The Best Budget Studio Headphones In 2023

There is such an abundance of options available, with prices ranging from under $10 up to multiple thousands of dollars. Even when searching for “headphones” on one of the major music gear retail websites, it results in over 400 products. That can be a little intimidating, so I've compiled a list of my top picks for this year! Let’s look at some of the most popular headphone options for your home studio that will provide the best bang for your buck.

When choosing a pair of studio headphones, you’ll have to decide what their intended purpose will be. Most studio headphones fall under one of two categories, and that is Open-back or Closed-back. The difference is in the way they are designed, specifically the housing.

Open-back Headphones have vented ear cups on the outer housing which allows air and sound to easily pass through. Because of this design, it eliminates the buildup of frequencies (especially in the low end) and provides a much more natural sound that is ideal for critical listening and mixing. Open-backs are very comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, and your ears won’t become fatigued from low-end buildup.

Since open-back headphones do not provide isolation, they do not block out any sounds from your surrounding environment. That also means that anything you are listening to will be heard by others nearby as well. If you are looking for a pair of headphones that will be used mostly for mixing, open-back headphones are a great choice.

Closed-back headphones have a sealed housing to provide isolation from your surrounding environment and to stop sound from escaping the headphones as well. Closed-backs are great for recording because they help to eliminate any bleed from being picked up by your microphone (that includes that pesky click track).

Because these types of headphones are so well-sealed around the ears, you don’t have to listen as loud as you would on open-back headphones. However, with the tight seal, you will notice a boost in the low-end frequency buildup. Closed-back headphones sometimes feel a little bulkier and can be less comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, so I wouldn’t recommend them as your main source of everyday monitoring. However, if you are looking for a great headphone option for recording and all-around studio tasks, closed-backs are the way to go!

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The ATH-M20x by Audio-Technica definitely provide some great value. These headphones combine superior isolation along with soft cushion ear pads which eliminates bleed and keeps them comfortable for longer sessions. They are tuned for an enhanced low-frequency response, so you can really hear the bass during tracking or mixing.

If you’re looking for an all-around pair of headphones for general studio tasks or even just casual listening, consider the ATH-M20x. For under $50, you really can’t go wrong here!

The K240 headphones by AKG can be great for both recording and mixing. With a semi-open-back design, these headphones give you the detailed and accurate listening experience you would expect from open-backs, but with the isolation that comes from using closed-backs.

The K240s included a 10’ replaceable cable and a gold-plated screw-on plug adapter. At such an affordable price point, these headphones would make a great option for any recording studio.

Beyerdynamic has been in the headphone game for a long time (since 1937) and their name is a staple in many pro studios around the world. The DT 240 PROs deliver deep bass, vivid mids, and clear highs with a lightweight, durable design that is comfortable to wear for longer sessions. These headphones have a sturdy metal headband, a reinforced cable, and come with a gold-plated screw-on plug adapter and soft bag.

Recording drums? The Vic Firth SIH2 headphones are an excellent choice for drum tracking. While these headphones may not be as comfortable as some of the others on this list, the snug fit and tight seal isolate very well to prevent click track bleed for drummers who are always asking to “turn it up louder!”

The Vic Firth SIH2 headphones are great for tracking drums, however, I wouldn’t recommend them for vocal tracking. They tend to be a little darker than some other headphones, which provides a less-natural sound for the human voice.

I’ve tried using these in the past for singers who wanted a loud mix but better isolation was needed to prevent bleed into the mic. On more than one occasion, a different pair of headphones was requested because their voice didn’t sound natural through the Vic Firth headphones.

All in all — great for drummers in the studio or for protecting your ears while placing a mic on a guitar cab or other loud source. Not recommended for vocal tracking, mixing, or critical listening.

Sony’s MDR-7506 headphones have been a staple in the audio world for years. From professional recording studios to broadcast & radio studios, you’ll find these headphones pretty much everywhere.

The MDR-7506s are probably one of the best budget headphones for all things music production, as they provide exceptional sound quality, superior isolation, and maximum comfort with their flexible and foldable design. these headphones come with a soft case and a gold-plated screw-on plug adapter.

With the ATH-M40x, Audio-Technica combines quality and comfort into what is still a relatively affordable headphone package. These headphones have 40mm drivers that are tuned for a flat frequency response with accuracy across the entire frequency range. With a closed-back design, there is minimal bleed, and the circumaural ear pads make them comfortable to wear for longer sessions.

The ATH-M40x headphones have a collapsible design with swivel ear cups, and the cable is detachable as well, making for easy, compact storage. These headphones include both a straight and coiled cable, a carrying pouch, and a 1/4” screw-on adapter.

While open-back headphones provide a natural listening experience that is great for mixing (more similar to listening on monitors compared to other types of headphones), they also start out a bit more pricey as well. The DT990 headphones by Beyerdynamic are one of the lower-priced open-back headphone options, but that doesn't affect the quality.

These headphones have a 45mm driver with a wide frequency response from 5Hz-35kHz. With the open-back design, they give a three-dimensional sound that is similar to being in the room with the performer rather than the traditional isolated headphone sound you may be used to.

The DT 990’s have soft ear pads that are extremely comfortable for extended use and would make great headphones for mixing or critical listening. Because these are open-back headphones, the sound will bleed into any microphones and would not be the best choice for a performer to wear during tracking. The DT 990’s include a gold 1/4” adapter and a soft pouch.

These headphones don’t necessarily fit into everyone’s budget, but they can eliminate the purchasing of studio monitors and save you tons of time while mixing. So their value essentially works out to make them “budget-friendly”.

Released in 2020, the Slate VSX headphones have been a game-changer for home studios around the world. These closed-back headphones include modeling software that places you in a multitude of realistic, virtual mixing environments, including:

• NRG Recording Studio
• Archon Recording Studio
• Howie Weinberg’s Mastering Room
• Steven Slate’s Mixing Room
• Sonoma Studio
• Electric Car Stereo
• Luxury SUV Stereo
• L.A. Nightclub Sound System
• Audiophile Listening Room
• Classic Reference Boombox
• Multiple Pairs of Modeled Studio Headphones
• & More

“The VSX 2.0 plugin uses Steven Slate Audio’s Binaural Perception Modeling (BPM) algorithms to precisely reproduce the 3D sound of famous mixing studios, mastering rooms, car stereos, nightclubs, audiophile listening rooms, and models of industry-standard headphones.” - Steven Slate Audio

Each room has multiple speaker options that make you feel like you are really in the room listening through those monitors. The flexibility of jumping from room to room is a great asset for quickly hearing how your mix will sound on different speakers. 

You know that “car test” that takes a total of 20-30 minutes to bounce your mix down, upload it to dropbox, take it out to the car, and listen a few times through while taking notes? Yeah, me too… Imagine being able to do that at a click of a button without leaving your desk. These headphones will save you so many hours just on that alone, that the price will pay for itself in no time.

You can choose from two versions of the VSX headphone system, with the software being the only difference.  The essentials edition includes 7 of the available listening environments with the option to purchase the others. The platinum edition includes all available listening environments, and any newly created spaces are free. 

I own a pair of the Slate VSX headphones, and I was super impressed the first time I “stepped inside” one of the virtual mix rooms. It felt so much like I was listening to a mix on my own monitors that I actually checked to make sure my monitors were turned off. Most people say that it initially takes about 2 hours of listening to music to get used to the emulations and train your mind to understand it, but somehow it just made sense to my brain right away.

I don't favor the VSX Headphones over my monitors or use one more than the other, but they have become a tool that is used regularly in my mixing process. However, I do trust VSX enough to use them as my main mixing source if that was all I was limited to, and have done complete mixes with only these headphones.

If you don’t have an acoustically treated mix room, or even just want to mix while on the road, on the beach, or on an airplane, the VSX Headphones are for you! You’ll have a consistent listening environment that you are familiar with, wherever you are. They might be more expensive than any other headphones on this list but they are worth every penny.

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