1
Sennheiser HD 600
A reference open-back headphone prized for natural, detailed midrange and an effortless, neutral presentation; the lean bass and need for a proper amp are the usual caveats.
81%
253
2
HiFiMan HE400se
A standout-value entry planar with detailed, spacious sound that over-delivers for its price, especially after a small bass EQ. It is power-hungry and needs a DAC/amp, and stock bass runs light.
80%
127
3
Sennheiser HD 650
A long-running classic praised for smooth, warm, fatigue-free sound and great longevity; detractors point to the famous 'veil,' soft bass, and a plasticky, value-questionable build.
75%
316
4
Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X
Owners love the DT 900 Pro X for its pinpoint imaging, detailed neutral sound and strong value, though the tight clamping force and fragile headband draw consistent complaints.
71%
234
5
ATH-R70xa
Owners of the ATH-R70xa are consistently won over by how light and comfortable it is for marathon sessions, paired with imaging and detail that many rank ahead of pricier rivals and Sennheiser staples like the HD600, HD6XX, and HD660S2. A vocal contingent treats it as their new daily driver, saying they keep going back to it after trying other cans. The main friction is tonal: a meaningful minority finds the treble and vocal timbre thin or artificial-sounding and points to recessed mids in the 300-400 Hz range on measurements. Comfort has an asterisk too, since the thin stock pads push many owners to swap in aftermarket R70X Refine pads to stop their ears from touching the drivers.
63%
27
6
Sennheiser HD 660S2
A near-universally loved open-back that wins praise for tight, punchy bass and detailed, fatigue-free sound; an HD600/650 upgrade that needs a decent amp to shine.
61%
231
7
Grado SR80x
Most SR80x owners are won over by the punchy, dynamic, "fun" sound signature, praising its clarity and airiness as an outstanding value and a common gateway into higher-end audio, with several owners still using pairs bought a decade or more ago. A meaningful minority pushes back hard on the bright, treble-forward tuning, calling it fatiguing or even harsh over long sessions, and the SR80x is easy to drive off a phone or dongle while still scaling with better amps. The most consistent gripe across both fans and detractors is build quality: the glued-together drivers, gimbals, and headband are widely seen as flimsy and prone to failure, spawning a whole culture of DIY hot-glue and aftermarket-part fixes, alongside near-universal annoyance with the stiff, unwieldy stock cable.
60%
55
8
Sony WH-1000XM5
Owners rave about the noise cancelling and all-day comfort, and most find the sound and battery life excellent. The big recurring worry is the hinge and build quality: a lot of people report theirs cracking or breaking at the hinge, sometimes within a year, and warranty help is hit-or-miss. A vocal minority also find the headband digs into the top of the head, the ears get hot, and they wish these still folded down like the older models.
60%
359
9
Sennheiser HD 620S
Most HD 620S owners are genuinely impressed, praising its unusually wide soundstage for a closed-back design, excellent comfort and passive isolation, and its ability to outperform rivals like the DT770, FT1, and HDB630 at a price many call a bargain around $200-280. Owners also note it rewards EQ tuning, often going from good to great once dialed in. A meaningful minority, though, report a harsher or metallic treble, trouble getting a consistent seal (with some finding the ear cup fit outright uncomfortable), thin or anemic bass, and an occasionally boxy or muddy midrange that keeps the tuning from feeling fully coherent. A smaller group also flags build quality nitpicks, like a glued-on headband cushion and pads that can degrade with age.
58%
93
10
DT 770 Pro
Owners split most sharply on tuning: the DT 770 Pro's V-shaped sound with punchy bass wins over plenty of listeners and gamers who call it a workhorse that's lasted 10+ years, but a vocal minority finds the treble sharp, sibilant, and fatiguing enough to trigger headaches or send them back to Sennheiser alternatives. Comfort draws some of the most enthusiastic praise in the whole set - soft velour pads and light weight let many wear them for a full workday - though a smaller group reports the opposite: tight clamping, sore jaws, or undersized earcups. Longevity is a genuine strength for most (13-15 year-old pairs still going strong), but a recurring subset of owners hits cracked plastic sliders, hinges, or earcup connectors, especially in humid climates. The permanently attached cable and the need for an amp/EQ to unlock the best sound round out the recurring complaints.
55%
197
11
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
Durable, detailed studio staple that holds up for years, but the bass is heavy enough to muddy the mids and the treble runs harsh, and the tight clamp plus stock pads make long sessions uncomfortable for many.
55%
663
12
HiFiMan Sundara
Owners overwhelmingly see the Sundara as one of the best value-for-money headphones available, praising its wide soundstage, detail retrieval, and neutral, musical tuning — especially once EQ'd, which many say unlocks bass and clarity that rivals headphones costing several times more. The most persistent complaint is inconsistent build quality: a recurring subset of owners report cracked headbands, dead drivers, or units that failed within weeks to a couple of years, making durability feel like a lottery even among otherwise satisfied users. A meaningful minority also finds the stock tuning too bright or thin in the sub-bass without EQ, and some cite discomfort from clamping force or the lack of cup swivel. Despite these gripes, most owners who stick with them — particularly those willing to EQ — end up recommending the Sundara enthusiastically.
53%
352
13
K712 Pro
Owners are split but lean positive on the AKG K712 Pro: most love it for its huge, immersive soundstage and precise imaging, which makes it a favorite for gaming (especially competitive FPS) as well as orchestral and classical listening, and they consistently praise its light, comfortable fit and the sturdier build of the newer Slovakia-made units. A meaningful minority pushes back, though, citing bright and fatiguing treble with a dip in the mids, imaging that some find less precise than rivals like the DT880/990, and a sound signature that only really works for certain genres rather than everything. There's also a recurring durability worry, with a handful of owners reporting drivers failing or headphones wearing out within a year or two, and some feel the price doesn't hold up next to alternatives like the HD600 or K702. Overall it's viewed as a great-sounding, comfortable open-back for gaming and select genres, but not a universal recommendation for critical, all-purpose listening.
50%
80
14
Momentum 4 Wireless
Owners overwhelmingly praise the Momentum 4 Wireless for sound quality, calling it the best-sounding headphone in its price range and frequently preferring it to Sony's XM4/XM5, Bose QuietComfort, and AirPods Max, backed by strong multi-year battery life, comfortable long-session fit, and standout value now that the Momentum 5 has arrived. A meaningful minority pushes back hard, though: ANC is consistently rated behind Sony and Bose, and a recurring cluster of owners report durability failures — fraying headband fabric, cracking parts, buggy firmware, unreliable touch controls, and units that stop working after exposure to sweat or rain, sometimes prompting warranty repairs or returns. The net consensus is a headphone bought primarily for its audio quality that some owners find undermined by build-quality and software reliability issues over time.
45%
469
15
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
Owner sentiment on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen) skews positive, centered overwhelmingly on comfort — repeated comparisons put them ahead of the Sony XM6, Bose QC45, and AirPods Max for long listening sessions — paired with best-in-class ANC for steady droning noise and a premium, detailed sound signature. A vocal minority pushes back hard, though: a recurring white-noise/hiss from the ANC circuit bothers owners during calls and quiet pauses, and a firmware update that removed Bluetooth device-cycling and multipoint switching triggered widespread frustration and several "never buying Bose again" reactions. Mechanical creaks, pops, and hinge noises, along with occasional Bluetooth pairing drops and weak call quality, round out the recurring complaints. Overall, most owners who keep them cite comfort and ANC as the deciding factors, while those who return them most often cite the hiss, the firmware downgrade, or build-quality quirks.
35%
474
16
Sony WH-1000XM6
Most XM6 owners are won over by the noise cancellation, which they call the best they've experienced, plus sound quality that gets genuinely great once run through Sony's 10-band EQ, and a metal hinge that feels sturdier day-to-day than the XM5's. Long-term owners who baby their pair report years of trouble-free daily use with better call quality than the XM4. But a vocal minority reports the hinges or headband cracking or snapping outright, sometimes within months, often paired with frustration that Sony denies warranty coverage; combined with plastic that feels cheap at a $400-450 price point, this durability worry is the headline complaint. Smaller but recurring gripes include muddy out-of-box tuning that needs EQ work, no sweat/IP resistance leading to moisture damage during workouts, and clamping force tight enough to cause jaw or ear discomfort on long sessions.
35%
571
