Black Friday studio headphone deals 2024: The biggest studio headphone savings from across the internet
Grab yourself big savings on Focal, Beyerdynamic, Shure, AKG and more this Black Friday
1. Quick links
2. Editor's picks
3. FAQ
4. Shopping tips
Black Friday no longer takes place on a single day, with many retailers launching sales that occupy the second half of November - and this year is no different. So whether you're looking to upgrade your cans to something more professional, you're seeking the best budget studio headphones to get you started, or you're just curious to see what offers are available this year, you've come to the right place.
There are many official Black Friday deals already alive and kicking, from up to 80% off at Sweetwater and up to 50% off at Guitar Center - which includes plenty of offers on a slew of studio headphones. For UK readers, Thomann has launched its early Cyber Week deals as a teaser for its biggest sale of the year, which we predict will launch very soon.
Keep scrolling for quick links to all the best Black Friday studio headphone sales that are currently live, as well as a handpicked selection of cans from the expert writing team here at MusicRadar.
Black Friday studio headphone deals: Quick links
Amazon: Black Friday headphone deals
Sweetwater: Up to 80% off headphones
Guitar Center: Up to 50% on fresh cans
Musician's Friend: Up to 50% off sale
Andertons: Upgrade your studio for less
Gear 4 Music: Bargain price headphones
PMT: Shop discounted cans
Thomann: Early Cyber Week deals
Black Friday studio headphone deals: Editor’s Picks
Black Friday has started for many major retailers and there are some great deals to take advantage of that are available right now. We've listed a selection of our favourites here for you and will continue to update this page so check back regularly!
Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO: Was $169, now $149
Whilst it may not seem like a massive discount, the truth is it's not often beyerdynamic headphones come up with huge reductions, because they're so highly regarded musicians are happy to buy at full price. The DT 770 Pro are closed-back cans that are perfect for a wide variety of studio tasks. They're a bit of a legend in the recording world, and you'll find them in studios all over the world.
Shure SRH840A: Was $149, now $127
The Shure SRH840A does a brilliant job as monitoring cans for studio work. They’re closed back so provide great isolation for drummers and vocalists alike during tracking and we’ve found them really comfortable for long sessions laying down endless guitar takes. The cable is nice and long which makes it useful for a variety of situations and the sound is clear and articulate enough to give a great picture of whatever you're tracking.
Sennheiser HD 650: was $499, now $399
If you want reference-quality headphones for your mixes, the Sennheiser HD 650 is a top choice. The sound quality of these cans is phenomenal, so you’ll hear every fine detail of your mix like never before. They’ve got a massive $100 discount over at Sweetwater in their early Black Friday sale at the moment and we love the comfortable oval-shaped ear pads. Although there’s a slight sub-bass roll-off, we found it gives a lovely and balanced sound for mixing with.
Black Friday studio headphone deals: FAQ
When do Black Friday deals start?
For 2024, the Black Friday headphone deals will officially arrive on Friday, November 29 - the day after Thanksgiving and slightly more than a month before Christmas. As usual, the deals will extend across that weekend (also known as Cyber Weekend) before the Cyber Monday music deals finish the event with a bang on Monday, the 2nd of December.
Now, we've covered Black Friday for long enough to know that many of the best Black Friday headphone deals will emerge in the weeks leading up to the big day, some as early as mid-October - and better yet, many deals stick around well after the event and into December.
If you're using Black Friday to save money on Christmas gifts, our guide to the best Christmas gifts for musicians is great for inspiration.
What Black Friday headphone deals should I expect?
We’ll be keeping a close eye on the big music retailers throughout October and November, scouring the internet for the very best Black Friday headphone deals we can find.
Based on last year's evidence, the Thomann Black Friday sale, Guitar Center Black Friday sale, Sweetwater Black Friday sale, and Musician's Friend Black Friday sale are the places to go if you are looking for a tasty deal on a new pair of headphones for the studio or IEMs. Every year we see stellar discounts applied to all categories of headphones, from dedicated mixing headphones to cheaper models for tracking.
The Amazon and Walmart Black Friday sales will be massive as always, too. Here you'll be able to pick up everything from cheap wireless headphones and Amazon Echo devices to top music gear – we’ll be bringing you the best deals we can find across these events.
Are headphones cheaper on Black Friday?
You're definitely likely to see the best prices for headphones around the Black Friday weekend. Due to it becoming such a big sales event, retailers will often save their best deals for Cyber Weekend as they know people will be shopping for Christmas at that time.
Each year we see loads of discounts on great studio headphones whether it's the cheaper AKG K52s, or something more boutique and expensive like the ever popular Sennheiser HD650s.
How much should I pay for good headphones?
The answer to this question, as is the case with a lot of music gear, is that you should pay however much you can afford. Studio headphones can get pretty expensive at their peak with some cans costing well over $1000/£1000. Expensive headphones will sound incredible, but there are definitely diminishing returns when you start getting to that price point.
If you're after great value for money something in the $200-400 range will offer a lot of bang for your buck. At this price point, you can get something similar to what actual professionals use in their own studios which will do a great job as headphones for mixing.
Because studio headphones need to be as articulate and neutral as possible, there aren't loads of great options below $100/£100. Headphones in this price range tend to be more readily used for tracking purposes, but in a pinch, you can use them to mix.
How to prepare for this year's Black Friday studio headphone deals
1. Create a wishlist early - There are going to be so many deals flying around on the Black Friday weekend that it can be hard to stay focused. By creating a wishlist before the sale arrives you can prevent getting distracted by the overload of bargains.
2. Work out what you actually need - Have a look at your current gear collection and see where the gaps are. Maybe your main mixing headphones have seen better days, or perhaps you need something inexpensive and durable to track with. Whichever it is make sure you get something that will add to your arsenal.
3. Consider your music-making goals - Whether you want to get a better grasp on the low end of your tracks or you need a reference pair to compare mixes against, it's good to have one eye on your music-making goals for the next year before you pull the trigger.
4. Make some room - We're all guilty of hoarding gear, so making room for more is always a good idea. As well as freeing up space on the desk of your home studio, it can also free up funds to purchase a better set of headphones. If you've not used something for a while, chances are it's no longer useful to you, so getting rid could be the best option.
How we choose the best Black Friday studio headphone deals
We're all music makers here at MusicRadar, whether it's solo EDM projects or full-on rock bands, so we know a thing or two about a good pair of studio headphones. We've all owned many a set of cans over the years from closed and open-back, to in-ear monitors.
To make sure you get the best deals we'll never recommend something that we wouldn't use ourselves, and the majority of our recommendations are based on first-hand experience. To make the cut here, the product has to be genuinely useful, and the deal has to be a good saving too.
Why you can trust our choices
We cover studio headphone deals year-round, not just on Black Friday. By keeping a close eye on the major music retailers throughout the year, we maintain an excellent overview of prices, which enables us to tell you whether a deal is good or too good to be true.
It's our job to research gear for our buyer’s guides and reviews, but we also focus on sales throughout the year. We covered Amazon's Prime Day sale, which featured a nice $50.70 discount on the ever-present Audio-Technica ATH M50X, as well as the Musician's Friend Memorial Day sale, which saw the AKG K52's down to just $19.99.
Last year's Black Friday studio headphone deals
Focal headphones: Up to $1,000 off
Focal headphones have got some significant discounts over at Sweetwater at the moment, including our personal favourites the Focal Listen Professional, which are currently sitting at the top of our best studio headphones guide. Focal cans are great value for money, and they're one of the biggest names in studio monitoring too, so any of these sets comes with a serious pedigree.
AKG K271 MKII: was $279, now $199
Amongst the most comfortable cans we've ever used, the AKG K271 MKII studio headphones have got a tasty $80 reduction over at Sweetwater. The soundstage is huge when you put them on, and we especially loved the incredibly clear sound reproduction in the midrange.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x: Was $189, now $144
One of the most popular pairs of mixing headphones around, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x mixes affordability with excellent quality. At Sweetwater this special edition 'Deep Sea Blue' pair has a fantastic $45 reduction, making them even better value for money than usual.
Westone Mach series IEMs: up to $480 off
The Mach series are professional in-ear monitors from Westone Audio that are designed to cater for use both on and off the stage. In last year's Black Friday sale, Sweetwater had a plethora of IEM deals with savings of up to $480 for the Mach 80s which were priced at $1,119.99, down from $1,599.99.
Audio Technica headphones: up to 46% off
AT's ubiquitous cans took a big hit in the price department at Amazon in last year's Black Friday sale, with the M20xBT wireless headphones seeing 25% off and the M40x down to just $95, a massive 46% off the regular price.
Focal Clear MG and Listen Pro: up to $250 off
Last year's Black Friday sale saw a great opportunity to save big on French high-fidelity brand Focal headphones at Sweetwater. Two models were on offer with $250 off the Clear MG, open-back reference monitor headphones and $50 off the Listen Pro closed-back reference monitor headphones.
Zildjian at Recording Week 2024: Zildjian ALCHEM-E Perfect Tune Headphones pair to the Zildjian app to create a truly personalised listening experience - customised for your hearing - so you never miss a note.
Focal’s Lensys Professional are the new big siblings to one of our favourite sets of studio headphones
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I take care of the reviews on MusicRadar and Future Music magazine, though can sometimes be spotted in front of a camera talking little sense in the presence of real musicians. For the past 30 years, I have been unable to decide on which instrument to master, so haven't bothered. Currently, a lover of all things high-gain in the guitar stakes and never one to resist churning out sub-standard funky breaks, the likes of which you'll never hear.
- Matt McCrackenJunior Deals Writer
- Ben RogersonDeputy Editor
- Chris Barnes
- Daryl RobertsonSenior Deals Writer
Zildjian at Recording Week 2024: Zildjian ALCHEM-E Perfect Tune Headphones pair to the Zildjian app to create a truly personalised listening experience - customised for your hearing - so you never miss a note.
Focal’s Lensys Professional are the new big siblings to one of our favourite sets of studio headphones