If you’re a musician which many of our readers are you likely understand the importance of having the proper equipment in your arsenal. While equipment, tools and gear won’t “make” a musician, they sure can help along the way. At Rivington Studios where I work, I frequently get asked what are the best headphones for mixing and mastering tracks. Without fail I usually tell people there’s no ONE pair of headphones for mixing and mastering that are superior but rather a plethora of great options depending on your needs.
With a sea of headphones to choose from, I caught up with the folks at Audio46.com for for some industry insider tips when it comes to what are the best headphone for mixing and mastering on the market right now. Quality studio headphones are as an important part of your setup as the mixer or the computer itself. Without a balanced pair of headphones or monitors, you’ll end up with a mixdown that sounds likes a pair of clown shoes.
Audio Technica ATH-M50x
The ATH-M50x are regarded as some of the best value headphones for musicians and audiophiles alike. Following on the heels of the success of the ATH-50 these headphones offer a much welcomed upgrade to the longtime studio favorite. At only $169.99 the ATH-M50x offer a high quality professional pair of headphones for under $200.
Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Plus
Every wish you could change the sound of your headphones based on the music you are producing? What about the frustration of not knowing how listeners are going to experience your music on their bass heavy headphones. Enter the Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Plus. These headphones offer the ability to tune the dynamic range of the headphones from “Analytical” to “Heavy Bass”. This means you can finish you mixdown in Analytical mode, then turn up the bass to see how other user will experience the music on less balanced headphones.
Sennheiser HD-280 PRO Headphones
Looking for a lower budget option for top quality studio headphones? Sennheiser never disappoints when it comes to balanced and affordable headphones. With the HD-280 you’ll be able to hear every note of your newest track with the utmost in clarity. Best of all these headphones are only $99.99, which is pretty reasonable on any budget.
