Best wired headphones under $500 in 2025: Our picks for mixing, recording and more

Whether you’re mixing in your home studio, recording in a professional space or making beats on the go, having a reliable pair of headphones to work on is vital. But – ‘closed-back?’ ‘Impedance?’ What do these terms mean, and how should they factor into your decision when searching for the perfect pair?

Open-back vs. closed-back

When picking a set of headphones, you’ll want to decide whether to opt for closed or open-back.

Largely considered to be ideal for mixing, open-back headphones allow air to pass through the ear cups to the driver. Because pressure doesn’t build up, this tends to create a more natural and spacious sound.

Closed-back headphones, on the other hand, offer better isolation. This makes them ideal if you’re recording or if you’re an engineer working in a live environment. They also have their place in mixing – particularly if you find yourself working in a noisy environment.

Impedance

In a nutshell, the higher the impedance on a set of headphones, the more power you need to make the drivers move and project audio. Consumer-grade audio gear, like your phone, offers weak amplification and so tends to work better with low-impedance headphones.

So, if they’re harder to drive, why on earth would you want a high-impedance set of headphones? Well, for one thing, they won’t blow out when you plug into something with more power – which includes a fair amount of pro-audio equipment.

The best all-purpose headphones at a glance:

• RØDE NTH-100
• Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro X
• Austrian Audio Hi-X65
• Sony MDR-M1
• Audeze MM-100
• AIAIAI TMA-2
• ADAM Audio H200
• Sennheiser HD600

Our top pick: RØDE NTH-100

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RØDE is best known for its line of respected, affordable microphones, but scored a flawless 10/10 in our review with its first pair of studio headphones, the closed-back NTH-100. Our reviewer, John Pickford, found no negatives, instead commenting on the full range and a transparent sound that doesn’t shy away from crucial mid-range detail like many headphones do. CoolTech-laden memory foam ensures max comfort, while the competitive price tag is another definite plus.

In our review, we said: “RØDE means business here. The beautifully contoured looks and fantastic functionality are only half the story… The NTH-100’s sonic abilities are nothing short of breathtaking.”

• Price: $149
• Type: closed-back
• Impedance: 32 Ohms
• Frequency range: 5Hz – 35kHz

Loved by the industry: Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro X

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The closed-back D T770 Pro Xs from Beyerdynamic have been a reliable studio staple for many years, and for good reason. They offer decent isolation when tracking, their frequency response is not scooped or boomy like many closed-back competitors, and they’re comfortable and extremely reasonably priced. We’ve seen a pair of these in a ton of recording studios over the years, from lavish gear-laden spaces to barebones bedroom setups.

In our recent 9/10 review of the DT 770 Pro X Limited Edition, we said that “At this price, they have always been, and remain, a very easy recommendation and something of a steal.”

Pair these with Sonarworks’ SoundID Reference for Headphones, and you have a killer, articulate and calibrated monitoring set-up that sounds many times more expensive than the total spend.

• Price: $199/£169
• Type: Closed-back
• Impedance: 48 Ohms
• Frequency range: 5Hz – 40kHz

Most comfortable: Austrian Audio Hi-X65

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These open-back headphones from the ex-AKG team at Austrian Audio impress with their pinpoint clarity, accurate stereo field and articulate low-end. They immerse you within the music, revealing every important detail in a mix, master or influential commercial reference track. Their brightness takes some getting used to, but we find our personal headphones sound dull when swapping back to them.

These are among the most comfortable headphones we’ve ever tested, so much so that you tend to forget they’re even on your head. What’s more, all the memory foam ear cups and headband parts are user-replaceable, so you can tend anything worn or grubby after intensive use.

• Price: $399/£269
• Type: open-back
• Impedance: 24 Ohms
• Frequency range: 5Hz – 28kHz

Everyday pair: Sony MDR-M1

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A more affordable version of the beloved MDR-MV1 headphones, Sony’s wired reference cans cost around half as much while offering performance that’s pretty close in everyday listening scenarios. In our review, we praised the headphones’ neutral, clean and open sound, crazy wide frequency response and comfort when wearing for long listening sessions.

Being closed back in design, they boast minimal sound leaking, which is helpful for studio and recording use. Meanwhile, their precise drivers reveal deficiencies in imperfect mixes and masters, allowing you to improve your tracks. As well as being great to mix and master on, they are also very suitable for everyday studio use and general listening, presenting a balanced and uncoloured soundstage to give you a true picture of what’s going on in your audio.

• Price: $248/£211
• Type: Closed-back
• Impedance: 50 Ohms
• Frequency range: 5Hz – 80kHz

Find out more at Thomann.

Affordable planar magnetic: Audeze MM-100

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Want a taste of premium-grade headphones at a fraction of the price? High-end headphone designer Audeze blew us away with its MM-100 open-backed planar magnetic headphones when we reviewed them recently. Priced at just £399 — an absolute steal for a pair from this company — we loved their premium fit and finish and praised the low impedance that makes them suitable for use with all kinds of hardware.

The 90mm transducers “offer great transient detail and rich low-end without the onset of distortion that could detract from critical details in the mix”, and while we found it necessary to tame the gritty high mids a little with external EQ, with a modicum of attention, the overall reproduction from these headphones is superb, and definitely warrants your attention even for mixing and mastering where precision is required.

• Price: £399/$399
• Type: Open-back
• Impedance: 18 Ohms
• Frequency range: 20Hz – 25kHz

Best for DJ-producers: AIAIAI TMA-2

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AIAIAI invites you to build your own pair of headphones with the TMA-2 modular set. You can also replace parts of the headphones, including the speaker unit, headband, earpad and cable. This is fantastic news both your wallet and the planet, because you’re not forking out to replace or upgrade your headphones every few years.

There are multiple variations of the TMA-2 headphones with interchangeable parts suited for different needs. For example, the TMA-2 Studio models have highly detailed audio and lush comfort, while the DJ model focuses on providing punchy bass frequencies. Then, you can switch between a variety of punchy or detailed speaker diaphragms, on-ear or over-ear cushions, lightweight or padded headbands and cables dependent on length and style, coiled or straight.

These are excellent for artists who want one pair of reliable headphones for DJing and producing.

• Studio: $230/£169
• DJ: $200/£159
• Type: Closed-back
• Impedance: 32 OHMs
• Frequency range: 10Hz to 40kHz

Great value: ADAM Audio H200

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A snip at around $150, when we reviewed ADAM Audio’s H200 headphones, we were suitably impressed by their amazingly accurate natural sound right out of the box, effective isolation for use when tracking, a companion plugin and a flexible, detachable cable. At the low end, they can reproduce sounds at a frankly crazy 2Hz, while the top end isn’t quite so extreme, topping out at 23.5kHz. Nonetheless, you will be impressed by their musicality, too.

Replaceable components mean they can be repaired rather than left for dead if they should happen to suffer damage from the rigours of studio use. Meanwhile, the DAW plugin lets you optimise and set up your headphones to better reproduce the effect of loudspeaker mixes when working on headphones. They also experience very low levels of distortion while being able to handle fairly high sound pressure levels. These are a worthy addition to any studio.

• Price: $160/£140
• Type: Closed-back
• Impedance: 32 Ohms
• Frequency range: 2Hz – 23.5kHz

Superb all-rounders: Sennheiser HD600

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Deemed indispensable by a plethora of engineers, including Abbey Road’s Paul Pritchard, the Sennheiser HD600s are superb all-rounders that offer a natural and spacious sound, thanks to their open-back design. These headphones make use of what Sennheiser terms computer-optimised magnet systems to reduce distortion and deliver a more transparent sound.

Compared to their siblings, the HD650s, which add a small bass and mid-bass boost, these offer a flatter frequency response curve and are ideal for mixing and critical listening.

• Price: $299
• Type: open-back
• Impedance: 300 Ohms
• Frequency range: 12Hz – 40kHz

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