Every audio engineer knows how invaluable a decent set of studio headphones is in a tracking or mixing session. For vocalists and instrumentalists, headphones are an essential tool for tracking as they provide personal monitoring. Some engineers will not mix without them as they prefer to trust their headphones of choice over a set of monitors, especially to pick out the details, that can be missed when listening on speakers.
For recording, closed-back headphones are your best bet as they are typically designed to reduce spill leaking into microphones. Open or semi-open headphones are considered a better choice for mixing applications as they usually produce a more open bass response.
There are many excellent studio headphones in the marketplace today that represent good value for money. In this roundup, we take a look at a range of budget through to high-end headphones. This roundup isn’t intended to be exhaustive, instead, we have chosen to include our most recent reviews, tests and new articles to help you find a set that matches both your budget and taste.
Many of these headphones we own and use in our daily studio work and can vouch for.
Studio Headphones - What We Use
Studio Headphones For Those On Tight Budgets
Cost-effective studio headphones are a great choice if you are starting in audio production. Many headphones in the market today cost around $150 and are surprisingly good but you have to put the research in to find the best set for you. The trick to finding the perfect set on a budget is to visit your local dealer to listen and compare several models. For guidance, we suggest the following options for you to shortlist in your headphone listening tests.
Price Range: Up to $150
Other headphones to consider if your budget is up to $150 are:
Audio-Technica ATH-M50: Audio Technica offers a range of affordable studio headphones. The ATH-M50 is our pick of the bunch costing $149. We have compared these against the more expensive ATH-M70 model which cost double the price, but in our opinion, you don’t get double the value in return
Shure SRH440 Closed-back: Shure’s SRH440 is a comfortable set of headphones to wear and sound great for $125. You can’t go too far wrong with these though many of the components around the adjustable headband are made from flimsy plastics. If you treat these with care they should serve you well for many years.
What Are The Main Features And Benefits To Look For In Your Next Pair Of Studio Headphones
Mid-Price Studio Headphones
Why should we consider buying a set of studio headphones costing double the price if we can get a decent set for around $150? The answer is simple. Often we get what you pay for. Headphones that cost a bit more than budget options usually perform better in response and have improvements in key areas such as build quality and durability. Consider the following options if you intend to use your next set of studio headphones for both tracking and mixing in mission-critical sessions.
Typical Price Range: Between $150 - $400
If you are currently researching studio headphones in this affordable price range then check out Sonarworks’ blog as they provide a studio headphone reviews resource. Alongside speaker calibration, Sonarworks Reference software also includes a powerful headphone calibration component. This includes profiles for many popular studio headphones. Sonarworks publishes reviews based on their hands-on experiences with certain headphones they measure for their Reference software. If your budget is between $150 and $400 you’ll find lots of helpful reviews on their blog.
High End Studio Headphones
Studio headphones costing in excess of $400 are generally geared towards the discerning audio engineer who most likely has already owned several sets of budget or affordable studio headphones in the past. Such engineers want the best and are usually prepared to pay a premium. Like choosing budget headphones, or any headphones for that matter, spending some intimate time with several sets to critical listen and compare the differences is key to making the right choice. If your budget allows, the following high-end studio headphones are well worth a listen.
Typical Price Range: $400 and above
Not Many Audio Professionals Know This Fact About Mixing On Headphones
As the choice and breadth of studio headphones is vast we would love to know what headphones you use and can recommend. Let us know your suggestions in the comments below and help Production Expert community members who are currently looking for their next set of studio headphones.