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Updated: 2026-10-04 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want open-back reference headphones that reveal every flaw in a mix for critical studio and office listening sessions, choose Amazon Renewed beyerdynamic DT 1990; if you need a complete 12-channel mixer bundle with a USB-C interface, Bluetooth, effects, XLR cables and a closed-back monitoring pair, choose Mackie ProFX12v3+.
• Amazon Renewed beyerdynamic DT 1990 — biggest strength: true open-back reference-class tuning with 45 mm Tesla drivers, 250 ohms, and a 5 Hz–40 kHz range, which is exactly what mixing and mastering work wants.
• Amazon Renewed beyerdynamic DT 1990 — biggest trade-off: it is a single pair of wired headphones with no interface, no mixer, no cables beyond its own, no mic preamps, and no Bluetooth audio path.
• Mackie ProFX12v3+ — biggest strength: it is a whole small studio in one box — 12 channels, 7 mic preamps, a 2-in/4-out USB-C interface, Bluetooth, onboard effects, four XLR cables and a closed-back monitoring headphone pair.
• Mackie ProFX12v3+ — biggest trade-off: the bundled headphones are closed-back monitoring cans, not open-back reference headphones, so they flatter and isolate rather than expose detail the way the DT 1990 does.
• Pick the Amazon Renewed beyerdynamic DT 1990 if your job is judging a mix and you already have an interface or headphone amp.
• Pick the Mackie ProFX12v3+ if you are building a recording or podcast setup from scratch and need the whole signal chain.
This is a pair of open studio reference headphones, made in Germany, built around 45 mm dynamic Tesla neodymium drivers running at 250 ohms. The frequency response runs from 5 Hz to 40,000 Hz with a nominal sound pressure level of 102 dBSPL. It is over-ear, circumaural, round-eared and black, with a single-sided detachable cable using mini-XLR connectors.
For mixing, the important part is the open-back, reference-class design. Open-back headphones let air move behind the driver, which typically produces a wider, less boxed-in presentation and a more honest picture of what is happening in a mix. The 250-ohm impedance also tells you something practical: these are not the headphones you plug straight into a phone and expect to drive well. They want a real headphone amp or an interface with a decent headphone output.
The comfort story matters for long sessions too. The ear pads and headband are soft and replaceable, which is what you want when you are wearing them for hours at a desk. The whole package is 1.5 pounds, so it is substantial without being punishing. As a Certified Refurbished item, it is tested and certified to look and work like new, ships with all relevant accessories, and carries a minimum 90-day warranty — and it may arrive in a generic box.
Who should buy it: anyone whose priority is hearing their mix accurately in a home studio or a quiet office, who already owns an audio interface or headphone amp, and who values replaceable wear parts. Who should skip it: anyone who needs a microphone input, a mixer, monitoring that blocks outside noise, or a wireless path — this is a wired, open, reference-first tool and nothing else.
The Mackie ProFX12v3+ is a 12-channel mixer sold here as a bundle, and the bundle is the point. You get the mixer itself with 7 mic preamps, a 2-in/4-out USB-C audio interface, Bluetooth connectivity and built-in effects. Alongside it come four 6 ft XLR balanced shielded mic cables and a pair of closed-back studio mixing headphones with 40 mm neodymium magnet drivers.
Think about what that combination unlocks. Seven mic preamps means you can track a drum kit, a small band, or a multi-person podcast without daisy-chaining anything. The USB-C interface at 2-in/4-out means the mixer doubles as your computer's audio front end for recording and playback. Bluetooth is there for playing reference tracks or backing audio from a phone without hunting for a cable. The built-in effects cover the usual live and tracking conveniences so you are not patching in outboard gear on day one.
The included closed-back headphones with 40 mm neodymium drivers are a monitoring tool. Closed-back designs block some outside sound and keep the sound in, which is what you want while tracking vocals or playing live, and it is also genuinely useful in a shared office where you do not want your mix bleeding out of open cups. The four XLR cables are 6 ft, balanced and shielded, chosen for solid conductivity and minimal signal loss.
Who should buy it: musicians, podcasters, streamers, DJs and audio engineers who need a working rig — inputs, preamps, an interface, cables and a monitoring pair — in one purchase. Who should skip it: someone who already owns an interface and cables and only wants the most revealing pair of mixing headphones possible, because you would be paying for a mixer you do not need and getting closed-back monitoring cans instead of open-back reference ones.
• Best for accurate mix decisions → Amazon Renewed beyerdynamic DT 1990. Open-back reference tuning with a 5 Hz–40 kHz range is built for judging a mix, not flattering it.
• Best for building a full setup from nothing → Mackie ProFX12v3+. Mixer, USB-C interface, cables and headphones in one bundle.
• Best for recording multiple microphones at once → Mackie ProFX12v3+. 7 mic preamps across 12 channels.
• Best for quiet, isolated listening in a shared office → Mackie ProFX12v3+. The included closed-back headphones keep sound in and outside noise out.
• Best for long critical listening sessions → Amazon Renewed beyerdynamic DT 1990. Soft, replaceable ear pads and headband, and a light 1.5 lb build.
• Best for wireless convenience → Mackie ProFX12v3+. Bluetooth connectivity is built into the mixer.
• Best if you already own an interface or headphone amp → Amazon Renewed beyerdynamic DT 1990. You supply the amplification the 250-ohm load wants.
• Best as a gift or starter kit for a podcaster → Mackie ProFX12v3+. Everything needed to get a signal into a computer is in the box.
• Best for replacing worn parts instead of whole headphones → Amazon Renewed beyerdynamic DT 1990. Pads and headband are user-replaceable.
For mixing headphones specifically, I would buy the Amazon Renewed beyerdynamic DT 1990. In my opinion, the open-back reference design, the 45 mm Tesla drivers and the 5 Hz–40 kHz range are the right tool for the one job this page is about — hearing what is actually in your mix, whether that is a home studio or a quiet office desk. The 250-ohm load means you need proper amplification, so factor that in. I would only steer you to the Mackie ProFX12v3+ if your real problem is that you have no mixer, no interface and no cables yet; it solves that bigger problem well, but its bundled headphones are closed-back monitoring cans, not reference headphones.
FAQ
How to connect studio headphones
How to test studio headphones
Play material you know extremely well and listen for whether you can hear problems rather than pleasantness. The DT 1990's open-back reference design and 5 Hz–40 kHz response are aimed at exposing detail; the Mackie bundle's closed-back 40 mm drivers are aimed at monitoring while tracking. Neither approach is wrong — they answer different questions.
Can you mix with just headphones
Yes, and that is exactly what the DT 1990 is built for: open studio reference class headphones for mixing and mastering. What you cannot skip is a decent headphone output, because 250 ohms is a demanding load. If you also need to record, the Mackie ProFX12v3+ gives you the mic preamps, USB-C interface and cables to capture the tracks you are mixing.
How to bluetooth studio headphones
The DT 1990 is a wired headphone, so there is no Bluetooth audio path on the headphones themselves. In the Mackie bundle, Bluetooth lives in the ProFX12v3+ mixer, not in the headphones — you pair a phone or tablet to the mixer and monitor through the wired closed-back headphones plugged into it.
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