7 Best Headphones For Mixing in 2023
When selecting headphones for mixing and mastering, it’s important to prioritize a wide soundstage that creates space and liveliness. While nothing surpasses studio monitors, there are impressive headphones that can make you question whether you’re listening to your mixes on headphones or high-quality monitors.
It would be best to have headphones with a flat frequency response, good imaging, and a great soundstage. This combination will greatly benefit your mixing and mastering endeavors.
Using low-quality headphones will require extensive time spent understanding their translation, which is why investing in a high-quality pair is crucial. Accurate playback provided by such headphones will enable better decision-making during mixing, ultimately influencing how your tracks sound across different platforms and mediums. Check out our top selected headphones for mixing below.
1. Monolith M1060 Best Headphones For Mixing
With the MonolithTM M1060 planar headphones, music enthusiasts will receive a high-quality listening experience. The 106mm planar drivers produce a well-defined soundstage, revealing all the finer details in recordings. Featuring balanced sound, low distortion, and impressive imaging, these headphones provide a genuinely immersive audiophile listening experience.
Key Features
- Driver: 106 mm dynamic
- Cable: 3 meter
- Connection: wired
- Frequency response: 10Hz – 50,000 Hz
- Impedance: 5o Ω
- Sensitivity: 130 dB (1 V)
- Weight: 500g
Design:
- Earcups: the open-back earcups offer a holographic listening experience, as opposed to the isolated “inside your head” sound of traditional closed-back headphones. They create a feeling of being in the middle of a live performance rather than being cut off from the world.
- Headband: constructed from a singular piece of metal and features only a thin layer of foam bumps to prevent any potential damage or discomfort to the head.
- Connectivity: use a 3.5mm plug to connect to your device or amplifier.
Performance:
- Sound quality: boasts the distinctive characteristics of planar drivers, producing more transparent and open sound than traditional dynamic drivers.
- Mids: in particular, felt grainy and indistinct, lacking the depth and richness often found in dynamic driver headphones in this price range.
- Bass sound: while the bass response was satisfactory and occasionally enjoyable, it lacked clarity and impact similar to the mids. The kick drums failed to deliver the anticipated punch, and the basslines left us underwhelmed.
- Treble: the highs have a nice sparkle, but the gritty sound can be improved by replacing the pads with Audeze Vegan pads.
Pros:
- Great entry to Planar headphones
- Eye-catching design
- Competitive price
- Value-for-money
Cons:
- Sound rough and unfinished with some issues
- Poor build quality and materials
- Lack of left/right indicators
Pricing:
Available in stock at the price of USD 264.59 at Amazon.
2. AUDEZE LCD-2 Best Headphones For Mixing
Recently, you might see some of his videos using these headphones. In addition, to their traditional looks, many incredible features shock you. Every of Pewdiepie headphones is excellent at performance and, especially, the sound quality. We will help you analyze the elements and help you make the right choice.
Key Features
- Noise cancelling: Yes
- Transparency: Yes
- Inputs: 1/4″ (6.35mm)
- Connection: Wired
- Cable length: 98.4″
- Weight: 595g
Design:
- Style: Open-back surround your ear
- Transducer: Planar Magnetic
- Earcups: are made from rosewood, making them unique and smooth.
- Ear cushions: made from lambskin, which makes them comfortable and friendly looks
- Headband: made of premium leather, quite heavy, tho, but it’s comfortable even if you wear it for an extended period, but the wood here is very durable and robust.
- Connectivity: easy to connect to any genre.
Performance:
- Active Noise Cancellation: this isolates the outside noise and provides more natural sound without disturbing you.
- Planar Magnetic Drivers: the large diaphragm area in the field offers less distortion and better sound quality.
- Distortion: produced the sound without any unwanted artifacts.
- Sensitivity: it has 101 dB that can drive audio sources
- Frequency response: 10Hz – 50kHz, more comprehensive than other headphones, which provide better sound quality.
- Sound quality: the bass response is awe-inspiring. You won’t believe it until you try it by yourself. The audio is balanced and detailed, with pure sound, and does not irritate.
- Imaging: Perfectly for gaming, the soundstage provides an immersive experience in open-world games.
Pros:
- Premium looks
- High quality built
Cons:
- Quite expensive
- Require Amplifier
- limited ANC
Pricing
These headphones cost USD 995.00 at Amazon.
3. Sennheiser HD 599 headphones
Sennheiser HD 599 is designed for audiophiles who demand exceptional sound quality and a sleek and elegant appearance. They feature an over-ear design with open backs, providing a comfortable listening experience without pressure on the ears. The padded headband and luxurious velour ear pads make them perfect for extended listening sessions. The headphones offer a range of connectivity options, including a robust 3-meter detachable cable, a 6.3-millimeter jack, and an additional 1.2-meter detachable cable with a 3.5-millimeter jack.
The timeless design cues include an ivory color, matte finish, brown headband stitching, and matte metallic detail, which convey quality at first glance. The premium components include Sennheiser-engineered transducers that use aluminum voice coils to deliver high efficiency, excellent dynamics, and extremely low distortion. These headphones use wired connectivity technology and do not require a battery for power.
Key Features
- Noise cancellation: No
- Transparency: Yes
- Driver: 38 mm dynamic
- Connection: 1/8″ (3.5 mm) mini Stereo, gold-plated
- Cable length: 3.0 m (9.8′)
- Frequency response: 12 Hz – 38,500 Hz
- Impedance: 50 Ω
- Sensitivity: 106 dB @ 1mW
- Weight: 250g
Design:
- Earpads: feature velour material that is soft, although not overly thick.
- Headband: crafted from premium leather, the material looks luxurious and offers comfort. It is adjustable to fit any head size comfortably, and the abundance of cushions inside the headband ensures no unnecessary pressure on the head while wearing it.
- Ear cushions: super soft cushion foam provide comfort to wear in long hours
- Connectivity: the cable length is 3 meters, long enough for your movement without losing connection. Also, they are replaceable.
Performance:
- Soundstage: expansive and open soundstage, creating a sensation of being within a music studio with multiple instruments.
- Imaging: the imaging is decent and precise as well. However, where these headphones truly excel is their exceptional mid-range, which is genuinely fantastic.
- Treble: the treble isn’t outstanding; it’s not excessively harsh or bothersome. However, the bass and sub-bass, which lie in the lower frequency range below 250 Hz, are slightly weaker.
- Lows: the low end is robust. While the detail is decent, in some tracks, the power of the low back can overpower the mids.
- Mids: the midrange is decent, occasionally bordering on remarkable. Though most of the frequency range is precise, there is some compression in the upper mids. Female vocals are relatively unaffected, but male vocals may sound constrained and heavy.
- Highs: the level of detail is exceptional, occasionally bordering on piercing, particularly when it comes to strings, although it never becomes unbearable. Despite this, the high end is not excessively bright, and everything is well-balanced.
Pros:
- Perfect passive soundstage
- Lightweight
- Comfortable
Cons:
- Bulky design
- No noise isolation
Pricing:
Available on Amazon at the price of USD 119.99
4. Sennheiser HD 600 Headphones For Mixing
Sennheiser HD 600 is an excellent open-back headphone that you should consider for gaming; it is designed for audiophiles and music enthusiasts who prefer exceptional sound quality and superior performance. Furthermore, most audio professionals recommended this brand because it has natural sound and accuracy. Plus, it’s super comfortable and won’t pressure your head, even if you wear it for long hours.
Key Features
- Connector: 3.5 mm
- Weight: 260 g
- Frequenit’seiit’se: 12 Hz – 4iit’s Hz
- Sensitivity: 102 dB SPL/V
- Impedance: 300 Ω
- Driver: 42 mm dynamic
Design:
- Style: open-back headphone
- Earcups: the acoustic silk can control airflow well so that it provides more natural sound quality
- Headband: has sponge under the headband, easy to wear, adjustable, and durable for a customized fit.
- Ear cushions: super soft cushion foam provide comfort to wear in long hours
- Connectivity: the cable length is 3 meters, long enough for your movement without losing connection.
Performance:
- Frequency response: 12 – 4″,500 Hz with low harmonic distortion for clean and clear sound.
- Sound quality: impressive sound quality compared to other headphones, but the bass sound is still limited.
- Bass Response: muted bass response, but for some reason, it’s average compared to other headphones.
- Soundstage: excellent sound performance; it’s detailed and deep in sound
Pros:
- Compatible with a wide range of audio devices
- Natural soundstage
- Exceptional sound quality
Cons:
- The cable is not detachable
Pricing:
Available in stock at the price of USD 265.00 at Amazon.
5. Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X Headphones
The Audio Technica ATH-AD700X Headphones would be our second pick if soundstage likability were the basis for headphone selection. When you wear them, you’ll be transported to a different realm where the sound paints vivid pictures of stunning landscapes and awe-inspiring scenes. These headphones possess a refined grace, demonstrated by their reluctance towards excessive bass. Their distinct character makes them well worth their price.
Key Features
- Noise cancellation: No
- Transparency: Yes
- Driver: 43 mm dynamic
- Connection: 1/8″ (3.5 mm) mini Stereo, gold-plated
- Cable length: 3.0 m (9.8′)
- Frequency response: 5 Hz – 30,000 Hz
- Impedance: 38 Ω
- Sensitivity: 100 dB @ 1mW
- Weight: 265g
Design:
- Style: Over-ear headphones with an open-back design
- Earcups: allow air to go through, breathable for your ears, avoid causing discomfort
- Earpads: the earpads made of flexible fabric offer an extra level of comfort when worn
- Headband: the 3D wing support is designed to adjust automatically and provide a complete ear-fit without excessive pressure or the risk of headphones slipping off.
- Connectivity: the cable length is 3 meters, long enough for your movement and stable connection
Performance:
- Frequency response: range of 5Hz to 30,000 Hz for accurate and detailed sound production
- Sound quality: the open-back design allows to have the natural and spacious soundstage
- Soundstage: the sound signature is neutral, focusing on delivering precise and well-timed bass, although it may not satisfy bass enthusiasts.
- Sensitivity: high rate of 100dB/mW make them suitable for use with a wide range of audio equipment
- Microphone: no built-in microphone, no touch control for pickup/end calls
Pros:
- Significant driver, great for an enhanced soundstage
- self-adjusting headband
- Clear soundstage
- Great dynamics
Cons:
- Less portable
- Hard treble
- Lack of noise isolation
Pricing:
Available on Amazon at the cost of USD 118.72
6. Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 Headphones
Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 wireless headphones combine exceptional performance with a sleek portable design. They boast touch control and voice assistant compatibility. With an impressive battery life of 60 hours, these headphones prioritize longevity over noise cancellation features that tend to drain power. The over-ear design effectively blocks out surrounding noise, and the generously sized ear pads comfortably accommodate those with larger ears.
Key Feature
- Impedance: 38 Ohm
- Cable: 1.20 m
- Sensitivity: 99 dB
- Frequency range: 15 – 28000 Hz (Headphone) | 85 -15000 Hz (Microphone)
- Driver diameter: 45 mm
- Weight: 307 g
Design:
- Earcups: Enjoy the flexibility of 90-degree rotating ear cups, which provide a customizable fit and offer exceptional comfort for long listening sessions.
- Headband: The headphones feature durable metal sliders, ensuring increased reliability and stability, even during extended use.
- App: Enhance your headphone experience by downloading the A-T Connect app, which provides extensive control over your ATH-M50xBT2 headphones. With this app, you can effortlessly activate low latency mode, fine-tune the EQ settings, adjust the volume balance between left and right channels, choose your preferred voice assistant, locate misplaced headphones, switch between different codecs, and enjoy various additional features and functionalities.
Performance:
- Sound quality: The ATH-M50xBT2 headphones provide a thrilling wireless listening experience by delivering the legendary M50x studio sound, characterized by exceptional clarity and precise, deep bass response.
- Microphone: Experience crystal-clear phone calls and reliable communication with the built-in Amazon Alexa voice assistant, thanks to the exceptional vocal pickup provided by dual microphones and beamforming technology.
- Battery life: When fully charged, you can enjoy free listening with the ATH-M50xBT2, which offers up to 50 hours of uninterrupted use.
Pros:
- Accurate response level
- Great noise cancellation
Cons:
- Limited bass sound
Pricing:
Available on Amazon at the price of USD 199.00
7. beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO Headphones For Mixing
With outstanding sound quality and robust bass, the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro headphones are among the best open-back headphones on the market. Typical of Beyerdynamic headphones, they are also durable and comfortable. Additionally, the large, velour-wrapped ear pads and lightweight frame make them suitable for extended use at a desk without neck fatigue.
Key Features
- Noise cancellation: No
- Transparency: Yes
- Driver: 38 mm dynamic
- Connection: ¼ “adapter (6.35 mm)
- Cable length: 3.0 m (9.8′)
- Frequency response: 5 Hz – 35,000 Hz
- Impedance: 250 Ω
- Sensitivity: 96 dB @ 1mW
- Weight: 250g
Design:
- Style: over-ear, open-back headphones
- Earcups: made of plastic, and the vent allows air to go through and provide a natural sound.
- Ear cushions: made of high-quality materials foam, soft and highly cozy over your ear
- Headband: lightweight and durable, convenient to customize the length
- Cable: replaceable cable
- Connectivity: the high impedance allows one to connect with a wide range of devices
Performance:
- Bass response: Great sound in bass response
- Frequency response: it has 5 – 35.000 Hz that produces a high range of audio frequency with noticeable accuracy
- Soundstage: impressive soundstage sound, meaning they are balanced and detail
- Sound quality: extremely high resolution and very transparency sound, which make them the mater in studio
Pros:
- Stable and well fit
- perfect for audio production
Cons:
- Not portable
- No noise cancellation
- Leak sound outside the headphone
Pricing:
Available on Amazon at the cost of USD 159.00
Conclusion
When selecting headphones for mixing and mastering, prioritize those with a wide frequency range and a flat response. Natural sound reproduction is crucial as it directly impacts the quality of your tracks. Additionally, consider the build quality, as durable headphones can serve you well in the long run. Comfort is another important factor, as any discomfort can hinder your workflow. It is recommended to complement your headphones with high-quality studio monitors. Monitors provide an accurate and neutral sound representation across the entire frequency spectrum during mixing. They serve as a reliable reference for your work. If your budget permits, investing in proper studio monitors is highly recommended.