We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-28 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a complete recording and monitoring setup in one box — an interface plus a pair of closed-back headphones to plug straight into it — choose M-Audio M-Track Duo; if you need a serious pair of closed-back studio headphones on their own, with a detachable cable and metal build, choose Audio-Technica(オーディオテクニカ） ATH-M60XA.
• M-Audio M-Track Duo, biggest strength: it's two products in one bundle — a USB audio interface with dual combo XLR/Line/Instrument inputs and phantom power, plus a pair of closed-back over-ear HDH40 headphones to monitor with.
• M-Audio M-Track Duo, biggest trade-off: the bundled headphones are a monitoring accessory, not the main event — the frame rotates 180 degrees and the cable is fixed at 2.7 m, so there's no detachable-cable convenience and no metal-component build story.
• Audio-Technica(オーディオテクニカ） ATH-M60XA, biggest strength: a purpose-built closed-back headphone with 45 mm dynamic drivers, premium memory foam pads, key metal components and three detachable cables in the box.
• Audio-Technica(オーディオテクニカ） ATH-M60XA, biggest trade-off: it's headphones only. You still need an interface or some other source to plug them into, and it's an on-ear/low-profile fit rather than a big over-ear cup.
• Who each pick is for: the M-Track Duo is for the person starting from zero who needs to record and listen; the ATH-M60XA is for the person who already has a signal chain and just wants better isolation and durability on their ears.
The M-Track Duo is a USB audio interface first and a headphone bundle second. On the interface side you get two combo XLR/Line/Instrument inputs with phantom power, so condenser mics, dynamic mics, guitars, basses, digital pianos and drum machines all have a home. It runs at 48 kHz resolution over USB and is bus-powered, which means one cable to your Mac or PC and you're live. There's a 1/4" headphone output plus stereo 1/4" outputs, and a USB/Direct switch for zero-latency monitoring while you track. The Crystal Preamps are the part that matters most for vocals — they're designed to keep the signal clean and transparent across a range of microphones.
Then there's the second half of the package: the HDH40 over-ear headphones with a closed-back design, 40 mm neodymium dynamic drivers, 32Ω impedance and 95 dB sensitivity. That low impedance figure is the practical one — it means the headphones are easy to drive from the interface's headphone output, from a phone, or from a tablet, without needing a separate amp. The frame rotates 180 degrees, the arms are stainless steel telescopic with a scale, and the headband is flexible with leather cushioning. The cable is 2.7 m and fixed, and there's a ¼-inch adapter for mixers, interfaces and digital pianos.
In my opinion, this is the pick for the songwriter, podcaster or streamer who is buying their first real rig and wants to be recording the same day. Two inputs is enough for a mic and a guitar at once, or a stereo keyboard. Phantom power means you're not locked out of condenser mics later. And the included headphones mean you don't have to make a second decision before you can hear yourself.
Audio-Technica(オーディオテクニカ） ATH-M60XA: Who It's For
The ATH-M60XA is a low-profile, closed-back, on-ear headphone built for isolation. Closed-back means the cups seal around your ears rather than letting sound leak in and out, which is exactly what you want when you're tracking vocals in the same room as a mic, monitoring in a noisy space, or just trying not to bleed your click track into a live take. The design uses key metal components, and that's the durability argument here — metal in the places that take stress, rather than an all-plastic frame.
The numbers are sensible for studio work. The driver is 45 mm, impedance is 38Ω, sensitivity is 102 dB, and the frequency range is listed as 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz with a 15 Hz frequency response figure. That 38Ω impedance is the important one for buyers: low-impedance headphones like these will reach a healthy output level from essentially any headphone jack — an interface, a mixer, a laptop, a phone — without a dedicated amplifier. If you've ever plugged a high-impedance pair into a weak output and wondered why everything sounded thin, this is the spec that avoids that problem.
Comfort and cabling are where this model earns its keep over time. The earpads and headband use premium memory foam, which is the difference between a session that lasts and one you cut short. And the cable situation is genuinely flexible: the box includes a 1.2 m – 3.0 m coiled cable, a 3.0 m straight cable and a 1.2 m straight cable, all detachable. Detachable matters more than people expect — a cable is the first thing to fail on any headphone, and being able to swap it instead of retiring the whole pair is a long-term ownership win. The connection is a 3.5 mm jack over a wired connection, with media controls on the cable.
So who is this for? The mixer, editor, producer or instrumentalist who already has an interface, a mixer or a keyboard and wants headphones that isolate well, sit light on the head, and survive being carried around. The 200 g weight and on-ear fit suit long sessions. Who should skip it? Anyone starting completely from scratch with nothing to plug into — there's no interface in this box. And if you specifically want a full over-ear cup that swallows your ears rather than sitting on them, note that this is a low-profile on-ear design, so the fit philosophy is different by intention. As always, check the current price on Amazon — this one is a single item, not a bundle, so you're comparing it against the headphones you might already own.
• Best for a first recording setup → M-Audio M-Track Duo. Two combo inputs, phantom power, 48 kHz USB recording and monitoring headphones, all in one purchase.
• Best for isolation while tracking → Audio-Technica(オーディオテクニカ） ATH-M60XA. A closed-back, on-ear design built specifically for isolation and fit.
• Best for plugging into anything → Audio-Technica(オーディオテクニカ） ATH-M60XA. 38Ω impedance and 102 dB sensitivity mean high output from any headphone jack.
• Best for cable longevity → Audio-Technica(オーディオテクニカ） ATH-M60XA. Three detachable cables included; the M-Track Duo's bundled headphones use a fixed 2.7 m cable.
• Best for durability story → Audio-Technica(オーディオテクニカ） ATH-M60XA. Key metal components versus the M-Track Duo's stainless steel telescopic arms on the bundled pair.
• Best for a mic plus an instrument at once → M-Audio M-Track Duo. Two XLR/Line/Instrument combo inputs with a line/instrument switch for DI guitar or bass.
• Best for zero-latency monitoring while recording → M-Audio M-Track Duo. The USB/Direct switch is there for exactly that.
• Best for someone who already owns an interface → Audio-Technica(オーディオテクニカ） ATH-M60XA. You're paying for headphones only, which is the right call if the interface half would be redundant.
For most people reading this comparison, I'd buy the M-Audio M-Track Duo — not because it's the better headphone, but because it's the better starting point. If you have nothing, an interface with phantom power, two inputs and a pair of closed-back monitoring headphones gets you recording the same afternoon, and the 32Ω HDH40s are easy to drive from the interface itself. I'd pick the ATH-M60XA instead if you already have a way to plug in. In my opinion that's the better long-term headphone: detachable cables, metal components, memory foam, and a low-impedance design that flatters every output it touches. Buy the bundle to start; buy the M60XA to upgrade.
what are closed back studio headphones
Closed-back studio headphones have sealed earcups that block sound from passing in or out. That makes them the right choice for recording vocals or monitoring in a room with other noise, because they isolate and they don't bleed into a microphone. Both products here involve closed-back designs: the M-Track Duo ships with closed-back HDH40 headphones, and the ATH-M60XA is a closed-back model itself.
what is closed back studio headphones
It's the same idea stated another way: a headphone whose cups enclose the driver and seal against your head. The ATH-M60XA is described as a low-profile, closed-back, on-ear design that provides excellent isolation and fit — that isolation is the whole point of the closed-back approach for studio work.
what are the best closed back studio headphones
I don't hand out absolutes, since "best" depends on what you're plugging into. In my opinion, if you want a closed-back pair built for durability and long sessions, the ATH-M60XA is the stronger pick here: 45 mm dynamic drivers, 38Ω impedance, memory foam pads and three detachable cables. If you want closed-back headphones bundled with the interface that drives them, the M-Track Duo's package makes more sense.
what is open back studio headphones
Open-back headphones have vented cups that let air and sound move through the housing, which typically trades isolation for a more spacious presentation. Neither product on this page is open-back — the ATH-M60XA is explicitly closed-back, and the M-Track Duo's included HDH40 headphones are closed-back as well. If isolation matters to you, that's the category you want to stay in.
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