Type: Over-ear

Enclosure: Open-Back

Noise canceling: No

Wireless: No

The best overall headphones for music are the HiFiman Ananda. These open over-ears are one of the best sounding headphones we’ve measured so far, and they’re slightly less expensive than the often compared Sennheiser HD 800 S. They cater well to all genres of music and have open-back ear cups with planar magnetic drivers that offer a spacious soundstage, which feels like you’re listening to speakers instead of headphones.

They have an improved build quality over the previous generation, the HiFiMan Edition X, and their sound quality packs enough bass despite their open design. Their mid and treble range are expertly balanced and reproduce instrument and vocals with great fidelity. They’re also very comfortable to wear, although their bulky critical listening design may not be for everyone.