Whether you’re a beginner musician, a music producer, or an audio engineer, you’ll need gear to keep your work’s quality in check. A must-have piece in your arsenal is an excellent pair of studio headphones.
With its minimalist looks, decent build, and solid performance, the Audio Technica ATH-M20x offers excellent value in the sub-$50 price range, making it a popular choice for budget-conscious consumers looking for a pair of good studio headphones. It’s an excellent option for casual listeners and those starting out in music production.
Why You Need Studio Headphones
If you dabble in music production where you’re mixing and mastering tracks, accurately presenting sounds is essential to help you discern what to tweak in your mix. Some of the tools you need include headphones and speakers.
Studio headphones are specifically designed for music production as they can give you an accurate presentation of the sounds you’re playing. The difference you get from these headphones over regular headphones is they reveal flaws and micro-details that seem to be missing from the latter.
Recently, studio headphones have also broken into the gaming scene, as they’ve gained popularity due to some streamers and similar content creators using a pair of studio headphones like the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro.
Because they produce high-quality, studio headphones nowadays aren’t just used exclusively for audio engineering purposes. People have also been using them for gaming and casual listening.
Headphones Model | Driver Type | Frequency Range | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Audio Technica ATH-M20x | 40mm DD | 15 – 20,000 Hz | $ |
Tascam TH-02 | 50mm DD | 18 – 22,000 Hz | $ |
Samson SR850 | 50mm DD | 10 – 30,000 Hz | $ |
AKG A72 | 40mm DD | 16 – 20,000 Hz | $ |
OneOdio Pro 10 | 50mm DD | 20 – 20,000 Hz | $ |
Best Studio Headphones Under $50 Reviewed
With great sound quality comes a hefty price tag. Many studio headphones retail for over $200 and you’d even find some that go for around $500 and up.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t get a good quality pair if you’re on a tight budget. Many companies have started manufacturing affordable studio headphones, and some of them cost less than $50. Of course, if you’re a professional in the music industry, you may want to invest in a more expensive pair.
If you’re a casual listener, gamer, beginner musician, or simply dipping your toes into mixing and mastering tracks as a hobby, then a budget-friendly pair would work well for you. Now let’s get to our picks of the best studio headphones under $50.
Audio Technica ATH-M20x
The Download
With its minimalistic and subdued styling, the Audio Technica ATH-M20x is one of the great value contenders in the $50 price range, making it a favorite choice for budget-conscious consumers. Coming from a recognized and well-celebrated brand in the audio world, the ATH-M20x offers solid performance for its price.
It has a rigid plastic construction, which feels pretty cheap but they’re surprisingly pretty durable and could take a good beating compared to most headphones within the same price range. One of the upsides of its plastic construction is that it’s lightweight, easy to carry, and doesn’t cause discomfort even during long listening sessions.
However, the overall feel of these headphones isn’t as high-quality but this is understandable at their price point. The ear pads are pretty thin and don’t isolate the sound pretty well, so I’d highly recommend getting a replacement pair if you have the extra cash as it’s the cheapest way to improve your listening experience.
Overall, the Audio Technica ATH-M20x is a decent pair of studio headphones if you want to jumpstart your music career as a beginner. It has a balanced and neutral sound, providing an accurate presentation of sound. It produces a decent amount of clarity of the mix, although there are a couple of times that I’ve experienced some clipping so you may want to be on the lookout for that.
The Specs
- Headphone Type: Closed-Back Headphones
- Driver Type: 40mm Dynamic Driver
- Frequency Range: 15 – 20,000 Hz
- Sensitivity: 96 dB
- Impedance: 47 Ω
Stuff I like
- Great sound quality
- Decent build quality
- Decent sound isolation
Stuff I like less
- Soundstage isn’t that wide
- Bass response is lacking
Where to get it
Tascam TH-02
The Download
While Tascam is a company that’s known for their audio interface, they also offer studio headphones in their catalog. The Tascam TH-02 is their entry-level pair and also the cheapest option, retailing for only around $30 or less, depending on where you get it.
With a plastic construction, the TH-02 feels cheap and again, this is to be expected at this price point. What makes it a good option is that it can be used for monitoring. If you’re a beginner, then this pair works well for mixing and audio production, which is a substantial feat given its price.
The most appealing thing about it is its price tag and this is definitely an option worth considering if you only have about $30 to spend on a pair of headphones. If you’re looking to dive deeper into audio production, you can get this for now and save up for an upgrade in the future.
The Specs
- Headphone Type: Closed-Back Headphones
- Driver Type: 50mm Dynamic Driver
- Frequency Range: 18 – 22,000 Hz
- Sensitivity: 98 dB
- Impedance: 32 Ω
Stuff I like
- Very affordable price
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Decent sound isolation
Stuff I like less
- Inconsistent sound quality
- Build quality feels cheap
Where to get it
Samson SR850
The Download
With excellent sound quality for the price and a design that’s reminiscent of the more expensive AKG K240, minus the loud styling, the Samson SR850 is well-received and considered one of the best studio headphones under $50.
The looks, the comfort, the sound – everything about the SR850 pair is decent, which is pretty impressive given its price. Although its semi-open-back design can be a dealbreaker for others, it does offer a broader soundstage presentation.
Upon first use, I found the sound a bit bright and harsh at first but after burning it in, the neutral and balanced signature began to shine and the sound got better. I may have experienced a placebo effect but burning it in helps improve the performance.
In terms of fit and comfort, the Samson SR850 is also pretty decent but the ear pads aren’t quite as comfortable and can generate heat pretty fast even though it semi-open-back design. The headband fits well and the clamping force is okay that it doesn’t cause any discomfort when worn.
For around $40, the Samson SR850 is a bargain. It’s worth getting as it performs slightly above its price point – a must-have for those looking for budget reference headphones.
The Specs
- Headphone Type: Semi-Open-Back Headphones
- Driver Type: 50mm Dynamic Driver
- Frequency Range: 10 – 30,000 Hz
- Sensitivity: 98 dB
- Impedance: 32 Ω
Stuff I like
- Good-looking design
- Comfortable to wear
- Decent soundstage
Stuff I like less
- May sound too bright or harsh for others
- Sound leaks because of its semi-open-back design
- Not collapsible
Where to get it
AKG K72
The Download
Another great option if you’re looking for studio headphones under $50, the AKG K72 might be the most eye-catching headphones out of this bunch. It has simplistic yet well-executed design cues, such as the extended metal headband, the matte black finish, and the simple branding and muted appearance.
Compared to the other options on this list, the K72 appears to be more durable because of its metal headband. The plastic parts don’t feel as durable as they seem and the vinyl padding isn’t the best but then again, these headphones cost less than $50. With the sound quality they provide, the manufacturers have to cut costs somewhere for them to be affordable.
One of the drawbacks of these headphones is that they’re not very comfortable. There are certain parts where you can feel stiffness when you put them on so they’re not that great for long listening sessions. Replacing the ear pads can help a lot though.
Regarding their sound performance, the AKG K72. It sounds decent, especially when mixing metal tracks, and it performs well enough to provide an accurate presentation of my records. However, there were times when they seemed a little off as there were unpleasant frequencies that leaked into the mix.
If you want a great-looking pair that’s affordable and has decent sound quality, then the AKG K72 is worth considering.
The Specs
- Headphone Type: Closed-Back Headphones
- Driver Type: 40mm Dynamic Driver
- Frequency Range: 16 – 20,000 Hz
- Sensitivity: 112 dB
- Impedance: 32 Ω
Stuff I like
- Well-executed design
- Lightweight
Stuff I like less
- Poor comfort and ergonomics
- Inconsistent sound quality
Where to get it
OneOdio Pro 10
The Download
Although fresh off the block, OneOdio made its way into the mainstream market with its affordable yet good quality and decent-sounding headphones. The OneOdio Pro 10 is a favorite among beginner DJs, who love its sound signature.
The Pro 10 works phenomenally as a monitoring rig as it has active noise cancelation and its sound signature makes the listening experience more enjoyable. Plus, the fit and comfort are solid.
At this price point, this is one of the most comfortable pairs you can get. The padding is excellent, the clamping force isn’t too strong and irritating, and the headband also fits great. However, the build still feels cheap as you’d expect for the price but these headphones could stand a bit of abuse.
Retailing for around $30, the OneOdio Pro 10 is a solid buy if you’re looking for a pair of studio headphones under $50.
The Specs
- Headphone Type: Closed-Back Headphones
- Driver Type: 50mm Dynamic Driver
- Frequency Range: 20 – 20,000 Hz
- Sensitivity: 110 dB
- Impedance: 32 Ω
Stuff I like
- Decent sound quality
- Comes with active noise cancelation
- Bassy and entertaining sound signature
- Detachable cable for easy storage
- Very comfortable
Stuff I like less
- Cheap build quality
Where to get it
Final Thoughts
If you’re a professional working in the audio industry, then it’s always best to spend more than $50 and invest in a great pair of headphones as they’re essential in this line of work. The same goes if you’re a beginner who’s looking to turn it into a career.
However, if you’re someone who’s just getting into the hobby of mixing and mastering tracks and doesn’t have the budget for a $100 or $200 pair, then any of these options would do great. These studio headphones under $50 all offer acceptable sound quality for amateur music production and they’re more than sufficient if you’re looking for a pair to use for casual music listening or gaming.
My pick would be the Audio Technica ATH-M20x because of its simplistic design, relatively durable build, and great sound quality that’s neutral and balanced. Another favorite is the OneOdio Pro 10 because of its enjoyable sound and extremely comfortable fit.
If you have any questions, fire away in the comments and I’ll be more than happy to answer them!
A man of many interests, Querho is passionate about discovering new things that stimulate the mind. When he is not writing about the things he is passionate about, Querho can be found making music at his home studio.
This post was last updated on 2024-11-04 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.