Full-Size Headphones

Best traditional over-the-ear headphones

If you want what audiophiles call "reference" audio quality, the open-air Sennheiser HD 650 headphones (*Est. $500) get excellent reviews. These are big headphones, certainly better for listening at home than for portable use. CNET says the full-size Sennheiser headphones provide a "sweetness...; that flatters all sorts of music," though performance tends to be laid back rather than front row. In his review for PCMag.com, Mike Kobrin writes, "These very comfortable cans are the best I've ever heard, bar none, and I use them extensively in both of my professional lives: as a musician and an audio reviewer." If you're looking for open, hi-fi headphones, the Sennheiser HD 650 headphones are worth a look. We didn't include them in our Best Reviewed section simply because they are so expensive.

Also very highly regarded in this luxury headphone category (and $100 cheaper) are the AKG K701 (*Est. $400), which have an open-back design as well. Some say these headphones lack a deep bottom end and are probably not the best choice for rock music. Detail, however, is superb, and sound is balanced overall across highs, mid frequencies and lows, a plus for classical music and jazz. Most high-quality headphones need to be broken in before they sound their best -- it's called "burn-in" -- and the website HeadRoom says these require a lot more than most, at least 200 hours and perhaps even 300.

Both the Sennheiser HD 650 and the AKG K701 weigh in at about 8 ounces, yet they are not considered uncomfortable by reviewers, admittedly a factor that will vary by user. Both professional reviewers and users recommend an amplifier to get the best sound out of them, and there's some debate over whether upgrading the detachable cable that comes with the Sennheiser headphones improves sound quality.

AKG has recently updated its K700 series with the AKG K702 (*Est. $400). The new model is very similar to its predecessor -- minor differences include a different color finish (dark blue, as opposed to white) and a detachable cord. Steve Guttenburg at CNET says that the Austrian-engineered cans are first-rate in terms of build quality, fit and durability, and that they sound the most speaker-like of any headphones tested. Even audio from an iPod sounds very good, although the K702 headphones are far from portable, and don't come with a carrying case -- a surprise, considering many sets in this price range do. Guttenburg feels that only ultra-high-end models such as Sennheiser's HD 800 (*Est. $1,400) can compete for sound quality, and they are well beyond the average consumer's budget and the scope of this report.

The Sennheiser HD 650 headphones were a ConsumerSearch Best Reviewed product in our previous update, but the AKG K702 edged them out for the average consumer, as reviewers indicate that AKG's model of headphones boasts an equally pro-quality sound for 20 percent less.

If you don't want to spend as much as $500 on a pair of headphones, experts identify several good buys that cost far, far less. Sennheiser HD 280 Pro (*Est. $100) headphones are less expensive and get some consideration. Most professional reviewers say bass is good, though not great. These headphones are not suitable for portable players not just because of their bulk and weight, but also because most MP3 and CD players can't give them the power they need. Still, they're a great value for professional-quality headphones.

Audio authorities call the 7-ounce Grado SR60 one of the best bargains in high-performance headphones on the market. According to the British consumer site Which?, sound is "dynamic" and "spacious." These work well both at home hooked up to your receiver or on the road. One grievance about the SR60 headphones is the retro styling; some find them old-fashioned-looking (this is a common observation about Grado's entire line of headphones). Some also find it necessary to bend the headband in order to get a comfortable fit. The Grado SR60 is an open-back headphone that will not spare others from hearing much of what you hear.

Grado has recently upgraded a number of its headphone lines, and the Grado SR60 is being replaced with the Grado SR60i (*Est. $80). The new headphones feature an upgraded driver design and some tweaks in the mass distribution of the plastic housing, but are otherwise the same. Grado claims that these improvements make the new version even less susceptible to distortion. HeadRoom confirms that the value and quality (and quirks) of the SR60 have survived in the new model. What Hi-Fi? gives the Grado SR60i headphones five out of five stars, and agrees that aside from "looking like something your grandfather might keep locked in a drawer along with his waxed moustache and monocle," they are "as good as any cans in their class." All Grado headphones except for the iGrado are made in the U.S.

So if the under-$100 Grado headphones are so great, why spend more? HeadRoom, while saying for "most folks" these Grado headphones "could be the best-sounding headphone" they've heard, explains it this way: "The only detraction is a slight discontinuity in the treble, which gives it a 'sparkly' sound rather than the ultra-smooth top end of extremely well-extended (and significantly pricier!) headphones." In other words, the Grado SR60i headphones are a great value, but their range falls a little short when compared with more expensive headphones like the AKG K701/K702 and Sennheiser HD 650.

The Grado SR80 (*Est. $95) headphones are a bit more expensive than the SR60, but most experts and users recommend the upgrade if you listen to bass-heavy music like hip-hop. Many reviews compare the SR80 with the SR60 and the pricier Grado SR125 (*Est. $150), and they feel the more you pay with Grado headphones, the better quality you get. There's better bass response and detail in the higher-end SR125 headphones than in the SR80 headphones, but the price difference is clearly significant. For $25 more, however, bass in the SR80 is noticeably fuller. The Grado SR80 is also being replaced with a slightly improved model, the Grado SR80i (*Est. $95). These headphones boast the same housing and driver upgrades as the cheaper SR60i, as well as improvements to the cable.

You can spend thousands on headphones if you want. If money is no object, reviewers rave about the Grado GS1000 (*Est. $995). PCMag.com's Tim Gideon says the mahogany housing probably helps enhance the bass. HeadRoom editors say, "In extended listening sessions, we found these headphones deliver low-volume listening satisfaction like no other." Bill Keyser for GoodCans.com says, "Perhaps you know the electrifying feeling you get when you're at a live performance and hear the buzz in the equipment. With some good recordings, I have felt that with the GS1000." Since these reviews, the Grado GS1000i (*Est. $995) headphones have come out, featuring the same subtle changes as the rest of the Grado line, although the new GS1000i headphones are made, Grado claims, with "a new species of handcrafted mahogany earpieces made using an intricate curing process" to improve the tonal quality.