THE BEST HEADPHONES FOR SERIOUS MUSIC FANS

If you really want to hear music as the artists intended, and you don’t want to carry your whole stereo around with you—we doubt your bros would hold the speakers for you anyway—you need a good pair of headphones. While it’s true some people are comfortable with their stock Apple earbuds, and others sport the overpriced Beats By Dre headphones, serious music fans have far better options out there. Here are the ten best headphones for serious music fans.


1. AIAIAI TMA-1
Aiaiai is a fairly new brand to the headphone game, launching its flagship TMA-1 pair of headphones a few years ago to resounding praise. The minimalist matte black over-ear headphones were designed in Denmark and tested by DJs around the world—everyone from A-Trak to James Murphy to Hot Chip to Hudson Mohawke gave these headphones their stamp of approval. Since they were designed for DJing in a live setting, they’re just slightly bass-heavy, but crystal clear and versatile. They’re great to use everywhere from the home studio to riding the train to DJing. The TMA-1 is our pick for dopest all-purpose headphones. The packaging is smartly designed, too, coming with a useful soft carry-bag and alternate foam pads.

2. AUDIO TECHNICA ATH-M50
Audio Technica makes plenty of great DJ gear and their headphones are no exception. Their ATH-M50 model is the cream of the crop. Not too expensive, starting around $150, the sound is incredibly clear and they’re comfortable to wear. They are perfectly suitable for everyday listening or studio work. Plus, they have CNET’s stamp of approval for best pair of headphones under $200, so you can trust they’re great. If you’re not sure they fit your budget, you can also pick up the next level down, the ATH M30, which aren’t quite as amazing as the M50, still go far above and beyond their price bracket.

3. BEYERDYNAMIC DT770 PRO
Next up is the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pros. These bad boys are a staple in recording studios around the world. While they may look big, the fact that they cover your whole ear creates a larger space for your ears to pick up sound, and for long listening sessions, they are much more comfortable. When a leading music gear site was asked which headphones they’d choose for themselves, they told us they’d go with these every time.

4. V MODA CROSSFADE M-100
You either love or hate the hexagonal, metallic design on this pair, but regardless of look, everyone can agree that they sound great. An additional cool feature with this pair is their ability to fold down into a very compact carrying case, making safe storage and portability easy. These headphones cost the same as the popular Beats by Dre model, but offer highly superior sound quality, are more comfortable, and have a similarly striking style. So if you’re considering something like the Beats, definitely check these out, too

5. SOL REPUBLIC TRACKS HD
Similar in aesthetic Sol Republic‘s Tracks HD one-up’s Beats by Dre with a much lower price point, more color choices, and sound surprisingly great for their price point. Not only are you given a 3 button cable with mic, but you can swap out headbands and cables in different colors

6. JVC FLATS
If you’re really on a budget, the JVC flats are an awesome portable pair of headphones that will cost you less than a few cups of high-end coffee. They may lack some of the pristine hi-fi crispness you’ll hear on other pairs on this list, but as a set of backup headphones you don’t have to worry about accidentally sitting on, they are just straight up unbeatable

7. SENNHEISER HD280 PRO
These headphones are another studio staple. The HD280s have your standard fantastic sound, similar to the Audio Technica ATH-M50s, but they offer what some would say is more sound isolation, meaning you hear more music and less outside noise. This is definitely ideal for anyone who regularly takes public transportation or operates jackhammers. Music gear dealer and know-it-all Sweetwater routinely recommends these as the first good pair of headphones to buy, so you know you’ll be good with the HD280 Pro.

8. MEELECTRONICS A151
Over-ear headphones almost always sound better than earbuds, plus they take longer to cause listening fatigue. So the fact that we included MEElectronic’s A151 on the list means these earbuds go above and beyond standard ones in both sound and comfort. While priced a little higher than some earbuds, the value in quality is well worth shelling out a little more, plus they’re still a solidly affordable and more portable option than some of the others on our list.

9. SENNHEISER HD598
The second Sennheiser pair on the list, the HD598s are basically the next step up from the HD280 Pros. These award-winning headphones offer audiophile-grade sound for those who are looking for great headphones at a mid-range price. Sennheiser offers yet another gold standard in high quality headphones. The only potential downside to these is that the mesh outside of the headphones allows people around to you hear what you’re listening to if you crank them to higher volumes.

10. SHURE SRH550DJ
Rounding out our list is the Shure SRH550DJ headphones. Meant for DJs, the SRH500DJs strike a great balance between high quality sound and durability. Shure expects these headphones to withstand the rigors of the chaotic DJ lifestyle, and has built them to be hard to break and to represent high-output bass with extended highs, meaning that you’ll get a more accurate, clear sound no matter how much noise is going on around you. These are a solid, all-around great pair of headphones, whether you’re DJing at a club with them or just jamming out in your living room.

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