The Best Open-Back Headphones
Verified by
Ryan V. Editor-in-Chief
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The HiFiMan Edition XV wins because it fixes the two things that usually force open-back buyers to spend far more. The panel at The Headphone Show, Cameron, Griffin and Caleb, crowned it their Passive Headphone Product of the Year for 2025, and their reasoning is easy to follow once you hear it.
Start with the bass. Cameron points out that most open-backs, including the beloved Sennheiser 600 series, roll off early and leave you wanting sub-bass. The Edition XV stays flat all the way down to 20Hz, so kick drums and synth lines land with real weight. Then there is comfort, historically HiFiMan's weak spot. Cameron and Griffin both credit the new suspension strap and oversized earcups for fitting large heads without the clamp that plagued earlier models.
The tuning is what makes it easy to recommend to someone who is not chasing a specific sound. Griffin calls it a chill, warm headphone that finally steps away from HiFiMan's fatiguing upper-treble glare, delivering detail without the glassy edge. At around 400 dollars it brings genuinely premium planar performance, comfort and bass extension into reach for a serious hobbyist who does not want to gamble on a flagship. That combination is why it beat everything else in its price bracket.
What It Won't Do
The Edition XV's warmth is a deliberate choice, and it comes at a cost up top. Griffin notes the treble can still be a bit rocky and underdamped, and both Caleb and Cameron found a slight upper-treble peak that took some EQ to smooth out. Because the headphone steps so far back from HiFiMan's traditional brightness, Griffin says it can sound slightly overwarmed and short on air for listeners who want that last bit of sparkle. He also flags a slightly imperfect modal response in the midrange from the underdamped driver.
The Sennheiser HD 6XX is the headphone the entire hobby uses as its reference for value, and nothing has knocked it off that perch. The Headphone Show panel repeatedly calls it the indisputable value king, and Andrew's point is blunt: at roughly 220 dollars it undercuts newer, pricier releases while matching or beating them on the things that matter most.
What you are paying for is midrange. Andrew highlights its legendary vocal timbre and an even balance between bass, mids and treble that rarely sounds wrong, which is why it has been a studio and audiophile staple for years. For vocal, acoustic and jazz listening, it still sounds more natural than headphones costing several times as much.
The design earns its keep too. Cameron and Andrew both praise the time-tested chassis with easily replaceable pads, cables and headband parts, so a pair can last a decade and be serviced rather than tossed. It does not demand exotic gear to drive properly either. For a first serious open-back or a lifetime midrange reference, the value is close to impossible to beat.
What It Won't Do
The HD 6XX is a specialist, and its gaps are real. All three reviewers flag bass that rolls off early, so it lacks the sub-bass slam that planar rivals like the Edition XV deliver. Cameron is even harder on the soundstage, calling it basically nonexistent and describing an intimate, in-your-head presentation with no out-of-head effect. On top of that, Andrew and Griffin both call them clampy straight out of the box, with jaw and crown pressure strong enough that many owners physically bend the headband to relieve it.
Who Should Buy Which
HiFiMan Edition XV
Flagship-tier bass and comfort at a real-world price.
- Listeners who want deep bass that stays flat to 20Hz
- Anyone with a larger head who wants all-day comfort
- Fans of a warm, non-fatiguing planar sound
- Buyers who want flagship-adjacent performance near 400 dollars
- People who value a spacious soundstage over reference neutrality
Sennheiser HD 6XX
The value king of audiophile headphones.
- Newcomers building a first serious audiophile setup
- Vocal, jazz and acoustic listeners who prize timbre
- Budget-conscious buyers who want the safest value bet in audio
- Owners who want replaceable parts and a decade of service life
- Anyone who does not need exotic amplification to get good sound