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Rizal Mansor\/Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.<\/p>\n There’s no denying how far wireless headphones have come, especially if you’re old enough to appreciate when they were a novelty. For the younger crowd, wireless headphones mean AirPods or Sony’s WH-1000XM6, which are certainly some of the best wireless headphones around in the age of all things wireless. Though, I was around when the first Bluetooth headphones trickled onto the market around 2004 \u2013 and I remember how awful some of them sounded. At the time, wireless headphones were about ease of use and convenience, and you traded sound quality for that. Not so today.<\/p>\n Still, there’s something special about wired headphones, and they’re also a core part of the analog music experience, which is part of the larger analog renaissance that runs counter to digital life. Analog music never truly went away, but rather faded into the background as a niche hobby during the rise of digital music. Whether you’re just now embracing it, returning to it, or never left it, there’s a variety of reasons that analog music is still relevant. The shift back to analog is in part driven by digital fatigue, but the experience and sound are also distinctly different; it is often characterized as having a certain warmth and sonic profile, but is also part of a tactile and deliberate listening experience that can’t be replicated with a click or swipe.<\/p>\n If you’ve made it this far, maybe you’re asking, “But Eric, I don’t have any wired headphones. Do you have exactly four pairs you can recommend?” To which I would say, I do. I’ll preface this by saying my four current recommendations are firmly in “mid-fi” territory, which means spending $150-$400. If you’re looking to scratch the analog itch and test the waters for $100 or less, then I’d recommend the Grado Labs SR60x or the Philips SHP9500.<\/p>\n
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Eric Hamilton\/SlashGear<\/span><\/p>\n You’ll need to consider whether you want open-back or closed-back headphones. Neither one is inherently better than the other, but both bring different experiences. Open-back headphones are usually known for their expansive soundstage, which can make the audio feel three-dimensional. Closed-back headphones present a more left-and-right stereo sound, but with the sealed cups, they also provide a bigger bass punch, which is usually missing from open-back models. Generally speaking, open-backs are best suited for home or desk listening, due to their audio leakage, while closed-backs are better for on-the-go listening, thanks to their sealed cups minimizing audio escaping.<\/p>\n You also need to consider the sensitivity and impedance of the headphones, as that determines what it takes to drive them. There are also different drivers, the physical transducers that convert electrical signals into audio waves \u2013 the two most common are dynamic drivers and planar magnetic drivers. There have been thousands of words written on these topics, so we won’t get into the weeds here. The drivers typically influence how headphones sound, and sensitivity and impedance relate to how much power they need \u2013or don’t need\u2013 to get reasonably loud.<\/p>\n A lot of headphones will sound great being driven by a laptop or smartphone, while others will need external amplification. The stack I currently run, and the stack that all of these headphones have been driven through, is the iFi Zen DAC 3 and Zen CAN 3. The iFi Zen line has become well known for being entry-level powerhouses, with both units offering a lot of features for under $300. For desktop amplifiers at a reasonable price, you can’t spend better money. If you need something portable, the FiiO KA11 has served me well, and you can usually get it for just north of $30.<\/p>\n
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Eric Hamilton\/SlashGear<\/span><\/p>\n When it comes to open-back headphones, there’s perhaps none more legendary than the Sennheiser HD 600s. Do any amount of reading into the subject, and these headphones will come up time and time again as one of the\u00a0best over-ear headphones you can get. When it comes to reference audio quality, the Sennheiser HD 600s are often the benchmark to which other units are compared. Usually fluctuating between $300 and $350, I’m not sure you can buy a better pair of open-back headphones for the price.<\/p>\n The Sennheiser HD 600 headphones capture a warm, analog music experience, in my opinion, not only because of their sound, but also because they need an external amplifier to bring them to life. While this is an extra investment, I consider it part of what makes the experience so special. The HD 600s feature 38mm dynamic drivers, a sensitivity of 97 dB\/mW, and an impedance of 300 ohms \u2013 they are notoriously power-hungry, hence the need for a discrete headphone amp. Running them straight from a laptop or phone will render the sound ultra quiet and thin.<\/p>\n If there’s a downside to these headphones, it’s a lack of low-end in the sub-bass region; this isn’t unique to these headphones, as many other open-backs with dynamic drivers often fall off in the sub-bass area. One of my favorite features of the iFi Zen DAC 3 and CAN 3 is their hardware bass boost, which will restore some low-end without distorting the upper and mid-range sound. The easiest route is an amp\/DAC combo, which is what the iFi Zen DAC 3 is, but there are others. Down the road, you could pair it with a discrete amp, if you choose. In my humble opinion, having a stack produces the best results.<\/p>\n
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Eric Hamilton\/SlashGear<\/span><\/p>\n The Sennheiser HD 550 headphones sit in the middle of Sennheiser’s HD 500 and HD 600 line, and the HD 550 is unique in that it has its DNA rooted in the HD 500 series, but is tuned more closely to the HD 600 series. One of the hallmarks of the HD 500 line is the custom angled 38mm dynamic drivers that help facilitate a more three-dimensional soundstage. At 150 ohms and a sensitivity of 106.7 dB, they are much easier to drive than those in the HD 600 line. They should run fine if using a modern computer as the source device, but they can still benefit from a mild boost from an amp.<\/p>\n While Sennheiser’s 600-series headphones suffer from the bass roll-off mentioned above, the HD 550 specifically extends the bass deeper into the sub-bass frequency, which gives these cans a better punch out of the box. When running them on the iFi Zen DAC 3\/CAN 3 stack, I use the XBass Boost, and it gives them an even more noticeable rumble. The HD 550s also make a great gaming headset, and when playing games like Marathon, the spatial audio sounds incredible.<\/p>\n The biggest drawback, in my opinion, is the use of the proprietary cable, which limits cable options. This also means that microphones like V-MODA BoomPro or a Meze Audio Boom Mic are off the table, and you’ll have to use Sennheiser’s Boom Arm Microphone set to turn these into a proper headset for gaming and calls. This isn’t a deal breaker for me, but it’s important to know before buying. Otherwise, the HD 550 headphones make for great workhorse headphones and a gateway into audiophile gear.<\/p>\n
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Eric Hamilton\/SlashGear<\/span><\/p>\n The Meze Audio 105 AER headphones are the most premium on this list, with an MSRP of $399, although they can often be had on sale for $299 \u2013 much cheaper than the Meze Empyrean or Elite models. At either price, these are incredible headphones for long music sessions. Meze has some very distinct styling for its products, and the 105 AER headphones are no different \u2013 no one is going to mistake these for Beats or AirPods Max. The Meze 105 AER headphones wrap your music in a warm, cushiony blanket and are best thought of as a jack-of-all-trades model for casual listeners looking to enjoy analog music.<\/p>\n Coming in at just 42 ohms, with a sensitivity of 112 dB, these are very efficient and easy to drive; they’ll run fine off a laptop or smartphone with an adapter and get plenty loud. When I run them through my stack, I run them at unity gain, or 0dB, and again, I like to use the bass boost. These headphones already have a very warm and full-bodied bass, but the bass boost gives them a very pronounced rumble without bloating the sound. I listen to a lot of electronic and synthwave music, and these absolutely bring those genres to life in a way you won’t get with wireless headphones.<\/p>\n These cans can also make for a great gaming or work headset, and because of their extremely low power requirements, they can run right off a source device like a console. Meze Audio sells its own detachable boom mic for exactly this purpose.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Rounding out this list are the only closed-back headphones, and also the most affordable: the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, with an MSRP of $159. Closed-back headphones are great for noise isolation, blocking out the sound around you. Some refer to this as passive noise cancellation \u2013 same difference. Closed-back headphones are also great for keeping your music private, which is important for on-the-go listening. With a sensitivity of 99 dB and an impedance of just 38 ohms, these headphones are incredibly easy to drive and will run off anything with a headphone jack or USB-C port and adapter. They are also ultra-portable, as they are easily collapsible and fold flat, making it easy to stick them in a bag, which cannot be said for a lot of other wired headphones.<\/p>\n Like other closed-back headphones, these have a bit of a different sound to them compared to open-backs. Closed-backs tend to have a narrower, more isolated stereo sound to them, which isn’t a bad thing. For the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, it’s part of what they’re designed for as studio monitor headphones. These cans also have nice, crisp highs and an aggressive bass punch, and they sound great across many genres. I personally like them for extreme metal, rock, and hip-hop. If you’re looking for a no-frills pair of wired headphones that sound great out of the box, aren’t expensive, and are great for home or on the go, these fit the bill nicely.<\/p>\n For even more wired headphone options, check out our list of\u00a0best wired headphones for audiophiles, according to user reviews.<\/p>\n
General buying tips and headphone amp\/ DAC recommendations<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nSennheiser HD 600<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nSennheiser HD 550<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nMeze Audio 105 AER<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nAudio-Technica ATH-M50x<\/h2>\n
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