The Best (budget friendly) Headphones and Studio Monitors for Songwriters!
Having a reliable set of headphones and/or monitors is imperative when working on music. This is even more true when one is working with online session musicians and mix engineers. You want to make sure that what you are hearing is accurate and consistent with what the other people working on the project are hearing. This subject is definitely a rabbit hole of sorts and factors like room size/location, room setup, and acoustic treatment can all play into what you hear. Even so, there are a couple of great options that have proved to be smart choices for different room types and genres of music. And as a bonus, they are budget friendly!
Headphones
Having a solid pair of headphones is a great tool for the modern songwriter. Not only can you get a reliable reproduction of whatever you are listening to, you can listen in privacy and easily travel with your monitoring setup. Now, most people have a pair of headphones or earbuds. These might be what you use at the gym, take with you on fights, or watch Youtube videos with. And while these headphones work great for casual purposes, when you are critically listening you want something more accurate. Most consumer headphones have boosted low end frequencies and scooped frequencies in the highs and mids. This is so consumers can “feel” the bass and hear music as they would in a music venue or club. This can be deceiving when making critical critiques as what you hear may or may not actually be in the mix or tracks. For critical listening, a pair of accurate and transparent headphones are a must.
Enter the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pros:
Beyerdynamic is a leader in microphones, headphones and studio equipment. The DT 770 Pros are not only very comfortable for long use, they have an incredibly accurate frequency response from 5Hz-35kHz. The closed ear design is also nice when listening in public as the noise bleed is very minimal. This lightweight pair of headphones also provides fairly decent isolation. If you are tracking instruments, vocals, or bass, these are an excellent choice. For drum tracking I find the isolation a little lacking, but they are definitely usable. The DT 770s have become a studio staple over the years and are headphones that would serve you well for a long time. Beyerdynamic is also very well known for excellent customer service and repair warranties.
New Price: $160 Used Price: $100-$120
Studio Monitors
Studio monitors and headphones technically serve the same purpose, but each can provide unique insights into your music and tracks. Headphones are great for reference and fine tuning or checking for clicks, pops, and other subtle sounds, but when you want a real world representation of your music it is hard to beat a good pair of studio monitors. Like headphones, consumer speakers will generally add distortion, noise, and other artifacts to your music. On the other hand, dedicated studio monitors will provide a flatter frequency response, high-quality sound, and a more accurate stereo image.
Yamaha HS8 Studio Monitors
Yamaha HS8’s have become a common sight across many commercial and home studios. These monitors feature an 8in cone woofer and a 1in dome tweeter. The design is similar to the famous Yamaha NS10s with the black on white color scheme. These monitors come with a high trim and room controls to help dial in the sound for your room. Sonically, the HS8's sound clear and are really quite accurate across the frequency spectrum. While they are a little lacking in the very low end, many people mix and work on these monitors without a subwoofer. Adding a subwoofer is always an option should want more low end. These monitors do have a slight mid-range scoop in them, but I have always found this to help the monitors sound more “real world” and more like what most listeners would be hearing. For stereo imaging and volume, HS8’s can help in larger rooms or even smaller spaces where optimum monitor placement isn't possible. The trim and eq controls really allow you to fit the monitors to your own tastes. Using these and a pair of headphones would be a solid reference point for critical listening and allow you to accurately replicate what is meant to be heard in the music.
New Price: $800 Used Price: $380-$500
If you can try either of these monitors or headphones out before buying, that is always a smart call. Hearing in your own space with music you know is even better. Both the DT 770s and HS8s are kept in stock at most studio and music stores and the online reviews for each are not only numerous, but generally glowing & 5-Stars. Let me know if you have a favorite pair of headphones or monitors you love that could help other songwriters!
