Headphones for mixing should let you hear the mix as it is, for hours, without tiring your ears. Four things decide it.
1. Open-back for mixing, closed for recording
Open-back headphones let air and sound through the earcups, which gives a wider, more natural stereo image and less boomy bass: better for mixing decisions. Closed-back headphones isolate, so they're the choice for recording (no bleed into the mic) and noisy rooms. Many engineers own one of each; see open back vs closed back.
2. A neutral sound
Avoid consumer headphones with boosted bass: you'll mix the low end too thin to compensate. Studio and reference models aim for a flat response.
3. Impedance and your interface
Low-impedance headphones (under about 80 ohms) play loud from any interface or laptop. High-impedance models like 250 or 300 ohms need a stronger headphone output or a headphone amp.
4. Comfort
Velour pads, a light build and moderate clamping force matter after hour three.
Of the 136 studio headphones Thomann had in stock on October 19, 2026, the open ones had a median price of $505, the closed ones $162: most budget studio headphones are closed.
Good headphones for mixing
beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro 80 Ohm, $165
Open-back, velour pads and an 80-ohm version that runs from any interface: the budget mixing classic. One of the highest-ranked studio headphones we track: #2 of 110 studio headphones.
AKG K-702, $200
Open reference headphones with a wide, detailed image and 62 ohms impedance. #14 of 94 hifi headphones.
Sennheiser HD 600, $334
Open headphones known for a natural midrange; at 300 ohms they want a good headphone amp. #16 of 94 hifi headphones.
Sony MDR-MV1, $441
Open studio headphones made for mixing and mastering, including 3D audio, at an easy 24 ohms. #37 of 110 studio headphones.
Sony MDR-7506, $109
The closed second pair for recording and checking, at 63 ohms. #10 of 110 studio headphones.
Questions
Can you mix on headphones?
Yes. Check the mix on speakers and a phone too, because headphones exaggerate stereo width.
Are 250 or 300 ohm headphones better?
Not by themselves. They just need more power; with a weak headphone output, choose a low-impedance version.
How we measured. Every studio headphone Thomann listed as in stock on October 19, 2026 (136), sorted open or closed by product description, converted from euros at the European Central Bank rate. Products show today's price and rank, updated every night.
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Denis Kataev runs AudioFu. Every night the site records the prices of more than 38,000 instruments and studio tools at Thomann, and he writes about what those numbers show: what got cheaper, what just arrived, and which discounts are real.
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