For editing video in a serious capacity, the best headphones for video editing are a must. Quality sound is what sets apart good video from great, and while high-end headphones cost a little more, they'll provide you with clear, tonally-neutral audio, so you won't miss the tiniest detail in your sound editing.
When you're using the best video editing software, you ideally don't want to use the kind of headphones aimed for mass-market music listening, because they tend to up either the bass or treble. In contrast, proper studio headphones (which are also referred to as call monitors, reference headphones, or professional headphones) give equal weighting to bass, midrange, and treble frequencies, giving you a balanced reproduction that will help you to check quality, syncing, and levels more professionally. They're also better at keeping out background noise.
Below, we've listed the best headphones for video editing on the market today. These are a selection of the best studio headphones you can buy — we have included a couple of consumer options, but only ones that meet a very high quality threshold. However, we know not everyone has a sky-high budget, so we have ensured there are budget-friendly options on the list. Read on for our picks — and check out our guide to the best microphones for on-set recording, too.
Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.
The quick list
Best overall
Recommended by video editors worldwide, the Beyerdynamic headphones are going to be the best buy for the majority of users, with terrific quality and comfort.
Best for isolation
While they're a little bulky, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones are superb for isolation – ideal if you want to minimise distraction and focus on your editing.
Best value
Offering superb value for money, this set of headphones from microphone legends Røde is an excellent economical choice. Cooling gel in the cups helps keep them comfy for long wears.
Best travel-friendly
This pair of high-quality headphones from Sony is notable for being affordable, and coming with a soft carry-pouch. The earcups also fold into the headband for easy transport.
Best wireless
If you prefer the idea of wireless headphones, these Sony cans are a good pick. They're not cheap, but they offer cutting-edge noise-cancellation technology and a comfy fit.
The best headphones for video editing
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Best overall
We'll keep this simple: the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO X are the absolute best headphones for video editing available today, with everything you could ever want from a pair of studio headphones. Not only are they comfortable to wear for long periods of time, but they also produce an even, controlled, and accurate sound that can be trusted.
When we reviewed the DT 700 Pro X we couldn't believe how good these headphones sound. Their sonic performance is marked by clarity and detail that lets you enjoy all the individual instruments of the audio track while still appreciating the combination. Bass and treble frequencies are beautifully presented without being allowed to dominate. The overall performance would be best described as subtle and controlled. The DT 770 PRO X was in absolute control at every turn, and it became a trusted companion during editing sessions.
Read our full Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO X headphones review
Most comfortable
Best for isolation
With their over-ear, closed-back design, the ATG-M50x headphones have the ideal earcup profile for periods of extended wear, while also helping to isolate your ears from outside noise.
The only downside with this level of comfort is slightly reduced portability, as these are bulkier headphones more designed for home use than on location. That said, they have to swivel earcup yokes (the brackets connecting the earcups to the headband), so can be folded flat for a slimmer profile when not in use.
You can also plug these headphones into cameras or mobile devices when on the go, as a 38-ohm impedance means they can be driven by pretty much any audio source; no additional amplification is necessary.
The 45mm drivers feature neodymium magnets and are capable of a respectable 15-28,000Hz frequency response. The sound is also tuned for a flat response, meaning no one section of the frequency range is intentionally or unintentionally boosted, which should make for a more biased sound profile: headphones for video editing should provide a neutral soundscape.
Best value
Since Røde is known for its best-in-class microphones, it makes sense that the Australian manufacturer would eventually get into the headphones business as well. The Røde NTH-100 headphones are a pair of wired consumer cans, but they offer a sufficient degree of audio fidelity to be useful for editing and mixing work. They're comfortable to wear for long periods, with their memory foam incorporating CoolTech gel that is designed to dissipate heat and prevent the headphones from becoming unbearably hot and sweaty,
During comprehensive testing we found the sound to be excellent, with a very neutral tone that masterfully balances bass and treble such that neither overpowers nor diminishes the other - ideal for sound monitoring. Sound is also clear and crisp, even in the trebles. Midtones are delivered with very little variation or timbre, which can mean vocals lack feeling at times, but the result is a soundscape you can absolutely trust.
Downsides? They're a little heavier than some rivals, and they don't fold, so are best suited to life in the office, not location work.
Read our full RØDE NTH-100 headphones review
Best travel-friendly
Sony's MDR-7500-series headphones are designed for pro studio use, and the entry-level MDR-7506 has developed quite a reputation. 40mm Neodymium drivers are capable of a respectable 10-20,000Hz frequency response, while their 63-ohm impedance means these cans should sound great whether plugged into a laptop , or high-end studio equipment.
The headphones are supplied with a soft carry pouch, and the earcups will even fold up into the headband for more compact transportation. We also like the large, over-ear closed earcups, which are elongated to help them surround most ear sizes and they should help keep outside noise from leaking in.
Best for sound quality
The Shure SRH840A headphones are admirable all-rounders at an affordable price point. Not only do they look fantastic with a distinctive black and gold colour combo, they also sound controlled and accurate.
In terms of sonic performance, they pick up details across the whole frequency spectrum. There's a fairly even representation across the bass, midtone, and treble, with very little sense of one competing for prominence. Clarity and detail are also good, which slightly lacks energy on some tracks, but the output is nicely even and controlled.
In terms of sound isolation, the closed-back design with cushioned ear pads does a pretty good job, although it doesn't have the same performance in this area as the superior DT 770 PRO X (above). The cushions themselves are comfy, though some may find their size a little small.
Read our full Shure SRH840A review
Best wireless
The WH-1000XM4s aren't designed as reference studio monitors, which is why they're not higher up this list. But their wide 4-40,000Hz frequency response is very respectable. And there's a lot of other good things on offer besides, such as advanced active noise cancellation. This may not be vital when editing in a quiet studio, but could be a neat trick for masking background traffic noise on location, or if you need to edit while on a plane.
The closed earcup design and leatherette pads help add some extra passive noise cancellation for good measure, and overall these cans are lightweight and comfortable. You're free to move while filming or editing thanks to the wireless Bluetooth connection giving up to 10m of range, while the built-in USB-rechargeable battery is said to be good for up to 30 hours runtime.
There's also a 3.5mm wired connection that enables you to use the headphones even if the battery is flat, or should you need to connect to traditional Hi-Fi equipment. A ‘Speak to Chat’ feature lets you talk to someone while the headphones are still on your head. The Ambient Sound Control feature automatically feeds in background noise should you want to know what's going on around you. And you can tune the sound profile to suit your taste using the bundled app.
See our full Sony WH-1000XM4 review
How to choose the best headphones for video editing
When you're editing video for long periods, comfortable earcups are a must. For this reason, studio headphones don't tend to use an in-ear, earbud design, and instead are generally classified as 'on-ear' or 'over-ear'.
On-ear headphones are less common in the studio sector. These earcups rest flat on the surface of your ear, which can be fine for shorter periods, but could cause fatigue after a while.
Over-ear cups – also called circumaural – solve this by adding a thicker perimeter ring of padding around the cup so it sits around your ear, rather than on it. It's a more comfortable solution for long editing stints, and also creates a seal around each ear to seal out background noise - a feature called noise isolation, or passive noise reduction.
Then there's the choice between open-back and closed-back earcups. Closed back are more common in the reference headphone market, as they help to further isolate sound. Open-back earcups will have a vented exterior casing to allow some sound to escape. This can create a wider, airier sound profile, but it also means others around you can hear the audio leakage, and in the worst case it could end up being recorded as background noise by a very sensitive mic.
How we test headphones
At Digital Camera World we test and review all kinds of photo and video accessories, including audio kit like microphones and headphones. Oyur experienced team of journalists and testers have a wide range of experience when it comes to kit, so we know what we're looking for. We test how products stack up against their manufacturer's claims — does a pair of headphones do everything the makers claim it does? Is the noise cancelling effective, is the sound fidelity up to par, are the headphones comfortable to wear for long periods? For video editing especially, the latter point is hugely important. Find out more about how we test and review at Digital Camera World.
FAQs
What frequence response do headphones need for video editing?
Frequence response conveys the breadth of tones that the headphone drivers are able to produce, from the lowest bass notes to the highest treble frequencies. The human ear can usually hear a range from 20Hz up to 20,000Hz (or 20kHz), so a pair of headphones that at least covers this range is a must for video editing. Most boast an even wider response range though, which at the low/bass end can be beneficial, because while you may not be able to hear these frequencies, it is possible to feel them.
Are low or high impedance headphones better for video editing?
Measured in ohms, and symbolized as Ω, this quantifies how easily the speaker drivers are to 'drive' – vibrate – sound waves into your ear. Headphones with a low impedance (below 50 ohms) are easy to drive and don't require additional sound amplification above and beyond what your camera or laptop can produce. High impedance headphones are designed for use with a dedicated headphone amp or pro studio equipment, otherwise they can sound too quiet. On our list, we're only recommending low impedance models to ensure maximum device compatibility.
Are wired or wireless headphones better for video editing?
The best headphones for video editing are generally those that use a traditional corded connection to your device, usually via a good old 3.5mm headphone jack. This ensures the best possible audio fidelity with no risk of degradation or dropout due to wireless interference. More expensive headphones may have the option to unplug the headphone cord from the earcup, so you can swap it out for shorter, longer, straight or coiled cables.
