These are the best new headphones and earbuds of 2024, according to MusicTech2024 saw a slew of excellent headphones and earphones of all shapes and sizes, and happily, the trend among the models we reviewed tended towards them remaining pretty affordable. With wireless earbuds now a common sight, it was refreshing to see companies pushing the envelope in terms of battery life, personalisation and audio quality. At the other end of the scale, bespoke developers are making premium wired models that are pricey but possess a fidelity that has to be heard to be believed.
It’s perhaps musicians and producers who have the most to be happy about this year however, with sensibly-priced studio and reference headphones released that continue legacies as well as breaking new ground, especially in terms of frequency response and yes, affordability again. There’s simply never been a better time to mix and master on headphones. We were impressed by every model we tested in 2024, for different reasons. Here’s a list of the models our expert reviewers loved this year, from buds that fit in your pocket to serious audiophile luxury.
READ MORE: Best headphones for music producers, DJs and musicians
Denon PerL Pro Earbuds
Denon PerL Pro up close
When Denon acquired Nura in 2023 it inherited the company’s product line, which includes the excellent NuraTrue earbuds, effectively re-badged here as the Denon PerL Pro. When we reviewed them (https://musictech.com/reviews/consumer/denon-perl-pro-review/) we were blown away by the sound personalisation system that outshines the competition, and also their support for high-bitrate, lossless codecs including aptX Lossless if your hardware supports it. We love the impressive battery life, with eight hours in the buds and 24 in the case, plus their up-to-the minute features like spatial audio, active noise cancelling, multipoint and pairing with a well-designed companion app.
There’s virtually nothing more we could ask of a pair of earbuds. Best of all, they are currently available for significantly less than they cost when first reviewed. Denon has taken Nura’s tech and given it a good home.
Need more? Check out our full review of the Denon PerL Pro. 
dSONIQ Realphones 2.0
dSONIQ Realphones 2.0
OK — this isn’t a pair of headphones, but is certainly an innovation worthy of merit. Estonian company dSONIQ has been researching advanced headphone modelling and measurement since 2015, and this year, Realphones 2.0, a suite designed to dramatically improve the accuracy of mixing on headphones, was released. This has been something of a holy grail for the undustry. Why? It’s impossible to physically test your mixes on as many systems as you’d ideally like – there are just too many variables. But with the Realphones 2.0 software, the dream can become a reality. Hardly any producers have access to the range of speakers and environments modelled here – a total of over 45 virtual playback setups from PA systems and cars to high-end studio monitors. And real-world variables you can control too, like crossfeed and room ambience that just aren’t covered by other apps.
How easy is it? Just load up your headphone model into the application, which works both as a plugin and system-wide on your Mac or PC so everything goes through it, and then choose from the incredible range of speakers and environments to model to hear how your track will sound on multiple setups, all without needing any extra hardware at all. Version 2.0 boasts much-improved algorithms and an expanded selection of top-end systems to emulate. With more producers than ever needing to mix on headphones this is a game-changer that, given its very modest pricing, seems sure to find a global audience.
Need more? Read our full review of dSONIQ Realphones 2.0.
Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro X Limited Edition
Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro X Limited Edition
Many producers and musicians find it more realistic to have a strong all-round pair of cans for studio work than juggling multiple sets. Find the right one and it makes more sense economically too. Beyer’s DT770 family is as close as you’ll get to stone cold classics of the pro audio world, yet this model is also surprisingly affordable. The Pro X provides stunning stereo separation and a well-rounded, neutral sound for tracking, arranging and mixing.
Their frequency response is a crazy 5Hz to 40KHz, far beyond the range of regular cans and also of human hearing – so you can be sure no part of the signal is being lost. They’re also comfortable to wear for long periods, their circumaural, closed-back design sitting over your ears and blocking most external sound. They’re designed to handle anything you throw at them from casual listening through to tracking and mixing, and at a price that won’t break the bank. We loved their coherence, creating a warm and well-balanced soundstage and while Beyer makes pricier models these are a set you will feel comfortable relying on day in, day out.
Need more? Read our full review of the Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro X Limited Edition
Meze Audio Elite
Meze Audio Elite headphones
Founded in 2011, Romanian audio specialists Meze Audio build very nice headphones indeed and if you value audio fidelity above all else – and we really do mean all else – its Elite open-backed, magnetic planar headphones will certainly make your ears very happy. Hand-built from extremely high-end custom components, they use Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array drivers with a frankly bonkers frequency response of 3Hz – 112kHz, far outside the range of what our ears can actually detect.
Stats aside though, they sound phenomenal, and we found they offered a supremely detailed, rich and open soundstage with flawless stereo separation. Everything you listen to on these will sound better than you’ve ever experienced it before, whether you’re listening for pleasure, mixing or mastering. At $4000 they are far from affordable but audiophiles can be comfortable spending these amounts – the company also makes the Empyrean II for $3000 though when we reviewed those we could tell where the extra money goes in the pricier Elites. They’re niche, but by heck they sound the absolute business.
Need more? Read our full review of the Meze Audio Elite. 
Sony MDR-M1
Sony MDR-M1. Image: Press
Best known for its consumer products, Sony has long had a presence in the pro audio world too, particularly in the field of reference headphones. At around half the price of the MDR-MV1s, Sony’s MDR-M1 is a fully analogue, closed-back headphone designed for mixing and mastering work in the studio. We loved their neutral and open sound, comfort and quite honestly their price too, which is very reasonable for headphones of this calibre.
In everyday studio use we appreciated the way they present an honest picture of your sound rather than flattering with boomy bass or overt sheen – a behaviour that’s crucial if you are to trust them during the mixing and mastering processes. We did notice a little brightness in the mid-range at higher volumes though this can be compensated for with software EQ. On the whole these are excellent, affordable workhorse studio headphones. Anyone trading up from even a decent pair of consumer ‘phones for studio use will notice an immediate and significant improvement in fidelity, and an openness not found in many other closed-back models.
Need more? Read our full review of the Sony MDR-M1. 
ADAM Audio H200
Image: Press
Germany’s ADAM Audio is best known for monitor speakers but also produces some excellent headphones. Designed for the budget-conscious musician and producer, the company’s H200s () are a closed-back, over-ear model with an insanely low frequency floor of just 2Hz, and 23.5kHz at the top end.
Despite a couple of minor issues we found with the practicality of their design, we were impressed with their sonic performance, finding a rich bass end and detailed reproduction all through the frequencies without the boxiness exhibited by some closed back models. In fact we declared them to be “near-perfect for beginners, professionals, and everyone in-between”.
They come with a VST/AU format plugin that lets you simulate crossfeed between left and right channels, like we experience when listening on stereo speakers, which can help you create more accurate mixes and masters. It also lets you simulate different frequency response curves, which we found greatly improved their flexibility. All this for $150 – a price lower than you might expect given their performance – makes them a serious contender for your Christmas list.
Need more? Read our full ervie of ADAM Audio’s H200. 
 
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