Both for professionals in the audio industry and for the most demanding audiophiles , having one of the best professional headphones is practically an obligation, so in this article we are going to make it easy for you -especially if you are starting out in the matter- and we are going to tell you which are, in our point of view, the best professional studio-quality headphones you can buy.
We have already explained that the audio quality provided by professional equipment has little to do with products intended for consumer electronics; In the case of headphones, do not expect positional virtual sound or not even an integrated microphone , here what is sought is both the best possible sound quality and the best fidelity to be able to hear the sound as it was conceived in the original source, in addition of course of great comfort since if you are an audio professional you will most likely be wearing headphones for many hours a day.
What should you look for in the best professional headphones?
As a general rule, commercial headphones have quite “flat” technical characteristics, with a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 KHz, an SPL of around 90 dB and very low impedances. This greatly limits the range of sounds that are capable of reproducing, and effectively users are missing many nuances of sound. This does not mean that they are bad headphones, only that they are not enough to be used in a professional environment.
Therefore, when we look for professional headphones we must look for specifications that are much broader than this, with frequencies that must almost always be between 10 Hz and 40 KHz and SPL closer to 100 dB. In addition to this, connectivity is also quite important because if you are a professional you will most likely use headphones using a specific mixer or preamp, so say goodbye to the usual USB or 3.5 mm minijack connections of commercial products, professional headphones. they will almost always have a jack or XLR (Canon) connection .
Sound fidelity makes the difference
The issue of specifications is not mere “posture”. When you are a professional you are looking for the best fidelity so that the audio you listen to is as faithful as possible to the original audio, and this means that you cannot be missing frequencies that are too low or too high, not only because of the ranges of human hearing but also because you will have to work with it in audio software such as ProTools.
Therefore, if you need to work with high-fidelity audio, you will need equipment that is capable of representing it, and that is something that commercial and cheap headphones cannot provide; No matter how much you see the sounds represented on the screen of the PC you are working on, if you cannot hear these sounds through your headphones later, you will not be gaining anything.
The best professional studio-quality headphones
Having already explained what we are looking for in the best professional headphones, below we are going to list the ones that, according to our reasoning, are the best you can buy today. There are other models that are much more specific and even much more expensive, but we consider that they are too specific to be included in a list that pretends to be, in a certain way, global so that the headphones serve a bit for everything.
Sennheiser HD 660 S, the best headphones for professionals
These are probably the best headphones you can buy if you are a professional in the audio industry, because they will provide you with the best performance / price ratio on the market. With an open circumaural design, interchangeable and washable fabric ear cushions and an adjustable headband, they are also one of the most comfortable out there to be used for hours on end. The cable is interchangeable and comes with a native jack connection and a minijack adapter.
Its specifications include a frequency response of 10 to 41,000 Hz, impedance of 26 to 150 ohms, SPL of 104 dB at 1 KHz, 1V RMS and a harmonic distortion lower than 0.4%, so you will not miss a single only detail of the audio of your professional equipment.
Beyerdynamic DT1770 PRO, the most versatile
With an “over-ear” design, circular fabric ear cushions and an adjustable headband, these professional headphones are also designed to be used throughout the day without fatigue. They stand out for their frequency response that starts at only 5 Hz and reaches 40 KHz, they have an impedance of 250 ohms and an SPL of 102 dB. In addition, they are very versatile because a set of interchangeable synthetic leather ear pads is included in case you prefer to have more sound isolation.
Be careful with this model of professional headphones because its connection is mini XLR, although the cable is interchangeable and it also includes a minijack and a jack adapter, so you can connect them to practically any audio equipment you have.
Pioneer HRM-7, the most durable
If you are concerned about the durability of your headphones because you intend to carry them from one place to another all the time, this model from Pioneer has a robust construction and quality materials that, with a little care, will last you in good condition for many years. .
Its characteristics include its frequency response from 5 to 40,000 Hz, an SPL of 97 dB, impedance of 45 ohms and a native 3.5 mm minijack connection with a conventional jack adapter included, both gold-plated and threaded to anchor it to professional preamps. . They also include replacement pad covers.
Audio-Technica ATH-M70X, the most comfortable
With a closed circumaural design and soft fabric covered ear cushions coupled with its adjustable soft headband, these are headphones that you can wear all day (be careful with this because sometimes you forget you are wearing them, you get out of the chair without take them off and yank the cable).
They have a frequency response of 5 to 40,000 Hz, with an impedance of 38 ohms and an SPL of 97 dB. Includes three sets of cables: a 1.2 meter plain, a 3 meter smooth and a 1.2 to 3 m coiled.
Focal Professional Listen Pro, the best for music
This brand may be unfamiliar to you, but almost all music production professionals use it or have used it at some time and it will be for a reason. They feature a comfortable design with highly padded fabric ear cushions and an adjustable headband so you can wear them all day without fatigue.
Its characteristics undoubtedly include an SPL of 122 dB at 1 KHz / 1 V RMS with a harmonic distortion of less than 0.3%, although its impedance of 32 ohms and its frequency response from 5 Hz to 22 KHz is a little more “normal”. A 5-meter coiled cable and a 1.4-meter straight cable are supplied with a four-pole 3.5 mm jack connector.
Sony MDR-7506, professional audio within everyone’s reach
If you want access to professional audio but can’t afford a lot of money, these headphones from Sony are a good place to start. They have a frequency response of 10 to 20,000 Hz with an impedance of 63 ohms and an SPL of 106 dB, and stand out for their lightweight design of only 230 grams (without cable), their adjustable headband and their soft synthetic leather ear muffs.
Supplied with a carrying bag, it has a 3.5 mm minijack connection and an included adapter for a 6.3 mm jack.
