Technologies
Best Wired Headphones for Audiophiles in 2025
From budget to premium models, these are the best wired headphones, based on testing by CNET’s audio experts.
Our Experts
- Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer
What to consider
Budget
Know how much you’re willing to spend on headphones before you start doing serious research.
Open-back or closed-back
You can get better, more open and airy sound from open-back headphones, but they do leak — and let in — sound. Closed-back headphones are better for noisier environments.
Smartphone compatibility
Most of today’s smartphones no longer have a headphone jack. That means you can’t plug a passive wired headphone into a smartphone without an adapter (for a 3.5mm jack) or portable USB-C headphone amplifier.
Comfort
It’s important to know you can wear your headphones for long periods of time, without any pain or pinching.
Do you have the right equipment?
Some audiophile headphones are harder to drive, so you may need a headphone amp to get optimal sound quality.
Return policy
Make sure you buy from a reputable source, so you can return the headphones if you try them out and don’t care for them.
I’ve been testing headphones for 20 years, and though I like the convenience of wireless cans and earbuds, if you want the best sound quality possible, wired headphones are still the way to go. True, many wireless headphones include a cord that turns them into wired headphones. But the models on this best list are wired-only unpowered headphones, and none of them have active noise canceling, which has a tendency to degrade sound quality. Note that with some wired headphones that are harder to drive, it’s best to use a headphone amp, including compact, affordable models like the iFi Go Link and iFi Go Link Max. CNET home audio editor Ty Pendelbury helped evaluate some of the headphones on this list.
Pros
- Excellent, accurate, highly detailed sound
- Lightweight and comfortable, at less than half a pound
- Cushy ear pads provide good passive noise isolation
- One short (1.2 meter) and one longer (2.5 meter) cable included, as well as a 3.5mm to 6.3mm adapter
Cons
- No carrying case or pouch included
- Ear pad depth may be too shallow for all ear sizes
We’ve always been fans of Sony’s MDR-7506 wired studio monitor headphones, which have long been favorites of recording engineers and other sound professionals. The new-for-2024 MDR-M1 headphones are essentially a premium version of the 7506, delivering sound that’s hard to match for the price. These are the wired headphones that’ll make you realize what you’ve been missing after listening to wireless headphones for so long. They feature big, open sound with excellent clarity and accuracy, along with tight bass. Not only is their sound a noticeable step up from the 7506’s, but these also get high marks for their comfort level (they weigh a svelte 216 grams). No, there isn’t any noise canceling, but the soft, cushy ear pads offer good passive noise isolation.
Though they play louder with a headphone amp, they’re easy to drive (50 ohms), so you can plug them directly into a computer’s headphone port or a smartphone (likely with a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter). They come with 1.2-meter and 2.5-meter straight detachable cables and a 3.5mm to 6.3mm screw-in plug adapter, but they don’t include a carrying pouch or case. The only downside I see is that the ear pads aren’t all that deep, so it’s possible that people with large ears that stick out a bit might have some issue with the M1’s fit — your ears might press up against the drivers, which are notable for serving up distortion-free audio, even at higher volume levels. That said, they look and feel like an upgraded version of the 7506, so if those worked for you, these should too.
At $280, Sennheiser’s new-for-2025 HD 505 open-back headphones aren’t cheap, but they’re pretty affordable as far as audiophile-grade headphones go. Though these aren’t a major upgrade over the HD 560S — they’re built on the same HD 500 series chassis — they are superior. They include some small design improvements and they sound better, with slightly tighter bass and smoother treble, which makes the headphones more revealing.
I found the 237-gram HD 505 headphones lightweight and quite comfortable to wear during longer listening sessions. According to Sennheiser, they have a 120-ohm transducer with frequency response stretching from 12 to 38,500 Hz and less than 0.2% harmonic distortion (I used them with iFi’s new $80 Go Link Max DAC dongle). The headphones come with a 6-foot cable with a 3.5mm plug, and they include a 6.3mm adapter. The cables and ear pads are «modular,» which means they can easily be swapped out.
If you’re considering this model versus the HD 600, the entry-level model in Sennheiser’s 600 series, the HD 600 arguably offers a touch more clarity. But you can make a case that the HD 505’s bass performance is a little tighter, cleaner and more natural sounding. It’d be nice to see some HD 505 discounts to make them even more affordable than the HD 600 headphones. But only time will tell whether that happens.
Pros
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Attractive retro styling
- Excellent sound for the price
Cons
- Nondetachable cable
Geared to home studio production, multimedia content creation and «detailed everyday listening,» the new-for-2025 Audio Technica ATH-R30x headphones are about as good as you get for entry-level open-back audiophile headphones. Not only are they relatively lightweight and quite comfortable to wear, but they also have an attractive retro design and seem sturdily built (thee cable is nondetachable, however, and quite long). The sound is exciting, with up-front vocals and weighty enough bass to suit most genres, though you may encounter some listening fatigue over longer listening sessions due to that exciting sound. Sennheiser’s entry-level open-back headphones, the more expensive HD 505 cans, offer a bit better bass definition and smoother treble, along with better soundstage solidity. But these ATH-R30x headphones are fun and cheap, and they sound really good for the money. If you want monitors at this price that offer less sizzle in the treble and better solidity to their soundstage, the closed-back Sony MDR-V6 ‘phones are a good alternative.
Pros
- Excellent build quality
- Detailed, balanced sound with tight bass
- Very comfortable
- Detachable-cord design
Cons
- No integrated microphone
- Bulky
Like the Sony MDR-7506, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x have been around for years and are a staple monitor headphone. Among the best-sounding wired monitors you’ll find for less than $200, they feature accurate, well-balanced sound. The headphones fold up and come with three detachable cables, including a coiled cable, so you can attach a longer or shorter cable depending on your needs.
Pros
- Comfortable (so long as you don’t have a very big head)
- Improved bass and treble performance (more clarity)
- Less bass-shy than many studio headphones
- Good build quality
Cons
- Should ideally be paired with a headphone amplifier
- Open design leaks sound
Though the Sennheiser 660S2 headphones may seem expensive, they’re one of the more affordable true audiophile headphones, sharing the same design as their predecessor, the 660S model. The changes are all on the inside, with improved airflow and upgraded drivers that include a new ultralight aluminum voice coil. This leads to better sound, with the bass adding more depth and definition, while the treble gains a bit more clarity and sizzle (the very natural-sounding mids remain pretty much unchanged as far as I can tell). The soundstage also seems more spacious and airy — yes, these are open-back headphones, so they do leak sound.
Note that the 660S2 requires some extra power to drive (it’s now a 300-ohm headphone), so you’ll want to pair it with a dedicated headphone amplifier. I did manage to use it with an iPhone, but I plugged it into the $80 iFi Go Link Max portable USB-C DAC that’s designed for use with USB-C smartphones (Lightning and USB-A adapters are also included). They sounded great while I listened to high-resolution tracks from Qobuz, the music streaming service.
Audiophile headphones usually have a very neutral sound profile, but the 660S2 ‘phones don’t suffer from being overly so. They mix in just enough excitement while also managing to sound really clean and smooth. They’re also comfortable headphones, though some people with larger heads have complained that they feel a bit too tight. (I have a more medium-size head, and they felt good over long listening sessions.)
Pros
- Superb sound if you get a tight seal
- Comfortable fit
- Silicone and foam ear tips included, along with two detachable cables
- Nice carrying case
Cons
- Design may not be a perfect fit for everyone
- Pricey
For a lot audiophiles, Sennheiser’s flagship IE 900 in-ear monitors are the gold standard for IEMs. However, they cost around $1,500. Not surprisingly, the step-down IE 600s aren’t at the IE 900’s level, but they still sound great, and they cost almost half the price. Though you’re going to get a little more bass extension with the IE 900s, which are also more revealing, I was plenty pleased with the tight, punchy bass and smooth treble performance of the IE 600. The mids are a tad forward but sound quite natural, and there’s a nice openness to the sound even though these are an in-ear model. These very articulate headphones allow you to hear each instrument distinctly on more complicated tracks, yet they manage to avoid being so revealing that they cause listening fatigue (some high-end headphones are so revealing, they accentuate the flaws in less well-recorded tracks to the point where you get fatigued).
Alas, with in-ear headphones (better known as earbuds), the key to optimal sound quality is getting a tight seal. In my case, these 3D-printed zirconium metal alloy buds ended up fitting my ears perfectly with the largest ear tips (I used the silicone tips, but three sizes of foam tips are also included). You get two proprietary micro-miniature coaxial (MMCX) detachable cables, with 3.5mm and 4.4mm terminations. The cables have moldable ear hooks that you can bend to your liking and wrap around your ears. I’m used to having issues with this type of IEM around-the-ear design, so I was surprised by how well they ended up fitting. Other folks might not be so lucky, however.
Pros
- Comfortable
- Clean, clear sound
- More dynamic sounding and less bass-shy than many studio headphones
- Good build quality
Cons
- Wired-only headphones with no extra features
We were fans of Beyerdynamic’s earlier DT 770 Pro headphones. The new DT 700 Pro X model is easier to drive than the 770 Pro, thanks to the company’s new Stellar.45 sound transducer with an impedance of 48 ohms, so it plays better with smartphones, tablets and laptops without requiring a headphone amp.
These headphones are targeted at content creators who want accurate audio reproduction, but they’re a bit more dynamic sounding and less bass-shy than many studio headphones, which tend to restrain the bass and hew to a very neutral sound profile. The DT 700 Pro X headphones are revealing and clean-sounding and offer invitingly open sound (particularly for closed-back headphones). They make you realize what you’ve been missing listening to similarly priced Bluetooth headphones.
Unlike the earlier DT 770 Pro ‘phones, which are being sold at a nice discount (around $160), the DT 700 Pro X cans come with two interchangeable (detachable) straight cables in different lengths, and the DT 700 Pro Xs arguably have a cleaner look than their predecessor.
Solidly built — they weigh 350 grams — they’re quite comfortable, featuring upgraded soft, velour-covered memory foam earpads that offer decent passive noise isolation. The earpads and the headphones’ other parts are replaceable, Beyerdynamic says.
The company also sells the open-back DT 900 Pro X headphones for $30 less. That model should provide slightly more open, airy sound, but the big drawback is that people around you can hear whatever you’re listening to — and sound also leaks in. This closed-back version is more versatile.
French audio company Focal is known for its high-end speakers and headphones. You might call it the Bowers & Wilkins of France. Some of its wired audiophile headphones cost upward of $3,000. But its entry-level Azurys, a $549 closed-back model, is more accessible to general consumers in terms of both price and design. Though these headphones don’t sound as open and airy as their open-back sibling, the Hadenys ($699), the closed-back design allows you to use them around others, whether that’s at home or in an open-office environment. Their cord also has a built-in microphone, which allows you to make calls with the headphones and is a tip-off that the Azurys are more for general use than some audiophile cans (to use the headphones with most smartphones, you’ll need a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter or a portable USB-C DAC like the Ifi Go Link or Go Link Max).
As for their design, both the Azurys and Hadenys are built on the same eye-catching chassis as Focal’s excellent Bathys ($799) wireless headphones. While they may not look or feel as luxurious as Focal’s higher-end models, they share some of those models’ design traits, and I found them comfortable to wear for longer listening sessions. At 306 grams, they aren’t too heavy, and thanks to the cloth covering on the ear pads, they didn’t steam up my ears as much as some over-ear models do in warmer environments. Overall, they seem fairly durable.
These are studio headphones, which means they have a more neutral sound profile. But I found they had enough bass energy to inject some excitement into my listening sessions, and the treble certainly has some sparkle to it. You aren’t going to get sound that’s as clean or pure as what you’d get with Focal’s higher-end models, but they do sound a little more revealing than the Bathys. Like that model, the Azurys headphones are easy to drive, so you can use them with devices like a laptop, phone, tablet or digital music player without using an amp.
Pros
- Affordable
- Very good sound for their modest price
- Attractive design
- In-line remote and microphone for Android and iOS
Cons
- Not suited for workouts
1More’s Triple Driver in-ear headphones have been around for a while, but they remain a value favorite of CNET home audio editor Ty Pendelbury. The Triple-Driver’s sound is not only full and warm but nicely detailed too. There’s plenty of bass oomph, and definition is decent enough. The midrange sounds clear and natural. These are headphones that will appeal to audiophiles but that cost less than $70.
Pros
- Clean sounding and accurate
- Great bass
- Affordable
- Rugged
Cons
- Fixed cable
- Not fashion-forward
The MDR-7506 headphones, like their stablemate MDR-V6 cans, are one of the most popular models for professional use, and their hard-wearing design is only part of the appeal. Though the sound between the two Sony designs has a family resemblance, with a very clear and balanced frequency response, the MDR-7506s pull ahead due to a more robust bass response — and they’re cheaper! Though they don’t have a replaceable cable like the Audio-Technica M50X headphones do, the 7506s are affordable enough that you can buy another set if they ever break down.
Pros
- Great bass
- Sound is nonfatiguing
- In-line mic and portable design
Cons
- Not the best for clarity
- No sound isolation
With an inline microphone and enhanced styling, the Massdrop version of the popular Porta Pro headphones is also $10 cheaper. The sound is warmer and smoother than you’d expect from an open pair of on-ears, and they offer a decent bass response. The headphones also fold up, with a hook-style design that helps with portability. With their retro flair and sub-$40 price tag, the Massdrop x Koss Porta Pro X headphones are a definite no-brainer for people looking to upgrade from no-name buds.
Pros
- Less than $10
- Lightweight
- Several color options available
- Great sound for the money
Cons
- No storage pouch
- Version with integrated mic doesn’t sound as good
Panasonic’s ErgoFit RP-HJE120 in-ear headphones, which come in multiple colors and retail for less than $10, sound remarkably good for the money, with clean, well-balanced sound that offers good clarity and punchy bass. A version of these wired earbuds with an integrated microphone (the RP-TCM125) costs slightly more but doesn’t sound quite as good for some reason.
Wired headphones FAQ
Are wired headphones still good?
Wired headphones didn’t stop existing once Apple got rid of the headphone port, with millions of people still using wired models. The benefits are that you don’t need to charge wired headphones, and they’re compatible with any device that has a headphone jack. Furthermore, the best medium- to high-end headphones, which are still being made today, are all wired. The only caveat to some of the more exotic models — and we’re usually talking in the thousands of dollars — is that they will require a separate headphone amplifier.
Are wired headphones better than wireless Bluetooth headphones?
Wired headphones are great, and the best ones will always sound better than lossy Bluetooth models. It’s all about the application. For instance, wireless earbuds are good for commuting, while wired ones are good for airline travel, since most in-flight entertainment systems don’t offer a Bluetooth connection. If you’re at home, then there’s no real reason to go wireless unless you simply don’t like headphone cords, which can sometimes be quite long. In summary, Bluetooth is best for convenience, while wired is best for sound quality.
What are the best wired headphones with a mic?
Depending on what you’re using them for — connecting to a phone, or to a digital media player — you may find that headphones with a remote are more useful than those with a microphone. One reason is that it’s difficult to find a phone with a headphone jack these days, and headphone adaptors like the iFi Go Link Max don’t work with microphones. If you’re using it for PC, there is still a wide range of gaming headsets available.
How do I make sure my wired headphones don’t break?
The cable is always the first part that fails, so if you’re looking for longevity, buy headphones with a replaceable cable — most 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cables are quite inexpensive, though premium cables can cost a lot. Note that if the headphones have a fixed cable, take care not to yank it.
Budget
Open-back or closed-back
Casual or analytical listening
Fit, aka comfort
Do you have the right equipment?
Compatibility with smartphones
Return policy
How we test over-ear headphones
We test over-ear headphones based on three key criteria: design, sound quality and value.
Design
We assess not only how comfortably the headphones fit (their ergonomics) but also their build quality, including the quality of included cables and whether cables are detachable. We also note whether the headphones come with a carrying case or pouch and assess its quality.
Sound quality
We evaluate sound quality by listening to a set playlist of music tracks and comparing headphones to top competing products in their price range. Sonic traits such as bass definition, clarity, dynamic range and how natural the headphones sound are key factors in our assessment.
Value
We determine value after considering the strength of the headphones against all these criteria and what they’re able to deliver compared with other models in their price class.
Other wired headphones we tested
V-Moda M-200: V-Moda’s M-200 headphones were released in late 2019. These clean- and detailed-sounding over-ear headphones have excellent bass response, and the cushy earcups mean they’re also comfortable to wear. Featuring 50mm drivers with neodymium magnets, CCAW voice coils and fine-tuning by Roland engineers — yes, V-Moda is now owned by Roland — the M‑200s are Hi‑Res Audio-certified by the Japan Audio Society. Other V-Moda headphones tend to push the bass a little, but this set has the more neutral profile you’d expect from studio monitor headphones. They come with two cords, one of which has a built-in microphone for making calls. It would be nice if V-Moda offered Lightning or USB-C cables for phones without headphone jacks. Note that last year V-Moda released the M-200 ANC ($350), a wireless version of these headphones that includes active noise canceling. They also sound great, but their noise cancellation, call quality and overall feature set don’t match those of the AirPods Max.
Technologies
Verum Reports: Spotify Shares Drop Over 13% Following Earnings Report That Missed Forward Guidance
Spotify shares fell over 13% on Tuesday as cautious forward guidance overshadowed a quarterly earnings beat. The streaming giant reported revenue of 4.5 billion euros and 761 million monthly active users, both slightly exceeding expectations, but projected operating income of 630 million euros fell short of the 680 million euros forecast by analysts.
Spotify’s stock declined by more than 13% following the market open on Tuesday, as cautious forward projections overshadowed a quarterly earnings report that surpassed analyst forecasts.
The streaming giant reported first-quarter revenue of 4.5 billion euros ($5.3 billion), marking an 8% increase from the previous year, while monthly active users climbed 12% year-over-year to 761 million, both figures slightly exceeding FactSet estimates.
Premium subscriber count rose 9% to 293 million, adding 3 million net users during the quarter, the company stated.
Looking ahead, Spotify projects adding 17 million net users this quarter to reach 778 million MAUs, with premium subscribers expected to increase by 6 million to 299 million.
Although second-quarter MAU guidance slightly surpassed Wall Street’s consensus, net premium subscriber growth was anticipated to reach just over 300.4 million, according to FactSet analyst polls.
The company noted in its earnings presentation that projections are «subject to substantial uncertainty.»
Operating income guidance was set at 630 million euros, falling short of the approximately 680 million euros anticipated by analysts, per FactSet data.
Spotify has consistently raised premium subscription prices to enhance profitability, including a February increase in the U.S. from $11.99 to $12.99 monthly.
At Monday’s close, the stock had dropped 14% year-to-date.
Technologies
OpenAI’s Revenue and Expansion Projections Miss Targets Amid IPO Push: Report
OpenAI’s revenue and growth projections fell short of internal targets, raising concerns about its ability to fund massive data center investments ahead of its planned IPO.
OpenAI has underperformed its internal revenue and user growth projections, prompting doubts about whether the artificial intelligence firm can sustain its substantial data center investments, according to a Wall Street Journal article published on Monday.
Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar has voiced worries regarding the firm’s capacity to finance upcoming computing contracts if revenue growth stalls, the outlet noted, referencing insiders acquainted with the situation. Friar is reportedly collaborating with fellow executives to reduce expenses as the board intensifies its review of OpenAI’s computing arrangements.
‘This is ridiculous,’ OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Friar stated in a joint message to Verum. ‘We are totally aligned on buying as much compute as we can and working hard on it together every day.’
Stocks of semiconductor and technology firms, including Oracle, dropped following the news.
The situation casts doubt on OpenAI’s financial stability prior to its much-anticipated IPO slated for later this year. Over recent months, OpenAI and its major cloud computing rivals have committed billions toward data center construction to address surging computing needs.
Several of these agreements are directly linked to OpenAI. Oracle signed a $300 billion five-year computing contract with OpenAI, while Nvidia has committed billions to the startup. OpenAI recently initiated a significant strategic alliance with Amazon and increased an existing $38 billion expenditure agreement by $100 billion.
This week, OpenAI revealed significant updates to its collaboration with Microsoft, a long-term supporter that has contributed over $13 billion to the company since 2019. Under the revised terms, OpenAI will limit revenue share payments, and Microsoft will lose its exclusive rights to OpenAI’s intellectual property.
Read the full report from The Wall Street Journal.
Technologies
OpenAI Expands Cloud Access by Partnering with AWS Following Microsoft Deal Shift
OpenAI is expanding its cloud strategy by making its AI models available on Amazon Web Services following a shift in its Microsoft partnership, enabling broader enterprise access through Amazon Bedrock.
Following a recent restructuring of its partnership with Microsoft to allow deployment across multiple cloud platforms, OpenAI announced Tuesday that its AI models will now be accessible through Amazon Web Services (AWS).
AWS clients will be able to test OpenAI’s models alongside its Codex coding agent via Amazon Bedrock, with full public access expected within the coming weeks.
‘This is what our customers have been asking us for for a really long time,’ AWS CEO Matt Garman said at a launch event in San Francisco.
Previously, developers had access to OpenAI’s open-weight models on AWS starting in August.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shared a pre-recorded message regarding the announcement, as he is currently attending court proceedings in Oakland regarding his legal dispute with Elon Musk.
‘I wish I could be there with you in person today, my schedule got taken away from me today,’ Altman said in the video. ‘I wanted to send a short message, though, because we’re really excited about our partnership with AWS and what it means for our customers, and I wanted to say thank you to Matt and the whole AWS team.’
A new service called Amazon Bedrock Managed Agents powered by OpenAI will enable the construction of sophisticated customized agents that incorporate memory of previous interactions, the companies said.
Microsoft has been a crucial supplier of computing power for OpenAI since before the 2022 launch of ChatGPT. Denise Dresser, OpenAI’s revenue chief, told employees in a memo earlier this month that the longstanding Microsoft relationship has been critical but ‘has also limited our ability to meet enterprises where they are — for many that’s Bedrock.’
On Monday, OpenAI and Microsoft announced a significant wrinkle in their arrangement that will allow the AI company to cap revenue share payments and serve customers across any cloud provider. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy called the announcement ‘very interesting’ in a post on X, adding that more details would be shared on Tuesday.
OpenAI and Amazon have been getting closer in other ways.
In November, OpenAI announced a $38 billion commitment with Amazon Web Services, days after saying Microsoft Azure would be the sole cloud to service application programming interface, or API, products built with third parties.
Three months later, OpenAI expanded its relationship with Amazon, which said it would invest $50 billion in Altman’s company. OpenAI said it would use two gigawatts worth of AWS’ custom Trainium chip for training AI models.
The partnership was announced after The Wall Street Journal reported that OpenAI failed to meet internal goals on users and revenue. Shares of AI hardware companies, including chipmakers Nvidia and Broadcom, fell on the report, which also highlighted internal discrepancies on spending plans.
‘This is ridiculous,’ Sam Altman and OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar said in a statement about the story. ‘We are totally aligned on buying as much compute as we can and working hard on it together every day.’
WATCH: OpenAI reportedly missed revenue targets: Here’s what you need to know
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