If you want a two-channel USB setup for recording, podcasting, or streaming while also getting headphones in the bundle, choose M-Audio M-Track Duo; if you need dedicated closed-back headphones for focused listening, choose Turnstile Audio Passenger Series TAPH500. For TV watching, I would choose the Turnstile headphones when blocking out surrounding sound matters more than having a recording interface.
M-Audio M-Track Duo vs Turnstile Audio Passenger Series TAPH500 at a Glance
• M-Audio M-Track Duo’s biggest strength: two combo inputs for microphones, line-level sources, or instruments, plus bundled headphones. Trade-off: it is a recording interface and headphone bundle, not a dedicated closed-back headphone design.
• Turnstile Audio Passenger Series TAPH500’s biggest strength: over-ear, closed-back headphones with a detachable cable and a 1/4-inch adapter. Trade-off: it is a headphone-only product, with no recording interface or microphone inputs.
• Choose M-Audio if you want to record two sources, connect microphones or instruments to a computer, or start a podcast or stream.
• Choose Turnstile Audio if your main goal is wired, over-ear listening with sound isolation, including watching TV in a room where you want less outside noise.
• For sports TV: Turnstile is the more directly relevant headphone choice; M-Audio makes more sense if the TV-listening setup is part of a broader recording or streaming workspace.
M-Audio M-Track Duo is for someone who needs a way to connect audio sources to a Mac or PC, not just a pair of headphones. Its two combo XLR, line, and instrument inputs let it accommodate microphones, instruments, and line-level sources. Phantom power is available for compatible microphones, and the interface supports audio resolution up to 48 kHz. For a new podcaster, musician, or streamer, the appeal is having the key connections for two input channels in one compact USB unit.
The bundle also includes HDH40 over-ear headphones with a closed-back design. Their 40 mm drivers, 32-ohm impedance, and 95 dB sensitivity are listed as specifications; the headphones have a fixed 2.7-meter cable and a 1/4-inch adapter for connecting to pro audio equipment. A USB/Direct switch on the interface supports direct monitoring, which is useful when you want to hear an input without relying on computer monitoring. The 1/4-inch headphone output and stereo 1/4-inch outputs give the setup a clear monitoring path.
I would consider this package if you are building a basic recording, podcasting, or streaming station and need both an interface and headphones. It is less suitable if your only goal is to put on headphones for television. The interface’s recording connections may be unnecessary for that job, and the listed features do not establish that the bundled headphones provide the same explicit isolation emphasis as the Turnstile pair. In short, M-Audio’s strength is the complete creator-oriented setup, not being a dedicated TV headphone solution.
Turnstile Audio Passenger Series TAPH500 is a straightforward choice for someone seeking wired headphones rather than recording hardware. It has 50 mm dynamic drivers and a stated frequency response of 10 Hz to 36 kHz. Its over-ear, closed-back design is intended to reduce outside noise and sound leakage. For TV watching, that design is a practical match if you want to focus on a game, show, or film without as much surrounding sound competing for attention.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-19 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
I would choose the TAPH500 when the need is focused listening and isolation, rather than recording two sources or connecting microphones to a computer. It is the more direct fit for someone searching for open ear earbuds for TV watching only in the sense that they want personal listening; however, it is not an open-ear design or earbuds. It is an over-ear, closed-back wired headphone. That distinction matters: anyone specifically seeking an open-ear fit should not mistake this product for one.
• Best for recording two sources at once → M-Audio M-Track Duo. Its two combo inputs accept microphone, line, or instrument signals, giving it a role beyond listening.
• Best for podcasting or streaming with a computer → M-Audio M-Track Duo. It connects by USB to Mac or PC and includes a direct-monitoring switch.
• Best for focused TV listening with closed-back headphones → Turnstile Audio Passenger Series TAPH500. Its over-ear, closed-back design is specifically described as reducing outside noise and sound leakage.
• Best for someone who already owns an audio interface → Turnstile Audio Passenger Series TAPH500. It supplies headphones and a detachable cable, rather than duplicating recording inputs you may already have.
• Best for microphone flexibility → M-Audio M-Track Duo. Two combo inputs and phantom power make it the relevant option for connecting compatible microphones.
• Best for a wired headphone connection with a removable cable → Turnstile Audio Passenger Series TAPH500. It has a detachable cable, a 3.5 mm plug, and a 1/4-inch adapter.
• Best for a single bundle that includes an interface and headphones → M-Audio M-Track Duo. The package combines an interface with HDH40 headphones, although the headphone specifications and design differ from the TAPH500.
• Best sports earbuds for TV watching? Neither is an earbud. The TAPH500 is the more direct option for isolated personal listening, while M-Audio is a better fit if audio recording or streaming is part of the setup.
• Best spatial audio headband headphones for TV watching? Neither product is described that way. These are not spatial-audio headband headphones; choose between them based on whether you need closed-back wired listening or a recording interface.
The distinction is especially important if you are shopping from a specific format in mind. The TAPH500 is a wired over-ear headphone, not a wireless TV headset, and the supplied information does not describe a dedicated TV transmitter or spatial-audio processing. M-Audio’s package is also wired in practical terms: the interface connects by USB, and the included headphones have a fixed cable. Neither product should be treated as a feature-for-feature substitute for a purpose-built wireless TV system.
For watching sports, the TAPH500’s closed-back construction is the clearest advantage if the problem is hearing the commentary while other sounds are present in the room. But the available specifications do not establish wireless operation, a television-specific connection method, or a special speech-enhancement mode. You will need to confirm that your TV or audio source supports a compatible wired connection, directly or through appropriate equipment. The M-Track Duo may be useful in a creator setup where a computer handles the audio, but its two input channels are not a TV-listening feature by themselves.
M-Audio’s direct monitoring feature deserves a different kind of attention. It is intended to help monitor audio inputs, making the interface useful when you are speaking into a microphone, playing an instrument, or recording a source. That does not make the bundled headphones automatically the better choice for watching television. The product’s main advantage is that it gives a creator multiple connections and monitoring options in one package.
The Turnstile headphones keep the choice simpler: connect them to a compatible device and listen. Their 3.5 mm plug and included 1/4-inch adapter are useful details for matching different headphone connections, and the detachable cable is a practical distinction from the M-Audio bundle’s fixed headphone cable. Still, the product information does not specify an exact cable length, so I would not assume it will reach comfortably from every television to every seat.
I would buy the Turnstile Audio Passenger Series TAPH500 for TV watching because its over-ear, closed-back design is the more direct fit for focused personal listening and reduced outside noise. That is my opinion based on the stated design, not a claim that it has TV-specific wireless or spatial-audio features.
I would choose M-Audio instead if I needed to record microphones or instruments, podcast, or stream through a computer. Its two inputs and monitoring controls are meaningful strengths, but they solve a different problem. For a dedicated wired headphone choice, Turnstile is the clearer match.
FAQ
For focused listening, I would pick the TAPH500 because it is an over-ear, closed-back headphone designed to reduce outside noise and sound leakage. The M-Audio package is more useful when you also need an interface for recording or streaming.
Yes. It has two combo inputs for microphone, line-level, and instrument sources, phantom power, and a USB connection for Mac or PC. Its direct-monitoring switch and headphone output are also relevant to a recording setup.
No. They are wired, over-ear, closed-back headphones, not earbuds and not an open-ear design. Their listed connection is a 3.5 mm plug, with a 1/4-inch adapter included.
If you need an audio interface for two input sources, the M-Audio M-Track Duo may fill a gap that headphones alone cannot. If you already own recording equipment and simply want dedicated closed-back wired headphones, the TAPH500 is the more focused option. For current product pricing, check the latest price on Amazon.
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