Dec 15, 2004 07:41 pm No they really arn't, however, a good set of headphones are an essential piece of gear. You can mix with them as well as do critical listening and utilize them in the recording process. So if you are just starting out there is nothing negitive about getting a good set of cans and starting on the journey. You can do a lot with them. There will no doubt come a time when you get stagnated per the need of monitors, but again you can make a lot of progress while saving bucks.