While most people love using headphones for their quality and its ability to provide them with a feeling of isolation, you might be looking for alternatives to give you a more natural and present sound. In that case, you want to look for open back headphones. With so many options available, it can be almost impossible to pick one.
To save your time, we have narrowed it down to the top 3 options that we recommend. Let’s take a look at each one of these:
#1: Most Affordable Headphones – Sennheiser HD 599 Open Back Headphone Ivory
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Last update on 2020-05-28 PST - Details
These headphones have a comfortable fit due to their large cups and soft, replaceable ear pads. They offer you an impressive sound quality, delivering you natural, spatial audio. For anyone in need of headphones with a well balanced sound, these are a perfect choice. Not only this, but their built and design is rather spectacular, making them highly striking for the price they come in.
One important factor, however, is that they are wired. They include two detachable cables; one is 3 meter long with a 6.3 millimeter jack, and the other one is 1.2 meter long with a 3.5 millimeter jack. While they are meant for a wide range of devices, they might not be suitable for some apple users. If you are one, you can still enjoy them by using an extra lightning adapter that apple provides.
Pros- Audio with natural tonal balance
- Comfortable, large cups
- Soft, replaceable padding
- Light in weight
- Poor noise isolation
- Colored sound at low and low-mid frequencies
- Only available in ivory color
Although a good option for listeners looking for natural sound, these may not be the best option for apple users. Nonetheless, they offer good sound quality and are comfortable to wear.
Sale Sennheiser HD 599 Open Back Headphone, Ivory Open back, around ear design.Connectivity Technology: Wired; Powered by proprietary Sennheiser 38 millimeter, 50 ohm transducers $199.95 −$40.94 $159.01Last update on 2020-05-28 PST - Details
#2: Most Comfortable Headphones – Sennheiser HD 650 Open Back Professional Headphone
Last update on 2020-05-28 PST - Details
These are again another great option.
They have a very industrial design and a pleasant lightweight built with soft padding that clamps rather weakly to your ears. Accurate and well-balanced sounds along with the punchy bass gives them an advantage over other open back headphones. They have excellent transient response due to their lightweight aluminum voice coil.
These are also wired headphones and might not be a convenient choice for an apple user. While this is the most expensive option, it is worth the price given its features.
Pros- Audio with natural, tonal balance
- Improved frequency response for rich sound
- Good bass extension
- Acoustic built
- Light in weight
- Minimum harmonic and intermodulation distortion
- Poor noise isolation
- Bass reaches very low, but not as low as a closed back headphone
- Smoothness in treble is not preferable for some genres of music
These headphones are better for music critics, with their bass extension and smooth treble. However, their 118 inch long cable is somewhat of a burden.
Sennheiser HD 650 Open Back Professional Headphone Improved frequency response is 10 39,500 Hertz ( 10 dB); Lightweight aluminum voice coils for very fast transient response $499.95Last update on 2020-05-28 PST - Details
#2: Most Comfortable Headphones – Sennheiser HD 650 Open Back Professional Headphone
Last update on 2020-05-28 PST - Details
The last option is another Sennheiser open back model. These headphones deliver a very clear, balanced sound. The crispy audio gives it an edge over other options. They have a very sophisticated design. The open metal mesh design isn’t only eye appealing but also offers very transparent audio. They again have lightweight aluminum voice coil to ensure an excellent transient response.
Being wired headphones, they might create an hindrance for some apple users. However, that is a very overcomeable feature.
Pros- Audio with natural, tonal balance
- Crispy, clear sound
- Light in weight
- Minimum harmonic and intermodulation distortion
- Poor noise isolation
- Weak headband quality
- Bass is a little lacking
These headphones offer good quality clean sound and serve the purpose nicely. However, the lacking bass may be a drawback for some people.
Sennheiser HD 600 Open Back Professional Headphone Lightweight aluminum voice coils ensure excellent transient response; Neodymium ferrous magnets maintain optimum sensitivity and excellent dynamics $399.95Last update on 2020-05-28 PST - Details
Best Open Back Headphones – Buying Guide
Now that we’ve looked at each option individually, let’s compare them. Don’t worry if you’re still unsure about your choice, these questions will help you figure that out:
What to look for in Open Back Headphones?
Firstly, the design should obviously be sturdy and the spatial sound ability great. Other important factors to consider are audio quality, price, built, and comfort.
Which is the Best Option?
Your wired headphones should have a cable of a convenient length. They should be comfortable enough to wear for long periods. All three come with these features.
The ‘best option’ is now up to your choice. If you want high-end headphones with transparent and accurate sounds and price is not a factor for you, any one of the last two options is great. The features are very similar and so is the price.
But if you’re on a budget and are still looking for a good option, the Sennheiser Open Back HD 599 headphones is best for you. They are also a great option for anyone whose top priority is comfort.
Best Open Back Headphones – FAQs
Before wrapping up, we’ll answer some of the questions that might have popped up in your head:
Are Open Back Headphones Bad For Your Ears?
No.
For natural sound, open back headphones have perforated cups, which allows some sound to escape. This prevents the sound from getting too loud, thus protecting your ears from damage.
Do Open Back Headphones Leak?
Yes.
For the purpose of natural audio, the cups of open back headphones are perforated, allowing some sound to escape from the headphones. However, this is only a con for extremely loud volumes.
Are Open Back Headphones Good For Gaming?
Provided their wide soundstage, they are very suitable for gaming. They’re also comfortable to wear for long hours.
Final Thoughts
All three options get the job done in the best way. The Sennheiser Open Back HD 599 headphone is probably the best option due to its lower price if you’re on a budget. However, if interruptions at low and low-mid frequencies bother you, you should go with one of the other options.
