Welcome to the Elite.
Like Porsches and Prada, these expensive high-end headphones are for those who want the best.
The central purpose of any set of headphones is to give you the unaltered reproduction of the original recording. Cheaper headphones are made with inferior qualities that interfere or muddle the sound.
But these headphones are truly the best. But not all of them are made equal. Depending on what you want to use them for, some headphones will excel over others.
If these headphones are pretty to look at but too steep for your blood, check out our 5 Best Headphones Under $300, or even our 5 Best Headphones Under $100
1. Sennheiser HD800 Headphones
Best For: Classical Music and Live Jazz
Sennheiser HD800s
What We Like:
- The wide and deep soundstage of Sennheisers is unparalled in it’s ability to create the feeling of being there.
- Female vocals are warmer and more full bodied than on any other headphones.
- Comfortable Japanese Alcantra fabric is more comfortable and luxurious feeling than leather earpads and the light weight is balanced so well that you forget you’re wearing them.
- Comes with removable cables, so you add after-market cables for an added sound boost.
What We Don’t Like:
The Takeaway
In short, they are currently the best headphones in the world. Once you try them you’ll never try anything else.
Current Price: $1499.95
2. Grado PS1000 Professional Headphones
Best For: DVDs and Blu-Ray,Rock and Professional Music Production
What We Like:
- The Headphone company from Brooklyn has always excelled at rock music, but the signature Grado sound takes sound quality to another level with the PS100s.
- Movies sound amazing, and drums were especially pronounced and detailed. The PS100s sounded better than the HD800s in this regard.
- These headphones are no slouches when it comes to orchestral music either. The pianos and cymbals were all amazing. The PS100s are the first Grados to feature a powerful soundstage.
What We Don’t Like
- The only complaint is that the leather-covered headband could be more comfortable and may make long stretches of wearing them uncomfortable.
The Takeaway:
The PS1000s are neck and neck with the HD800s for overall sound quality. The Grados are more versatile in that they sound great on your ipod, as well as watching movies. Where the PS100s lost points, though, was in comfort.
Current Price: $1695.00
3. Beyerdynamic T1 Tesla Audiofile Stereo Headphone
Best For: Techno and Rock
What We Like:
- Bass is more focused, meaning that it excels in techno and rock.
- Male vocals come out sounding great. Another reason to use these as rock headphones.
- Has precise separation of instruments, however the soundstage feels much more crowded than the HD800s.
What We Don’t Like
- No removable cables, so no aftermarket sound boost.
- Comfortable, but not quite as comfortable as the HD800s.
The Takeaway:
THe overall sound is lucid, lively and energetic. The lovely soundstage effect of the HD800s put them over the top. But the T1s are more versatile for varied tastes.
Current Price: $1,399.00
4. Ultrasone Edition 8
Best For: iPod, Dubstep, R&B, and Home Theatre
What We Like:
- Closed-Back Headphones work almost as well for noise-isolation as the noise-cancelling headphones, but without the drawbacks (i.e. batteries).
- The bass is bigger and fatter than any other headphones on this list. All genres of music that use bass are well represented on the Edition 8s.
- Noise Isolation works the other way: no one can hear the noise coming out of your headphones: great for listening in bed or in an office environment.
- Home theatre systems sound great, and action scenes have a particular heft to them because of the powerful bass.
- Comes with an iPod connector without any need for an adapter (like the HD800s and Grados).
What We Don’t Like
- Closed Back means that you don’t get an expansive soundstage. It trails behind the Grados and HD800s in that regard.
The Takeaway:
These are the best headphones for listening to your iPod, iPhone or iPad…with the Grado PS100s coming in a close second. They’re also the best for bass-heavy music genres, and the closed-back design means you can enjoy them without disturbing anyone else.
Current Price: $1,499.00
5. Audeze LCD 3
Best For: Professional Studio Recording and Bass-Heavy Music
What We Like:
- thick and soft lambskin leather earpads to cushion your ears.
- The Bass definition and power are remarkable.
- Dynamic range. Audiophile Steven Guttenberg considers the sound on the LCD-3s to be superior to the HD800s.
- Detachable headphones cable allows you to switch to an aftermarket cable.
What We Don’t Like
- The most expensive on the list: $1,945.00
- Headphones are the heaviest on this list, although you aren’t aware of the weight when it’s on your head.
The Takeaway:
The newest entry on this list is gaining a lot of steam in the audiophile community as people are starting to call them the new ‘best headphones in the world’. While the soundstage and comfort of the HD800s are still clearly better.
Current Price: $1945.00
You are in for a Treat.
I once met a man who was sporting a Rolex. He showed me how the second hand ticks four times per second, giving the illusion of movement: “That’s how you know it’s a genuine Rolex”. He’d had the same watch for fifteen years “When you buy a Rolex, you buy it for life”.
The same can be said for these headphones. When you buy them, you’re getting a pair of headphones for life. All of these headphones are manufactured either in Germany or America of the finest parts. This is what true outstanding quality is all about. These are the Rolexes of Headphones.
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