Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1475048
C A S Q U A R T E R L Y I FA L L 2 0 2 2 53 Fast-forward to 2017 and about seven sets of headphones later. With lots of hard work and a gracious client, we'd managed to settle into a groove. I was still struggling with the headphone thing, though. They saved time, but there was only so much I could do in the cans. No matter how hard I tried, EQ-ing on phones never seemed to translate. One day, I had the chance to hang out a little and talk with Frank Morrone CAS about mixing on headphones. He shared a few tips and his favorite set of headphones which, to this day, are the only phones I'm comfortable doing any work on (which isn't to say I love it, mind you). I'm sure Frank's not alone as an early adopter—and they're not for everyone—but he's definitely one of the guys that, to my knowledge, has been pre-dubbing on headphones the longest. His words really helped me out that day, and I hope these might help you, too. In the paragraphs that follow, we'll hear about the latest workflows from mixers Frank Morrone CAS and Kevin Roache CAS, along with if—and when—they use the latest HRTF binaural technologies. David Gould will walk us through what Dolby is doing to bridge the gap from Atmos to headphones. And finally, Scott Kramer, manager of Sound Technology for Netflix, will give us some really great insights on how people are listening at home right now, and what the most important part about mixing for six different formats simultaneously is. I think you'll like his answer. I want to thank each of them for sharing their insights, wisdom, and experience. First off, I asked Frank to talk about his current workflow with headphones. Here's his take: "I started using headphones to mix as far back as 2005 on Lost. My mixing partner and I would go offline and work on scenes while the other used the main speakers. This method gave us time to go through the show and do a DX cleanup and premix without holding up the FX or vice versa. "When using headphones, I like the Blue MixFi's. I've found them to be accurate when matching ADR and they have a wide dynamic range, but most importantly, the isolation is exceptional. They are not for everyone because of the tight fit, but it helps me hear a lot of detail in the [Dialogue] even when the room Mains are pushing out a lot of volume. I do find [Music] needs to be mixed on the Mains. The headphones get you in the ballpark but it definitely is not 100%. I don't do any binaural listening while premixing Dialogue. I need to hear the raw DX and leave the sound field placement to the Mains. "I still use this method except on the Paramount Stage. There is a separate room that has two JBL 708's and I'll do my DX pass there. The JBL 708's translate perfectly to our Mains. When I get through a good part of the show, I'll lay down the DX and MX against the premixed FX and we then do a final pass with fine adjustments. This has worked successfully for the past three years and allows us to deliver a more polished mix in the allotted time." Re-recording mixer Frank Morrone CAS Frank Morrone CAS and his favorite pair of headphones.