Best Studio Monitor Headphones For Mixing

[1/4" TRS] I have had these headphones for almost 10 years. In these 10 years, they have been THE BEST headphones I have used for mixing. I have used a bunch of headphones and studio monitors in that time, and nothing has beat them out, not even the infamous Sony 7506 (given, cheaper, but more prevalent headphones in studios) Things to note with these headphones; they are not super low end present. If you are getting these to listen to consumer music, you may not like them because they are not "boomy" or "full". These headphones are for users who are looking for definition and clarity for making a solid mix. The other note is a MINOR complaint; the part of the headset that rests on the top of your head/hair has worn out for me. The muffs also wore out, but I replaced them. If there is a way to replace the foam under the band, please let me know because I would love to have them looking brand new again. I broke the cable that came with the headphones by accidentally vacuuming it about 2 years in (stupid, I know), but the detachable cable saved me some money. Also nice if you want to swap out different size cables. I would highly recommend these to anyone looking to invest in headphones for studio mixing.

[200 mW] Purchased 2 years ago and use for both live performance soloing, personal listening, and some studio mixing. These headphones are very durable and comfortable, but the sound quality really sets them apart. They transport me into whatever I'm listening to. Combined with a fiios dac, they will do everything and will do it well. Unless you're looking for open back headphones, these will easily become your favorites. A+. I'll replace the earpads and cable when they finally wear out.

[Proprietary] the Studio Monitor Headphones are very well made and have excellent sound quality.

[Yes] Reference has breathed new life into my Sony MDR-V6's which have been faithfully serving me for more than 10 years. The only qualm I've had with the Sony's are an apparent sibilance, even if it can be pleasant at times. Reference improves that problem (including an issue with bass) to flatten the response. This has helped immensely with mixing, but has also made general listening more enjoyable and less fatiguing. SONARWORKS has reviewed lots of headphones and rated them based on their before and after calibration performance, so if you're on the market for new headphones, that might be a good starting point for reference. They also offer an additional service for individual calibration which requires sending your headphones in so they can produce a personal profile for your headphones, as opposed to using the general profiles included with the software (you can also purchase a new pre-calibrated pair from them). That's all of course if you're looking for some kind of edge and really find yourself doing a great deal of work on headphones; it could certainly be worth the extra cost particularly for mastering headphones. Pairing this software with something like CanOpener (to simulate monitor crossfeed) will put you pretty close to a solid monitor mixing environment, so this is incredible software particularly for compact or mobile headphone-centric setups, or as a compliment to a studio setup that utilizes headphones in any critical way. Looking forward to using it with new headphones when the time comes. Highly recommended. Be sure to check the full headphone compatibility list to be sure they at least have a general profile for your particular model.

Reference has breathed new life into my Sony MDR-V6's which have been faithfully serving me for more than 10 years. The only qualm I've had with the Sony's are an apparent sibilance, even if it can be pleasant at times. Reference improves that problem (including an issue with bass) to flatten the response. This has helped immensely with mixing, but has also made general listening more enjoyable and less fatiguing. SONARWORKS has reviewed lots of headphones and rated them based on their before and after calibration performance, so if you're on the market for new headphones, that might be a good starting point for reference. They also offer an additional service for individual calibration which requires sending your headphones in so they can produce a personal profile for your headphones, as opposed to using the general profiles included with the software (you can also purchase a new pre-calibrated pair from them). That's all of course if you're looking for some kind of edge and really find yourself doing a great deal of work on headphones; it could certainly be worth the extra cost particularly for mastering headphones. Pairing this software with something like CanOpener (to simulate monitor crossfeed) will put you pretty close to a solid monitor mixing environment, so this is incredible software particularly for compact or mobile headphone-centric setups, or as a compliment to a studio setup that utilizes headphones in any critical way. Looking forward to using it with new headphones when the time comes. Highly recommended. Be sure to check the full headphone compatibility list to be sure they at least have a general profile for your particular model.

[105 dB] These monitor speakers, although pricy, are very well suited to mixing and editing in protools for a studio either at home or in a formal studio setting. They are transparent with a very flat sound that does not emphasize any particular aspect of the frequency spectrum. Flat sound as used here is a good thing. The bass is surprisingly strong in my editing room which only about 8' x 10'. I did add a subwoofer for frequencies below 50Hz. The highs are exceptionally clear and the midrange very smooth. These speakers are very easy on the ears even after several hours editing. I highly recommend them. I use them mainly to edit recording of live theatrical musical performances.

[106 dB/mW ] I mean, they're great headphones. I'll get them again and again. I use them for location sound mixing.

[0.175 lb] Saw these headphones listed as PC Magazine's Best for Affordable Studio Headphones, and I totally agree. I haven't used them for any studio stuff, but they're great for gaming and streaming. Very pleased with what you get for the price. Comfortable, great sound, and cool features (can plug into the left or right side, plug has a lock on it, comes with color bands to identify each chord, adjustable head band).

[32 x 19.5 x 6"] Best Monitor

[18 W (Maximum)] For the price, this is a fantastic device. I can't hear any noise through my studio monitor headphones until i ramp up the gain so high it would distort anyway if I tried to play anything through it. So, essentially a great buy. It interfaces well with my 2007 Macbook Pro with MAC OSX 10.6. Instrument plugins in the same position as the xlr inputs make it compact.