# 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?

*By YPB Team · Published April 12, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-are-the-best-over-ear-headphones-of-all-time*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **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.
2. **Sennheiser HD 650**
   Released in 2003 as the HD 600's warmer sibling, it became one of the most beloved audiophile headphones ever made.
3. **Sennheiser HD 800 S**
   The pinnacle of Sennheiser's open-back engineering, renowned for its enormous soundstage and surgical imaging.
4. **Sony MDR-7506**
   Introduced in 1991, this closed-back studio workhorse became the most-used professional monitoring headphone in broadcast and recording studios worldwide.
5. **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.
6. **Sony WH-1000XM5**
   Sony's 2022 flagship wireless ANC headphone, widely considered the best noise-cancelling over-ear for consumers.
7. **Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro**
   A decades-old open-back German classic delivering wide soundstage and energetic highs, beloved by gamers, mixing engineers, and audiophiles.
8. **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.
9. **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.
10. **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.
11. **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.
12. **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.
13. **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.
14. **Audeze LCD-3**
   Audeze's premium planar magnetic flagship featuring Fazor waveguide technology, praised for its lifelike bass and class-leading dynamics.
15. **HiFiMAN Sundara**
   Introduced in 2018, this affordable planar magnetic headphone became a go-to recommendation for audiophiles seeking high-end planar performance.
16. **HiFiMAN HE400SE**
   A budget-friendly planar magnetic open-back that brought the signature HiFiMAN speed and detail to entry-level price points.
17. **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.
18. **Focal Utopia**
   Focal's flagship open-back headphone featuring the world's first full-range beryllium driver, a benchmark endgame audiophile headphone since 2016.
19. **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.
20. **Grado SR80x**
   Grado's entry-level open-back classic delivering the brand's signature forward, musical sound at an accessible price.
21. **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.
22. **Bose QuietComfort 45**
   The successor to the landmark QC35 II, refining its noise cancellation and comfort formula with improved battery life.
23. **Apple AirPods Max**
   Apple's 2020 premium all-metal over-ear headphone combining H1 chip, computational audio, and spatial audio for the Apple ecosystem.
24. **Philips Fidelio X2HR**
   A cult-favorite open-back over-ear known for its rich, impactful bass and wide soundstage at a mid-range price.
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.

Tags: music, headphones, audio