Have you been looking for studio headphones at a price of less than $100? This buying guide is for you?
Find quality studio headphones at a low price may look like a complicated task, but once you know what you’re looking find the best studio headphones under $100 will be easy.
To make things easier for you, we listed the top 5 options for studio use in 2021. All you need to do is follow the given instructions and carefully pick one that works well for you.
What Are Studio Headphones?
Studio headphones are headphones specially designed for studio work such as tracking, mixes, producing, and editing audio/sounds. These can be used for casual listening.
Top 5 Best Studio Headphones Under $100
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1. Audio-Technica ATH-M40x
Audio Technica ATH-M40x considers as one of the most popular headphones in the M series. It can also be your best studio headphones for under $100. Why ATH-M40x is best among other headphones so, let’s jump in and find out.
Design:
Audio Technica ATH-M40x is made of high-quality plastic with robust construction and has a closed-back design that blocks ambient sounds and prevents sound leakage.
High-quality, replaceable, and soft headband and earpads make the m40x comfortable and durable. Earcups are rotateable, which allows you to set the earcups where you feel better comfortable. The headphone also features 40 mm transducers with copper wire and neodymium aluminum magnets.
It comes with three different removable cables, includes one 3m straight, one 3m coiled cord, and one adapter set for a 3mm jack.
Performance:
There is a lot of good to talk about ATH m40x as far their performance is concerned. Started with their weight, they weigh only 240 grams.
Frequencies response of ATH-M40x is so flat and neutral, which is what we need for studio headphones. 40mm drivers and total frequencies range of ATH-M40x is from 15 to 24,000 Hz with a sensitivity of 97dB, makes these headphones impressive.
The closed-back design prevents external noises and provides strong noise isolation — ideal for listening to music or mixing a track. But can cause ear fatigue after a long period of use.
The sound quality of these headphones considers high quality and reliable by professionals.
One drawback of this headphone is closed-ear design can cause ear fatigue after a long period of use. Otherwise, these are outstanding headphones.
Especially after reading customer reviews on Amazon, it is clear that ATH-M40x are the best studio headphones with exceptional prices of under $100.
Final words: Audio Technica ATH-M40x is the best headphone for the studio, such as mixing and recording work. These headphones are well rounded, affordable, and have a good acceptance.
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- Easy to use and durable structure.
- 90-degree turn.
- Excellent sound.
- Interchangeable cables.
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- Causes fatigue if used for a long period.
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2. Sennheiser HD 280 PRO Headphone
You heard a lot about Sennheiser. They are undoubtedly producing impressive devices each time, and Sennheiser HD 280 PRO is an example of their quality. HD 280 PRO is the best studio headphones for those who use them to mix and record sounds for audiophile studio work. The price is also very affordable. You can buy these headphones for less than $100.
Design:
Sennheiser HD 280 PRO is a completely black headphone. Most parts are made of high quality and durable plastic material. The closed-back design offered up to 32dB of background noise attenuation.
HD 280 PRO is a lightweight and comfortable headphone. Headbands and padding are thick and soft, and the earpads of these headphones are made of quality material. You can wear them for a long time without any damage. Also, earpads are removable, and you can change them. Have a 3.3 to 9.8 feet long coiled cord.
Performance:
The quality of HD 280 PRO is outstanding. Over 2500 customer reviews with 4.1 ratings on Amazon make these headphones more trustworthy, useful, and durable.
These headphones are compatible with MP3, iPod, DVD and CD player, and other devices. These are specially designed for studio editing and mixing work.
They pick a very low frequency, and the response is impressively flat. The frequency range of these headphones is 8 – 25000 Hz makes them more impressive in their sound quality.
Closed ear design blocks ambient noises very well and creates a wholly isolated listening environment. You can feel better comfort and privacy. These headphones not only blocked ambient noises also produce a wide range of frequencies.
Having a closed-ear design provides many advantages, but you can feel a little bit uncomfortable using it for a long time, and thick padding also causes a lack of comfort.
If you’re a professional and looking for the best studio headphones under $100 price, Sennheiser HD 280 PRO is an example of high quality with very well-designed and technical features.
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- The sound quality of Sennheiser HD 280 is excellent, and the bass is deep and structured.
- Very comfortable even for prolonged work sessions.
- Excellent sound insulation thanks to the closed design.
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- Too much simple but durable.
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3. Sony MDR7506 Professional (Sony MDR 7506 Review)
Sony MDR 7506 studio headphone is another excellent choice among other Best Studio Headphones Under $100.
Design:
Sony MDR 7506 comes in black color. These headphones’ weight is only 8 ounces 226 grams, which are lightweight compared to other full-sized over-ear headphones. They come in a leather bag, which makes them great for portable use. A coiled cable around 10 feet long and wire terminate in a 3.5mm connector, and it includes a 6.5 mm screw-on adapter. The Cable is not detachable.
Complete headband covered in pleather with click adjustment; you can adjust the headphone’s size according to your head size.
Earcups are moveable and of average size. If the size of your ears is more than average, it can not fit on your ears. Padding is comfortable; you can use them without any problem.
Sony MDR 7506 has 40mm drivers and is only 24 ohms, so you can easily drive. After reading customer reviews on Amazon, we can say these headphones have excellent great comfort.
Performance:
MDR 7506 provides you with multi-level comfort. These headphones are closed air, so they provide you privacy while listening to music. They also do pretty well against sound leakage. On average volume, they do not leak sound, but if you increase volume at 100%, which is way louder than you can comfortably listen to, the person sitting beside you may hear what you’re listening to.
These headphones provide you with flat and natural sound. The frequency response of MDR 7506 is 10Hz to 20KHz.
These headphones are an excellent choice to listen to music at home and for studio work. The problem is they are closed-back headphones that require short breaks after a while. The good thing is they block external noises.
They are excellent studio headphones under $100 price, and after use, you will say that they worth more than that. You can also check over 5000 customer reviews with 4.6 ratings out of 5 and their satisfaction with using headphones.
At last, choosing headphones can be difficult for you because there are many options and variety available. Each headphone has its unique features and benefits. The Sony MDR 7506 Professional headphones are an excellent choice for you with high-quality performance and positive reviews, especially if you use them for recording and listening purposes.
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- Excellent sound level.
- Very high quality/price ratio.
- Highly revealing.
- Balanced and natural audio.
- Comfortable and lightweight.
- Replaceable earpads.
- Highly durable.
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- Not detachable cable.
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4. AKG K240STUDIO Semi-Open Over-Ear Professional Studio Headphones
AKG K240 is a semi-open studio headphone. The full-sized and semi-open design makes it more worthy. It is an updated version of the AKG 240 Monitor.
Design:
AKG K 240 is made of plastic material and has a gold colour. These headphones are lightweight and comfortable. K240 contains all features that are required by quality headphones.
Adjustable headband, you can adjust headphones perfectly on your head. The headband is durable and comfortable, and it can last the entire trip. Earpads are soft, perfectly fit on big-sized ears but not foldable.
Removable cables, so if you cut or broke your cable, you don’t have to throw your headphone; you can order a new one. These headphones use mini XLR connectors that make a perfect and secure connection. The cable is manufactured of oxygen-free copper and includes plugs on both edges that are gold plated.
Performance:
AKG K240 Studio headphones offer many features. These headphones have a semi-open design that combines the qualities of both closed and open design headphones and provides a unique sound experience. With the semi-open design, you can enjoy the sound quality of open structure with closed models’ comfort and privacy.
30mm drivers and flat frequency response make them ideal for sound mixing and editing work.
The little problem of design is it will not provide you with complete sound isolation. However, to avoid this problem, AKG K240 use new feature transducers. The extra-large Transducers provide well-detailed sound and make the sound quality of a higher calibre.
These headphones are designed for studio work such as metal music, audio mixing and editing, but they are also compatible with portable devices.
They didn’t get warm even you can use these headphones for hours, and the design reduces the risk of ear fatigue.
AKG K240 Studio headphones are also the best product for you and although they cost under $100. They are very appreciated in the professional music field to record and mix music in the studio. And you can read a review of professional on Amazon. Over 1300 reviews with 4.4 out 5-star rating makes them the perfect choice.
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- Detailed sound.
- A semi-open design reduces ear fatigue risk.
- Detachable cable.
- Wide ear pads.
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- Less amount of noise isolation
- Not fordable earpads
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5. Shure SRH440 Professional Studio Headphones (Shure SRH440 Review)
In the list of the best studio headphones under $100, Shuru SRH440 makes its place. SRH440 are professional headphones with impressive sound quality both for listening and recording studio and home recording.
Design:
Shure SRH440 closed-back circumaural headphones build with high-quality plastic material with excellent eco-leather coating. It comes with a carrying bag and black spiral cable, well insulated, and has gold-plated connections at the ends. Headband built with sturdy material and equipped with padding makes it comfortable and durable. Padding provides a professional look and a shining appearance.
The color of the headphone is black with a white Shure logo. Having a circumaural design, SRH 449 covers the ears completely. Large earcups make them more comfortable.
These headphones’ weight is 272 grams without cables, so it’s a little bit heavier in weight, but comfortable, makes weight unnoticed.
Overall the design and comfort of Shure SRH440 are elegant you can use for a long time without any problem.
Performance:
The performance of the SRH 440 will not disappoint you. Powered by 40mm neodymium dynamic drivers and a frequency range of 10 Hz- 22000 Hz makes these headphones worthy.
These headphones can produce very low and very high frequencies. Mid and high frequencies are very detailed and clean, making them ideal for studio mixing and listening to music.
The impedance of the headphone is 44ohms. They are compatible with portable devices. You can listen to music on the iPod and a little bit of low quality compared to hi-fi systems.
Only weight is a little excessive, but overall, these headphones are excellent with their design, comfort, and sound quality.
If you are looking for a headphone for studio and home mixing work and listening very detailed and clean music, Shure SRH 440 Professional studio headphones are also the best option, and their price is under $100. They come at a very low cost and with lots of positive customer reviews.
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- Full-bodied and natural bass.
- Excellent sound insulation.
- Outstanding value for money.
- Good assembly, considering the price range.
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- The weight of these headphones is a little excessive.
- The sensation of pressure on the auricles is always present.
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How Do We Choose Studio Headphones Under $100?
We choose the best studio headphones under $100 on the following parameters:
Price: This is the first parameter we always think of, and here we will talk about headphones, which are under $100. These are quite powerful headphones with a low budget.
Comfort and Build Quality: Studio headphones’ material should be durable and comfortable because you will wear them for a long time during work. They should have reliable and robust material. Comfort and build quality is a crucial part of any headphone, and we consider this as our top priority.
We check the following things to analyze how comfortable headphone is:
Ear Pads: Pads are an essential part of all headphones—most ear pads of headphones are made with material such as leather, faux leather, velvet. We also take care that our ears avoid an excessive amount of pressure.
The Band: The band is part of the cap that rests on our heads; these are made of leather that provides comfort. We like bands that are flexible and durable.
Audio Quality & Accuracy: We do not compromise on the sound quality of the headphone. For studio work, headphones should have a flat and neutral sound profile. The frequencies should be consistent none of them is strengthened than the other one. We also choose studio headphone that prevents sound leakage and provide detailed sound.
Noise Isolation: Another factor we take care of before choosing headphones is that it should be noise isolation because external noises can create a disturbance. It can affect your editing and sound mixing work.
Other Features: All the things we mentioned above are essential, and we take care of all of them. But you can check extra features that a headphone provides you such as extra cables, detachable cables, carrying bag, foldable, extra ear cups, etc. Don’t buy headphones on these features; consider the above points as a priority.
Conclusion
Buying a new headphone is sometimes tricky; it makes confusing because there is so much variety available, but with a low budget, it makes it more chaotic, and when you’re looking for the best studio headphones, it can be worse.
The list of headphones mentioned in this article is the best studio headphones under $100 right now. Their positive reviews on comfort, sound quality, and design make clear that these are the best choice. You can do studio work such as mixing, editing, and listening to music with them.
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