1. Quick links
2. Editor's picks
3. FAQ
4. Shopping tips
Black Friday is now over, but don't worry, the headphone deals are still live! 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 that are still alive and kicking, from up to 70% 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 continues its Cyber Week sale, which includes up to 70% off big-name brands. These sales are ending soon, though, so quick if you want to grab a bargain.
Keep scrolling for quick links to all the best Black Friday studio headphone sales that are live right now, 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 70% off headphones
Guitar Center: Up to 50% on fresh cans
Musician's Friend: Up to 60% off sale
Andertons: Upgrade your studio for less
Gear 4 Music: Bargain price headphones
PMT: Shop discounted cans
Thomann: Cyber Week deals
Black Friday studio headphone deals: Editor’s Picks
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.
