Working on music from home has become the norm in todays day and age. This makes having a quality pair of headphones a must, especially for newer home musicians who may not have access to a professional acoustically treated recording environment. There are two main types of headphones that can be used for producing and mixing your music that we will disscuss in this article. The first type of headphones is closed back headphones. Closed back headphones are designed to isolate you from external noise while also minimizing the amount of audio being played from leaking out of the headphones. This is useful when you’re tracking live instruments/vocals and don’t want the sound from the headphones to bleed into the recording. In contrast to this, open back headphones allow audio to leak out of the headphones and do not isolate the listener from outside ambient noise. Open back headphones can be useful when you are working with an artist and you want to remain aware of your outside environment. Furthermore, open back headphones generally tend to have a bit more natural and accurate frequency response then closed back headphones.
1. AKG K702 Reference-Quality Open-Back Circumaural Headphones – $389
The AKG K702 features a real leather, adjustable headband with heavy duty replaceable earpads. Furthermore, these headphones have a frequency response of 10Hz – 39,800Hz. The K702 features an impedance of 62 Ohm. Lastly, the AKG K702 has a 3.5mm mini adapter with a 1/4″ adapter that allows for compatibility with a multitude of audio inputs.
2. Sennheiser HD 600 High-End Audiophile Stereo Headphones HD600 – $379.95
The Sennheiser HD600 is another open back pair that delivers an incredibly transparent sound making it an ideal headphone for mixing. Furthermore the HD600 features a frequency response of 12Hz – 40,500 Hz and an impedance of 300 ohm.
3. Beyerdynamic DT-770-PRO-250 Closed Back Reference Studio Tracking Headphones – $175
The Beyerdyamic DT 770 PRO is a closed back pair of headphones with an impedance of 250 ohms. The DT 770 PRO provides a very accurate listening experience with a frequency response of 5Hz – 35,000Hz. These headphones also feature velour earpads that provide a cushioning and comfort to listeners during long periods of wear. This pair of headphones is perfect for musicians new to home recording being the cheapest option on the list.