Are Beats Headphones Good For Mixing?


Beats headphones have been among the most popular high-end headphones you can find on today’s market. Beats has produced unique headphones and speakers since Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine formed the company in 2006. Beats has been a subsidiary of Apple since 2014, making the brand even more prominent in today’s industry.

But while Beats headphones can produce some of the best sounds on today’s market, they aren’t suitable for mixing. While Beats headphones are outstanding for listening to music or for DJ work, they’re not designed to help you mix or record music. 

They are made mainly for entertainment purposes by a company that knows what it takes to play music the right way. They aren’t intended for production or mixing purposes, as they are more for recreation.

Beats headphones are costly, with many of these products costing at least $100 for use. They provide good designs that help you hear things well, but you won’t get the same experience that you would have in a mixing room. 

Using Beats headphones for mixing purposes will make the sounds less accurate and effective, thus becoming a bit of a concern when you try to use them right.

Besides, these headphones likely aren’t as expensive as some studio headphones for mixing. But here are a few points to see surrounding why you should avoid these for mixing purposes:

Bass Is a Concern

The most significant reason why Beats headphones aren’t suitable for Mixing is that they are bass-heavy models. Beats headphones feature a boosted bass system that focuses on low frequencies.

You cannot use these headphones for mixing because they don’t support a balanced sound. Studio headphones for mixing provide a neutral sound that does not emphasize any specific frequency. It produces a direct portrayal of how the instruments and vocals are recorded in a studio. You can use these headphones to hear anything of value without obstruction.

Beats headphones are different, as you would notice the bass a little more than anything else you hear. The bass quality on something might be thin, but the Beats headphones will make you think that the bass is more intense. 

Mixing audio with Beats headphones will produce an incorrect response, as your music will not feature any bass, or it might feature a minimal amount of bass when you play something back.

A Closed-Back Design Isn’t For Mixing

Many Beats headphone models are made with closed-back designs. A closed-back model will isolate more of the noises from around you. The method produces enough of a seal over your ears to keep you from hearing outside noises.

The design may be convenient for casual music needs, but it is not for audio Mixing. A traditional mixing room or closing studio will be one of the quietest rooms around. You won’t require a closed-back layout for studio headphones for mixing. 

Open-back headphones would be more effective when you’re trying to mix music. Open-back headphones allow for a tiny bit of audio to move through, giving you an idea of how the music may sound in a room. 

It also gives you a slight reference to how you hear other sounds in your local environment. The design provides enough reference for your music, giving you the best possible idea of how the music should sound.

Open-back headphones are better for audio Mixing than closed-back ones. Beats do not make any open-back models, as all their headphones are closed-back units. Therefore, it would be impossible to use one of these sets for mixing purposes without coming across inconsistencies and other issues.

Noise Cancelation Is Critical

Noise cancelation is one of the most popular parts of Beats headphones. From the proper padding on Beats headphones to producing quality audio signals that neutralize ambient noises, Beats ensures you can focus on the music you’re hearing.

But the problem with noise cancelation is that it can neutralize some of the audio features you might hear while recording something. It would help if you listened to every aspect of the music you are hearing when mixing something. Noise cancelation makes it harder for you to produce something valuable.

Studio headphones do not use noise-canceling items for recording and mixing purposes. While the seals on these headphones can be sturdy enough to keep many outside noises from getting in the way, they won’t produce any extra signals that will keep ambient noise in check. 

The mixing room should be a quiet spot, so it won’t be tough to produce a good mix if you know what is working here.

What About Recording?

You can still use Beats headphones for recording purposes. Headphones in the Beats Studio line will seal your ears and keep sounds from bleeding into the microphone. 

You can use these headphones to hear what you are recording well. But you’ll still need to use studio headphones for general mixing use. Studio headphones are convenient for many needs that you might hold.

What About Other Beats Speakers?

Beats do make many other products, including earbuds and traditional speakers. These all produce crisp sounds and can emphasize the bass on something. But it will not help mix, as you might not get an accurate sound coming from a speaker due to the added bass tones coming in work here.

Beats tend to make products that are high-end and focus on entertainment. They are more about trying to listen to music and enjoy it, not so much about trying to produce something unique. Don’t expect this solution to work well for your mixing plans.

A Final Word

Beats headphones are perfect for many uses, but you’ve got to watch what you will use these headphones for before you buy a pair. Beats headphones aren’t for Mixing, but they are suitable for music. Since Beats headphones cost more money than most others, you should look well at how Beats headphones work before you put in the investment.

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