Headphones

Tried and true since 1991, the Sony MDR-7506 is perhaps the most widely used headphone by audio professionals. Comfortable, lightweight, and neutral sounding, the 7506 gets the job done and doesn’t cost a fortune to replace, which you might have to because the build quality is cheap.

These are the headphones I use. I’ve owned them since 2011 and replaced the earpads in 2018 (an extra set is included with purchase).

I love how comfortable they are and how accurate their sound reproduction is.

The Beyerdynamic DT 770 headphones are some of the most comfortable monitoring headphones out there. However, the suede padded ear cups can get hot after prolonged use (Sweetwater carries the traditional leather version).

They come in several different impedances. Be sure to select the 32 ohm (Ω) model unless your recorder has a dedicated headphone amplifier.

The Sennheiser HD 25s are the industry standard for on-ear professional monitoring headphones.

They’re the preferred headphones of legendary nature field recordist Gordon Hempton.

While earbuds may not appear professional, they’re the best for portability. These are the headphones I use in the field while backpacking.

The soft silicone tips create a good seal around my ear canal and offer great isolation.

In-ear monitors fit deep in the ear canal and create the best seal against ambient noise leakage. This gives them high isolation, important for accurately positioning your microphones while in the field.