If you have ever been to a concert, there is a good possibility that you have seen all your fellow drummers wearing headphones while they play. Many experienced drummers here would, without a doubt, agree that wearing headphones while drumming is significant.
However, as a novice to the drumming world, you might not know anything about which headphones for drummers would perform best and why do you need them in the first place. If that’s the case, here is a detailed guide for you.
Top 7 Best Drumming Headphones Available
We couldn’t decide which one could be the best pair of headphones for a drummer like you, so here are some top picks for you to choose anyone:
Best For Isolation – Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro
These DT pro, 80 ohms wired headphones have been a favorite of professional drummers and technicians due to their high imprudence. This classic studio headphones set provides a clear sound with a full resolution that makes it different from other headphones of the company’s excellent range.
Using DT 770 in the studio was one of the best experiences of our life since it restricts every background noise and provides the best quality sound with impressive volume. These closed dynamic studio headphones have the ability to isolate you from the outer world by providing you high-frequency clear sound.
These Beyerdynamic DT 770 headphones are best for professionals because they are easy and comfortable to wear for more extended periods – thanks to their soft and changeable ear pads. The very spacious sound quality of this product makes it a perfect choice for you to use in professional sound recording and monitoring.
People who have used this product believe it is better than other headphones because of the excellent sound quality and a detachable band that is featured on this pair.
Pros:
- Help listen to the recordings analytically
- Provide transparent and high-resolution sound
Cons:
- Bass performance is not impressive
- Has warm leather ear pads
Best Noise Canceling Headphones For Drummers: Audio Technica M550x
Unlike any other product of Audio Technica, these M50x headphones contain two detachable wires, with one being a straight cable and another one, coiled. For studio recording purposes, these Audio Technica headphones are one of the best products we’ve come across because this pair provides exceptional sound clarity and excellent sound isolation.
The on-point bass response of these headphones is perfect for one-ear monitoring. You can use this headphones’ pair for hours without feeling any irritation because of the professional-grade headbands and soft ear pads that make this set more durable and comfortable to use.
This product of M. series line has been praised by many professional drummers and expert audio recorders because of its extended frequency range, isolating ear cups, and impressive sound quality. According to most of the users, Audio Technica M50x has become their favorite due to its imprudence and robust construction.
But on the other hand, there are a few users who have complained about its low-quality ear pads, which we can’t say to have felt at all.
Pros:
- Lightweight headphones
- Provide both wired and wireless mode
- Long-lasting
Cons:
- Need lithium batteries to work
- Sound quality different in wired and wireless mode
- Earpads start wearing out very early
Vic Firth Stereo Isolation
Overall this is probably one of the best isolation headphones for drummers, and is a great overall choice! These headphones can reduce the sound distraction to 25db, providing an isolated environment to record and listen to music at an innocuous volume level. The excellent quality ear pads and upgraded headband helps you to enjoy music with high quality of sound and zilch distraction.
Several professional drummers have tried Vic Firth Stereo isolation headphones, and in their response, the 20Hz frequency response of these headphones works best for studio recordings and band practicing. One drawback that users have found in this product is that it can get broken easily.
Pros:
- Offers 20Hz frequency response
- Contain upgraded headband
Cons:
- Extremely delicate
- Provides only wireless mode
- Contains low-priced ear protectors.
Studio Headphones For Drummers: Direct Sound EX-29
It will be interesting for you to know that Direct Sound EX-29 dynamic closed headphones consist of the gold plated adapter and stereo jack. The 29 decibels many response capacities of this product gives extreme isolation to expert drummers for recording their music without any hindrance.
One feature that I find interesting in these headphones is the full foldable headband, which means you can easily store these headphones anywhere. The 40 mm significant drivers in the ear pads provide a loud and transparent sound.
Keeping in mind the extended listening and recording sessions of drummers, these headphones are made up of expensive material that is exceptionally light in weight. Because of the gold plated adapter and jack these headphones are resistant to corrosion.
The passive isolation featured in this product allows you to listen to the pure music while avoiding all the interruptions of the outer world.
Pros:
- Suppress noise
- Adjustable headband
- Large drivers for clear sound
Cons:
- Low-quality plastic
- No labelling of left and right side
KAT Percussion Isolation
These KAT percussion isolation headphones are specially designed to give the drummers their own musical space because, with these headphones, you can avoid loud background noise. If you are looking for headphones that help you practice your music sessions with full concentration, these headphones are the best option because they can cancel out all the external sound distractions.
While using these, you can critically listen to music recordings as we do in our studios. These headphones are incredibly comfortable as they contain soft foam ear cushions that enable you to wear them for extended studio sessions without any fatigue.
One great feature of these headphones is its adjustable headband, so using this feature, you can easily adjust the headband according to the size of your head. The drummer who has used these headphones praise the product because its capacity to reduce noise by 26db actually helps them to hear the sound of drums clearly.
In contrast to this, few users say that these headphones are fabulous in terms of sound isolation and comfortableness, but it lacks good sound quality.
Pros:
- Does not require any battery
- Durable and light in weight
- Reduce external noise
Cons:
- Not so good sound quality
- Low bass performance
Best Headphones for Electronic Drums
Have a modern drum? Here are our suggestions for headphones for drummers who like playing electronic drums (thestepkidsband.com/best-electronic-drum-set/) better.
Roland RH-300V
More like a regular pair of headphones for drumming with a jack, these headphones have gotten positive responses from the professionals who have used them because they believe this product works perfectly for sound isolation.
Making high frequency sound from outside bearable for drummer in ears, this pair features a soft head strap and fits almost everyone well. The gold plated mini plug with a long cord also eases the use of these
Pros:
- Blocks unwanted sound distractions
- Made for dynamic range sounds
Cons:
- Gold plating fades after a few days of use
- Very plastic-like feels
Sony MDR7506
The makers of this Neodymium magnet drivers-containing headphones claim that this product is advanced than their other headphones as it provides hearing protection along with excellent sound quality.
These headphones have significant drivers in their ear pads that perfectly conveys high and low notes of the sound. While using these headphones, you will be able to listen to the powerful low ends of music more clearly than listening from any random headset. The frequency response of this set is 10 Hz to 20 KHz.
Pros:
- Comfortable to wear for prolonged periods
- Sturdy body
Cons:
- Non-detachable cord
- No wireless functionality in such a price
Alesis DRP100
This one is a clear winner of this list because it has been made to cater to the needs of electronic drummers and allows for a precisely accurate electronic drum monitoring. The ear-covering design provides ultra isolation while keeping your comfort at the forefront.
This one is a part of many llc associates program ratings but we’ve been suggesting it to many of our friends for all the right reasons.
Pros:
- Sweat-proof
- Powerful noise isolation
Cons:
- Loss of sound after some time
- Headband develops kinks after sometime
Why Do Drummers Wear Headphones?
The chances are that despite being such a pro drummer, whether you play that acoustic or electronic drum set, or a drummer who himself wears headphones, you are not entirely aware of the usage of a pair of headphones for drummers.
Commonly, we simply center around one advantage of something while disregarding various others.
Therefore, given below is a detail of some fantastic reasons explaining why a drummer wears headphones during drumming.
- To reduce the risk of damaging eardrums
The risks of hearing loss faced by proficient drummers were brought to the front line in a recent report by the Percussive Arts Society. It was revealed that tinnitus, a noise-induced hearing loss, was experienced by 57% of the total pro.
Drummers. Almost all of us are exposed to an elevated level of music in our professional setting that causes severe damage to the eardrums. For that reason, drummers wear a good pair of headphones that block external sounds and protect their hearing capacity at the same time.
- To be in sync with the rest of the band
Pro. Drummers are usually far away from other different performers only because to make the music progressively powerful. However, as a result, one drummer is unable to sync with his other performers.
A good pair of headphones enables pro and group drummers like those to produce music that is in sync and is well coordinated with the tune of other artists’ instruments.
- To hear one’s music and not the noise of the crowd there
As a drummer, things can get very boisterous during concerts because of the huge crowd. You probably won’t have the option to hear your music because everyone else is so pumped up and screaming with the jam.
Subsequently, you require a pair of headphones so that to block external sound and increase focus on the one being produced by you so that you are in sync with your mates and can simultaneously play the music calmly and easily.
- To concentrate on the recordings
A decent pair of headphones assists you with playing music as per the recordings that have been made by you or someone already. It helps you and your band to perform at your best and give an awe-inspiring experience to the audience.
- Listen to onstage guidelines and instructions
Passing in directions is a huge as well as a difficult task when you have a noisy audience in front of you. Hence, a good pair of headphones act like a hero here. It encourages you to tune in to the guidelines and instructions which bolster you to play your music viably.
- To produce beats exactly in time
It is fundamental for the musicians to keep in sync with the beats. Sometimes you might need to create music followed by different performers and instruments in front of the audience. A good quality headphone assists you in creating the right music at the right time in sync with the beats of the performers and other instruments.
These headphones allow you to focus on the music being produced, so you play your part right at the time without a nanosecond’s delay.
- To examine the tune
A decent pair of headphones assist you to examine the tune. Now and again, it might so occur, that the tune played by the other artist probably won’t be according to the one chosen beforehand. Subsequently, earphones support you with monitoring the tune, and to make changes to your own’s appropriately.
What Are The Best Ear Drum Protection For Drummers?
It is true that long term exposure to loud and noisy sounds can damage your ears. Over 57% of long-term drummers have experienced tinnitus, a noise-induced hearing loss. Some sorts of hearing losses can never be easily avoided.
However, it may not be too late to fix the problem in your case if you are new to drumming. There are a number of ways you can protect your ears while playing with the drums and can, hence, prevent hearing loss.
Given below are a couple of tactics to try that can protect one of your most significant senses, and every drummer like you should know about them.
1- Ear Plugs:
Wearing earplugs can act as a shield for those who are repeatedly exposed to sounds above 85 dB. Hardcore drumming is usually above this noise level and can cause a permanent hearing loss if earplugs are not restored to.
These plugs come in a wide variety and with some specific plug options that are better and comfortable for drummers. Some of them include the following:
- Foam earplugs
As the name indicates, the foam that comes added to these plugs makes them more effective as it can reduce the external volume by 20 – 33 dB by the time it reaches your eardrum. Such plugs aren’t only affordable but also easily available.
- Triple flang earplugs
These plugs are in a flang shape and can reduce the volume by 12 – 29 dB. These plugs are reusable, go easy in your ears, and may have a filter that can hinder certain specific frequencies.
- Custom molded earplugs
You can get these made to perfectly fit your ear canals and get higher frequencies cut out easily . Custom plugs can be costly but are always worth it because of the comfortable fit the come with.
- Ear muffs
Upgraded earmuffs can hinder the noise too. These are easy to carry because of their small size and at the same time very convenient to use.
- Drummers Noise Cancellation Headphones
This is the ultimate protection option that comes with a number of benefits. Noise cancellation headphones can end your relentless struggles between focusing on what’s coming through the earphones and the external sounds.
These headphones allow drummers like you to keep the volume of your music or podcasting down and still be able to focus on it by blocking out the background noise. This makes them the safest and the first form of ear protection. Noise-canceling earphones use battery-controlled technology that produces sound waves to counterbalance the outside noise.
The ability of such headphones to block ambient noise is both attractive and what makes them reliable. Such headphones are also usually impressive in the quality and range of sound reproduction.
They offer top-quality sound and numerous customization choices that allow you to take advantage of the experience. The adaptability offered by quality headphones lets you be in control of how and when you use them, which led us to appreciate the advantages they offer without having any negative impacts on drumming’s quality.
How Can I Listen To Music While Playing The Drums?
The following are the listed solutions that can help you listen to music while drumming.
- You can wear the isolation headphones that block the external noise along with foam earplugs. This also protects your ears more as your focus on the sound. It is a cheaper way, but it may seem weird to some.
- You can use custom-fitted in-ear monitor headphones with isolation headphones attached to their top. This is quite a costly but a way better solution.
- Industrial noise protection ear muffs and earbuds act as supporting equipment that lets you focus on the music more. The industrial ear muffs stop the external sound better than the isolation headphones. Moreover, earbuds provide you with impressive quality without having you spend a lot of money.
As a drummer who wants to achieve big, you should practice in a soundproof area where you feel free and focused. Playing along the sound being played in your ears without getting your eardrums poked with the volume’s intensity is hard. However, it is one of those most important things that determine your success as a drummer in the long run.
