The 7 Best Open-Back Headphones - Winter 2020
Reviews

The best open-back headphones that we’ve tested so far are the Sennheiser HD 800 S. Like most open-back headphones, they’re wired critical listening headphones that are designed for use in a quiet room. They don’t have a microphone or any active features, but they deliver exceptional audio fidelity that doesn't disappoint.

They sound amazing. They have a bright, spacious sound that lends itself particularly well to jazz and classical music. They’re extremely well-built and very comfortable, which makes them perfect for long listening sessions.

While they're the best-sounding headphones we’ve tested so far, they’re also remarkably expensive. You’ll also need a powerful amplifier to drive these headphones and experience their full potential. That said, if sound quality is your top priority and you have the equipment and the budget for them, these headphones are hard to beat.

The best open-back headphones for gaming we’ve tested so far are the Astro A40 TR + MixAmp Pro 2019. They’re very comfortable headphones with large, well-padded ear cups, which makes them suitable for long gaming sessions. They have a wired design that ensures a latency-free gaming experience, and they come with an outstanding USB dock that provides lots of connectivity options.

These headphones sound very good and their open-back design helps give them a more spacious soundstage than other gaming headsets we’ve tested. Their boom microphone is superb and works very well in noisy environments too. We even found the Xbox One variants also work on the PS4 while in PC mode. Note, however, that it's unlikely that the PS4 variants will work on the Xbox One.

While these headphones have a fairly balanced frequency response overall, they show a noticeable lack of detail and presence in the treble range. On the upside, they’re compatible with the Astro Command Center, where you can EQ their sound profile and assign custom EQ presets to their MixAmp. They’re great gaming headphones all-around and are especially well-suited to those who prefer an open-back design.

The best open-back headphones under $200 we’ve tested so far are the Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee. They’re the result of a collaboration between Sennheiser and Massdrop and can only be purchased from Drop’s website directly. They’re great critical listening headphones with excellent audio reproduction and provide very good value for their price.

These headphones sound very impressive, especially at this price point. They have a remarkably well-balanced sound that packs more bass than most open-back headphones we’ve tested, like the similarly designed Sennheiser HD 600, without sounding too sharp or sibilant, like the AKG K702. They have outstanding imaging and their soundstage isn't bad, either.

On the downside, while they have replaceable cables, they’re a bit difficult to find online since they’re not widely available for purchase. These headphones may also not be comfortable for everyone. They clamp rather tightly, and they have large ear cups that may extend past your jaw if you have a smaller head, which can be uncomfortable over time. That said, their price-to-performance ratio is rather exceptional, so if you don’t mind a tighter fit, they’re a great choice.

Open-back headphones are often associated with hi-fi audio equipment that's prohibitively expensive, but it's possible to experience this type of headphones at a budget price, like with the Philips SHP9500, the best budget open-back headphones we've tested so far. These headphones have a decent build quality that feels fairly sturdy and designed for maximum comfort. The headband is reinforced with metal, while the ear cups are well-padded and spacious. One aspect of these headphones that could use some improvement, though, is the fabric coating on the ear cups, which feels a bit rough.

Even at a budget price, these headphones perform remarkably well. The bass is well-balanced and the mids are flawless, but the treble can be sharp at times. The great thing about these headphones is that they're easy to drive; virtually any smartphone with an analog audio output will do. That said, on-the-go use is still not recommended, as these are open-back headphones that don't isolate against ambient noise at all.

If you want to experience what open-back headphones can do without spending a fortune, try the Philips.