The Best Studio Headphones for 2024

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Many sound engineers and musicians still adhere to the adage that you shouldn't mix a record on headphones. Instead, they believe only speakers can accurately convey the recording's sound. However, earphones and headphones now play a more significant (if not a primary) role in studio work because that's how many people listen to music. Additionally, although tracking headphones have always been prominent in studio recording and overdubbing processes, some models—specifically, custom-molded in-ears—are now equally suitable for live performances and concerts. Here, we list our favorite studio headphones, such as the Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X, and earphones, such as the Etymotic ER4 XR in-ears, but be sure to read through all our picks and scroll down for more specific buying advice about each discipline to help you understand what you need.

The Best Headphones for Studio Tracking

Headphones for musicians who record in a studio, or tracking headphones, are usually built tough and cheap enough to buy in bulk. Unlike many consumer models, these aren't likely to boost the bass response. Furthermore, the earcups likely feature generous padding and have a closed design to prevent audio leaks.

These qualities make them substantially less exciting than reference models for mixing and mastering, but their purpose is to accommodate multiple musicians in a room above all else. They typically have a flat response with modest (but clear) bass. The focus is on clarity and detail, so expect particularly crisp high-mids and highs.

The Best Headphones for Mixing and Mastering

For critical mixing and mastering work, you need a sound signature that portrays the entire frequency range clearly and accurately. You might encounter some amount of sculpting at either end, though it's likely a subtle effect.

These models differ most from typical tracking options in their build and price: Most have semi-open designs and cost a lot more. Like audiophile-level home stereo systems, they focus on accuracy and strive to create a more realistic sense of space.

You aren't likely to find many options in this category that work well on the go or with a mobile device, but that's true across the board in this segment.

The Best Custom Fit Earphones

Many serious musicians and recording professionals should also consider custom-molded earphones. Audiologists build these from impressions of your ear, so they are typically quite expensive. Some models are for performing live onstage, but others are best for mixing and mastering. And nearly all of these designs are appropriate for in-studio tracking because they don't leak sound at all.

Vocalists or musicians who typically record with one headphone cup off the ear to get a better sense of pitch or in-room acoustics should likely avoid these options for tracking, however. You can certainly just remove one of the earpieces, but that can be disorientating because of the in-ear seal they create. But if you typically record with both earcups on, you should appreciate that some models let you adjust the bass and treble response to preference. Top-end entries can also produce superb audio quality because they rely on multiple drivers to handle different regions of the frequency range.

Do You Need Detachable Headphone Cables?

Although some manufacturers recognize that you might occasionally want to use your pro-audio headphones for non-professional scenarios, such as during your commute, this is not the norm. So, although plenty of models have removable cables, a smaller percentage ship with wires that have an inline remote control.

Most studio headphones ship with high-quality cables and sometimes you even get multiple cords in the box. Coiled or semi-coiled options that can stretch across the room are common, but even straight cables are still likely sufficient for your needs.

Of course, removable cables create the potential problem of the cord yanking out at the wrong time. Thus, some studio and DJ designs implement a locking mechanism on the earcup. This is not a standard feature, however.

A few models in the studio realm don't feature detachable cables at all. This is most common with tracking headphones, especially those that are less expensive.

Are Studio Headphones Worth It?

Studio and pro headphones cover a wide price range.

At the lower end, you may luck out and find deals on tracking headphones for between $50 and $75, though anything under $100 is fairly common. At the top end, custom-molded in-ear monitors can exceed $2,000, though there are affordable, decent options in the $600 range.

Mixing and mastering headphones also span a wide range—there are budget-friendly models in the $100 to $200 realm, though we don't recommend going any lower than that. And you can certainly spend more—plenty of options between $300 and $500 sound amazing and have a premium build.

If you don't necessarily want something for the studio, check out our list of the best headphones overall and our favorite wireless headphones. If it's a budget model you're after, take a look at the best headphones under $50.

Once you find the perfect pick, make sure to keep them in good shape with these easy tips. And avoid the many ways you can use your headphones incorrectly.