What are the best over-ear headphones of all time?

From iconic studio workhorses to audiophile flagship monsters, the history of over-ear headphones spans vinyl-era classics, wireless noise-cancellers, and planar magnetic marvels. Which pair earns the throne?

Sennheiser HD 600

Launched in 1997, this open-back dynamic reference headphone defined the audiophile midrange and remains a benchmark for natural, tonally accurate sound.

1/25

Sennheiser HD 650

Released in 2003 as the HD 600's warmer sibling, it became one of the most beloved audiophile headphones ever made.

2/25

Sennheiser HD 800 S

The pinnacle of Sennheiser's open-back engineering, renowned for its enormous soundstage and surgical imaging.

3/25

Sony MDR-7506

Introduced in 1991, this closed-back studio workhorse became the most-used professional monitoring headphone in broadcast and recording studios worldwide.

4/25

Sony MDR-V6

Debuted in 1985, the V6 was the MDR-7506's predecessor and set the standard for affordable, accurate closed-back monitoring for decades.

5/25

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony's 2022 flagship wireless ANC headphone, widely considered the best noise-cancelling over-ear for consumers.

6/25

Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro

A decades-old open-back German classic delivering wide soundstage and energetic highs, beloved by gamers, mixing engineers, and audiophiles.

7/25

Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro

A semi-open flagship known for its neutral, precise reproduction and exceptional speed, favored by classical music listeners and mastering engineers.

8/25

Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro

The closed-back sibling to the DT series, an industry-standard studio isolation headphone used worldwide for tracking and broadcast since the 1980s.

9/25

Beyerdynamic T1 (2nd Gen)

Beyerdynamic's flagship Tesla-driver over-ear headphone, a reference audiophile semi-open design regarded as one of the finest dynamic driver headphones ever made.

10/25

AKG K701

An Austrian audiophile icon released in 2006, known for its exceptionally wide soundstage and analytical reference tuning favored in classical and jazz circles.

11/25

AKG K712 Pro

AKG's reference open-back headphone refining the K701 lineage with improved low-end punch, widely used in professional mixing and mastering.

12/25

Audeze LCD-2

Launched in 2009, this planar magnetic headphone introduced thousands of audiophiles to the format with its lush natural low end and extraordinary detail retrieval.

13/25

Audeze LCD-3

Audeze's premium planar magnetic flagship featuring Fazor waveguide technology, praised for its lifelike bass and class-leading dynamics.

14/25

HiFiMAN Sundara

Introduced in 2018, this affordable planar magnetic headphone became a go-to recommendation for audiophiles seeking high-end planar performance.

15/25

HiFiMAN HE400SE

A budget-friendly planar magnetic open-back that brought the signature HiFiMAN speed and detail to entry-level price points.

16/25

Focal Clear

Made in France with Focal's proprietary aluminum/magnesium 'M'-shaped dome driver, widely regarded as one of the finest open-back dynamic headphones ever produced.

17/25

Focal Utopia

Focal's flagship open-back headphone featuring the world's first full-range beryllium driver, a benchmark endgame audiophile headphone since 2016.

18/25

Grado RS1x

Hand-assembled in Brooklyn with a distinctive wooden ear cup, the RS1 is a cult audiophile icon prized for its lively, intimate midrange.

19/25

Grado SR80x

Grado's entry-level open-back classic delivering the brand's signature forward, musical sound at an accessible price.

20/25

Bose QuietComfort 35 II

Released in 2017, the QC35 II defined what consumer noise-cancelling headphones could be — lightweight, comfortable all-day wear with class-leading ANC.

21/25

Bose QuietComfort 45

The successor to the landmark QC35 II, refining its noise cancellation and comfort formula with improved battery life.

22/25

Apple AirPods Max

Apple's 2020 premium all-metal over-ear headphone combining H1 chip, computational audio, and spatial audio for the Apple ecosystem.

23/25

Philips Fidelio X2HR

A cult-favorite open-back over-ear known for its rich, impactful bass and wide soundstage at a mid-range price.

24/25

Fostex TH900 Mk2

A flagship closed-back Japanese audiophile headphone featuring lacquered wooden ear cups and bio-dynamic drivers, renowned for its huge soundstage.

25/25