8 Best Headphones for Electronic Drums & Drummers (2024)

Table of Contents

• 8 Best Headphones for Drummers
  • 1. Roland RH-300V
  • 2. Senheiser HD 280 Pro
  • 3. Audio-Technica ATH-M20x
  • 4. Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro
  • 5. Sony MDR-7506
  • 6. Shure SRH840
  • 7. Mackie MC-250
  • 8. Direct Sound EX-29 Plus
• Choosing the Right Headphones for Drums
  • Comfort
  • Sound
  • Versatility

1. Roland RH-300V

The Roland RH-300V headphones are specifically designed to be used with Roland V-Drums. They can technically be used for anything as they have a standard headphone jack.

However, the frequencies they produce really bring out the best from the electronic drum kits produced by Roland. These headphones are a redesign of the old Roland RH-300s that have now been specifically tailored for drummers.

They are solidly constructed with a lot of flexibility which makes them extremely comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

One of the main features that benefit drummers is the extra-long cable. Most drummers have been in a situation where the headphone cable isn’t long enough, causing them either to move everything around or get an adapter. No need to do all that with the RH-300V headphones!

They’re fantastic in capturing lower register tones from the bass drum and floor tom. You get an incredible sound with a lot of depth. The highs also sound crisp and polished and there’s no distortion from the cymbals at higher volumes.

The way the headphones fold up makes them suitable and easy to transport around without worrying about them taking up any space. You could probably fit them in some larger stick bags.

One weaker point of these headphones is that they don’t do the best job when it comes to sound isolation. Although they have a closed-back design, you’ll still hear a lot of the drums coming pads being hit.

Overall, a fantastic set of headphones from Roland. They’ll work wonders with your electronic kit. They may just not be the best option for acoustic drumming because of the lack of sound isolation.

I thought that these headphones felt quite stiff at first. However, they loosened up after a few hours of use and ended up feeling incredibly comfortable. I could happily see myself playing drums for a few hours with these without any discomfort. The ear cups fit around your ears instead of resting on top of them.

I feel that due to their comfort, the Roland RH-300Vs are best suited as practice headphones. It makes complete sense as drummers will use electronic drums for practicing most of the time while using acoustic drums for performing.

I wish the cable was detachable, though. Most headphones that are priced similarly have that feature.

2. Senheiser HD 280 Pro

The Senheiser HD 280 Pro headphones are a loved product by many musicians. Whether you’re a drummer, guitarist, or pianist, they’ll work well for your playing situation.

They’re mainly used for recording purposes, meaning they’re a great option for electronic drum kits. The ease-of-use and the clear sound are unmatched by many headphones in the same price category.

They have a flat frequency response which is great for changing EQ settings on your e-kit. You’ll be able to get the tones you want without worrying about too many predetermined sound qualities from the headphones. The lows are expressive while the mids and highs are focused and clear-cut.

The reason these headphones are so great for recording is that they offer great sound isolation. Unsurprisingly, that’s a great quality for drummers as well.

They isolate up to 32dB of sound, meaning you won’t be hearing the tapping of pads when playing. Instead, you’ll just hear all the electronic sounds from the drum module.

If you use these headphones to play acoustic drums, a lot of the sound will be blocked out, protecting your ears from getting damaged. The final thing to say about the HD 280 Pro headphones is that they’re extremely comfortable and durable.

Many musicians and producers who use these have said that they have lasted up to 10 years and still felt and sounded great. How’s that for durability?

Not everyone is a fan of the coiled cable. It weighs a fair amount, so it has the potential to get in the way at times.

I don’t think you’re going to easily find better sounding headphones at this price. I personally haven’t. So, I feel these are a fantastic pair of headphones to get if you’re looking for sound over everything else.

Something that I really appreciate about Senheiser is that they offer replacement parts for their headphones that are easily attainable. Certain parts of headphones don’t last as long as we’d like them to, especially the earpads. So, it’s great that you can order a few replacement parts whenever you need to, keeping these headphones going for as long as you can.

3. Audio-Technica ATH-M20x

The Audio-Technica ATH-M20x headphones are the smallest and most affordable option on this list. They’re a great choice for anyone that just needs headphones for their electronic kit and isn’t looking to spend too much.

Although they’re fairly inexpensive, they do provide solid sound quality along with some sound isolation. They have a great bass tone that will accurately reflect the depth from bass drums and floor toms. The other drums along with the cymbals will also sound pretty good.

One thing that will always concern people about cheaper headphones is how comfortable they are. Luckily, these headphones are relatively comfortable, thanks to the fact that the ear cups can swivel up to 15 degrees.

This means these headphones will sit comfortably on any person from children to adults. They’re best used as a practice option for electronic drum kits. They’re perfect for beginners or if you just want to practice late into the night.

If you’re someone who does extensive EQing and mixing, they’re not going to be the best option for you as there’s a lot to be desired in the quality of tones.

These headphones are one of my top recommendations for all my students who own electronic kits. I feel they’re the perfect option for beginner drummers who don’t see the need to spend large amounts of money of gear yet. They do a fantastic job considering how affordable they are.

I also appreciate how these headphones do a good job at preventing sound leaking. By this I mean that no one around you will hear the drums coming through the headphones. Even if you turn the volume up fairly loud, no one will hear a peep. I feel that is worth mentioning as sound leaking is pretty common in cheaper headphones.

4. Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro

At first glance, you’ll notice that the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 headphones just radiate high-quality as well as comfort. They just look like headphones that are going to be really comfortable to wear and produce very solid sounds for whatever you’re using them for.

These are headphones designed for studio use. This means that they produce an excellent frequency response and have a closed-ear design that makes focusing on tones and sounds a very easy process.

With regards to electronic drum kits, it means that all the sounds of your drums are going to come through clearly and accurately.

They’re extremely comfortable to wear, thanks to the padding on the ear cups. You’ll be able to happily sit through 4-hour practice sessions without having your ears get sore or tired of having the headphones strapped to them.

These headphones will allow you to hear many subtleties in tones. You can use them for your electronic drum kit as well as for mixing and mastering any audio in different situations. They’re a top-quality set of headphones that will bring out the best from your kit.

They are priced slightly higher than the other options on this list. So, you’ll be spending a bit of money on them.

I initially thought the material on the ear cups would cause you to get a bit sweaty with long periods of use. However, they’ve somehow designed it so that that doesn’t happen at all. It doesn’t make sense to me, but I appreciate how they’ve done that.

Since these are more expensive than the other headphones on the list, I’d strongly suggest getting them if you’re someone who records drums and does any sort of audio mixing as well. I wouldn’t suggest getting them to purely be used as electronic drum headphones. You could save a bit of money by getting cheaper ones if that’s your aim.

5. Sony MDR-7506

There are many “industry-standard” products in the music world. Things like the Roland SPD-SX and the Shure SM57 both have qualities that are needed in almost all situations.

The Sony MDR-7506 headphones are arguably one of the industry-standard sets of headphones. You’ll see these babies being used in most recording studios. Why is that? I think it’s mainly due to their price-to-value ratio.

These headphones sound incredibly good for the price they go for. They have 40mm drivers that cause them to produce pristine sound-quality for every type of instrument or music you hear through them.

Your electronic drums and cymbals are going to sound immaculate, giving you a great sense of quality when playing. The closed-back design blocks out a fair bit of noise.

However, these headphones are mainly designed to stop noise from going out when mixing sound. So, they’re not the greatest outdoor noise isolators. They do still work well for drums, though.

The physical design of these headphones is very flexible. They can swivel, fold up, and get into all sorts of comfortable positions. They’re great for listening through one ear only while keeping your other ear free. This could benefit you in live playing environments.

Their one downside has to be the cable. You need to take extremely great care of it, otherwise, it will break.

Another thing that I noticed about these headphones is that they’re pretty warm when resting on your face. If you’re in a cold climate, they’ll seem like great ear warmers. However, hotter environments will cause you to sweat when wearing these.

This isn’t something people usually think about when looking to buy headphones, but it’s something that could very easily stop you from wearing. So, just make sure that you’re not getting these for an electronic drum kit that is in a cool room.

If you’re playing electronic drums with these in a hot garage or basem*nt, you’re not going to have a good time.

6. Shure SRH840

Shure is a company that is most famous for producing high-quality microphones. However, these SRH840 are great headphones that are not to be overlooked. They come in a high-package that will peak anyone’s interest.

They produce a great sound across all frequency ranges. The bass is deep and rich, the mids are clear, and the highs are cutting. This is a great combination for a drum kit that has sounds that vary through those frequency ranges.

The best thing about these headphones is that they come with a replaceable cable as well as a set of replacement ear pads. This means that you can easily replace those parts that don’t hold up over time, meaning this product will last you many years of use.

It will feel brand new when you eventually replace those parts. Unfortunately, the overall build quality isn’t as good as many of the other headphones on this list. So, you’re getting fantastic sound with a relatively weaker build.

While a few of the parts are replaceable, I found that the plastic handle of the headphones wasn’t as sturdy as I’d like it to be. I’ve heard of a few people needing to replace these because the handle broke near the ear cups.

I checked to see if you can buy a replaceable headband. While the option is available, I found out that it’s not the easiest thing to replace, and you may end up breaking more things in the process. That’s why a lot of people just end up buying a new set entirely.

Other than the weak headband, I think this is a great set of headphones for drummers.

7. Mackie MC-250

These Mackie MC-250 headphones are arguably the biggest set of headphones on this list. Sometimes having bigger headphones really just does add to the comfort you feel as well as give a viable option to people with larger ears.

With that being said, the sound quality they produce is pretty solid. They have 50mm transducers that produce fantastic tones across all frequency ranges. This means you’ll get great tones out of your drums and cymbals.

The headband is padded and adjustable while the ear pads fit snuggly over your ears, allowing for hours of use without ever getting uncomfortable. The large ear pads also offer a fair amount of sound isolation, stopping any outside sounds from getting in when you’re playing drums.

Overall, they’re a large set of headphones that offer great sound along with a fair amount of sound isolation. Everything you’d need for playing drums. The size of them can be a hit or miss, though, as some people may not want headphones this big.

I have a soft spot for Mackie in-ear monitors. I’ve loved using them for several years. So, it’s great to see that Mackie has a solid set of headphones as well. I found the sound that comes from these is incredibly balanced. You’re not going to get too much bass or too much high-end.

Similar to the Sony headphones that I spoke about previously, these headphones are also quite warm. This is especially thanks to their large size. Having something large and tight on your head will make anyone sweat a bit.

8. Direct Sound EX-29 Plus

View on Sweetwater

The Direct Sound EX-29 Plus headphones have an extremely sleek design that will peak the curiosity of anyone looking to buy them. The sleek design is backed by immaculate sound quality along with heavy sound isolation and comfort.

They’re specifically designed to have long hours of use without getting uncomfortable. This is thanks to the well-crafted headband and ergonomic fitting of the ear cups. They feel secure when on and block out a large amount of sound from outside sources.

A great feature of these headphones is that the cable can be detached, allowing you to have ear cups that can just be used for protecting your ears when playing acoustic drums. When the cable is back on, the headphones will bring a fantastic sound out from your electronic drum kit.

One downside of them is that they are quite clunky. If you wear these for an extended amount of time in a warm environment, you may start to sweat a fair bit. However, that’s a small price to pay for the quality that you’re getting.

Something I appreciate about these headphones is the fact that they provide a good amount of sound isolation. However, they don’t cut out the low-end like many other headphones or in-ear monitors do.

You’ll still be able to hear your drums fairly well when playing. This works best when you’re running your electronic kit through a speaker while monitoring it through the headphones as well.

If there was a list of headphones specifically made for drummers, I’d put these near the top. They’re also fantastic for acoustic drums.