The 7 Best Headphones For Music - Black Friday 2024

The Sennheiser HD 800 S are the best headphones for music we've tested. They create an incredibly natural, spacious, and wholly immersive listening experience, making your music sound like it's coming from all around you. If you're looking for the best and intend to spare no expense, these premium headphones are among the best open-back headphones you can buy. Their well-balanced sound profile will also please audiophiles. Their very neutral mid and treble response makes vocals and lead instruments sound clear, present, detailed, and airy, though some may find them a little too bright.

However, their high price point and added costs (since you'll need an amplifier to get the most out of them) can put them well out of reach for most people. They're very well-built, with a sturdy-feeling design made of high-grade plastic reinforced by a metal frame and a braided detachable audio cable. Their spacious, breathable, and well-padded ear cups will also ensure you don't experience any discomfort, even during long listening sessions.

Since they have a dynamic transducer design, they're less prone to imaging issues than planar magnetic headphones, but they also deliver less punch in the low end than their planar-driven cousins. If you're a die-hard EDM fan who simply must feel the rumble and thump of a kick drum, consider the planar-driven HiFiMan Arya. They can be difficult to find, but the HiFiMan Arya Stealth Magnet Version are an updated version that performs very similarly. However, both sets of HiFiMan headphones are bulkier and have less warmth in their high-bass range than the HD 800 S.

The best upper mid-range headphones for music we've tested are the HiFiMan Edition XS. Unlike the Sennheiser HD 800 S, they use planar magnetic drivers instead of dynamic drivers, which are more common. Thanks to this design, they can reproduce bass more accurately than competitors at this price point, and they create a better representation of their soundstage. On the other hand, their transducer is more complex, resulting in more minor deviations in sound reproduction between units. They have a bulkier and heavier design than the Sennheiser and feel less premium. However, their ski-band headband distributes the headphones' weight evenly, so you won't feel fatigued during long listening sessions.

They offer a neutral sound profile that brings extra warmth and boom to your music. Lead vocals and instruments are clearly and accurately reproduced, although a dip in the high-mid range weakens these elements. Although they feel more plasticky than the HiFiMan Arya and many other high-end options, they feel sturdy and comfortable enough for extended listening sessions. However, if your head is on the smaller side, their large ear cups and frame might result in a less comfortable fit. On the plus side, their sound delivery is consistent from use to use.

Looking for great sound at a mid-range price point? Check out the HiFiMan Sundara 2020. They're the next generation of the HiFiMan Sundara 2018 but with redesigned ear cups that are more comfortable. Otherwise, the two models are nearly identical. Both feature the same neutral sound profile that's versatile for different kinds of content. While kick drums and basslines lack a little thump and punch due to their open-back design, their mid-range is extremely well-balanced, so vocals and instruments sound present, clear, and detailed.

These headphones feel comfortable and well-built. They're more comfortable than the pricier HiFiMan Edition XS, but their passive soundstage isn't quite as immersive. However, because of their open-back design, they're still spacious and immersive, especially relative to any closed-back headphones. Their fit feels unstable and can slip around if you move your head when listening to music, and they heat up more than other HiFiMan headphones, which can become uncomfortable during long listening sessions. Fortunately, their low impedance means you won't need a powerful amp to connect them, and you can get the same sound quality from your phone or laptop.

For a great listening experience without breaking the bank, try the Philips Fidelio X2HR. These open-back headphones are bulkier than the HiFiMan Sundara 2020 and have a less immersive passive soundstage. However, they offer a much lower bass extension, making genres like hip-hop and EDM sound more thumpy and powerful than on some pricier open-back headphones. The rest of the frequency range is very neutral, with great fidelity in the mid and treble ranges, making vocals and instruments sound crisp, clear, detailed, and present.

These headphones are mostly made of plastic but still feel well-built and durable. They clamp tighter on the head than most Philips headphones but won't cause discomfort during long listening sessions. Their low impedance also means you can get great-sounding audio without an amp. You can use them with your laptop and phone without changes in audio quality.

Looking for the best music headphones on a budget? Look no further than the Philips SHP9500. These entry-level audiophile headphones have an open-back design that creates a great passive soundstage, so music feels like it's coming from speakers placed in a room around you rather than from inside your head. They're decently well-built but, as expected at this price point, they don't feel as premium or durable as the Philips Fidelio X2HR. The fabric that covers the ear pads can easily tear, and their swiveling ear cups aren't the strongest.

They have a generally flat and well-balanced sound, making them well-suited for genres like classical and folk that rely on accurately reproducing vocals and lead instruments. Whatever you're listening to, their detailed mids and treble provide plenty of clarity. Their main downside is a lack of low-bass, which is common for open-backs. If a thumpy low-end is important to you, the Superlux HD 681 are semi-open-backs that pack a punch. They've enough punch and rumble to keep EDM fans groovin' and a balanced mid-range that represents vocals and instruments accurately. Unfortunately, their treble response is piercing, and they have a disappointing build quality.

If you care about your music but don't want to sacrifice features like noise cancelling and portability, consider the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless. They're Bluetooth headphones, which makes them easier to use when you're out and about, and they have an active noise cancelling (ANC) feature that can block out noise like ambient chit-chat or rumbling engines. Their closed-back design doesn't leak your music, but they can't create a passive soundstage that feels as wide or open as similarly priced open-back headphones, like the HiFiMan Sundara 2020. Fortunately, they have a virtual surround sound feature to create a more immersive experience, though you need to use it with a compatible streaming service, like TIDAL.

They deliver much more low-bass than the open-back HiFiMan, which makes them well-suited for genres like EDM and hip-hop. However, it makes vocals and instruments sound muddy and less clear. That said, you can use their companion app's graphic EQ and presets to create a sound profile that suits your preferences. They're also very comfortable and can last 37 hours on a single charge, so they'll last through several full workdays without needing additional power. They also have an integrated microphone, which performs passably well, so you can take calls between tracks while on the go.

If you prefer an in-ear fit, consider the MOONDROP Blessing 3. These wired in-ear monitors (IEMs) are a lightweight and portable alternative to bulkier over-ear audiophile headphones like the HiFiMan Sundara 2020. You won't get a passive soundstage that feels as immersive or open, but, in exchange, you get a subtler look and better breathability. Each bud features a hybrid driver design with dual 10 mm dynamic drivers to improve sound quality, especially in the bass range. The result is an extremely well-balanced sound profile, ensuring that audio is reproduced with astounding fidelity. They're lighter than other MOONDROP models, like the MOONDROP Aria, and sit comfortably in your ear without causing fatigue.

They also have good stability due to an over-ear cable design and multiple sizes of included ear tips to help you get the best in-ear fit. If you're on a tighter budget and are looking for wired IEMs that are similarly comfortable, stable, and feature a balanced sound profile, check out the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO: RED. Like the MOONDROP, they feature a detachable cable design and rely on their in-ear fit to provide some passive noise isolation in the absence of an ANC system. The TRUTHEAR come with a set of foam ear tips, which helps achieve more attenuation across the frequency range. They're not as well-built as the MOONDROP, and their treble response isn't as detailed.

If you're still looking for more in-ear headphones, check out our best sounding wireless earbuds article!