Compare Studio Headphones
15 studio headphones side by side, with their published specs and typical prices. Our picks come first; our studio headphones guide explains why we chose them.
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All Studio Headphones
Spec Sheet Score (0–10): Based only on published specs like protection ratings and features. It doesn't measure sound, comfort, or fit, so it isn't our recommendation. How we calculate the spec sheet score
Showing all 15 products
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| Audio-Technica ATH-M50xTop Pick | 7.7 | Not yet tested | Closed-back | 38 | 99 | 113.2 | 45 | 285 | Yes | Not published | 15 Hz to 28 kHz | $150–170£120–150View on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony MDR-7506Budget Pick | 7.3 | Not yet tested | Closed-back | 63 | 106 | 118 | 40 | 230 | No | Not published | 10 Hz to 20 kHz | $90–110£80–100View on Amazon |
| Sony MDR-M1Step-Up Pick | 9.2 | Not yet tested | Closed-back | 50 | 102 | 115 | 40 | 216 | Yes | Yes | 5 Hz to 80 kHz | $230–250£200–230View on Amazon |
| Austrian Audio Hi-X55 | 8.4 | Not yet tested | Closed-back | 25 | 102 | 118 | 44 | 305 | Yes | Yes | 5 Hz to 28 kHz | $200–300£180–250View on Amazon |
| Audio-Technica ATH-M40x | 8.3 | Not yet tested | Closed-back | 35 | 98 | 112.6 | 40 | 240 | Yes | Not published | 15 Hz to 24 kHz | $100–120£80–100View on Amazon |
| AKG K371 | 8.3 | Not yet tested | Closed-back | 32 | 99.1 | 114 | 50 | 255 | Yes | Not published | 5 Hz to 40 kHz | $150–180£110–150View on Amazon |
| Shure SRH840A | 7.7 | Not yet tested | Closed-back | 40 | 97 | 111 | 40 | 273 | Yes | Yes | 5 Hz to 25 kHz | $150–200£120–160View on Amazon |
| Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO X | 7.5 | Not yet tested | Closed-back | 48 | 98 | 112 | 45 | 298 | Yes | Yes | 5 Hz to 40 kHz | $180–230£150–200View on Amazon |
| Sennheiser HD 560S | 7.1 | Not yet tested | Open-back | 120 | 100.8 | 110 | Not published | 280 | Yes | Not published | 6 Hz to 38 kHz | $150–230£120–180View on Amazon |
| AKG K240 Studio | 7.0 | Not yet tested | Semi-open | 55 | 91.4 | 104 | 30 | 240 | Yes | Yes | 15 Hz to 25 kHz | $70–100£55–75View on Amazon |
| Sennheiser HD 490 PRO | 6.8 | Not yet tested | Open-back | 130 | 96 | 105 | 38 | 260 | Yes | Yes | 5 Hz to 36.1 kHz (−10 dB) | $400–450£320–380View on Amazon |
| Sennheiser HD 600 | 5.4 | Not yet tested | Open-back | 300 | 91.8 | 97 | 42 | 260 | Yes | Yes | 12 Hz to 40.5 kHz | $300–400£250–330View on Amazon |
| Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO (250 ohm) | 4.5 | Not yet tested | Open-back | 250 | 96 | 102 | Not published | 250 | No | Yes | 5 Hz to 35 kHz | $150–180£110–150View on Amazon |
| Sennheiser HD 280 PRO | 4.5 | Not yet tested | Closed-back | 64 | Not published | Not published | Not published | 285 | No | Yes | 8 Hz to 25 kHz | $100–130£70–100View on Amazon |
| Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO (80 ohm) | 3.9 | Not yet tested | Closed-back | 80 | 96 | 107 | Not published | 345 | No | Yes | 5 Hz to 35 kHz | $150–180£110–150View on Amazon |
| No products match these filters. | ||||||||||||
How We Calculate the Spec Sheet Score
we use four published specs. Ease of driving (weight 4) is the headphone's loudness at 1 volt in dB SPL, scaled from 95 dB (0 points) to 118 dB (10 points); where the maker publishes sensitivity per milliwatt we convert it to per volt using the published impedance. Weight (weight 3) is a comfort proxy, scaled from 400 g (0 points) to 200 g (10 points).
A detachable cable (weight 2) and maker-stated replaceable ear pads (weight 1) score 10 points if present and 0 if not. The score is the weighted average of the factors a product has data for: if a maker does not publish a spec, that factor is left out and the remaining weights are rescaled. We do not score frequency-response range, because figures like 5 Hz to 80 kHz versus 15 Hz to 28 kHz describe response far outside human hearing, are measured to different tolerances by each maker, and say nothing about accuracy within 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
We do not score sound quality, and price is not part of the score. If a product's published specs cover less than 60% of the total weight, its score is marked "limited data" and it is listed after the products with fuller data.
| Factor | Weight | How It Scores |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Driving (dB SPL Per Volt) | 4 | Voltage sensitivity decides how loud a headphone plays from a phone or interface output, which is voltage-limited. 95 dB/V needs a dedicated amp for loud monitoring; 118 dB/V is about the highest in this group and gets loud from anything. |
| Weight (Comfort Proxy) | 3 | Lighter is better for long sessions. 200 g scores 10, 400 g scores 0. A proxy only: clamp force and pads also matter but are not comparable specs. |
| Detachable Cable | 2 | A detachable cable is the part most likely to fail and the cheapest to replace; a fixed cable usually means a repair. |
| Replaceable Pads (Maker-Stated) | 1 | Pads wear out. Counted only where the maker states it; unknown is left out. |
- Tested Score: our own score from a hands-on review. It says "Not yet tested" until we've tested that product.
- Limited Data: the maker publishes under 60% of the specs we score, so the score rests on fewer numbers. These products are listed after the rest.
- Pro Reference: a professional model, far above the others on price, shown for comparison.
- Prices: typical ranges when we checked, not live prices. Amazon's price can differ.
Sources
Every spec comes from the maker's own product page, spec sheet, or manual. A spec shows as "Not published" when the maker doesn't state it.
- Audio-Technica ATH-M50x: docs.audio-technica.com, audio-technica.com
- Sony MDR-7506: pro.sony, pro.sony
- Sony MDR-M1: pro.sony
- Austrian Audio Hi-X55: austrian.audio
- Audio-Technica ATH-M40x: docs.audio-technica.com, audio-technica.com
- AKG K371: akg.com, akg.com
- Shure SRH840A: images.earpro.es, shure.com
- Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO X: api.beyerdynamic.de, europe.beyerdynamic.com
- Sennheiser HD 560S: us.sennheiser-hearing.com
- AKG K240 Studio: akg.com, akg.com
- Sennheiser HD 490 PRO: sennheiser.com, assets.sennheiser.com
- Sennheiser HD 600: us.sennheiser-hearing.com, cdn.sennheiser-hearing.com
- Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO (250 ohm): api.beyerdynamic.de, europe.beyerdynamic.com
- Sennheiser HD 280 PRO: sennheiser.com, assets.sennheiser.com
- Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO (80 ohm): api.beyerdynamic.de, north-america.beyerdynamic.com