The SR950 Studio Headphones by Samson is a combination of solid bass response, ultra-clear highs and a closed ear design. It aims at providing users with precise monitoring performance for studio applications. The price point makes it a tough competitor with other studio monitor quality headphones, such as our favorite Audio-Technica ATH-M40x or the new M-Audio HDH50 headphones.
The Samson SR950 Studio Headphones consist of velour earcups, dispersion plates, decent drivers and acoustically tuned chambers. This is in our opinion one of th emost important factors of a studio headphone: the tuning. Some headphones in the market are tuned specifically towards bass and/or treble, ignoring some important mid-frequencies. However, with most studio headphones out there, they’re tuned even, helping with sound accuracy for mixing and generally hearing what the artist and mixers intended for your ears — The SR950 covers that.
There is also an 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch gold plated adapter included with this product. Because of its closed ear design, sound isolation is maximized and noise is greatly reduced. All these allow the most accurate stereo imaging possible. In addition, with the availability of the 50mm neodymium driver, exceptional sound reproduction is enabled as well as wide dynamic range in order to instill confidence in the final mix, providing outstanding sound quality for playback. There is also a headband, which can be adjusted manually, for a secure and natural fit. With its presence, users are allowed to enjoy total comfort for extended studio sessions.
Features of the SR950
- Professional studio reference headphones
- Closed-ear design for maximum isolation
- 50mm drivers for exceptional reproduction and wide dynamic range
- 10Hz-25kHz frequency response
- 32Ω impedance
- Self-adjusting headband for a secure, comfortable fit
- 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch gold plated adapter included
Specs of the SR950
- Dynamic driver type
- Closed-back, circamural design
- Driver Unit: 50 mm, 25μ diaphragm (Neodymium magnet)
- Frequency response: 10 Hz – 25 kHz (pretty standard)
- Impedance: 32 Ω
- Sensitivity: 96 dB / 1 mW
- Connector: Gold-plated 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo mini connector with 1/8” (3.5 mm) to 1/4” (6.3 mm) adapter
- 8.25’ (2.5 m) long cable
- Weighs 10.75 oz (305 g)
The SR950 is suitable for those who are looking for great headphones and emphasize on sound quality. Its assembly quality is outstanding. It has a good clean bass and its mid-range tones are also powerful. It is an ideal tool kicking back, listening to music as well as mixing digital recording. Its high frequency response is smooth and sweet, while its bass response is pretty warm — an overall solid sound.
So what makes this studio headphone special?
To be honest, nothing completely stands out as far as features go. The studio headphone market has reached a pretty high point that all manufacturers have abided by, so if you’re looking for a higher frequency response, weight of the headphone, impedence or even tuning (most are flat to enable sound accuracy), all headphones have it. Where you’ll start to see prices drop depends on the brand and how much the market, as well as the material of the headphone in general — the overall build. We’ve seen headphones like the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x blow a lot of headphones out of the water because of it’s solid aluminum build. However, they go for as much as $160. These are only $70.
The verdict on the SR950 by Samson
The reason for the price is their relatively cheaper build. However, in our opinion and after using these for about 30 total hours, they suffice — they’re not cheap plastic knockoffs that you’ll find at the swap meet. Our final verdict is that these are a great lower price alternative than a lot of other studio headphones out there
There is, yet, one thing users have to said when we research the reviews on Amazon: which is the capability of causing permanent damage to their hearing in case it is used at excessive volumes. I wouldn’t take this too seriously although just be careful and keep it mind, regardless of what headphone you actually buy.
It also tends to be muddy if it is used at such high volumes. We keep ours at a mid-to-high level. Although ultimately, Its lightweight, circumaural design can reduce ear fatigue, which makes it easy to wear. Its plush velour ear cushions are comfortable and fit snugly. Samson SR950 Studio Headphone is perfect especially for long listening sessions.
Check out our top 10 best studio headphones article for some more options when it comes to getting a solid pair of studio headphones.