The Best Professional Headphones (2020)

Sony MDR-7506

A design older than me and still an industry standard - need I say more?

I personally use these headphones for my shoots and mobile editing and can vouch that they are excellent.

Lightweight, durable, portable, decent output, decent isolation, a fairly neutral sound, and all for a reasonable price.

Type: Closed-back dynamic

Cord: Coiled (3 meters extended)

Plug: Threaded 3.5mm stereo (includes 1/4" stereo screw-on adapter)

My Favorite Feature: Portability

Sennheiser HD 280

A favorite among live audio engineers and musicians.

Compared to the Sony MDR-7506 the sound is not as flat/neutral, but the isolation and sound quality are quite good considering the price.

Type: Closed-back dynamic

Cord: Coiled (3 meters extended)

Plug: Threaded 3.5mm stereo (includes 1/4" stereo screw-on adapter)

My Favorite Feature: Price

Sennheiser HD 650

If these are in your budget, do it.

A wonderful mix (pun intended) of clarity, fidelity, and comfort.

Type: Open-back dynamic

Cord: Straight (3 meters)

Plug: 1/4" stereo (includes 1/4" to 3.5mm stereo adapter)

My Favorite Feature: Audio quality

Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (80 ohm version)

When you want the most comfort without lacking audio quality, these are an excellent choice.

The 80 ohm version is a good middle ground that works well on a wide range of devices.

If you need help deciding which ohm version to get, there is a helpful video here.

Type: Closed-back dynamic

Cord: Straight (3 meters)

Plug: Threaded 3.5mm stereo (includes 1/4" stereo screw-on adapter)

My Favorite Feature: Comfort, but the different ohm options are a close second

Audio-Technica M50x

Quite comfortable and built well - a good investment that will last you a long time.

Not the best sounding, but work well for general reference rather than fidelity.

Type: Closed-back dynamic

Cord: Detachable coiled (3 meters extended), detachable straight (3 meters), and detachable straight (1.2 meters)

Plug: Threaded 3.5mm stereo (includes 1/4" stereo screw-on adapter)

My Favorite Feature: Detachable cables