Best HiFi Headphones 2026
Top-rated hifi headphones 2026 - expert picks for every budget and skill level
Last updated: February 4, 2026 • Next update: February 11, 2026
#1
⭐
4.6/5
(47 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
10/10
Value:
7/10
Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Open-Back
Critical Music Enjoyment
High-End Sources
Audiophile Listening
Key Feature:
• Wide frequency response
✓ PROS
- • Accurate, uncolored sound reproduction
- • Premium materials and construction
✗ CONS
- • May lack excitement for casual listening
- • Revealing of poor source quality
Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Open-BackHeadphonesOpen designCircumauralPlanar magnetic driversImpedance: 13 OhmSensitivity: 92...
⭐
4.6/5
(47 reviews)
Sound:
10/10
Build:
10/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 489356
$1,044
#2
⭐
4.7/5
(4 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Meze Audio 105 Silva
by
Meze Audio
Critical Music Enjoyment
Audiophile Listening
Home Audio Systems
Key Feature:
• Wide frequency response
✓ PROS
- • Premium materials and construction
- • Accurate, uncolored sound reproduction
✗ CONS
- • May lack excitement for casual listening
- • Very expensive for quality models
Meze Audio 105 SilvaHi-Fi HeadphonesWired headphonesCircumauralOpen-back designDynamicFrequency range: 5 Hz - 30000...
⭐
4.7/5
(4 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 621452
$549
#3
⭐
4.9/5
(37 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
HIFIMAN SUSVARA Unveiled
by
HIFIMAN
Home Audio Systems
Audiophile Listening
Critical Music Enjoyment
Key Feature:
• Accurate, uncolored sound reproduction
✓ PROS
- • Exceptional audio quality and detail
- • Premium materials and construction
✗ CONS
- • Revealing of poor source quality
- • Not portable or practical for mobile use
HIFIMAN SUSVARA UnveiledHigh-end hi-fi headphonesOver-earOpen-back designMagnetostaticFrequency range: 6 - 75.000...
⭐
4.9/5
(37 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 597736
$9,678
#4
⭐
4.6/5
(37 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Audeze LCD-5
by
Audeze
High-End Sources
Critical Music Enjoyment
Home Audio Systems
Key Feature:
• Accurate, uncolored sound reproduction
✓ PROS
- • Premium materials and construction
- • Accurate, uncolored sound reproduction
✗ CONS
- • May require headphone amplifier
- • May lack excitement for casual listening
Audeze LCD-5HeadphonesOpen-back designCircumaural90 mm driverNeodymium magnets (N50)Nanoscale diaphragm and fluxor...
⭐
4.6/5
(37 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 528522
$5,498
#5
⭐
4.7/5
(25 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Avantone Planar the II Red
by
Avantone
High-End Sources
Audiophile Listening
Home Audio Systems
Key Feature:
• Comfortable for extended listening
✓ PROS
- • Exceptional audio quality and detail
- • Accurate, uncolored sound reproduction
✗ CONS
- • Very expensive for quality models
- • May require headphone amplifier
Avantone Planar the II RedHeadphonesMagnetostaticOpen constructionCircumaural21 Micron PET diaphragmTransducer size: 70...
⭐
4.7/5
(25 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 578472
$472
#6
⭐
4.6/5
(26 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Meze Audio Elite Tungsten
by
Meze Audio
Audiophile Listening
High-End Sources
Home Audio Systems
Key Feature:
• Comfortable for extended listening
✓ PROS
- • Exceptional audio quality and detail
- • Wide frequency response
✗ CONS
- • Not portable or practical for mobile use
- • Very expensive for quality models
Meze Audio Elite TungstenHi-Fi HeadphonesWiredCircumauralOpen-back designMagnetostaticFrequency range: 3 Hz - 112000...
⭐
4.6/5
(26 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 616716
$4,400
#7
⭐
4.6/5
(44 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Shure AONIC 5-BK
by
Shure
Home Audio Systems
Audiophile Listening
High-End Sources
Key Feature:
• Exceptional audio quality and detail
✓ PROS
- • Exceptional audio quality and detail
- • Wide frequency response
✗ CONS
- • Very expensive for quality models
- • Revealing of poor source quality
Shure AONIC 5-BKSound Isolating In-Ear HeadphonesWith RMCE-UNI cable3 Balanced armature driverSensitivity: 119 dB...
⭐
4.6/5
(44 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 505826
$578
#8
⭐
4.7/5
(21 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
7/10
Sennheiser HD 600
by
Sennheiser
Critical Music Enjoyment
Home Audio Systems
Audiophile Listening
Key Feature:
• Comfortable for extended listening
✓ PROS
- • Wide frequency response
- • Accurate, uncolored sound reproduction
✗ CONS
- • Not portable or practical for mobile use
- • May lack excitement for casual listening
Sennheiser HD-600HeadphonesDynamicOpenCircumauralImpedance: 300 OhmSound pressure level: 97 dBFrequency range: 12 -...
⭐
4.7/5
(21 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 471751
$347
#9
⭐
4.9/5
(38 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Dan Clark Audio EXPANSE
Home Audio Systems
Critical Music Enjoyment
Audiophile Listening
Key Feature:
• Wide frequency response
✓ PROS
- • Exceptional audio quality and detail
- • Accurate, uncolored sound reproduction
✗ CONS
- • Not portable or practical for mobile use
- • May require headphone amplifier
Dan Clark Audio EXPANSEHeadphonesCircumauralOpenMagnetostaticDriver size: 76 x 51 mm4th Generation planar-magnetic...
⭐
4.9/5
(38 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 552965
$5,168
#10
⭐
4.7/5
(7 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
10/10
Value:
7/10
Dan Clark Audio STEALTH
Home Audio Systems
High-End Sources
Critical Music Enjoyment
Key Feature:
• Comfortable for extended listening
✓ PROS
- • Accurate, uncolored sound reproduction
- • Comfortable for extended listening
✗ CONS
- • Very expensive for quality models
- • Revealing of poor source quality
Dan Clark Audio STEALTHHeadphonesClosed-backCircumauralMagnetostaticDriver size: 76 x 51 mm4th generation planar...
⭐
4.7/5
(7 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
10/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 528810
$4,707
#11
⭐
4.4/5
(24 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
6/10
Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed-Back
High-End Sources
Audiophile Listening
Home Audio Systems
Key Feature:
• Premium materials and construction
✓ PROS
- • Accurate, uncolored sound reproduction
- • Exceptional audio quality and detail
✗ CONS
- • Revealing of poor source quality
- • May lack excitement for casual listening
Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed-BackHeadphonesClosed-backCircumauralPlanar magnetic driversImpedance: 13 OhmSensitivity:...
⭐
4.4/5
(24 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 479142
$1,044
#12
⭐
4.6/5
(33 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
8/10
Sennheiser HD-490 PRO
by
Sennheiser
High-End Sources
Critical Music Enjoyment
Audiophile Listening
Key Feature:
• Wide frequency response
✓ PROS
- • Accurate, uncolored sound reproduction
- • Premium materials and construction
✗ CONS
- • Revealing of poor source quality
- • Very expensive for quality models
Sennheiser HD-490 PROStudio HeadphonesWired headphonesCircumauralOpenDynamicFrequency range: 5 - 36100 HzImpedance: 130...
⭐
4.6/5
(33 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 581283
$384
#13
⭐
4.7/5
(45 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Fostex TH616
by
Fostex
Home Audio Systems
Audiophile Listening
High-End Sources
Key Feature:
• Comfortable for extended listening
✓ PROS
- • Comfortable for extended listening
- • Accurate, uncolored sound reproduction
✗ CONS
- • Revealing of poor source quality
- • May lack excitement for casual listening
Fostex TH616Headphones50 mm Neodymium driver with BIODYNA coneDesign: over-earStyle: openDynamicFrequency range: 5 -...
⭐
4.7/5
(45 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 587779
$989
#14
⭐
4.8/5
(9 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
6/10
Meze Audio Liric 2nd Generation
by
Meze Audio
Home Audio Systems
Audiophile Listening
High-End Sources
Key Feature:
• Premium materials and construction
✓ PROS
- • Wide frequency response
- • Comfortable for extended listening
✗ CONS
- • Not portable or practical for mobile use
- • Revealing of poor source quality
Meze Audio Liric 2nd GenerationHi-Fi HeadphonesWired headphonesCircumauralClosed-back designMagnetostaticFrequency...
⭐
4.8/5
(9 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 616690
$2,199
#15
⭐
4.9/5
(50 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
10/10
Value:
8/10
HIFIMAN ARYA Stealth
by
HIFIMAN
High-End Sources
Audiophile Listening
Home Audio Systems
Key Feature:
• Accurate, uncolored sound reproduction
✓ PROS
- • Exceptional audio quality and detail
- • Wide frequency response
✗ CONS
- • May require headphone amplifier
- • Very expensive for quality models
HIFIMAN ARYA StealthHi-Fi HeadphonesCircumauralOpenMagnetostaticFrequency range: 8 - 65000 HzImpedance: 32 OhmMax. SPL:...
⭐
4.9/5
(50 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
10/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 563575
$725
How to Choose the Best HiFi Headphones
Budget Planning
- • Under $200: Entry-level
- • $200-$500: Intermediate
- • $500-$1000: Advanced
- • $1000+: Professional
Quality Check
- • Sound clarity & tone
- • Build materials & finish
- • Hardware durability
- • Overall craftsmanship
Key Features
- • Your musical style
- • Skill level match
- • Intended use case
- • Brand reputation
Frequently Asked Questions
Key factors include build quality, sound characteristics, playability, brand reputation, warranty coverage, and value for money. Consider your musical style, skill level, and intended use to find the best match.
Budget depends on your needs and experience level. Beginners can find quality options for $200-500, intermediate players should consider $500-1500 range, while professionals often invest $1500+ for premium features.
Higher-priced hifi headphones typically offer better materials, craftsmanship, and performance. They're worth it if you're serious about music, perform regularly, or need professional-grade features.
Top brands combine quality, innovation, and reliability. We evaluate brands based on build quality, sound performance, durability, and customer satisfaction to recommend the best options for different budgets.
Both have advantages. Online offers better prices and selection, while stores allow hands-on testing. We recommend researching online first, then testing in stores if possible. Many online retailers offer excellent return policies.
