Headphone Buying Guide 2020 Edition
Headphones Under $500
Sennheiser HD 560S - $199
The Sennheiser HD560S is this year’s newest best bang for the buck open-back dynamic driver headphone under $200. For the longest time this segment has been dominated by the HD6XX - and while the HD6XX has excellent performance, it has two notable drawbacks that the HD560S addresses. The first is that the HD560S is the more reference style tuning, with a more well-extended yet linear bass response along with a bit more treble energy. The second improvement is when it comes to soundstage and sense of space. The HD560S fills in the ‘three blob’ stage effect that is commonly reported with the Sennheiser’s HD6 line.
Lastly, the HD560S is also easier to drive, meaning you don’t need to get a crazy headphone amplifier to get the most out of it.
Check out the HD560S Review here.
Buy the HD 560S here for the best available price.
Meze 99 Classics - $309
The Meze 99 Classic is a commonly recommended closed-back headphone with a warm yet balanced tuning. I find it to be quite comfortable, yielding a laid-back and relaxed listening experience. Additionally, the Meze 99 Classic has a surprisingly spacious presentation for a closed-back headphone. One thing that many listeners report is the ability to change pads and affect the bass tuning. There are a number of pad options from third party vendors like Dekoni that are compatible with the 99 Classic and this allows for some flexibility for the tuning as well.
Buy the Meze 99 Classics here for the best available price.
HiFiMAN Sundara - $350
The HiFiMAN Sundara is in my opinion the best value headphone under $700. This is an open-back planar magnetic headphone that is possibly the most straightforward upgrade over the HD6XX. It simply does everything right - from frequency response to technical performance, this is the easiest headphone to recommend for anyone looking to get into the next level of audio performance from headphones.
It has linear well-extended bass, a well-balanced and detailed midrange with smooth yet present highs. One additional thing to note is that as of right now, the HiFiMAN Sundara is the best-measuring headphone I’ve yet come across. The only caveat is that it does require a headphone amplifier to get going.
Check out my HiFiMAN Sundara review here.
Buy the Hifiman Sundara here for the best available price.
Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless - $299
The Momentum 3 is the audiophile’s on-the-go wireless noise cancelling solution. Full of useful features, Chrono has described the Momentum 3 Wireless as a well-balanced, slightly bass emphasized well performing headphone. To quote Chrono’s review, “it easily has one of the best tunings I’ve heard, not just for ANC headphones but headphones in general”. So for those of us wanting to take high end sound quality on the go, the Sennheiser Momentum 3 is our pick.
Check out Chrono’s review here.
Buy the Sennhesier Momentum 3 here for the best available price.
Moondrop Blessing 2 - $320
The Moondrop Blessing 2 is this year’s most exciting new value IEM to come out. It’s been regarded in many communities as the best price-to-performance IEM available. This is in part due to its remarkably neutral tonal balance, coupled with exceptional detail, layering, stage and depth for the price.
Making use of a hybrid driver configuration of 4 balanced armatures and a dynamic driver to handle bass frequencies, the Blessing 2 sets the bar for IEM performance, easily competing with IEMs in much higher price tags, often being touted as the ‘flagship killer’. Normally I find some fault with these statements, but for the Blessing 2 it’s certainly changed the landscape for what to expect when it comes to in-ear headphones.
Check out my Blessing 2 Review here.
Buy the Blessing 2 here for the best available price.
Headphone Amplifiers & DACs under $500
Topping E30 / Topping L30 - $129, $139
This entry-level Topping stack is all you need for a DAC and headphone amp solution - especially if you’re just getting into high end headphones that require some power. The HiFiMAN Sundara and the L30 / E30 is an excellent pairing that easily competes with systems at far higher price tags. In particular, those who are looking for a clean, reference sound should strongly consider this setup. Moreover, the L30 is one of the amps I use when conducting headphone measurements, in part because I can be confident that the amp is transparent.
Additionally, I find the L30 to be quite versatile with three different gain settings. So really, this is all you’ll need for 90% of the headphones out there. Highly recommended.
Buy the Topping L30 here for the best available price.
Buy the Topping E30 here for the best available price.
iFi Hip DAC - $149
The iFi Hip DAC is the perfect companion DAC/Amp combo for any headphones you want to take with you on the go. It’s small, remarkably slim, with the kind of shape that works for fitting into a pocket. Using iFi’s usual Burr Brown DAC chip for a smooth and relaxed sound output, the Hip DAC also has a bass boost function that’s all analog. For many, this could be the perfect all-in-one setup, and if you see yourself using your headphones on the go, or you’re looking for a small and simple footprint, this is one to consider.
Check out my Hip DAC impressions here.
Buy the iFi Audio Hip DAC here for the best available price.
Topping A90 - $499
The Topping A90 was released this year to massive critical acclaim. Seen by many as this year’s premiere transparent balanced headphone amplifier, it brings flagship level performance to a more modest price tag.
Buy the Topping A90 here for the best available price.
SPL Phonitor One / One-D - $499, $629
SPL is world-famous for their masterclass headphone amplifiers and mixing and mastering setups that they make and manufacture in Germany. However, their gear has always been priced in the $2k+ range, making them unaffordable for most. So they decided to bring everything they’ve learned from their flagship amps and put them in a smaller, more affordable package that doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of their flagships.
If you’re looking for silent, transparent sound, the SPL Phonitor One Headphone Amp or SPL Phonitor One-D Headphone Amp/DAC are very difficult to beat.
Buy the SPL Phonitor One here for the best available price.
Buy the SPL Phonitor One-D here for the best available price.
Headphones Under $1000
Hifiman Ananda - $699
The next step up in planar magnetic headphones from the HiFiMAN Sundara is their highly regarded Ananda, which has a similar sound signature to the Sundara, emphasizing detail, clarity, and soundstage. Imagine if the Sundara has even better bass extension, better detail, and a better sense of space - that’s what you get with the Ananda.
Surprisingly, the Ananda is also quite easy to drive, so while it can benefit from a good source, it doesn’t necessarily need one. The Ananda uses HiFiMAN’s egg-shaped cup design, inspired by their higher end line of headphones like the Arya and HE1000 series. The Ananda is thankfully also lightweight, making it comfortable for long listening sessions.
Watch the HiFiMAN Ananda review here.
Buy the Hifiman Ananda here for the best available price.
Audeze LCD-2 - $995
The Audeze LCD-2 made it onto my list of favorite headphones at the end of 2020 in part because of its massive potential. The full-sized Audeze LCD planar magnetic headphones often have some of the best technical performance within their price ranges, and that’s no exception with the LCD-2. The only downside is that to get the most out of this headphone it does require diving into EQ a bit - or making use of Audeze’s Reveal+ digital signal processing. Thankfully, because this is a high performance planar, it can easily handle any adjustments you make. And, for its technical performance, this is the headphone I would personally buy under $1000.
There may also be a certain stigma associated with Audeze headphones that points to them being heavy and uncomfortable, and while they certainly are still on the heavy side, Audeze have massively improved their comfort with the use of a wide headband strap. This helps with weight distribution, and I find I can wear the LCD-2 all day without issue.
Check out my Audeze LCD-2 Review here.
Buy the Audeze LCD-2 here for the best available price.
Dunu SA6 - $550
The Dunu SA6 has been making waves in a number of core IEM communities. In a world full of hybrid IEM designs, the SA6 emphatically demonstrates that there’s life left in strictly multi-balanced armature designs. Simply put, the SA6 has the best bass response of any multi-BA IEM I’ve heard other than the 64 Audio U12t, which is $2000. In fact, if someone had told me the SA6 used a dynamic driver in the bass I would have believed them. The SA6 uses a 6 balanced armature configuration, but the use of unique Sonion BAs for bass frequencies makes it really stand out in this regard. The SA6 also has a toggle switch on the back that lets the listener adjust the bass level.
Overall, the SA6 has a remarkably well-balanced tuning, and is seen by many, myself included, as the next logical step up from the highly regarded Blessing 2.
Buy the Dunu SA6 here for the best available price
Headphone Amps / DACs & DAPs under $1000
Astell&Kern SR25 - $699
Following the success of their extremely popular SR15, Astell&Kern have updated this model with the new SR25. The SR15 was a popular option for digital audio players in part because it had a very well-integrated multi-band EQ function, and the SR25 also has this. The SR25 uses the same dual Cirrus Logic 43198 but is slightly larger than the SR15, with a more appropriate screen size, along with a faster and better performing interface. Importantly, the SR25 also has bluetooth functionality with LDAC. Lastly, the SR25 also has much better battery life than the SR15 did, with a published spec of around 21 hours.
In short, the SR25 takes all the good things about the SR15, and upgrades a number of key features. Check out this video discussing the differences between the SR15 and the SR25.
Buy the Astell&Kern SR25 for the best available price.
Topping DX7 Pro - $599
The TOPPING DX7 Pro DAC/Amp is an upgrade on their critically acclaimed DX7s. The DX7 Pro is an upgrade in every way over the DX7s with the addition of the ESS flagship ES9038PRO DAC chip, an IIS input, and a 4.4mm balanced output. It also comes with Bluetooth 5.0 functionality and supports LDAC HD audio, aptX, and aptX HD audio among others.
With a wide range of outputs, the DX7 Pro can be used as a pure DAC, a DAC and Pre Amp combo, a Bluetooth headphone amp or DAC, and can even be connected to media players, mobile phones, or tablets. It comes with remote control for ease of use but at the same time allows DIYers to roll Op-Amps to tweak the sound.
It’s a futureproof DAC/Amp for any headphone enthusiast looking for amazing sound and a desktop setup that will work with most headphones.
Headphones Under $2000
Audeze LCD-X - $1199
The Audeze LCD-X is a headphone that has the potential to be one of the best sounding headphones in its price range, by a long shot. I say potential here because with most Audeze headphones, they really shine when you start to get into doing a bit of EQ. Now, before this throws you off if you’re not comfortable doing EQ, let me be clear that the planar magnetic transducers in the LCD-X are extremely impressive - to the point where they can handle almost any adjustment you make without distortion. Moreover, the stated goal from the company is to make their headphones as good sounding as possible without EQ, but they welcome the notion that all headphones can be improved in some way with digital signal processing, and forward-thinking idea has permeated a number of their products.
In particular, Audeze have also released their own digital signal processing presets for their headphones with Reveal+, so you know that when you buy an Audeze product, you also get the company’s support in this area too. However, I found that I was able to get the tuning for the LCD-X to be exactly how I wanted it to be just on my own. After doing this, the LCD-X was one of the best sounding headphones under $2000, and even beat a number of headphones at higher price tags.
Lastly, the LCD-X is very easy to drive as it’s intended for use in studios where you often have a wide range of equipment to run it from.
Buy the Audeze LCD-X here for the best available price.
Focal Radiance - $1290
Focal’s newest closed-back dynamic driver headphone is a collaboration with Bently Motors, and it improves upon the Focal’s older closed-back Elegia in a number of important ways. First, the Radiance has a much better bass response. Not only is it stronger and more impactful, it also doesn’t have any issues with seal and fit. It does this by ensuring that the bass response isn’t as dependent on the pads to get perfect extension. Additionally, the pads have also been improved in that they’re a more comfortable leather material, resulting in a headphone that can be worn all day without issue.
For the rest of the tuning, the Radiance is also Focal’s warmest headphone, meaning that it retains the rest of the tonal balance that we’ve come to expect from their expertly tuned headphones, but it’s a bit more relaxed in the lower treble region. This makes it a non-fatiguing listen that fits with the added comfort for laid-back listening for long sessions.
Check out Chrono’s review of the Focal Radiance.
Buy the Focal Radiance here for the best available price.
Sennheiser HD 800S - $1699
The HD 800 S may not be a new headphone but it’s still competitive in today’s market. This is a testament to how well the HD 800 S has held up over the years. It’s versatility also allows it to scale in meaningful ways when run from a wide variety of different sources, ranging from solid state amps like the SPL Phonitor X, or popular tube amps. Now, the HD 800 S is still competitive for detail and technical performance in 2020, however it also still hasn’t been beaten when it comes to soundstage and overall sense of space. In short, the HD 800 S is still the best headphone for soundstage in 2020, and likely will be for years to come.
To quote Chrono’s review:
“The HD 800 S is, without a doubt, a spectacular headphone that makes for an almost-revelatory listening experience; and I truly believe it achieves a very good blend of top-tier acoustic performance, day-long-listening comfort, and a enjoyable, agreeable tonality now that the absorber has been added to the driver.”
Check out Chrono’s review of the HD 800 S.
Buy the Sennheiser HD 800S here for the best available price.
HiFiMAN Arya - $1599
If the Sennheiser HD 800 S is the soundstage king for dynamic driver headphones, the HiFiMAN Arya is that equivalent for planar magnetic headphones. With a similar tonal balance to that of the Ananda, the Arya takes another step forward when it comes to image separation and distinction, depth, layering and texture. Add to that a perfectly well-extended bass response that reaches all the way down to the limits of human hearing and it’s no wonder why the HiFiMAN Arya is one of the most popular headphones in many headphone communities, including the HEADPHONE Community forum.
As a personal note, the HiFiMAN Arya is one of my absolute favorite headphones at this price point, and I highly recommend it for both its technical qualities and its overall tuning - in particular I find it to do exceptionally well for Jazz, acoustic, classical and music with instruments, as it does such a good job of being able to represent the different layers and depth to the music. Moreover, it does all of this while still managing to be quite comfortable for long listening sessions, and much lighter than competing planar magnetic headphones.
Check out the HiFiMAN Arya review here.
Buy the Hifiman Arya here for the best available price.
Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 - $1099
The Andromeda 2020 is Campfire Audio’s update to their legendary 5 balanced armature IEM. The main difference between the 2020 version and the original is that the new one has a slightly more well-balanced treble, along with an improved midrange response. So, while the original was much loved by all, the new version is even better, and for those looking at high end IEMs, the Andromeda 2020 should definitely be on the list. The overall tuning is a well-balanced, slightly relaxed presentation with a bit of a bass bump depending on the output impedance of the source, and its technical performance emphasizes detail, soundstage and layering.
To quote Precogvision’s review of the Andromeda 2020:
“The Andromeda 2020 seems to hit a sweet spot: A more laidback tuning with broad, listener appeal that doesn’t sacrifice an engagement factor. It’s imaging capabilities are a force to be reckoned with, and I’ve had to re-evaluate my expectations of what’s possible from an IEM in this regard.”
Check out the Campfire Andromeda 2020 review here.
Buy the Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 here for the best available price.
64 Audio U12t - $1999
The 64 Audio U12t is considered by many to be the best IEM currently available. For me it’s a bit of a toss up between the U12t and the Empire Ears Odin, which came out this year, however I still think the U12t is the one with
