The Best Open-Back Headphones of 2025

With a good pair of open-back headphones, you can experience audio in a much more natural state, especially if you value music, from simply listening to sound mixing. Rejoice, audiophiles—these headphones are for you!

Compared to, say, a pair of good earbuds or even the best earbuds, open-back headphones put audio performance front and center. In fact, the audio quality is so important, open-back in particular are exceptionally good for sound mixing.

In the case of open-back headphones, neutral is the most ideal sound profile to work with. You don’t want to be using headphones that are adding in a bunch (or even a little) boost. When it’s flat, you’re more or less working with a better foundation, which you then adjust accordingly to the genre.

Comfort is also essential. If you’re sound mixing, you have hours of work ahead of you, and you certainly don’t want the pressure of earpads and sweat to build up. Velour are very good at releasing heat and are quite comfortable, as are knitted microfiber earpads. Both are great options, though velour tends to be softer and more premium. Also, know that some open-back headphones have varying degrees of clamp force, so you may have to wear a pair numerous times (or stretch them over some books or a ball) before they’re truly comfortable.

Durability will also be a concern with headphones, and generally speaking, a more expensive pair will be more durable. A headband made of metal instead of plastic can drastically improve the headphone’s durability, especially if the clamp force is too much and the headphones must be stretched.

Adjacent to durability is the cable itself. Having a cable that’s always connected is nice, but what’s better and more useful is a mini-XLR cable that can disconnect. This usually means you have the option to connect other accessories, too. In the case of the Philips Audio SHP9500 (which is on our list), you can connect a microphone and turn them into a gaming headset.

Beyerdynamic

To be the best overall open-back headphones, they have to be able to do everything and do it pretty well. The Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X does it all—music, mixing, and even gaming. They’re exceedingly easy-to-use drivers, not to mention very comfy to wear once you’ve loosened the clamp force.

In terms of sound, the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X leans well into the treble without reaching a pitch that’s a downer on the ears. Its bass also has a nice foundation, especially when you’ve given the EQ some tweaking to bring out its sub-bass. For gaming, that comes in handy for bringing those more subtle, low-pitch effects to the forefront.

What makes the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X particularly great is that most components, like the drivers and the earpads, can be replaced. Why throw out the entire peripheral when you can fix the problem, right? And better yet, the mini-XLR can be removed, while the port is compatible with other cables. It’s worth the investment if you want to use the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X with a variety of devices, from sound equipment to gaming consoles.

Best Open-Back Headphones Overall

Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X

$243 $269 Save
$26

Well-rounded, neutral, and comfortable, the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X is perfectly suited for mixing, listening, and casual use such as gaming.

Philips Audio

Even on a tight budget, quality open-back headphones aren’t out of reach, not while the Philips Audio SHP9500 is an option. Featuring 50mm neodymium drivers, the SHP9500 delivers solid bass, highs, mids, and a neutral sound profile, especially once you’ve tweaked your EQ settings to lessen the boomy sound and add some sharpness to the treble.

The Philips Audio SHP9500 is also primed for long-term use. Around the headband and earpads, the headphones have a soft, knitted material that is not only comfortable but helps dissipate heat and avoid excessive sweating around the ears. And as a bonus, the headphones have a steel headband for durability.

While the Philips Audio SHP9500 has a 3.5 mm cable that is nearly 5 feet long, you’re welcome to disconnect it. This lets you swap out the cable for your preferred source, even a microphone, which allows you to use the headphones for more than just audio.

Best Budget Open-Back Headphones

Philips Audio SHP9500 HiFi Stereo Headphones

The Philips Audio SHP9500 offer more than just good audio quality, but durability and comfort as well. Interestingly enough, the detachable 3.5mm cable offers the ability to use other accessories, like your preferred cable or attach a microphone.

Best Open-Back Headphones for Gaming: Drop + EPOS PC38X

DROP

The Drop + EPOS PC38X strikes a nice balance between microphone quality and audio quality without sacrificing one for the other. In terms of sound, they’re balanced but have good bass for open-back headphones, emphasizing the higher end. Its angled drivers also ensure an immersive experience with enough punch given to bombastic events, like explosions and gunfire.

These open-back headphones also have a built-in noise-canceling microphone, which you can quickly mute by lifting the boom mic all the way. It’s a nice touch! More importantly, the Drop + EPOS PC38X keeps its audio capture localized and reduces ambiance on your end.

Although the Drop + EPOS PC38X is slightly clamp-heavy, stretching them over a ball will help loosen them up quickly. That way, you can really appreciate the comfortable headband and breathable mesh-knit velour earpads.

Best Open-Back Headphones for Gaming

Drop + EPOS PC38X

With a built-in microphone and good, balanced sound and bass, the Drop + EPOS PC38X are the perfect mix of quality and utility for gaming. The velour earpads and headband are also comfortable enough for long sessions, too.

Best Open-Back Headphones for Audiophiles: Sennheiser HD800S

Sennheiser

Warm, neutral, natural, and booming, the Sennheiser HD800S sets the bar for reaching all those notes that get lost in low-quality headphones. It’s designed with a frequency absorber to ensure you hear those hidden notes, too. And since the large 56mm drivers are angled, you can better hear the sound profile, especially its treble and warm bass.

The metal headband and inner damping are other key factors that keep the audio as clean as possible. It’s so accurate, the Sennheiser HD800S has what you call “reference grade sound,” which is, more or less, the gold standard for music editing. If you’re analyzing tracks, you want a pair of open-back headphones to be as accurate and natural as possible.

Of course, if you’re sampling and mixing, the headphones need to be comfortable for hours on end. Luckily, the Sennheiser HD800S has very comfortable microfiber cushioning at every spot that touches your head. It’ll be like an ultra-soft pillow gently gripping your ears—with dual-axis articulation, it won’t feel like the headphones are trying to contort your head but conform to you.

Best Open-Back Headphones for Audiophiles

Sennheiser HD800s

$1600 $1700 Save
$100

Dynamic, neutral, thumping warm bass and angled drivers for natural sounds, the Sennheiser HD800S is what audio mixers dream of owning. And its comfortability is second-to-none, featuring an ergonomic design lined with soft, microfiber padding.

FAQ

Do open-back headphones sound better than closed back headphones?

Yes, generally speaking, open-back headphones sound better. It comes down to the way open-back headphones are designed, and it’s right there in its name: open-back. This refers to the way air is able to enter the headphones as opposed to a closed-off system, like closed-back headphones are, for a more natural sound.

That difference in design is why audio mixers favor open-back headphones and really anyone who wants to enjoy music on a whole new level.

Can people hear what I’m listening to with open-back headphones?

To some extent, yes. Open-back headphones leak sound by design, so if your audio is loud enough, someone nearby may hear it. The same is true the other way—you will hear noise around you more clearly, which is why open-back headphones are best worn in a quiet environment.

Are open-back headphones noise cancelling?

No. Open-back headphones, by nature, aren’t very good at canceling noise. They’re designed to let air pass through and, therefore, sound. To prevent that would reduce the effectiveness of the audio quality.