Open-back headphones give you the most natural, spacious sound you can get from headphones, as long as you listen somewhere quiet. These ten picks, mostly chosen from RTINGS' lab tests, run from a modern studio classic around $230 to the benchmark Sennheiser HD 800 S and the ultra-premium Focal Utopia.
The best open-back headphones are the Sennheiser HD 800 S (~$2,000), with the most spacious, speaker-like sound RTINGS has measured. Sennheiser sells them directly; budget for a headphone amp to drive them.
For most people, the Sennheiser HD 490 PRO (~$414) is the best value: balanced, smooth, and easy to drive. The planar HiFiMan Arya Stealth (~$599) is a bargain at its current price, and the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO X (~$230) is the best budget pick.
Open-back headphones are for listening at home in a quiet room. Their open earcups make music sound more spacious and natural than closed-backs, but they leak sound and let in outside noise (see open-back vs. closed-back if you're not sure which you need, or our best closed-back headphones). For the best of every style, including in-ear monitors, see our best audiophile headphones.
Most of our picks are based on RTINGS' lab measurements and its open-back recommendations, which compare frequency response, consistency, build, and comfort across hundreds of headphones. We only include headphones sold new on Amazon, except our top pick, which Sennheiser sells directly. We also left out a few RTINGS favorites, the Philips SHP9500, Sennheiser HD 560S, and HiFiMan Edition XS, because they're frequently returned on Amazon. The Focal Utopia and Meze 109 PRO are based on manufacturer specs and professional reviews instead. Prices are per pair.
| Headphones | Driver | Impedance | Sound | Needs an amp? | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sennheiser HD 800 S | Dynamic | 300 ohms | Flat, most spacious | Yes | ~$2,000 |
| Focal Utopia (2022) | Dynamic, beryllium | 80 ohms | Detailed, dynamic | Recommended | ~$4,999 |
| Audeze LCD-X | Planar magnetic | 20 ohms | Warm, smooth | Helps | ~$1,199 |
| Meze 109 PRO | Dynamic, beryllium-coated | 40 ohms | Lively, deep bass | No | ~$799 |
| HiFiMan Arya Stealth | Planar magnetic | 32 ohms | Slightly bright, punchy bass | Recommended | ~$599 |
| Sennheiser HD 660S2 | Dynamic | 300 ohms | Mostly neutral, more bass | Yes | ~$510 |
| Sennheiser HD 490 PRO | Dynamic | 130 ohms | Balanced, smooth | No | ~$414 |
| Sennheiser HD 650 | Dynamic | 300 ohms | Accurate mids, light bass | Yes | ~$404 |
| Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO X | Dynamic | 48 ohms | Studio, detailed | No | ~$230 |
| ASUS ROG Kithara | Planar magnetic | Not listed | Flat, with a boom mic | No | ~$300 |
The best open-back headphones RTINGS has tested, and the benchmark for spacious, speaker-like sound. Instruments seem to sit around you rather than inside your head, which no other pick here matches as well. The sound is balanced and natural, with a touch of extra warmth in the upper bass, and voices and acoustic instruments sound especially lifelike. They're also light and very comfortable for hours, with an excellent build.
Worth knowing: at 300 ohms, they need a good headphone amp to sound their best, which adds to the cost (see our best headphone amps). They don't have much deep, thumpy low bass; if you want more weight, look at the Audeze LCD-X below. They aren't sold new on Amazon, so we link to Sennheiser's own store.
Check HD 800 S price at Sennheiser Price from Sennheiser's US store in November 2026. Prices change often — check the current price.Focal's flagship and one of the most celebrated headphones you can buy. Its drivers use a pure beryllium dome, an extremely light, stiff material that lets them start and stop almost instantly, which gives the Utopia its reputation for detail, punch, and dynamics. The 2022 version updated the original with a revised driver and new pads, and it's built in France with a carbon-fiber yoke and leather headband.
Worth knowing: RTINGS hasn't tested the Utopia, so this pick is based on Focal's specs and its long reputation rather than our usual lab data. At ~$4,999, it costs more than twice as much as the HD 800 S, and the improvement is a matter of refinement, not a different league. Listen first if you can.
Check Utopia price on Amazon Prices change often — check Amazon for the current price.An audiophile favorite for its deep, controlled bass and smooth, relaxed sound. It has noticeably more punch down low than the HD 800 S without losing much midrange accuracy, and its gentler treble makes it easy to listen to for hours without fatigue. Build quality is premium, and it's popular with studio engineers as well as listeners.
Worth knowing: it's heavy, more than 600 grams, and voices can sound slightly recessed in dense mixes. RTINGS points to the Audeze MM-500 as a pricier alternative with a flatter, more detailed upper midrange.
Check LCD-X price on Amazon Prices change often — check Amazon for the current price.The most beautiful headphones on this list, with walnut earcups, a self-adjusting suspension headband, and Meze's signature metal frame. Reviewers describe a lively, engaging sound with deep, authoritative bass and a little extra treble sparkle, which makes rock, pop, and electronic music especially fun. At 40 ohms with high sensitivity, they play loud from a laptop or a phone dongle.
Worth knowing: reviewers disagree a little on the tuning: some call it neutral, others slightly V-shaped, with treble that can sound hot on bright recordings. This pick is based on Meze's specs and professional reviews rather than RTINGS' lab data.
Check 109 PRO price on Amazon Prices change often — check Amazon for the current price.RTINGS' upper mid-range pick, and at today's price, a standout value. These planar magnetic headphones have a punchier, thumpier low end than the HD 800 S, a well-balanced midrange, and crisp, detailed treble, so you hear every pick on an acoustic guitar and every cymbal. That slightly bright tuning suits listeners who love detail; it can be a bit much if you're sensitive to treble.
Worth knowing: RTINGS found them less immersive than the HD 800 S, heavier, and a little less secure on the head. Like most planars, they need more power than a phone provides; a desktop DAC/amp is recommended.
Check Arya Stealth price on Amazon Prices change often — check Amazon for the current price.The latest take on Sennheiser's HD 600-series formula, with a reworked driver that adds noticeably more deep bass than the HD 650. Reviewers describe a detailed, mostly neutral sound with more low-end punch than other Sennheiser open-backs, so they're a good fit if you like the HD 650's midrange but want more rumble. A standard cable, a 4.4 mm balanced cable, and a dust bag come in the box.
Worth knowing: RTINGS still rates the HD 650's tuning as better for pure audiophile listening, and the HD 660S2 cost more. They're picky about the source, so a cheap phone dongle won't do them justice.
Check HD 660S2 price on Amazon Prices change often — check Amazon for the current price.The best open-backs for most people. The sound is balanced and smooth, with about as much bass as the HiFiMan Arya Stealth and gentler treble, so cymbals never get harsh. RTINGS found its sound very consistent from one listener to the next, and it's easy to drive, so it sounds good straight from a laptop or phone (with a dongle if your phone has no jack).
Worth knowing: it's not as spacious-sounding as the HD 800 S or Arya Stealth, and it doesn't feel quite as sturdy as the HiFiMan.
Check HD 490 PRO price on Amazon Prices change often — check Amazon for the current price.A reference headphone for more than 20 years, and still one of the most recommended. RTINGS found its sound accurate and detailed through the midrange, so vocals and instruments come through clearly and naturally, and rated it comfortable and stable, with less clamping force than the similar HD 600. Nearly every part, from pads to cable, can be replaced, so a pair can last decades.
Worth knowing: at 300 ohms, it needs a headphone amp to sound its best; from a phone, it sounds quiet and thin. It lacks deep bass, its treble is slightly recessed, and RTINGS found its soundstage less spacious than other high-end open-backs. Choose the HD 490 PRO instead if you don't want to buy an amp.
Check HD 650 price on Amazon Prices change often — check Amazon for the current price.A modern update of a studio classic, and the most affordable open-backs we recommend. Beyerdynamic dropped the impedance from the original DT 990 PRO's 250 ohms to 48 ohms, so the PRO X plays loud from phones, laptops, and audio interfaces without an amp, and replaced the fixed cable with a detachable, locking one. It keeps the comfortable velour pads and sturdy design of the original.
Worth knowing: RTINGS hasn't tested the PRO X yet, so its description is based on Beyerdynamic's specs and the tested original. Like the DT 990 PRO, expect a slightly bright sound; if you're sensitive to treble, the HD 490 PRO is smoother.
Check DT 990 PRO X price on Amazon Check original DT 990 PRO price Prices change often — check Amazon for the current price.Open-back headphones with a built-in microphone, which none of the picks above have. They feel more like studio headphones than a typical gaming headset: the flat tuning keeps dialogue and small in-game sounds clear, and excellent left-right driver matching makes it easy to pinpoint footsteps. The boom mic captures your voice naturally.
Worth knowing: there isn't much deep rumble, so explosions feel less cinematic than on bassy gaming headsets. The mic has no noise reduction and picks up a lot of background sound, and there's no wireless option or companion app. RTINGS suggests the Turtle Beach Atlas Air if you want wireless open-backs with an app.
Check ROG Kithara price on Amazon Prices change often — check Amazon for the current price.It depends on the headphones, not on the open-back design. The ones that need help are high-impedance dynamic headphones like the 300-ohm HD 800 S and HD 650, and planar magnetic headphones with low sensitivity like the Arya Stealth. Without enough power, they sound quiet, thin, and loose in the bass.
The HD 490 PRO, DT 990 PRO X, and ROG Kithara play well from ordinary devices. The LCD-X and Utopia get loud from a laptop but improve with a good amp. Our best headphone amps guide has desktop DAC/amps from about $60 that drive everything on this page.