In this roundup guide, I am all set to reveal the 5 best types of headphones for recording vocals for 2023 so that you can forget audio bleeding once and for all.
I understand that investing in a good device is the first step toward your vocalist journey. But technicalities associated with headphone selection may have confused you already.
Not anymore, as my clever guide begins here!
🔰 Best Headphones For Recording Vocals: Features At a Glance
| Image | Product | Price |
|---|---|---|
 | Vic Firth Stereo Isolation Headphones V2
| Check Lowest PriceFull Review>> |
 | Audio-Technica ATH-M50X
| Check Lowest Price Full Review>> |
 | Sony MDR7506
| Check Lowest Price Full Review>> |
 | Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 250 Ohm
| Check Lowest Price Full Review>> |
 | Sennheiser HD 280 Pro
| Check Lowest Price Full Review>> |
Also Read: Best Drummer Headphones In 2023 [And Why They Wear Them!]
⚖ Best Headphones For Recording Vocals: Comparison Table
| Product Name | Sound | Isolation | Build and Design | Comfort |
| Vic Firth Stereo Isolation Headphones V2 | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Audio-Technica ATH-M50X | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Sony MDR7506 | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 250 Ohm | 8/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Sennheiser HD 280 Pro | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 |
👉 Why Studio Headphones Are Needed For Recording Vocals
⭐ The Ultimate Studio Headphones Buying Guide
It is always best to make a well-informed choice. Taking this into account, we’ve put together a comprehensive shopping guide for the type of headphones that will help you grasp the science underlying their operation and various components:
🔌 Wired versus Wireless
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity have become the primary way of wirelessly linking devices and are excellent replacements for wired connections. Wired headsets, on the other hand, are recommended for studio use.
You can only detach the connection from the studio headphones if they are wired. Many professional studio equipment are built to function with cables; therefore, wireless access may cause compatibility concerns.
🌀 Comfort
It would help if you didn’t skimp on comfort because you’ll be using these headphones for extended durations. To avoid putting too much strain on the ears and forehead, ensure the ear cushions and headband are appropriately padded.
This will, however, come at a cost. After prolonged use of them, you should anticipate your ears to become warm.
⌚ Durability
If you’re using the headphones for commercial purposes, the continual passing of hands from one individual to the next exposes the headphones to wear and damage. As a result, see if the various sections can be replaced while selecting your cans.
When the issue is only in a remote location that can be easily corrected, this will prevent you from needing to buy an entirely new headset. The overall construction should be strong enough to survive repeated pulling and minor falls.
🔊 Impedance
Impedance is a significant element in amplifier output restrictions. The outlet impedance of amplifiers likewise restricts the level of power they can deliver.
To understand impedance headphones, we may need to utilize technical language that may only baffle you further; here’s everything you should know to keep things as easy as possible.
Even when driven by less powerful systems, the less the impedance of a headphone, the greater the audio quality it will generate. When purchasing new studio headsets, keep impedance values in mind, as a wrong choice can lead to problems down the road.
📶 Frequency response
A person’s hearing range is somewhere around 20Hz & 2kHz. As a result, a decent headphone must be able to replicate frequencies in this spectrum well. Some may also provide a more excellent range, which is fantastic.
🎶 Sensitivity
Sensitivity is the ability of a headphone to transform electrical impulses into audio using the energy it receives. If a headphone is branded 90dB, this indicates the headphone amp of its volume when given 1mW of power.
Conclusion
Because artists need to hear minor details while producing tracks or music, sensitivity is key to seeking in-studio headsets. Basically, the greater the audio, the greater the sensitivity. When considering sensitivity settings in headphones, it’s crucial to bear the safety aspect in mind.
📃 Full Reviews of Best Headphones For Recording Vocals
1️⃣ Vic Firth Stereo Isolation Headphones V2
Pros
- Satisfactory audio quality.
- It is simple to transport from one location to another.
- The sound isolation is excellent.
Cons
- It is exorbitantly priced.
- Bluetooth bandwidth is limited.
The sound quality is adequate but not exceptional. I’m no audio engineer, but the rich sound seems a touch thin, concentrating on the midrange with highs and a slight lack of bass end. The thump of your kicks won’t rattle your mind, but your mixture will be clear and free of bass.
I’m a drummer enthusiast, but I’ve experimented with various earbuds (IEM) and headset solutions to hear my monitor mix while simultaneously playing an instrument. These pair of headphones are among the best I’ve tried for this purpose, and they do an excellent job of blocking out the drumming and allowing you to listen to the mixture without turning up the level too far.
The sound quality is adequate but not exceptional. I’m no audio engineer, but the rich sound seems a touch thin, concentrating on the midrange with highs and a slight lack of bass end. The thump of your kicks won’t rattle your mind, but your mixture will be clear and free of bass.
I like keeping my mix at a smaller volume without the acoustic volume of the kit intruding on it. When improvising with others, I’ve often struggled with this because one of us has always been too loud to balance.
My Verdict!
I was so taken with these Vic firths that I had to step on here and offer my advice since I’d been having trouble finding something which worked properly, and I was concerned that the smaller dynamic range of price might make them inferior.
Comfort
When you first hold the headsets in your hand, among the first things you’ll notice is how weighty they are. This would not be a good idea when you wish to use stuff that will have to sit on your skull for hours at a stretch. They also compress your head a lot, which can be painful.
The great news is that they soften up after a while; thus, this issue only exists while they are fresh.
Of course, a firm grip is required for them to remain on your head, but at the very least, you don’t have to think about them slipping off while you pound your head to the beat of the drums.
Another disadvantage is that the cushioning is rubber, which causes sweating. This pair of headphones shouldn’t be an issue if you don’t intend on folks sharing them, but it’s not the best hygienic situation if a group of individuals is sharing them.
Isolation
One of the most notable features of this device is its 25-decibel sound isolation. In other words, without considering the isolation supplied by the padding, external noise is lowered by 25dB, which is a significant amount.
This should help preserve your hearing because you won’t have to turn up the sound as loud as most players do to hear things well.
Because a drum kit can reach 120dB, above the dynamic range of acceptable exposure to noise, the 25dB decrease will bring the noise level down to acceptable levels, at least for four hours.
Also, the headset sound escape is reduced to a minimum, so you might not have to bother disturbing others with the music if you want to hear music with them.
Build and Design
Because the model is thick plastic, it will not readily break down. The headband appears cheap at first glance, but the quality is pretty robust and solid, so you might not have to fear if they fall off accidentally.
However, it would be best if you attempted to keep them in good condition. After a while, the rubber cushioning tends to break off, but it’s not a significant deal because it’s easy to paste back on using super glue.
Some people claim that they may hear an internal rattle solely on a single side; however, we couldn’t detect it. In short, giving these headphones a little TLC will last you a considerable time, possibly many years.
Sound
Overall, the sound quality is quite good for the affordable price; it sounds more plausible and lifelike, especially when compared to the elderly and outmoded V1 model.
2️⃣ Audio-Technica ATH-M50X
Pros
- It folds flat for easy storage and transportation.
- The headset is well-balanced.
- It’s well-padded and comfortable.
- Hip-hop paths also sounded fantastic.
- It is encased in plush faux leather.
Cons
- Wireless, energetic noise cancellation or an incorporated DAC are all options.
- There is also no in-line command on the shorter cord.
- Cushions and superficial cups are a terrible combination for keeping ears comfortable.
The M50x’s built quality is, for the central portion, excellent. The headband comprises metal, and also the material feels durable and thick, resulting in a robust-feeling headset that won’t destroy unless you genuinely try.
If you were thinking about whether Ath-M50x would be the right choice for you, then no need to think again. Go for it! I am not exaggerating, but these studio headphones’ sound quality is simply brilliant!
I enjoyed it, but I’ve worked in studio recording before and realized what to anticipate. If you’ve been utilizing gaming headsets or standard consumer audio equipment, these will seem strange for a while.
However, listen to a few of your favorite tunes on them for some time (or enjoy your preferred game for a few hours) before switching back to your old headsets. You’ll understand how bad your old ones seem, and you’ll seriously question what else you’re missing out on in life.
The only major issue I have with these headsets is the ear cushions. I’m not sure why headphone producers refuse to put money into quality ear cushions, but they do. Fortunately, there are after-market earpads available that I always suggest and use, EVEN IF these bits were fantastic.
Build and Design
The M50x’s built quality is, for the central portion, excellent. The headband comprises metal, and also the material feels durable and thick, resulting in a robust-feeling headset that won’t destroy unless you genuinely try.
However, when the cushions and headband start peeling, the mistakes cut on the durability of the imitation leather will sting you in the backside. The pads, on the other hand, are easily replaceable.
Comfort
If you are like me and most other music fans, you’ll hate wearing headphones that irritate or harm your ears no matter how fantastic the music quality is. The M50x isn’t uncomfortable, but they’re far from the comfiest.
Claims!
Anyone who claims the M50x is “super-comfy” was most likely putting concrete on their ears. The cheap, poorly manufactured ear pads are the primary source of discomfort for many people. As noted in the fit and finish, they’re made of imitation leather, which isn’t a significant concern.
However, the cushioning within them is inadequate, in my opinion. It’s a low-cost foam with very little strength. The second cause, which is primarily fixable, is the gripper power these have on your ears.
Since I first had to use these, the grip wasn’t too bad; however, after 30 minutes of being able to listen, my ears began to hurt owing to the poor ear pads.
You must be allowed to correct this by elongating them across the carton they came in and leaving them up overnight, if not longer. This relieved the clamp sufficiently for me.
Isolation
Because the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x requires engaged background noise cancellation, you must depend on the ear cushions and foam to restrict background noises. That passive noise reduction is adequate but far from ideal.
The spacious sound became garbled in cafes and aircraft, but we had to switch the sound level up past the mid-point before all those ambient sounds were no longer noteworthy. Overall, these headsets fall short of the near quiet provided by even distinctly average active noise cancellation.
Still, they provide sufficient isolation to enjoy tunes at a reasonable volume in most circumstances. Compared to no headsets, especially high frequencies (10kHz), feel almost one-sixteenth as loud while wearing the ATH-M50x.
Sound
Audio-Technica ATH-sound M50x’s only disadvantage is that certain nuances and descriptions can be dropped in the mid-range, reducing vocals, and percussive guitars can be abandoned in most arrangements. We don’t think this diverts attention from the whole sound quality.
Moreover, suppose you’re an audio engineer looking for the enigmatic “flat resonant frequency” that sometimes provides eloquence of every frequency spectrum and would like to see, listen to, and recognize every nuance in a melody. In that case, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x might not have been your preferred pair of headsets.
3️⃣ Sony MDR7506
Pros
- The sound is adequate.
- It is easily compressed.
- The cord is long.
- Adjustable. This can be changed.
Cons
- I had to create the most significant size possible to relieve pressure on my head, although I have a tiny head.
- The price is not reflected in the audio.
- It quickly becomes warm on the ears.
The steel frame in the headset is quite sturdy, which contributes to the headphone’s overall strength. The headphones are intended for use indoors.
I’m giving these 5-star ratings, but there is one major drawback. They are high-quality studio headsets. They also function as earmuffs if you intend to carry them out and about.
That’s fine in the cold season, but on the day I decided to wear them out in June, I was sweating out all the upper half of my head and bottom of my neck.
The sound quality is fantastic, but it’s not ideal for being outside in the heat. To their credit, these headsets never claimed that. They haven’t ever made any statements because they are abstract entities with no communication ability.
They do, however, have the capacity to deliver an excellent audio experience, which is primarily what you desire in a set of headphones.
Comfort
Sony’s MDR-7506 headset is perfect for long listening sessions and gives extreme comfort. The ear cushions are soft and comfortable so that you won’t perceive any strain on your ears.
Verdict:
Because the headphones are incredibly lightweight, they are an excellent choice for your successful professional needs. Because it is light in weight, the headset relies entirely on your head. There is also no pressure on the head.
Isolation
The sound isolation feature of the headset is inadequate. The headphones do not effectively block out sound, but they are helpful if you are in a loud environment. This feature is superior to noise cancellation.
The feature is also not very useful while traveling. The headphones will not wholly muffle the touring noise. The flat frequency transient response of the headphones also determines this.
Build and Design
The Sony MDR-7506 headset has a studio layout ideal for your professional requirements. It has a broad headband and padded ear cups for a suitable match. At times, the padding substance feels cheap because there is some utilization of plastic.
However, with the features it provides, this is easily overlooked. The steel frame in the headset is quite sturdy, which contributes to the headphone’s overall strength.
The headphones are intended for use indoors. As a result, if you use the headphones outside, you will not be at ease. The overall look is excellent.
Sound
Conditions like “smooth” and “neutral” are frequently used in music production. In a nutshell, this implies that the drivers regenerate each intensity in the extended frequency range at the same sound standard.
That value is what distinguishes pair of studio headphones from customer headphones. While most headsets designed for this purpose aim for this, the Sony MDR-7506 underscores mids and peaks, which few customer headphones do.
4️⃣ Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 250 Ohm
Pros
- These headsets are incredibly comfortable to use.
- They have an extremely flat frequency response.
- They appear to be sturdy and long-lasting.
Cons
- The implemented cable cannot be replaced.
- It’s not simple to get out of a headset jack.
- You’ll need a sound interface or a headset amp to perform them at larger volumes.
The DT 770 are solid and long-lasting headphones. They have the identical solid metal screen as the DT 990 Pro, and the ear cushions are thick enough to withstand drops without harm.
Reviewing headsets is complex, and before I begin, I should mention the circumstances under which I used them, and indeed, listening to the music of various types through a professional audio card, and, more notably, we are always discussing personal taste!
These professional headphones are incredibly well-known, and I found them to be perfectly balanced from across the wide frequency range, with lovely bass that never becomes burdensome, very well-balanced averages that never make the headsets rough, and plenty of space for higher frequency.
If I listened to a melody with very elevated low frequencies, these headsets never became annoying, and the audio remains incredibly soft and exceedingly pleasant in general.
Build and Design
The DT 770 are solid and long-lasting headphones. They have the identical solid metal screen as the DT 990 Pro, and the ear cushions are thick enough to withstand drops without harm.
On the other hand, the headphone cup buffets have a plasticky feel to them.
Sound
When we tested these professional headphones on an Android smartphone, we discovered they lacked many basses. This is, nevertheless, to be expected. A mobile phone cannot generate the power required by professional headphones’ drivers to provide better bass effectiveness.
If you want the highest suitable sound quality, use a devoted headset amp with all these over-ear designs, although if it isn’t the same as ours, an amp might provide enough strength for their drivers.
Isolation
On the other hand, the bass scope was a little incongruent with our measurement techniques and relied a little on the form of the user’s head. Because of the emphasized Treble range, they can sound slightly sharp with some tracks.
Comfort
Verdict
In our opinion, it’s a solid 8! They remain firmly on your head without pressing against your skull. The headband adaptation could be smoother – adjusting them quickly while preserving them on one’s head can be difficult.
Aside from that, the DT 770 Pro is very comfy to wear even for extended periods, owing to the reality that the ear cushions are large enough to want to go all over your ears without pressing against them.
5️⃣ Sennheiser HD 280 Pro
Pros
- Headphones that are pretty revealing and suitable for mixing.
- Wearable with or without spectacles.
- There are no sound revelations.
Cons
- During long periods, it may become hot.
- Not the most attractive.
The wide frequency range of the pair of headphones is reasonably accurate, with a few slight variations from our house bend. The HD 280 Pro doesn’t have overly emphasized accurate sound, making it an excellent choice for mixing and tracking recordings in a production company.
This reasonable price range for a pair of headphones may seem absurd to the average vocalist. Anyone who has been part of the Senheiser community in the past, or even this specific set of headphones, will know that the cost is exceptionally reasonable for the reliability of this set.
The fit and finish are excellent; my previous pair lasted seven years before succumbing to destruction. The sound quality is excellent, though it lacks the head-shaking bass that some are looking for.
If you’re searching for a new pair of headphones to enjoy your songs collection, mix with, or even play games with, these will not displease.
Comfort
This is another area where the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro excels and fails. On the one hand, the pads’ overall comfort level is satisfactory. They engulf your ears and rest conveniently if you’re not relocating around too much.
However, the fit is a little snug. If you have a giant forehead, the pressure may be too substantial. The removable headband foam is soft and comfortable as well.
Isolation
The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro accomplishes admirably in this category, but it is not without flaws. Compared to other professional headphones, the HD 280 Pro provides a neutral and uncolored transient response.
Build and Design
In this regard, the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro falls a little short. The all-black, the muted appearance of these headphones hints at their intended use.
They have the appearance and sound of studio monitors. I prefer quality and functionality. But these are slightly more mundane than I prefer.
Disadvantage
Another disadvantage is the non-detachable cable. It will eventually be damaged if you have a routine of applying stress to your cable. You’ll have to make do with a knotted cable as well.
The debate over coiled versus plain cables is never conclusive. Some people adore them, whereas others favor basic cable.
Sound
The wide frequency range of the pair of headphones is reasonably accurate, with a few slight variations from our house bend. The HD 280 Pro doesn’t have overly emphasized accurate sound, making it an excellent choice for mixing and tracking recordings in a production company.
Conclusion:
You’d be disappointed if you thought you were getting a pair of Sennheiser consumer headphones. This reduced the volume of the initial hit until it reached peak volume, which the brain perceived as a minor attack.
On a different note, having the perception of minor invasion is acceptable—and sometimes desirable.
💡 FAQs
1. What is the difference between standard and studio headphones?
The features and clarity of sound produced by stereo headphones and conventional (mono) headphones are very different. Mono headphones have a balanced sound, whereas stereo headphones have a full,’ surround effect.’
2. Are open-back headphones better for recording vocals?
Headphones with closed-back headphones designs are more excellent than open-back designs. Sound isolation is critical for any recording session because it prevents noises from traveling in both directions.
3. How loud should headphones be when recording vocals?
At 90 dB SPL, the observed pitch of the 200 Hz band is sufficient for most male and female vocal recordings.
4. Can you record vocals with wireless headphones?
Yes, anyone can sing with your wireless ear headphones by pairing them, clicking record, and performing, but it will not sound as well as a pair of studio headphones.
5. Can Bluetooth headphones be used in the studio?
While most studio monitors have wired headphones, certain users may choose wireless headsets to roam more freely while blending and mastering music. On the other hand, most wireless earbuds employ Bluetooth, which has a significant audio lag.
About the Author
Rach Wellard
Rach Wellard is the driving force behind Sound & Solitude. Her mission is to help you discover the profound impact of sound in your daily life and to explore the beauty of solitude. With a deep passion for the connection between soundscapes and emotions, she brings a unique blend of expertise and personal dedication to our platform.
Rach understands that every individual's auditory journey is unique, and she’s here to guide you every step of the way. As a devoted audiophile, Rach’s discerning ear carefully selects the most exceptional products that align with your desires for Sound or Solitude. In a world filled with noise and chaos, Sound & Solitude serves as your sanctuary.
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