Picking the best studio headphones under $500 with dynamic range and clean sound can be difficult. There are several studio headphones in the $500 price range that have high quality sound, so it’s hard to choose which one is right for you.
The main three things that you should look for in a studio headphone is comfort, frequency range, and sensitivity. Obviously, you want something that is comfortable to wear for hours on end while you are mixing and recording. You also want something that has extremely high quality sound, so you can hear all the nuances in the mix. That’s where the range and sensitivity come into play. We’ll go over each of these in more detail in this article.
Now it’s time to compare the top-rated $500 studio headphones and review their sound and features, so you can pick the right one for your studio.
Compare the Top Studio Headphones Below $500
Contents
- 1 Compare the Top Studio Headphones Below $500
- 1.1 Shure SRH1840 Professional Open Back Headphones
- 1.2 Sony MDR7520 Pro Recording Studio Headphones
- 1.3 Etymotic Research ER4SR Studio Reference In-Ear Earphones
- 1.4 Shure SRH1540 Closed-Back Studio Headphones
- 1.5 Focal Spirit Pro Mixing Studio Headphones
- 1.6 Ultrasone Performance 880 Mastering Studio Headphones
- 1.7 Audio-Technica ATH-E70 Professional In-Ear Studio Headphones
- 1.8 AKG K702 Pro Studio Monitoring Headphones
- 2 What We Recommend and Why
Here’s a list of the best studio headphones below $500 that you need to add to your recording studio for mixing and mastering.
- Shure SRH1840
- Sony MDR7520 Pro
- Etymotic Research ER4SR
- Shure SRH1540
- Focal Spirit Pro
- Ultrasone Performance 880
- Audio-Technica ATH-E70
- AKG K702 Pro
Shure SRH1840 Professional Open Back Headphones
Specs, features, and benefits
Shure is a well-known brand in the audio industry. Though better known for the manufacture of microphones, it also provides other audio solutions including headphones and earphones for casual and professional use.
The Shure SRH1840 is one the headphones offered by the brand for professional use. It is an open back headphone with circumaural design that offers wide stereo imaging, enhanced depth of field and a very realistic sound reproduction.
The general design is simple but efficient, featuring headband forks made of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy. These forks slide easily in and out of a well-padded center piece making adjustment very easy. The ear cups are well-padded in the front to make extended listening comfortable while at the back you find a stainless steel grill that provides a view into the driver housing.
For drivers, it uses two 40mm neodymiums. These deliver an SPL of 96dB at a frequency range of 10Hz to 30kHz. It also offers an impedance of 65 Ohms, which is surprisingly low for such a high-end headphone.
These headphone offers a transparent sound that is balanced across the highs, through the mid to the lows.
Pros and Highlights
- Build – Lightweight and comfortable.
- Frequency range – 10Hz to 30kHz.
- Sensitivity – 96dB SPL.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Adjustment – The ear cups can only be adjusted up and down without any rotation.
Bottom line
This is a professional grade headphone that is designed for professional listening. You may therefore not get that thumping bass sound that pleasure listeners look for.
Sony MDR7520 Pro Recording Studio Headphones
Specs, features, and benefits
The Sony Corporation is an internationally known brand with a lot of very popular consumer electronics. While it is not generally known for professional audio solutions, it does offer a few as we can see with the Sony MDR7520 which are professional headphones.
This is a closed back headphone that is well-padded all round for optimum comfort and adjustable for a nice fit. Aside from comfort, they also provide sound isolation so you can listen without being disturbed by external interference.
It features two 50 mm high definition drivers with Liquid Crystal Polymer Film diaphragms that deliver very accurate sound reproduction across a really wide frequency range of 5Hz to 80kHz at an SPL of up to 108dB.
It also offers very low impedance of 24 Ohms, which means that even your smartphone can power it fully. It comes with a 1-3 meter coiled, single-sided OFC Litz cord. The cable is detachable, which means it can easily be replaced should the need arise. These headphones are great for reference and critical listening.
Pros and Highlights
- Build – Solidly built and comfortable.
- Frequency response – 5Hz -80kHz.
- Sensitivity – 108dB SPL.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Earpads – The padding here is a bit shallow. It can get a bit uncomfortable when the ears come in contact with the driver guards.
Bottom line
These are great headphones for reference listening. They offer a balanced sound across a wide frequency range and with its low impedance you can practically enjoy its full quality on any device.
Etymotic Research ER4SR Studio Reference In-Ear Earphones
Specs, features, and benefits
Etymotic Research, Inc. is a company primarily committed to improving the quality of life of people with hearing limitations. It may therefore appear strange that the brand is offering solutions for professional reference listening. The ER4SR is an in-ear type of earphones. While these are certainly not common in studio use, they are getting very popular for stage monitoring.
That said, for anyone who decides to look beyond the traditionally accepted over-the-ear headphones that most studio professionals use, they will likely be surprised at the quality of sound that these in-ear phones offer.
First, they offer up to 35-42 dB noise reduction, resulting in considerable isolation that allows for undisturbed listening. They are also comfortable and can be used for extended listening without worry.
These earphones have a sensitivity of 98 dB across a frequency response range of 20 Hz to 16 kHz. It also has a maximum SPL of 122 dB, which offers enough headroom for loud referencing. One thing you can be sure of with this earphone is a flat response, which is just what professional audio tasks require.
Pros and Highlights
- Build – Comfortable and easy to use.
- Frequency response – 20Hz-16kHz.
- Sensitivity – 98 dB SPL.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Maintenance – There is the slight inconvenience of having to change clogged filters
Bottom line
It’s important to note that these are for professional referencing. If you want thumping low frequencies, then this is not for you. These are for when you need to hear unenhanced sound reproduction across all frequencies.
Shure SRH1540 Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Specs, features, and benefits
We started this review with a Shure open back headphone. Now we are looking at another of the brand’s high-end professional headphones – the SRH1540.
The Shure SRH1540 can be very easily regarded as a twin of the SRH1840. These two basically have the same design. However, whereas the SRH1840 is an open back headphone, this is a closed back variation.
You will find the same high quality aluminum yoke which slides into the headband that is efficiently padded just where the padding is needed. This yoke is also presented in a silver color, which is different from the slightly bronze color it comes in in the SRH1840.
A look inside the drivers reveals that Shure went with a different specification here. Where the drivers on the SRH1840 offer a frequency range of 10Hz to 30kHz and an SPL of 96dB with an impedance of 65 Ohms, this offers a lower range of 5Hz to 25kHz, an SPL of 99dB and impedance of 46 Ohms.
What this means is that this model of Shure’s SRH requires less power to drive it, making it more suitable for use with mobile devices and other devices that have lower driving power.
Pros and Highlights
- Build – Sturdy and comfortable.
- Frequency response – 5Hz to 25kHz.
- SPL – 99dB.
Cons and Potential Flaws
It does not offer rotational adjustment of the earcups.
Bottom line
Comparing this with the SRH1840, we will choose this for tracking rather than for mixing. On its own though, it can handle both.
Focal Spirit Pro Mixing Studio Headphones
Specs, features, and benefits
Monitoring is one of the most important aspects of a studio production. Poor monitoring can make nonsense of creative efforts delivered over several sessions. This is why professional audio engineers do not joke with their listening environment and monitors. This is also why they do not joke with monitors offered by Focal because of their quality.
The Spirit Professional headphones maintain this standard that has been set by the brand’s monitors. First, this headphone is designed to offer optimal aesthetic value. The design is also very efficient, offering a product that is lightweight without being fragile and also very comfortable.
Inside it are two 40mm drivers with membranes made of mylar/titanium. These drivers deliver an SPL of up to 102dB across a frequency response range of 5Hz to 22kHz and impedance of 32 Ohms. Given such low impedance, these headphones will operate fine with almost any device.
For its actual sound performance, it offers impressive sound reproduction that is detailed and really transparent. This is a great professional headphone that will work well in a professional studio or on the go with a smaller device.
Pros and Highlights
- Build – Lovely and efficient.
- Frequency response – 5Hz to 22kHz.
- SPL – 102dB.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Comfort – The p-leather earpads are not the most comfortable options for extended listening.
Bottom line
This headphone combines aesthetic value with efficiency. It’s best for the audio professional who works on the go since it has low impedance that will work well with most devices.
Ultrasone Performance 880 Mastering Studio Headphones
Specs, features, and benefits
Ultrasone is a German company that focuses solely on the design and manufacture of professional headphones. If focus is the recipe for success, then this brand has clearly got its ingredients for success right.
The Performance 880 is one of the highest models in the brand’s Performance Series. For a brand that focuses on high-end headphones, you won’t be surprised by the efficiency shown in the design.
Everything is kept simple and efficient even if a bit unusual. Adjustability is great with the ear cups designed to rotate and also extend and retract for a perfect fit.
Comfort is also emphasized with paddings provided exactly where it should be. This results in a more compact product that still retains maximum comfort. The earpads are also comfortable and you can choose between velour pads or pleather. These cover the memory foam that takes the comfort factor to an even greater height.
A peek inside reveals two 40mm drivers with PET membranes and titanium plating. These deliver an SPL of 94dB, a frequency range of 7Hz to 35kHz at impedance of 32 Ohms. There’s more.. There’s also the brand’s patented S-Logic technology, which radically improves its performance. These headphones are really versatile.
Pros and Highlights
- Build – Solid and comfortable.
- Frequency response – 7Hz to 35kHz.
- SPL – 94dB.
Cons and Potential Flaws
This may be best for tracking and not for mixing or mastering.
Bottom line
This is one headphone that can be used for professional listening as well as casual entertainment. It is versatile.
Audio-Technica ATH-E70 Professional In-Ear Studio Headphones
Specs, features, and benefits
Audio-Technica is a household name in the world of professional audio. The brand has a lot of top quality over-the-ear headphones but as an industry leader, it has to make its presence felt in the in-ear niche, which is rising in popularity.
The ATH-E70 is the brand’s top model in its E Series. This ear piece offers a design that is streamlined and very comfortable. As you will expect from a top quality in-ear earphone, they fit nicely, providing top level sound isolation all thanks to the silicone tips.
They also come with a lovely cable that offers flexible memory loops. This further improves on its comfort and fit factor. By the way, the cables are detachable for easy replacement.
Though you may find that the piece extends a bit from your ears, they do not in any way affect performance or your comfort.
Inside these earpieces you will find three armature drivers that are balanced to deliver accurate sound reproduction across a frequency range of 20Hz to 19kHz. They have a sensitivity of 109dB and impedance of 39 ohms.
These are excellent professional monitoring earpieces that offer a clear and transparent sound reproduction.
Pros and Highlights
- Build – They are comfortable and lightweight.
- Frequency response – 20Hz to 19kHz.
- Sensitivity – 109dB.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Fit – Some users have to get comply comfort tips to achieve a better fit.
Bottom line
These are perfect for professional monitoring or mixing. They are compact and easy to carry around for mobile jobs.
AKG K702 Pro Studio Monitoring Headphones
Specs, features, and benefits
Finally, we end this review with a product from another big name in the professional audio industry – AKG. AKG has for years been known to offer some industry defining products. The product we are looking at today is the K702.
This is an open back professional headphone built to deliver aesthetic value, durability and of course pro-level audio reproduction. These are certainly not headphones that support mobility since they cannot be folded into a compact unit.
That said, they are built to withstand heavy use while offering maximum comfort and fit, thanks to the headband that is well-padded and adjustable as well as the ear cups that are padded with ‘3D’ soft foam and covered with velour. By the way, these cups are replaceable.
Digging deeper into this headphone, we find the drivers with laminate Varimotion diaphragms (which are patented by AKG) and flat-wire voice coils. These drivers have a frequency response range of 10Hz to 39.8kHz, a sensitivity of 105dB SPL and impedance of 62 Ohms.
What you get from this headphone is a clean audio reproduction with a flat response. This makes them ideal for professional audio applications such as mixing or reference monitoring.
Pros and Highlights
- Build – Sturdy and comfortable.
- Frequency response – 10Hz to 39.8kHz.
- Sensitivity – 105dB SPL.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Size – It’s quite bulky and is not foldable.
Bottom line
This is a great headphone that will fit nicely in a studio. Because of its bulk, it will not be convenient for mobile use.
What We Recommend and Why
We’ve finally come to the end of this review of Top Studio Headphones Under $500. We’ve seen and looked closely at some great options and now we have to choose one from the lot to take the enviable title as our Top Studio Headphone Under $500.
After carefully comparing all the features and value that each of the products listed above offer, we came to the conclusion that the Shure SRH1840 Professional Open Back Headphones offers the overall best value and therefore is our pick for the Top Studio Headphones Under $500.