Best Budget Studio Headphones: Inexpensive Mix and Mastering-Worthy Headphones

If you’re planning on making music with headphones, a quality set of studio headphones instead of a pair of casual listening headphones is very important. And, as you’ll see in the list below, pricing and cost needn’t be a barrier to entry. Headphones that are designed for listening to music, films, gaming etc are not created for making and producing music, instead often boost elements such as the bass and colouring your music in a misleading way.

Studio headphones provide a much more neutral sound. In other words, you’re hearing the music exactly as it is, which is very important when mixing and tweaking your sounds. If you use a pair of bass-boosting headphones, you’ll be in for a nasty surprise when you play your track from another sound source, and realise the mix is completely off. Plus, as so many people listen to music with headphones nowadays, it’s important to do headphone playback for this reason.

In a perfect world, you would mix on both monitors and headphones (more on this later). But for now, let’s dive into the best affordable studio headphones, starting with the most inexpensive. Note that many of these are available as refurbished items, which drives the price down even further and is an eco-friendly option.

Sennheiser HD 206

If you’ve been going out into the world believing it’s impossible to get studio headphones for less than £/$100, get ready to have your mind blown. Our inaugural entry on this best affordable mixing headphones list is the Sennheiser HD 206, and there are deals to own these for less than £30/$40(!). Which is pretty outrageous, coming from such a heavyweight name in the world of headphones. That low price point doesn’t mean they are cheaply built either, but are durably built befitting the Sennheiser name. They are comfy to wear for long producing and mixing sessions, and the sound is very accurate considering how reasonably priced they are. Expect ample detail from the highs and mid frequencies, and a crisp bass sound.

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AKG K240 Studio

Our first open-back studio headphones entry comes from AKG — so yes, you can own for around £/$60, or almost half that if you go for one of the websites offering the refurbished option! That’s a damn sight easier on your wallet than some of the AKG headphones that cost over a grand. The K240 Studio comes from a brand who are world-renowned for being one of the best for mixing, mastering and monitoring, and while this pair is as cheap as you can get from AKG, the brand made sure to not compromise on quality. They’re also one of the lightest pairs of studio headphones you’re likely to find.

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KRK KNS 6402

KRK’s Rokit range is often seen as the top contender in the budget studio monitor range. But KRK deservedly landed in this best affordable studio headphones list, thanks to its new 6402 KNS range, an update on the 6400 headphones. The KNS 6402s have a nice and clear midrange, with the higher frequencies kept in check and bass that doesn’t overpower. While this isn’t anything revolutionary, it’s exactly what you’re after for tracking, mixing and mastering; this frequency response is spot on.

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Yamaha HPH-MT5

Not content with just producing pianos, orchestral instruments and…motorcycles, Yamaha didn’t want to risk any FOMO in the best inexpensive studio headphones arena. Hence, they bring us the HPH-MT5. And the huge music brand has delivered a solid option of budget studio monitor headphones which can adapt to many studio applications. Coming in with a 20 Hz - 20 kHz frequency response, you can safely expect a nicely balanced tracking experience. Light in weight and the nice touch of a padded headband means you won’t be desperate to take them off after an hour or two at your DAW. Note that these are geared towards low-end and overall accuracy rather than high-end detail, but this will be a preference for some users anyway.

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Austrian Audio Hi-X15

The hills are alive with the sound of music, whether you’re watching Julie Andrews frolicking in the Austrian countryside, or mixing on a pair of Austrian Audio studio headphones. The Hi-X15s present the audio brand’s offering to the world of cheap studio headphones, which harnesses Austrian’s High Excursion Driver Technology. The build quality is quite remarkable for the price, with metal hinges. The detachable cable is a nice touch, and the memory foam earpads keep it cosy. Sound-wise, the Hi-X15s ensure a neutral sound, while packing in all the detail you will need for production, mix, and mastering sessions.

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AKG K361

Hopefully, you’ve recovered from the mind-expanding bombshell that AKG headphones don’t have to cost you an arm and a leg, because here comes another pair. This time it’s the K361s, which will give you the trademark AKG accuracy that some people pay four figures for. The range of frequency is 15 Hz to 28 kHz. Accuracy and detail are guaranteed thanks to AKG’s Reference Response Curve, born from tests on hundreds of listeners. Another trademark is how light they are, so are great for use on the go. The highs, mids and low-end is all reproduced faithfully, the latter being so crisp and tight that you won’t have issues differentiating it from the rest of your mix.

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Sennheiser HD 280 Pro

Before we pierce the £/$100 threshold, let’s welcome Sennheiser back to the best affordable studio headphones debate. The HD 280 Pros were recently revamped for added comfort, plus new features that see them now foldable and with rotatable ear cups, making them more portable and bag-friendly. The mentioned comfort upgrade is no joke; the new padded headband makes them really lovely to have on your head. The background noise reduction is top-tier, and the high and mid frequencies are full of detail and accuracy, plus an ultra-clean bass response.

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Sony MDR-7506

While Sony doesn’t hold the weight of a Sennheiser or AKG in the studio headphone arena, the brand’s MDR series undoubtedly holds a firm place in the worlds of studios and broadcasting. The MDR-7506 are closed-back headphones, with a frequency response of 10 Hz – 20 kHz and an impedance of 63 ohms. They will give you a punchy and clear sound across the spectrum, though some might find the highs a touch on the bright side. Designed to seek out flaws in a recording with precision, the MDR-7506s are deservedly recognised for their neutral response and practicality. They’re also incredibly comfortable for long sessions and, at almost precisely £/$100, offer fabulous value. There's a good reason so many studio engineers, radio producers and musicians worldwide swear by these.

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Røde NTH-100

Goodness knows Røde offers an incredible range of microphones, but how do they fare in the cheap studio headphone conversation? Very well, thanks to the NTH-100 mixing headphones. The Australian audio brand has been steadily extending their range far beyond microphones, so it’s little surprise that they are offering mix and mastering worthy headphones. Røde has a brilliant track record in creating quality products that don’t cost the Earth, and these studio headphones follow suit with excellent and accurate sound while being built well and offering that all-important comfort.

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Audio-Technica ATH-M50x

While looks shouldn’t be your paramount consideration when choosing the best affordable studio headphones for you, we have to say, just feast your eyes on these. The distinctive Audio-Technica logo is looking fabulous on those rotating earcups, and there is a choice of colours if you want a break from the standard uniform black headphones. The rotating ear cups offer the option to listen to your track in one ear and the room you’re in with the other, which can be very handy. Aesthetics aside, the Audio-Technica frequency response is fantastic as usual — it’s pretty neutral, although the low-end is ever so slightly louder than others listed here, meaning these can double up for enjoyable casual listening, movie watching and gaming, which is a nice bonus.

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Shure SRH840A

Similar to Røde, Shure has the most skin in the game when it comes to microphones. Does that mean they are a name you shouldn’t consider when choosing a pair of affordable studio headphones? Nope — you’d be mad to dismiss Shure’s SRH840A headphones. They particularly shine in instances of monitoring and tracking when recording, as they boast some of the best noise-reduction listed here. This is thanks to the closed-back design, which is comfortable on the head. The cable is an ideal length and will fit into your setup very nicely. Some may find these work best in the aforementioned tracking scenarios rather than mixing, but that aside, a solid choice.

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Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO

If you’re a dynamic buyer, then perhaps Beyerdynamic are your people. The DT 990 Pro may be the priciest example on this list, there are plenty of deals putting them only a little above £/$100, so they still cheerfully get the budget studio headphones tag. These open-back headphones come with a 50-300 Hz and 2kHz-20 kHz range, and are loved by music producers but also audiophiles in general — they sound fantastic for gaming, movies and more. The padding cushions them onto the ears wonderfully, and they’re not heavy at all. Best of all, as we’ve learned to expect from Beyerdynamic, they sound excellent and you can expect them to do whichever studio job you need them for.

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Should I use studio headphones or monitors?

When choosing between headphones and monitors, consider accuracy, environment and convenience. Monitors often offer a flatter frequency response, making them more accurate, but they require a treated room and specific seating, while headphones provide consistency and can be used anywhere. Headphones are more convenient for private listening and on-the-go work, but they can exaggerate stereo width, whereas monitors offer a more natural stereo image. Monitors might be better for mixing due to their room interaction, while headphones can create a closer connection to the music, which some prefer for production.

So with that said, it’s time for you to venture out and find your ideal pair of affordable studio headphones to cosy up with. Happy mixing!