Best Over-Ear Headphones of 2025 (Entry-Level Edition)
Explore our choices for the top over-ear headphones under $200 in 2025, including new releases as well as time-tested classics.
2025 is probably the best year for over-ear headphones in more than a decade. We saw more than a few extremely significant releases this year, so we think it makes sense for us to take a step back & take stock of what the best options in this market are, especially now that we’re nearing the end of our year and heading into the holidays.
While of course this year has seen a ton of new releases, a few old favorites still continue to stand the test of time. So let’s go through our choices for the best of the best in the entry-level ($50-200) price bracket and talk about what we think make them the strongest headphone options in this market segment.
Open-back
Hifiman HE400se ($109)
As a budget option it’s almost impossible to argue with the HE400se’s value proposition.
Simply put, it has the most bass extension at the lowest price of any open-back headphone we know of. That means for those who want to dip their toes into audiophile headphones, there may not be a less expensive option that makes as much sense as the HE400se does. Especially with EQ, this headphone can really shine for the amount of money you spend.
Without EQ, it’s still a respectable choice, pairing the aforementioned bass extension with a very warm, relaxed midrange, and a bright treble response. However, it’s worth noting that this headphone is a bit insensitive, which means it might require more power than standard computer or phone jacks will provide. Another potential candidate here is the FiiO JT7, but we’ve not yet received this for testing so we cannot confidently say that it would be a better option than the HE400se.
Hifiman HE400se Entry-Level Headphones
FiiO FT1 Pro (~$200)
As a slightly more premium take on the “audiophile planar” signature found in the HE400se, we like the FT1 Pro as an alternative to the HD 6XX that shares some qualities of the typical Hifiman and Sennheiser sound signatures.
FT1 Pro combines the full bass extension and slightly recessed midrange of the Hifiman headphones like the Edition XS with the relatively more polite treble response of the Sennheiser HD 600, all in a package that under $200 is hard to argue with from a value perspective.
That said people will want to be aware of one thing when it comes to FT1 Pro: even though the bass is well-extended, it has an excursion limit that limits how much bass can be added with EQ. While planar magnetic headphones are often the first choice for customers who want to add bass, in this case FiiO’s closed-back FT1 might be the better option for a bass-forward listening experience.
FiiO FT1 Pro Headphones
Sennheiser HD 6XX (~$200)
Sennheiser’s HD 6XX has been the default recommendation for anyone who wants to explore audiophile headphones for almost a decade now. And for good reason: regardless of price, the HD 6XX—which is just a less expensive HD 650—is one of the best headphones you can buy. Period.
Warm, inviting, and ever-so-slightly rounded in its presentation, it’s clear why this headphone has endured for more than 20 years at this point.
If you don’t yet have an audiophile headphone, or you’re shopping for someone interested in trying audiophile headphones, this is the headphone you should buy to see what audiophile headphones are all about.
This is where the search begins and ends for countless enthusiasts, because while it’s not a perfect headphone, the sins it commits (lacking sub-bass, potentially dark mid-treble) are minor in the grand scheme of the headphone market.
I’d say if massive amounts of bass, soaring treble, or massively spacious presentation are the most important items on your list, HD 6XX is one that might be worth skipping. But if you want to be connected to your music with an accurate but forgiving midrange and no-frills presentation, and want something built to last, the HD 6XX might be the best headphone at any price.
Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones
Closed-back
Moondrop Edge ($90)
Moondrop’s Edge was their first foray into the over-ear wireless headphone market that really got much following in the west, but even though we reviewed it positively, it’s arguably an even better product now for one simple reason: in an update this fall, the Edge got access to the same 5 band parametric EQ that the Space Travel 2 has.
We’re currently waiting to get an Edge out to Resolve to make sure of a few things, namely how the PEQ works (ie. does it stack on top of an existing preset, or does it undo Moondrop’s tuning, thus leaving the entirety of the tuning to the end-user?), but we’re still happy to recommend it because even without the PEQ, Edge is a fairly reasonably tuned closed back headphone.
The above two presets are what we are most likely to recommend to people (considering all of the other ones are very bad). People should start with the Extra Bass mode if they’re using ANC, or the Balanced mode if they’re not using ANC.
Due to being $90, it’s not the most premium feeling build profile, but unlike many ANC headphones, and due to being a Moondrop headphone, its mode changes are narrated by an incredibly cringe anime girl voice that cannot (yet) be turned off.
On the plus side, the earpads are quite large and ear-shaped with ample room for most people’s ears, and Moondrop seems to be aware of people disliking the anime girl so they’ve added the option to mute the voice on newer TWS offerings. Considering the PEQ also started on the newer TWS earphones and then was backported to the Edge, we think its reasonably likely the Edge gets this functionality soon as well.
Moondrop Edge Wireless ANC Headphones
FiiO FT1 ($150)
FiiO put themselves on the map in a big way with the FT1 because it’s an inexpensive, good-sounding closed back headphone free of the “hyped” midrange colorations typical of most closed-back headphones.
DMS has an excellent review of these that goes into detail about why they’re so beloved, but the simple answer is that they’re just really solid in sound quality and at a price that’s hard to argue with.
Our favorite aspect of the FT1 is its bass-to-midrange balance. While yes, it has a little extra mid-bass which makes kick drums, male voices, and most instruments veer towards the “warm” side, it also has a slight forwardness between 1-2 kHz that helps FT1 not lose too much texture or clarity overall. It may be a bit bright above 6 kHz for some listeners, but I think for most people the sound of FT1 is going to make it an easy headphone to love.
What I do recommend for the FT1—as well as for other offerings on the list like the HE400se and HD 6XX—is that readers consider a Capra Strap to assist in making the top-of-head comfort as good as possible. With that the FT1 is arguably the best budget-closed back on the market sonically and a top-tier choice for comfort.
Conclusion
Just because the year is packed with impressive releases in higher price tiers doesn’t mean that the story for most buyers is really that much different: buyers do not need to spend crazy amounts of money to get a headphone experience that is truly special.
Any of these picks will serve as a strong starting point—or a worthy addition—to one’s audiophile journey, and we fully encourage people not to worry too much about picking the right thing. Music is the reason we’re here, so the most important thing is just to pick anything, so you can get to the fun part and start listening to music!
Hifiman HE400se Entry-Level Headphones
FiiO FT1 Pro Headphones
Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones
Moondrop Edge Wireless ANC Headphones
