There are more companies than ever before producing audiophile-quality headphones. The surge in interest has grown beyond the headphile community and the increasing number of consumers attending personal audio trade shows around the globe has taken what was once a small cottage industry and created a multi-billion dollar category.
If your budget maxes out at $200, these are the most balanced sounding audiophile dynamic headphones on the market. 1MORE has a great track record of producing affordable audiophile headphones. The closed-back Triple Driver Over-Ear offer high levels of resolution, detail, and tight bass for the asking price. If you are looking for an easy-to-fold pair of headphones for the plane that can be driven by your smartphone, these are the ones to get.
Grado Labs invented the stereo moving coil phono cartridge, but this Brooklyn-based family business has become a lot more famous for its affordable open-back headphones with a very distinct look. Grado toughed it out during the dark days of digital and the unexpected boom in both vinyl playback and personal audio has allowed them to invest heavily in new driver technology to compete with all of the new brands. The RS1e are the embodiment of the Grado house sound that certainly favors rock and detail freaks. The gorgeous wood earphone cups add some necessary warmth to the tonal presentation and there is a visceral feel to the music that can be quite intoxicating.
Bowers & Wilkins manufactures some of the world’s most revered active and passive loudspeakers and have taken a slow and steady wins the race approach to their headphones. If you’re looking for a very clean sounding pair of headphones with great detail retrieval and decent bass response, the P9 Signature are an easy recommendation. They fold up easily for the business traveler or commuter and don’t require a lot of power to sound their best.
For many years, the original HD 800 sat on the iron throne in the world of headphones. They were revered for their reference-level neutrality and transparency. For some people, they were too much of a good thing; hence the interest in the warmer sounding planar magnetic headphones that ripped off its crown. The HD 800 S are a revised version of the over-the-ear open-back Teutonic classics with new driver technology, even better construction quality, and a much smoother presentation that is world class on a lot of levels. The HD 800 S require a comparable headphone amplifier to justify their asking price, but get the combination right and these are sonic nirvana.
Focal is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of loudspeakers, and their proprietary beryllium drivers are used in some of the most expensive loudspeakers money can buy. Their $3,000 asking price is rather steep for a pair of closed-back dynamic headphones, but it’s hard to argue with the build quality, comfort, accessories, and reference-level sound quality. The Stellia is for the music listener who wants to hear everything; which may or not be a good thing depending on the quality of your source or music. The Stellia deliver deep bass but it’s more cerebral than visceral. One major plus – their low impedance makes them smartphone friendly.
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