Aspiring audio engineers commonly agonize over whether to mix with headphones or speakers. The truth is, you can get great results with both. Generally, studio monitors are preferable, but because studio monitors interact with the room, they perform best in well-treated acoustic environments—which may not be a real-world scenario for you. Headphones are far more portable and provide a consistent sonic reference in inconsistent working conditions. One pitfall to watch out for: Headphones present a wider soundstage, because there's literally a speaker on each side of your head. This makes it easy to overcompensate by creating narrow mixes. A smart practice is to mix on speakers and reference that mix on headphones, and vice versa.