Gear Guide
Because your favorite artist would want everyone to hear their music like this
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The word “audiophile” can be divisive, but we can generally agree it means someone who uses equipment that allows them to hear their music in the highest possible fidelity. That could mean exclusively listening to first pressings of their favorite albums on vinyl, searching out SACDs from boutique labels (Analogue Productions, Mobile Fidelity, Intervention Records), or finding the best-mastered high-resolution digital files.
If you don’t have enough space to set up a proper speaker system, or you want to listen to music anytime without disturbing the people you live with (or near), your best bet is picking up a pair of the best audiophile headphones. The right pair of cans, connected to the proper source, with the right additional equipment, will create a true hi-fi listening environment that you can enjoy at home or take on the go. One advantage of audiophile headphones over a speaker system is that you don’t have to worry about sitting directly in the “sweet spot” since both drivers are aimed right at your ears. You’ll get more accuracy and a better soundstage than versatile noise-canceling headphones can provide (although those have their uses too).
Shopping for hi-fi headphones is very different than shopping for everyday cans. Here’s what to keep in mind while looking for the right pair of audiophile headphones:
Open vs. Closed: The first decision when selecting audiophile headphones is whether you want a pair with an open or closed design. Open headphones leak a lot of noise, but some listeners feel they sound more natural precisely because some sound is allowed to escape — like it does when listening to music on speakers. Closed headphones won’t leak noise, which allows you to use them in public spaces.
Wired vs. Wireless: Audiophile wireless headphones used to be an oxymoron, but that’s no longer the case thanks to improvements in audio codecs, Bluetooth, and other components. The advantage of choosing wireless headphones is that they have built-in amplification, and you don’t have to worry about cables. Most wireless headphones also include a cable, so you can use them with any source.
Editor’s picks
That said, wired headphones will typically offer better audio quality because none of the space in the earcups is taken up by batteries and any other piece of technology that’s not directly tied to their drivers. Wired headphones should also last a lifetime (if they’re handled properly) since they’re not tied to a specific wireless technology and have no built-in battery that necessarily degrades over time.
Connector Type: Some audiophile headphones terminate into a ¼-inch jack, which is larger than the 3.5mm (⅛-inch) connector found on a standard pair of cans. If the headphones you choose have the larger connector, you can either invest in a DAC (digital-to-analog converter) or headphone amplifier that accepts it directly, or pick up an adapter (if one isn’t included in the box).
Removable Cable: Many wired audiophile headphones have a removable cable, which is very important because you can easily swap the cord out if it gets damaged instead of having to send the pair in for service.
How We Tested the Best Audiophile Headphones
We put the audiophile headphones through our typical series of tests, which included streaming high-resolution audio available on Apple Music along with 256kbps AAC files from a local library. As with all audio tests, your experience will depend on the way your favorite music was mixed and mastered, your format of choice, and any other gear in your system chain. If you’re building a home audio system from the ground up, you may want to consider picking up a stereo receiver with a headphone jack, so you have the option to switch between listening on speakers and headphones at will.
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The Best Audiophile Headphones for Music
After testing and comparing top-rated hi-fi headphones, we think these are the best audiophile headphones for music.
Best overall
Fosi Audio i5
Fosi Audio’s i5 took the top spot in our guide by striking the right balance of audio quality, comfort, and design. The open-ear headphones had a consistently well-balanced sound, and we could hear each individual element of a song with a very high level of clarity. That was especially true when listening to live albums, which sounded like the musicians were right in front of us. The headphones were the biggest pair we tested, but they were light enough that it only took a few minutes to get used to. The Fosi Audio i5s leak a lot of sound, which limits where you can wear them, but they’re a phenomenal pair of headphones to use at home.
Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000
Audio-Technica’s ATH-ADX7000 raised our expectations of what you can expect from a pair of headphones. Any music we listened to sounded clinical (in a good way), as we could hear an incredible amount of detail in each track. Audiophile-mastered music was especially pleasing to the ear because it felt as though the headphones allowed us to appreciate the true depth of a song’s mix. Similarly, if a track was mixed or mastered poorly, all of its flaws were immediately noticeable. The ATH-ADX700 are the audio equivalent of using a flashlight in a dimly lit room to see how things really look.
Best wireless
Sonos Ace Ultra
The Ace Ultra shows off Sonos’ commitment to taking the tuning and technical features of its home speakers and making them available everywhere you go. The Ace Ultra has a leg up over our other recommendations because they’re wireless, which makes them a lot more portable. They also support other technical niceties, including active noise cancellation and Spatial Audio. The ability to hear audio with a Dolby Atmos mix (the recent re-release of The Beatles’ Rubber Soul, for example) with more depth than the tracks have in stereo. The Ace Ultra proves wireless headphones can compete favorably with their wired counterparts, and even win in a couple of key areas.
Best closed
Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro MKII
Beyerdynamic’s DT 1770 Pro MKII are not only the most comfortable pair of audiophile headphones we tested, but you can also wear them in an office without interrupting the people you work with. The studio monitor headphones were designed for professional studio work, but their balanced EQ also makes them a great pair if you want to hear music the way an artist did in the studio as their music was recorded, mixed, and mastered. If you’re a self-produced musician who wants your tracks to shine, the DT 1770 Pro MKII will become a helpful professional tool, too.
budget Pick
Audio-Technica ATH-M50X
Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50X are a wonderful pair of audiophile headphones for anyone looking to start taking the sound of the music they listen to more seriously. They’re studio monitors, and their flat EQ comes in handy if you’re making or listening to music. The ATH-MX50X lacked the sonic depth of the most expensive headphones we tested (which can cost up to 30x their price), but they held their own better than we expected. We couldn’t pick up on any standout audio anomalies, and they only fell short when directly compared to some of the other headphones in our guide during A/B tests.