Guitar headphones have improved so much that guitarists can experience the same quietness that piano players experienced when they discovered digital pianos. If only they had headphones like this back then!
Here are the best headphones for peaceful guitar practice and recording sessions.
Best Headphones For Guitar Amp
1. Boss Waza-Air Wireless
The Boss Waza-Air headphones are exactly this type of product. It’s as if they’ve suddenly and unexpectedly arrived from the future and changed our lives forever.
The idea is simple: modeling technology in a pair of cans. But the execution is even better.
If this thing looks like a giant chunk of tech growing out of your head, it’s not the same.
Fortunately, these headphones are relatively sleek and lightweight, and in a retro post-modern, faux-Japanese way, they look good.
To be honest, they look like simple square headphones with shiny steel details. The folks at Boss clearly know their stuff when it comes to miniaturization.
Power up the Waza-Airs, and you’ll have access to five great-sounding amplifiers derived from the Katana stage amp series, plus over 50 effects from the Boss Tone Studio app.
They’re also completely wireless. Just plug the neat transmitter into your guitar’s output jack and you’re free to rock and roll. We’re sold out, but we haven’t even gotten to the really clever part yet.
The Waza-Airs also feature a gyroscope that takes spatial technology and your playing experience to the next level.
When playing guitar through a standard amp, a big part of the adventure depends on where the amp is positioned in the room.
Most of the time, it’ll be behind you or in front of you, but it can be anywhere in a 360-degree circle. These headphones replicate that, allowing you to place a virtual amp wherever you want.
Amazingly, you can even set the amp to maintain its position no matter where you turn your head.
In other words, if you place the virtual amp near a real room window, it will sound like the amp is next to the window, even if you turn to face the opposite wall. It’s a surreal yet captivating playing experience.
If that’s not enough, you can also play along to songs streamed via Bluetooth. What’s even more impressive is that you can even place this ‘virtual band’ next to your amp and have it play incredibly realistically.
2. Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO
The Beyerdynamic DT 770 headphones are designed for professional studio use and focus on delivering high-resolution sound quality.
This makes them perfect for mixing tracks and fully experiencing the nuances of guitar sounds.
Made in Germany, they are durable and long-lasting. The audio definition is excellent, and the clear and detailed high frequencies and powerful lows will satisfy bass lovers.
These Beyerdynamic headphones stand out with their spacious and clear sound.
The cable is fixed and is 3m long, which is more than enough for musicians. It is tangle-free and comes with a 3.5mm gold-plated stereo jack plug and a 6.35mm adapter.
The soft velour ear pads are comfortable and replaceable. The large ear cups sit comfortably on your ears, providing excellent wearing comfort.
The headphones come with a convenient carry bag for easy transportation.
The DT770 Pro headphones produce a clear and distortion-free sound, even at high volumes. They are perfect for those who value the soundstage, providing an immersive listening experience.
As a rock music fan, I enjoyed listening to my favorite tracks with these headphones. These headphones offer great value and are a great addition to any music lover’s collection.
The only downside is that the design could be a bit more refined, but that doesn’t affect the fantastic sound quality.
3. AKG K240
If you’re looking for a pair of affordable cans that you can throw in your backpack or throw into the practice room, the AKG K240 is a great choice.
Simple yet effective, they are generally priced well under $/£100 and are a great value.
Not all the best guitar amp headphones are created equal when it comes to comfort. Some are so tight that they can put pressure on your ears over time, taking the musician’s focus off what’s most important.
Where the AKG K240 Studio shines is with its self-adjusting headband system that sits comfortably on almost any head size and stays in place easily.
Offering a frequency response of 15Hz to 25kHz, these headphones cover the guitar sound perfectly compared to other models made for studio use and cost almost nothing.
They are designed primarily with mixing in mind, so there are a few extra features, but they are a great pair of headphones to use when listening to your favorite albums.
4. Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
These headphones are probably the best studio headphones for guitarists. They boast an impressive frequency response of 15Hz to 28kHz.
This is great because you can fully appreciate the tone and various tonal characteristics of your guitar when using the built-in effects provided by modern and vintage amps.
So the reason these headphones have such an impressive frequency response is because AT has used 45mm drivers with rare earth neodymium magnets in the design.
If you have read other reviews and articles, you know that I am not a fan of exaggerated frequency response. However, these headphones are tuned for a flat response and are very accurate throughout the entire range.
I used these headphones when setting up my guitar for a session and had to focus on getting the right sound with a full band playing around me.
The contoured design around the ears is amazing for sound isolation. Even when I was 5 feet away from the drummer, I could work on the guitar tone without any distractions.
Guitarists have also raved about these headphones, especially for the great low end when using a 7-string or baritone guitar.
One really cool feature is that it folds up and comes in a nice carrying case with a strap so you can easily take it from home to the studio.d
But if there’s one thing I can complain about, it’s the detachable cable.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten home with headphones that have a detachable cable and realized I had forgotten the cable at the studio. I’m sure I’m not the only one.
5. Focal Listen Professional
Focal is one of those interesting brands that’s a little outside the mainstream. It’s managed to balance what seems like a cult following with a very popular and recently expanded mid-range consumer product line.
The original top-of-the-line ‘Made in France’ series of speakers for audiophiles and studio monitors won numerous awards and the greatest respect, but they also tested the pockets of even the wealthiest.
Ten years ago, when Focal merged with British hi-fi specialist Naim, in an effort to control costs, they began releasing Focal-branded products designed in France but manufactured elsewhere.
The Focal Listen Professional is part of this evolution. Its ticket price is low, and it lacks the ‘Made in France’ sticker, but its quality is anything but understated.
Focal’s goal with the Listen Professional was to maintain dynamics and precise detail across the entire audio spectrum, so they’ve given it a completely new, bespoke driver.
To extend the frequency response in the upper range, the manufacturer suspended each 40mm speaker driver in Mylar and constructed the central dome from a Mylar-titanium alloy.
The result is a driver that is lightweight, robust, and capable of delivering clarity and transparency at very high levels. The bass and sub-bass are also excellent, with little distortion.
The thick, luxurious ear cushions, adorned with claret-colored microfiber cloth, certainly look comfortable, but they were also developed with improved acoustic characteristics in mind.
Focal claims that the microfiber provides a more linear bass response than plastic or leather and that the volume of the cushions has been precisely calculated to achieve greater tonal balance.
6. Sennheiser Professional HD 280 PRO
The Sennheiser HD 280 PRO headphones are an excellent choice for guitarists. These headphones are designed for professional monitoring and are comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
They also effectively block out ambient noise, making them ideal for noisy environments.
The soft ear pads hug your ears to prevent sound leakage. These headphones are ideal for sound engineers, DJs, guitarists, and other professionals who require accurate sound reproduction.
The single-sided cable prevents tangles, making it ideal for use in the studio or during long performances. The foldable and swivel design makes them compact and easy to transport.
Despite weighing 10 ounces, including the cable, the HD280PRO headphones are extremely comfortable. The ear pads are padded and the headband can be adjusted to perfectly fit your head size.
The foldable design makes these headphones easy to store, making them a great choice for musicians on the go.
Also, the impedance is 64 ohms, making it suitable for use with a variety of audio devices, including mobile phones and iPads.
With over 10,000 positive reviews, it’s hard to find anything negative about these headphones.
The Sennheiser HD280PRO is a great choice for anyone seeking high-quality sound without sacrificing comfort or convenience.
Overall, these headphones offer excellent value for money, making them one of the best guitar amp headphones and a great investment for any guitarist.
7. Yamaha YH-WL500
You can’t use wireless headphones via Bluetooth when playing electric guitar. This is due to the latency introduced by Bluetooth, which is around 20-40ms by Bluetooth 5 standards. The Yamaha YH-WL500 reduces this to just 4ms.
When I reviewed the YH-WL500, I was incredibly impressed with its wireless performance.
Plug the dock end into your guitar amp, and the wireless headphones use proprietary technology to reduce latency to an unnoticeable level.
They work great and are the first truly wireless headphones I’ve encountered that are geared toward musicians.
The soundstage is excellent, and you can really hear the ultra-wide stereo reverb and delay through them.
The cups are also really comfortable, although I found the headband to dig a little into my head over long periods of use. But it’s a small price to pay to be able to walk around the house with your guitar.
8. Vox AC30
The Vox AC30 is a great headphone designed for guitar practice. It’s modeled after the famous Vox AC30 Tweed amp that the Beatles made famous.
The best part is that these headphones are easy to use. You don’t have to plug them into anything else to get the sound. Just plug your guitar directly into the headphones.
You can also add some effects, just like the Boss Waza-Air. There are three classic options to choose from: chorus, delay, and reverb.
One of the advantages of the Vox AC30 is that it runs on AAA batteries instead of Li-ion. This is a huge advantage compared to the Boss Waza-Air.
You can also listen to your favorite songs with these headphones. Just plug your phone or other device into the port on the cup.
However, you will hear some background noise if you use the auxiliary port. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s something to keep in mind.
I personally think that Bluetooth is much better in terms of sound quality. Have you ever tried playing music from your iPhone through the old auxiliary input in your car? It’s hard.
So the fact that these headphones use the auxiliary port is a bit outdated in my opinion.
Overall, the sound quality of the Vox AC30 is fine but not amazing. That said, if you’re looking for convenience on the go, these are the headphones for you.
9. Boss Waza-Air
Featuring five unique amp types from the Katana amp series, including voicings for bass guitar and acoustics, and 50 custom effects via Boss’ Tone Studio smartphone app, you can’t go wrong with the Waza-Air system.
Advanced spatial technology and an integrated gyro sensor claim to deliver a true ‘amp-in-room’ experience that will impress even the most meticulous tone hound.
We’ve seen the proof. The 3D ambience is delivered via custom-designed 50mm drivers with virtually zero latency.
Other incentives include the versatile 2-way design that allows you to fold your phone and the built-in rechargeable battery that provides 5 hours of uninterrupted playback.
This kind of clever thinking from Boss has made them a clear pioneer in this industry.
FAQs
Can I plug headphones into my guitar amp?
Absolutely. If you have a modeling amp or solid-state amp, it will most likely come with a dedicated headphone output that you can plug in and ignore your main speakers.
Some tube amps have a headphone output, but most don’t because of the way they work. If you have a tube amp and want to play with headphones, look into a tube amp attenuator with a headphone output.
How do I connect my Bluetooth headphones to my guitar amp?
To use your Bluetooth headphones with your guitar amp, you’ll need a Bluetooth transmitter.
Many Bluetooth headphones come with a dedicated receiver, but not all do, so you’ll need to check the specs on your chosen cans to see if they have this feature.
Once you’ve connected the receiver to your guitar amp’s headphone output, simply pair them as per the standard procedure.
Once connected, you’ll be able to enjoy the freedom of wireless headphones while playing your guitar.
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