The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.I'm a big fan of products that fit into a specific part of my life.Take this shower speaker for example. Is it an audiophile marvel' No. Do I use and enjoy it regularly' Absolutely.That's how I feel about Status Audio's studio monitor headphones I've been trying out recently. I specifically use their full title because, as studio monitors, they have their own set of pros and cons.From a design standpoint, these are well-constructed headphones. Interestingly, Status Audio went with foam ear cups instead of leather, either real or fake. They're comfortable, even after long listening sessions. And while they feel solid, they're not overly heavy. Better still, the ear cups are plentybig, which is a major pro for over-ear headphones. They're a bit bulkier than your average pair because of it, but you won't find your ears smushed.I mentioned that these are studio monitors earlier, which is a different category than standard headphones. These are meant to be used by musicians or engineers when creating music. They're made to provide rich, neutral sound instead of goosing certain frequencies for a more pleasing sound. It's an accuracy versussubjectivity argument, but the bottom line is that these headphones sound great.My top pick for neutral headphones has been Sony's classic MDR7506'salso studio monitors. I'll still give Sonythe edge for sound, but it's close, and Status Audio's pair isbetter constructed and more comfortable.Where these headphones fall down is with portable use, a place where all studio monitors fall down. There's an abundance of headphone cable, and a thick connector at the end. An included adapter turns the standard headphone end into a thicker one, to be used with audio equipment when mixing or recording music.During my commutes and walks around the city, I had to dedicate almost an entire pocket to conceal the cableconstantly managing how much slack to give myself. It was a drag, literally. But it's unfair to ding these headphones for being a bad pairing with portable devices, because that's not what they're made for. Instead, I used them with my computer at work, and that problem went away. The cable is still long, but you're one twist tie away from making that manageable.If you're someone who listens to music at work all day like I do, one of the best quality-of-life upgrades you can make is investing in a good pair of headphones. They'll get thousands of hours of use each year, and since you can leave them on your desk, they're not going to wear too much. Theyare open-back headphones though, so sound will leak. If you work in a quiet office environment, you won't be able to blast music without disturbing your neighbor.This will be less of a problem if you listen at more moderate volumes, you don't work in an open office, or if everyone else is wearing headphones, too. When listened to in a single spot, these are among the best-sounding headphones I've ever tried.On the other hand, ifyou're looking for good headphones when listening to music on-the-go you, should consider a pair of Bluetooth headphones.Status Audio OB-1 Open Back Studio Monitor Headphones, $79.99, available at AmazonSEE ALSO:The 15 headphones under $100 actually worth your timeDON'T MISS:This is my new favorite pair of headphonesJoin the conversation about this story
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