How many fit
Only 9 of the 60 models checked meet every need here: “I record with a microphone running” and “I want to swap out a damaged cable”.
9 models fit, out of 60 checkedPicked for one job
The best headphones for vocal recording
Top pick
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
If your headphones will switch between an audio interface and a laptop, begin with the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. Closed cups, passive wired playback and three supplied leads handle both jobs with no Bluetooth link. The ATH-M40x is the better pick when lower weight matters more to you than a short straight cable.
Why it suits this job
- Closed cups when a live microphone is nearby
- A cable running to the recording interface
- The catch
- It has neither Bluetooth nor active noise cancellation.
- Go with Audio-Technica ATH-M40x if
- You would rather carry a lighter 240 g pair and can live with the supplied long or coiled cable.
More reasons we picked it
- Cable long enough that moving won’t yank the plug
- A lead you can replace once it wears out
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Closed, wired headphones are the right type for recording vocals. Look at cable reach, replaceable leads and weight before a live microphone goes in the room.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the headphones we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
How we countedThe count uses each product's current fit ratings for “I record with a microphone running” and “I want to swap out a damaged cable”. A need with no documented match is not counted.
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-Technica ATH-M50x |
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| Audio-Technica ATH-M40x |
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| beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X |
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| Shure SRH440A |
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Decision guide
How to choose for this job
Begin with the recording position and pick the headphone that suits it. Go with closed cups and a cable to the interface, and compare the supplied lead lengths after that.
Your microphone reshapes the shortlist
By design, an open headphone lets sound through its cups. In a quiet listening room that helps, but it gives the backing track an extra path into a vocal microphone. M50x, M40x, DT 700 PRO X and SRH440A are all closed models. Even so, keep playback at a sensible level, since closed cups don’t promise that a nearby microphone will pick up nothing.
Get enough reach without a tangle
With M50x you get a 1.2 m straight lead, a 3 m straight lead and a coiled lead that extends to 3 m. M40x includes the long straight and coiled leads but not the short straight one. Sit next to the interface and surplus cable is just something to manage. Stand at a microphone across the desk and the longer lead may be what makes the headphone workable.
The lighter option comes with a specific trade-off
Going by the manufacturers’ stated weights without cable, M40x is 45 g lighter than M50x. That works out to 15.8% less mass, calculated from 240 g and 285 g, and it doesn’t prove better comfort. What the choice really comes down to is lower headphone weight against the short cable that M50x includes. Neither comes with a boom microphone, since the separate recording microphone handles that job.
What this page can’t tell you
- Sound leakage was not measured by us, and we have not ranked these headphones on tonal balance.
- Going wired takes the Bluetooth link out of the picture, but interface and software settings can still cause recording latency.
4 options
The top pick and the alternatives
Audio-Technica, ATH-M50x
ATH-M50x
This foldable wired pair ships with a short cable, a long one and a coiled one, so you can go from a laptop to an audio interface without buying another lead.
Top pick ifA single wired pair that serves a recording desk and a laptop bag
Key facts
- Cables in the package are 1.2 m straight, 3 m straight and 1.2 to 3 m coiled.
- Without the cable and connector, the headphone weighs 285 g.
The catch
It has neither Bluetooth nor active noise cancellation.
Audio-Technica, ATH-M40x
ATH-M40x
At 240 g, this wired studio model folds to go in a bag and has a replaceable cable. The leads in the box suit an interface or desktop setup better.
Pick this instead ifYou would rather carry a lighter 240 g pair and can live with the supplied long or coiled cable.
Key facts
- Without cable and connector, the manufacturer lists 240 g.
- The supplied cables are a 3 m straight cable and a 1.2 to 3 m coiled cable.
The catch
The short straight cable that comes with the M50x is not in this box.
beyerdynamic, DT 700 PRO X
DT 700 PRO X
A closed studio pair that includes two locking mini-XLR cables, one shorter for the desk and one longer for the studio.
Pick this instead ifYou are after locking mini-XLR cables in both 1.8 m and 3 m lengths and can accept a 350 g headphone.
Key facts
- A closed-back enclosure houses the 48-ohm STELLAR.45 driver.
- Without the cable, the weight is 350 g.
The catch
Without its cable it weighs 350 g, more than many folding studio pairs.
Shure, SRH440A
SRH440A
This closed recording headphone has a straight 3 m cable that locks into the earcup, which suits an interface sitting across the desk.
Pick this instead ifYou favor a single, simple 3 m detachable lead and a folding design that weighs 268 g.
Key facts
- A 3 m detachable straight cable is what the manual lists.
- Impedance is nominally 40 ohms, and the weight is 268 g.
The catch
Around a laptop, the long straight cable needs wrangling.
Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Top pick for this job
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
Closed cups when a live microphone is nearby
See price & reviews on AmazonPick this instead if
Audio-Technica ATH-M40x
You would rather carry a lighter 240 g pair and can live with the supplied long or coiled cable.
See price & reviews on AmazonWe may earn a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases. How we make money