Experience HEADPHONE LAB live at NAMM 2026 from January 22 - 24 by visiting us at Booth #10702, Hall A.
Your studio in your headphones
beyerdynamic HEADPHONE LAB takes your DT studio headphones to the next level and delivers the sound of a high‑end studio. For better mixes — no matter where you produce.
Professional studio setup - without an expensive, acoustically treated room. HEADPHONE LAB is free, easy to use, and ready to go - with no subscription required.
Natural loudspeaker-style stereo imaging on headphones through precise crossfeed
Confident mix decisions based on a scientifically developed studio sound profile
Maximum sound accuracy through individual FACTORY CALIBRATION
Optional room simulation for realistic room acoustics
Compatible with any DAW (VST3, AU and AAX for Windows & macOS)
Natural loudspeaker-style stereo imaging
Confident mix decisions
Individual FACTORY CALIBRATION
Optional room simulation
Compatible with any DAW
Mix like on studio monitors
WITH YOUR HEADPHONES
Many producers work in acoustically challenging environments such as bedrooms, rented flats or inadequately treated home studios. A professional setup with studio monitors, subwoofers and optimised room acoustics is often expensive, space-consuming and not feasible everywhere.
beyerdynamic HEADPHONE LAB makes precise work possible nonetheless: the free plug-in transforms your beyerdynamic PRO headphones into a reliable tool for accurate mixing. It simulates the sonic characteristics of a high-end recording studio – without costly investments.
This gives you a professional, virtual studio environment in reference quality – directly through your beyerdynamic PRO headphones.
When listening on loudspeakers, each ear receives portions of both channels — shaped by reflections, interaural time differences (ITD), and level differences (ILD). Headphones, on the other hand, deliver an isolated signal to each ear, which can result in an unnaturally wide stereo image that is difficult to judge accurately.
The new studio sound signature
THE BEYERDYNAMIC STUDIO TRAGET
To optimize spatial localization individually, HEADPHONE LAB offers an additional feature: Since differences in head shape and ear spacing influence how loudspeaker sound is perceived, these values can be entered manually in the plug‑in. This compensates for time‑of‑arrival differences — resulting in a more realistic and precise loudspeaker representation.
Additionally, the loudspeaker position can be set to 40°, 60°, or 80° to adapt the spatial image to different listening scenarios. An optional room simulation expands the perceived room component continuously and creates a reliable reference space — with one clear goal: better mixes.
Studio-optimized sound balance
DEVELOPED THROUGH YEARS OF RESEARCH
HEADPHONE LAB optimizes your headphones for precise and reliable mix decisions across all playback systems. The sonic identity of your headphone model is preserved and transformed into a mix‑ready balance. The foundation is a scientifically developed studio sound profile based on years of research, measurements, and collaboration with professional studios.
To adapt to this studio sound profile, two optimization levels are available — from precise to ‘as precise as it gets’.
OPTIMISE YOUR SOUND
FROM PRECISE TO ‘AS PRECISE AS IT GETS’
A golden sample exists for every headphone model as a defined reference. HEADPHONE LAB uses this model standard to precisely and consistently align your headphones with the studio sound profile.
For even greater accuracy, FACTORY CALIBRATION is available. It is based on the original production measurement data of your individual unit and compensates for even the finest material and manufacturing nuances.
Your benefit
You receive the most precise calibration to the studio sound profile that is technically possible — without any setup or additional effort.
Your mix decisions become even more reliable, and your mixes will sound consistently convincing and translatable across a wide range of speakers, headphones, and playback systems.
Compatible headphones
Simply download, select your headphones, and get started right away. More models will follow in future updates. Selection takes place directly within the plug‑in. HEADPHONE LAB is free for Windows & macOS — no subscription, no license fees.
Are there advantages to mixing on headphones compared with studio monitors?
If you have an acoustically well-treated room and fully professional studio monitors, you already have excellent conditions for mixes that translate well.
However, if either the speakers or the room acoustics are not of a high standard, a high-quality headphone solution combined with HEADPHONE LAB is often the better choice.
Productions, mixes and masters created with this set-up translate reliably across a wide variety of playback systems. You also benefit from maximum mobility: this set-up works anywhere—whether in a hotel room, a bedroom studio or on the move.
The economic advantage is significant as well: a pair of high-quality nearfield monitors with integrated DSP ccan easily cost several thousand in monitors, plus significant additional cost for acoustic treatment. In comparison, the required investment for a professional mixing headphone is considerably lower.
Will HEADPHONE LAB make my DT studio headphones sound like other headphone models?
No. HEADPHONE LAB optimises your DT studio headphones towards a more neutral, mixing-ready tuning, while always respecting the characteristic sound of the respective model.
Can the plug-in be used as a standalone application?
At present, there is no standalone version of HEADPHONE LAB.
Which room setting provides the best translation to other systems?
