrigerator magnet is about 0.001T, while these headphone magnets concentrate fields 500-1500 times stronger in their gaps.
Understanding Impedance and Induction
Electrical Impedance in Headphones
Impedance, measured in ohms (Ω), represents the electrical resistance your headphones present to the audio signal. Think of it like a water pipe - higher impedance is like a narrower pipe that requires more pressure (voltage) to push the same amount of water (current) through it. This affects how much power your audio interface or amplifier needs to drive the headphones to adequate volume levels.
Electromagnetic Induction Basics
Induction is the process by which changing electrical current creates changing magnetic fields, and vice versa. In headphone drivers, your audio signal (alternating current) flowing through the voice coil creates a changing magnetic field that interacts with the permanent magnet’s fixed field. This interaction produces the physical force that moves the diaphragm back and forth, converting electrical energy into mechanical motion and ultimately into sound waves.
Why Headphones Hit Different Than Speakers
Headphones create a fundamentally different acoustic environment than studio monitors:
Near-Field vs Far-Field Acoustics: Your studio monitors work in the “far field” - typically 3-8 feet away where sound waves behave predictably. Headphones operate in the “near field” (0-50mm from your eardrum) where acoustic pressure dominates over particle velocity. This means small diaphragm movements create massive pressure changes.
Ear Canal Acoustics: The external ear (pinna) plus the ear canal acts as an acoustic funnel and resonator that tends to boost sound energy in the ~2–4 kHz band for a typical adult ear (exact frequency depends on canal length and geometry). Measured total ear gain varies by individual and measurement method but commonly produces several dB of gain in that region and may reach upwards of ~6–15 dB in some measurements.
Direct Coupling: Unlike speakers that fill a room with sound, headphones couple directly to your ear’s acoustic impedance. This creates both opportunities (incredible detail resolution) and challenges (exaggerated flaws, fatigue).
Studio Headphones vs Consumer vs DJ: The Priority Matrix
Consumer Headphones (Music Listeners)
Priority: Entertainment value, long-term comfort, exciting sound signature
Tuning: Enhanced bass and treble, presence region boost for clarity, often follows research-based preference curves like the Harman target
Use Pattern: 1-3 hour sessions, varied content, often in noisy environments
DJ Headphones (Live Performance)
Priority: Isolation from 100+ dB club environments, beat matching capability, rugged build quality
Tuning: Enhanced sub-bass for kick drum fundamentals, compressed midrange for vocal clarity, controlled treble to avoid fatigue
Use Pattern: 4-8 hour sets, extreme SPL exposure, one-ear monitoring
Studio Headphones (Production/Mixing)
Priority: Truth over entertainment - revealing problems, not masking them
Tuning: Flat frequency response with minimal coloration, extended frequency range for detail work
Use Pattern: 6-12 hour sessions, critical listening, decision-making tool
The key difference: consumer headphones make music sound good, DJ headphones make beats audible in loud environments, but studio headphones make problems audible so you can fix them.
Driver Technologies for Studio Work
Dynamic Drivers (Moving Coil)
The workhorses of studio monitoring use electromagnetic induction with several design variations:
Motor Configurations:
Single-ended: Traditional approach, magnet on one side
Dual-magnet: Magnets on both sides for more uniform field distribution
Underhung vs Overhung: Underhung designs (short coil, long gap) favor linearity across excursion; overhung designs (long coil, short gap) can offer higher drive but different distortion characteristics.
Advantages for Production:
Cost-effective manufacturing allows quality at bedroom producer price points
Wide frequency response possible with good engineering
Efficient power transfer works with interface headphone outputs
Proven technology with decades of refinement
Planar Magnetic Drivers
Planar magnetic drivers use a thin diaphragm (typically 2-6 micrometers thick) with conductive traces etched or printed across its surface. This diaphragm sits between arrays of permanent magnets arranged in alternating polarities. Current flowing through the traces creates forces across the entire diaphragm surface simultaneously.
Benefits for Critical Listening:
Uniform drive across entire diaphragm surface reduces breakup modes
Lower distortion in midrange where most mix decisions happen
Excellent transient response for percussive electronic elements
Consistent performance across frequency range
Reality Check: Typically low impedance (15-60 ohms) but low sensitivity, requiring significant amplification power. Many bedroom producers’ interfaces can’t drive them properly.
Electrostatic Drivers
A conductive diaphragm (typically gold-sputtered mylar, 2-6 micrometers thick) sits between perforated metal stators charged with high DC voltage (typical bias voltages for audiophile/pro-grade electrostatics are in the hundreds of volts). The audio signal modulates this charge, creating varying attractive/repulsive forces.
Studio Applications:
Exceptional detail resolution for mastering work
Ultra-fast transient response
Extended frequency response
Working Producer Reality: Require specialized high-voltage amplifiers and careful environmental handling (sensitive to humidity and static electricity), making them mostly impractical for bedroom producers due to cost and maintenance needs.
The Four Price Tiers for Working Producers
Tier 1: Getting Started ($50-100)
Sony MDR-7506 ($99)
Frequency Response: 10 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance: 63 ohms
Sensitivity: 106 dB SPL/mW
Build: Closed-back, folding design, coiled cable
Technical Notes: Presence peak around 9kHz provides vocal clarity but can cause treble fatigue
Audio-Technica ATH-M40x ($99)
Frequency Response: 15 Hz - 24 kHz
Impedance: 35 ohms
Sensitivity: 98 dB/mW
Build: Closed-back, detachable cable, limited swivel
Technical Notes: More neutral response curve than M50x, better suited for mix decisions
Tier 2: Serious Bedroom Producer ($100-200)
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x ($149)
Frequency Response: 15 Hz - 28 kHz
Impedance: 38 ohms
Sensitivity: 99 dB SPL/mW
Build: Closed-back, 90-degree swiveling ear cups, detachable cables
Technical Notes: V-shaped response with bass and treble emphasis
Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80Ω ($179)
Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 35 kHz
Impedance: 80 ohms
Sensitivity: 96 dB SPL/mW
Build: Closed-back, coiled cable, velour ear pads
Technical Notes: Bass reflex system, slight V-shape but more controlled than M50x
Tier 3: Semi-Pro Setup ($200-400)
Sennheiser HD560S ($199)
Frequency Response: 6 Hz - 40 kHz
Impedance: 120 ohms
Sensitivity: 110 dB SPL/V
Build: Open-back, lightweight construction, detachable cable
Technical Notes: Neutral tuning with minimal deviations from target curve
Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro ($179)
Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 35 kHz
Impedance: Available in 32, 80, 250 ohm variants
Sensitivity: 96 dB SPL/mW (250Ω version)
Build: Open-back, velour pads, coiled cable
Technical Notes: Bright treble emphasis around 8-10kHz range
Tier 4: Professional Standard ($400+)
Focal Clear ($990)
Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 28 kHz
Impedance: 55 ohms
Sensitivity: 104 dB SPL/mW
Build: Open-back, aluminum/magnesium construction
Technical Notes: Inverted beryllium dome drivers, minimal resonance
Audeze LCD-X ($1199)
Frequency Response: 10 Hz - 50 kHz
Impedance: 20 ohms
Sensitivity: 103 dB SPL/mW
Build: Open-back planar magnetic, substantial weight
Technical Notes: Large planar drivers require significant amplification despite low impedance
Impedance, Sensitivity, and Your Interface
Understanding the Numbers
Impedance (Ohms): How much electrical resistance the headphones present
Sensitivity (dB/mW or dB SPL/V): How loud they get with a given amount of power
Power Requirements: Calculated from both numbers together
Practical Guidelines:
16-32Ω: Will work with phones, laptops, basic interfaces
32-80Ω: Sweet spot for most bedroom producer setups
80-250Ω: May need interface with good headphone amp or separate amplification
250Ω+: Definitely needs dedicated amplification
Your Interface’s Reality: Most bedroom producer interfaces (Focusrite Scarlett, PreSonus AudioBox, etc.) can drive 32-80Ω headphones to adequate levels but may struggle with high-impedance models or inefficient planars.
Open-Back vs Closed-Back for Production
Closed-Back Advantages:
Sound isolation for tracking (no bleed into mics)
Bass response feels more immediate and present
Can work in shared spaces without disturbing others
Generally more efficient (easier to drive)
Open-Back Advantages:
Natural soundstage: Reduced acoustic reflections from the back of the driver create more spacious presentation
Reduced pressure buildup: Eliminates sealed-cavity resonances that can color bass response
Less pressure buildup reduces ear fatigue
Often more accurate midrange response
The Bedroom Producer’s Dilemma: If you can only afford one pair, closed-back wins for versatility. You can mix on closed-backs (with experience) but you can’t track with open-backs in most situations.
Frequency Response Measurement and Interpretation
Understanding Headphone Measurements
Frequency response can make or break a buying decision. In its simplest summation, it tells us how accurately a pair of headphones reproduces audio across a spectrum of frequencies. However, the basic principle for frequency response measurements is that they’re a visual representation of the headphone’s sound pressure level.
Key Measurement Resources:
RTINGS.com: Standardized measurements with practical interpretations
Crinacle (In-Ear Fidelity): Widely respected database with hundreds of FR graphs of your favourite headphones.
Squig.link: Compare hundreds of frequency response graphs between headphones from manufacturers like Beyerdynamic, Hifiman, Sennheiser, and more.
What to Look For:
20-20kHz Range: This is generally accepted as the audible frequency range, this is the standard for most headphones. Some headphones offer wider ranges (for example, 5 to 33,000 Hz), but better frequency response does not always mean better sound quality.
Deviation from Target: Look for ±3dB from neutral in critical midrange (200Hz-2kHz)
Controlled Resonances: Avoid large peaks or nulls that suggest poor damping
Marketing vs Reality: Extended frequency ranges like 5Hz-40kHz are mostly marketing. Human hearing typically maxes out around 20kHz, and frequencies under 20Hz tend to be more of a feeling rather than a sound–same with those above 20kHz.
Calibration Software and Target Curves
SoundID Reference: Widely used by producers and studios globally, this software creates personalized calibration profiles for your headphones. The baseline should be designed to sound as neutral (flat) calibrated near-field stereo studio monitor speakers, as heard by a human in a reasonably treated recording studio room.
How It Works:
Software measures your headphones’ actual response
Creates EQ curve to flatten response to research-based target
Real-time processing applies correction during playback
Allows A/B comparison between corrected and uncorrected sound
Budget Alternative: Many producers use manual EQ adjustments based on known headphone characteristics, though this requires experience and reference knowledge.
Room Interaction and Translation
The Translation Problem: Mixes that sound great on headphones often translate poorly to speakers because:
Headphones don’t interact with room acoustics
Stereo imaging works differently in headphones vs speakers
Bass response coupling varies dramatically between systems
Headphone frequency response includes ear canal resonances
Translation Strategies:
Multiple Reference Systems: Check mixes on car speakers, phone speakers, earbuds
Crossfeed Plugins: Software that simulates speaker interaction (like Waves NX)
Reference Tracks: Compare your mixes to commercial releases on the same headphones
Level Matching: Ensure comparisons happen at consistent SPL levels
Maintenance and Longevity
Pad Replacement Impact: Ear pad degradation affects sound quality significantly. Compressed foam changes acoustic coupling, affecting bass response and comfort. Most studio headphones allow pad replacement, with intervals typically ranging from 1-3 years depending on use intensity.
Cable Care: Detachable cables reduce long-term ownership costs. Coiled cables last longer than straight cables but may introduce handling noise. Store headphones properly to prevent cable stress at connection points.
When to Upgrade vs Repair: For headphones under $200, replacement often costs less than professional repair. Above $400, driver replacement and refurbishment services become economically viable.
Workflow Integration
Headphone vs Monitor Switching: Professional workflows benefit from rapid switching between headphones and speakers. Many interfaces include dedicated headphone sections with separate level controls, allowing instant A/B comparisons during mixing.
Multiple Headphone Referencing: Some mixing engineers use 2-3 different headphones for different mix aspects:
Bright headphones for detail work and vocal placement
Neutral headphones for overall balance decisions
Bass-heavy headphones for low-end management
DAW Integration: Modern DAWs support multiple output configurations, allowing quick switching between calibrated headphone profiles and speaker setups within the same session.
Genre-Specific Considerations for Electronic Music
Bass Extension Requirements: Electronic music often contains significant sub-bass content (30-60Hz) that many headphones struggle to reproduce accurately. This can lead to over-compensation in mixes, resulting in muddy low-end on systems with better bass extension.
Stereo Field Complexity: Electronic arrangements often feature wide stereo effects, panning automation, and spatial processing that translates differently between headphones and speakers. Headphones excel at revealing stereo detail but may exaggerate width effects.
Transient Accuracy: Programmed drums and synthesized transients benefit from headphones with fast driver response. Planar magnetic and electrostatic designs typically excel in this area, though quality dynamic drivers can perform well with proper damping.
Budget Allocation Strategy
Priority Hierarchy for Bedroom Producers:
Audio Interface with Quality Preamps (40% of budget)
Studio Headphones (25% of budget)
Acoustic Treatment (20% of budget)
Studio Monitors (15% of budget)
When to Invest in Amplification: Headphone amplifiers become worthwhile when:
Using high-impedance headphones (150Ω+) with basic interfaces
Working with inefficient planar magnetic designs
Requiring multiple headphone outputs for collaboration
Seeking improved dynamic range and lower noise floor
Used vs New Considerations: Studio headphones retain value well, making used markets viable for higher-end models. However, check pad condition, cable integrity, and driver matching before purchase.
Hearing Safety for Long Sessions
The 85dB/8-Hour Rule Breakdown
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends an exposure limit of 85 dBA over an 8-hour time-weighted average (REL). For personal listening and professional audio work, account for both RMS energy and peaks: music has high peak-to-average ratios and short, loud transients can matter physiologically even when averaged levels seem acceptable.
Safe Exposure Times:
80 dB: 8 hours (background music level)
83 dB: 4 hours (normal conversation)
86 dB: 2 hours (typical monitoring level)
89 dB: 1 hour (loud monitoring)
92 dB: 30 minutes (danger zone)
95+ dB: Less than 15 minutes (immediate risk)
Headphone-Specific Risks
In-Ear Monitors: Highest risk due to sealed insertion directly into ear canal. Sound pressure concentrates in minimal air volume.
Closed-Back Over-Ears: Medium-high risk. Sealed design concentrates acoustic energy, but distributes pressure over larger area than IEMs.
Open-Back Over-Ears: Lower risk from pressure concentration, but still dangerous at high volumes. Natural “release valve” reduces pressure buildup.
Electronic Music Considerations:
Sub-bass Content: Modern electronic music contains significant energy below 60Hz that doesn’t trigger normal loudness perception but can cause fatigue
Compressed Masters: Heavily limited tracks reduce peak-to-average ratio, making dangerous levels sound deceptively “normal”
Extended Frequency Content: Synthesized sounds often contain high-frequency harmonics that contribute to ear fatigue
Professional Protection Strategies
Level Management:
Use SPL meter apps to measure actual levels (phone placement near ear cup)
Set interface output levels and leave them - don’t chase volume creep
Reference tracks at consistent levels, not maximum comfortable volume
Break Schedules:
30/30 Rule: 30 minutes on, 30 minutes off during intensive sessions
Recovery Periods: The ears typically need at least 16-24 hours to recover from exposure to high volumes. Repeated exposure without adequate recovery accelerates permanent damage.
Micro-breaks: 30 seconds of silence every 10 minutes during detailed work
Mix Level Strategy:
Start mix sessions at low levels (75-80dB) for broad strokes
Use moderate levels (80-85dB) for detailed work
Reserve high levels (85-90dB) for brief checks only
Never exceed 90dB except for momentary peak verification
Damage Mechanisms and Prevention
Noise and loud sounds can damage hearing via multiple pathways: mechanical damage to stereocilia, metabolic stress and energy depletion in hair cells, reduced blood flow to the cochlea, and synaptic damage between hair cells and auditory nerve fibers.
Engineering Solutions:
Real-time SPL monitoring apps and hardware
Dynamic range compression preventing instantaneous transients
Frequency-weighted limiting accounting for equal-loudness contours
Thermal protection monitoring voice coil temperatures
This comprehensive guide provides working electronic music producers with the technical knowledge and practical guidance needed to select, use, and maintain studio headphones effectively while protecting their most valuable asset - their hearing.
END OF PART 2 - Next Edition: Headphones Part 3 - A Live DJ’s Guide
Signal Dept. chronicles culture that refuses commodification. Field reports and scene intel: theswingcafe@gmail.com
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[END OF SIGNAL DEPT. — Edition 7]