Best Over Ear Headphones 2020: Open, Closed, Wireless, Audiophile

Our picks for the best over ear headphones – open back and closed back

We know how important it is to find the best headphones for you; whether they are for your smartphone, music player, laptop or hi-fi system.

Here you can see the best of the best full size headphones to buy in 2019, 2020 and beyond.

BEST CLOSED BACK HEADPHONES

1. Beyerdynamic DT770 PRO – £125

Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro

Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro

The Beyerdynamic DT770 creates a spacial soundstage more akin to an open-back headphone, and delivers full bass with accurate highs and mids. What’s more, these are profoundly comfortable. 

BUY HERE: Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro Studio Headphones

 

2. Sennheiser HD820 – £1999

Sennheiser HD820

The HD820 is Sennheiser’s first closed back audiophile headphone release and it promises to be quite special. Based on the same design as the HD800S, the HD820 uses Gorilla Glass as its transducer cover and the curved shape of it allows the sound waves to reflect to an absorber – resulting in minimal resistance and creating an open sound that you would normally expect from an open backed headphone.

READ MORE: Sennheiser HD 820 Audiophile Headphone Review

 

3. Focal Stellia – £2799

Focal Stellia

Focal headphones are not only known for their excellent sound quality – they also look stunning. And the Stellia is no different. The finest materials have been used to create this closed back headphone, including a Beryllium dome electrodynamic driver. With a unique finish, inspired by the colours of cognac and mocha – the Focal Stellia looks as good as it sounds.

READ MORE: Focal Stellia Closed Back Headphone Review

 

BEST OPEN BACK HEADPHONES

 

4. MrSpeakers Ether 2 – £1900

MrSpeakers Ether 2

The Ether 2 have a great sense of neutrality, at the same time they offer an enjoyable listening experience and they never sound analytical. There is a hint of added body that creates a smooth listening experience that can be enjoyed for hours on end. 

READ MORE: MrSpeakers Ether 2 Open Back Headphone Review

 

5. Meze Empyrean – £2699

Meze Empyrean

The unique construction of the Empyrean was designed with the shape of the human ear in mind. As a result, they enjoy a greater degree of imaging than you’re likely to find anywhere else. Each Empyrean is hand crafted to exacting detail, and that level of precision is not only visible, but audible. 

READ MORE: Meze Empyrean Open Back Headphones Review

6. Final D8000 – £2999

Final D8000

The planar magnetic magnificence of the Final D8000 creates a listening experience without parallel. The unique construction, including a damping system (the same used in condenser microphones) allowing for a sound that surpasses the abilities of most planar magnetic and dynamic equipment. This requires a dedication to exacting detail you can only see in Final. 

BUY HERE: Final D8000 Audiophile Headphones

 

BEST WIRELESS HEADPHONES

7. Bowers & Wilkins PX – £329

Bowers & Wilkins PX

The B&W PX is the ultimate portable headphone. With the latest aptX HD Bluetooth technology, wireless sound quality is of the highest level. Providing a very well balanced sound with tight bass – bass heads may want to look elsewhere – crystal clear clarity and superb soundstage. The PX also has adaptive noise cancelling and uses six microphones to help block out external sounds – allowing you to focus on the music. Along with the advanced technology – the PX has superb build quality and comfort – making them our go to recommendation for wireless headphones.

BUY HERE: Bowers & Wilkins PX Bluetooth Headphones

 

8. Audeze Mobius 3D – £349

Audeze Mobius 3D

Audeze have created a superb all rounder in the Mobius. Whether music, films or gaming is your thing – the Audeze Mobius does it all extremely well. Inside the housings are planar magnetic drivers, providing sound quality that even the audiophiles out there will appreciate. Then the 3D emulation technology delivers a superb surround sound experience, perfect for watching films or playing Fortnite and thanks to the integrated head tracking – you’ll hear sound effects as if they’re really there.

BUY HERE: Audeze Mobius Gaming Headphones

Have We Missed Anything Out?

Please feel free to leave a comment below and let us know…

Burson Fun V6 Vivid Review

Burson Fun V6 Vivid

 

Burson have created an incredibly powerful headphone amp, in a small desktop friendly housing. The sound is simply sublime, helped by its dual mono, Class A topology which is fully discreet if used with V6 op-amps.

 

 

Aesthetics and Build Quality:

The Fun, much like the Play, has a more industrial look with a matte black aluminium enclosure with minimal markings. It is definitely not the most luxurious looking amp, but it is what is inside that counts. On the front you have the 6.3mm headphone out, 3.5mm analogue input, and 3.5mm microphone input, and the microphone input is a pass through to the back plate. On the back you have the 3.5mm microphone pass through output, along with RCA inputs and outputs.

 

 

Build quality is excellent; you get a sturdy metal chassis with a metal volume knob too. There are rubber feet on the bottom, and all the inputs and outputs feel excellent. You can take the top of the case off easily to roll op-amps, and you can even install it into a PC tower.

 

 

Features:

The Fun is mainly a headphone amp, using Class A dual mono circuitry for maximum sound quality. It also features fully discreet components if purchased with the V6 series of op-amps. If not, you can always install them in at a later date.

 

The Fun is incredibly powerful for its size, powering all but the most power-hungry headphones out there. It also features RCA outputs to be used as a pre-amp- this feature makes it a perfect match with the Bang power amplifier.

 

There is a microphone pass through which doesn’t touch the internal components but tidies up the cables on your desk if used with gaming headphones.

 

Sound:

The Fun with V6 Vivid op-amps packs a punch. With most headphones, you won’t need to crank the volume up much to get good listening levels. What is noticeable here is the sheer clarity of the amp: it is focused and controlled, yet the lows hit with incredible authority and power. The midrange is detailed and airy, but not upfront and intimate as some people prefer.  The treble has tons of sparkle and extension, but it never comes across as bright or harsh. The V6 Vivid op-amps make this amp a lot of fun to listen to, and it is incredibly engaging, but it never sounds like there are peaks and dips added to the frequency response to make it this way.

 

This amp is balanced with maybe a hint of added body and sparkle, the soundstage is wide and the separation is superb. There is air between instruments, and the dynamism is really impressive.

 

Conclusion:

If you’re looking for a powerhouse of a headphone amp, a great pre-amp or just something engaging and enjoyable to listen to, the Fun with V6 op-amps should be high on your list. What it does for the price is truly incredible. We highly advise you to come down to our demo room to test it out, especially with the new Sennheiser HD820.

Sennheiser HD 820 Audiophile Headphone – Available to Demo Now

Sennheiser HD820 Closed Back Audiophile Headphone now available to demo in the UK

The highly anticipated Sennheiser HD820 closed back headphone is now available to demo here at Hifiheadphones.

HD820 Now at Hifiheadphones!

The HD820 is Sennheiser’s first closed back audiophile headphone release and it promises to be quite special. Based on the same design as the HD800S, the HD820 uses Gorilla Glass as its transducer cover and the curved shape of it allows the sound waves to reflect to an absorber – resulting in minimal resistance and creating an open sound that you would normally expect from an open backed headphone.

HD820 Available for Demo

Sennheiser HD820 Available to Try in our UK Demo room

The Sennheiser HD820 is available to listen at our Sussex UK demo room in Shoreham-by-Sea – close to Brighton and London. The HD820 is also available to order here.

Sennheiser’s New Closed-Back HD820