6 Best Audiophile Headphones in 2024

By Robin Owens 8 days ago, Headphones

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Affordable and high-quality audiophile headphones.

best audiophile headphones

The best audiophile headphones are a must-have for any music lover. That’s pretty understandable. No one wants to listen to music spoiled by some outer noise. People for whom music is a part of life won’t get satisfied with low-quality equipment. They need to find a pair of headphones that can play a crystal-clear sound.

Of course, you will have to pay for premium quality. The best audiophile headphones will cost you more than ordinary ones, but there is no point in buying a cheaper option if you prioritize quality.

Top 6 Best Audiophile Headphones

  1. GRADO SR325e - Our choice
  2. Sennheiser HD 820 - Durable
  3. Beyerdynamic Amiron - Stylish
  4. Philips Audio Fidelio X2HR - Lightweight
  5. ATH-M50x - Circumaural design
  6. Superlux HD 681 - Comfortable fit

Like most accessories, audiophile headphones can be wired or wireless. They utilize the latest technologies to ensure zero distortion. Such headphones will easily reproduce various audio signals, including some complex ones.

1. GRADO SR325e

Our choice
grado sr325e audiophile headphones

Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz | Wireless: No | Noise Cancelling: Yes | Cable Length: 1.5m

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⊕ Great bass
⊕ Durable body
⊕ Crisp sounding
⊖ Only wired mode

The GRADO SR325e is one of the most sought after headphones by audiophiles. It's no secret that GRADO has taken the technology that was once only available to the most elite of audiophiles and made it readily available to everyone. And, this is just what they did with the GRADO SR325e, which makes it one of the best headphones on the market. The GRADO SR325e is actually an upgrade of the GRADO SR325. The original headphones were not designed for heavy use. They were designed for use in music stores and as sound systems for personal use.

2. Sennheiser HD 820

Durable
sennheiser hd 820 audiophile headphones

Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz | Wireless: No | Noise Cancelling: Yes | Cable Length: 2m

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⊕ Extremely articulate and distortion-free sound
⊕ Extra large soundstage
⊕ Soldi body
⊖ Heavy
⊖ Expensive

The Sennheiser HD820 is the newest audiophile standard for headphones. For audiophiles, there was no doubt: The best sound came from an open-back design when it came to closed-back headphones. Sennheiser has now made the shift to using the closed-back design for their headphones, which is why they are so successful at producing top-of-the-line headphones. The reason why closed-back designs work so well is that they allow air to flow around the headphones, which helps with noise reduction. This is especially important if you live in a loud environment where ambient noise is more of a problem. When you use Sennheisers headphones, you will realize how much better they work at reducing noise.

3. Beyerdynamic Amiron

Stylish
beyerdynamic amiron audiophile headphones

Frequency Response: 15 Hz - 24 kHz | Wireless: No | Noise Cancelling: Yes | Cable Length: 3m

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⊕ Lightweight
⊕ Very comfortable to wear for long sessions
⊕ Crisp sounding
⊖ Too long cable
⊖ Price

The Beyerdynamic Amiron has some features that set it apart from most headphones that are available in the marketplace. They feature a high-end sound system that allows them to produce crystal clear, deep, and accurate sound. They are also very durable and long-lasting which is a bonus for consumers who are looking for a pair of headphones that can last for a while and still provide quality sound. The two primary drivers of the sound that the Beyerdynamic Amiron produces are the HEOSC surround the sound driver and the DTS surround sound driver. The HEOSC surround sound driver makes use of five microphones that are placed around the headphones to create surround sound for the music that is being played. The DTS surround sound driver allows for two speakers located above and below the headphones.

4. Philips Audio Fidelio X2HR

Lightweight
philips audio fidelio x2hr audiophile headphones

Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz | Wireless: No | Noise Cancelling: Yes | Cable Length: 2.5m

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⊕ Comfortable for long periods
⊕ Neutral sound yet with an economy of precision
⊕ Great bass
⊖ A bit heavy
⊖ Velour fabric gathers dust like crazy

The Philips Audio Fidelio X2HR is a pair of audiophile headphones that give you the sound that you have always dreamed of. They have been designed for those who need true surround sound and they have an amp built into them so that you can listen to high-quality music without having to plug them into your television. The headphones are great at isolating sounds from the surround sound experience and not being overwhelmed by the noise. You can adjust the volume level of the headphones so that you can really enjoy what you're listening to. These headphones are designed to be comfortable as well, which is a must when you wear them for extended periods of time.

5. ATH-M50x

Circumaural design
ath-m50x audiophile headphones

Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz | Wireless: Yes | Noise Cancelling: Yes | Cable Length: No cable

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⊕ Powerful bass
⊕ Good stereo imaging and separation
⊕ Great value among peers
⊖ Bass is somewhat over-emphasized
⊖ Largely plastic construction

The ATH-M50x headphones have been on the market for years. They offer top of the line headphones that are priced well above the typical headphone market price. They can make any headphones sound amazing, but that does not mean that they need to be expensive to do so. The ATH-M50x is one of the most interesting wireless headphones in the mid-range. The inexpressive appearance is compensated by the thoroughbred pedigree and rich, lively musical style. They also have 40 hours of battery life and a convenient folding mechanism.

6. Superlux HD 681

Comfortable fit
superlux hd 681 audiophile headphones

Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz | Wireless: No | Noise Cancelling: Yes | Cable Length: 2m

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⊕ Semi-open design
⊕ Self-adjusting headband
⊕ Lightweight
⊖ Sound is so so
⊖ Not wireless

Superlux HD 681 audiophile headphones have been a great addition to the Superlux family of headphones. The HD 681 are the first pair of headphones from the brand to be manufactured with a high-end design in mind. Unlike the rest of the HD series that is focused on the sound quality aspect, this set focuses more on the comfort of the users. In the case of the HD 681, the focus is primarily on the user's comfort with the headphones and the overall design.

Image Name Features  
grado sr325e audiophile headphones
GRADO SR325e
Our choice
  • Great bass
  • Durable body
CHECK PRICE
sennheiser hd 820 audiophile headphones
Sennheiser HD 820
Durable
  • Extremely articulate and distortion-free sound
  • Extra large soundstage
CHECK PRICE
beyerdynamic amiron audiophile headphones
Beyerdynamic Amiron
Stylish
  • Lightweight
  • Very comfortable to wear for long sessions
CHECK PRICE

How to Choose the Best Audiophile Headphones?

how to choose the best audiophile headphones

Closed-back Headphones

If you are looking for the best audiophile headphones that can reproduce low and mid-range frequencies, pay attention to closed-back models. They feature a seal that blocks any ambient noise. Therefore, if you listen to songs on the go or in some noisy places, closed-back headphones are an optimal solution for you.

Open-back Headphones

Open-back headphones don’t have any seal behind; they have a grille or gauze instead. They reproduce high frequencies and ensure accurate sound. It is a perfect solution if you listen to music in a studio or at home.

how to choose the best audiophile headphones

Pricing

People looking for the top earphones usually don’t care about the price. It’s the quality that really matters. In general, qualitative headsets are very expensive, but you can find some cheaper options. Prepare to part with at least $500. That’s how much the best audiophile headphones cost. Of course, you can opt for some models that cost $5000. Here, everything depends on your budget. Mind that the more you pay, the more functions you get. It doesn’t mean that a headset for 500 bucks will reproduce a terrible sound while a one for $5000 will produce crystal-clear audio. To avoid mistakes, choose some well-known brands with a good reputation, like Sennheiser or Final.

Storing/Carrying Case

Although a storing case has nothing to do with the quality of a headset, it protects your equipment. Expensive headphones usually come with qualitative carrying cases, and this is as it should be. No one wants to pay a large sum of money for luxury headphones and damage them in a bag or somewhere else. Don’t worry if your headphones don’t have a case. You can buy it separately.

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