Headphones can come in many shapes and sizes. In general, we can differentiate between in-ear and over-the-ear headphones. Most studio headphones will be over-the-ear as they offer higher quality sound. Over-the-ear headphones can be broken down further into two subcategories: hardback and softback.  Softback headphones have the clearest sound, as their soft backing allows sound waves to escape. However, this can also lead to significant headphone bleed, particularly when recording vocals. This is where hardback headphones come in. Their hard backing isn't as sonically ideal but lets out less sound that might bleed into your recording.