The 18 Best Planar Magnetic Headphones

Flagship endgame statements and wallet-friendly gateways share the stage, from open-back giants to sealed contenders built by boutique makers and household names alike. Which one deserves the crown?

1

HiFiMan HE1000se

HiFiMan's nanometer-diaphragm flagship prized for its airy, detailed and spacious presentation.

1000pts

2

Audeze LCD-5

Audeze's flagship open-back planar magnetic headphone, widely regarded as a reference-grade endgame set.

744pts

3

Meze Elite

A hand-assembled flagship with a Rinaro Isodynamic driver, prized for refinement and build.

710pts

4

Meze Empyrean

An isodynamic hybrid-array planar celebrated as much for its sculpted design as its sound.

546pts

5

HiFiMan Sundara

A mid-priced open-back planar renowned for punching far above its price in clarity and detail.

473pts

6

Audeze LCD-X

A reference planar with razor-sharp balance favored by both audiophiles and studio engineers.

473pts

7

Audeze LCD-4

Audeze's original ultra-flagship with double Fluxor magnets and a dense, authoritative signature.

473pts

8

Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC

A cost-no-object flagship planar famed for its vast soundstage and bass slam.

387pts

9

Audeze LCD-2 Classic

A beloved warm-sounding planar that made high-end Audeze tuning accessible at a reasonable price.

387pts

10

Abyss Diana

A compact, luxuriously built flagship planar known for detail, dynamics and comfort.

387pts

11

Monoprice Monolith M1060

A budget over-ear planar that brought large-driver planar sound to entry-level buyers.

387pts

12

HiFiMan HE400se

One of the cheapest entry points to planar magnetic sound, offering standout value under budget.

387pts

13

HiFiMan HE-6

A notoriously demanding classic planar legendary for its resolution when properly amplified.

284pts

14

Audeze LCD-3

A former Audeze flagship with a rich, full-bodied planar signature and wood earcups.

284pts

15

HiFiMan Arya

A former-flagship open-back planar celebrated as one of the best values in audiophile headphones.

284pts

16

HiFiMan Ananda

A comfortable open-back planar known for its neutral, detailed and easy-to-drive presentation.

284pts

17

Dan Clark Audio Expanse

A flagship open-back planar with Acoustic Metamaterial tuning and an expansive stage.

158pts

18

Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire

A genuinely high-end closed-back planar that delivers reference performance in a sealed design.

158pts