Podcasts have become a lot more popular, and now everyone has their favorite podcast that they love to listen to. However, a lot of us want to start our own podcast, to get our own voice out there.
When it comes to starting your own podcast, there are a couple of things you need to have. This includes a good pair of headphones. There are a couple of things that you need to look out for when it comes to headphones for podcasting.
However, we have done all the work for you. Below are the best headphones for podcasting that you can buy right now!
Best Headphones For Podcasting
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Monitor Headphones
[amazon fields=”B00NT08MAI” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]
Audio-Technica is a very well-known and popular brand for headphones and recording equipment. The ATH-M50X Headphones have perfect clarity, so you will be able to pick up on every little detail while listening back or recording.
The actual design of the headphones involves circumaural-shaped ear cups. These will perfectly form around your ears. This then allows the headphones to suppress and isolate any background noise. We found that the padding is very comfortable, so you can wear these headphones for extended periods of time.
If you want to take your podcasting equipment somewhere else to record or edit the podcast somewhere else, these headphones are perfect. As these headphones can be collapsed down, that will save you space and come with 2 detachable cables.
Pros:
- Comfortable – These headphones involve a circumaural design for the ear cups. These allow the ear cup to mold to your ears. Alongside this, the ear cups are padded, making for a pair of headphones that you can wear comfortably for hours on end.
- Collapsible – The Audio-Technica ATH-M50X headphones can be collapsed down for easy storage and portability.
- Sound Quality – These headphones have perfect sound quality. Everything sounds extremely crisp and clear.
Cons:
- Padding on Strap – Some customers have mentioned how they wished that there was a bit more padding on the strap of the headphones. This would make the headphones even more comfortable to wear.
Also available to purchase from Thomann and Audio-Technica.
[amazon box=”B00NT08MAI”]
Sony MDR7506 Professional Headphone
[amazon fields=”B000AJIF4E” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]
The Sony MDR7506 Headphones are quite lightweight and, like the Audio-Technica headphones, they are collapsible.
The closed-ear design helps provide you with clear audio, as external noises are isolated and reduced. Also, the neodymium magnets and the 40-millimeter driver help give you a powerful but detailed sound.
There is generous padding on these headphones, which makes them comfortable to wear. It comes with an extra-long cord, so you can talk away without feeling restricted at any point. Through our testing, we enjoyed the sound quality that these headphones gave us.
Pros:
- Collapsible – The Sony MDR7506 headphones can be collapsed down, for easy storage and portability. You are able to take these headphones wherever you go to podcast.
- Long Cable – These headphones come with a long cable that allows you to move while wearing these headphones.
- Sound Quality – These headphones will provide you with clear audio and there are no sound leakage thanks to the closed-ear design.
Cons:
- Warm – After extended use, the ear cups are known to get warm and heat up.
Also available to purchase from Sony
[amazon box=”B000AJIF4E”]
Shure SRH1540 Premium Closed-Back Headphones
[amazon fields=”B08JNMGTG1″ value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]
The Shure SRH1540 Headphones are a premium set of headphones. These headphones look beautiful. They feature a closed-back design, which will allow you to hear every little detail of your recording.
Not only are the ear cups plush but have a comfortable and luxurious feel. The handband is also well padded. We found this to make this one of the most comfortable headphones that you wear for podcasting.
Alongside this, these headphones are durable, as the frame is made from aircraft-grade aluminum and carbon fiber for extra protection.
Pros:
- Comfortable – These headphones are extremely comfortable to wear. This is thanks to its plush ear cup and padded headband. You’ll easily be able to wear these headphones for extended periods of time.
- Sound Quality – The Shure headphones will provide you with a clean, powerful, and detailed sound.
- Lightweight – These headphones are quite light in weight, which makes them easy and comfortable to wear.
- Durable – The frame of these headphones are made from aluminum and carbon fiber, which make these a strong and durable pair of headphones.
Cons:
- Price – There is no denying that these headphones are on the upper end of the market. Thus, they aren’t ideal for anyone who is on a budget.
Also available to purchase from SHURE.
[amazon box=”B08JNMGTG1″]
SENNHEISER HD 599 Open Back Headphone
[amazon fields=”B01L1IICR2″ value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]
The Sennheiser HD 599 Open Back Headphones are lightweight, yet provide you with the utmost comfort while wearing them. You may be recording or listening back to your podcast for hours at a time. With the plush velvet ear cups and padded headband, you will be able to do this in comfort.
As these headphones involve an around-ear design, this blocks out any other external noises from interfering with your sound. There are multiple different connection options available with these headphones, and different jacks and cables come with these headphones.
From our tests and research, we have discovered that Sennheiser has developed aluminum voice coils. These will give your headphones excellent dynamics, low distortion and will be very efficient headphones for your podcast.
Pros:
- Aluminum Voice Coils – These aluminum voice coils help improve the efficiency of these headphones. They give you better dynamics and low distortion levels.
- Around-Ear Design – The ear cups on these headphones are known as around the ear. They will block out all unwanted external sounds and noises, so you can just focus on your podcast.
- Comfort – Customers have praised how comfortable these headphones are. This is due to the plush velvet ear cups and the padded headband.
Cons:
- Not Collapsible – This isn’t a huge issue, but unlike other headphones on our list, these don’t fold down. This means they can be slightly bulky while carrying them around.
Also available to purchase from Sennheiser and Audio 46
[amazon box=”B01L1IICR2″]
Skullcandy Grind Bluetooth Wireless On-Ear Headphones
[amazon fields=”B01BPF49RI” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]
You may be new to the podcast game, therefore you may not want to spend hundreds of dollars on headphones. Thus, the Skullcandy Grind Bluetooth headphones may be a more affordable option for you.
Unlike the other headphones we have mentioned, these are wireless. We discovered that they have around 12 hours of battery life. Hence, if you don’t like lots of wires, these may be the perfect alternative.
However, there is a cable that you can plug in to keep using these headphones. This cable also includes a built-in microphone as well. These headphones have a closed-back design, yet the padded ear cups are comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
In each ear cup you will find a 40 mm driver, this driver will give you clear sounds. There are no distortion issues with this model, which was commonly seen with other Skullcandy headphones. Overall, these are the perfect budget headphones, for someone dipping their toe into the podcasting world.
Pros:
- Affordable – Skullcandy has always been known as the brand that will offer you quality yet affordable headphones. These are no exception, either, for someone who is unsure whether they want to do podcasting seriously or are just on a budget. These headphones are ideal.
- Wireless – You may be someone who doesn’t enjoy wires, therefore these headphones are perfect for you. 12 hours of battery, but can be plugged and charged with 2.5 hours.
- Lightweight – These headphones are lightweight. Thus, they are light while wearing them that you may forget that you have them on.
- Sound Quality – In each ear cup, there is a 40 mm driver that will give you clear and crisp sounds.
Cons:
- Comfort – We and other customers found that even though the ear cups are padded, the padding is still quite thin. Therefore, after extended wear, the padding wasn’t as comfortable as it was, to begin with.
[amazon box=”B01BPF49RI”]
Buyers Guide
Podcasting can be a lot of fun, but whether you are new to the podcasting world or a professional, there are certain pieces of equipment that just have to have. This includes a decent pair of headphones.
This is because you will be wearing the headphones for a long period of time. You will be listening to the sounds and voices as you record the podcast. Then, once the podcast has been recorded, you will have to listen back to the recording.
You then may have to edit it and make sure that it sounds good. Hence, when it comes to podcasting, you spend a lot of time on the headphones that you choose to wear.
There are a lot of headphones on the market, however, some are much more suited to podcasting than others. As a result, there are certain things that you need to look at when it comes to buying headphones for podcasting.
Below, we have put together a short guide to all of these things that you need to look out for when purchasing your headphones. Our guide should help you make the right decision, so you buy the best headphones for you.
Comfort
Comfort is probably the most important thing to look out for when purchasing a pair of headphones for podcasting. This is because, as we have stated above, you spend so much time in your headphones. You could be spending hours at a time with these headphones on.
Therefore, you want a pair of headphones that are going to be comfortable to wear during that entire time you are wearing them.
If you are only recording the podcast, then you will spend less time in the headphones, compared to someone who is recording and/or editing the podcast. Either way, you want a pair of headphones that are comfortable to wear.
If they are uncomfortable, then that is all you will think about while recording or editing the podcast, which could distract you from creating something that you are proud of. Or could make the process feel even longer.
Comfort normally comes from the padding that the headphones have. What you want is the padding on the ear cups and the headband. Generally, all headphones will have some kind of padding on the headphones, but the padding on the handband can be hit or miss.
Alongside that, you also want padding that is going to last. You don’t want a thin layer of padding that will go out of shape after a couple of times of wearing the headphones. Sometimes, the price you are paying will affect the type of padding that you get.
As a result, the padding on the headphones should be one of the first things you look into when purchasing any pair of headphones. You want something that is a good layer of padding that will constantly provide you with comfort while wearing them.
You should also think about how long you will be wearing these headphones. If you are going to wear them for extended periods of time, then a padded headband might be more suitable for you as well. However, you can get away with not having a padded headband, but that is a more personal preference.
Sound Quality
Along with comfort, the sound quality of headphones can be make or break. You want to be able to hear everything really clearly and crispy through the headphones that you choose. The clearer the sound quality, the better.
You want to create the best-sounding podcast possible. Therefore, you need a pair of headphones that will pick up on every little detail. Also, you want your headphones to reduce and ignore external sounds such as fans, traffic, or any other distracting noise. This means you can then just focus on the podcast itself.
Most good-quality podcast headphones will have some kind of noise isolation feature. It is typically seen in the ear cup shape, which would be an around-the-ear kind of design.
The sound quality and isolation of any pair of headphones are really important. These alongside comfort are the two main things you should be researching for any pair of headphones that you like the look of for podcasting.
Wired or Wireless?
Wired or wireless headphones are all personal preferences. If you like to move a lot or feel restricted with wires, then wireless headphones will be a much better option for you. However, if you are just sitting down in a studio, then wired headphones may be better because then you don’t need to worry about charging the headphones.
With that being said, some wireless headphones have super long battery lives. Hence, if you do want wireless, you should double-check the battery life of your headphones before purchasing. Yet, generally, most can last around 12 hours before needing to be recharged.
Both wired and wireless headphones can work for podcasting. It just depends on the person and what they prefer. However, both options work as well as each other.
Price
There is no denying that some headphones are quite expensive, and as there are so many on the market, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. We would suggest that you give yourself a budget for your headphones and try to stick to that price range.
Once you have a budget, then look at headphones in that range and look at the specs of each one. Checking their sound quality and isolation and comfort that they have.
Unfortunately, sometimes paying more can lead to better quality when it comes to headphones. However, there are some good budget headphones out there to buy.
When it comes to budget headphones, we have found that they are really more like starter headphones. In the sense that they serve the purpose for a short time and then eventually a better quality and a tad, more expensive pair of headphones will be brought next.
If you aren’t sure whether you will enjoy podcasting, then buy an affordable pair of headphones. However, if you are sure this is what you want to do, then we suggest buying quality, which will up the price quite a bit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Actually Need Headphones For Podcasting?
Headphones come up with some of the basics that you need for starting up your own podcast. Apart from the microphones, and the device you will be recording on. The next critical thing that you need is a pair of headphones.
You will need a pair for yourself and one if you have a guest. Your guest could bring their own headphones, but it is always worth having another pair on hand just in case you require them.
The headphones allow you to focus on what you are doing and block out any distractions. They help you produce a much better and more professional podcast.
As you and your guests will be able to hear yourselves. You’ll know if you are speaking too loud or quiet.
Can I Use AirPods Instead Of Headphones For Podcasting?
We would suggest that you stick with headphones when it comes to podcasting. As the audio isn’t as good from AirPods when it comes to podcasting. They don’t distort any external noises that could be distracting.
Conclusion
Podcasting can be a lot of fun, but it can take a lot of work. Most of that work will revolve around you wearing headphones for the majority of the time. Therefore, you need a good pair of headphones that will make podcasting a lot of fun and get the job done.
We have given you the best headphones for podcasting that you can get your hands on right now. There is something for everyone on our list, hence we have properly given you your perfect pair of headphones to buy.
Now it is time to start that podcasting!
