A classic evolved: Sennheiser's HD650 rolled out six years after its predecessor, the HD600, and went on to earn its own cult status.  The new millenium saw a rise in genres of electronic music and Sennheiser scored in its response with this warmer, bassier cousin to the HD600. This became one of the most important models in Head-Fi ever to have been released, justifying its place in the headphone history books. [See Product Desc. For More] Innerfidelity's Tyll Hertsens brings the social studies for one of the hobby's most important headphones. Check out the rest of Sennheiser's legendary line-up here, or view our other open-back headphone options here as well as the amplifiers to drive them here. // Most customers test the HD650 alongside the HD600, and the HD660s. // Care tip: We recommend changing earpads every year or two for hygiene reasons. Check out the KITO or YAXI range if you need to freshen the headphones up. Bad smelling headphones aren't cool.  // For added headband comfort: Check out the DEKONI Nuggets.

Sennheiser celebrate the turn of the decade ready to build a new legacy with the HD560S. Affordable open-back headphones now have a new face fronting excellence.  HD560S lovers will delight in its superb detail retrieval excelling in reproducing details in strings and other acoustic instruments in pristine recordings. StereoNET praise it to "someone looking for clean, no-nonsense sound without breaking the bank". [See Product Desc. For More] Spatially, angled drivers with EAR (Ergonomic Acoustic Refinement) technology from Sennheiser create a realistic portrayal of stage rarely heard in open-back headphones at price point. Its 120ohm impedance makes HD560S a great match for any integrated amplifier's headphone outputs, ruling out source impedance mismatches. Headfonia says its "balance is impressive and the longer you listen to this headphone, the better it gets", adding it to his list of Recommended Buys. This is unfussy reference listening that'll bring out the most of the recordings you want pristinely rendered – this here stands up to all scrutiny. View all of Sennheiser's other offerings here, or check out all our other headphones here.

The ATH-R70x is Audio-Technica's first pair of open-back reference professional headphones and feature specially designed drivers and acoustically transparent housings fashioned from aluminum honeycomb mesh. These headphones provide an accurate and natural open-back sound. When you're done with this hit, view the rest of Audio-Technica's line-up here, or browse our other headphones here.

What a statement Bluetooth like Bathys Dune is. Through it Focal invites anyone, to listen anywhere. In clear and obvious style. Focal's trademark M-shaped aluminium-magnesium dynamic driver brings you flagship sound on the go. 5 ⭐ came from What Hi-Fi? because "the success of Focal's first effort" isn't surprising. Headfonics say Bathys "represents a serious upgrade on consumer headphone choices from the likes of Sony and Bose", something Digital Trends second.  Wired writes Bathys is Bluetooth "even staunch audio nerds can enjoy". Superb acoustics on the part of Focal's know-how are a given, and the warm, rich and detailed fidelity of Bathys breaks new ground for a portable headphone of its size – wired or unwired. However, what makes Bathys truly compelling is its range of noise cancelling, Bluetooth 5.1, Qualcomm® aptX™ Adaptive and app-controlled EQ. [See Product Desc. For More] Its name comes from the French word ‘bathyscaphe’, the first submarine exploration vehicle. And Bathys is the embodiment of calm, depth and absolute silence. It's already scooped up TechHive's Editors Choice award, and is ecoustics' favourite noise-cancelling headphone for 2022. Audioholics says Bathys "takes its place among the top sound quality-focused wireless headphones available", and gave it a Product of the Year award. Stuff slapped 5 ⭐ on this Bluetooth beast too. Audiophile-Heaven lauds Bathys. At the cutting edge of tech, but dressed up in finery as a finished product like only Focal can. Blurring the lines between lifestyle and audiophilia has become typical from France's masters of savoir faire. Bathys is proof that Focal has mastered that.  The Bathys design comes inherited from Focal’s open and closed-back audiophile headphones such as Clear MG and Radiance. The earcup grilles repeat Focal’s design language, highly aesthetic curves drawing attention to the company's prestigious logo symbolising style, luxury and belief in better. A white back-lit system beneath the logo may be activated if desired, for an understated, chic effect. Another standout feature of Bathys is its elegant and timeless black-silver colourway, for effortless sophistication. Indeed, this wireless Focal is something you want to be seen with, but also to hear. The comparisons to its bigger audiophile siblings visually are apt, but so are they sonically. Bathys promises a big chunk of Focal fidelity on the move, its M-shaped aluminium-magnesium drivers among the most audiophile-grade mounted in a wireless headphone before.  This driver's stiffness, light weight and damping not only promises you a warm, immersive and authoritative presentation of music in stock tuning. It's also fine ground for EQ to be implemented – and Bathys comes together with EQ pre-sets for listeners to select via the Focal & Naim control app for iOS and Android. Not only does Bathys sound excellent – it can be made yours truly, too, when you select your favourite sound signature.  aptX™ Adaptive ensures wireless transmission stability in most conditions.  Focal added a Silent mode of cancellation optimised for trips with high background noise but let's you switch to a Soft mode to aid concentration at work, while Transparency mode enables you to stay connected to your surroundings. And a USB-C cable gives you the listener the final ability to access Bathys' 24/192 DAC via a computer or phone, when seeking uncompromised fidelity. The sense of completeness in Bathys' package promises that form and function have truly met. Despite its humble entry into the world of Focal, Bathys is in fact one of Focal's proudest Head-Fi releases. And there is much more to explore from Focal for those seeking ever-greater levels of wired sound quality here, and you can also browse all of our Bluetooth headphones here. 

Sennheiser set the bar high for what it took to be considered a modern flagship headphone in 2015 with the HD800S, and this model still holds its ground among the plethora of elite choices present. Can a lightweight headphone (just 330 grams) also be a heavyweight as an audiophile reference for Sennheiser?  LISTEN NOW HD800S father Axel Grell drops bombshell With soundstage for days, precise images and the ability to expose the tiniest detail, the HD800S continues to impress those who desire to hear everything in their music. [See Product Desc. For More] We recommend you hear it through iBasso Audio's DX320, HiBy Music's R8, or dedicate a full desktop set-up space for it. Further notes: The HD820 is popularly viewed as the closed-back equivalent of the HD800S, after they've tested Sennheiser's waters with the HD600, HD650 and HD660s. // Care tip: We recommend changing earpads every year or two for hygiene reasons. Check out the KITO or YAXI range if you need to freshen the headphones up. Bad smelling headphones aren't cool.  // For added headband comfort: Check out the DEKONI Nuggets. / Photography by Zepp Crew.

Managing the complicated acoustic design for the Vérité driver in a closed-back headphone may have been ZMF Headphones' toughest challenge to date. But the way they pulled it off with aplomb would have given little hint to that. Expect nearly all the Vérité's beryllium-coated transparency and detail in this closed model, with the benefits of privacy and isolation to boot. Positive Feedback were rendered "speechless at how you achieved the performance you achieved with these". [See Product Desc. For More] Its driver starts with a sandwich driver core of softer plastic PEN for effective damping at higher frequencies, this surface being coated with beryllium for the metal's stiffness, lightness and air acceleration properties.  That means Vérité Closed's driver moves as a perfect piston over all frequencies up to and above its working range, keeping distortion down due to cone and modal break-up. Audiophile Style compared the closed version against its open brethren, publishing a comprehensive study complete with measurements to conclude "they're as good as anything on the market today" and what "ZMF have achieved with the Vérité is truly remarkable". Stereophile's Herb Reichert says the "Vérités come closer to [Sony's] MDR-R10s in basic sonic character than any other headphones I've auditioned ... may even exceed Sony's cult classics in their illusion of speed and transparency". It's rightfully Headfonia's "best-of-the-best in the closed-back world". Make the headphone that made Stereophile's shortlist of Headphone Product of the Year 2020 yours today. OR... enjoy a smoother, more relaxed sound with ZMF's Eikon and ZMF's Atticus, or browse our other closed-back options here!

When Audio-Technica's classic monitoring headphone M50X went wireless, we seized ATH-M50xBT2 immediately and added it to our carts. Gen 2.0 is now the host with the most, with Bluetooth 5.0 and LDAC™ promising greater use case scenarios to enjoy its legendary sound. M50XBT2 fits comfortably over your ears, without the fuss of the cables and harnesses the legendary M50x studio sound for an exhilarating wireless listening experience, with exceptional clarity and deep, accurate bass response. Audio-Technica allow you to hear and be heard too, with dual beam-forming microphones for great voice pick-up helping you to work from home without any second guessing. // Care tip: We recommend changing earpads every year or two for hygiene reasons. Check out the KITO or YAXI range if you need to freshen the headphones up. Bad smelling headphones aren't cool.  When you're done with this hit, view the rest of Audio-Technica's line-up here, or browse our other headphones here.

As the most critically acclaimed model in the M-Series line, Audio-Technica's ATH-M50 is praised by top audio engineers and pro audio reviewers year after year. It's also available as a Bluetooth headphone here. From the large aperture drivers, sound isolating earcups and robust construction, the M50x provides an unmatched experience for the most critical audio professionals. // Care tip: We recommend changing earpads every year or two for hygiene reasons. Check out the KITO or YAXI range if you need to freshen the headphones up. Bad smelling headphones aren't cool.  // For added headband comfort: Check out the DEKONI Nuggets. When you're done with this hit, view the rest of Audio-Technica's line-up here, or browse our other headphones here.

Audio-Technica's ATH-M40x professional monitor headphones are tuned flat for incredibly accurate audio monitoring across an extended frequency range. Your studio experience is enhanced with superior sound isolation and swiveling earcups for convenient one-ear monitoring. // Care tip: We recommend changing earpads every year or two for hygiene reasons. Check out the KITO or YAXI range if you need to freshen the headphones up. Bad smelling headphones aren't cool.  // For added headband comfort: Check out the DEKONI Nuggets. When you're done with this hit, view the rest of Audio-Technica's line-up here, or browse our other headphones here.

Creative Labs took the venerable Foster biocellulose dynamic driver and enclosed them in teak cups, to present you the E-MU Teak. The 50mm dynamic drivers at the heart of these headphones give you a big bass, big excitement and plenty of zeal, to keep driving your beats forward. Pair this with your energetic rock and you can't go wrong with this at home or on the go, with E-MU's easy-to-drive nature flexible everywhere. Also view our other headphones here.

This is the closed-back headphone from ZMF Headphones that everyone's been dreaming of. Bokeh is the first closed-back ZMF that can claim to be truly portable, with its isolation brought on the go with you in backpacks to offices and hotel rooms. It's the same ZMF quality and promise of durability sans unwieldy storage case. With customary lifetime ZMF driver warranty especially important as Bokeh gets put about the rigours of daily life, this is a build and tuning that will stand the test of time. Headfonia rates its effectiveness channeling ZMF's spirit, something Headfonics echo. It's a TechPowerUp award-winner. Brought to a new and affordable price point, the Bokeh is just the latest ZMF that stands to become a classic, bringing their cherished house sound with you on the go whether via USB dongle DAC/amp, music player or small desktop amp. [See Product Desc. For More] A natural step up from Tago Studio's T3-01 that traverses the bus then the desk, the Bokeh combines ergonomic portability with ZMF's traditional ability to scale from sound quality. ZMF's new entry-level is greater than the sum of its parts.  A new 80ohm Liquid Crystal Polymer driver is pushed to its acoustic limits with proprietary ZMF work, in their patented Atrium Damping System (ADS) first found in the flagship Atrium. All this tuning potential in earcup acoustics extends to Bokeh's owners with new Caldera earpads useful add-on options. Caldera pads bear a special fluted, tapered, horn-shaped design that take on the form of acoustic amplifiers. Leather or suede directly contribute to which frequencies you choose to enhance, making Bokeh such a pleasure because ADS makes it so versatile. Bokeh grants ZMF full control over a soundscape, with internal cavity design challenging the physical limits of linear full-range reproduction in closed-backs like never before. Acoustic dampers work closely together with driver mounting position for optimal diffusion effects, allowing ZMF to introduce greater perceived soundstage width and depth.  An incredible amount of fine-tuning took place selecting distances within the cup and damping material for optimal airflow, a five-year research and development process before ZMF deemed Bokeh ready to release to the public. Brought to a new point of cost-effectiveness is an 80ohm LCP driver that is the beating heart of Bokeh. It's a load that's simultaneously easy to drive for any partnering amplifier – such that a studio console, mixer or tube amplifier with varying output impedance mates comfortably with suitable damping factor. In fact, ZMF's newborn showcases a nominally flat impedance and thus exhibits the company's DNA, taking to tube amplification with exactly the same aplomb as its bigger siblings. Apart from frequency response being less prone to variation from impedance mismatch, Bokeh's easy load means many modern bridge-tied load outputs on music players won't grind their gears pushing into inordinately low impedances – small power supplies and output stages producing less in the way of distortion and noise as a result. Bokeh will make for a happy result running from iBasso Audio's DC07 Pro, DC Elite and DX180, but high output impedance, imperfect voltage sources from FiiO and Shanling will not be tested untowardly either – music players from the latter both having enough mettle to push this ZMF very satisfactorily.  Settling down from its travels at its natural habitat that is the desk, Bokeh will continue to display sound that belies its cost, scaling into small desktop amps from iFi Audio and HIFIMAN.  It's this versatility that really elevates Bokeh beyond the generic releases that otherwise dominates the mainstream. To find out how ZMF craft elevates the headphone hobby check out their other releases here, or view all our other headphones here.

1997 was the year this legend was born. Old but never outdated, Sennheiser's ever-reliable HD600 has continued to earn its place. Always a litmus test for correctness and neutrality, these vintage, classic headphones are a gateway into this hobby and cement their place in the pantheon of modern audiophile gear. [See Product Desc. For More] Innerfidelity's Tyll Hertsens brings the social studies for arguably the hobby's most important headphone. Check out the rest of Sennheiser's legendary line-up here, or view our other open-back headphone options here. // Most customers test the HD600 alongside the HD650, and the HD660s. // Care tip: We recommend changing earpads every year or two for hygiene reasons. Check out the KITO or YAXI range if you need to freshen the headphones up. Bad smelling headphones aren't cool.  // For added headband comfort: Check out the DEKONI Nuggets.

Bose raise the bar yet further as noise-cancelling headphone market leaders with the HP700. With the best noise-cancelling ability seen – or heard – yet, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support, Bose Augmented Reality (AR) and 20 hours of battery life give you wonderful audio with total comfort, practicality and style. Check out all of Bose's industry-leading products here, or view our other wireless gear here.

Sony's new WH-1000XM5 headphones with LDAC and industry-leading noise-cancelling rewrite the rules for distraction-free listening and call clarity, building on the legacy they created. 5 ⭐ arrived from What Hi-Fi?. With two processors controlling eight microphones, Auto NC Optimiser for automatically optimising noise-cancelling based on your wearing conditions and environment, and a specially designed driver unit, WH-1000XM5 feels like a breath of fresh air built on a tried-and-trusted Sony formula. From airplane noise to people’s voices, Sony's WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones with multiple microphone noise-cancelling keep out more high and mid frequency sounds than ever. [See Product Desc. For More] And with Auto NC Optimiser, noise-cancelling is automatically optimised based on your wearing conditions and environment. With four microphones on each earcup, WH-1000XM5 is Sony's biggest ever step forward in noise-cancelling. Ambient sound is captured even more accurately for a dramatic reduction in high frequency noise. Thanks to Auto NC Optimiser, noise-cancelling performance is always and automatically optimised based on wearing conditions and external environmental factors such as atmospheric pressure. The Integrated Processor V1 specially developed by Sony unlocks the full potential of Sony's HD Noise-Cancelling Processor QN1. This unique combination of technology controls eight microphones to deliver unprecedented noise-cancelling quality. WH-1000XM5's heritage gets a boost with a new 30mm driver unit featuring a soft edge. The carbon fibre composite material achieves light weight and high rigidity dome for improved sound clarity, especially in high frequency ranges. Unique Sony technologies include an amplifier for WH-1000XM5 yielding premium lead-free solder containing gold for excellent conductivity, Fine Sound Resistor for even power distribution and optimised circuitry for an improved signal-to-noise ratio to ensure clear, consistent sound. WH-1000XM5's Precise Voice Pickup Technology uses four beamforming microphones and an AI-based noise reduction algorithm to isolate your voice precisely. Sony's newly developed wind noise reduction structure minimises wind noise during calls. Wherever you are, you’ll always hear and be heard clearly. These lightweight headphones are beautifully finished in soft fit leather nailing the comfort aspect. This material fits snugly around the head with less pressure on the ears while keeping out external sounds.  Sony's noise-less design with step-less slider, seamless swivel and hanger makes WH-1000XM5 a pleasure to wear for long hours – and up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge ensures you might well don them for a whole day. Also view all of Sony's other releases here, or our other wireless gear here.

Bigger is better when it comes to HIFIMAN, and the huge planar-magnetic diaphragm brought to bear in Edition XS is proof of that. It's eCoustics' Best Value Open-Back Headphone of 2022, something Headphonesty concur with. That's quickly led to accolades arriving from Headfonia and Headfonics. All the authority of HIFIMAN's flagships surface here, with the head-enveloping Edition XS pushing a wall of sound at your ears for sound that immerses – an experience that you can very much feel, as you can hear.  Keeping such a large driver under control is no problem for HIFIMAN's double-sided planar-magnetic array. [See Product Desc. For More] Just that alone wouldn't ensure a completely low-distortion affair, though. HIFIMAN's Stealth Magnet technology shows up here, with magnets that claim to be acoustically transparent allowing soundwaves to propagate to your ear with minimal diffraction and turbulent interaction with the surrounding structure.  Edition XS also brings NEO super Diaphragm to bear – a sub-two micron driver that's said to be up to 75 per cent thinner than its predecessor from 2015. Reducing mass allows for HIFIMAN to produce lightning-quick reaction times and transients, aiding reproduction of detail and soundstage cues. Naturally, a massive driver does no harm to the passive generation of a holographic, immersive soundstage around you as you listen. MOONSTAR Reviews says Edition XS "will immediately mesmerise you with its technical capabilities". Milk all that there is from Edition XS by ensuring it is properly driven by Questyle Audio's M12 and CMA18P current-mode amplifiers; the latter together with iBasso Audio's 4.4mm CB17 or the Nobunaga Labs Advance TPC. Or view our other offerings from HIFIMAN here, and our other headphones here.

An entry-offering that already gives you everything you could want in ZMF Headphones. Substantial bass that's never overbearing and a midrange plus highs that are always open and present open you up to your world of music once again. [See Product Desc. For More] The handcrafted, handmade TPE driver housed in various woods grants a flagship experience, for relatively little. Aeolus is the keeper of the winds for the Greeks, an apt name for this piece. OR... have more resolution with ZMF's Auteur, even more resolution with ZMF's Vérité, or browse our other open-back options here!

If there was one headphone that could give you a helping of the entire HIFIMAN experience, it would be Sundara. And the next generation Sundara Closed means you can take that enjoyment anywhere with you. It's the quintessential HIFIMAN experience, on top of being one of the most important planar-magnetic headphones to surface in the last decade. "Incredible bass and exciting mids" were the highlight for Ear Fidelity. Headfonics says it's a different perspective of the Sundara legend. "They’re great for picking apart all the little details of recordings (but) don’t sound too bright" says SoundStage! Solo. With its closed beechwood cups for isolation in noisy environments, and Stealth Magnet technology, Sundara Closed is about to carve a niche of its own as one of the most versatile. [See Product Desc. For More] Tuning closely mirrors the original open but fidelity has stepped up. Dynamics crash harder under greater magnetic flux, soundstage expands forwards and mids are just a smidgen more present, via Questyle Audio's M12. Sundara's significance has been cemented thanks to its micron level NEO supernano Diaphragm, for excellent accuracy in the mids and treble. Keeping its large driver under control is no problem for HIFIMAN's double-sided planar-magnetic array. Just that alone wouldn't ensure a completely low-distortion affair, though. HIFIMAN's Stealth Magnet technology shows up here, with a magnet array that claims to be acoustically transparent. Stealth Magnets allow soundwaves to propagate towards your ear with minimal diffraction and turbulent interaction with the surrounding structure.  Sundara Closed's driver meanwhile is the usual low mass allowing for HIFIMAN to produce lightning-quick reaction times and transients. Reproduction of detail and soundstage is never sacrificed, even behind closed backs. Milk all that there is from Sundara Closed on the go and in the office by ensuring it is properly driven by Questyle's M12 and CMA18P current-mode amplifiers; the latter together with iBasso Audio's 4.4mm CB17 or the Nobunaga Labs Advance TPC. Or view our other offerings from HIFIMAN here, and our other headphones here.

ZMF Headphones bring you Atrium, a new co-flagship designed with a tried-and-tested biocellulose dynamic driver plus Atrium Damping System. Headfonics say it "easily ranks as one of the most agreeable sounding" flagships. "Atrium is a must-have" to Part-Time Audiophile, "an outstanding fit for a wide variety of listening rigs". Not only does it expand the range of spatial sound experience first incepted with the Auteur, through its shared biocellulose driver heritage, it also introduces ZMF's Atrium Damping System. [See Product Desc. For More] Atrium allows Zach Mehrbach full control over a soundscape, with the grille and cup venting making it the most open headphone he has introduced to date. These acoustic design innovations show up audibly with Atrium. A tremendously open listen, the cups draw zero attention to themselves when playing, virtually never colouring the sound as if they disappeared. Atrium stages wide but always sounds natural and effortless. The illusion of frontal image, depth and height have never been more apparent even among other class leaders in Head-Fi, till now. The patented Atrium Damping System perfectly illustrates how far up the R&D ladder ZMF have come. Starting with biocellulose, stiff and lightweight as a diaphragm material, this fibre also promises excellent damping. Biocellulose allows ZMF to keep the large 50mm driver under control at all times even as frequencies rise, averting any harsh intermodulation due to cone modal break-up. The Atrium system then works hand in hand with the driver, allowing ZMF to choose how little or much back-wave damping is needed from the negative impulses of the driver, which back waves they had to keep, and which they want to get rid of, for the optimal acoustic headphone system. An incredible amount of fine-tuning takes place selecting distances within the cup and damping material for optimal airflow, a three-year process before ZMF deemed ready to release their labour of love to the public. Atrium brings everything ZMF owners have loved about their existing open-backed models, and adds a new expression of sound that ramps up the technicalities, spatial awareness, and enjoyment, while retaining the natural biocellulose timbre that audiophiles dream of. Also view the rest of ZMF's collection that built up to this moment here, or our other headphones here.

The story of the SR80x holds a special place in not only our ears, but the ears of hundreds of thousands of listeners. Grado Labs built the first SR80 pair in 1991 and they wouldn't be here today without it.  A new, fourth-generation speaker design features a more powerful magnetic circuit, a voice coil with decreased effective mass, and a reconfigured diaphragm.  Re-engineering these components for their 44mm drivers improved efficiency, reduces distortion, and preserves the harmonic integrity of your music. 5 ⭐ from What Hi-Fi? earmark this as frontrunners in the budget wired headphones field. Headfonia recommend the SR80X not just to existing Grado devotees, but all headphone lovers at large. View all our Grado products here, or check out our other headphones here.

Grado broke the rules again. They've done it several times over seven decades of history, but this time, working with a new wood meant they had to retune the drivers. They called it a slow burn, and worked the hemp with maple, arriving on one of their best sounding limited editions ever made and owned the term "hemphone". "This produces a fuller sound, comprised of a noticeable low end and a top end that extends smoothly to its limits. The hemp may be doing the heavy lifting, but the hemphone is a joint effort." --- Grado. [See Product Desc. For More] Meanwhile, the Brooklyn attitude is on, refusing to bow down to fancy packaging by staying minimal sleek in a statement white box, black label.// GOOD TO KNOW Transducer Type: Dynamic Operating Principle: Open Air Frequency Response: 13hz-28kHz SPL 1mW: 98 Normal Impedance: 38 ohms Driver Matched db: .05 db Check out Grado's full range here, or check out YAXI Purple foam pads to deck it up, or KITO earpads if you'd like to get an extra pair with your headphones. / Photography by Zepp Crew

Sony have done it again. On the back of a long list of professional monitoring legends MDR-7506, MDR-CD900ST and MDR-M1ST comes MDR-MV1. This open-back Pro debutant comes in to set a standard at its price for pros and pleasure. Like the best Sonys that have come before, MDR-MV1 takes advantage of its open-back earcups for accurate reproduction of the spatial information on your favourite recordings.  Sony's carefully tuned open-back acoustic structure supports mixing and mastering of both spatial and stereo sounds with High-Resolution Audio capability. [See Product Desc. For More] Through multiple rounds of simulation and prototyping with MDR-MV1's 40mm dynamic driver, Sony derived a low-distortion, high-compliance diaphragm shape with corrugation. An acoustic resistor is used over as large an area as possible to eliminate spatial resonance, for optimal control of airflow in front of and at the back of the driver. MDR-MV1's open-back structure with rear ducts realises sufficient volume and quick and tight low-range reproduction while maintaining the separation between the mid-range and low range. Reflected sound inside these affordable open-back Sonys is reduced, lowering user fatigue and increasing accuracy. In this way this critical listening specialist realises natural and rich bass reproduction without undue colouration for total enjoyment. Use with iFi Audio's Zen DAC V2 on your desk, plus iBasso Audio's DC03 Pro and Questyle Audio's M15i or CMA18P on the go. Also check out the rest of Sony's range here, as well as our other headphones here. Add the TPC Kokuryu cable from Nobunaga and plug into a 4.4mm output for best effects.

It's really all about that bass, and then some, with HD660S2. The latest in the legendary line of Sennheiser's HD6XX comes with the best bass response imparted in nearly 30 years of history. Soundnews quickly hailed HD660S2's reach down low. It's "a clear technical step up on the HD 660S" to Headfonics, made Headfonia's Recommended Buys list and gets a StereoNET Applause Award. The Ear says HD660S2 "delivers a richer and more refined listening experience".  Audiophile-Heaven "easily recommends HD660S2 to basically anyone". TechRadar thinks they're studio-grade. Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity echo they're uncoloured. Sennheiser's acoustic expertise is behind HD660S2's descent a half octave lower than its predecessor HD660S. With a response better than 60Hz at -3dB, HD660S2's bass improves both in quantity, and in quality. Deeper sub notes, once only hinted at and obscured by comparison to Sennheiser's famous mid and high frequencies, show up in force here. And a slower, shallower, roll-off means HD660S2's more accurate phase response leads to fast, precise, bass dynamics and slam – never slow nor wooly. [See Product Desc. For More] Sennheiser carefully experimented on driver backwave dampening in the magnet hole of HD660S2. By removing damping material that had been characteristic to HD600 and HD650's design – and bass shortfall – Sennheiser were able to lower the resonant frequency of HD660S2's driver from 110Hz to 70Hz. Cutting the air resistance as HD660S2's driver moved backwards out of phase allowed greater pistonic travel in a surround that could work more effectively producing the long, slow waveforms of low frequencies, without needing to be more compliant.  Sealing and optimising airflow around Sennheiser's famous Duofoil transducer also channels different frequencies more efficiently towards the ear and preserves a shallower dB/octave roll-off in HD660S2's bass – directly also responsible for its greater frequency and phase performance down low. By working for, not against, Sennheiser's customary 38mm dynamic driver that's able to climb in frequency without cone or modal break-up owing to its humble proportions, modernised cup acoustics allow HD660S2 greater pistonic excursion to produce bass waveforms. The maximum potential is milked of this driver. It convincingly pulls off the best low-frequency performance in a HD6XX headphone yet. HD660S2 is back to being a low-distortion affair too, with a return to a 300ohm voice coil kept thin and light – 10 per cent lighter than its predecessor. Inertia is low and Sennheiser's driver reacts instantly to the smallest voltage impulses. Indeed, it's a 300ohm load that's simultaneously easy to drive for any partnering amplifier, such that a tube amplifier mates comfortably with high damping factor and impedance matching.  HD660S2 comes terminated in balanced 4.4mm also meaning many modern bridge-tied load outputs on music players won't grind their gears pushing into inordinately low impedances, small power supplies and output stages producing less in the way of distortion and noise as a result. This Sennheiser will make for a happy result running from iBasso Audio's DC07 Pro and DX180. But even high output impedance, imperfect voltage sources from FiiO and Shanling will not be tested untowardly either – music players from the latter both having enough mettle to push HD660S2 very satisfactorily.  More bass, more ways to enjoy it make for more reasons to get acquainted with Sennheiser's latest child – and urgency to own it. Also view Sennheiser's other legends here, or our other headphones here. 

Backed by Technics’ legendary sound quality, EAH-A800 headphones feature superior audio, exceptional over-the-ear comfort, and sparkling call clarity for home, work, and travel. T3 rate the whole package 5 ⭐. The Headphone Zone was "not expecting this much of clarity and transparency from a wireless headphone". [See Product Desc. For More] Technics developed their own 40mm driver from advanced materials to convey maximum information and emotion that's ensured due in part to LDAC Bluetooth 5.2 transmission and top quality active noise-cancelling. Eight distinct mics help in advanced wind noise reduction and transmits your voice clearly on each call, with voice noise suppression technology isolating and amplifying speech. Access the vast and varied features of EAH-A800 with the Technics Audio Connect App for Android and iOS, while 50 hours of playtime even with active noise cancelling on keep up with you through the days and week. Multipoint pairing with two different devices, and voice assistants, complete a superb experience and new beginning for ANC Bluetooth headphones. Also view Technics' other offerings here, or our other Bluetooth gear here.

Hear the power of Bose's next-gen QuietComfort® 45 headphones, now with a best-in-class combination of noise cancelling performance and premium comfort, plus proprietary acoustic technology for deep, clear audio. CNET loved what they heard. QC45 comes with exclusive Bose technologies, like TriPort acoustic architecture and volume-optimised Active EQ, to produce everything in high fidelity. The proprietary TriPort design vents the earcups to add depth and fullness — all without increasing their size. [See Product Desc. For More] So you get better sound from this featherweight QC45 that's smaller, lighter, and more comfortable. Plus, volume-optimised Active EQ boosts highs and lows to maintain the same high-fidelity performance no matter how loud or soft you listen. Bass stays consistent when you turn down the volume and the music is still clear when you turn it up. That's all configurable via the Bose Music app, which works alongside six tiny microphones hidden in the earcups to continuously measure, compare, and react to outside noise. That noise is then cancelled with an opposite signal, resulting in fewer distractions – and more of your music. Use the button on QC45's left earcup to choose from Quiet Mode for full noise cancelling, or Aware Mode to let in some of your surroundings. Up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge means you'll be tuned into your audio for longer. And a glass-filled nylon plus custom cast metal build means your Bose survives the elements longer. Also check out the rest of Bose's builds that incorporate all that technology here, or our other Bluetooth headphones here.

The mastery of beryllium as a driver material in the Vérité underlined ZMF Headphones' credentials as an elite headphone manufacturer. With the advantages of one of audio's most coveted materials at hand, ZMF set out to build a statement flagship with all the speed, transparency, scale and dynamics in the world. Reference lovers, rejoice! [See Product Desc. For More] Its driver starts with a sandwich driver core of softer plastic PEN for effective damping at higher frequencies, this surface being coated with beryllium for the metal's stiffness, lightness and air acceleration properties.  That means Vérité's driver moves as a perfect piston over all frequencies up to and above its working range, keeping distortion down due to cone and modal break-up. Audiophile Style compared the open version against its closed brethren, publishing a comprehensive study complete with measurements to conclude "they're as good as anything on the market today" and what "ZMF have achieved with the Vérité is truly remarkable ... whether ZMF wanted to create a headphone that could comfortably go head-to-head with Focal's Utopia, he succeeded". Stereophile's Herb Reichert says the "Vérités come closer to [Sony's] MDR-R10s in basic sonic character than any other headphones I've auditioned ... may even exceed Sony's cult classics in their illusion of speed and transparency". OR... enjoy a smoother, more relaxed sound with ZMF's Auteur and ZMF's Aeolus, or browse our other open-back options here!

After the brilliance of beryllium, Focal's next rabbit out of the hat is magnesium magic, with the launch of Clear MG. Its predecessor Clear needs no introduction to the modern hobbyist for a perceivably flat response and excellent dynamic qualities. But Focal have found a way to improve on that performance yet with Clear MG, with a drastically increased portrayal of head space, and sub-bass that plunges deeper into the abyss. [See Product Desc. For More] It immediately gets a coveted 'Applause Award' from StereoNET as an all-rounder "with impeccable timing and excellent dynamics, but its sense of space is where it really shines" – imagine that. The same publication elected it Best Over-Ear Headphone in its Products of the Year shortlist 2021. Headfonia reckon our favourite French "have gone and made one of the most instantly easy-to-love high-end headphones with their all-new model" – TechHive similarly awarded it their Editor's Choice gong and a 5 ⭐ ranking from What Hi-Fi? followed soon after. Headphonesty states Clear MG closes in on perfection. Everything's made possible by sporting Focal's famous M-shaped driver with a new magnesium dome for the perfect lightness, rigidity and damping.  By being even lighter than beryllium, together with a driver suspension that's super pliant and a magnet that can produce more than one tesla of force, this magnesium grants Clear MG transient speed and detail without harshness. Built to be extremely pistonic in motion, the potential travel of the driver gives Clear MG's bass great low-frequency presence, speed and dynamics. These are traits that remain as frequencies rise. Focal's humble 40mm driver dimensions and the superb damping qualities of magnesium means movement stays pistonic and doesn't deteriorate into harsh modal break-up up top. Treble detail stays inherently warm and natural. Clear MG's portrayal of air and soundstage is aided by a M-shaped honeycomb grille protecting the correspondingly built driver that's exceptionally open. Air exits the back of the cups via bigger, smoother passages, with enlarged grills inside and outside. Tuned linear in the continued tradition of Clear, with a slight tint of refined warmth, Clear MG continues to be Head-Fi's reference where ever you listen. T3 say "very few headphones make it so enjoyable to get lost in your music". HIFI Trends praised the "masterful" MG for "speaker-like vibrancy and fireworks". An included 4-pin XLR cable completes the package for pairing with your desktop set-ups, while a Focal carrying case, 3.5mm jack and 55ohm portable friendliness takes care of you from a music player on your travels. Perfect candidates for the latter are Cayin Audio's RU7, HiBy Music's R6 III, R6 Pro II and R8II, plus iBasso Audio's DC07 Pro and DX180. To upgrade further, consider iBasso Audio's 4.4mm CB17 silver-plated copper cable. Also check out the rest of Focal's line here, or our other headphones here.

After so many Bowers & Wilkins successes, the PX8 screams competency. With years of taking its Head-Fi endeavours so seriously, PX8 is a fitting flagship to announce B&W's arrival at Bluetooth's summit. 5 ⭐ follow from What Hi-Fi? and Trusted Reviews. Built with new 40mm carbon-fibre drivers, PX8 is capable of incredible resolution, but B&W don't beat you over the head with all that. Restraint is a sure sign of maturity, and how PX8 caresses your ears with detail – not harshness – is true testament to its makers' calibre in Hi-Fi manufacturing. Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX™ Adaptive and active noise-cancelling complete the package. With cast aluminum arms and fine Nappa leather trim, there can be no doubt – PX8 is Bluetooth's finish line. [See Product Desc. For More] As famed speaker manufacturers, B&W built new drivers just for PX8. A fully optimised drive unit with a revised magnet, voice coil and surround gives special carbon-fibre drivers the platform to perform. Carbon is naturally desirable when building wide-frequency drivers, and PX8 takes advantage of the material's natural stiffness, lightness and damping to cover all sections of audio's bandwidth. The low distortion arising from B&W's efforts means listener fatigue is a thing of the past – and owners are welcome to enjoy PX8's refined suave and sophistication over long periods of travel. Certainly, all 30 hours of battery life a single charge can grant it. PX8's status as your lifestyle companion is cemented with the six microphones B&W built into its cups for great voice pick-up on calls, and in active noise-cancelling suppressing disturbances in your immediate environment. Nothing but the music, and what you want to hear, accompanies you with PX8. Also view B&W's other releases here, and all our other Bluetooth headphones here. 

Nothing can stop Sennheiser as they get us moving on the road again with Momentum 4 Wireless. Headfonics write it ticks all the boxes for sound quality and noise-cancelling. It's more of Sennheiser's legendary sound quality, backed up by the latest in their adaptive noise-cancelling technology, Bluetooth 5.2 and Qualcomm® aptX™ Adaptive. [See Product Desc. For More] The 2022 formula has already paid off with rave reviews like a 5 ⭐ rating from What Hi-Fi?. Digital Trends rates them with more than a fighting chance against Sony's best, a sentiment TechRadar echoes. With the emphasis on smart technology in this decade, Sennheiser show us how futuristic Momentum 4 is with its adaptive noise-cancelling. Onboard digital signal processing constantly assesses background noise, and your headphones automatically adjust levels of cancellation to maintain just the right listening environment. Such constant monitoring on Momentum 4's part isn't at the cost of battery life with up to 60 hours of Bluetooth usage. The presence of aptX™ Adaptive automatically adjust for latency based on your environment meaning dropouts in connection are a problem of the past. Transparency modes and Smart Pause via the Sennheiser Smart Control app continues to enable all your portable lifestyle choices in a bid to keep you moving forward with great sound as the world opens up. Sennheiser's audiophile-grade 42mm dynamic drivers offer excellent sub-bass presence but Momentum 4's tuning changes at a single press in their app. EQ tuning pre-sets allow you to tailor sound to your tastes such that this Bluetooth headphone can appeal to anyone and everyone. Momentum 4's promise of infinite comfort extends to its build with deeply padded and plush headband and earcups. Those looking for a yet more portable solution from Sennheiser can explore Momentum True Wireless 3 here, all their other offerings here, and the rest of our Bluetooth gear here.

A new decade demands a new Utopia. Focal's 2022 flagship reinvents itself six years after its inception, bringing to bear a new pure beryllium dynamic driver to lead the way forward again. Utopia 2022's famous 40mm M-shaped beryllium dome is coupled to the most open honeycomb grille acoustic enclosure seen yet on a Focal headphone for greater bass authority, a richer mid-range, and spacious presentation. “They are a true reference component worthy of the finest system" to The Absolute Sound. Headfonics say it's "truly worthy of being called a high-end flagship". 5 ⭐ from What Hi-Fi? was a given. Headphonesty "can offer no higher praise". Focal take home an eCoustics trophy for France. Utopia 2022 is a "slam dunk" for Part-Time Audiophile who make it a Reviewers Choice. Ultimate resolution and dynamics show up as minimum expectations again. But the sense of headstage and space Utopia 2022 gains is something to behold – even at the summit of this golden age in personal audio. Focal therefore decisively carve another place of prominence at the top of Head-Fi again. 2022 extends the legacy of Utopia with another truly legendary in line, mixing the best of the old with the promise of the new. [See Product Desc. For More] Clear MG first gave us a taste of the gains an ultra-open Focal earcup could yield. Listeners imagined what such a new frame might be capable of were Utopia's original beryllium driver mounted. Now, Utopia 2022 tangibly shows up the answer to our dreams – wilder than we dared hope – comprehensively exceeding any preconception or expectation we held. Headphone Guru writes "Utopia 2022 is a significant upgrade". Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity call this the one to rule them all. "They are truly magical" to TechHive. Audioholics cites an evolved tuning compared to its Utopia predecessor from 2016 and praised this version of perfection. SoundStage! praised a flawless portrayal of the frequencies that matter. Focal don't know how to build a better dynamic driver than out of signature pure beryllium, and their choice is vindicated. Utopia's beryllium driver is built as a trademark M-shaped dome for great structural rigidity, perfect for rendering the lowest, deepest bass.  Beryllium's hardness also yields excellent air acceleration properties and Utopia propels micro-dynamics with an uncanny realism that leaves listeners in spellbound disbelief. A drastically more open honeycomb grille encourages airflow in tandem, for expanded macro-dynamics. Contrary to many other metals, beryllium is both rigid yet extremely self-damped. Utopia's 40mm diameter is small enough to climb up in frequency without cone or modal break-up, always moving as a perfect piston. Distortion is therefore amazingly low at all frequencies. A micron-thick suspension allows massive, linear driver excursion for rendition of bass waves. Focal's new acoustically open frame supplies plenty of air volume for Utopia to plumb deeper than before. A copper-aluminium alloy former-less voice coil is suspended in the air gap of Utopia's magnet array capable of nearly two tesla. The copper element shorts inductance in the voice coil, maintaining a flatter impedance through the frequency range. And while one of the benefits of aluminium is suppressing eddy currents in the magnetic flux, another is in high reliability.  Focal certainly designed Utopia for ultimate performance – and long-term reliability while pushing the limits of personal audio. It'll rule over your collection of flagships for years to come. Future-proofing also happens in performance, with Utopia 2022's ceiling pushing much higher than its predecessor. Proof is how Focal's latest brainchild scales ever better with the myriad of the very best headphone sources now. Listening via the dCS Data Conversion Systems Lina is otherworldly. While Cayin Audio's HA-300B MK. II and Feliks Audio's Envy cannot but entice tube advocates. An excellent three-metre 4-pin XLR stock cable comes packaged. But the 4.4mm upgrade via PlusSound's X6 and X8 will entice with opportunities abounding for use with Cayin Audio's C9ii, HiBy Music's FD5, R8II and RS8, or iBasso Audio's D16 and PB5. Cabling in Singapore silver is also achieved by Twilight from Ares Audio.  At the end of the day, enough reading – time to start experiencing the new heights of Head-Fi that Utopia 2022 heralds. Certainly work your way up to this moment by browsing the rest of Focal's difference-makers here, or our other headphones here.

Make and receive calls easily with superior sound quality.Ideal for work-related video conferencing and private video calls, as well as podcasting, streaming, and other content creation. The 3.5 mm (1/8ʺ) 4-pole mini-plug connects directly to a computer or tablet for immediate online use.The headphones utilize the same acoustic technology found in Audio- Technica models favoured by DJs and musicians. This means you get deep, impressive bass and crisp, clear vocals when enjoying music.The headset also includes a condenser microphone, known for superior performance in gaming headsets. The flexible gooseneck ensures optimum positioning to accurately capture your voice.// FEATURES- Unidirectional microphone with flexible gooseneck accurately captures your voice- Mute function for instant silencing of the mic- Easily accessible in-line volume control- 40mm drivers and high-quality microphone for clear online calls- Enclosed design shuts out external noise// SPECIFICATIONS- Frequency response: 10 - 24,000 Hz- Impedance: 40 Ohms- Sensitivity: 103dB/mW- Connector: 3.5mm TRRS// IN THE BOX- ATH-770XCOM headset- User manual

Quite the legend in Hi-Fi, Quad implement their years of electrostatic speaker design heritage into their first headphone, the planar-magnetic ERA-1. A fast, open and transparent audio experience ensues. ERA-1 pays homage to the legendary Quad ESL electrostatic speaker with its wide open sound and immense sense of depth. A glorious, soaring upper-midrange will have you scratching your heads wondering whether you're listening to headphones or speakers, indeed. [See Product Desc. For More] Vocal portrayals are stunning and the image casts far beyond the cups – certainly more than an affordable planar-magnetic headphone has right to. Low frequencies get represented cleanly, with little distortion discernible. Double-sided magnets suspended in an anti-vibration system drive a low-impedance trace diaphragm that will function perfectly from Questyle Audio's current-mode M12 DAC dongle. Beyond that, listen as Quad's ERA-1 scales up from iFi Audio's ZEN DAC to HiBy Music's R5 Saber and, finally, Audio-Technica's AT-BHA100 – all the time cabled via iBasso Audio's CB17. Through them all, you'll feel almost as if you were at the recording venue itself. Give ERA-1 a go, now!

HEDDphone breaks new ground in Singapore, bringing the benefits of Air Motion Transformer (AMT) technology right next to your ears, with no loss of detail or dynamics to the room. READ NOW The BIG HEDDphone interview with CEO Freddy Knop ecoustics have proven a novel driver technology can go up against the other big boys. This pioneer in personal audio quickly made its way onto Headfonia's list of 'Best Buys', earning a 'Recommended Buy' and 'Best of 2020' award in the process. [See Product Desc. For More] Headfonics sum up that HEDDphone "is not a planar sound, neither dynamic nor electrostatic, but it successfully mixes some of the best traits of each to paint a massive presentation, huge depth, and wonderful clarity". Actually, Ear Fidelity highly recommended it after an in-depth comparison with run-of-the-mill planar brands. SoundStage! were "pleasantly surprised that HEDD Audio could produce such versatile and good-sounding headphones in their first try". The Headphone List concluded HEDDphone is a "highly ambitious product whose meticulous realisation equally rewards in real-world performance as in theoretical design". Indeed, HEDDphone earned an Editors' Choice Award on Part-Time Audiophile for "its sound is rich and delightful". The measurements corroborate this for Headphone Guru to call them "an outstanding tour de force" with "such a transparent and true-to-life listening experience". Stereophile's Herb Reichert found its pairing with Feliks Audio's Euforia amplifier particularly enriching. Clearly, Heinz Electrodynamic Designs (HEDD) utilised their expertise in speaker tweeter design to perfectly execute this transducer technology in headphones for the first time ever. After this, don't forget to check out all our other open-back headphones here, along with the amplification to drive them with aplomb.