OneOdio Monitor 60 review: quality headphones made for the studio

The Monitor 60 headphones from OneOdio are designed primarily for use in a home studio environment, offering intense bass, strong hi-range sounds, and solid mid-range performance for a reasonable price of just $79 / £83 (currently on sale too!). For professional studio headphones, there might be better options on the market for dedicated audiophiles, but at this price point, you can't ask for much more. 

Launched in October 2021, the OneOdio Monitor 60s are now two years old and have since been overshadowed by the newer OneOdio Monitor 80 open-back headphones, sitting at a higher price of $120.99 / £112 (and with fancier velvet ear pads and a carrying case). But if you're just getting started as someone who works in music and audio production, then the Monitor 60s should be all that you need.

My time with these headphones has proven that even if you're not a DJ or musician, the monitor 60s are still a great bit of kit which are more than capable of handling an array of tasks like gaming, podcasting, video editing, and general immersive music listening. With that said, these studio headphones are best left at home and I wouldn't recommend them for commuting or travelling, or for working out at the gym for that matter (imagine the sweat). 

The chunky and large cushioned cups also might look a little odd and out of place if you're just sitting on the train, and the lack of Bluetooth connectivity or wireless options can be a pain when on the go or out for a run. Take a look at the performance section of this review for a rundown of how these headphones performed in different scenarios such as editing a podcast and playing Spider-Man.

OneOdio Monitor 60 review: Key specs

Design and build

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The OneOdio Monitor 60 studio headphones are incredibly sturdy, and despite the chunky build with large circular cups, are surprisingly lightweight too. The design (excluding the large cups) is actually pretty subtle with the headphones being mostly black, but with a seemingly Japanese-inspired logo on the back of each cup which is definitely a nice touch and adds to the overall aesthetic. The insides of the cups are also marked with L or R to help you wear the headphones correctly. 

The product came packaged in a box with a soft synthetic leather drawstring pouch, the instruction leaflet, and three additional cables. These include a 3.5mm to 3.5mm (1.2m) straight cable with a mic and control button, plus a 3.5mm to 3.5mm (3m) straight cable which OneOdio advises is best for a TV, and the 3.5mm to 6.35mm (3m) coiled cable which is best for heavier duty music equipment. 

One great thing about the sturdy yet flexible build of these headphones is that they can be folded small to fit inside of the included pouch for taking with you on the go. The downside being that sometimes the flippy ear cups would turn themselves inside out when you don't want them to, and switch out of place every time you take them off of your head. While this isn't a huge problem, it could get irritating quickly for a DJ who needs to remove the headphones at regular intervals. 

The Monitor 60 headphones do look very similar to its predecessor, the OneOdio Pro 50 studio headphones, without the red trim, but still in keeping with many of the same design features. As for power, the Monitor 60 takes the cake with an increased frequency range of 20-40,000 Hz, although both models share the same 50mm neodymium driver. These headphones have also received a Hi-res audio verification certificate from Sony, which is a pretty big deal.

Features and performance

I tested the OneOdio Monitor 60 Studio headphones with my two laptops, one being an Asus Vivobook Pro 15, and the other my 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019). I also had the opportunity to try these headphones with my partner's Marshall amp, as well as my Playstation 5 console by connecting them to the DualSense controller.

As for performance, these headphones excel at not only blocking out sound thanks to the super comfortable fit, but can pick out every crisp detail of sound from video footage as well as audio recordings. The Monitor 60s are really given the chance to shine when it comes to separating individual tracks, able to pick up every background sound at a range of frequencies to offer really impressive depth. 

As for gameplay, these headphones were really immersive and it truly felt as if I were in my own world killing clickers while playing The Last of Us. As the Monitor 60s do not have a built-in microphone, you'll need to rely on the provided 3.5mm cable with a mic attached if you want to use them as a headset for party chat. While it would be better to use one of the best gaming headsets instead, this only proves that owning a pair of Monitor 60 headphones has limitless potential for creative multitaskers.

I also had a blast listening to Spotify with these headphones as I love heavier bass, especially when streaming my punk-rock playlists, but it wasn't offputting or too excessive either. My favourite band, The Maine, had never sounded better through these headphones thanks to the solid mid-range frequencies.

It's worth noting that I'm far from being a musician (which is why I got my degree in Music Journalism instead), but I plugged these studio headphones into my partner's Marshall amp and while I can't really comment on the pitching without sounding like I've no clue what I'm talking about, the Smoke on the Water riff that I played sounded pretty great through the Monitor 60s, and the cable was more than long enough too.

Price

The OneOdio Monitor 60 studio headphones were originally priced at $89.99 / £83 at launch, but can now be had for a price of around $79.99 /£74 when bought directly from OneOdio, and likely even cheaper from other retailers like Amazon during upcoming holiday sale events. 

For a pair of entry-level professional studio headphones, this really isn't a bad price in my opinion, and the premium quality is reassuring that these headphones will not only hold their value for a while but will last the test of time too, depending of course on how frequently you plan on using them and how well they are kept. 

Marketed at casual wearers as well as professionals, the countless uses of these headphones make them great value for creatives who dabble in different areas. DJ by night and sound engineer by day? Why buy two sets of headphones when the Monitor 60s are adaptive and capable of handling both jobs. 

Should I buy the OneOdio Monitor 60?

The million-dollar question: should you buy the OneOdio Monitor 60 headphones? For me personally, the audio quality from these headphones was excellent and for everyday listening to music, podcasting, or gaming, they are super comfortable to wear and the sturdy build can withstand a lot – but ultimately, I found that the convenience of wireless headphones is better suited to my lifestyle outside of the house and when commuting to work where I listen to music the most. 

While the Monitor 60s performed exceptionally well in every situation I put them through, if you're looking for state-of-the-art and unmatched-quality headphones for recording your next album, with no margin for error, then it might be a safe bet to opt for a household name and stretch your budget to a more premium product. 

However, OneOdio has been around for over 15 years and knows how to make quality audio products that rival contenders like Sennheiser and Bose, so this brand can be trusted. The Monitor 60s are a great and inexpensive alternative to expensive studio headphones, which can be used in a professional setting and for everyday listening at home, so if getting your money's worth is important to you then these headphones are great value in that regard.

OneOdio does have a range of studio headphones that are both Bluetooth-enabled and wired, as well as solely wireless over-head options, so if the thought of wired headphones is a little too old-school for you and your Bluetooth equipment then consider other headphones in the OneOdio professional range too.