Are Studio Beats Good For Mixing?

Beats Headphones popularly known as beats by dre are consumer headphones,

developed by the Beats company founded by Hiphop producer Dr. Dre and record executive Jimmy Lovine.

By design, studio Beats headphones are not meant for mixing because they have an over emphasized low and mid range frequency response, which greatly alters any sounds being played through them.

This is bad because mixes done with beats would result in a loss of bass,

because the over emphasis of the bass produced by these headphones would lead the engineer to make false conclusions,

which would result in EQ’ing parts of the low end and mid range to account for the low and mid range.

When played on normal speakers, the resulting song would have low bass and a weak mid range.

Therefore the misrepresentation of sound by the Studio beats is the reason why they are not ideal for mixing.

The key in music production is to use equipment that gives you a neutral flat sound that is an actual representation of the audio,

anything that adds any sort of colour is a complete NO and a waste of your time,

this is why Studio monitors are widely accepted for music production,

they simply give the user a neutral sound that is free of misrepresentation.

Therefore you cannot and should not use beats for music production because they are consumer headphones not engineering headphones.

Can you use beats to DJ?

Over-ear beats headphones are best suited to DJ’ing.

The over ear beats allows the Dj to use one headphone when it’s time to cue the next song smoothly.

You can use beats so long as you as the DJ has prior knowledge of the exaggerated bass that comes with beats headphones.

Accounting for the bass and mid range frequency will be very useful in leveling songs.

Can you record with beats headphones?

When it comes to recording it doesn’t really matter what kind of headphones you use because they’ll have no effect on the mix of the song.

Recording headphones are simply for the artist to listen to the instrumental while they record,

so it doesn’t really matter whether they use $10 headphones or $1000 headphones.

Do beats break easily?

Studio beats are not made from high end material which makes them susceptible to damage.

Most people that use studio beats usually see them break within a year of using them.

I’d advise you to look for headphones with a rugged build,

crafted with good technology to have them work for you without breaking.

Should I mix with speakers or headphones?

You should mix with speakers and not headphones,

Studio Monitor speakers to be exact because they are designed for the sole purpose of providing a flat sound,

unaltered by design.

While mixing with headphones is not impossible, I do not recommend using them.

You could use headphones to gauge the stereo image of reverb but for full mixing? definitely not.

Why are beats by dre so expensive?

Part of the success that has led to the beats headphones being so expensive is the marketing that came branded with them.

Beats by dre headphones are not popular for their “quality”, they are popular because they are a fashion statement.

They were introduced in the hiphop world,

well marketed to fit into the new school culture.

This is why they are not great for music production,

because they are consumer headphones exaggerated with bass for the casual listeners,

not for the professional music producer looking to get a clean well leveled out mix.

Is it good to mix with Headphones?

No it’s not a good idea to mix with headphones,

because they tend to give you narrower stereo image,

which is a result of the little sound from the left and right headphones mixing together to form a single image.

it is possible to mix with headphones if you’ve spent a significant amount of time with them,

and have become familiar with their frequency response.

If you’re looking for a professional grade mix, use studio monitor speakers like the KRK Classic 5.

Should I get open back or closed back headphones?

This depends on what you’re using the headphones for.

The open back headphones are not ideal for recording because the sound from them tends to bleed into the recording seeing that they are open back.

The ideal headphones for recording are closed back.

But if you’re looking to use headphones for casual listening then either one of the two is okay and will depend on your preference.

Open back headphones may not be great for an office cubicle setting because they’d disturb people next to you,

in a situation like this, you’re better off using closed back headphones.

Therefore choosing which one would be best suited depends on how you plan to use the headphones.

Why is mixing on headphones bad?

Mixing on headphones may be misleading to a person that hasn’t taken the time to study the headphones and become familiar with their frequency response as well as their pros and cons.

Therefore a good understanding of your headphones will allow you to make calculated decisions without being mislead by what you’re hearing.

What are good headphones for mixing?

I personally don’t recommend mixing with headphones but it doesn’t that mixing with headphones is impossible.

You need good headphones for mixing like 4 recommendations below:

Sennheiser HD-206 Studio Headphones

They have a balanced response and they are quiet accurate for their price.

plus they have hypoallergenic pads that are great from blocking outbound noises.

Audio-Technica ATH-R70x

This is an open back design which makes it not suitable for recording with but they can be used for mixing.

These headphones have good stereo separation and their open back design allows for less fatigue on the ears.

the only catch is that they are high impedance model which means that you’ll need a suitable amp to use them.

Sony MDR-7506 Studio Headphones

The Sony MDRs are perfect for a recording or broadcasting setup.

they are basically good due to their wide frequency response this can attributed to their design using Neodymium magnets and 40 millimeter drivers for powerful, detailed sound.

Pioneer HRM-7 Studio Headphones

These headphones you’ll find very useful for long stress mixing sessions.

plus they can be used to judge bass properly due to their frequency response.

the catch is that they are not ideal for booth recording but great for mixing and you’ll enjoy their clean dynamic range.

Sources

Are Beats Headphones Good for Mixing? (+2 Useful Tips) – Geek Musician

Who Else Wants The Best Budget Headphones for Mixing? – ADG Mastering