Consumer headphones are designed to make music sound good, often by boosting the bass and smoothing out the highs. For a voice actor, this is a disaster. You need headphones that tell you the ugly truth about your recording—the mouth clicks, the background hum, and the harsh sibilance that needs to be fixed.
Open-Back vs Closed-Back Design
For recording in the booth, closed-back headphones are mandatory. They prevent your headphone mix from leaking into the microphone, which causes feedback and ruined takes. Open-back headphones are great for long editing sessions because they sound more natural and reduce ear fatigue, but they should never be worn while the mic is live.
Investing in Flat Frequency Response
Look for headphones that boast a 'flat' frequency response. This means they don't artificially color the sound. When your headphones are honest, you can make better decisions about EQ and compression, knowing that your final audio will sound great on everything from a high-end home theater to a smartphone speaker.