Can You Mix In Headphones? Closed vs Open Back for the Best Sound

The video addresses three frequently asked questions about headphone mixing: whether you can mix on headphones, what ohm value to choose, and which type is better for mixing and mastering.

• Can you mix on headphones? • What ohm value of headphones should you use (32 ohms, 250 ohms, etc.)? • Which are better for mixing and mastering: open back or closed back headphones?

The presenter promises actionable tips and solutions to address the problems with using headphones for mixing.

To comprehensively answer common questions about headphone mixing and provide practical guidance for producers.

• More affordable than studio monitors • Offer privacy and portability • Provide consistent sound anywhere you use them • Excellent for detailed editing tasks and listening for clicks, pops, and distortions • Good for setting reverb trails and delay settings

• Difficult to gauge stereo separation properly due to perfect channel isolation • Can cause fatigue and discomfort during long sessions, especially in hot climates • Challenging for checking phase problems and mono compatibility • No pair of headphones is truly flat; all have their own tonal balance profiles

Studio monitors excel at showing how instruments interact in a room, providing better stereo imaging, and allowing longer comfortable listening sessions without physical pressure on ears.

Headphones are best for beginners and specific tasks like fine editing, while studio monitors are superior for overall mixing decisions and critical listening in controlled environments.

Separate the headphone cones slightly, turn volume up, and hold them away from your ears or place them on your desk to simulate how audio sounds when instruments are pushed together, similar to small speaker playback.

• Can Opener by Good Hurts and Waves X provide software solutions • These tools feed one channel into the other to simulate room acoustics • Several professional mix engineers use these when traveling with only headphones • Mixed results among users; worth trying a free trial

Sonar Works offers a headphone addition that can flatten your headphones' response by measuring hundreds of headphone models and providing individual calibration for perfect frequency response.

These solutions can help overcome headphone limitations, though results vary by individual preference and use case.

Some headphones come in only one version while others like Beyerdynamic and Sennheiser offer multiple options ranging from 32 ohms to 250 ohms or 600 ohms.

• Lower ohm headphones require less power and can reach loud volumes from smartphones or laptops • Higher ohm headphones (250-600 ohms) require significant amplification to reach adequate volume • Good audio interfaces and headphone amplifiers can properly drive higher impedance headphones

Higher ohm headphones generally produce deeper, richer bass response, wider soundstage, and better sonic imaging, though quality differences depend heavily on source material quality and specific headphone models.

Choice of brand and headphone type typically matters more than obsessing over impedance values; both low and high ohm versions can deliver excellent results.

• Closed back headphones have a hard shell backing that prevents noise leakage and maintains privacy • Open back headphones feature a grill or mesh backing that allows sound to escape and room sound to enter

• Closed back: ideal for non-private environments, traveling, planes, buses, noisy rooms, or recording sessions where sound leakage is problematic • Open back: better for quiet studio environments and collaborative settings where communication is needed

Open back headphones offer superior comfort with better airflow, lower heat buildup, less sweat accumulation, and often lighter weight due to less material, making them more suitable for long mixing sessions.

Open back headphones provide wider, deeper, more spacious sound with excellent stereo width and panning clarity; closed back headphones may have punchier bass but less depth, making open back preferable for most mixing tasks.

• Beyerdynamic: industry standard with durable build, replaceable pads, and excellent comfort • Audio Technica: proven quality and reliability • Sennheiser: long heritage of headphone design with comfort and accuracy

Established brands with long headphone design heritage tend to produce comfortable, accurate, and great-sounding headphones, while newer brands often use experimental designs that work for only a small fraction of users.

Large, soft ear pads that fit over the entire ear are important for comfort during extended sessions, particularly for users with smaller or flexible ears.

Choose based on your specific environment, use case, and comfort needs; established brands offer reliable quality for both professional mixing and enjoyable listening experiences.