Open back headphones are designed to deliver an immersive listening experience by reducing the level of isolation between you and your environment. They produce a spacious soundstage and give you the impression of listening to a good speaker set up in an ideal room. However, they leak a lot so they are not the best choice if you want to use them outside, as they may distract the people around you (see our closed-back recommendations).

We've tested 284 headphones and below are our recommendations for the best open back headphones you can buy in 2018. See also our recommendations for the best audiophile headphones and the best headphones for music. 

1. Best Open-Back Headphones: Sennheiser HD 800 S

   

   Sennheiser HD 800 S

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com
   Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

   Test Benches:

   • 1.2: Winter 2018
   • 1.1: Summer 2017
   • 1.0: Winter 2017
   • 0.9: Winter 2016

   See changelog and how ratings work

   6.2

   Mixed Usage

   What it is: This is the combination of the different use cases to evaluate how versatile the headphones are. Therefore an everyday headphone should be well-rounded enough to adapt to most situations and environments without significant losses in sound quality, design ergonomics or isolation.

   Score components:

   • 25% Critical Listening
   • 25% Office
   • 25% Commute/Travel
   • 10% Sports/Fitness
   • 9% Gaming
   • 6% TV

   Score distribution:

   8.5

   Critical Listening

   What it is: The level of audio fidelity a headphone can reproduce. Therefore a balanced and true representation of bass, mids, treble, soundstage and imaging, as well as a comfortable listening experience, is essential for critical listening.

   Score components:

   • 80% Sound
   • 10% Build Quality
   • 7% Comfort
   • 3% Breathability

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   4.8

   Commute/Travel

   What it is: How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.

   Score components:

   • 24% Noise Isolation
   • 14% Sound
   • 11% Portability
   • 10% Comfort
   • 9% Build Quality
   • 9% Battery
   • 6% Wireless Range
   • 4% Controls
   • 4% Breathability
   • 4% Leakage
   • 3% Microphone
   • 1% Multi-Device Pairing
   • 1% NFC

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   5.5

   Sports/Fitness

   What it is: How well-adapted the headphones are, to use while doing sports or strenuous exercise. Therefore the headphones should not be too cumbersome and deliver a stable and comfortable listening experience.

   Score components:

   • 24% Stability
   • 23% Portability
   • 11% Sound
   • 10% Breathability
   • 8% Comfort
   • 6% Wireless Range
   • 5% Controls
   • 5% Battery
   • 4% Noise Isolation
   • 4% Leakage

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   5.4

   Office

   What it is: How well the headphones can deliver a comfortable and isolated listening experience in an office-like environment. They should not leak much and should block the noise of a busy office.

   Score components:

   • 24% Comfort
   • 21% Sound
   • 16% Noise Isolation
   • 8% Leakage
   • 7% Battery
   • 7% Wireless Range
   • 5% Breathability
   • 4% Build Quality
   • 4% Microphone
   • 2% Controls
   • <1% Multi-Device Pairing
   • <1% USB
   • <1% PC Compatible
   • <1% Latency
   • <1% Analog
   • <1% Line In
   • <1% USB Input
   • <1% PC Compatible
   • <1% Power Supply
   • <1% Dock Charging

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   6.2

   TV

   Score components:

   • 22% Sound
   • 17% Comfort
   • 15% Default Latency
   • 10% Wireless Range
   • 5% Breathability
   • 5% Build Quality
   • 4% Optical Input
   • 3% Battery
   • 3% Analog
   • 3% Leakage
   • 2% Noise Isolation
   • 2% RCA Input
   • 2% Multi-Device Pairing
   • 2% Line In
   • 2% Line Out
   • 2% Power Supply
   • 1% Dock Charging

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   6.1

   Gaming

   Score components:

   • 20% Sound
   • 20% Default Latency
   • 15% Comfort
   • 12% Microphone
   • 5% Breathability
   • 5% Battery
   • 5% Base/Dock
   • 3% Build Quality
   • 3% Wireless Range
   • 3% Microphone Control
   • 2% Channel Mixing
   • 2% Wired
   • 2% Volume Control
   • 2% App Support
   • 1% Bluetooth

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations
   Type : Over-ear
   Enclosure : Open-Back
   Wireless : No
   Noise-Cancelling : No
   Mic : No
   Transducer : Dynamic

   The best open back headphones we've tested are the Sennheiser HD 800 S. They are specifically designed to deliver a comfortable and accurate listening experience. If you consider yourself a critical listener or an audiophile who refuses to compromise on sound quality, then the HD 800S will not disappoint.

   They’re sturdy and comfortable headphones that deliver a well-balanced frequency response and a large and spacious soundstage. The Sennheiser HD 700 are a more affordable alternative to the HD 800 S, but their audio reproduction is not as good and will sound a bit too sharp on S and T sounds and already bright tracks.

   See our review

2. Cheaper Alternative: HiFiMan Ananda

   

   HiFiMan Ananda

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com

   Type : Over-ear

   Enclosure : Open-Back

   Wireless : No

   Noise-Cancelling : No

   Mic : No

   Transducer : Planar Magnetic

   If you want an open-back design that sounds as good as the Sennheiser HD 800 S at a cheaper price point, get the HiFiMan Ananda. They're not as well built or as premium-looking as the HD 800 S, and despite their planar magnetic drivers and very open ear cups, they do not quite sound as spacious as the Sennheisers. However, this may be due to the HD 800S sounding a bit brighter overall. 

   On the upside, the Anandas pack a bit more bass and deliver a balanced audio reproduction that sounds great with any track. Their build quality is also better than the older Edition X model, and more closely resembles the HiFiMan Sundara, so they should last longer and have fewer issues with their yokes/hinges. As long as their build quality holds up, the Anandas are a great choice for any audiophile, and a slightly better value for your money than the Sennheisers.

   See our review

3. Best Mid-Range Open-Back Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO

   

   Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com
   Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

   Test Benches:

   • 1.2: Winter 2018
   • 1.1: Summer 2017
   • 1.0: Winter 2017
   • 0.9: Winter 2016

   See changelog and how ratings work

   6.0

   Mixed Usage

   What it is: This is the combination of the different use cases to evaluate how versatile the headphones are. Therefore an everyday headphone should be well-rounded enough to adapt to most situations and environments without significant losses in sound quality, design ergonomics or isolation.

   Score components:

   • 25% Critical Listening
   • 25% Office
   • 25% Commute/Travel
   • 10% Sports/Fitness
   • 9% Gaming
   • 6% TV

   Score distribution:

   8.0

   Critical Listening

   What it is: The level of audio fidelity a headphone can reproduce. Therefore a balanced and true representation of bass, mids, treble, soundstage and imaging, as well as a comfortable listening experience, is essential for critical listening.

   Score components:

   • 80% Sound
   • 10% Build Quality
   • 7% Comfort
   • 3% Breathability

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   4.9

   Commute/Travel

   What it is: How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.

   Score components:

   • 24% Noise Isolation
   • 14% Sound
   • 11% Portability
   • 10% Comfort
   • 9% Build Quality
   • 9% Battery
   • 6% Wireless Range
   • 4% Controls
   • 4% Breathability
   • 4% Leakage
   • 3% Microphone
   • 1% Multi-Device Pairing
   • 1% NFC

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   5.7

   Sports/Fitness

   What it is: How well-adapted the headphones are, to use while doing sports or strenuous exercise. Therefore the headphones should not be too cumbersome and deliver a stable and comfortable listening experience.

   Score components:

   • 24% Stability
   • 23% Portability
   • 11% Sound
   • 10% Breathability
   • 8% Comfort
   • 6% Wireless Range
   • 5% Controls
   • 5% Battery
   • 4% Noise Isolation
   • 4% Leakage

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   5.3

   Office

   What it is: How well the headphones can deliver a comfortable and isolated listening experience in an office-like environment. They should not leak much and should block the noise of a busy office.

   Score components:

   • 24% Comfort
   • 21% Sound
   • 16% Noise Isolation
   • 8% Leakage
   • 7% Battery
   • 7% Wireless Range
   • 5% Breathability
   • 4% Build Quality
   • 4% Microphone
   • 2% Controls
   • <1% Multi-Device Pairing
   • <1% USB
   • <1% PC Compatible
   • <1% Latency
   • <1% Analog
   • <1% Line In
   • <1% USB Input
   • <1% PC Compatible
   • <1% Power Supply
   • <1% Dock Charging

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   6.0

   TV

   Score components:

   • 22% Sound
   • 17% Comfort
   • 15% Default Latency
   • 10% Wireless Range
   • 5% Breathability
   • 5% Build Quality
   • 4% Optical Input
   • 3% Battery
   • 3% Analog
   • 3% Leakage
   • 2% Noise Isolation
   • 2% RCA Input
   • 2% Multi-Device Pairing
   • 2% Line In
   • 2% Line Out
   • 2% Power Supply
   • 1% Dock Charging

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   5.9

   Gaming

   Score components:

   • 20% Sound
   • 20% Default Latency
   • 15% Comfort
   • 12% Microphone
   • 5% Breathability
   • 5% Battery
   • 5% Base/Dock
   • 3% Build Quality
   • 3% Wireless Range
   • 3% Microphone Control
   • 2% Channel Mixing
   • 2% Wired
   • 2% Volume Control
   • 2% App Support
   • 1% Bluetooth

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations
   Type : Over-ear
   Enclosure : Open-Back
   Wireless : No
   Noise-Cancelling : No
   Mic : No
   Transducer : Dynamic

   If you want a good sounding open critical listening headphone below 200$, then get the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro. They do not sound as spacious as the Sennheiser HD 800 S or the HiFiMan Ananda. Their sound can also be a bit sharp for some, especially on already bright tracks.

   On the upside, the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro are incredibly well-built headphones for their price. They also deliver a great sound that's near neutral in the mid-range and does a great job with instruments and vocals. They even pack a bit more bass than typical open-back models, making them a good choice for bass-heavy genres too (see our recommendations for the best bass headphones).

   Unfortunately, they can be a little tight on the head which won't be as comfortable for all listeners and their cable is not removable, unlike that of the more premium DT 1990 PRO. On the upside, the 990 Pros sound as good than the higher end model and cost way less.

   See our review

4. More Comfortable Alternative: AKG K702

   

   AKG K702

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com

   Type : Over-ear

   Enclosure : Open-Back

   Wireless : No

   Noise-Cancelling : No

   Mic : No

   Transducer : Dynamic

   If you’re looking for more comfortable headphones than the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO but still want to get great audio reproduction, then go with the AKG K702 instead. They don’t have the build quality of the Beyerdynamics and can sound a little bass-light, which won't be as exciting for bass-heavy genres but on the upside, they're incredibly well padded and a lot more comfortable for long listening sessions.

   The K702 are slightly more expensive than the DT 990 Pro, but they have a more balanced treble range and won’t sound as piercing on already bright tracks. They’re also cheaper than the similar K712 PRO for almost identical performance except for the added cable option of the higher-end model. This makes them a great choice if you’re looking for great performance to price ratio.  

   See our review

5. Best Budget Open-Back Headphones: Superlux HD 681

   

   Superlux HD 681

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com
   Usage Ratings - Version 1.2

   Test Benches:

   • 1.2: Winter 2018
   • 1.1: Summer 2017
   • 1.0: Winter 2017
   • 0.9: Winter 2016

   See changelog and how ratings work

   5.8

   Mixed Usage

   What it is: This is the combination of the different use cases to evaluate how versatile the headphones are. Therefore an everyday headphone should be well-rounded enough to adapt to most situations and environments without significant losses in sound quality, design ergonomics or isolation.

   Score components:

   • 25% Critical Listening
   • 25% Office
   • 25% Commute/Travel
   • 10% Sports/Fitness
   • 9% Gaming
   • 6% TV

   Score distribution:

   7.7

   Critical Listening

   What it is: The level of audio fidelity a headphone can reproduce. Therefore a balanced and true representation of bass, mids, treble, soundstage and imaging, as well as a comfortable listening experience, is essential for critical listening.

   Score components:

   • 80% Sound
   • 10% Build Quality
   • 7% Comfort
   • 3% Breathability

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   4.7

   Commute/Travel

   What it is: How well the headphones handle the loud environments involved in commuting or traveling. Therefore your listening experience should be comfortable, hassle-free and as isolated from noise as possible.

   Score components:

   • 24% Noise Isolation
   • 14% Sound
   • 11% Portability
   • 10% Comfort
   • 9% Build Quality
   • 9% Battery
   • 6% Wireless Range
   • 4% Controls
   • 4% Breathability
   • 4% Leakage
   • 3% Microphone
   • 1% Multi-Device Pairing
   • 1% NFC

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   5.4

   Sports/Fitness

   What it is: How well-adapted the headphones are, to use while doing sports or strenuous exercise. Therefore the headphones should not be too cumbersome and deliver a stable and comfortable listening experience.

   Score components:

   • 24% Stability
   • 23% Portability
   • 11% Sound
   • 10% Breathability
   • 8% Comfort
   • 6% Wireless Range
   • 5% Controls
   • 5% Battery
   • 4% Noise Isolation
   • 4% Leakage

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   5.4

   Office

   What it is: How well the headphones can deliver a comfortable and isolated listening experience in an office-like environment. They should not leak much and should block the noise of a busy office.

   Score components:

   • 24% Comfort
   • 21% Sound
   • 16% Noise Isolation
   • 8% Leakage
   • 7% Battery
   • 7% Wireless Range
   • 5% Breathability
   • 4% Build Quality
   • 4% Microphone
   • 2% Controls
   • <1% Multi-Device Pairing
   • <1% USB
   • <1% PC Compatible
   • <1% Latency
   • <1% Analog
   • <1% Line In
   • <1% USB Input
   • <1% PC Compatible
   • <1% Power Supply
   • <1% Dock Charging

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   5.9

   TV

   Score components:

   • 22% Sound
   • 17% Comfort
   • 15% Default Latency
   • 10% Wireless Range
   • 5% Breathability
   • 5% Build Quality
   • 4% Optical Input
   • 3% Battery
   • 3% Analog
   • 3% Leakage
   • 2% Noise Isolation
   • 2% RCA Input
   • 2% Multi-Device Pairing
   • 2% Line In
   • 2% Line Out
   • 2% Power Supply
   • 1% Dock Charging

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations

   5.7

   Gaming

   Score components:

   • 20% Sound
   • 20% Default Latency
   • 15% Comfort
   • 12% Microphone
   • 5% Breathability
   • 5% Battery
   • 5% Base/Dock
   • 3% Build Quality
   • 3% Wireless Range
   • 3% Microphone Control
   • 2% Channel Mixing
   • 2% Wired
   • 2% Volume Control
   • 2% App Support
   • 1% Bluetooth

   Score distribution:

   See our best recommendations
   Type : Over-ear
   Enclosure : Semi-Open
   Wireless : No
   Noise-Cancelling : No
   Mic : No
   Transducer : Dynamic

   The best open-back headphones we've tested in the budget category are the Superlux HD 681. They are not the best-built headphones and feel a lot cheaper and less durable than the mid-range options on this list, which is somewhat expected at their budget price. On the upside, they have a surprisingly well-balanced audio reproduction that delivers a good amount of bass and a decently spacious soundstage thanks to the semi-open ear cups.

   They're cheaper and more comfortable than the Superlux HD 668B, which are already pretty affordable headphones but they do not come with a detachable audio cable. They're also not as comfortable or as well built as the Philips SHP9500, but within their price range, they're very difficult to beat.

   See our review

6. On-ear and Portable Alternative: Koss Porta Pro

   

   Koss Porta Pro

   SEE PRICE

   Amazon.com

   Type : On-ear

   Enclosure : Open-Back

   Wireless : No

   Noise-Cancelling : No

   Mic : Yes

   Transducer : Dynamic

   If you want portable open-back headphones and don’t mind the on-ear fit, then get the Koss Porta Pro. They won’t have the same great audio reproduction of the Superlux HD 681, but they are fairly comfortable and offer a decent control scheme, which the Superlux lacks. They fold into a more portable format that can fit in some larger pockets, making them a somewhat decent option for music on the go while traveling or commuting, although they won't block much noise. They're also are very lightweight headphones and barely put any pressure on the head so they're comfortable to wear for long listening sessions.

   Unfortunately, they don’t have the best build quality and the thin metal frame feels flimsy. There’s also a wireless variant of these headphones, but the Bluetooth connection isn’t the best and they are a bit more expensive than the regular Koss Porta Pro. On the upside, the wired variant is easy to use, sound above average and won’t have any latency issues when watching videos thanks to the wired connection.

   See our review