Studio headphones are built to expose problems in a mix. Listening headphones are built to make you forget about the gear and stay with the song for a whole album. The best headphones for music balance tonal accuracy with comfort and a little musical warmth, and they suit where you actually listen: a quiet room, a commute, or a desk next to your record player. Below are eight proven picks across budgets, from open-back hi-fi favourites to noise-cancelling wireless models, plus a plain-English guide to the specs that matter.
Open-back vs closed-back for listening
Open-back headphones let air and sound pass through the earcup grille. That removes the boxy reflections inside a sealed cup, so the soundstage feels wider and more natural, closer to speakers in a room. The trade-off is zero isolation: people around you hear your music and you hear them. Closed-back models seal the ear, which isolates noise and usually adds bass punch, at the cost of a more “in-your-head” image. For quiet home listening, open-back usually wins. For travel, offices and shared spaces, choose closed-back or noise-cancelling. Our open-back vs closed-back explainer goes deeper.
The best headphones for music, picked
Sennheiser HD 560 S
The Sennheiser HD 560 S is an open-back design tuned for a neutral, detailed presentation with a spacious stage. Its angled drivers push the image slightly forward, so it feels more like listening to a pair of speakers than many headphones manage. It is light and comfortable enough for long sessions.
Best for: home listeners who want honest, detailed sound for acoustic, jazz, classical and well-recorded rock.
- Pros: natural tonal balance, wide stage, comfortable, detachable cable.
- Cons: bass is tight rather than heavy, and it leaks sound.
HIFIMAN HE400se
The HIFIMAN HE400se brings planar magnetic drivers into the mid-range band. Planars move a very thin diaphragm evenly across its surface, which tends to give clean, low-distortion bass and fast transients. The trade-off is lower sensitivity, so it benefits from a proper amplifier rather than a phone.
Best for: listeners curious about planar sound without a splurge.
- Pros: clean extended bass, open stage, strong value.
- Cons: needs real power, build feels less premium than the price band above.
Philips SHP9500
The Philips SHP9500 is a long-standing budget recommendation for open-back listening. Large drivers, a light clamp and generous earcups make it easy to wear, and it is efficient enough to run from most devices.
Best for: anyone trying open-back headphones for the first time on a tight budget.
- Pros: airy presentation, very comfortable, easy to drive.
- Cons: light on sub-bass, plastic build.
Grado SR80
Grado’s Classic Series SR80 is a hand-assembled, on-ear open-back with a lively, forward midrange that makes guitars, horns and vocals jump out. It is a favourite with rock and vinyl listeners who want energy over polish.
Best for: rock, blues and jazz fans who love an upfront, exciting sound.
- Pros: vivid mids, easy to drive, distinctive character.
- Cons: on-ear foam pads are not comfortable for everyone, no isolation.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x began life as a studio monitor headphone, yet many people buy it to listen. The closed back isolates well, the bass has punch, and the folding design with detachable cables survives being thrown in a bag.
Best for: listeners who want one wired closed-back pair for home, office and the occasional recording session.
- Pros: strong isolation, punchy low end, durable, folds flat.
- Cons: treble can be a touch bright, earpads get warm on long sessions.
Sony WH-1000XM5
The Sony WH-1000XM5 pairs very effective noise cancelling with a warm, easygoing sound and an app EQ you can use to tame the bass. Support for the LDAC codec allows higher-bitrate Bluetooth from compatible Android devices.
Best for: commuters and travellers who want music without the engine noise.
- Pros: excellent noise cancelling, long battery life, adjustable EQ.
- Cons: does not fold flat, sound is less open than wired open-backs.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are a top choice when comfort and cancellation come first. Soft pads and a light clamp make them easy to wear on long flights, and the spatial audio mode can widen stereo tracks for casual listening.
Best for: frequent flyers and anyone who wears headphones for hours at a time.
- Pros: superb comfort, class-leading noise cancelling, simple controls.
- Cons: sits in the splurge band, purists may prefer spatial mode off.
Koss Porta Pro
The Koss Porta Pro is a decades-old cult classic: a lightweight, folding on-ear with a warm, fun sound that belies its very low price. It is the pair to keep in a drawer or a bag for when your main headphones stay home.
Best for: a cheap, cheerful second pair with surprisingly musical sound.
- Pros: warm and fun, ultralight, folds small, very affordable.
- Cons: leaks sound, retro headband is not for everyone.
Comparison table
| Product | Best for | Key feature |
|---|---|---|
| Sennheiser HD 560 S | Detailed home listening | Open-back, neutral tuning |
| HIFIMAN HE400se | First planar headphone | Planar magnetic drivers |
| Philips SHP9500 | Budget open-back | Light, easy to drive |
| Grado SR80 | Rock and jazz energy | Forward, lively mids |
| Audio-Technica ATH-M50x | Wired all-rounder | Closed-back isolation |
| Sony WH-1000XM5 | Commuting | Noise cancelling, LDAC |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) | Long flights | Comfort and cancellation |
| Koss Porta Pro | Spare, portable pair | Ultralight folding design |
How to choose headphones for listening
Start with where you listen. Quiet room at home: open-back. Commute, office or travel: closed-back or noise-cancelling wireless. Most people end up owning one of each.
Understand impedance and sensitivity. Sensitivity tells you how loud a headphone gets from a given input; impedance is its electrical resistance. Low-impedance, high-sensitivity models play loud from a phone. High-impedance or low-sensitivity designs, including most planars, sound limp from a phone and come alive with an amplifier. Our guide to the best headphone amps covers what to pair with hungrier cans.
Think about the source. Bluetooth compresses audio to varying degrees depending on the codec, though good wireless models still sound very enjoyable. Wired headphones from a decent DAC or amplifier remove that bottleneck. If you listen to vinyl, plug into the headphone output of your amplifier or phono-capable receiver.
Mind the tuning, not just the price. Headphones differ far more in frequency response than most amplifiers or cables do. A bass-forward pair flatters hip-hop and electronic music but can make acoustic recordings sound thick; a bright pair adds sparkle but can turn harsh on loud, compressed masters. Read how each model is described, think about the music you play most, and remember that the EQ in your phone or streaming app can nudge a good headphone closer to your taste.
Prioritise comfort. Clamp force, weight and earpad material decide whether you finish the album. Velour pads breathe; leather and protein leather seal better but get warm.
Listening vs mixing. A pleasing listening headphone can flatter a mix. If you also produce music, see our guide to the best headphones for music production. If you want to go further up the ladder, our best audiophile headphones roundup covers splurge-band flagships, and our best wireless headphones for music guide focuses on Bluetooth only.
FAQ
Are studio headphones good for listening to music?
Many are. Studio models like the ATH-M50x are durable and detailed, but some sound more clinical than listening-tuned headphones. If you want to enjoy music rather than dissect it, a slightly warmer or more spacious design often feels better over a long session.
Do I need a headphone amp?
Only for harder-to-drive models. Most closed-back and wireless headphones run perfectly from a phone or laptop. Planar magnetic and high-impedance open-backs usually benefit from a dedicated amp or a DAC with a strong headphone output.
Are wireless headphones good enough for music?
For most listeners, yes. Modern noise-cancelling models sound full and enjoyable, especially on the move. Wired open-backs still deliver a more spacious, detailed presentation at home, which is why many music lovers keep one of each.
