For mixing music, your ears need to rely on sound sources (headphones or monitors) that are extremely transparent and neutral. This will ensure that when you mix, the final product sounds good irrespective of the type of player it is played on. Mixing on an already colored headphone or speaker can produce a poor product. Best Studio Headphones for Mixing and Mastering.
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Types of headphones
There are basically 2 types of headphones – closed-back and open-back headphones. Both of these have their respective uses.
Closed Back Headphones
A closed-back headphone is great for isolation. These could be used professionally by vocal artists while recording vocals. Due to the closed compartment, there is minimal to no sound bleed to the microphone. Closed backs are used for recording purposes.
Closed-back headphones could also be used by music lovers to enjoy the thrill of music and offers very stable isolation. Again, the closed-back feature of the headphones reduces the entry of external sound frequencies providing superior isolation and noise cancellation. It helps the music lover to lose himself in the joy of music.
Though closed-back headphones have their advantages, it is generally uncomfortable to wear for longer durations. It also tends to get warm and stuffy in the ears. For studio mixing, you need comfortable headphones which can be worn for extended periods of time. Mixing takes time.
Open Back Headphones
Here come the open-back headphones and these ones are primarily used by professionals. The open-back nature of the headphones provides accurate and transparent sound. It provides superior depth for studio mixing purposes.
The sound of an open-back headphone can be described as more expansive and natural. A fuller and superior quality of sound. It provides an excellent soundstage where if you close your eyes, the physical headphones vanish and are replaced by an imaginary three-dimensional spatial arrangement of the sound from various sources. Almost resembling a theatre stage.
Open-back headphones can help to position individual sounds within the space and this is called Imaging. Or in other words, the open-back headphones have the ability to reproduce individual instruments in virtual sound space.
The advantage of open back nature of these headphones does not make wearing them for extended hours to be as uncomfortable as the closed backs. So, you can imagine the open-backs are obviously chosen over the closed-backs for mixing purposes. Open-back headphones are more expensive than closed-back ones.
Here are some of the best open-back headphones for different budgets which can be used in the studio for mixing purposes.
Below $100
Table could not be displayed.AKG K240 Studio & AKG 240 MKII
The AKG 240 Studio is a simplistic but very reliable headphone for mixing purposes. It sports a retro look. This is a semi-open back headphone and delivers an extremely well-balanced and transparent sound. Being minimalistic, it comes with a mini – XLR to 3.5 mm cable only. The AKG K240 MKII is almost identical except it contains a coiled cable and slightly more comfortable ear pads. The sound quality via a vis the price these headphones are offered at is difficult to beat. Do not get fooled by the price tag, the AKG K240 Studio, and the MK II delivers serious professional-grade mixing sounds which you can trust and mix.
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Samson SR 850
The Samson SR 850 comes in a similar range as the AKG K240. The build of the headphone is entirely plastic and it also falls as a semi-open back headphone. The earcups are of good size with vents on the back with a non-detachable cable connected to the left cup. It is a nice bright-sounding headphone with a good sense of depth. A good budget headphone that can do the trick.
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Below $200
Table could not be displayed.Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro
Plastic built but nicely fits with memory foam earpads which you can wear for hours. It comes with a 1 m coiled cable. The microphone has an impedance of 250 ohms, so using a preamp can be helpful. It has a nice gentle bass, nice mids, and clear undistorted highs. It definitely delivers value more than the price point at which it is hinged.
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Hifiman HE400i
The Hifiman HE 400i is an entry-level planar headphone. Extremely comfortable to wear and has good built quality. You can wear this for a few hours without being uncomfortable. It comes with a 3.5mm jack with a low impedance of 35 Ohms. Though it can work pretty much from anything which has a headphone jack, it shines better with sources having dedicated amp sections. With precise and accurate sound imaging, it gives you the feel of using a much costlier headphone – amazing value for the money.
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Below $300
Table could not be displayed.Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X
This headphone is truly dedicated to studio mixing and mastering needs. DT 900 Pro X is well built and comes with detachable cables, large earcups, and grey comfortable ear pads. Though this is not the lightest of headphones but you will not feel uncomfortable while mixing for hours on this one. The design of this headphone is superb, leaving no room for complaints about using it for long hours. With an impedance of 48 Ohms, you do not necessarily need a preamp. Superb clarity and reproducing accurate sounds so that your mixing is of top quality.
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Sennheiser HD 400 Pro
The Sennheiser HD 400 Pro is targeted toward studio mixing and mastering needs. This open-back headphone is comfortable to wear and reproduces natural and accurate sounds. The proprietary feature of HD 400 Pro provides a large frequency range, from 6Hz for ultra-low to 31 kHz for the highs – an audio spectrum larger than the typical human hearing range. With the highest possible sound pressure at 110 dBSPL, you can mix and master at very high volumes. However, the impedance is 120 Ohms so you will need to invest in an amp to make this shine. A superb choice for real sound enthusiasts.
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Below $ 500
Table could not be displayed.Audio Technica ATH R70X
Audio Technica ATH R70X is a good option for studio mixing. The headphone has an impedance of 470 Ohms, thus you will have to use it with a solid preamp to drive it. Extremely lightweight which makes it very easy to use for extended hours. It produces clear and accurate sounds. The soundstage is immersive with an excellent sense of space. The ATH R70X is the perfect headphone with superb staging and is comfortable to use for an extended period of time.
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Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro
When you hold the DT 1990 Pro in your hands, you feel the quality – almost entirely metal built with minimal use of plastic. It comes with 2 sets of ear pads. The microphone has an impedance of 250 Ohms, so you will need an external amp for it to shine. There are 2 cables included in the box which are mini XLR to 3.5 mm jack. Again, being a premium headphone, it provides a superior expansive and immersive experience. Great soundstage and imaging capability. Natural reproduction of sounds and unhyped sound reproduction – just what you need for your studio mixings.
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Shure SRH 1840
Shure SRH 1840 is an exceptional headphone for sound professionals. The headphones are lightweight and feel solidly built. Made of high-quality materials, feels very premium. With an impedance of 65 Ohms, it is a lot easier to drive than many of its competitors. The SRH 1840 provides exceptional clarity even at very low frequencies and an unhyped and natural frequency response. With a well-defined bass, rich but not overstated mid, and excellent high-frequency handling, it combines all the qualities you would look for in a headphone for mixing or analytical listening.
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Above $ 500
Table could not be displayed.Neumann NDH 30
The Neumann NDH 30 was made to bring the studio monitoring experience of Neumann studio monitor setups to a compact open-back headphone. These are not cheap headphones but a lot more affordable than having a studio-based monitor set up of the same quality. NDH 30 has exceptionally low distortion and a clear upper midrange. It offers a neutral frequency response and exceptional clarity. A joy to listen to and use these headphones.
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Sennheiser HD 800S
The HD 800 S is the most premium among all of the others listed. It is a legendary model among headphones. The headphones have a detachable cable and the impedance is 300 Ohms, which makes it a home or studio-only piece of equipment to use. It is a comfortable headphone to wear for long durations. Sennheiser claims a frequency response of 4 Hz to 51kHz which is way beyond the normal human hearing range. It has exceptional sound staging with out-of-the-world imaging experience of placement of various instruments. This one truly lives up to its fame as one of the most sought-after headphones for music professionals.
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Which one do we like the most?
We believe that Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro delivers the best value for money with Hifiman HE 400i coming close. These headphones are ideal for music lovers and can also help in the studio mixing and monitoring very well. Can be two good options for any beginner to the intermediary audiophile.
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But headphones for serious music enthusiasts and studio mixing professionals, we recommend the Neumann NDH 30 and Shure SRH 1840. These are 2 unbeatable headphones in this price range. You can just close your eyes and get either one of them and still, you would be happy.
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Hope you have enjoyed this article. If you are interested to learn more about audio and music, do visit our other article. Thank you for reading and happy geeking on music.
Last update on 2024-05-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
