Hello Composers! Mike here, with a quick guide on the Best Studio Headphones for Your Music Studio.
Having good studio reference headphones are essential for all parts of the music composition and production. From working on and composing the music, to sound design, to mixing and mastering.
If you have great sounding studio headphones that give you the honest and true sound of your sounds and music, you will have a much easier time creating and mixing your final music productions.
But which Studio Headphones should you choose? Well, here is my complete list of recommendations for you (in no particular order):
Best Studio Headphones
- Sennheiser HD-650
- Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO
- Audio-Technica ATH-M50 X
- Shure SRH840
- AKG K-712 Pro
- Sennheiser HD-26 Pro
- Yamaha HPH-MT8
Sennheiser HD-650
Check Reviews on Amazon (US)
Check Reviews on Thomann (EU)
I have used these studio headphones (well the previous 600 model) myself for several years, and I am super happy with them. Check the reviews and you will see that this model is very highly regarded.
The sound is amazing, open and super clear. And these headphones has been one of the professional standard reference headphones for many years. I highly recommend them.
Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO
Check Reviews on Amazon (US)
Check Reviews on Thomann (EU)
Beyerdynamic are very famous for their headphones, and these are one of their top studio reference models.
Very comfortable, and some reviewers have said using them for over 6 hour sessions without any discomfort.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50 X
Check Reviews on Amazon (US)
Check Reviews on Thomann (EU)
If you are looking for a great pair of studio headphones without breaking the bank, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 X might be just what you want.
If you want to go up even higher to their reference class headphones (open back), you can check out the Audio-Technica ATH-R70 X here.
Shure SRH840
Check Reviews on Amazon (US)
Check Reviews on Thomann (EU)
When I hear the name Shure, I immediately think of microphones. In fact, I even own the most classic microphone in the world…the Shure SM58.
However, they do make lots of other products as well, including very good headphones. And I actually own this pair myself, and use them a lot in my music studio.
AKG K-712 Pro
Check Reviews on Amazon (US)
Check Reviews on Thomann (EU)
AKG makes a lot of affordable headphones for studio use, but these are one of their top reference headphones.
Open back, and with the special design that I personally think looks really cool (and probably very durable).
Sennheiser HD-26 Pro
Check Reviews on Amazon (US)
Check Reviews on Thomann (EU)
I am personally a huge fan of Sennheiser as a headphones brand. And I felt I needed to add these if you are looking for a closed back design, that still has reference class monitoring on the sound quality.
Reviewers say that these are also extra comfortable to wear for longer periods due to the extra headband.
Yamaha HPH-MT8
Check Reviews on Amazon (US)
Check Reviews on Thomann (EU)
Yamaha might not be famous for headphones, but since they make excellent studio monitors (I even own a pair myself), why should they not make high quality studio headphones?
This model has been very well received by music producers all over the world, and reviewers recommend them highly for both the sound quality and value.
How to choose Studio Headphones?
Here are some guidelines you should consider when buying studio headphones for your music studio:
- Open vs Closed
- Frequency Response
- Impedance (How much amp power they need)
- Design and Comfort
- Overall Sound Quality