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If you want a complete music-production toolkit that also hands you a pair of closed-back monitoring headphones and a USB hub in the same box, choose Image Line FL Studio 20; if you need dedicated closed-back studio monitoring headphones built around 50mm drivers and memory foam comfort, choose Turnstile Audio TAPH700. These two products get compared because both promise "studio" sound, but they are not really the same kind of purchase at all. One is a DAW bundle. The other is a pair of headphones. Below I break down who each one actually fits.
• Image Line FL Studio 20 — biggest strength: it is a full music-production environment, with multi-track audio recording, MIDI piano-roll editing, and over 80 plugins covering instruments and effects, so you can write, arrange and mix in one place.
• Image Line FL Studio 20 — biggest trade-off: it is software-first. The closed-back monitoring headphones in the box are a bundled extra, not the main event, and you still need a computer, plus the time to learn a deep production tool.
• Turnstile Audio TAPH700 — biggest strength: purpose-built closed-back monitoring headphones with 50mm drivers, memory foam leather earpads, an adjustable headband, and a 32-ohm impedance that plays nicely with laptops, tablets and phones without extra amplification.
• Turnstile Audio TAPH700 — biggest trade-off: headphones alone don't make music. There is no recording software, no instruments, no plugins here — just the monitoring side of the job.
• Who FL Studio 20 is for: the producer, beatmaker or songwriter who needs the whole studio in software and is happy to get headphones thrown in.
• Who the TAPH700 is for: anyone who already has a DAW (or records into a camera, interface or phone) and needs reliable closed-back monitoring for tracking, editing and everyday listening.
FL Studio 20 Producer Edition is, at its core, a digital audio workstation — a place to record, sequence and mix. The headline capability is multi-track audio recording alongside MIDI piano-roll editing, and the piano roll here has a long-standing reputation as one of the most capable in the business. It is used to send note and automation data to plugin instruments, and it ships with a deep set of tools for complex score editing and manipulation. If you write melodies, program drums, or score out parts note by note, that is the engine you'll live in.
The other half of the story is the plugin library. Producer Edition includes more than 80 instrument and effect plugins spanning synthesis, sample playback and manipulation, compression, delay, EQ and filtering, flanging, phasing, chorus, reverb, distortion and bit-crushing. Practically speaking, that means you can shape a track from a raw idea to a finished mix without immediately buying more tools. It runs on both Windows and macOS, connects over USB, and handles two channels of audio input — enough for a straightforward recording setup.
Turnstile Audio TAPH700: Who It's For
The TAPH700 is the opposite kind of purchase: one job, done with specific hardware. It is a closed-back studio monitoring headphone built around 50mm speaker drivers, tuned for clear and accurate reproduction across a wide frequency range. The stated frequency response runs from 8Hz to 36kHz, which covers deep bass through crisp highs — useful when you need to hear what's actually in a mix rather than a flattering version of it.
The closed-back earcup design is the detail that matters most for studio work. Closed-back cups minimize external noise interference, which means two things in practice: you hear less of the room around you, and less of your headphone mix leaks out into a microphone when you're tracking vocals or instruments. That combination is exactly why closed-back headphones are the standard choice for recording sessions. Comfort is handled by soft leather memory foam earpads that conform to the shape of your ear, plus an adjustable headband that fits a range of head sizes and is built to hold up to regular use.
Compatibility is where the TAPH700 is unusually easy to live with. At 32 ohms, it works with laptops, tablets and smartphones without needing a separate headphone amp — so the same pair you use for critical listening at the desk also works on the couch or on the road. Power handling goes up to 1500mW, which means it can take high volume levels without distorting, suiting both studio and field use. In the box you get a coiled cable, a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter for plugging into interfaces and mixers, and a soft carrying case for transport.
Who should buy it? Anyone who already has recording software and needs dependable closed-back monitoring — a vocalist tracking takes, a podcaster editing, a producer checking a mix on a second pair of ears, or someone who simply wants a solid everyday headphone. Who should skip it? If you have no way to record or produce music yet and you're starting from zero, headphones alone won't get you there. You'd be pairing the TAPH700 with a DAW, not replacing one.
• Best for making music from scratch → Image Line FL Studio 20. Recording, sequencing, mixing and over 80 plugins in one package.
• Best for closed-back isolation while tracking → Turnstile Audio TAPH700. The closed-back earcup design is the whole point of the product.
• Best for extended comfort sessions → Turnstile Audio TAPH700. Leather memory foam earpads and an adjustable headband are specified for long listening.
• Best for plug-and-play with everyday devices → Turnstile Audio TAPH700. 32-ohm impedance means laptops, tablets and phones drive it without extra amplification.
• Best for laptop-based studio setups with too few ports → Image Line FL Studio 20. The bundle includes a 4-port USB 3.0 hub.
• Best if you already own a DAW → Turnstile Audio TAPH700. Adding a second production suite makes no sense; adding monitoring does.
• Best if you're starting completely from zero → Image Line FL Studio 20. It gives you the software to actually create, plus headphones and a hub to get going.
• Best for transport and remote work → Turnstile Audio TAPH700. A coiled cable, a 1/4" adapter and a soft carrying case are all included.
If I had to pick one, I would buy the Image Line FL Studio 20 bundle — but only because it does more jobs at once. In my opinion, it's the stronger single purchase for someone who doesn't yet have a way to produce music, since it delivers the DAW, the monitoring headphones and a USB hub together. That said, if you already have software you like and your only gap is a set of closed-back headphones, the Turnstile Audio TAPH700 is the smarter, more focused buy, and I'd recommend it for tracking, editing and daily listening. Match the product to the hole in your setup, and either one earns its place.
what are closed back studio headphones
Closed-back studio headphones have sealed earcups that block outside noise from reaching your ears and keep your audio from leaking out. That isolation makes them the usual choice for recording vocals or instruments, where an open design would bleed sound into the microphone. The Turnstile Audio TAPH700 is a closed-back model built exactly for that role.
what are the best closed back studio headphones
There's no single answer, because "best" depends on your setup and how you'll use them. In my opinion, a good closed-back option should isolate well, stay comfortable for long sessions, and be easy to drive — all things the TAPH700 addresses with its closed-back cups, memory foam earpads and 32-ohm impedance. If you also need production software, the FL Studio 20 bundle covers that side instead.
what is open back studio headphones
Open-back headphones have vented earcups that let air and sound pass through, which typically gives a wider, more spacious sound but almost no isolation and noticeable leakage. They're usually reserved for mixing and critical listening in a quiet room, not for tracking. If you need to record with a microphone in the room, closed-back is the safer pick.
The Turnstile Audio TAPH700. It is dedicated closed-back monitoring hardware with 50mm drivers, a coiled cable, a 1/4" adapter and a carrying case — everything you need to listen and track. The FL Studio 20 bundle only makes sense if you also want the production software and USB hub. Before deciding, check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page.
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