Best headphones under $1,000

Between streaming services, your smartphone, and the plethora of inexpensive headphones that are available, shopping for headphones with a $1,000 USD budget might seem like overkill. Why buy a Ferrari if the speed limit is 100mph? Because, just like a good car and an open road, if you pair any of these headphones with the right source and gear, the experience can be exhilarating. These headphones aren’t the kind that you’d stuff in a bag for your commute. If you want to really sit and enjoy your favorite songs, these are the best headphones under $1000 USD.

It’s also worth mentioning that $1,000 is relatively reasonable as far as audiophile gear goes. We’ve reviewed cans that will run you more than four times that, and had a chance to listen to a pair that costs the same as two cars. But it’s worth researching before you throw $1,000 USD towards a pair of premium headphones.

Editor’s note: this article was updated on June 23, 2022, to include the HiFiMan Sundara, update the formatting, expand the Buying guide, and add to the Notable mentions section.

Why is the Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back the best pair of headphones under $1,000 for most?

When you’re looking for top-of-the-line headphones, Audeze is a name that comes up a lot. Its line of planar magnetic headphones ranges from affordable to expensive and includes in-ears and over-ears. Basically, Audeze has you covered for whatever you want and the LCD-2 Classic definitely occupies a niche.

The LCD-2 Closed Back is a large pair of over-ear headphones that houses planar magnetic drivers, which uses a thin, flexible piece of film to create sound. Of course, even though these are closed-back they’re not meant for use on the subway. The plush ear cups are comfortable and isolating, which when combined with the closed-back design lets you enjoy your music while keeping it to yourself. At 70Ω, you also don’t need any extra equipment to drive this.

If you want the greatest value among expensive headphones, check out the HiFiMan Sundara

The HiFiMan Sundara brings great sound down to an affordable price point, and we couldn’t leave it off the list of the best headphones under $1000. This isn’t cheap by any means but pound-for-pound, it has excellent build quality and impressive sound quality. HiFiMan is one of those companies (like Audio-Technica) with plenty of people swearing by its headphones.

Each ear cup houses a planar magnetic driver, and it’s much lighter than Audeze’s headphones at 372g. The frequency response closely follows our target studio curve, and should sound good with most songs. You can EQ the headset but most listeners won’t feel compelled to. Since the Sundara is open-back, you get that sense of space that open-back headphones are known for. The drivers are protected by a thin grill, but they’re still exposed to the world.

That cable is nicely constructed and ends in a thick 90-degree, 3.5mm jack. It also comes with a 1/4-inch adapter, so if you’re looking to plug these headphones into something a little more powerful than your phone, you can. This headset features a fairly high sensitivity and low impedance, but will still require a decent amount of power to properly drive it. In most instances, you’ll need a good amplifier which adds to the price a bit.

Ditch the wires, go with the Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless

When it comes to what qualifies as one of the best headphones under $1000, a Bluetooth pair is rarely in the conversation. That changes with the Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless headphones. The standard wired Amiron was already well-received, so when Beyerdynamic made a wireless set, it had a lot to live up to. Luckily, the Amiron Wireless doesn’t disappoint and is one of the best-sounding pairs of Bluetooth headphones you can get.

Though the modern, industrial look might not be for everyone, it’s hard to argue with the build quality of these headphones. The sturdy metal build combined with the plush padding makes for a pleasant listening experience for long periods of time. Although the ear pads and headband are really comfortable, the clamping force is a bit weak. It slides off of my head quite often.

The sound quality is top-notch and lives up to the Beyerdynamic name. Included are a few of the top codecs for Bluetooth streaming and the battery life is quite good: you get about 30 hours of constant playback, which is enough juice to fly from New York to Hong Kong and then some. Of course, the Amiron Wireless won’t sound better than any of the other headphones on this list (more on that in the section down below), but if you really want the option to go wireless this is tough to beat.

For a unique design, look no further than the Grado GS1,000e

Another brand that has made its mark in the audio community is Grado. This family-run company is true to its roots and still operates out of the Brooklyn townhouse where it all began more than half a century ago. It’s not just the backstory that makes the GS1,000e great though, it’s the fact that each one of these headsets is handmade.

The open-back, over-ear design is half-retro, half-modern. Each ear cup has foam padding that allows them to be worn comfortably for long periods of time without causing too much fatigue. The audio cable ends in a 1/4-inch connector but also comes with a 3.5mm adapter so you can plug the GS1,000e into a mobile device.

Sometimes you can find this on Amazon for varying prices, but just to be safe, you might as well get it straight from Grado if you want to invest in one of the best headphones under $1000.

If you want noise canceling, grab the Apple AirPods Max

If you’re the type of listener willing to cough up $1,000 USD for Bluetooth headphones, you might want to check out Apple’s flagship headphone: the AirPods Max. These headphones come in at a whopping $549 USD—making it more expensive than Sony and Bose’s flagship noise canceling headsets.

The AirPods Max features a unique design that nicely balances comfort with acoustic performance. A mesh-knit canopy headband prevents unnecessary clamping force on the wearer’s head, while a stainless steel frame holds the headphone together. The ear cups are made of aluminum and feature magnetically attached knit ear pads, which can be replaced if needed.

Apple’s latest over-ears feature the same hybrid noise canceling technology, originally introduced with the AirPods Pro. An array of outward and inward-facing microphones, in tandem with software, effectively quiets ambient noise whilst also reducing resonances. This results in noise canceling performance that beats out Sennheiser, Sony, and one-time champion Bose.

Additional features include Apple’s H1 chip for seamless, enhanced connectivity with iOS devices, Transparency Mode, Adaptive EQ, Spatial Audio, fast-charging, and a 20-hour battery life. Our measured data speaks for itself, this headset is really quite good.

Should you buy the Sony WH-1000XM5 or splurge for something else?

The Sony WH-1000XM5 is a great headset that does everything very well. You get excellent active noise canceling, good sound quality, a comfortable fit, and plenty of powerful software features like 360 Reality Audio optimization. We like the WH-1000XM5 because it’s a great headset for commuting and general use. Since it costs $499 USD, you could pick up the WH-1000XM5 and the HiFiMan Sundara and still have some money to spare.

The best headphones under $1000: Notable mentions

• Audio-Technica ATH-W5000: These closed-back reference-grade headphones will cater to any audiophile, blending its attractive wood grain ear cup design with powerful 53mm drivers that deliver accurate audio.
• Beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X: The PRO X line of headphones from Beyerdynamic targets the nomadic creator. Whether you’re a music producer or a musician, you’ll appreciate the studio-quality sound that comes from this comfortable headset.
• Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X: The DT 900 PRO X has an even more consistent output than the DT 700 PRO X and costs the same. Rather than a closed-back design, you get an open-back headset here which lends itself to a more realistic reproduction of auditory space.
• Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO: If money is no object to you, or if you’re a professional looking for a reliable set of studio headphones, the DT 1990 Pro strikes the perfect balance between sound quality and comfort—tailored to suit the demands of any audiophile.
• Drop x Sennheiser HD 6XX: This sub-$250 headphone is based on the original Sennheiser HD 650. It features a neutral-leaning frequency response that accurately reproduces audio—ideal for home studio use.
• HiFiMan HE-400i: This pair of headphones is similar to the Sundara, and it’s even a bit lighter but it doesn’t sound quite as good. The HE-400i features planar magnetic drivers and an open-back design, which is great for $159 USD.
• Sennheiser PXC 550-II: With exceptional active noise canceling performance, ample high-quality codec support, and great sound quality, it’s hard to believe you can snag these cans for less than $300, and even less than $200 around the holidays.
• Sony WH-1000XM4: Still one of the best options for most people looking to invest a little money but not too much. This headset sounds really good and has a great set of useful features, including excellent ANC, but not aptX. Want something more portable? Grab the Sony WF-1000XM4 instead.

What you should know before you buy expensive headphones

Before spending your hard-earned cash there are some things you should be aware of. After all, $1,000 is a lot of money and if you’re going to dive into the world of high-end audio, then you should know some of the basics.

Do expensive headphones sound different from cheap ones?

While audio certainly reaches a point of diminishing returns, many “audiophile” products have a different sound from general consumer headphones. Often, you’ll find that headphones in the $1,000 USD price range have frequency responses that fall somewhere between the SoundGuys consumer curve and studio curve, leaning more toward our studio curve.

Neither target curve is inherently better than the other but each has its advantages. For instance, if you fancy yourself an audiophile who enjoys analytical listening, you’ll be more drawn to headsets that follow our studio curve (headsets like the ones highlighted in this list). However, if you like more bass, you may want a more consumer-focused headset that has a boosted bass response built in. Otherwise, you’ll have to EQ your studio-like headset to match a more general-purpose frequency response.

Do you need an amp and DAC?

The answer to this is going to vary case by case and depends on what your source is, but for the most part, the answer is no. That’s not to say that the answer is always going to be no. For example, the famous Sennheiser HD800 headphones have an impedance of 300Ω so good luck trying to power those without an amp. Even the Grado headphones are only 32Ω which is in the range most smartphones can handle. If you want to really dig into this topic, check out two great explainer pieces about when you do and don’t need an amp or DAC. But if you’re pressed for time we’ll go over the basics here.

When you hear someone talk about “driving” a certain pair of headphones, what they’re referring to is its impedance, or its ability to resist a current. Most manufacturers will state this number in the specifications. If your headphones have an impedance of around 32Ω or less, chances are the average smartphone can sufficiently power them. The Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless has an impedance of 32Ω when wired, so an amp isn’t necessary with them. Even the HiFiMan HE400i (35Ω), our bang-for-your-buck pick as the best headphones under $1,000, should be fine without an amp. Of course, if you read the full explainer, you know that impedance is only half the equation. You’ll also need to know the sensitivity of the headphones to determine if you really need an amp, but a quick glance at the impedance will usually let you know if you need to dig deeper.

You might be annoyed to hear that the answer to whether or not you need a DAC is similar: it depends. The DAC, or digital to analog converter, that comes in modern devices is usually fine. Unless you’re using a pretty old piece of equipment, most smartphones, computers, and tablets have built-in DACs that do a really good job at cleanly converting a digital signal. If you’re experiencing issues with sound quality, chances are the culprit is insufficiently powered headphones or low-quality source files—not the chip that’s doing the converting.

Is wireless as good as wired?

Bluetooth and wireless audio has come a long way in the last few years, but if your main concern is sound quality then the answer here is simple. No, wireless audio is not as good as wired. That said, it’s important to understand why. And even more important is to know that chances are, you’re not going to hear the difference anyway. Wireless audio isn’t bad by any means. It’s just not as good as a wired connection on a technical level. While the Amiron wireless that made this list is a phenomenal pair of headphones, an audio cable is currently the best way to go.

This has to do mainly with the amount of data that can be transferred over Bluetooth from your source device to your headphones. The technology is getting better every year, but at the time of this article, it just can’t beat a reliable wired connection.

Why you should trust SoundGuys with the best headphones under $1000

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Frequently asked questions about headphones under $1000