Best Open Back Headphones
Updated How we research
beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X Studio Mixing Open Back Headphones
beyerdynamic's DT 900 PRO X are open-back studio mixing headphones, suited to precise podcast editing and mastering.
Sennheiser HD 490 PRO Open-Back Professional Headphone
Sennheiser's HD 490 PRO is an open-back professional headphone for mixing and production, with a focus on long-session comfort.
Open-back headphones trade isolation for a sound that feels open, spacious, and remarkably natural. Because air moves freely through the earcups, they present a wide, realistic soundstage that makes long mixing and editing sessions less fatiguing. For hearing exactly where every element sits in your podcast or music mix, they are hard to beat. The trade-off is that they leak sound both ways, so they are made for the editing chair, not for recording next to a live mic. In a quiet room, though, that openness pays off with detail and depth that sealed cans struggle to match. In this guide we highlight the open-back headphones that deliver honest, spacious sound for confident mixing and critical listening.
The short version
We compared 8 picks. Our scores range from 7.4 to 8.6 out of 10.
- Best overall:beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X Studio Mixing Open Back Headphones. Highest overall score in this guide at 8.6/10.
- Also great value:beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO 80 Ohm Open Back Studio Headphones. Value score of 9/10, overall 8.0/10.
- Solid build:Sennheiser HD 490 PRO Open-Back Professional Headphone. Build and materials score of 9/10, overall 8.4/10.
- Feature-rich:beyerdynamic DT 880 PRO 250 Ohm Semi-Open-Back Studio Headphones. Features score of 8/10, overall 8.2/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X Studio Mixing Open Back Headphones8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.Sennheiser HD 490 PRO Open-Back Professional Headphone8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.beyerdynamic DT 880 PRO 250 Ohm Semi-Open-Back Studio Headphones8.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO 80 Ohm Open Back Studio Headphones8.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.Sennheiser HD 650 Audiophile Hi-Res Open Back Dynamic Headphone8.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.Audeze MM-520 Open-Back Professional Headphones with Carrying Case7.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.Sony MDR-MV1 Open-Back Reference Monitor Headphones Bundle7.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 8.Philips SHP9600 Open Back Wired Over-Ear Headphones7.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1beyerdynamic's DT 900 PRO X are open-back studio mixing headphones, suited to precise podcast editing and mastering.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + Open-back design gives a natural, spacious sound for mixing decisions
- + Detailed beyerdynamic tuning reveals edits, breaths and noise clearly
- + Comfortable velour pads suit long editing sessions
- - Open back leaks sound, so they are unsuitable while recording near mics
- - Offer little isolation from noise in busy homes or offices
#2Sennheiser's HD 490 PRO is an open-back professional headphone for mixing and production, with a focus on long-session comfort.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 7/10
- + Professional open-back tuning helps make reliable mixing decisions
- + Designed for studio comfort with soft pads for hours of editing
- + Sennheiser pro line brings strong support and replaceable parts
- - High price is aimed at serious producers rather than casual hosts
- - Open-back leakage makes them unsuitable for recording in shared rooms
#3The beyerdynamic DT 880 PRO 250 Ohm are semi-open-back studio headphones, a detailed, comfortable choice for editing.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + Semi-open design gives a wide, natural sound for detailed editing
- + 250 Ohm drivers deliver precise sound when paired with a good amp
- + Comfortable velour pads suit marathon editing sessions
- - 250 Ohm load needs a headphone amp for full volume from many devices
- - Semi-open cups leak sound, so avoid them near live microphones
#4The beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO 80 Ohm are open back studio headphones, an affordable classic for mixing and editing audio.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 80 Ohm version runs well from most interfaces and laptops
- + Open back design gives a spacious sound that eases long-session fatigue
- + Plush velour pads and sturdy headband hold up to daily use
- - Bright treble can exaggerate sibilance when judging voice tracks
- - Fixed coiled cable cannot be replaced if it fails
#5The Sennheiser HD 650 is an audiophile hi-res open back dynamic headphone, a smooth, natural reference for long listening.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + Smooth, natural tone makes long editing sessions less tiring
- + Proven Sennheiser design with replaceable pads and cable
- + Open back soundstage helps judge music beds and stereo effects
- - Benefits from a headphone amp to sound its best
- - Audiophile tuning is slightly warm rather than strictly flat
#6Audeze's MM-520 are open-back professional headphones with a carrying case, a high-end planar option for critical editing.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 6/10
- + Carrying case protects the headphones when moving between studios
- + Audeze professional tuning delivers very detailed, low-distortion sound
- + Excellent for spotting subtle noise, clicks and edits in dialogue
- - Expensive and far beyond what most podcast editing requires
- - Planar headphones are often heavier than typical dynamic models
#7This bundle pairs the Sony MDR-MV1 open-back reference monitor headphones with a large EVA hard-shell carrying case from Knox Gear.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 6/10
- + The Sony MDR-MV1 is an open-back reference monitor headphone, a type made for mixing and critical listening.
- + The hard-shell EVA case is water, dust and splash resistant with a nearly 360 degree zipper.
- + A plush padded interior protects the headphones from scratches and bumps, and the case fits in a bag or carry-on.
- - The feature bullets describe the case, not the headphones, so check Sony's own specs for driver and cable details.
- - At over $400 it is a premium pick, and open-back headphones leak sound, so they suit editing more than tracking.
#8Philips SHP9600 are open back wired over-ear headphones, a budget-friendly way to try open-back sound for editing.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + Open back design delivers a natural sound at an affordable price
- + Detachable cable makes replacement simple if it gets damaged
- + Roomy earcups are comfortable for long listening sessions
- - Consumer tuning is less studio-flat than pro reference models
- - Leaks sound freely, so they are not for recording beside mics
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Open back leaks sound, so they are unsuitable while recording near mics (beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X Studio Mixing Open...)
- High price is aimed at serious producers rather than casual hosts (Sennheiser HD 490 PRO Open-Back Professional...)
- 250 Ohm load needs a headphone amp for full volume from many devices (beyerdynamic DT 880 PRO 250 Ohm...)
- Bright treble can exaggerate sibilance when judging voice tracks (beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO 80 Ohm Open Back...)
- Benefits from a headphone amp to sound its best (Sennheiser HD 650 Audiophile Hi-Res Open Back...)
- Expensive and far beyond what most podcast editing requires (Audeze MM-520 Open-Back Professional...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among open back headphones?
beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X Studio Mixing Open Back Headphones is our top overall pick. beyerdynamic's DT 900 PRO X are open-back studio mixing headphones, suited to precise podcast editing and mastering. It earns our score of 8.6/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Sennheiser HD 490 PRO Open-Back Professional Headphone is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Sennheiser's HD 490 PRO is an open-back professional headphone for mixing and production, with a focus on long-session comfort.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Podcast Gear Hub independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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