Austrian Audio Hi-X18

I spent a few weeks using the Behringer BH 470 as my go-to travel and tracking cans to see whether a sub-$50 style offering could actually be useful in a small project studio. I approached them from the perspective of a working musician/engineer who needs affordable monitoring for tracking, quick checks and commuting, so my focus was on comfort, portability, and how honest they sound compared with more expensive reference headphones.

First Impressions

The BH 470 feels like what you expect from value-priced studio cans - light, foldable, and immediately usable straight out of the box. My first listen surprised me a little - the 40 mm drivers open up with decent top-end detail and midrange clarity, although the very lowest sub-bass is understandably restrained unless you drive them harder or use a source with boosted low end.

Design & Features

Physically, the BH 470s are compact and foldable - they collapse flat for easy transport and include soft padding on the earcups and headband that makes short to medium listening sessions comfortable. The build is mostly plastic, which keeps weight low and makes them easy to toss in a bag, but you can feel that a couple of points - the hinge area and cable strain relief - are budget-minded choices.

Comfort & Portability

I wore these for a few-hour editing session and they stayed reasonably comfortable - the clamping force is moderate and the pads don't get overly warm on short sessions. Portability is a strong point - because they fold and are so light, I used them at a café and on a bus without feeling burdened, though I wish the headband had a touch more padding for marathon sessions.

Sound Quality & Monitoring

Tonally the BH 470s lean toward a balanced, slightly warm presentation - mids are present and vocals sit forward in the mix, which makes them useful for tracking and rough mixes. Highs are surprisingly clear for the price, but the trade-off is a lack of deep sub-bass extension and a tendency for the low end to be a touch loose if you push them hard - for electronic producers who rely on sub-bass detail I found they under-represent the very lowest octaves unless paired with an external amp or monitored against a speaker reference.

Practical Use - Studio & Travel

In the studio I used the BH 470s for vocal tracking, podcast editing and quick reference checks - they let me hear rough balance and presence very well, and their closed-back isolation meant less bleed when tracking. On the road they were easy to stash and deploy, though the long 3 m cable makes them less tidy for mobile use unless you wrap it carefully - that length is handy when you need distance to a console, but annoying on public transport.

The Trade-Offs

If you want uncompromising reference accuracy, the BH 470 is not the final answer - it's a useful, budget monitoring tool rather than a studio standard. The plastic build and fixed single-sided cable mean they won't outlast metal-bodied pro headphones, and the bass performance is the biggest limitation for critical low-end work - but for the price I found the compromises reasonable for many practical tasks.

Final Verdict

The Behringer BH 470 is a pragmatic pick: compact, affordable, and competent for tracking, podcasting, and day-to-day monitoring when you need portability and isolation. I recommend them for hobbyist producers, content creators and musicians who need a cheap, portable closed-back headphone for routine tasks - but if your work hinges on precise low-frequency judgment, plan to cross-check on speakers or a higher-end pair.

I've spent several weeks using the Superlux HD-665 in rehearsal and personal-monitoring situations - the cans are clearly aimed at drummers and bass players who need passive isolation and thumping low end without spending much. From my perspective these are workhorse, closed-back headphones with 40 mm drivers and an impedance that favours plugged-in consumer/stage sources rather than ultra-sensitive mobile use.

First Impressions

The HD-665 arrive feeling utilitarian - a solid chunk of black plastic, generous faux-leather pads and a long fixed-straight cable that immediately signals use on a stage or in the rehearsal room. Slipping them on, my first thought was how much isolation they provide - the outer shell and pad design cut stage bleed aggressively, and you feel like you're in a closed box listening to whatever you feed them. Sonically they made an immediate impression with boosted lows and a forward midrange that works well for monitoring loud instruments, although I could tell finer high-frequency detail wasn't the priority here.

Design & Features

The HD-665 are built around 40 mm dynamic drivers with neodymium magnets and ship with a 3 m straight cable terminated in a 3.5 mm jack plus a 6.3 mm adapter - details that make their intended use-case obvious. The cups are closed and circumaural, the headband is adjustable and the ear pads are synthetic leather - comfortable at first but likely to show wear over time. A cable clip and a simple soft pouch are included, which again reinforces the "stage/rehearsal" focus rather than premium studio ergonomics.

Build Quality & Protection

My unit felt functionally robust but plainly made - injection-moulded cups, exposed plastic sliders and a rubber-coated cable that, while long and convenient, leans toward the flimsier side compared with reinforced or braided alternatives. The plastic construction keeps weight down, but I noticed the headband padding is modest and the faux-leather pads compress more quickly than memory-foam alternatives. Overall I wouldn't call them delicate, but they're not designed to be heirlooms either - treat them like working kit and expect cosmetic wear after heavy use.

Comfort & Portability

Comfort is one of the stronger suits for the price - the clamping force is firm enough to keep them sealed (which helps isolation) but not painfully tight during hour-long sessions. The pads are thick and plush at first, but heat build-up is noticeable after extended use because of the closed pads and faux-leather covering. Portability is limited by the bulk and the fixed long straight cable - they aren't travel-friendly, but that's a fair trade for rehearsal-room practicality.

Sound Quality

These are not neutral studio monitors - the HD-665 emphasise bass and lower-mid impact, which makes kick drums and bass guitars feel immediate and present in a way that helps on-stage monitoring. Mids are serviceable and articulate enough for picking out vocals and guitar lines, while the top end is polite and slightly rolled, so detailed hi-hat shimmer and very fine cymbal detail are not their strong point. For rock, metal and loud band monitoring they work very well - for critical mixing or mastering I found them lacking in resolution and tonal balance.

Real-World Experience

I used the HD-665 both during loud acoustic rehearsals and for tracking electric bass at home - the isolation and bass weight meant I could rely on them to keep my monitoring separate from the room. Playing drums at rehearsal, I appreciated how much outside noise they blocked, which let me keep monitor levels comfortable; for home tracking they translated bass energy well into recordings-in-the-head, though I had to double-check mixes on a more neutral pair to make sure the low end wasn't exaggerated. They respond well to modest amplification - their 68 ohm impedance benefits from a slightly stronger source than a phone alone.

The Trade-Offs

The trade-offs are clear - you get solid isolation and bass at a low price, but sacrifice refinement, long-term pad durability and a premium cable/headband design. If you want analytical accuracy, these aren't it; if you want something that survives a stage bag and makes drums and bass sound immediate, they fit the brief. Also be mindful that the cable termination and internal wiring are potential weak points if you treat cables roughly.

Final Verdict

For what they are - inexpensive, closed-back headphones built for loud environments - the HD-665 deliver strong value and function. I recommend them to drummers, bass players and anyone who needs passive isolation and impactful low end on a budget, but not to engineers seeking reference accuracy or audiophiles who prize detail. They're a practical choice when isolation and punch are the priority and you accept the compromises in refinement and long-term durability.

I spent a few weeks using the Behringer BH60 as my go-to closed-back cans for tracking and quick mixes, switching between an audio interface and mobile playback to stress different use cases. My aim was simple - find out whether these budget-friendly, 51 mm-driver headphones can genuinely pull double duty as comfortable long-session studio phones and useful reference cans for everyday producing.

First Impressions

The BH60 arrive feeling lightweight and reassuringly simple - no fancy carrying case, just the headphones, a long 2.5 m detachable cable and a threaded 3.5 mm to 6.3 mm adapter tucked into the packaging. My initial listen revealed a punchy low end and a comfortable fit thanks to the plush ear pads and self-adjusting headband, which made me keep them on for long tracking takes without much fuss. Right away I noticed the very large 51 mm neodymium drivers - visually obvious and audibly present in the low-to-mid punch compared to similarly priced models.

Design & Features

The BH60 are closed-back, circumaural headphones built around oversized 51 mm dynamic neodymium drivers, a 24 ohm nominal impedance and a stated frequency range that stretches down to 10 Hz and up to 35 kHz - specs that suggest the drivers are tuned for a wide bandwidth. The detachable 2.5 m cable is unusually long for this price point, and the included gold-plated 3.5 mm to 6.3 mm threaded adapter makes them plug-and-play with interfaces and headphone amps without hunting for extra adapters. Construction is mostly plastic with soft, thick ear cushions and a self-adjusting headband - the fit is comfortable and the earpads do a decent job isolating ambient noise, though the materials feel cost-conscious rather than premium.

Comfort & Portability

I found the BH60 very comfortable for session work - the cushions are plush and the clamping force is moderate, which helps on long takes without creating hotspots on my ears. The long detachable cable favors studio desk use more than pocket portability - they’re not ideal for on-the-go commuters but they excel when you want to sit back from your rig. At roughly a third of the weight and bulk of many pro cans, they’re easy to wear for hours, though the plastic headband and earcup shells mean I wouldn’t treat them as a rugged travel companion.

Sound Quality & Performance

Using the BH60 on a variety of material - acoustic mixes, dense EDM, and spoken-word editing - I heard an upfront low end and a slightly warm midrange that makes voices and synths sound full. The bass extension is noticeable and authoritative on kick and bass guitar, though that emphasis can make some mixes feel thicker than neutral if you rely on them as a final reference. High-frequency detail is present and extends well, but the treble is smoothed rather than razor-sharp, which is reassuring for long sessions but can hide very fine top-end cues when you’re doing critical mastering work.

Real-World Experience

In the studio I used the BH60 for vocal tracking, headphone mixes, and quick reference checks - they made fast tracking sessions comfortable and they’re forgiving enough that singers don’t get distracted by bright highs. I also tested them on a mobile DAC/amp and the low impedance (24 ohm) means you can drive them from phones and portable players without a dedicated amp, though a clean interface with a solid output still improved dynamics and headroom. For speakers vs. cans checks I flagged some bass build-up compared to my studio monitors, so I learned to use them as a supplement rather than a sole reference for final balance.

The Trade-Offs

You’re trading some neutrality and long-term durability for affordability here - the BH60 are lively and comfortable, but not the flattest or most robust cans I’ve used. The plastic construction feels thin at times, and while the ear pads are plush they’ll likely need replacing sooner than on higher-end models if you use them daily. Also, the pronounced low end that makes music enjoyable for casual listening can mask mix issues, so I wouldn’t trust these alone for final mixes or mastering without cross-checking on flatter monitors or open-back reference headphones.

Final Verdict

The Behringer BH60 deliver an impressive set of features for the money - oversized 51 mm drivers, a long detachable cable and a comfortable fit - and they genuinely earned a place in my workflow for tracking and casual reference checks. If you need affordable, comfortable closed-back headphones that you can drive from most devices and that give you satisfying low-end impact, the BH60 are a sensible choice, but if you need surgical neutrality or bombproof build, you’ll want to budget up from here.