Top 7 Headphones for Music Producers 2023

Headphones are a crucial component of any music producer's studio setup. Whether you're recording an artist, referencing a mix, or simply need to work without disturbing others, a good pair of headphones is essential. With so many options available, it can be tough to know which ones to choose. That's why we've compiled a list of the top seven headphones for music production. We've even categorized them by their best use, whether for mixing, recording, or producing. Trust us, these headphones are the cream of the crop and will take your music production to the next level.

Audio Technica ATH-M40x
Price: $117

A great sounding headphone that’s at a very reasonable price. The ATH-M40x are lightweight making them a good choice for wearing them for long periods of time. They have a wide frequency response that puts out well-balanced audio. The surface area is larger than most other headphones, so they have a decent response with bass frequencies. The transient response is well transmitted making them ideal for studio in-ear monitoring.

Pros
✓ Affordable
✓ Good choice for recording, producing, & editing
✓ Wide frequency response
✓ Comfortable

Cons
X Swivel & rotation pieces break easily overtime
X Not the best choice for mixing

Sony MDR7506
Price: $80.99

Easily the headphone that appears in more studious than any other set. These Sony headphones were the industry standard for years & are still a popular choice. These are looked at as the “NS10’s” of headphones sometimes. Meaning, the quality isn’t exactly mind blowing, but they have a similar sound to what a lot of consumer speakers & headphones have, so they’re a good headphone to reference tracks on. Be careful recording with these though; they don’t isolate the best, so they tend to bleed into the microphone.

Pros
✓ Affordable
✓ Good choice for producing & editing
✓ Good reference headphones

Cons
X Overall sound quality is mediocre
X Headphone bleed occurs often when recording
X Cord tangles easily
X Not ideal for recording or mixing

Focal Clear MG Pro - Open Back
Price: $1,490

A legendary brand when it comes to audio quality, Focal has offered some of the best studio monitors for decades & now they have created premium headphones for studio use. This particular pair of headphones are open back which makes them great for mixing. The MG pros have a great tonal balance & a full frequency spectrum pumping out of them. The price tag is hefty, but the quality instantly shows you why they’re amongst the best when it comes to quality headphones.

Pros
✓ Great bass response
✓ Great dynamic response
✓ Ideal for mixing, producing, & referencing
✓ Sturdy build

Cons
X Expensive
X Not ideal for recording

Sennheiser HD 650 - Open Back
Price: $399.95

If you have the budget for them & are looking for the best headphones to mix with, then the Sennheiser HD 650 is the choice to go with. These open back headphones have great bass response, a close to flat frequency spectrum, & presents the acoustic field as accurately as a pair of headphones can. These headphones are some of the closest things you can get to matching studio monitors. If mixing with headphones is your only option, then you should heavily consider investing in this pair.

Pros
✓ Great bass response
✓ Precise & uniform across the entire frequency spectrum
✓ Ideal for mixing, producing, & referencing

Cons
X Expensive
X Heavy
X Not ideal for recording

Beyerdynamic DT 880 PRO
Price: $179
Another powerful set of headphones for studio use. These headphones are a good choice if you need headphones for mixing & editing. They also isolate sound quite well, so these are also a good choice for using during recording sessions. The ear cups are very comfortable, so they are ideal for cases where you need to wear headphones for long periods of time. The DT 880 PRO combines the strengths of closed & open back headphones into one unit. This set also has an impressive frequency response.

Pros
✓ Very high quality
✓ Neutral balanced
✓ All parts are individually replaceable
✓ Ideal for recording, mixing, producing, & referencing

Cons
X Higher priced
X Limited to studio use only

AKG K240
Price: $58.43

A very affordable set of studio headphones. These won’t pump out amazing quality & probably won’t be the ideal set for mixing, but if you need a budget friendly pair for making beats or recording, this is a good pair to look into. For the price though, these headphones are actually a nice surprise for the quality they deliver. They won’t compete with some of the more expensive models on our list, but for the price range they’re in, they stand out from the competition that’s in that same range.

Pros
✓ Very affordable
✓ Good dynamic range
✓ Quality is satisfactory for their price range
✓ Good choice for recording, producing, & editing

Cons
X Quality lacks compared to premium models
X They can break easily over time
X Not ideal for mixing

Shure SRH1840 - Open Back
Price: $499

These open back headphones from Shure are a great choice if you need a pair of headphones for mixing. They do a good job of creating a speaker like experience & the frequency response is fairly neutral on this pair. The bass is well-defined & puts out an accurate representation of the low end. The flat response of these allow you to identify the problems that are really there and don’t create problems that aren’t really there like some other headphones tend to do.

Pros
✓ High quality
✓ Lightweight
✓ Good choice for mixing & producing.

Cons
X Expensive
X Not ideal for recording

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