With the new year ahead of us, there is no better time to look for a new headset. If you’re here than you probably already know the lack of adequate reviews of the best premium open-back design headphones. There is huge diversity and most products don’t live up to their claims. To help ease your search, we’ve tested quite a few devices and made a list of the five best premium open-back design headphones for 2019.


 This is our take on the five best premium open-back design headphones for 2019:

# Image Product Price
1 Sennheiser $450
2 Beyerdynamic $880
3 Grado $595
4 Philips $300
5 Audeze $500

1. Sennheiser HD660 S

  • Very low harmonic distortion
  • Hand-selected transducers for 1 dB precise L/R matching
  • Nominal impedance 150 ohms
  • Extremely comfortable
  • Great audio and build quality
  • Detachable, para-aramid reinforced cables with highly conductive OFC copper
  • Includes two cables – 6.35 mm and a 4.4 mm Pentaconn balanced stereo audio jacks
  • Includes 6.35 mm to 3.5 adapter

With more than 70 years of experience in making professional audio equipment, it is of no wonder their HD660 S ranks as #1 on our list. Unlike its predecessor HD650, this beauty delivers an outstanding audio quality with every source.

The build of the HD660 S is quite durable and comfortable. While they might be slightly heavy, the hand-picked transducers make this seem insignificant. They ensure your all headsets deliver a precise 1 dB L/R matching. The package includes all accessories needed to use it just about any device. Perfect for professionals and audiophiles.


2. Beyerdynamic T1 2-nd Gen

  • Semi-open design
  • Hi-Efficiency Tesla technology audio drivers
  • Soft and breathable velour cushions
  • Extremely comfortable
  • Sturdy build
  • 600-ohm impedance
  • 3-meter long cable
  • 5-year warranty
  • Highly accurate and balanced audio

The Beyerdynamic T1 second generation is ranked second, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is worse in quality. In fact, it is quite better with one big downside — it is also that quite more expensive. For us, it isn’t worth it for non-professional and die-hard audiophiles.

The T1 comes with two hi-efficiency Tesla audio drivers and features soft, velour cushions. They allow your ears to breath and are perfect for any environment — even slight hot ones. That makes it overall extremely comfortable. The back is semi-open and they provide a high-impedance signal of 600 Ohms.


3. Grado PS500e

  • Lightweight and sturdy design
  • Metal-wood hybrid air chamber
  • 44mm audio driver
  • Special eight conductor cable
  • Great mids and highs
  • Perfect for outside
  • Warranty is only applicable to the US

A great option for both professionals and audiophiles alike, the Grado PS500e comes with a lightweight design. It is perfect for outdoor and indoor playback with crisp clear highs, strong mids, and nice, deep bass.

They come with two hidden mahogany cores enclosed in a powder-coated aluminum housing which has undergone damping treatments. These processes help control and dissipate the resonances thus providing an undistorted flow of the musical signal.


4. Philips X2/27

  • Precise hi-res audio
  • Frequency range 5 Hz to 40 KHz
  • Acoustic open-back design
  • 50mm neodymium drivers
  • Premium memory foam cushions
  • Extremely comfortable
  • Not ideal for outside
  • 30 Ohm impedance
  • 6.3 mm cable connector
  • 6.3 to 3.5 mm adaptor included

For those that are looking for something on the low-budget end, the Philips X2/27 might be the way to go. It has highly-accurate high-resolution audio drivers that provide a frequency range of between 5 and 40,000 Hz. They’re 50mm in size and are surrounded by a sturdy enclosure with extremely comfortable memory foam cushions.

The headphones are quite big and not the perfect headset for outdoor usage but their audio quality is outstanding. The cable has a 6.3 mm connector but it comes with an adapter to 3.5mm one. The impedance of the cable is 30 Ohms.


5. Audeze SINE DX

  • Sturdy build
  • Lightweight design
  • Very low distortion
  • Near weightless diaphragm (4x larger than typical headphones)
  • Can close to a flat design

Perfect for both inside and outside usage with a sleek design and an amazing audio quality. It is quite lightweight so that makes it perfect for travel and it comes with extremely low distortion. A great audio companion for any audiophile. The headset has great, deep bass with crisp highs and clear mids.