2020 Headphone Survey: Top 5 Models Used by 3,272 Music Makers

Headphone Popularity Survey: The Results

Here are the results of our equipment survey.
A total of 3,272 people responded, with the following breakdown of amateur and professional musicians:

• 2,769 amateur musicians (approximately 85%)
• 503 professional musicians (approximately 15%)

Please keep this breakdown in mind when reading the results.

Respondents Who Do Not Use Headphones for Production

The following respondents said they did not use headphones when producing music on a computer:

• Amateurs: 301 (approximately 11%)
• Professionals: 13 (approximately 3%)

Compared with speakers, which fewer respondents used in our previous survey, headphones were widely used.
Particularly in densely populated urban areas such as Tokyo, where noise can easily become an issue, many people may do all their production work on headphones.

Now let’s look at the individual models.

1st: SONY MDR-CD900ST — 1,084 Users

Manufacturer’s website: https://bit.ly/2FdrTU7

A total of 1,084 respondents: 924 amateurs and 160 professionals.
It is no surprise that this familiar model, a staple of Japanese studios, took first place.

Often used when recording vocals and instruments, these headphones have a long history: they went on sale for professional use, mainly in studios, in 1989, followed by a general consumer release in 1995.

This is a long-established model. In my view, if you try to handle every production task with this pair alone, its low end can feel insufficient and its upper mids and highs relatively prominent.
For someone choosing a new pair for music production, my recommendation in this review was the more expensive MDR-M1ST shown below.
I find its sound well balanced and its fit excellent.

Manufacturer’s website: https://bit.ly/2RhRPQy

The MDR-M1ST had only been released the previous year, in 2019, so my impression at the time of the 2020 survey was that it had not yet become widespread.
It was used by 16 respondents: six amateurs and 10 professionals.
This is a personal opinion, but for the reasons above I would recommend the MDR-M1ST over the MDR-CD900ST for a new purchase, as I find it suitable for a wider range of production tasks.

2nd: audio-technica ATH-M50x — 128 Users

Manufacturer’s website: https://bit.ly/3hwsQnD

A total of 128 respondents: 109 amateurs and 19 professionals.
At the time of the original 2020 article, this popular model was reported to have sold one million units worldwide.

Its frequency reproduction has been carefully considered, making it well suited to monitoring and mixing.
In Japan at the time, its price was close to that of the MDR-CD900ST. I felt it was an excellent fit for someone seeking capable headphones in the ¥10,000–¥19,999 range.
I find the bass reproduction of this closed-back model particularly strong, making it a good option for club music and hip-hop production.

3rd: YAMAHA HPH-MT8 — 126 Users

Manufacturer’s website: https://yamaha.io/3irUP9g

Just behind the second-place ATH-M50x, with 126 respondents: 90 amateurs and 36 professionals.
Its Japanese price at the time was in the ¥20,000–¥29,999 range, a step up from the ATH-M50x’s ¥10,000–¥19,999 bracket, but I felt it was well worth the difference.

The fit feels very natural, and the design aims to keep the ears comfortable during long sessions.
This is another closed-back model, with convincing bass reproduction and a three-dimensional sense of depth that I feel justifies its price. Its overall tonal balance is also very good.
In my experience, this one pair can cover the full range of music-production tasks.

I compared the HPH-MT8 with headphones in the ¥50,000 class.
Personal taste plays a large part, of course, but I felt the HPH-MT8 performed better for both production and listening.
For these reasons, I can recommend it to anyone looking for a well-balanced pair to use for years.

4th: AKG K240 STUDIO — 73 Users

Manufacturer’s website: https://bit.ly/3mfTCEc

A total of 73 respondents: 65 amateurs and eight professionals.

This is a semi-open model from AKG, a brand also well known for its microphones.
I find its spacious, semi-open presentation makes mixing easy and provides a sound that is not tiring to listen to.
Its high-frequency extension also stood out to me, with a sound that I felt suited pop and acoustic music.

At under ¥10,000 in Japan at the time, I considered it exceptional value for both monitoring and listening.
It is also a model I would recommend to someone just starting out in computer-based music production who wants a capable first pair.

Manufacturer’s website: https://bit.ly/3hlAgJZ

The alternative K240 MK2 model also has a strong reputation. At the time, it too was priced below ¥10,000 before tax at the Japanese retailer Sound House.

5th: SHURE SRH840 — 47 Users

Manufacturer’s website: https://bit.ly/2RjPc0J

A total of 47 respondents: 37 amateurs and 10 professionals.

As its positioning as a model optimized for recording monitoring suggests, it reproduces fine detail in the mids and highs clearly.
If recording acoustic instruments, including vocals, is your main priority, it is well worth a look.

Top 5 Headphones Used by Professional Respondents

Here are the rankings when we look only at respondents who identified themselves as professional musicians.

• 1st: SONY MDR-CD900ST (160 users)
• 2nd: YAMAHA HPH-MT8 (36 users)
• 3rd: SONY MDR-7506 (23 users)
• 4th: SENNHEISER HD25-1 II (21 users)
• 5th: audio-technica ATH-M50x (19 users)

SONY models took first and third place, showing just how popular they were among the professional respondents in this survey.
The SENNHEISER HD25-1 II also ranked fourth among professionals, even though it did not make the overall top five.

Headphone preferences vary considerably. If you can audition models at a local music or electronics store, why not use these rankings as a starting point and compare them for yourself?
The next installment in this equipment-survey series covers microphones.

Part 4 of our music-production equipment survey 📝
🎧 Which headphones are the most popular? 🎧
🎉 The top five, as chosen by 3,272 music makers! 🎉

• Amateurs: 2,769
• Professionals: 503

We also compare the sound of selected models and reveal the headphone rankings among professional respondents!

Read more: https://t.co/c48WfTx2uu#DTM pic.twitter.com/fgBEMoBDnX

— SLEEP FREAKS (@SLEEPFREAKS_DTM) October 3, 2020

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Which headphones should a beginner buy first?

At the Japanese prices quoted in this 2020 article, I considered the AKG K240 STUDIO outstanding value for a budget below ¥10,000. In the ¥10,000–¥19,999 range, the audio-technica ATH-M50x, then reported to have sold one million units worldwide, was a dependable option for basic production and monitoring.

Q2. Which headphones suit long production sessions?

The YAMAHA HPH-MT8, priced in the ¥20,000–¥29,999 range in Japan at the time, impressed me with its natural fit and comfort during extended use. Its balanced sound and versatility across production tasks made it my recommendation for long-term use. Comfort will depend on the individual wearer.

Q3. Which headphones are particularly suitable for recording vocals and acoustic instruments?

The SHURE SRH840 is designed with recording monitoring in mind and reproduces fine mid- and high-frequency detail clearly. In this review, it is recommended for people whose main focus is recording acoustic instruments, including vocals.

Q4. Which headphones do professional music makers use?

The SONY MDR-CD900ST dominated this survey and is a familiar standard in Japanese studios. SONY models occupied first and third place among professional respondents. These results describe this survey’s participants, rather than every professional studio.

Q5. How do closed-back and semi-open headphones differ in this review?

I found the closed-back ATH-M50x and HPH-MT8 strong in bass reproduction and well suited to club music and hip-hop. The semi-open K240 STUDIO offered a spacious presentation that made mixing comfortable and listening less tiring, with a sound I felt suited pop and acoustic music. These are the reviewer’s listening impressions, rather than fixed rules about which genres each design can handle.