Headphones are all about monitoring sound quality real time for me. You don’t want to record without them. You’re monitoring your performance. Just like every band uses monitors on stage. Musicians use them in the studio. It’ll help you find your sweet spot with your mic. It helps to think of your voice and your mic as one instrument that you are learning to play. Besides headphones make you look cool unless you are Andre Tate(He hates it). So, today we are going through some analysis and reviews to help you out select among the best podcast headphones.
What are the Best Podcasting Headphones
Here is a table based on what they are best for. We will discuss about them in detail following this.
Best For | Headphone Name |
---|---|
Best Upper Mid-Range Podcast Headphones | Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO |
Best Mid-Range Podcast Headphones | Sony MDR-7506 |
Best for noise isolation and build quality | SENNHEISER HD 280 PRO |
Best Budget-Friendly Podcast Headphones | AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-M20X |
Beyerdynamic DT 770
THIS BEYERDYNAMIC DT 770 PRO 250 HEADPHONE BUNDLE INCLUDES: Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 250 Ohm Reference Headphones, 3m Coiled Stereo Cable, Beyerdynamic Drawstring Bag, 5ft Headphone Extension Cable, Headphone Splitter, 6.35mm (1/4″) Stereo Jack Plug, Instruction Manual, 6Ave Cleaning Cloth, 2-Year Limited Manufacturer Warranty, 1-Year Extended Warranty
Beyerdynamic DT 770 Sound Quality
The sound quality of these headphones is phenomenal. The balance between the lows, mids, and highs is expertly achieved, providing a clear, crisp, and immersive listening experience.
Comfort with Beyerdynamic DT 770
The padding on the ear cups and the headband is plush and allows for extended periods of use without any discomfort. This is a crucial feature for professionals who spend hours mixing and editing. These are soft, moisture-reducing by allowing the heat to dissipate from your head without loading up causing sweat. My friend has used these for 10 hours straight gaming and he had to say they are the most comfortable he has ever worn.
Build Quality of Beyerdynamic DT 770
The build quality is as solid as it gets. The DT770 Pro is robust and durable, withstanding the test of time and frequent use. The materials used are top-notch, ensuring that these headphones don’t just perform well but also last long.
Design of Beyerdynamic DT 770
One of the things I appreciate the most is the closed-back design which offers excellent sound isolation. It’s perfect for studio environments where external noise can be a distraction. Also, the sound leakage is minimal, so you can listen at higher volumes without bothering those around. The design itself comes off as a more studio-like appearance and the markings and lettering are clean and follow a subtle minimalist design. The headphones are modular to some degree with the leather-feeling headband being easily removable with 4 snap-in buttons.
Portability of Beyerdynamic DT 770
Portability is definitely not a strong suit for these headphones as the exposed wire that connects the left to right ear cup is paired with a non-rotating (robust) but plastic clamp that allows the headphone size to be adjusted. The headphone cups cannot be pivoted to any position other than the standard being-worn position.
Packaging of Beyerdynamic DT 770
My personal complaint with these is a problem that I rarely comment on as most premium products are seemingly over-packaged when shipped, however, these seemed to be barely protected during potential shipping. The Beyerdynamic product box itself has no headphone-shaped foam or other material that conforms to the shape of the headphones, just a single piece of cardboard that appears to be slanted by design for a space-saving reason with the box itself being the only protection for the headphones while being shipped.
Comparisons with Beyerdynamic DT 770 and Recommendations
I have noticed a lot of professional videos with people wearing this set of headphones. I see why! This is not the most expensive or the cheapest but so far, the best quality of any headphones. These are the best so far for quality of reproduced sound and comfort of use.
Closed-back reference headphones ideal for demanding and professional listening situations are the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO. They are less expensive than these high-end models while providing a sound quality that is on par with other closed-back headphones from the same manufacturer, such as the Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X and DT 1770 PRO. Because they don’t have a detachable cord, if one breaks you’ll need to replace the entire pair. The detachable cable of the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x makes them a viable option for those who find the treble response of Beyerdynamic headphones to be too harsh. The open-back Beyerdynamic DT 880 and DT 990 PRO are worth a try for those who seek a more roomy, wider soundstage, a more comfortable fit, and don’t mind audio leakage.
Purely from an audio quality standpoint, these are possibly the best sounding headphones for the price, the build quality is composed of premium materials and the headphones can easily be worn for hours on end even out of the box with plush cloud-like cushions. Regarding audio quality, as expected they’re unmatched in my opinion. They have a bit more life than the Audio-Technica and enjoyable while still staying true to the original intent of the producer. All the elements of sound can be separated with a fantastic sound stage for closed-back headphones. The 80ohm version can be run to satisfaction by most modern laptops but a DAC or Amp should be chosen before stepping up to the 250ohm version.
Final Verdict on Beyerdynamic DT 770
They’re not perfect, some needed design updates have been addressed by newer models from Beyerdynamic’s own lineup such as the DT1770s, but as long as they aren’t being used for daily commute over-ear headphones I can happily recommend the DT770 Pros for anyone building a home studio or looking to seriously upgrade from retail store/Apple basic earbuds. I would like to say these will be the last headphones you will ever buy.
Sony MDR-7506
These large diaphragm, foldable headphones feature a rugged construction, a secure, highly effective closed ear design
- 9.8 foot cord ends in gold plated plug and it is not detachable; 1/4 inch adapter included
- Folds up for storage or travel in provided soft case
- Frequency Response: 10 Hertz to 20 kilohertz
- Connectivity technology : Wired
I have thought about buying a pair of these for years, now, but have always opted to purchase a newer set of cans when I’ve been in the market. I’ve figured, despite their stellar reputation, they couldn’t really outdo premium headphones that came to market years or even decades after they did, right? Finally, I did buy a pair, and I have to admit I was entirely wrong about that.
First, let me say I think these (the Sonys) are outstanding, remarkable actually. Now for the rest of my thoughts.
Sony MDR-7506 Sound Quality
Tuning and Brightness
These are tuned somewhat differently than more modern studio headphones and very differently from popular fashion headphones. If you’ve done any research on them, this isn’t a surprise. They’ve been criticized as overly bright by some, and they are a good deal brighter than most modern options. However, as someone who listens to a lot of acoustic music, I’ve found that the extra emphasis in the mids and highs is welcome and not overbearing. On banjos, fingerstyle guitar, mandolin, harmonica, etc, extra crispness and emphasis is afforded without (in my opinion) leading to a harsh or shrill sound. These are much preferable in my opinion for listening to this sort of music compared to my (admittedly, quite limited) experience with modern planar magnetic drivers, for example. I think these portray a lively and precise sound while not quite overstepping the line as I have heard some planar magnetic drivers do.
Transient Response
The reason I chose the Sonys was their transient response. What is “transient response?” This is pretty simple.. First, let’s think of you — your human body. Sound waves, from where ever.. music, a band, a train going by, a lightning strike and resultant thunder, enter your ears and strike your ear drums, causing a vibration. This vibration, through the mechanism in your head, is translated into electrical signals your brain interprets as sound.
With headphones, loudspeakers, etc., this process simply works in reverse: Electrical signals are converted into sound waves rather than sound waves converted and interpreted by your brain. The headphone’s mechanism — voice coil, magnet, diaphragm or “transducer,” or a speaker cone in the case of a loudspeaker, receive an electrical signal that vibrates the diaphragm and creates audio — sound waves that your ears can pick up.
Simple, right? Not that simple. The task of a pair of headphones, in this case, is transmitting those electrical signals accurately. This means there can be no delay, no false vibrations, no lag, nothing that can interfere with the quality of the sound output. If these bad things happen, the sound simply is inaccurate.
Frequency Response
Having a flat frequency response is pretty easy. Getting the transducer to vibrate on cue with the electrical signal is not. Any hesitation, and you’ll hear “muddy” or inaccurate sound. In other words, the transducer needs to react exactly as the electrical signals are telling it to. This basically is “transient response.” It’s not easy to achieve. The Sonys, in my opinion, have it. The others didn’t. I tested against my Bose active noise cancelling cans as well. You’ll read stuff like this. People will use terms such as “transparent audio” — and then there is high bit-rate conversion — FLAC and VBR — all of which I’ve messed with.
During my test, I listened to tons of music, all kinds. Back and forth. At first, the Sonys sounded “bright.” Because I was hearing things I had not heard before. Then I noticed while listening to a rock band, I could hear the bass guitar in the mix. I couldn’t hear it with any of the other phones I had, including the ATs. Then, listening to a classical orchestra, same thing, I could hear someone lightly plucking a bass violin. Then I could hear someone lightly playing a kettle drum. Couldn’t hear those with the others.
Bass Response
The bass response on these has also been criticized, I think unfairly. They provide ample bass when EQ’d flat for my tastes, but if desired, boosting bass frequencies via EQ should have these cans rumbling with enough oomph to satisfy most listeners. The drivers are versatile and well suited to precise but enjoyable listening across every genre I’ve tried them for.
The Sonys get a bad rap for “lacking bass.” Okay. So… a bass guitar in my opinion is bass. This is a huge preference debate. Been going on for decades. This is why your grandparent’s pretty cabinet hi-fi console had a “bass” and “treble” control. Preference. A lot of people love exaggerated bass. Okay, just “turn up” the bass control. Easy. Transient response — the ability to reproduce everything — isn’t easy. And this is why we have very expensive speakers, headphones, audio systems.
Sony MDR-7506 – Comfort and Style
As far as comfort and style? Subjective as the sound signature, but I love them. What might’ve seemed like a dated design has come around to retro-cool. The size, weight, and fitment are light and very comfortable for this listener, with the single exception of the unwieldy cable which can be a bit awkward at times. Never severe enough to ruin my experience with these, however. I would caution anyone planning on using these with a lightning or USB-C to 3.5mm dongle. I suspect the weight of the cable and the reinforced jack will be enough to make this sort of arrangement difficult to downright impractical, especially for on-the-go listening.
Recommendations on Sony MDR-7506
My background: I’m not an “audiophile” but am a sound engineer. I played bass. I’ve done a lot of live sound mixing. I used to be a Musician. Did lots of stuff there.
In my opinion, an audiophile who can’t discern transient response is an audiophile in name only. Many people can’t, at least not at first. So recommendations: If you’re going to buy these, and they are the first pair of decent headphones you are buying, before you make any judgments, mess with them a long time, hours, especially if you’re coming from using cheaper phones. It’s like being a little kid all over again — you get to hear things you’ve never heard before. A lot of the “good” reviewers will agree and this seems to be the reputation for these phones — affordable headphones for professional audio work. As far as the reviewers saying “they lack bass” — umm, like I said, just turn up the EQ and you’ll be good to go.
Final verdict on Sony MDR-7506
In summary, I recommend these headphones to anyone who appreciates a precise, crisp and detailed listening experience. Whether producing or simply enjoying your music collection, these amply provide that. Their drivers are versatile and can provide a more warm or popular sound signature very easily via simple EQ tuning if their standard sound signature isn’t to your liking. Everything from their style and form factor to sound signature is a bit of a throwback, but these are gems in my headphone collection and I find myself wishing I’d bought them years ago instead of just recently. Don’t let the 1991 of these dissuade you- if you’re in the market for a well-rounded set of headphones that don’t bury the mids and highs, these remain a brilliant option!
SENNHEISER HD 280 PRO
- High ambient noise attenuation
- Accurate, linear sound reproduction
- Soft earpads for a comfortable fit
- Folding and rotating earcups for space-saving transport
- Tough, single-sided cable
SENNHEISER HD 280 PRO Sound Quality
- Sounds excellent. Clear sound across the frequencies.
- Not necessarily flat as some describe it, but if you’re in sound your ears are probably already tuned to either the MDR7506, HD280, or maybe DT770’s frequency response.
- Sound quality is good. The noise isolation is great for headphones without active cancellation.
- Crisp tone. There is sound leakage, especially at max volume with loud music like Heavy Metal, but significantly less than cheaper headphones. Sound quality is good with toned treble and punchy bass, although not a huge bit of bottom end. Instrument clarity is well-defined if mixed correctly. These headphones produce a good professional sound for the money and the quality of tone is crisp. The noise-canceling aspect is good only when you have something playing.
Build Quality of SENNHEISER HD 280 PRO
- Solid build quality, it’s mostly plastic, but no real creaking.
- Minimal leakage out so usable for recording or tracking, ok ambient noise attenuation (better isolation than 7506).
- These headphones seem to be very sturdy. The cord is a long spiral cord, very well built, and the headphone jack is robust. The adapter is gold-plated for better connection. The headphones swivel around 180 degrees and collapse for better storage.
Maintenance of SENNHEISER HD 280 PRO
- You will need to replace the headband and earpads. This is also an issue on the 7506 or anything with this type of plastic covering. At least it is easy (and fairly cheap) to replace.
- After talking with a user, he said, he owned these for 6 years and use them very infrequently (stored safely in a closet, away from UV damage). He recently pulled them out to use for some audio recording on a film and found that the padding on the headband flaking off all over the place. He had black plastic all over my neck and back, which is pretty unacceptable. The padding itself is fine (again, barely used) but the cover layer is disintegrating for no apparent reason.
Comfort with SENNHEISER HD 280 PRO
- These headphones are a bit bulky. They fit snug on my head and ears, entirely over my medium/large ears. The padding at the top of the set is good so the plastic doesn’t get uncomfortable after hours of use. He had these on for about 3-4 hours and got a little tired of wearing them, probably because He is not used to them yet. The cord stays out of the way. When you take them off to rest on your neck, it’s a bit like wearing a neck brace and very uncomfortable.
Design Flaws of SENNHEISER HD 280 PRO
- The newer HD 280 has a worse headband than the older one, it creates 2 pressure points instead of the bigger foam piece.
Style
- These headphones are bulky. There is a clearance on both sides about an inch and a half above the headphones from the band to your head. This might look wonky and not so sleek.
Overall Impression
- Good headphones for the money. I think For 100 bucks, these headphones are probably worth it. They are good-sounding and block out mostly all noise from outside once you have something playing.
AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-M20X
Looking for a budget-friendly pair of headphones and don’t care about wireless technology? Want to remain friends with your wallet? Well, then your search has finished.
There is no such thing as the “perfect pair of headphones”; you should always keep this in mind if you are planning on going crazy with headphone shopping or if you are just in the hunt for a new pair. That being said, if your main interest is finding well-sounding, budget-friendly headphones, this is just for you.
AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-M20X Sound Quality
These are monitor headphones, so they are kinda meant or targeted for an audience working in music studios, which means that sound is very well balanced. The bass is not overwhelming at all, and I must say it is not too strong either, but the overall sound of these headphones is just as clear as it can be! You will not find another pair of headphones this well-balanced and built for the price.
You have to experience it to understand how good the quality is. This is the area where I believe these headphones beat other headphones out of the park. You hear precisely how the music was designed in the first place with no unwanted peaks of bass or mid ranges like how Beats and some other headphones deliver. So for the fans of bass, this might not be a great choice. But one thing for sure is that you can hear every bit of the audio equipment used on the songs very distinctly even in moderate volumes.
AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-M20X Build Quality
Build quality on these things is pretty amazing too. Your hands will never feel such a solid $40 pair of headphones before, my eyes have not seen this beautiful build on any other headphones in this price range; it’s just beautiful. Being that said, they are not very stylish but don’t have an ugly design either. They are mostly made of hard plastic (very durable feel plastic, like, very very durable feel; like Fisher’s Price little baby’s car type of feel) with the exception of the adjusters which are made of metal. The fit is very comfortable and they provide great sound isolation. They don’t get hot or hurt your ears after long listening sessions and sound isolation provides almost a sound cancellation quality as the one provided by my Sennheiser PXC 550s.
Things to Keep in Mind while using AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-M20X
- Sound Quality: The sound quality is pretty flat. If you are into a more vibrant and bassy sound experience, I suggest checking the M40X instead or the M50X.
- Cord: The cord is not detachable, and this is pretty much the only thing I don’t like about these headphones. Being able to detach the cable adds more convenience to the product, since this makes your headphones a little more durable, easier to take care of, and easier to travel with. In the headphones’ defense, the cord is super high quality, probably the best quality I’ve seen in a wired headphone before.
- Cord Length: Since these headphones are meant for in-studio listening, the cord is also super long, so if you are planning on using these headphones outside your PC setup or outside your house, you should really take this into consideration.
AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-M20X Compared To Other Headphones
The reasonably priced Audio-Technica ATH-M20x headphones are designed for impartial listening. They are one rung down from the Audio-Technica ATH-M30x and two rungs down from the ATH-M40x. Even if their sound profiles are comparable, the ATH-M20x stands out for a few reasons: its non-removable cable, less stability, absence of a case or pouch, and somewhat simplified build quality. These headphones don’t include any extra frills or upgrades—just the basic minimum for neutral listening.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Premium build. Very sturdy with a sturdy cable.
- Great comfort. Very soft padding and the headphones themselves are very light.
- Great value for headphones and monitoring headphones category. This is the best bang you can get for this price range.
- Unbelievable sound clarity and perfectly flat awesome output which delivers the whole range of music (you can literally hear all the instruments and vocals in the music).
Con:
One potential con which might also be a pro for some: very long cable (almost 10 feet and this is not detachable).
AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-M20X Product Design
Design: The design is straightforward, professional, and simple. The product feels premium though it doesn’t have the pizzazz that Beats and other headphones have. It is mostly plastic with the base of construction being a metal band on which the padding and plastic are added. They are very light and comfortable to use. They also do a very good job of noise isolation though it is not advertised for this feature. The headphone is over-the-ear design so it covers your ears completely and rests on your head, not on your ears. The soft padding, which might be faux leather or some form of synthetic leather, is very very comfortable. It is also provided with a pin that is 6.35mm and also the standard 3.5mm. I guess the additional 6.35mm is for audio equipment that are used in editing/recording areas.
Final Verdict on AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-M20X
These headphones are the best flat headphones you can get for this price which delivers the sound how the composer wants you to hear it. The other difference I notice is that with earphones or earbuds, you feel that the music is happening inside your head when you hear songs. With these headphones, you feel like it is playing in the environment, not in your head like in a hall. They have a lot of budget-friendly and stylish headphones, and most of them have a rich and powerful bass, though keep in mind their build quality is not the best and sound signature is not as balanced as Audio Technica or Sennheiser.
What have we learned about the Best Podcast Headphones in a Nutshell
Here’s the comparison table:
Feature | Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro | Sony MDR-7506 | Sennheiser HD 280 Pro |
---|---|---|---|
Design | Closed-back, studio-like, minimalistic | Foldable, retro-cool | Folding, rotating earcups |
Comfort | Plush ear pads, moisture-reducing, long sessions | Light and comfortable, but cable unwieldy | Soft earpads, suitable for long sessions |
Build Quality | Durable with premium materials | Rugged construction, long-lasting | Mostly plastic, sturdy, minimal creaking |
Sound Quality | Balanced, immersive with clear lows, mids, highs | Bright, excellent transient response | Crisp, linear, punchy bass, good clarity |
Frequency Response | Balanced for studio use | 10 Hz – 20 kHz | Accurate with some treble emphasis |
Noise Isolation | Good isolation, minimal leakage | Closed ear design but limited isolation | High ambient noise attenuation |
Portability | Not very portable (non-rotating cups) | Folds for travel | Earcups rotate and fold |
Cable | 3m coiled stereo cable, non-detachable | 9.8 ft cable, non-detachable | Single-sided spiral cable |
Accessories | Drawstring bag, cleaning cloth, extension cable | Soft travel case, 1/4″ adapter | Gold-plated adapter |
Ideal Use Case | Studio recording, mixing, gaming | Acoustic music, precise listening | Professional tracking and recording |
Bass Performance | Balanced bass, needs amp for 250-ohm version | Moderate bass, EQ needed for boost | Punchy but not deep bottom-end |
Warranty | 2-year limited, 1-year extended | Not mentioned | Not mentioned |
Modularity | Replaceable headband with snap-in buttons | Not modular | Not modular |
Criticisms | Packaging lacks protection | Cable too heavy for portable use | Some sound leakage at high volume |
Price Range | Mid-range | Affordable | Affordable |
Recommended For | Home studios, serious upgrades | Audio professionals, live sound mixing | Sound engineers, tracking work |
Special Notes | Requires amp for 250-ohm; alternative: DT 1770 | Great for hearing subtle details | Good noise-canceling without active tech |
Conclusion
If you want some very high-quality budget-friendly headphones, these are just the pair you need. These headphones are very well made, sound quality is clear and well balanced (lacking some bass), and they are very suitable for long periods of use. If you want a more vibrant and bass-heavy sound but remain in budget, check the M40X instead or the M50X. And if you still want to remain in this price range but need more bass for the price, check Skullcandy headphones.
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