The Best Open-Back Headphones

May 2024 · 11 minute read

Open-back headphones let you enjoy your music in a whole new light. With their open-ear design, they allow air and sound to pass through the ear cups at the rear of the speaker driver.

This results in a more natural sound output that is much better suited to critical listening. And because the sounds around you are incorporated into the audio, it creates a more immersive experience, as if the sound were being presented in a live setting.

Often favored by professionals and audiophiles alike, open-back headphones are ideal for anybody who wants to hear every detail their music has to offer.

Here's a look at the best open-back headphones available today.

Our Favorite Open Back Headphones in 2023

Sennheiser HD 660 S
Best Overall

The best choice of open-back headphones overall

$265 $425 Save $160

With the Sennheiser HD 660 S, you'll enjoy rich, expansive soundscapes and exceptional audio clarity. Offering an incredibly balanced sound across all frequencies, every aspect is rendered with pinpoint precision. The best blend of design, performance, and price.

ProsCons$450 at Amazon$500 at Best Buy$265 at Walmart

An excellent mid-range option, the Sennheiser HD 660 S Open Back Headphones deliver an audio punch that’s impressive enough to satisfy most audiophiles. Representing an evolution from the earlier HD 650 and HD 600 models, the HD 660 S showcases a brand-new transducer to really expand the soundscape offered by these open-back earcups.

In addition, specially ventilated paired drivers provide consistent control of air displacement, for a more comprehensive, all-encompassing sound quality, with minimal distortion (around 0.04 percent). The result is an excellent audio reproduction that ‘breathes,’ rewarding you with life-like sound and an ultra-quick response.

Soft velour padding on the earpieces cushions your lugholes luxuriously, making these headphones exceptionally comfortable to wear. And despite the open-back design, sound leakage is minimal, as is noise intrusion from the outside world. Best enjoyed with a dedicated headphone amplifier, the Sennheiser HD 660 S are the best open-back headphones at this price point.

Sennheiser HD 800 S Reference Headphone System
Best for Audiophiles

The best open-back headphones for audiophiles

$1399 $1700 Save $301

If you're serious about getting the most out of your music, the Sennheiser HD 800 S Reference Headphones are for you. An audiophile's dream, these open-back headphones deliver on every level. Enjoy sumptuous sounds like never before with these premium headphones.

ProsCons$1399 at Amazon$1600 at Best Buy$1500 at Walmart

If you’re ready to push the boat out, and we mean way out, the Sennheiser HD 800 S is the audio equivalent of stepping out of the dark into piercing bright light. Boasting twin 56-millimeter ring radiator transducers, and innovative absorber technology, these are premium earcups for serious music lovers.

Their unique earcup design angles soundwaves to create a deep and satisfying spatial audio experience that picks out every nuance in your music. There’s a vibration-damping chassis built from aerospace-grade materials to kick any sound distortion into touch, and a hyper-fast response from those transducers that provides incredible detail across all frequencies.

Sound separation is excellent, bringing out the best in every instrument and effect, making old favorites sound infinitely more textured and three-dimensional. Handmade microfiber ear pads provide plenty of comfort to complement the sound quality, as you would expect at this price.

The sticking point here is that price tag, putting the Sennheiser HD 800 S out of reach for many buyers. However, if you’re looking to invest in open-back headphones that push the limits, the performance here is impeccable.

HIFIMAN HE400SE Stealth Magnets Open-Back Headphones
Best Value

Superior sound at a budget price

Enjoy immersive, superior sound without breaking the bank, with the HIFIMAN HE400SE open-back headphones. These planar headphones offer dramatically reduced levels of distortion, allowing you to concentrate on the music, and experience truly impressive sound quality.

ProsConsSee at Amazon

At the other end of the scale, you can find quality open-ear headphones that won’t break the bank. Take these HIFIMAN HE400SE Stealth Magnet Open Back Headphones, for instance. These magnetic headphones have been crafted to enable soundwaves to pass through them without causing interference, offering you an open-back performance for a closed-back price.

These are planar headphones, which utilize conductive layers to cover almost all the diaphragm, giving you the benefit of dramatically lower levels of distortion when compared to more conventional dynamic headphones. They have a lightweight design and provide a decent level of comfort, and shouldn’t make your ears feel too hot, even after extended sessions.

On the downside, if you like your music dripping with bass, you may be disappointed here. With excellent highs and mids on offer, the bass tones are of a good general quality, but you may find the sub-bass tones lack a bit of depth. However, for the price, it’s very hard to argue with what’s on offer. If you’re shopping with a more modest budget, the HIFIMAN HE400SE offers a great balance between performance and value.

Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
Most Lightweight

So light you'll barely notice they're there

Audio excellence and superior comfort. The Audio-Technica ATH-R70x delivers everything you want and expect from a mid-range pair of open-back headphones. And thanks to their ultra-lightweight design, you can stay immersed in sound for even longer.

ProsConsSee at Amazon$350 at Best Buy$350 at Walmart

Being Audio-Technica's first-ever pair of professional open-back headphones, the ATH-R70x carried some considerable weight on their shoulders. Thankfully, they were more than up to the task, and remain one of the best examples of open-back headphones even now, several years after release.

They are one of the most lightweight options available and use an aluminum honeycomb mesh to provide a broad open-back sound. With almost no pressure applied to your head while wearing these, they are sublimely comfortable to wear. A carbon composite resin adds rigidity to the structure, making it surprisingly robust as well.

The sound stage is impressive here too, especially when paired with an amp, and they’re well suited to bassier sounds. You’ll enjoy a high-frequency response as well as minimal distortion, thanks to high-efficiency magnets and a pure alloy magnetic circuit design. A perfect blend of comfort and sound.

Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X
Best for Mixing

Mix it up in the studio and make every element sing

Stay on track in the studio, with the Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X Open-Back Headphones. Their STELLAR.45 sound transducer delivers unrivaled performance in the studio headphone class, letting you hear every aspect with pinpoint precision.

ProsConsSee at Amazon$270 at Walmart

The Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X Open Back Studio Headphones provide great bass, midrange, and treble, with a good soundstage for mixing and mastering. The entire frequency spectrum is well represented here, and they deliver excellent spatial, transparent sound.

The STELLAR.45 sound transducer provides you with a consistently reliable sound stage, that doesn’t suffer from distortion, even at high pressure levels. With studio-quality sound, you can enjoy a granular level of detail listening to music or gaming, picking out every detail with impressive clarity.

They’re comfortable to wear and reasonably lightweight too, making them suitable for longer sessions. Aesthetically, however, they’re far from stunning, and their clunky-looking appearance is unlikely to win any beauty awards. However, they have the chops where it counts, and for a sub-$300 price point, they’re nigh on unbeatable.

Drop + EPOS PC38X Gaming Headset
Best for Gaming

Get the drop on your enemies and get more from your game time

Master your game time with the Drop + EPOS PC38X Gaming Headset. Level up your in-game audio, and make sure you never get sniped again. This premium gaming headset immerses you in the action like never before, letting you hear every footstep, with incredible stereo imaging.

ProsConsSee at Amazon$244 at Walmart

The benefits of sporting a pair of open-back headphones for your gaming exploits are huge, letting you immerse yourself in every aspect of the game. Get the drop on your enemies, hear what’s around each corner, and feel the full force of every shot fired. For gamers, the Drop + EPOS PC38X Open-Back Gaming Headset is one of the best ways to achieve that immersion.

Thanks to its angled drivers and open-back design, it’s easier to pinpoint enemy locations and identify movement patterns, with better stereo imaging. And crucially, for a gaming headset, there’s a noise-canceling microphone too. Perfect for keeping voice chat crystal clear, without compromising the overall sound upgrade.

Being powered by the same drivers found on Sennheiser's GSP 500 and 600 headsets, you can be confident that your ears are in for a treat. And with breathable mesh-knit pads and a split design, your comfort gets an upgrade here, too. Game harder and better for longer, across every map.

PHILIPS Fidelio X3 Professional Studio Monitor Headphones
Best Design

An elegant design with a premium finish

$140 $170 Save $30

With its premium Muirhead Scottish leather finish, the Philips Fidelio X3 Professional Studio Monitor Headphones offer the very best in style as well as substance. These Hi-Res audio-certified headphones offer a wide and natural soundstage that is perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

ProsConsSee at Amazon$140 at Walmart

Another excellent mid-range option is the Philips Fidelio X3 Professional Studio Open Back Headphones. They enable you to experience a wide, natural sound stage thanks to their acoustically transparent Kvadrat speaker fabric. These headphones are hi-res audio certified, letting you hear the full impact of every note.

Eliminating air pressure build-up behind the diaphragms, the Philips Fidelio X3 provides an immersive spatial sound. Double-layered ear shells dampen resonance and vibration and tilted, multi-layered 50-millimeter drivers provide for optimal accuracy at high frequencies.

The Philips Fidelio X3 represents an excellent choice for lossless audio at an impressive sample rate, with a high-quality finish. Sustainably sourced Muirhead leather completes the overall look, giving them a premium feel. And with detailed highs, a smooth midrange, and impressive but not overpowering bass tones, the finish on the sound quality is just as good, too.

Choosing the Best Pair of Open-Back Headphones for You

Open-backed headphones allow you to experience your music with exceptional depth. By mixing in the ambient sounds around you, rather than canceling them out, they engineer 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 with the world around you. Sounds are rendered with pinpoint precision, and you are provided with a more natural sound stage, and more expansive audio.

On the downside, open-back headphones do allow for considerable noise leakage, so are probably best enjoyed away from your daily commute, or the office.

If you're willing to splash the cash, the Sennheiser HD 800 S is one of the very best premium open-back headphones you can get. With reference-grade audiophile sound quality, vibration damping, and luxurious comfort, they offer one of the best seats in the house for those who can afford to succumb to their charms.

On the other hand, if you have a more modest budget, we recommend the HIFIMAN HE400SE Stealth Magnets, which represent a much more affordable option. Their sound output manages to sound rich and textured, and of a superior quality, and they make a great entry-level option if you're looking to test the waters with open-back headphones.

However, for our best overall option, we've picked out the Sennheiser HD 660 S. Priced firmly in the mid-range, you'll save a considerable amount of money compared to the Sennheiser HD 800 S, while still enjoying premium sound quality with virtually no distortion. With ultra-fast impulse fidelity across the board, they highlight every tiny nuance in your music, while minimizing intrusion from the outside world. In terms of form, function, and price point, these are the best open-back headphones you can get right now.

Sennheiser HD 660 S
Best Overall

The best choice of open-back headphones overall

$265 $425 Save $160

With the Sennheiser HD 660 S, you'll enjoy rich, expansive soundscapes and exceptional audio clarity. Offering an incredibly balanced sound across all frequencies, every aspect is rendered with pinpoint precision. The best blend of design, performance, and price.

ProsConsSee at Amazon$495 at Best Buy$265 at Walmart

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rq3KnqysnZ%2Bbe6S7zGiZnqukYryxsc1mmZqbm2K1pq3DqZ%2BoppWofA%3D%3D