How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a single rugged broadcast headset built around professional recording headphones with a boom mic for live on-air work, choose Audio Technica BPHS2C; if you need a complete home-studio recording bundle with an audio interface, a condenser mic, monitor headphones and recording software, choose Steinberg Recording Pack.
• Audio Technica BPHS2C — biggest strength: a closed-back, on-ear broadcast headset with proprietary 45 mm large-aperture drivers and a cardioid condenser boom microphone, all in one wearable unit.
• Audio Technica BPHS2C — biggest trade-off: it is a headset only, so it expects you to already own the mixing console, interface or broadcast gear it plugs into.
• Steinberg Recording Pack — biggest strength: a full 24-bit/192 kHz recording chain in one box — IXO22 interface, ST-M01 condenser mic, ST-H01 monitor headphones plus Cubase AI, Cubasis LE and WaveLab LE.
• Steinberg Recording Pack — biggest trade-off: it is a studio kit, not a wearable headset, so it is not the tool for hands-free broadcast work.
• Who each pick is for: the BPHS2C suits broadcasters, streamers and commentators who talk and listen at the same time; the Steinberg pack suits singer-songwriters, podcasters and producers building a studio from scratch.
The BPHS2C is a broadcast stereo headset first and a pair of headphones second. Its low-profile, closed-back, on-ear design is based on the ATH-M60x professional monitor headphones, and it carries the same 45 mm large-aperture drivers with rare earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils. That lineage matters: it tells you the listening half of this headset was designed for monitoring, not for casual music. Closed-back, on-ear cups with memory foam ear pads give you sound isolation, so you hear your own feed clearly even when the room around you is loud.
The other half is the microphone. It is a cardioid condenser with a frequency response tailored for clear, articulate vocal reproduction, mounted on a rigid boom with a flexible gooseneck so you can set it and it stays put. The boom swivels so the mic can sit on your left or right side — genuinely useful if you have a preferred side or a specific desk layout. Connectivity is wired: a detachable 3.3 m (10.8') cable runs to a TA6F connector at the headset, then splits to a 3-pin XLRM-type connector for the mic and a 6.3 mm (1/4") connector for the headphones. A screw-on 6.3 mm adapter, three windscreens, a cable clip and a pouch are included.
In my opinion, this is the right headset if your job is talking into a mic while listening to a mix or a director's feed — news, sports, commentary, live streaming. Skip it if you need to record vocals into a computer, because there is no interface, no software and no XLR-to-USB path in the box.
The Steinberg Recording Pack is a starter studio, not a headset. At its center is the IXO22, a 24-bit/192 kHz USB 2.0 audio interface with 2 x 2 analog I/O, two combo inputs with Class A mic preamps and phantom power, a mute button and one Hi-Z input for a guitar or bass. It offers latency-free hardware monitoring and a separate headphone output, and because it has two inputs it also lets you pick between mono and stereo direct monitoring. There is even a Loopback function that merges your mic or instrument with playback from your DAW for live online broadcasts.
Around that interface, the pack bundles the ST-M01 studio condenser microphone with a low-noise mic cable, and the ST-H01 studio monitor headphones. On the software side you get Cubase AI, Cubasis LE and WaveLab LE, with cross-platform support for Windows, macOS and iOS — the interface switches to Class Compliant mode on iOS devices, which makes an iPhone or iPad a viable mobile recording rig.
Who should buy it: anyone starting a home studio who needs the whole chain — mic, preamp, monitoring and recording software — in one purchase. Singer-songwriters, podcasters, voiceover beginners and producers tracking acoustic instruments will all find the pieces they need. Who should skip it: anyone who needs a hands-free broadcast headset, because nothing in this pack mounts a mic on your head.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for building a studio from zero → Steinberg Recording Pack. Interface, mic, headphones and software are all included.
• Best for recording vocals or acoustic instruments → Steinberg Recording Pack. The IXO22's Class A preamps with phantom power feed the ST-M01 condenser mic.
• Best for loud, distracting environments → Audio Technica BPHS2C. Closed-back, on-ear isolation with memory foam pads is the whole point of its design.
• Best for guitar or bass tracking → Steinberg Recording Pack. The IXO22 includes a dedicated Hi-Z input.
• Best for live streaming a performance → Steinberg Recording Pack. The interface's Loopback function merges mic and playback for online broadcast.
• Best for mobility on iOS → Steinberg Recording Pack. Class Compliant mode plus Cubasis LE turns a phone or tablet into a recorder.
• Best for plugging into existing pro gear → Audio Technica BPHS2C. Its XLR mic output and 6.3 mm headphone output are made for consoles and interfaces you already own.
In my opinion, most people searching this comparison are trying to build a recording setup, and for them the Steinberg Recording Pack is the smarter single purchase — it is the only one of the two that actually lets you record something the day it arrives, with an interface, a condenser mic, monitor headphones and Cubase AI all included. I would only pick the Audio Technica BPHS2C if broadcast is the job: if you talk for a living and need a rugged headset with a cardioid condenser boom mic and real isolation, nothing in the Steinberg box replaces that. Decide what you do at the desk — talk or record — and the choice makes itself.
what are studio pro headphones
Studio pro headphones are monitoring headphones designed for critical listening rather than casual music — closed-back models like the BPHS2C's ATH-M60x-based design isolate you from the room, while the Steinberg pack's ST-H01 headphones are bundled for monitoring your recordings through the IXO22's headphone output.
what headphones do professional studios use
Professional studios typically use closed-back monitor headphones for tracking and isolation. The BPHS2C is built on the ATH-M60x professional monitor platform with 45 mm large-aperture drivers, and the Steinberg Recording Pack ships with its own ST-H01 studio monitor headphones.
Yes. The BPHS2C is wired and ends in a 3-pin XLRM-type connector for the mic and a 6.3 mm (1/4") connector for the headphones, so it needs a console or interface with those inputs — it does not connect over USB like the IXO22 in the Steinberg pack.
Partly. The IXO22's Loopback function merges your mic with playback software for live online broadcasts, but the pack has no headset, so you would add your own headphones and mic stand rather than wearing one integrated unit like the BPHS2C.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: Audio-Technica ATH-M20x vs Sonitum Kids Headphones Bulk, LyxJam 2×2 vs Turnstile Audio TAPH100: Recording Studio, Mackie CR3.5 vs Audio-Technica ATH-M20x: Studio Monitor