Best Studio Monitor Headphones for Home Recording | Closed-Back vs Open-Back and 9 Picks for Guitarists

"I mixed on regular listening headphones, and when I played it on my phone the low end was hollow..."

It's a failure every guitarist who starts home recording experiences at least once.

The cause is simple. Ordinary headphones have their sound flavored to make music "fun to listen to." If you mix using that sound as the reference, the balance falls apart when you hear it elsewhere.

That's why you need monitor headphones. In this article, I'm ryo, 13 years of guitar and 8 years of DTM, and I explain how to choose monitor headphones and recommended models from the point of view of a home-recording guitarist.

ryo

I mixed with the earbuds that came with my iPhone at first too. When I played the finished track in a car, the guitar was buried and couldn't be heard at all. I still remember that despair.

What Are Monitor Headphones? How Do They Differ from Listening Headphones?

Monitor headphones are headphones for "checking sound accurately" in music production.

The difference from listening headphones comes down to this.

Wouldn't wireless be more convenient?

Reader

ryo

For production, wired is the only choice. Bluetooth has sound delay and compression, which throws off both recording timing and mix decisions. It's a world where accuracy matters more than convenience.

Incidentally, a "flat sound" feels plain at first. It lacks the flash of thumping lows and sparkling highs.

But that plainness is its weapon. Flaws in the source are heard as they are, so your mix decisions become accurate.

ryo

The first time I listened to my own recording on monitor headphones, I was stunned by how much pick noise and fret noise there was. All the flaws I couldn't notice on listening headphones become visible.

Closed-Back vs Open-Back | A Home-Recording Guitarist Starts with Closed-Back

There are two main types of monitor headphones: closed-back and open-back.

This is the most important point in this article, so I'll explain it carefully.

Closed-back | Essential for recording. Start with this one

Closed-back has a structure where the housing (the part covering your ears) is completely closed.

What is decisive for a guitarist is the low sound leakage.

When recording guitar or vocals with a mic, if the mic picks up the click or backing track leaking from the headphones, that recording is unusable.

If you record, closed-back is essential equipment. That is why people say "your first pair should be closed-back."

ryo

When you go into a studio for a band recording, what's there is almost all closed-back. In Japanese studios, Sony's CD900ST is the standard. Being able to match that "sound of a recording session" at home is a big deal.

Open-back | A Partner for Mixing and Long Sessions

Open-back has a structure where the back of the housing is open, with mesh or similar.

The appeal of open-back is the spread of the sound.

Closed-back gives a feeling of sound trapped in your head, but open-back plays with a natural sense of distance, as if listening on speakers.

For judging the depth of reverb, or how the space looks when you pan guitars left and right, open-back is overwhelmingly easier.

So is open-back better for mixing?

Reader

ryo

Ideally, yes. Especially for music with deep time-based effects, like the 90s alternative I love, reverb depth is everything, so how open-back shows it helps. But for a first pair, closed-back, which you can also record with. Open-back can be your second.

The Conclusion on Using Each

How to Choose as a Guitarist | 4 Checkpoints

1. Closed-back or open-back?

As described above. If you record, start with closed-back. If you mainly program and never use a mic, open-back from the start is also fine.

2. Impedance and compatibility with your audio interface

The "Ω (ohm)" in the headphone specs is the impedance.

Roughly speaking, the higher the number, the more power it takes to drive.

Models such as the 250 Ω version of the beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO, introduced later, can feel low in volume with an entry-level interface.

ryo

I use an Apollo Twin Solo audio interface, but there's quite a difference in headphone output headroom between models. If you're aiming at a high-impedance model, check the headphone output of the interface you own first.

I explain how to choose an audio interface itself here.

3. Fit and weight

It's understated but extremely important. In home recording, working for one or two hours straight is normal. Headphones that are heavy or clamp tightly drain your concentration.

As a guide, around 200 g is light, and over 300 g is a bit tiring for long sessions.

4. Whether ear pads and cable can be replaced

Monitor headphones are a fight against wear. Ear pads become worn out in a few years.

With a model whose parts can be replaced, you can use it for a decade or more. That's one reason the standards stay standards.

Recommended Monitor Headphones [Closed-Back]

From here, specific recommended models. First, closed-back for a first pair.

*Prices are US street prices checked in October 2026 (Sweetwater, B&H, Guitar Center, Amazon), with Japanese prices in yen where relevant. Check the latest price at each shop.

CLASSIC PRO CPH7000 | Beginners can just start here. The entry model the author wore out

A closed-back monitor from CLASSIC PRO, the house brand of the Japanese retailer Sound House. An astonishing 5,980 yen including tax.

And I'll give the conclusion first. For a beginner's first pair, this is fine.

ryo

I used the CPH7000 the whole time after I started home recording. Honestly I underestimated it, but the sound isn't bad at all. It's a flat sound with no quirks, and I could make mix decisions properly. Above all, it's cheap. This sound for this price is cheating.

The sound is natural with little coloring. It consistently ranks among Sound House's best sellers, a real standard, with over 370 reviews. It is praised for resolution beyond its price range.

It weighs about 240 g, which is standard. A screw-on standard plug adapter is included, so you can plug it straight into an audio interface.

But won't something that cheap break quickly?

Reader

ryo

It doesn't break at all. Mine kept going fine even after years of rough use. As expected of Sound House, it's built for the field. The budget you free up can go to an audio interface or plugins, which is a big plus for beginners too.

SONY MDR-CD900ST | The Japanese Studio Standard

Since its release in 1989, it has been the industry standard used most in Japanese recording studios. Street price is around 20,000 yen in Japan. In the US it is sold as a Japan import, from about $116.

The sound's characteristic is extremely high resolution in the mids and highs. It is good at fine nuances of vocals and guitar, and at finding noise.

It is light at about 200 g, and all parts are replaceable. Even if it breaks, you can keep repairing it and use it for life.

ryo

What stuck with me is a studio engineer telling me, "If you use this at home too, you can check your answers against the sound you heard at the studio." For checking recorded sound, it's still irreplaceable.

audio-technica ATH-M50x | The Standard in Studios Overseas

If the CD900ST is Japan's standard, the ATH-M50x is the world's standard. It is audio-technica's signature model, with an overwhelming number of reviews on overseas review sites and Amazon.com. Street price is about $159 in the US (around 21,000 yen in Japan).

The sound keeps a monitor-like flatness while also delivering solid lows, a balanced type. It's a versatile pair that handles everything from recording to mixing.

It has a detachable cable and can fold. I also like that it pairs well with reference recordings of music from overseas, such as alternative and grunge.

ryo

For people who want "one pair that does it all," the M50x is the easiest to recommend. You can see the lows better than on the CD900ST, so for mixing band sound, it's often easier to judge on this one.

SONY MDR-7506 | Sony's Overseas Standard. Good Value

A sibling of the CD900ST, a model that has been used as a standard in studios overseas. Street price is an affordable $113 or so in the US (13,000 yen or so in Japan).

The difference from the CD900ST is a bit more low end, and that it is easy to plug into a PC with a mini plug plus a standard adapter. The coiled cord and folding mechanism make it easy to handle too.

It's a strong candidate for people who want a standard sound while keeping the budget down.

beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO | A German Standard with Visible Lows

A closed-back standard from the long-established German maker beyerdynamic. Street price is about $200 in the US for the 80 ohm version (in the 20,000 yen range in Japan).

Its features are top-class visibility of the low end among closed-back and the comfort of the velour ear pads. It doesn't get stuffy easily even over long sessions, which is rare for closed-back.

There are 80 Ω and 250 Ω versions, so with an ordinary interface the 80 Ω version is fine.

SONY MDR-M1ST | The Modern, Upper Version of the CD900ST

A model Sony introduced in 2019 as the "next-generation studio standard." Street price is roughly $250 to $300 in the US (around 30,000 yen in Japan).

It keeps the CD900ST's resolution while adding the low-end reproduction needed in modern music production and support for the high-resolution band. The cable is detachable now too.

It's an option for people with budget to spare who want to combine recording and mixing at a high level in one pair.

Recommended Monitor Headphones [Open-Back]

Next, open-back, suited as a second pair for mixing.

SENNHEISER HD 560S | The Honor Student of Open-Back for Mixing

Sennheiser's open-back monitor. Street price is about $280 in the US (around 20,000 yen in Japan).

The wide soundstage and flat character let you listen with a sense of distance close to speaker playback. The lows aren't exaggerated, so for a final judgment of the amount of bass, it's assumed you use it alongside speakers or closed-back.

Conversely, for judging positioning and the depth of reverb, it's quite reliable.

ryo

In sound design that layers time-based effects many times, closed-back makes it hard to see the depth inside the "wall of sound." With open-back, you can easily see which layer is where. The more deeply you use time-based effects, the more you benefit.

AKG K702 | A Vast Soundstage. A Master of Positioning Checks

AKG's open-back standard. Sweetwater has listed it at about $430, but it is no longer sold there and prices elsewhere (including used) vary widely, so check availability. In Japan it is in the 20,000 yen range.

Its feature is an especially wide soundstage even among open-back. How things look when you pan sounds left and right is outstanding, and it suits sorting out the positioning of two guitars, bass and drums.

It tends toward highs and modest lows, so you again need to use it alongside other environments to judge bass.

beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO | Specialized in Resolution. A Demon at Finding Flaws

The open-back version of the DT 770 PRO. Street price is about $200 in the US for the 250 ohm version (about $180 at B&H), and around 30,000 yen in Japan.

Detail resolution is very high, and its ability to find noise and positioning gaps is top class. On the other hand, the highs are slightly emphasized, so some people find cymbals and sibilance piercing.

Comparison Table | Recommended Closed-Back and Open-Back at a Glance

If You're Unsure, Take This | Conclusions by Purpose

Do I end up buying both closed-back and open-back in the end?

Reader

ryo

Eventually, yes. But there's no need to rush. First run both recording and mixing on one closed-back pair, and add open-back when you feel "judging the space is hard." I got by with one closed-back pair for my first few years too.

FAQ

Q. Which should I buy first, monitor speakers or headphones?

Headphones first. There are three reasons.

It isn't too late to buy speakers once your room is ready. I explain how to choose monitor speakers in a separate article.

Q. Aren't gaming headsets okay?

I don't recommend them for production. Gaming ones are often tuned to emphasize footsteps and sound effects, which is the opposite of flat.

Q. Is burn-in (breaking in) necessary?

Opinions vary, but you don't need to worry about it. What matters far more is getting your own ears used to that headphone's sound. Listen repeatedly to reference songs you know well.

Q. Do I need a mic for recording too?

If you record the amp with a mic, you do. I've put the difference between line and mic recording, and how to choose a dynamic mic, in separate articles.

Summary | Start with Closed-Back and Finish with Open-Back

Finally, here are the key points of this article.

Monitor headphones are the gear that becomes the "ears" of your home recording. Once you buy a pair, you can live with it for a decade or more, so choosing carefully is worth it.

ryo

It's not that you should just keep adding gear, but your monitoring environment is worth getting right early. Once your reference for judging is accurate, both recording and mixing improve much faster.

For how to start home recording overall, start from the roadmap here.