Should You Mix with Headphones or Monitors?

At Streamworks Audio, we understand that every home producer faces a critical decision: should you mix with headphones or studio monitors? This debate has fired up forum discussions for what seems like ages and remains a hot topic in the world of audio production. Some producers rely on headphones for their accuracy and isolation, while others argue that studio monitors offer a more natural representation of a mix. The reality is that both options have their advantages and limitations. In this article, we’ll break down the key factors you need to consider, including gear limitations, budget, space, and how each choice affects your mixing workflow.

We all know that headphones play an important role when tracking, but are they equally important when mixing? Let’s take a look…

Mixing on Headphones

When Headphones Might Be the Better Choice

For home producers who are limited by budget, space, or acoustic treatment, headphones can be an excellent alternative to studio monitors. Here’s why:

Limited Space – Not everyone has a dedicated studio room. If you’re working in a small apartment or bedroom, setting up studio monitors properly might not be practical due to poor room acoustics and limited desk space.
Budget Constraints – High-quality monitors can be expensive, and even budget-friendly monitors require a treated space to sound their best. A good pair of mixing headphones is often a more affordable way to achieve detailed and accurate monitoring.
No Acoustic Treatment? No Problem – If you’re planning on using studio monitors, acoustic treatment should be your first priority. An untreated room can introduce reflections, bass buildup, and uneven frequency response, making accurate mixing difficult. Headphones eliminate this problem since they deliver sound directly to your ears.

Choosing the Right Headphones for Mixing

If you decide to mix on headphones, selecting the right pair is crucial. Here’s what to look for:

Open-Back vs. Closed-Back Headphones – Open-back headphones provide a more natural soundstage and better stereo imaging, making them ideal for mixing. Closed-back headphones, while better for tracking and isolation, can exaggerate bass frequencies.
Flat Frequency Response – Avoid consumer headphones with boosted bass or treble. Some, like Beats, are notorious for their exaggerated low-end—great for vibing, terrible for mixing. Look for models designed for critical listening.
Comfort for Long Sessions – Since mixing requires long hours, choose lightweight headphones with comfortable ear pads. Even with the best headphones, it’s important to take breaks to let your ears recover and prevent fatigue. Stepping away from your mix not only helps reduce ear strain but also allows you to return with a fresh perspective, making better mixing decisions.

Recommended Headphones for Mixing:

Sennheiser HD 600 / HD 650 – Known for their accurate sound and wide soundstage.
Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro – Open-back design with detailed highs and a natural response.
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x – A neutral and balanced option for mixing.
Audeze LCD-X – Premium option with planar magnetic drivers for extreme accuracy. However, these headphones come with a ‘premium’ price tag and might not be suitable for those looking to use headphones due to budget limitations.
Yamaha HPH-MT8 – A solid choice with a balanced sound and accurate frequency response.

Limitations of Mixing on Headphones

While headphones provide isolation and detail, they also have drawbacks:

Unnatural Stereo Imaging – Since headphones separate the left and right channels completely, you may not perceive panning and spatial effects as accurately as with monitors. With studio monitors, they interact with the acoustics of the room, which may provide a more accurate and realistic image of the mix—something headphones cannot replicate.
Bass Response Can Be Misleading – Even high-end headphones struggle to accurately represent low-end frequencies the way monitors can. Due to the difficulties of reproducing low frequencies, some headphones may ‘tweak’ the low end, artificially boosting or cutting certain frequencies. This can color the sound and affect your mixing decisions, leading to an inaccurate low-end balance in your final mix.
Ear Fatigue – Prolonged listening at higher volumes can cause fatigue, leading to inaccurate mixing decisions.

Mixing on Studio Monitors

Why Studio Monitors Are Preferred for Mixing

If budget and space are not an issue, studio monitors are generally the better choice for achieving a well-balanced and natural-sounding mix. Here’s why:

More Accurate Representation – Studio monitors provide a more realistic sense of depth, stereo imaging, and how sound interacts with a room. However, because studio monitors interact with the acoustics of the space, it is crucial to ensure that the room is acoustically treated to avoid reflections and frequency imbalances.
Better Low-End Response – Unlike headphones, monitors allow you to hear how bass frequencies interact with the environment, helping with accurate mixing of the low-end. However, not all studio monitors are created equally, so it’s important to check the frequency response of any monitors you are considering to ensure they provide a balanced and accurate representation of your mix.
More Realistic Listening Experience – Since music is typically played through speakers in the real world, mixing on monitors ensures that your mix translates well across different playback systems.

Choosing the Right Studio Monitors

When selecting studio monitors, consider:

Size Matters – Larger monitors provide better bass response, but they also require a bigger room. For smaller spaces, a 5-inch or 6-inch woofer is usually sufficient.
Room Acoustics – Even the best monitors won’t sound good in an untreated room. Consider investing in acoustic treatment for better accuracy. Spending a lot on great-sounding studio monitors and then placing them in a non-treated room may work against you—ironically, you might achieve better mixes using headphones in such a scenario.
Nearfield vs. Midfield Monitors – Nearfield monitors are ideal for small home studios since they are designed to be listened to at close range. If you have the budget and space, larger monitors to act as far-field are recommended, but for most home producers, near and mid-field monitors are sufficient.

Recommended Studio Monitors for Home Producers:

Yamaha HS5 / HS8 – Known for their flat response and accuracy.
KRK Rokit 5 / Rokit 8 – A budget-friendly option with solid performance.
Adam Audio T7V / A7X – Great clarity and balanced frequency response.
Focal Alpha 65 – High-quality sound with a detailed midrange.

Limitations of Studio Monitors

Despite their advantages, monitors also have some challenges:

Require Proper Setup – Placement, room size, and acoustic treatment significantly impact their effectiveness. Again, great speakers in an untreated room are not usually recommended, as poor acoustics can negatively affect your mix accuracy.
Room Acoustics Affect Sound – If your room is untreated, reflections and standing waves can lead to an inaccurate mix.
Expensive Investment – A good monitoring setup, including stands, acoustic panels, and proper positioning, can be costly.

Why Even Professionals Use Both

Even if you have high-end studio monitors, there are still reasons to check your mix on headphones:

Mix Translation – Since many listeners use headphones, checking your mix on them ensures it sounds good across all playback systems.
Detail Work – Headphones can reveal subtle issues like clicks, distortion, or background noise that might be harder to hear on monitors, making them perfect for when doing editing on individual tracks such as vocals.
Late-Night Mixing – If you’re working in an environment where loud monitoring isn’t an option, headphones allow you to mix without disturbing others.

Conclusion: Which One Should You Choose?

The choice between mixing headphones vs. monitors depends on your individual needs:

If you have budget or space limitations, high-quality open-back headphones are a great solution.
If you have a treated space and budget for monitors, they will generally provide a better overall mixing experience.
The best approach? Use both – mix primarily on monitors but reference your work on headphones to ensure your mix translates well across different playback systems.

By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each, you can make an informed decision that best suits your workflow and environment.

While the battle may rage on, this is our take on it. Physically, the two are similar yet worlds apart in what they can produce. At Streamworks Audio, our recommendation would be the hybrid approach. Use headphones when you need to focus on the details of your mix, and rely on great-sounding studio monitors in a well-treated room to get a well-balanced overall sense of how your mix is taking shape.