The 8 Best Headphones For Drummers Under $300 (2024) (2024)

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Looking for the best isolation headphones for drummers? Look no further, as we’ve got the best list on the web.

Headphones are rather crucial to our daily life. Whether you’re using your Apple iPhone earbuds or your favorite Bluetooth headphones, there is a big chance you use them often. Many of these consumer-grade choices make terrible options for playing drums.

For starters, drums are quite loud, and these types of earbuds and headphones often won’t reduce the amount of volume that your kit puts out.

Many manufacturers make specific isolation headphones made to reduce the level of volume in your ears and from external sources: your drum kit, for example.

Best Isolation Headphones for Drummers – A Quick Glance

The list below provides a quick summary of our favorite isolation headphones for drummers. Feel free to check them out here or keep on reading to get a more in-depth review of each pair.

• Best for electronic drums: beyerdynamic DT 770
• Best on a budget: KAT Percussion
• Best isolation: GK UltraPhones
• Best all-around: Vic-Firth SIH2

Headphones are crucial to protect our hearing while drumming

The main idea with these headphones is their ability to cancel out some of the loud noise from your drum kit to protect our hearing.

One of the great benefits of choosing a pair of headphones for drumming is that you can use these not only for drums but also in your everyday life.

I’ve used everything from poor-quality Sony headphones from the 1990s to noise–canceling ear muffs that you would see in a workshop (and sometimes the combination of the two).

I use both isolation headphones and in-ear monitors. Both have applications whether it’s in the studio or playing live. That being said, let’s get into the list of the best isolation headphones for drummers.

1) GK UltraPhones (Best For Acoustic Drums)

Let me start off by saying that I have never used a better pair of isolation headphones in my life. Whether it be the Vic Firth or the Extreme Isolation cans, nothing comes close to GK Music’s UltraPhones.

GK Music is headed by highly acclaimed drummer Gordy Knudtson. Gordy is the drummer for the Steve Miller Band, best known for 70s hits “Fly Like an Eagle,” “Rockin’ Me,” and plenty of others.

Gordy founded GK Music in 1995 and subsequently released the first line of isolation headphones — the DrumPhones (his current model is now named UltraPhones).

He suffers from tinnitus and hearing loss and made it a mission to design a product to aid drummers in protecting their hearing.

UltraPhones are SONY 7506 Studio Monitor components mounted in a hearing protection earmuff. Upon first putting them on and connecting them to my drum mix, I was blown away. Compared to all the other drum headphones I have, there’s no comparison.

Because each pair is custom made and the components used, they’re a little bit on the pricey side. However, the quality is there and UltraPhones are built to last. After using UltraPhones just once, I now can’t imagine a recording or practice session without them.

My head is rather large and these clamp down pretty hard. After a while, these do begin to hurt a little bit. Aside from that, these are still a favorite for monitoring my acoustic drums (outside of my in-ear monitors).

What Retailer to Buy From?

2) Vic Firth Stereo Isolation Headphones V2 (Best Overall)

Vic Firth has been making this headphone pair for as long as I can remember. The newest version, the V2, reduces is outside noise by 20 decibels. Has a frequency response of 20 hertz to 20 kilohertz.

I asked my good drummer friend from the area how he likes them. He said they fit pretty nicely and do a good job blocking out external noise from the kit, which is awesome for practice. But his main issue is that they’re a bit lacking in low-end. “Usually, my kick drum has way more thumpy presence when I was my in-ear monitors, but with these, it’s just not there.”

This is my experience as well, and while, they miss the mark in the low-end, they make up for it in isolation for studio settings. For general practice, I’d go with in-ear monitors, like the Drumeo earDRUMS.

When I owned my first pair Vic Firth isolation headphones when I was first learning drums, I never thought the sound quality was that great. The newer version has improved the quality of sound a bit, but it’s still not incredible sounding.

The Vic Firth headphones do a fantastic job isolating drums while providing a clear sound to hear both a mix of music and drums when recording. Despite only being rated at 20 decibels of reduction, the Vic Firth headphones managed to isolate far better than most of the other headphones on the list.

I think it has something to do with how the headphones make contact with your ears and your head. For some reason, there’s just a tighter seal allowing less sound to intrude your ears.

As I stated earlier I do like using in-ear monitors far more, and comfort is one of the many reasons why. With any set of headphones, there usually will be some fatigue on the part of your ears and head.

These headphones put a kind of pressure on my ears and head. It can really be a major annoyance when trying to practice the drums. But that’s me—and my big head.

These isolation headphones are a winner in my book and I believe that they are the best and value quality of anything on the list. They aren’t too expensive for what you get. If you’re just going to be using headphones for practice purposes this is the way to go.

And sometimes, they isolate too much. When I practice, sometimes I’ll slide one ear cup slightly off one ear to let a little sound in. I can hear a lot more high-end from the cymbals and it’s a nifty trick for a more satisfying practice experience.

Vic Firth also sells a similar model that has Bluetooth compatibility.

What Retailer to Buy From?

3) Direct Sound EX-29 Plus (Best Under $200)

I originally had the EX-29s in our roundup, but the EX-29 Plus isolation headphones perform far better, in comfort, sound, and isolation.

Specs

• Isolation: 36.7dB passive attenuation
• Drivers: TruSound V.2 drivers offer a flatter, more reliable frequency response
• Impedance: 32 ohms
• Sensitivity: 114dB @ 1kHz 1mW
• Input power: 1000mW
• Weight: 11.5 ounces
• Cables: 8′ premium detachable cable with 3.5mm plug and 1/4″ screw-on adapter

I’ve had my Direct Sound EX-29s isolation headphones since 2010 and they still work fantastic. Their newer model, the EX-29 Plus boasts a massive 36.7dB of noise reduction. They come in two colors: Midnight Black and Cool White.

They haven’t fixed my biggest issue with the EX-29s however: the earcup shape. These don’t isolate properly on my head, but tons of drummers love using these, so I can’t deny there’s a lot of love for these cans.

One of the great benefits of the EX-29 Plus is, in fact, the sound quality. They are not going to be top-of-the-line headphones when it comes to sound, but they are far superior to most of the isolation headphones that are marketed towards drummers. Similarly to other headphones on the list, the high-end is not as bright as you would expect.

While these isolation headphones are a little bit pricier, it is most certainly worth it. They’re not the greatest sounding headphones in the world, but they are far superior to CAD and Vic Firth and a step down from the GK UltraPhones.

What Retailer to Buy From?

4) KAT Percussion Isolation Headphones (Budget Pick for Acoustic Drums)

The KAT Percussion Ultra isolation headphones are similar to the Vic Firth pair, but featuring a whopping 26dB of passive isolation—more isolation here for the money.

The sound quality is not the greatest. To my ears it’s a bit tinny-sounding. That kind of lo-fi type sound that really doesn’t have a full mix feeling to it. It almost sounds like you’re listening to an old radio. But they’re mid-range heavy, and that’s really want you want for tracking.

Now if your goal is to reduce outside noise coming into your ears while still maintaining a clear presence of your sound, say if you have drum mics in a mixing board setup like I have, these will work perfectly.

Of the headphones for acoustic drummers we’ve listed, the KAT pair has the best affordability to isolation ratio of them all.

I felt they were a bit uncomfortable. After wearing them for about an hour, it felt like the sides of my head were being clamped by a vise. This is another glaring issue that many of these types of headphones face (at least for me).

If you’re just playing for a short half-hour, these might be perfect for you. However, for those of us who want a great solution for sound, comfortability, sound, price, and other factors, these may not win.

KAT Percussion’s isolation headphones are perfect for beginners who want to protect their ears while jamming to music or recording in the studio. While they’re not the top of the line drumming headphones, I do think that they are a good value for the price point.

What Retailer to Buy From?

5) Behringer DH100 (Cheapest Isolation Headphones for Acoustic Drums)

The Behringer DH100s are the cheapest isolation headphones for drummers I could find. They aren’t as quiet as the KAT Percussion cans, but are nearly half the price. They’ve received predominantly positive reviews from users at Sweetwater.

One great thing about these headphones is that they have a closed back, which blocks out 19dB of noise naturally. You’ll be able to hear your drums slightly when wearing these, so these might be a good option if you like to have a little bit of your drums naturally in your headphones.

These headphones have 40-millimeter neodymium drivers that are tuned to make a strong and clear sound. The low-end is questionable. They sound very mid-range heavy and the high-end is pretty smooth.

They’re designed for extended use, so you can wear them for hours on end without discomfort. The DH100 headphones also fold up neatly and can be stored in the included carrying pouch.

What Retailer to Buy From?

6) Beyerdynamic DT 770 (Best Overall for Electronic Drums)

There are two options from Beyerdynamic that you can choose from—the 770s and 770Ms. The 770Ms work great for acoustic drummers because the headphones are noise canceling. The other model that they sell is not much different in all honesty, but doesn’t isolate as well (use these for electronic drums).

The DT 770 almost resembles earmuffs like I had mentioned using earlier. They are an over-the-ear monitor headphone that is all black in design. The pair is marketed towards both drummers and even sound engineers.

From an overall design standpoint the set of headphones looks really nice very sleek and well-built. A major downside is the cost, of course. On the inner portion of the headphones you’ll notice a gray cloth that’s very soft to the touch: a nice feature.

Being at this set of headphones is a closed-back set, you’re going to really notice the increased quality in the sound of the music you’re listening to.

What I really like most about the design is how comfortable they are after long periods of time.

One of the major issues with many isolation headphones is the fact that they become uncomfortable even only after, say an hour. As I already said the sound is amazing. The bass sounds great, albeit a little over hyped.

Other headphones in this price range, like the Audio Technica M50x, are flatter in terms of the frequency response. If you’re not mixing music and are just playing drums, I think you’ll like these a lot more. This set of headphones is also far more comfortable than the M50x.

What Retailer to Buy From?

7) Roland VMH-D1 (Best for Electronic Drums Under $200)

The new Roland VMH-D1s are perfect for electronic drummers. They’re the best sounding cans I’ve used with my TD-50K-S drum set. They have tight, punchy bass response, a warm mid-range, and a smooth top end, ideal for making cymbals sound silky.

These headphones also have a bit of isolation, dampening the sound of our sticks hitting the pads. It’s not recommended to use these with an acoustic drum set, as they don’t isolate as much as the GK Ultra Phones. Read our full review of the VMH-D1s here.

What Retailer to Buy From?

8) Alesis DRP100 Isolation Headphones (Budget Pick for Electronic Drums)

Despite looking like a set of isolation headphones that would work great with acoustic drums, the DRP100s are not rated, tested, or certified to a minimum noise reduction level—at least, not anywhere that I could find.

Being that these are very cheap headphones, the sound is pretty dull. Don’t expect to be blown away when you first put these on. The sound isn’t the only issue with these isolation headphones either.

A majority of users on the internet have reported that one of the two speakers will stop working after just a few months.

Shoddy wiring and poor build quality are probably two of the reasons why this pair of headphones is so cheap. Of course, if you’re handy, you can easily re-solder the wire that connects a faulty speaker.

The unit we tested back in 2019 had zero issues, and still works great to this day, but it seems you’re going to be taking a gamble when ordering. That said, the majority of reviews I’ve read are positive.

The headphones are relatively comfortable. I really do like the way that they look and they feel pretty good when you’re wearing them. You can easily play your kit for hours with minimal fatigue.

While I might not be the intended demographic to purchase these, they are a decent pair of headphones for a beginner player. The only thing that really worries me, though, is the fact that so many people have had issues with the speakers cutting out after only a little use.

What Retailer to Buy From?

Other isolation headphones worth considering

• 3M WorkTunes
• Koss QZ-99
• Walker’s Razor Slim Earmuffs

Conclusion

That is our Roundup list of headphones for drummers! I think there’s a lot in this list that we looked at, but there’s still more we can hope for in the future.

A company will eventually have to come along that offers an incredible set of headphones that isolates far better than any we’ve listed here.

Now, I haven’t seen any other isolation headphones worth talking about other than the ones we’ve mentioned here, but maybe I’ve just missed them. Please let me know if you have a set of headphones that you think should be on this list that I missed. Thanks for reading! Cheers.