8 Best Audiophile Headphones in 2021

Grado SR325e

Sennheiser HD 820

Beyerdynamic Amiron

8 Best Audiophile Headphones in Review

Headphones have been around for a long time, and although with the improvement in technology, they have improved. Over the past couple of years, we have seen new trends and designs of headphones, all in the bid to provide the consumers with the best audio quality available. Although technology has helped the market grow with improvement, it has also made the market flooded with sub-standard products, making it difficult to know which is worth the price. We have learnt not to be deceived by the high price attached to headphones because some are not worth it. If you are looking to get a headphone and want to get true value for your money, you don’t need to worry. All you need to do is read along. We have taken our time to research the very large headphones market to pick out the best products available using a few criteria like price, weight, connectivity, sound, durability, among others. You can be assured that whatever product you find below in this list is worth it. If you have babies and want to keep them from noise pollution, headphones are the way to go. You can check (Best Noise Cancelling Headphones for Babies in 2021)

The 8 Best Audiophile Headphones in 2021 Are Reviewed Below

Below is the list. We hope you find the best match.

1

Grado SR325e

If you are thinking of getting a masterpiece, then the Grado SR325e fits the criteria. Although there is a possibility, you won’t find their retro shell appealing, but you are sure to love musical output, which has a great design. On your first view, you will notice the open-back design. What you get with this design is a great performance that comes in the form of clear and energetic sounds through the well-organized layers of this device. You might find the headphones’ earphones a little bit old fashioned, which is understandable because of its 360-degree rotating ear-cups design. But, we must not forget the comfort and amazing feeling it provides to people who wear it. The price is a little be high, but you can be sure you are getting a very good product for the right price. The only downside of this device comes in the leakage that allows external noise to get into it, which doesn’t make it great for use in places like the office, but that is not a problem.

Key Features:

  • Open-backed
  • No noise cancellation
  • No mic and remote
  • Transparent frequency

Specification:

  • Dimension: 3.15 x 6.69 x 7.48 inches
  • Manufacturer: Grado Labs
  • Weight: 9.9 ounces
Pros
  • It is dynamic
  • It has great transparency between the various frequencies available
  • It has a great balance when it comes to the tones
Cons
  • It is not fit on the ears and external noise and get into your ears

2

Sennheiser HD 820

One concern for people who want to purchase Closed-back headphones is the distortion issue which is often relevant in closed-back headphones. With the Sennheiser HD 820, the story is different as they have found a solution to this problem. The solution this brand applied was to use Gorilla Glass in combination with sound-absorbing chambers to help prevent the sound waves from deflecting back into the drivers. With this great solution, you get an upgrade in sound even in low frequencies while also having a strong and durable product. You might be looking at the price tag of this product and might get discouraged, but if you are looking for a quality product that will surely be worth all your money, then this is the answer.

Key Features:

  • Closed-back
  • No noise-cancellation
  • Wired connection
  • Frequency absorbers
  • Glass reflectors
  • 6.35-millimeter cable
  • durable

Specification:

  • Manufacturer: Sennheiser
  • Dimension: 15.91 x 13.62 x 5.98 inches
  • Weight: 2.2 pounds
  • Battery: 1 Lithium ion
Pros
  • It has a solid design
  • It has a great performance
  • Its bass is great
  • It has the perfect sound
Cons
  • It is expensive
  • Its performance is limited because of the design

3

Beyerdynamic Amiron

People who rush for instant impact when using headphones might not find this headphone suitable, but if you are patient enough with time, the true quality of the headphones will be noticed. What you would notice after a while is the impressive audio and clarity this device offers. Your comfort was also considered, which enabled the manufatures to provide comfortable earpads for its users and work on the weight of this device to make it lightweight and comfortable for people to use. One thing you must make sure of is that you are using this headphone to listen to the original copies of music, in other to get the best quality. With all the best features available, you are sure to get the best quality sounds available and experience a whole new wave in frequency. Even with the song, which has poor audio quality, this device would find a way to provide the best sound possible. We doubt you can get another quality product with similar features to this product within its price range.

Key Features:

  • Earpads
  • Lightweight
  • Great sound quality
  • Detachable cables

Specification:

  • Dimension: 8.5 x 6 x 11.5 inches
  • Weight: 12 ounces
  • Manufacturer: Beyerdynamic, Inc.
Pros
  • It is comfortable
  • It is neutral
  • It is dynamic
  • The manufactures paid attention to the smallest details
Cons
  • It is expensive

4

Grado SR80e

We known price can be a huge factor in determining the headphones you buy. Well, this product by Grado is very affordable. This brand is mainly interested in providing quality materials for people to use, and you won’t find any unique or mind-blowing design with this product. They are strictly concerned about the quality and sound of music provided. You can be sure to get with this product great attention to details coupled with great audio clarity to provide the best experience for your ears. If you consider the price range of this device, you will be surprised that it has such amazing features. You will get the natural sounds of every music with this device, no matter the genre of music. One obvious design you would notice is the open-backed design which makes it not the best to be used in public, as it allows external sound to pass through. Even with the old design, you are sure to get great quality sounds at a good price.

Key Features:

  • Attention to details
  • Clarity
  • Durable
  • Affordable
  • open-backed design
  • Foam ear cups

Specification:

  • Dimension: 7 x 4 x 8.5 inches
  • Weight: 10.2 ounces
  • Manufacturer: Grado
Pros
  • It has great bass
  • Great sound
  • It is midrange
  • Its treble sounds perfect
Cons
  • It doesn’t have a great and relaxing sound

5

Beyerdynamic T1

The first original T1 model headphones were made a long time ago, and it helped create the benchmark for which we were able to rate other headphones that followed. There have been few changes to this new 3rd generation T1 headphones to the original one. A significant change can be noticed in its easier compatibility with laptops and other mobile devices. Although, high-quality materials were still used on this model. One thing that you should know about this device is that it is open-backed. The open-backed feature means it will face similar problems like other devices that involve external noise getting into your ears while the headphones are on. This device was made mainly to be used indoors, so it comes with a 3m-long cable. In situations where the cable gets damaged and needs to be changed, all you need to do is detach the cable and replace it. The cables are easily detachable. When you move within your home, you won’t notice any mechanical noise while in motion with your headphones. If we are looking at the quality in terms of the sound of this device and comparing it to the previous device, you will notice a more improved quality. It also has great treble added to the amazing sound quality. A few changes were made, and although not all is perfect, we can let you know that the bass frequency is better.

Key Features:

  • Open-backed
  • Easily compactable
  • 3m-long cable
  • Bass frequency

Specification:

  • Dimension: 8.46 x 5.91 x 11.38 inches
  • Weight: 12.7 ounces
  • Manufacturer: Beyerdynamic
Pros
  • It is comfortable to use
  • It has a great design
  • It is clean
  • It has great balance
Cons
  • The quality is not so great

6

Sony WH-1000XM4

As we all know, Sony is a very popular brand that has built a great reputation for its over the years, so we all expect the best quality product from this brand. Well, they did not disappoint with their headphones. The Sony WH-1000XM4 has amazing features and poses a great upgrade from the WH-1000XM3, five-star ratings. If you aim to get wireless headphone with amazing qualities, this is the right choice. One improved area was the ear cups; with this device, you get plusher ear cups. There are also so many other amazing features, and it includes noise cancellation. A new feature was added: the speak-to-chat feature that makes it possible for you to make or receive calls while your headphones are on. If you had used the previous product before this, you would notice a great improvement in the sound quality compared to the previous device. The improvement in the sound quality is due to some improved technology from SONY, which includes DSEE Extreme sound processor, DAC among others. It also offers low-frequency performance with great quality.

Key Features:

  • Lightweight
  • Greats sound
  • Wireless
  • Noise-cancellation
  • Plusher ear cups
  • Speak to chat
  • Low frequency
  • DSEE Extreme sound processor

Specification:

  • Dimension: 7.27 x 3.03 x 9.94 inches
  • Manufacturer: SONY
  • Weight: 9 ounces
  • Battery: 1 Lithium Polymer
Pros
  • It has great sound
  • It is lightweight
  • It is comfortable
  • Great timing
  • It is dynamic
Cons
  • It doesn’t come with aptX support
  • It doesn’t have an IP rating

7

Shure Aonic 3

Wireless headphones have become popular over time, but there are still a group of people who prefer normal wired headphones for various reasons. Some of the reasons include not worrying about the battery going flat or the Bluetooth having problems pairing. If you belong to the special group and love to get the best sound and quality from your device, then the Aonic 3 in-ears will be the perfect fit. This device is one of the smallest products when it comes to earbuds manufactured by this brand and is very comfortable. The idea to make the earbuds capable of passing through the top of your ears was a great idea, as they will be very useful outdoors because they won’t be hanging down. If we are going by the 80 years experience of the Shure, then we should not be surprised about the quality of this device because this brand has a great reputation for delivering quality products. If you have never used any of the devices manufactured by this brand, you won’t believe the amazing quality sounds it provides you. They might not be the best product available, as others are available but above the price range. You will get with this product true and transparent sound, giving you the original quality of the Audio.

Key Features:

  • Lightweight
  • Comfortable
  • Balance
  • Wired connection

Specification:

  • Dimension: 6.26 x 6.26 x 2.84 inches
  • Weight: 13.4 ounces
  • Manufacturer: Shure
Pros
  • It is lightweight
  • It is comfortable
  • Great attention was paid to the details
  • It is dynamic
  • It has a great balance in its sound
Cons
  • It doesn’t have a great delivery

8

Austrian Audio Hi-X50

You might not be familiar with this headset because the brand behind it, Austrian Audio, is new to this sector. But, if you take a look at the brains behind this brand, you will know what to expect. The brands behind the Austrian Audio is ex-AKG employees, and they have a very good reputation for producing top-notch devices. A great example of what this brand is capable of is the Hi-X50 on-ears device. With this device, you get something solid, with great qualities, and the headbands which were placed for additional comfort can be replaced easily. The memory foam earpads also have the possibility of being changed in case of any damage. They are easy and comfortable to wear, and they can be used externally but will need an extra 1.2m cable for this purpose. In the manufacturing of headphones, it is really difficult to hide a headphone made with sub-standard material because time will surely tell. But, headphones made from great quality materials tend to last through the toughest sitatuations and still maintain their quality sound. Well, this device is the perfect example of a quality product.

Key Features:

  • Durable
  • Clear sounds
  • Wired
  • Additional cable option is available

Specification:

  • Manufacturer: Austrian Audio
  • Dimension: 11.89 x 11.22 x 4.49 inches
  • Weight: 10.8 ounces
Pros
  • It has a great design
  • Great sound
  • Great balance
Cons
  • The cables have to be bought separately

Buying Guide Questions

This buying guide would not be complete if we did not review some of the queries or concerns you might have about this product. Well, we have done adequate research and have been able to compile a list of some of the possible concerns you might have about some products in general. We hope you find our answers good enough to help you make a better decision.

ARE AUDIOPHILE HEADPHONES WORTH IT?

If you want to save yourself from buying any unwanted or unnecessary product, the first thing you should consider before buying the product is why you want to buy it, do the product worth buying, or need it. Evaluating this will save you from buying unwanted goods and save your money for another important purpose, and from wasting resources.

Many people are found outside with ample properties without using it, so what is the essence of buying it? Do you buy products just to grow old in your compound? No, you need to buy it for a purpose which will be useful for you. If the neediness of material has not been confirmed, then live it and go for another necessity. It would help if you did not spend in extravagance. Think of others that work overnight without getting the same product you are keeping useless in your home, and you do not need to oppress or intimidate them.

The buying of audiophile headphones may be worth it if you are the kind that is always listening to music, watching movies, playing games, and other things that give sounds.

Do not be too forward, and it is clear the next concern that will come to mind is, can’t I listen to anything I wish to without using audiophile headphones? You can listen to it, but will you also do that while travelling in a public vehicle or even amid different people? No, you can not because you may be accused of disturbing their peaceful atmosphere. So this is where audiophiles worth it, just with your device, put it on, and have a great moment listening to your favourite music or movie.

Also, you may be leaving with some of your friends who love studying all the time, and you can not disturb them with your music, so how will you do it without your headphones?

The worthiness of audiophile headphones can not be denied in our society.

ARE AUDIOPHILE HEADPHONES GOOD FOR MUSIC?

Audiophile headphones are specifically produced to give out a straight and concentrated sound from any device when listening to music, watching movies, playing games, and any other form of sound from a device. Audiophile headphones are a good gadget you can connect with your phones or laptops, giving a focused, concentrated mind and attention to the music you are listening to without causing distraction or disturbance to another individual around you.

Considering if it is good and advisable, listening to music through audiophile headphones is an option that depends on the condition of your ear. It may be detrimental to some individuals if they experience abnormalities with their hearing which may hinder them from using any gadget audiophile headphones, including to their ear. So, in this case, the use of audiophile headphones may not be welcomed.

Furthermore, it is welcome and safe to use by those with no problem or abnormalities with their hearing organ, but its volume should be reduced to the compatibility of the ear.

Moreover, when considering the use of audiophile headphones, the precaution measure should be taken as prescribed by the manufacturer or a doctor.

WHAT DO AUDIOPHILES LOOK FOR IN HEADPHONES?

As an enthusiast in listening to sounds or musical instruments, there are some conditions or features that Audiophiles consider while buying their headphones to prevent themselves from buying fake or regrettable headphones. These conditions are only known to expertise or experienced personalities.

As a first-timer in buying a headphone, you need to know its purpose and then what must be installed in the headphone that will make it capable of giving the same result a standard headphone will give.

The following features are expected to be found in a well-designed headphone.

QUALITY SOUND

As a standard headphone, it should give a high-quality sound that will make your music more favourable without affecting the ear. Also, a standard-built headphone should contribute to the clarity of the music.

EASY TO CONTROL

A headphone should be easy and simple to operate to help the music audiophile operate smoothly.

Other things to be checked when buying your headphone include connectivity, foldable, and others.

DO AUDIOPHILES LIKE BOSE?

It is an indisputable fact that most audiophiles do not like Bose. This is because Bose as a music gadget is built focusing on the lifestyle condition instead of providing high-quality sound for the music industry.

Not only that Bose is not building according to the compatibility of the audiophiles who whose utmost expectation is having a good and high-quality sound in music, but other reasons behind the hatred of audiophiles towards Bose include

  • EXPENSIVE: Bose, added to it an incompatibility with the audiophiles, the stipulated price for buying it is too high to the extent that not even twenty per cent of audiophiles are not willing to buy it.
  • Bose is not designed for the audiophiles but mainly for the personalities that take music as their lifestyle.

IS BOSE BETTER THAN BEAT?

As gadgets for adding more audio quality to your music, Bose and Beat are excellent in performance. Superiority may not be given to one over the other because they are both built with the ability to dispose of utmost sound quality to your music.

Considering either Bose or Beat as the best headphone depends on your choice and compatibility. If the best headphone you are used to is bose, then undoubtedly superiority will be given to it, and if the one you use is beat undeniably, you will give the preference of it over others.

To guide you while choosing the best between the two headphones, some of the features to look into include:

SOUND EFFECT

Both the Beat and the Bose headphones are well designed with good and standard sound effects. Choosing between the two headphones requires understanding the type of equalizer you want in your music.

COMPATIBILITY

As none of the headphones is considered inferior to each other, you choose the one that is compatible with your ear status.

COMFORT

Also, your headphone’s choice should be considered the best while looking at the comfort it gives you. What gives comfort to Mr A may give discomfort to Mr B

BATTERY LIFE

The best between the two headphones may also be chosen by looking at its battery life, and one is built with a longer life than the other, like the Beat has been confirmed using almost twenty hours after full charging.

SHOULD YOU BUY HIGH-END HEADPHONES?

Not every expensive product worth buying. There is some expensive product that you can not endure its management after buying it. This is why a product should not be considered standard and durable because of its expensiveness, and it may just be expensive without giving the quality of being expensive. However, the expensive product may be given preference over cheap products, and as well some cheap products may be good and better than the expensive product outside.

Buying expensive headphones should not be a problem if it worth it. As an audiophile, you should be expected to want the best headphones that will give you the best quality and make your music company more interesting and welcoming, and this may only be got from expensive headphones.

High-end headphones are higher in price, but they also give great performance in processing your music which may not be found in a cheap product.

Controlling sound through a dedicated mobile application

This feature gives you the opportunity of controlling your headphone easily through the application you have made them be connected to.

Easy connection through Bluetooth

This is the opportunity of having your headphone connected to your device through the accessibility of Bluetooth without using any connecting wire or cord.

Water or sweat resistance

An expensive headphone should be able to resist water from having access into the headphone engine, not until you drenched your headphone into a bucket full of water before being wet, but sweat may also make it wet, which may affect the engine.

Other features include; active voice cancelling, voice assistance access, and multi-point connectivity.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I SPEND ON AUDIOPHILE HEADPHONES?

Knowing the amount to spend on headphones depends on knowing what you need in your headphones. You can spend as much as possible on headphones if it only possesses the qualities you want in them. If you want the highest performance of headphones, you should also be ready to spend the highest rate while buying your headphones. But before spending much money on your headphones for the first time, think of their maintenance. Will you be able to spend on it if any damages arise as you have spent it the first time? Will you be able to spend on it if any need to call for it? If you are capable of all these, you can go at any length when buying your headphones.

Do not be deceived by a first-time wealth and go beyond your capability, and you must ensure you can get as much as possible than what you get when buying it for the first time. If not, you may lose your expensive headphones due to a lack of adequate maintenance.

WHAT EVERY AUDIOPHILE NEED?

Did you think you should be called an audiophile because you love music? No, you may have one thousand music albums in your gallery, but that does not qualify you being an audiophile. An audiophile entitles beyond listening and shaking your head or body when listening to music. It beyond having an uncountable album on your device. You have to be an audiophile before being called an audiophile.

Now, whom do you think an audiophile is? An audiophile is an individual who is enthusiastic about the reproduction of high fidelity sound, and they do not just love and listen to music. They love, listen, and give total attention to it, and their qualities include knowing how music is produced, the bass to use, the treble level of the music, the mechanisms in producing the music, and the arrangement of the music.

If you love to be called an audiophile, some necessary instruments are required from every audiophile; without these tools, you may just be called an audiophile in disguise. That is, you are not a real audiophile but just being called by the inscription. The needs include

HIGH-QUALITY HEADPHONE

This is the first essential tool expected from every audiophile. Without telling you, you should know you need a headphone as an audiophile. How will you even think you are an audiophile without headphones? Don’t even attempt to call yourself a lover of music. Your headphone should be the best and durable one that gives you a quality and remarkable sound as an audiophile. Do you think you can be an audiophile with your cheapest headphones? No, your headphones should turn your bank account to zero balance. I mean, it should be expensive; you can not get the expected quality headphone from an audiophile at that cheaper rate you are thinking of. Because your headphones should be of extra features over the cheap ones, you need a comfortable one that will be used for a long period.

SPEAKER

As an audiophile that needs better audio quality, then a good quality speaker is required. Audiophiles do not listen to music through headphones alone but may also love listening to it from the loudspeaker while at home. Audiophiles’ speaker should produce a good and quality sound that people will love listening to it. You should not buy a speaker that gives a poor sound but an expensive speaker that fits your expensive television set. Furthermore, a speaker should not be kept behind your shelf, and it should be shown off at the centre of your television set if you have purchased the good one.

ACOUSTIC LISTENING

Acoustic means having the natural sense of hearing. As an audiophile, you should appreciate every music with a quality reproduced sound, and you should get the best sound from the worse one.

Other instruments expected from audiophiles include; turntable, vinyl, subwoofer, and amplifier.

Note: All these instruments to be possessed by audiophiles require to be high-quality ones.

Conclusion

You can rarely go wrong with headphones, and over time, we have evolved to help us get better sound qualities. It is safe that headphones are here to stay, and we hope in the list above you find one that meets all your criteria. You can be assured that every headphone that made it to our list above has the best quality possible and many other factors mentioned above that were taken into consideration. If you want to try a different type of headphones, you can try (Best Aviation Headsets in 2021)