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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-23 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• JLab Studio on-Ear — biggest strength: 40mm neodymium drivers with C3 Sound in a lightweight, foldable on-ear design built for all-day comfort and travel.
• JLab Studio on-Ear — biggest trade-off: It's a wired 3.5mm headphone only. No XLR input, no phantom power, no monitoring outputs. It plays audio, it doesn't record it.
• M-AUDIO M-Track Solo USB — biggest strength: A full USB audio interface with an XLR/line combo input, phantom power, instrument input, and 48 kHz resolution, bundled with closed-back HDH40 studio headphones.
• M-AUDIO M-Track Solo USB — biggest trade-off: It's a system, not a grab-and-go pair of headphones. It needs a computer and a DAW to be useful, and the headphones are part of a larger recording chain.
• Who JLab is for: Listeners who want comfortable, foldable, wired headphones for commuting, desk work, and casual music.
• Who M-AUDIO is for: Podcasters, home recordists, and streamers who need to capture vocals or instruments and monitor them accurately.
The JLab Studio on-Ear is a straightforward pair of wired headphones, and that simplicity is the point. It runs on a 3.5mm jack with a braided-nylon cable and an in-line mic, so it plugs into a phone, laptop, or controller and just works. The 40mm neodymium drivers and JLab's C3 (Crystal Clear Clarity) tuning are designed to keep highs, mids, and bass balanced rather than pushed to one extreme, and the 20Hz–20kHz frequency range covers the full audible spectrum you'd expect from a general-listening headphone.
Comfort is where the design does its heavy lifting. The faux leather cushions are lined with cloud foam and sit on the ear rather than around it, and the on-ear shape keeps the whole thing feather-light. The earcups rotate up to 80 degrees and fold down into something you can hold in one palm, which makes them easy to toss in a bag. There's a fabric carrying case included, plus metal and plastic construction that should hold up to daily handling, and JLab backs the whole thing with a 2-year warranty.
Media controls live on the side of the earcup, so you can pause, skip tracks, and take calls without pulling out your phone. The 90-degree jack is a nice touch for phones in pockets and cases that get in the way of a straight plug.
M-AUDIO M-Track Solo USB: Who It's For
The M-AUDIO M-Track Solo USB is a two-part package: a compact USB audio interface and a pair of M-Audio HDH40 closed-back over-ear studio headphones. The interface is the core of it. It connects over USB to Windows or macOS and delivers 48 kHz audio resolution, which is the standard sample rate for podcasting, streaming, and general home recording.
The input section is what separates it from a plain headphone. There's one combo XLR/line input with phantom power — that's what lets you run a condenser microphone — and one switchable line/instrument input for a guitar, keyboard, or other gear. Two channels total. The Crystal Preamp is designed to keep microphone signals clean and transparent, and if you've ever recorded a condenser mic into a laptop's headphone jack, you already know why a real preamp matters.
Monitoring is handled with a 1/8" headphone output and stereo RCA outputs, plus a USB/Direct switch for zero-latency monitoring. That last part is the practical win: you hear yourself in real time instead of fighting a delayed signal while you perform. The included HDH40 headphones use 40mm neodymium dynamic drivers and a closed-back design, which is the right call for tracking — closed backs keep sound in and outside noise out, so nothing bleeds into your mic and you can hear the mix clearly.
The HDH40's rotatable frame, telescopic arms, and padded headband are built for long sessions, not a quick commute.
Who should buy it? Podcasters, singer-songwriters, streamers, and anyone building a first home studio who needs to plug in a mic and a guitar and hear both. Who should skip it? People who just want headphones for their phone. This setup needs a computer and recording software to do anything at all, and the interface is the reason you'd buy it — not the headphones alone.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for recording vocals or instruments → M-AUDIO M-Track Solo USB. The combo XLR input with phantom power and the instrument input are the whole reason it exists.
• Best for zero-latency monitoring while you perform → M-AUDIO M-Track Solo USB. The USB/Direct switch is designed specifically for that problem.
• Best for all-day comfort on the ear → JLab Studio on-Ear. Cloud foam cushions and a feather-light on-ear build are tuned for extended casual wear.
• Best for isolating yourself while tracking → M-AUDIO M-Track Solo USB. Closed-back HDH40 headphones keep sound contained and outside noise down.
• Best for taking calls and controlling tracks on the go → JLab Studio on-Ear. The in-line mic and earcup media controls handle it directly.
• Best for a first home studio on a computer → M-AUDIO M-Track Solo USB. 48 kHz over USB with DAW compatibility on Windows and macOS covers the basics.
• Best if you own no recording gear and want the simplest path to music → JLab Studio on-Ear. Plug in, press play, done.
In my opinion, most people searching for headphones should buy the JLab Studio on-Ear. It does the one job headphones have — comfortable, wired, foldable listening with a 2-year warranty — without asking you to own a computer setup to use it.
But if your actual goal is recording, streaming, or building a home studio, the JLab can't help you at all. In that case I'd buy the M-AUDIO M-Track Solo USB, because the interface is the product: XLR input, phantom power, instrument input, and zero-latency monitoring give you a complete capture-and-listen chain in one box.
Decide which of those two problems you actually have, and the choice makes itself. If price is part of your decision, check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page.
FAQ
how do over ear headphones work
are studio headphones worth it
If you record or mix, yes. The HDH40's closed-back design and 40mm drivers are tuned for accurate monitoring, and pairing them with the M-Track Solo's zero-latency monitoring means you hear what you're actually recording. If you only listen casually, the JLab Studio on-Ear covers that need for less.
what headphones do professional studios use
Studios generally rely on closed-back headphones for tracking and open or over-ear models for reference listening. The M-Audio HDH40 in this bundle follows that closed-back studio-monitoring approach with 40mm neodymium drivers, rotatable frame, and padded headband for long sessions.
how to wear over ear headphones
Slide the headband over your head so the cushions sit around — not on — your ears, then adjust the telescopic arms on the HDH40 for a snug fit. The JLab Studio on-Ear is the on-ear counterpart: its cushions rest against your ears rather than around them.
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