Keep in mind that both of these Headphones that I recommend are Open-Back Headphones, this is because they tend to be better for mixing.

Sennheiser HD650

When it comes to recommending a set of headphones, it’s easy! The Sennheiser HD650 are by far one of the best headphones out there both in terms of sound quality and affordability.

A couple of years ago, they used to be very expensive, but now they are more affordable then ever.

Why are they so good?

The sound quality is outstanding, you don’t really need to spend a fortune on some of the even more expensive headphones to get superb sound quality.

These will work extremely well, both for mixing and also for just listening to music or watching movies.

The treble has a great extension with a slightly elevated top end. It’s present, yet very subtle. It’s still a bit less refined than on the HD600, but honestly after trying them both out for quite some time… I’d still stick with the HD650.

The mids are definitely where the Sennheiser HD650 shines. They sound intimate and forward from the lower to upper mid-range. After using them for a while and then switching to other headphones, I feel as if the mids got scooped, as if everything sounded a bit hollow.

The bass is definitely an interesting part; it is responsible, along with the treble, for the HD650’s great mid-range.

Everything on the Sennheiser HD650 can be replaced manually, if something breaks you can simply buy that part and even install it yourself.

One huge plus is that the cables are interchangeable, this is really useful since cables tend to break quite fast unless you are extremely careful.

These headphones aren’t a head-turner, meaning that they aren’t flashy and don’t look cool at all, but they are the best headphones you will ever use.

I honestly believe that these should be the ones you get, however, if budget is an issue then the Grado SR80e might be another alternative.

Grado SR80e

The Grado SR80e are recommended by many as great starter open-back headphones because of the price range and quality.

Of course, even though they are excellent, they can’t be compared to the HD650 but they certainly are one of the best Headphones you could get at such a low price.

Costing only a third of what the Sennheiser HD650 do, the Grado SR80e are an investment worth trying out.

They have that retro “80s headphones” design which is quite attractive, which is a plus, considering that most high-quality headphones don’t look as good.

These headphones can’t really be disassembled like the HD650, but given the low price that’s completely acceptable.