Top Headphones 2023

The Audio-Technica ATH-R70x are great for neutral sound. They have a warm sound profile that gives audio some extra fullness, as well as a well-balanced mid-range that accurately reproduces vocals and lead instruments. While their open-back design creates an open and natural-feeling soundstage, their small ear cups may not be the most comfortable if you have larger ears. Their high impedance also means you'll need a powerful-enough amp to get the most out of them.

The Astro A10 Gen 2 are decent for wired gaming. They have a comfortable fit suitable for long gaming sessions, and their wired design ensures a virtually latency-free gaming experience. If you like to game with others, the mic offers a decent recording quality, meaning your voice sounds clear, even in moderately noisy environments. Unfortunately, they lack companion software and an EQ to tune their otherwise warm sound profile to your liking. They're also prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery, so it's important to take the time to ensure a good fit.

The Corsair HS80 are decent for wireless gaming. They have a comfortable fit, with well-padded ear cups and an adjustable ski-band headband. Their wireless USB dongle provides a fairly low latency wireless connection with PCs and PlayStation consoles. The boom mic does a great job of making your voice sound clear and full, even in moderately noisy settings. It's not detachable, but it's easy to mute and unmute by flipping up or down. They have a warm default sound profile, and if you prefer a different sound, you can customize it with a graphic EQ and presets in the app. The app also has settings for mic volume and side tone.

The Focal Celestee are decent for neutral sound. They have a smooth, warm sound profile. While they lack a thumpy low-bass, their mid-range is exceptionally neutral, ensuring that vocals and lead instruments are present, detailed, and clear. However, their treble is underemphasized, so voices sound veiled while sibilants like S and T sounds are dark. Since they have a closed-back design, their passive soundstage is perceived as somewhat small and as coming from inside your head rather than from out in front of you.

Corsair’s Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT headset is extremely comfortable, versatile, and it delivers great sound. It can even connect and play audio from a PC and phone (or other Bluetooth device) at the same time. The only real downside is its price.

The Corsair HS60 HAPTIC are good for wired gaming. They're comfortable enough for long gaming sessions, and their bass-heavy sound profile helps you feel the deep thump and rumble in action-packed scenes. You can also use the haptic bass slider to add extra bass if you like, although too much can bleed into the mic. Thanks to their wired connection, they have negligible latency, so your audio and video syncs up. You can easily communicate with your teammates, thanks to their boom microphone's impressive recording quality, too.

The Sony WH1000XM4 are impressive for commute and travel. While they aren't the most portable headphones, their hard carrying case can help protect them while you're on the go. They have over 37 hours of continuous battery life, and you can comfortably wear them for long listening sessions without a lot of fatigue. Also, their ANC can block out bass-heavy sounds like the rumble of engines as well as mid-range sounds like commute chatter, meaning you can enjoy your music without distraction.

The Sennheiser HD 599 are impressive for neutral sound. They lack a bit of low-bass, but overall they have a warm, well-balanced sound profile, with vocals and lead instruments that sound present and clear. Their open-back design helps to create an open, spacious-seeming soundstage. Some slight over-emphasis in high-bass and low-mids can make mixes sound boomy and muddy with some tracks. They also don't have a companion app that you can use to customize their sound.

The Sony MDR-1A are great headphones for neutral listening. They have a well-balanced frequency response that packs enough bass without drowning the instruments and vocals on any track. They're also lightweight and super comfortable so you can have them on for hours and not feel the fatigue that some other headphones induce after a long listening session. However, they have a closed-back design, so they won't have the same ambiance as open headphones, which some neutral listeners are looking for.

The Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro are excellent neutral listing headphones. They reproduce a lot of detail in high-resolution tracks and have a clear and crisp sound quality with a spacious soundstage. They may sound a bit sharp at times, as the treble range is slightly too emphasized, but bass, instruments, and vocals are well-balanced and reproduced with high-fidelity.