MSRP $299, $260 on regular sale, $230 renewed from Amazon] Scores: Cost-agnostic: 7 out of 10 Denalis Cost-sensitive: 9 out of 10 Denalis Intro. The Bose 700 is Bose’s current flagship consumer headphone and has been for at least the last couple of years. I was actually really surprised to discover that I hadn’t ever reviewed these, so this is part of a series where I go back to old standbys that I apparently failed to review early on. These are probably my … tenth pair of Bose headphones? I’ve had the QC15s, QC25s, demoed a pair of QC45s for a month, and have had a few of their wireless earbuds (Soundsport Pulse Wireless, which I loved), and a variety of wired earbuds over the years (particularly the SoundSport line, which I also loved).  

Scores: Cost-agnostic: 5 out of 10 Denalis Cost-sensitive: 6 out of 10 Denalis Beats Studio3 Wireless Beats Studio3 Wireless on a new ME-themed puck Intro. I bought my first pair of Beats headphones back in … 2014? I think? I was going on a train trip to Montana, and it was supposed to take something like eleven hours. I had a pair of Bose QC25s with really good active noise cancelation (ANC), but I didn’t want to deal with a cord while I was trying to sleep on a moving train.

The Capra Audio Satyr 3 is a DIY headphone project that combines 3D printing with soldering, making it accessible for those curious about headphone modding. Priced around $60, it offers impressive sound quality, particularly in the midrange and treble. Capra provides comprehensive resources and support, making it a rewarding venture for enthusiasts.

The author reflects on their journey with 3D printing, transitioning from a novice with no prior hands-on experience to designing and creating functional, fun, and gift prints. Initially intimidated, they found success in customizing projects, showcasing the enjoyable process of bringing creative ideas to life while emphasizing the community and learning opportunities within the 3D printing space.

The Audeze Maxwell headphones excel in sound quality but suffer from poor software and design, making setup frustrating. While they offer good performance for gaming and music, their connectivity issues and heavy weight limit appeal. Comparatively, alternatives like the Fractal Scape perform better at a lower price, challenging the Maxwell’s recommendation.

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 improves on the Pro 2 with better noise cancellation, dust/water resistance, and heart rate monitoring. However, the Pro 2's sound signature is preferred by many audiophiles. The Pro 3 is a solid choice for casual listeners seeking consumer-friendly audio without a significant upgrade value over the Pro 2.

This is a compilation of questions that I frequently respond to on Reddit and my stock answers, gathered mostly for my own convenience. Table of Contents: Question: Do I need a DAC or amp to run my headphones out of my computer? Question: Do I need a DAC/amp to run the Sennheiser HD 600/650/6XX/58X/660S/660S2 (aka "6X0s")? Question: Is there a significant sound difference between open/closed back?  Question: I need a good, solid DAC/Amp stack to drive . What should I buy? Question: I'm new to this space and I want something to use for gaming.

The Hifiman Sundara, priced at $179 new, impresses for its performance in the competitive open-back headphone market. Although four years old, it is well-tuned, with a neutral sound and great detail retrieval. The headphones excel with simpler tracks, though comfort could improve. A potential update would be highly anticipated.

The Hifiman HE6se v2, originally priced at $1,899, offers impressive sound quality for its discounted price of $359. It's noted for its exceptional detail, soundstage, and instrument separation, making it ideal for critical listening, especially in jazz and acoustic genres. However, it may not suit casual or bass-heavy music as well.

A year ago, like a number of folks I saw Listener on the Headphone show wax poetic about how great a custom modded Capra Ouroboros that Golem provided to him was, and got curious about how to make that modded headphone. Golem has talked about it on Capra Audio's Discord and provided a basic overview of the changes, but hasn't yet made it into a Github post. I built a pair a few months ago, and ... damn. I'm a closed back skeptic in a lot of ways (there are VERY few closed backs that I genuinely love), but this one just works for me.

The Hifiman Sundara, priced at $179 new, impresses for its performance in the competitive open-back headphone market. Although four years old, it is well-tuned, with a neutral sound and great detail retrieval. The headphones excel with simpler tracks, though comfort could improve. A potential update would be highly anticipated.

The Apple AirPods Pro 3 improves on the Pro 2 with better noise cancellation, dust/water resistance, and heart rate monitoring. However, the Pro 2's sound signature is preferred by many audiophiles. The Pro 3 is a solid choice for casual listeners seeking consumer-friendly audio without a significant upgrade value over the Pro 2.

Scores: Cost-agnostic: 10 out of 10 DenalisCost-sensitive: 9 out of 10 Denalis. Scores: I ... have a lot of headphones. These are the ones I found in my house in a five minute sweep, and doesn't include the dozen pairs at my office or all the ones scattered throughout various backpacks and bags in my house, or the drawer full of the free headphones that have come with various devices over the years. Like most people who take music pretty seriously, I have spent a lot of time trying out new makes, models, styles, etc., and have upgraded a lot over the years.

The Sennheiser x Drop HD 58X headphones, priced around $199, offer a bassier alternative to the 6XX while sacrificing some detail. They excel in comfort and midrange sound, making them suitable for those transitioning to audiophile options. However, the 6XX, often on sale for less, remains the recommended choice for critical listening.

[Tl;dr: The Sennheiser HD600 are a classic for a reason, and are still a truly excellent headphone in 2025, almost 30 years after they were first released. My only big complaint about them is that they're $100 more than their incredible successor the 6XX, and between the price difference and the slightly different tune (less bass, more treble) I'm just not going to reach for them very often. If you listen to less bass-centric music, or you live outside the US, I wholeheartedly recommend these. Same if you can get a decent used pair around the price of a new pair of 6XX.]

This is a companion to my post the other day about my philosophy for building a stereo system, aka hi fi rack. I’ve broken it into tiers ranging from $500 to around $3,000. You can certainly spend way more than that on a stereo, but if you’re going to invest that kind of money you really, really ought to test the components out for yourself to see if they work for YOUR taste. $3k is also about where I feel like you start hitting the point of substantial diminishing returns.

The author expresses dissatisfaction with Hifiman's customer service after receiving two defective headphones, resulting in a lengthy return process. Issues included poor communication, upselling attempts, and a lack of resolution. Ultimately, the author advises potential buyers to avoid direct purchases from Hifiman, recommending vendors with better return policies.

[MSRP $180, purchased on sale (which they regularly are on) and renewed for $109. These are the open-backed version of the DT 770 Pro (MSRP $160). Available in 80 and 250 Ohm versions.] Update September 2025: I really liked these headphones; they were the second real pair of audiophile-style headphones I'd ever owned, and at that point I hadn't heard many pairs of well-tuned, non-consumer headphones. In the last two and a half years, I have rectified that problem, and oh boy have these suffered in comparison. I thought these would potentially replace the…

The Focal Elegia closed-back headphones, originally priced at $890, are now valued around $300. Praised for their excellent sound quality and construction, they outperform many rivals, especially at used prices below $400. The Elegia offers a refined bass, clean mids, and precise treble, making them a recommended choice for enthusiasts.

The Focal Elegia closed-back headphones, originally priced at $890, are now valued around $300. Praised for their excellent sound quality and construction, they outperform many rivals, especially at used prices below $400. The Elegia offers a refined bass, clean mids, and precise treble, making them a recommended choice for enthusiasts.

[MSRP $199, purchased on sale (which they regularly are on) for $179. These are identical to the Meze 99 Classics, which retail for $309.] [September 2025 update: While the 99 Noir are still a perfectly nice headphone, the shine is coming a little off as some great closed backs have hit the market over the last year or two. In a world where the Fiio FT1 are around $150-60, I'd be hard pressed to recommend the 99 Noir for anything other than aesthetics. Also, be aware that both the head cage and the cable are WILDLY microphonic, making these a poor choice for any application where you're moving around.

The Focal Azurys, a closed-back headphone launched in 2024, offers good sound quality and build but is considered overpriced at its MSRP of $599. As a used option at $335, it provides solid performance, especially compared to budget alternatives. However, it lacks the superiority of higher-end Focal models like the Elegia.

The iFi Uno is a USB-C powered DAC/amp unit with four EQ modes, suitable for mobile desktop setups. Despite its features, it struggles to compete against better options and has a problematic volume knob that limits fine control. Ideal for beginners, it may not satisfy experienced users seeking quality.

[Tl;dr: The Momentum 4 are an intriguing wireless ANC headphone at their current price point. They sound pretty mediocre to me out of the box, but will reward 30-45 minutes of playing around in the app or finding an EQ setting on the internet with a really solid, consumer-style sound. This is what I’ll be recommending to people when they ask about a pair of over-ear ANC headphones for a plane, at least for anyone not willing to splurge on a pair of Airpods Max or Focal Bathys. For most of my uses, though, they’ll struggle to displace the Airpods Pro2.

The Focal Bathys are premium ANC headphones known for their excellent sound quality, particularly in DAC mode. While they excel in audio performance, their ANC falls short compared to competitors like Bose and Apple. Priced around $850 new, better value is found under $400 used. Overall, recommended for sound quality enthusiasts.