Extreme Isolation Headphones: The name still fits

By Steve Langer, added May 29, 2006

Three years ago, I reviewed the original Extreme Isolation Headphones from Direct Sound. Recently, I got in the latest version of the Extremes, which feature updated drivers and a new slimmer profile.

You might recall that three years ago I said that the original Extremes were one of the more surprising products to come to Mojo Pie for review. I was worried when I heard about the updated version. Many times, updates mean going with cheaper components, which actually means a downgrade.

I've found that not to be the case with the new version of the Extreme Isolation Headphones. First, I like the new drivers. They sound modern but they don't give me that dagger feeling in my ears as with some other "pro" headphones. Second, I like the slimmer profile of the ear pieces. Yet, they still isolate as well as the old ones. In essence, the new Extremes possess a better fidelity of sound and look better too.

I like to work in a room. I'm not one of those guys who likes to be behind the glass. I like to be in the room with the musicians.

The Extreme Isolation Headphones provide isolation just as the name states. The headphone's design separates you from room sounds, also known as ambient sounds.

I do my mic placements while wearing Extremes so I can hear what the mic hears versus being confused by all the ambient room sounds. The Extreme Isolation Headphones put me into my own audio universe so I can make competent mic placement decisions.

With the typical studio headphones, I've found musicians and singers always want to hear the take played back through the monitors because they are never sure how anything sounded. Their performances were really just a guess on their part because the headphones didn't isolate them from the sounds in the room. With the Extreme Isolation Headphones, musicians actually can hear themselves as they go to tape. Singers can hear more of their voice in the mic than they've heard before. Performances improve. Confidence in the studio improves.

The manufacturer claims up to a 28 dB reduction in surrounding sounds. I've found I can be in close proximity to guitar amp half-stacks, studio monitors, percussion and get good isolation from the sound source.

Due to the isolation, sound levels from the drivers do not need to get as hot as with other headphones. As a guitarist, I don't experience ear fatigue at the end of tracking as I do with other headphones. Lower levels mean less chance of hearing damage.

I recently tracked the Starkweather Boys in one of those let it bleed situations with everyone pretty much in the same room with no click track. I talked the guitarists into going without cans. However, the bassist and the drummer fiddled with some different pairs of headphones during the first day of tracking before ending up with the Extremes. On the second day of tracking, both demanded a pair of the Extremes before the start of the session.

The Bottom Line: The new and improved Extreme Isolation Headphones provide isolation from ambient room sounds. They now deliver a modern headphone sound due to improved drivers. Street price as low as $90 with black and gray colored pairs available from dealers. Very highly recommended.

Link relating to this review: Direct Sound