AliceYou’ve shot your best ever video. Now it’s editing time. The best headphones for video editing are a crucial part of any editor’s toolkit. They allow you to hear the audio in your videos clearly, and block out any background noise so you can focus on your work. Choosing the best headphones for video editing can often be the difference between a great and questionable video! So, what are you looking for?
Of course, the most important factor in the best headphones for video editing is sound quality. You need headphones that can accurately reproduce the audio in your video; they should have a wide frequency response and good imaging. But you’ll also be wearing your headphones for long periods of time, so you need to make sure they’re comfortable, with soft ear cups or an adjustable headband. Then there’s the issue of noise isolation – before we get to the constraints of budget too. With all these factors in play, it’s time to push play on our list of the best headphones for video editing, to help you make up your mind!
Product Comparison Table: Best Headphones for Video Editing
| Title | Price | Rating (Amazon) | Best in class | Buy | |
 | Audio-Technica ATH-M70X Closed-Back Dynamic Professional Studio Monitor Headphones | $$$ | 4.5 stars | Best Comfort | Amazon |
 | Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Premium Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones with Mic | $$$ | 4.5 stars | Best Noise Isolation | Amazon |
 | beyerdynamic DT 240 PRO Monitoring Headphone | $ | 4.5 stars | Best Budget | Amazon |
 | AKG K712 PRO Open-Back Dynamic Reference Headphones | $$$ | 4.5 stars | Best Open-Back | Amazon |
 | SENNHEISER HD 820 Over-the-Ear Audiophile Reference Headphones with Glass Reflector Technology | $$$$ | 4.5 stars | Best Sound | Amazon |
Audio-Technica ATH-M70X Closed-Back Dynamic Professional Studio Monitor Headphones
Lightweight, super-breathable and padded like clouds, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones are renowned as some of the best headphones for video editing, offering unparalleled comfort. But AudioTechnica have since moved onto the next-gen in comfort and performance: the Audio-Technica ATH-M70x. Trust us, they’re even better.
In addition to being comfortable for 8+ hours of low-pressure wear, the adjustable ATH-M70x model also offers sound quality worthy of the best headphones for video editing. These ear-cosies feature a wide frequency response, great noise isolation, and both high and low reproduction accurate enough for audio forensics.
Pros
- The next-gen of an old favorite
- Accurate reproduction (5 to 40,000Hz)
- Lightweight and comfortable
Cons
- Could be more durable
Verdict
An improvement on an existing industry favorite, the Audio-Technica ATH-M70X Closed-Back Dynamic Professional Studio Monitor Headphones are our best headphones for video editing with comfort in mind. Not content to produce just one pair of headphones famous for pairing comfort with performance, Audio-Technica just had to go one better – in both technical stats and ear-feel.
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Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Premium Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones with Mic
It was hard for us to decide which headphones could be counted as the best headphones for video editing in the noise isolation stakes; technology in this field is swiftly advancing. However, the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Premium Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones with Mic excel in a way no other headphones – even those designed for the studio – could.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones are our best headphones for video editing with perfect noise isolation because they have an industry-leading Dual Noise Sensor system: two microphones on each earcup capture ambient noise, while a noise cancelling processor creates signals that cancel out the ambience. A feature called Ambient Sound Control that allows you to adjust the amount of ambient noise that is allowed through the headphones, so if your house is burning down, you’ll know about it.
Pros
- Touch control
- Sound enhancement with Edge-AI
- Industry-leading Dual Noise Sensor and Ambient Sound Control
Cons
- Relatively expensive
- Not exclusively studio headphones
Verdict
Block out the outside world in style. No, the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Premium Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones with Mic don’t advertise themselves as studio headphones, but that doesn’t mean they’re not the best headphones for video editing. After all, with advancements in home editing software, most video editors today work outside of the traditional studio. Plus the WH-1000XM4’s all-rounder status means they’re also top-drawer for music, so you can make up for the hefty price tag with the money you’ll save on a second pair of great headphones!
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beyerdynamic DT 240 PRO Monitoring Headphone
If you’re on a budget but still serious about fancy-pants metrics like audio fidelity, beyerdynamic present to you the DT 240 PRO Monitoring Headphones, the best headphones for video editing we’ve found for the videographer short on cash.
Although the noise-cancelling technology here is rudimentary, the circumaural design of the ear cups is more than good enough to cancel out your average level of annoying environmental noise. Moreover, beyerdynamic offer excellent sound quality, with a wide frequency response, good imaging, clean bass, vivid midrange and defined treble for pretty decent reproduction.
Pros
- Budget-friendly pricing
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Good audio quality
Cons
- Not wireless
Verdict
Sometimes finding the best headphones for video editing doesn’t mean finding headphones worth showing off. If you’re at home, making a great video, and want to keep your audio to yourself, the beyerdynamic DT 240 PRO Monitoring Headphones are the best headphones for video editing for you. Any amateur or learning video editor will find this pair more than agreeable, whatever their inadequacies.
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AKG K712 PRO Open-Back Dynamic Reference Headphones
Some video editors prefer open-back headphones to closed-back. They offer a wider soundstage, greater transparency and – on a physical level – less heat and pressure thanks to the lack of a seal around your ear. However, open-back headphones have a reputation for sound leakage, or lacking bass and isolation. Open-backs that circumvent these downsides would be the holy grail for video editing headphones, right?
Enter the AKG K712 PRO Open-Back Dynamic Reference Headphones, our best headphones for video editing in the open-back category. Professional audio engineers and musicians who demand the best possible sound quality can’t be wrong: these open-back, flat-wire, reference studio headphones offer an incredibly wide soundstage and natural sound reproduction, without those annoying downsides.
Pros
- Open-back without the drawbacks
- Professional-grade audio
- No ear pressure or heat
Cons
- Not for closed-back fans
Verdict
Over 65 years of craftsmanship by AKG have culminated in the AKG K712 PRO Open-Back Dynamic Reference Headphones, our best headphones for video editing in the open-back category. If anybody was going to master the art of the open-back headphone, it was going to be AKG.
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SENNHEISER HD 820 Over-the-Ear Audiophile Reference Headphones with Glass Reflector Technology
They’re called “audiophile” for a reason. In our opinion, the SENNHEISER HD 820 headphones are not just our best headphones for video editing in the most important category – sound – but the best headphones for video editing overall. These are premium closed back headphones made with beautiful materials and astonishing audio technology, proving why SENNHEISER is a name known for cutting-edge sound science.
The SENNHEISER HD 820 model utilises a SENNHEISER engineered Ring Radiator transducer system to manage air displacement for incredible detail, and a unique-to-this-model Glass Reflector plate and absorber system to mimic the open sound of loudspeakers within the cup itself. Each is tested rigorously and individually to create the best sound possible, and it shows. Whatever soundtrack you create using these will be legendary.
Pros
- A name you can trust
- Attractive design
- Unique SENNHEISER sound science
Cons
- Expensive (but worth it)
Verdict
Join what SENNHEISER calls ‘the Fellowship of the Ring’. Our best headphones for video editing in the sound stakes (and probably overall), the SENNHEISER HD 820 Audiophile Reference Headphones come out on top due to the proven science behind them; even if you don’t understand it, you’ll hear it. Sure, they’re expensive – but they justify their price tag. After all, bad sound quality while editing is guaranteed to hold back your video work, but a pair of headphones like these could give you the extra sonic insight to help your projects soar.
