The Best Open-Back Headphones

3 months ago

Open-back headphones supply a unsocial sound floor plan that brings your audio to life. But which group of headphones is correct for you?

Open-back headphones fto you bask your euphony successful a full caller light. With their open-ear design, they let aerial and sound to walk done nan receptor cups astatine nan rear of nan speaker driver.

This results successful a much earthy sound output that is overmuch amended suited to captious listening. And because nan sounds astir you are incorporated into nan audio, it creates a much immersive experience, arsenic if nan sound were being presented successful a unrecorded setting.

Often favored by professionals and audiophiles alike, open-back headphones are perfect for anybody who wants to perceive each item their euphony has to offer.

Here's a look astatine nan champion open-back headphones disposable today.

Sennheiser HD 660 S

Best Overall
Sennheiser HD 800 S Reference Headphone System

Best for Audiophiles
HIFIMAN HE400SE Stealth Magnets Open-Back Headphones

Best Value
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x

Most Lightweight
Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X

Best for Mixing

Our Favorite Open Back Headphones successful 2023

Sennheiser HD 660 S

Best Overall

The champion prime of open-back headphones wide

$265 $425 Save $160

With nan Sennheiser HD 660 S, you'll bask rich, expansive soundscapes and exceptional audio clarity. Offering an incredibly balanced sound crossed each frequencies, each facet is rendered pinch pinpoint precision. The champion blend of design, performance, and price.

Pros

A awesome all-round option
Minimal sound distortion
Comfortable
Good for gaming

Cons

On nan costly side

An fantabulous mid-range option, nan Sennheiser HD 660 S Open Back Headphones present an audio punch that’s awesome capable to fulfill astir audiophiles. Representing an improvement from nan earlier HD 650 and HD 600 models, nan HD 660 S showcases a brand-new transducer to really grow nan soundscape offered by these open-back earcups.

In addition, specially ventilated paired drivers supply accordant power of aerial displacement, for a much comprehensive, all-encompassing sound quality, pinch minimal distortion (around 0.04 percent). The consequence is an fantabulous audio reproduction that ‘breathes,’ rewarding you pinch life-like sound and an ultra-quick response.

Soft velour padding connected nan earpieces cushions your lugholes luxuriously, making these headphones exceptionally comfortable to wear. And contempt nan open-back design, sound leakage is minimal, arsenic is sound intrusion from nan extracurricular world. Best enjoyed pinch a dedicated headphone amplifier, nan Sennheiser HD 660 S are nan champion open-back headphones astatine this value point.

Sennheiser HD 800 S Reference Headphone System

Best for Audiophiles

The champion open-back headphones for audiophiles

$1499 $1700 Save $201

If you're superior astir getting nan astir retired of your music, nan Sennheiser HD 800 S Reference Headphones are for you. An audiophile's dream, these open-back headphones present connected each level. Enjoy sumptuous sounds for illustration ne'er earlier pinch these premium headphones.

Pros

Breathtaking sound quality
Vibration damping
Incredible comfort
Hyper accelerated response

If you’re fresh to push nan vessel out, and we mean measurement out, nan Sennheiser HD 800 S is nan audio balanced of stepping retired of nan acheronian into piercing agleam light. Boasting copy 56-millimeter ringing radiator transducers, and innovative absorber technology, these are premium earcups for superior euphony lovers.

Their unsocial earcup creation angles soundwaves to create a heavy and satisfying spatial audio acquisition that picks retired each nuance successful your music. There’s a vibration-damping chassis built from aerospace-grade materials to footwear immoderate sound distortion into touch, and a hyper-fast consequence from those transducers that provides unthinkable item crossed each frequencies.

Sound separation is excellent, bringing retired nan champion successful each instrumentality and effect, making aged favorites sound infinitely much textured and three-dimensional. Handmade microfiber receptor pads supply plentifulness of comfortableness to complement nan sound quality, arsenic you would expect astatine this price.

The sticking constituent present is that value tag, putting nan Sennheiser HD 800 S retired of scope for galore buyers. However, if you’re looking to put successful open-back headphones that push nan limits, nan capacity present is impeccable.

HIFIMAN HE400SE Stealth Magnets Open-Back Headphones

Best Value

Superior sound astatine a fund value

Enjoy immersive, superior sound without breaking nan bank, pinch nan HIFIMAN HE400SE open-back headphones. These planar headphones connection dramatically reduced levels of distortion, allowing you to ore connected nan music, and acquisition genuinely awesome sound quality.

Pros

More affordable option
Reduced levels of distortion
Good wide sound balance
Lightweight

Cons

Sub-bass tones deficiency depth

At nan different extremity of nan scale, you tin find value open-ear headphones that won’t break nan bank. Take these HIFIMAN HE400SE Stealth Magnet Open Back Headphones, for instance. These magnetic headphones person been crafted to alteration soundwaves to walk done them without causing interference, offering you an open-back capacity for a closed-back price.

These are planar headphones, which utilize conductive layers to screen almost each nan diaphragm, giving you nan use of dramatically little levels of distortion erstwhile compared to much accepted move headphones. They person a lightweight creation and supply a decent level of comfort, and shouldn’t make your ears consciousness excessively hot, moreover aft extended sessions.

On nan downside, if you for illustration your euphony dripping pinch bass, you whitethorn beryllium disappointed here. With fantabulous highs and mids connected offer, nan bass tones are of a bully wide quality, but you whitethorn find nan sub-bass tones deficiency a spot of depth. However, for nan price, it’s very difficult to reason pinch what’s connected offer. If you’re shopping pinch a much humble budget, nan HIFIMAN HE400SE offers a awesome equilibrium betwixt capacity and value.

Audio-Technica ATH-R70x

Most Lightweight

So ray you'll hardly announcement they're there

$328 $349 Save $21

Audio excellence and superior comfort. The Audio-Technica ATH-R70x delivers everything you want and expect from a mid-range brace of open-back headphones. And acknowledgment to their ultra-lightweight design, you tin enactment immersed successful sound for moreover longer.

Pros

Super lightweight and comfortable
Surprisingly robust
Bass output is good
Excellent high-end sound quality

Cons

Lacking that luxury finish

Being Audio-Technica's first-ever brace of master open-back headphones, nan ATH-R70x carried immoderate sizeable weight connected their shoulders. Thankfully, they were much than up to nan task, and stay 1 of nan champion examples of open-back headphones moreover now, respective years aft release.

They are 1 of nan astir lightweight options disposable and usage an aluminum honeycomb mesh to supply a wide open-back sound. With almost nary unit applied to your caput while wearing these, they are sublimely comfortable to wear. A c composite resin adds rigidity to nan structure, making it amazingly robust arsenic well.

The sound shape is awesome present too, particularly erstwhile paired pinch an amp, and they’re good suited to bassier sounds. You’ll bask a high-frequency consequence arsenic good arsenic minimal distortion, acknowledgment to high-efficiency magnets and a axenic alloy magnetic circuit design. A cleanable blend of comfortableness and sound.

Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X

Best for Mixing

Mix it up successful nan workplace and make each constituent singing

Stay connected way successful nan studio, pinch nan Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X Open-Back Headphones. Their STELLAR.45 sound transducer delivers unrivaled capacity successful nan workplace headphone class, letting you perceive each facet pinch pinpoint precision.

Pros

Studio value sound
Minimal distortion
Robust design
Ideal for mixing

Cons

Clunky looking design
Lacking a spot successful position of comfort

The Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X Open Back Studio Headphones supply awesome bass, midrange, and treble, pinch a bully soundstage for mixing and mastering. The full wave spectrum is good represented here, and they present fantabulous spatial, transparent sound.

The STELLAR.45 sound transducer provides you pinch a consistently reliable sound stage, that doesn’t suffer from distortion, moreover astatine precocious unit levels. With studio-quality sound, you tin bask a granular level of item listening to euphony aliases gaming, picking retired each item pinch awesome clarity.

They’re comfortable to deterioration and reasonably lightweight too, making them suitable for longer sessions. Aesthetically, however, they’re acold from stunning, and their clunky-looking quality is improbable to triumph immoderate beauty awards. However, they person nan chops wherever it counts, and for a sub-$300 value point, they’re nigh connected unbeatable.

Drop + EPOS PC38X Gaming Headset

Best for Gaming

Get nan driblet connected your enemies and get much from your crippled time

Master your crippled clip pinch nan Drop + EPOS PC38X Gaming Headset. Level up your in-game audio, and make judge you ne'er get sniped again. This premium gaming headset immerses you successful nan action for illustration ne'er before, letting you perceive each footstep, pinch unthinkable stereo imaging.

Pros

Great immersive audio for gamers
ANC mic attachment
Breathable materials let for longer sessions
Lightweight

Cons

Tend to pinch a spot until decently worn in

The benefits of sporting a brace of open-back headphones for your gaming exploits are huge, letting you immerse yourself successful each facet of nan game. Get nan driblet connected your enemies, perceive what’s astir each corner, and consciousness nan afloat unit of each changeable fired. For gamers, nan Drop + EPOS PC38X Open-Back Gaming Headset is 1 of nan champion ways to execute that immersion.

Thanks to its angled drivers and open-back design, it’s easier to pinpoint force locations and place activity patterns, pinch amended stereo imaging. And crucially, for a gaming headset, there’s a noise-canceling microphone too. Perfect for keeping sound chat crystal clear, without compromising nan wide sound upgrade.

Being powered by nan aforesaid drivers recovered connected Sennheiser's GSP 500 and 600 headsets, you tin beryllium assured that your ears are successful for a treat. And pinch breathable mesh-knit pads and a divided design, your comfortableness gets an upgrade here, too. Game harder and amended for longer, crossed each map.

PHILIPS Fidelio X3 Professional Studio Monitor Headphones

Best Design

An elegant creation pinch a premium decorativeness

$140 $170 Save $30

With its premium Muirhead Scottish leather finish, nan Philips Fidelio X3 Professional Studio Monitor Headphones connection nan very champion successful style arsenic good arsenic substance. These Hi-Res audio-certified headphones connection a wide and earthy soundstage that is perfectly balanced, arsenic each things should be.

Pros

Premium value finish
Hi-Res audio
Double-layered ammunition to trim resonance
One of nan much affordable options

Cons

Lower bass tones deficiency a spot of depth
On nan ample side

Another fantabulous mid-range action is nan Philips Fidelio X3 Professional Studio Open Back Headphones. They alteration you to acquisition a wide, earthy sound shape acknowledgment to their acoustically transparent Kvadrat speaker fabric. These headphones are hi-res audio certified, letting you perceive nan afloat effect of each note.

Eliminating aerial unit build-up down nan diaphragms, nan Philips Fidelio X3 provides an immersive spatial sound. Double-layered receptor shells dampen resonance and vibration and tilted, multi-layered 50-millimeter drivers supply for optimal accuracy astatine precocious frequencies.

The Philips Fidelio X3 represents an fantabulous prime for lossless audio astatine an awesome sample rate, pinch a high-quality finish. Sustainably originated Muirhead leather completes nan wide look, giving them a premium feel. And pinch elaborate highs, a soft midrange, and awesome but not overpowering bass tones, nan decorativeness connected nan sound value is conscionable arsenic good, too.

Choosing nan Best Pair of Open-Back Headphones for You

Open-backed headphones let you to acquisition your euphony pinch exceptional depth. By mixing successful nan ambient sounds astir you, alternatively than canceling them out, they technologist a level of immersion that closed-back headphones cannot achieve.

The illusion created by open-backed headphones is that your audio becomes a living, breathing thing, that interacts fluidly pinch nan world astir you. Sounds are rendered pinch pinpoint precision, and you are provided pinch a much earthy sound stage, and much expansive audio.

On nan downside, open-back headphones do let for sizeable sound leakage, truthful are astir apt champion enjoyed distant from your regular commute, aliases nan office.

If you're consenting to scatter nan cash, nan Sennheiser HD 800 S is 1 of nan very champion premium open-back headphones you tin get. With reference-grade audiophile sound quality, vibration damping, and luxurious comfort, they connection 1 of nan champion seats successful nan location for those who tin spend to succumb to their charms.

On nan different hand, if you person a much humble budget, we urge nan HIFIMAN HE400SE Stealth Magnets, which correspond a overmuch much affordable option. Their sound output manages to sound rich | and textured, and of a superior quality, and they make a awesome entry-level action if you're looking to trial nan waters pinch open-back headphones.

However, for our champion wide option, we've picked retired nan Sennheiser HD 660 S. Priced firmly successful nan mid-range, you'll prevention a sizeable magnitude of money compared to nan Sennheiser HD 800 S, while still enjoying premium sound value pinch virtually nary distortion. With ultra-fast impulse fidelity crossed nan board, they item each mini nuance successful your music, while minimizing intrusion from nan extracurricular world. In position of form, function, and value point, these are nan champion open-back headphones you tin get correct now.