The 7 Best Headphones For Music - Spring 2020
Reviews

The best headphones for bass-heavy music we've tested so far are the Sony WH-1000XM3. These comfortable Bluetooth over-ears have a very premium, feature-packed design. They have a very customizable sound profile, one of the best active noise cancelling features on the market and an excellent 27-hour battery life all wrapped up in a comfortable, premium design.

Out of the box, they have a warm sound with deep punchy bass suitable for R&B, house, funk, or dubstep. If their default sound signature isn't to your liking, however, you can use their companion app to adjust it in great detail. Not only do you get a graphic EQ with presets, but you'll also find a dedicated bass slider and various room effects, as well as virtual soundstage options to personalize your listening experience even further.

While all their customization options can help you find the right sound profile, they can be a bit overwhelming to dive into. The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x have a simpler, more straightforward design that packs a satisfying punch, but their wired design is less versatile. The Sony may seem a bit daunting at first, but it's thanks to all their customization features that they remain among our most recommended headphones, especially for fans of bass.

The best headphones for soundstage we've tested so far are the Sennheiser HD 800 S. They're comfortable to wear for long listening sessions thanks to their big ear cups and suede-like padding, and they feel very well-built. They have an expertly-balanced sound profile and an excellent, open soundstage.

These headphones truly cater to the most demanding audiophiles. Their open-back design delivers an incredible soundstage that's spacious, natural, and immersive. They lean towards a brighter sound but are still able to maintain a good, punchy bass with an even mid-range and treble, resulting in impressive instrument separation.

These headphones aren't intended for listening on-the-go, however. They sound their best in a quiet listening room, driven by a powerful amplifier. They're also exorbitantly expensive. That said, while they may be out of reach for most people, they provide an exceptional listening experience for those willing to pay the price.

The best headphones for vocals and instruments that we’ve tested so far are the Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee. They reproduce audio very accurately and even outperform more expensive models. They're not ideal for use in busy, noisy environments since their open-back design reduces isolation, but this helps them sound more spacious, which is nice when you're listening to your favorite folk or jazz album at home.

These headphones have exceptional mid-range accuracy, which is crucial to reproducing vocals and instruments that sound clear, balanced and present. They have good bass and treble too, providing a solid listening experience all around. Overall build quality is good, but the joints holding the frame can feel a bit fragile.

Although these headphones have large ear cups and soft padding, there's significant clamping force, which makes them harder to wear for an extended period. Thankfully, the open-back design allows for decent airflow so they don't get too hot. All things considered, they provide outstanding value for their price thanks to their great reproduction of vocals and instruments and are very easy to recommend.

The best budget headphones for music we've tested so far are the Superlux HD 681. They're semi-open headphones that deliver a remarkably well-balanced sound at an affordable price. Although their build quality feels a bit cheap, they're very comfortable to wear due to their light weight and large, well-padded ear cups.

They have an overall sound signature that's well-balanced, with great bass extension; however, the treble can sound overly bright for some, especially on tracks that are already bright or poorly recorded. Like most open or semi-open back headphones, they're not made for portable use, as they let in a lot of ambient noise and leak as well, so it's best to use them in a quiet environment. That said, the semi-open design allows these headphones to produce a very good soundstage - a quality often associated with headphones that are much more expensive.

Overall, if you're willing to compromise a bit on build quality, these headphones are worth considering.