The Best Open-Back Headphones in 2026: Tested & Ranked

The HIFIMAN HE1000se in profile on a leather stand, a dark wood-veneer rim between its grille and pad

Best Overall: the highest score of the 14

HIFIMAN HE1000se

9.3

List price $1,700

See all 14 ranked picks

These are the wired open-back headphones to buy for audiophile listening at home, at every price, from budget open-backs to flagships. Settle the room first: an open-back lets your music out and the room's noise in, so it needs a quiet space where nobody minds hearing it. Then choose by stage and comfort, because how wide each pick sounds and how its pads feel over hours differ a lot.

By Published Updated

14 picks 7.5/10 minimum to qualify list prices $199 to $1,700

The short version

Our top pick among the best open-back headphones is the HIFIMAN HE1000se (9.3/10, list price $1,700). Our best value pick, the most score for its price, is the HIFIMAN Sundara (9.0/10, list price $299). The runner-up is the HIFIMAN Arya Organic (9.2/10, list price $1,099). 14 picks in all, ranked by score from 8.0 to 9.3/10: 10 planar magnetic and 4 dynamic.

How we tested this gear

15 headphones reviewed first-hand, 14 ranked here · at least two weeks each on the Denafrips Hermes 12th and HIFIMAN Serenade · heard sighted against a reference.

The chain, the room, the protocol and the evidence

What was tested

15 headphones in this guide's field, every one reviewed first-hand and linked from this page: 14 ranked, and 1 listed below the picks with the rule that kept it off. Every one has a video review on the channel, where the product is shown and heard.

Reviewed by

Jakub Charkiewicz, who signed every review on the list.

How long

At least two weeks of daily listening before a score is committed, typically four to eight weeks for flagship gear, and never a first-impressions verdict.

Test chain

Power and digital

The system the reference chain runs on, in Jakub Charkiewicz's listening room:

Protocol

Every piece is compared head-to-head with a reference unit, sighted and with levels set by ear. No pick was compared blind and none was bench-measured here: a score is the writer's judgment against the product's own price tier, and a small difference between two picks is an impression a blind test (ITU-R BS.1116) would be needed to confirm.

Standards cited

ITU-R BS.1116-3, IEC 60318-4 and Olive et al. (2018), each listed with what it is used for on the about page.

The full testing method How a score is built

At a glance

The 14 picks in ranked order, with price and award.
#PickList priceAward
1HE1000se$1,700Best Overall
2Arya Organic$1,099
3Arya Unveiled$1,299
4Sundara$299Best Value
5X1$549
6Ananda Stealth$359
7Arya Stealth$759
8105 Silva$499
9Edition XS$269Best Budget
10Ananda Nano$499
11HE1000 Stealth$1,119
12Luan$299
13Verum 1$349
14Anser$199
  1. 1 HIFIMAN HE1000se Best Overall $1,700
  2. 2 HIFIMAN Arya Organic $1,099
  3. 3 HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled $1,299
  4. 4 HIFIMAN Sundara Best Value $299
  5. 5 OLLO Audio X1 $549
  6. 6 HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth $359
  7. 7 HIFIMAN Arya Stealth $759
  8. 8 Meze 105 Silva $499
  9. 9 HIFIMAN Edition XS Best Budget $269
  10. 10 HIFIMAN Ananda Nano $499
  11. 11 HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth $1,119
  12. 12 Sivga Luan $299
  13. 13 Verum Audio Verum 1 $349
  14. 14 Sivga Anser $199

The 14 picks, ranked

List price
#1 Best Overall

HIFIMAN HE1000se

9.3 Reference
The HIFIMAN HE1000se in profile on a leather stand, a dark wood-veneer rim between its grille and pad

An ex-$3,500 flagship, now $1,700: nanometer diaphragm, Stealth Magnets, a holographic soundstage, and state-of-the-art detail - bright, honest, merciless with bad sources.

  • State-of-the-art detail retrieval - hears deep into any mix
  • Huge, holographic, out-of-your-head stage with pinpoint imaging
  • Blazing transient speed keeps busy, crowded tracks clean

Watch out: Bright, peaky treble

HIFIMAN HE1000se review
#2

HIFIMAN Arya Organic

9.2 Highly Recommended
HIFIMAN Arya Organic on a black stand, orange-toned wood rings wrapping both cups

A continuation of the Arya series at $1,300 (or $1,100 on sale) - the most resolving headphone at this price, with spectacular detail and bass you can feel.

  • Most resolving headphones at this price - microdetails pop clearly
  • Wood veneer surrounding earcups - much more premium look
  • Smooth, bright treble that's somehow not fatiguing

Watch out: Vocals slightly forward, background vocals also pop

HIFIMAN Arya Organic review
#3

HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled

9.1 Highly Recommended
HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled from outside, its rounded Stealth Magnet bars bare in a glossy black cup

An open-back planar that strips away the outer grill entirely - exposing the driver to deliver dead-silent backgrounds, holographic imaging, and the smoothest Arya treble yet.

  • Grill-less design eliminates micro-reflections off protective metal
  • Stealth Magnets pass sound waves without turbulence
  • Nanometer-thickness diaphragm - extremely fast and detailed

Watch out: Driver fully exposed

HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled review
#4 Best Value

HIFIMAN Sundara

9.0 Highly Recommended
HIFIMAN Sundara ear cup from the side, its honeycomb grille set in a matte cast frame

An amazing value proposition - the latest Sundara revision performs exceptionally well at $299 in the open-back planar market. It's just a steal.

  • Strong dynamics with serious punch and slam
  • Fast transients with above-average decay
  • Excellent build - metal parts, suspension strap, dual 3.5mm

Watch out: Inner pad diameter likely too small for many ears

HIFIMAN Sundara review
#5

OLLO Audio X1

8.9 Highly Recommended
OLLO Audio X1 on a headphone stand, its wood cup ring framing a screwed-on X-pattern faceplate

An open-back studio reference headphone with AI-assisted per-unit calibration (±1dB), modular design, real wood cups, and a flat tuning that works for both mixing and music.

  • Impedance: 32 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 101 dB (reference not stated)
  • Driver: Dynamic
  • List price: $549
  • USC II per-unit calibration to ±1dB tolerance
  • Real wood machined earcups, no veneer
  • Modular, repairable, service-friendly design

Watch out: Tight clamp force

OLLO Audio X1 review
#6

HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth

8.8 Highly Recommended
HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth lifted from a wooden stand, slatted grille across its egg-shaped cup

An overlooked HIFIMAN planar at $359 with a slightly warm tonality, fantastic imaging, and a 'pleasantly wet' sound that beats the Edition XS in almost every way.

  • Suspension-strap headband - distributes weight well
  • Stealth Magnets + NEO Supernano Diaphragm
  • Lightweight at 398g

Watch out: Inner foam isn't very soft

HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth review
#7

HIFIMAN Arya Stealth

8.7 Highly Recommended
HIFIMAN Arya Stealth resting on a leather stand, the blacked-out slatted grille up close

An exceptionally comfortable HIFIMAN flagship at $759 with a rare warm-leaning balance, unbeatable imaging, and a taste of high-end sound at a non-flagship price.

  • Most comfortable HIFIMAN at this price
  • Highest-end suspension strap headband with full 360° cup rotation
  • Stealth Magnets + nanometer-thickness diaphragm + Window Shade Grills

Watch out: Doesn't feel premium when you pick it up

HIFIMAN Arya Stealth review
#8

Meze 105 Silva

8.7 Highly Recommended
Meze 105 Silva lying on its side, the walnut cup's radial grille and metal yoke up close

A $499 open-back dynamic with hand-polished walnut cups, a custom 50mm carbon fiber-reinforced dome driver, and a warm, fun, easy-to-drive tuning that punches well above its price.

  • Light 354g weight for a full-size wooden headphone
  • Plush, breathable velour earpads - glasses-friendly
  • Modular, fully serviceable - assembled with screws, not glue

Watch out: Musical, warm tuning

Meze 105 Silva review
#9 Best Budget

HIFIMAN Edition XS

8.7 Highly Recommended
HIFIMAN Edition XS side-on on a speckled stand, horizontal silver slats across the egg-shaped cup

An exceptional open-back planar at $269 with a sound signature that's hard to find elsewhere - held back only by a controversial headband design choice.

  • Fantastic, wide soundstage with great image separation
  • Easy to drive - works fine from a dongle or cheap amp
  • Truly exceptional sound for the price

Watch out: Solid headband (no suspension strap) creates a hotspot after a few hours

HIFIMAN Edition XS review
#10

HIFIMAN Ananda Nano

8.6 Highly Recommended
HIFIMAN Ananda Nano held by both cups, its large black hybrid pads facing inward

A nanometer-thickness diaphragm trickled down into the Ananda line - one of the best picks in its price range, with detailed treble that can occasionally cross the line.

  • Best soundstage width in its class
  • Very accurate, almost 3-dimensional imaging
  • Great for string instruments - quick decay, realistic reproduction

Watch out: Treble can cross into too-bright territory for some

HIFIMAN Ananda Nano review
#11

HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth

8.5 Highly Recommended
HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth on a curved headphone stand, its black pads framed by silver and wood-accent rims

A years-old HIFIMAN flagship, cheaper than ever: Stealth Magnets, a nanometer diaphragm, a wide open soundstage, and a fun, bright tuning - mind the treble peaks and the large fit.

  • Excellent comfort despite 458g - the wide suspension band spreads the weight
  • Spacious, deep, breathable three-material hybrid pads; user-replaceable
  • Top-tier hand-polished, CNC-machined aluminum and real leather build

Watch out: Genuinely large

HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth review
#12

Sivga Luan

8.1 Recommended
Sivga Luan earcup in dark wood, the black woven-mesh grille framed by a silver ring, a gold jack below

A semi-open dynamic with real wood cups and a natural, chocolatey midrange - $360 at launch, now $299.

  • Sound: Warm
  • Impedance: 38 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 100 dB (reference not stated)
  • Driver: Dynamic
  • List price: $299
  • Lowest price now: $299 at Audio46 on
  • Silent, perfectly damped cup swivel and tilt mechanism
  • Large pads relative to cups - plenty of ear space
  • Standard 3.5mm jacks - no fragile 2.5mm connectors

Watch out: Bass rolls off below ~45Hz

Sivga Luan review
#13

Verum Audio Verum 1

8.0 Recommended
Verum Audio Verum 1 resting cup on cup, a wood-grain shell under a flower-pattern cut-out metal grill

A $349 open-back planar that goes the opposite direction from most of the market - smooth, refined highs, full warm mids, and ruler-flat bass to 20Hz.

  • Sound: Warm, intimate stage
  • Impedance: 8 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 107 dB/mW
  • Weight: 475 g
  • List price: $349
  • Suspension-style leather headband adjusts beautifully
  • Smooth, non-fatiguing treble - almost impossible to make sibilant
  • Full, warm, inviting midrange with forward vocals

Watch out: 8Ω impedance demands real current from the amplifier

Verum Audio Verum 1 review
#14

Sivga Anser

8.0 Recommended
Sivga Anser earcups in dark red-brown wood with silver mesh grilles and a gold-rimmed jack on each

A $199 open-back dynamic with real wood cups and a tuning that delivers springy, bouncy mid-bass you won't find on $2,000 headphones - musical, fun, and built to last.

  • Earcups rotate 180 degrees for fit adjustment
  • Unique springy/bouncy mid-bass texture - addictive
  • Natural, warm midrange with great vocal body

Watch out: Soundstage is on the intimate side

Sivga Anser review

By driver and price

By driver

By list price

What changes at the next price tier

The best-ranked pick in each price band of this list, from the cheapest up, and what the next band's best pick adds or gives up. Prices are the reviews' list prices; the axis figures are each review's own score breakdown.

  1. Under $200 to $200-500

    The best pick goes from the Sivga Anser (8.0/10, $199) to the HIFIMAN Sundara (9.0/10, $299): $100 more for 1.0 higher on score. By the two reviews' breakdowns, the Sundara rates technical performance 1.7 higher, sound 1.1 higher and value 0.9 higher. By their reviews, the Sundara sounds neutral and the Anser warm.

  2. $200-500 to $500-1,000

    The best pick goes from the HIFIMAN Sundara (9.0/10, $299) to the OLLO Audio X1 (8.9/10, $549): $250 more for 0.1 lower on score. By the two reviews' breakdowns, the X1 rates build & comfort 0.4 higher and system fit 0.3 higher; technical performance 0.5 lower. In this list, the dearer band does not buy a higher score.

  3. $500-1,000 to $1,000-2,500

    The best pick goes from the OLLO Audio X1 (8.9/10, $549) to the HIFIMAN HE1000se (9.3/10, $1,700): $1,151 more for 0.4 higher on score. By the two reviews' breakdowns, the HE1000se rates technical performance 1.1 higher, build & comfort 0.5 higher and sound 0.3 higher; value 0.3 lower. By their reviews, the HE1000se sounds bright and the X1 neutral.

Torn between two picks?

6 pairs from this list with a head-to-head page of their own.

#1 HIFIMAN HE1000se 9.3 #2 HIFIMAN Arya Organic 9.2

#1 HIFIMAN HE1000se 9.3 #3 HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled 9.1

#2 HIFIMAN Arya Organic 9.2 #3 HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled 9.1

#2 HIFIMAN Arya Organic 9.2 #7 HIFIMAN Arya Stealth 8.7

#4 HIFIMAN Sundara 9.0 #6 HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth 8.8

#3 HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled 9.1 #7 HIFIMAN Arya Stealth 8.7

Alternatives under $250

Didn't crack the main list, but worth knowing about at a tighter budget.

HIFIMAN

HE400se

7.6/10 · $109

Questions buyers ask

  1. Do open-back headphones leak sound?

    They do, in both directions. The HIFIMAN HE1000se's review warns of no noise isolation for the listener and maximum sound bleed for anyone nearby, and the Meze 105 Silva's names its leakage as the reason it doesn't suit shared spaces. At an ordinary volume, anyone sitting next to you will hear your music, and outside noise comes through almost unchanged. The semi-open Sivga Luan has a layer of felt behind its grilles but is still vented, so it needs a quiet room as well.

  2. Can an open-back work as a gaming headset or for films?

    It can, at a desk, with one caution for voice chat: the sound an open-back leaks can reach a nearby microphone. Even the narrow-staged HIFIMAN HE400se, listed below the picks, let its reviewer tell which direction enemies were coming from in games. For films, the Sivga Luan's review found its locked-in imaging made for a lot of immersion, and the Meze 105 Silva's reviewer names watching movies among its best uses.

  3. Do open-back headphones need an amplifier?

    The open back doesn't decide that; the driver's impedance and sensitivity do, and most picks here run from modest gear. The OLLO Audio X1, at 32 ohms and 101 dB, gets plenty of volume from a laptop, the Sivga Anser plays loud from a laptop or a phone with a dongle, and the Meze 105 Silva comes with its own USB-C dongle. The two to plan around are both planars. The Verum Audio Verum 1's review starts it at about 2 W per channel, and the HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled needs a dedicated amp with good current delivery despite its 27 ohms.

  4. Do open-back headphones have less bass?

    Bass depth here follows the driver and the tuning more than the open back. The Meze 105 Silva's review notes that open-backs sometimes struggle to reach deep, satisfying bass, and finds this dynamic one digs deep, with a slightly forward mid-bass that punches. The OLLO Audio X1's bass is tight and reaches pretty deep, the HIFIMAN Sundara slopes down from about 50 Hz with 20 Hz still audible, and the Verum Audio Verum 1 is ruler-flat to 20 Hz. At the other end, the semi-open Sivga Luan rolls off below about 45 Hz and the HIFIMAN HE400se, listed below the picks, below 60 Hz.

  5. What's the difference between open-back and semi-open headphones?

    A semi-open cup is only partly vented, so it sits between an open-back and a closed-back. The Sivga Luan is the one semi-open pick on this list: a layer of felt behind its metal mesh grilles is what makes it semi-open, as its review explains. It still stages much wider side to side than Sivga's closed-back models, with sounds placed mostly in front of you, and being partly vented it still leaks, so it needs the same quiet room as the rest.

  6. Are open-back headphones better than closed-back?

    For listening in a quiet room of your own, usually. Venting the cup lets a headphone sound less inside your head, and the picks whose reviews describe the biggest stages are HIFIMAN planars such as the HE1000se and the Edition XS. The cost is isolation: sound passes through an open cup both ways, so anyone near you hears your music and household noise reaches you almost unchanged. On a commute, in an open office or near a microphone, a closed-back is the better buy.

  7. What are the best budget open-back headphones?

    Four of the open-backs reviewed here list under $300. The HIFIMAN Edition XS, at $269, stages very wide on an easy 18-ohm load, though its headband has no strap. The HIFIMAN Sundara, at $299, is wide and decently accurate for its price, and its pads get warm after a while. The Sivga Anser, at $199, is the cheapest pick, with an intimate, centered stage, and it plays loud from a laptop. Below the picks, the HIFIMAN HE400se costs $109, the least of any open-back reviewed here, but it needs an amplifier and its stage is narrow.

  8. Which open-back headphones suit mixing and music production?

    The OLLO Audio X1 is the one studio headphone on this list. OLLO calibrates every unit to the same flat frequency response, typically within ±1 dB, and the X1 supports Realphones mix-translation profiles that simulate a studio or a car. Its review prefers it by a wide margin to the Beyerdynamic DT 990 often recommended for mixing, whose bright treble can send you chasing problems that exist nowhere else in a track. The other picks were reviewed for listening at home.

Whether your room suits an open-back

An open-back vents the back of each driver to the room, so sound passes through it both ways. The HIFIMAN HE1000se is the usual case: its review warns of no noise isolation for you and maximum sound bleed for anyone nearby. The Meze 105 Silva lists its leakage as the reason it doesn't suit shared spaces, and the Sivga Anser review says its open cups make it best used somewhere quiet.

Check the room against three things before you buy:

  • Anyone near you will hear your music at an ordinary volume, which rules out an open office, a bedroom where someone is asleep and public transport.
  • Household noise, from a fan to the traffic outside, reaches you almost unchanged and covers the quietest parts of a recording. Turning up to drown it out is hard on your hearing, and the safe listening calculator shows how long a given level is safe.
  • A microphone in the same room, for calls, streaming or recording, can pick up the sound that leaks out.

The Sivga Luan goes part of the way toward a sealed cup, with a layer of felt behind its metal grilles that makes it semi-open. It's still vented, so give it the same quiet room. If yours can't be quiet, a closed-back is the better buy.

How much stage an open back buys

Venting the cup gives a headphone room to sound less inside your head, and how far each pick takes that differs a lot.

The picks whose reviews describe the biggest stages are all HIFIMAN planars. The HE1000se has the most spacious presentation in HIFIMAN's egg-shaped range, big and tall and wrapped around you, with pinpoint imaging. The HIFIMAN Arya Organic stages wider than the Ananda models and the Arya Stealth, though it's short on depth. The HIFIMAN Ananda Nano's stage is the widest in its class, and the HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth is wide and open and gets well out of your head. The HIFIMAN Edition XS is very wide too, and places everything a little further off than expected, so vocals can seem to come from behind your head.

The rest stage closer in, several of them with sharper placement:

  • The HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth isn't the widest, and its reviewer rates how it places voices and instruments as its best quality.
  • The HIFIMAN Arya Stealth gets out of your head easily but not far, with near-3D imaging and a tall sound on large-scale music.
  • The OLLO Audio X1, a studio headphone, goes for realism: a stage of ordinary size with precise placement and real depth.
  • The HIFIMAN Sundara is wide and decently accurate for its price, and less open than HIFIMAN's bigger planars.
  • The 105 Silva is well layered and never sounds trapped in your head, while the Luan puts most sounds in front of you and the Anser is intimate and centered.
  • The Verum Audio Verum 1 is fairly closed-in, yet it can put sounds behind you, and more amplifier power widens it.

Removing the grille isn't a shortcut to width either. The HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled has none at all, and its review found the gain was a silent background and clean imaging more than extra space. The soundstage explainer separates width from imaging, and the sound signature quiz tests your taste in stereo width blind.

What to check on the cups and pads

Open cups can run cooler than sealed ones, and the pads decide how much. The HE1000se's deep pads, with breathable cloth where they touch your skin, left its reviewer's ears neither hot nor sweaty after four hours, and the Ananda Nano's three-material pads did the same. The HE1000 Stealth's hybrid pads stay comfortable through summer sessions, and the 105 Silva's velour pads seal without trapping heat, even over glasses. Only the Sundara's review warns that its pads get warm inside after a while, and their small opening may not suit large ears.

Most of the HIFIMANs here guard the driver with the Window Shade grille, which shields it while keeping the cup open. The Arya Unveiled has no grille at all. A stray screw or a shed hair can reach its bare magnets, so the magnetic covers in the box go on whenever it's off your head, and its reviewer found they guide themselves into place without holding very securely. No other pick asks for that kind of care.

Pads wear, and a worn pad lets bass leak away, so check how easily they're replaced. The Verum 1's attach magnetically and change in seconds, the OLLO X1's are user-replaceable on a headphone built to be repaired, and the HE1000 Stealth's clip off, though its reviewer suggests leaving them alone without a reason.

Where to look for a sealed or portable pair

None of the open-backs reviewed here is wireless or a gaming headset with a boom mic, and none isolates, so for a commute, an office or a flight you need a closed-back or an in-ear. The budget headphones guide includes closed-backs under $200, the under-$500 guide has a sealed hybrid, and the IEM guide ranks in-ears at every price.

The HIFIMAN HE400se is listed under the picks as a cheaper alternative. At $109 it costs less than any other open-back reviewed here, though it needs an amplifier and its stage is narrow.

Once you've decided on an open back, the planar guide ranks the planar models on their own, and the headphone amplifier guide ranks amps for the few picks that need one. The headphone power calculator tells you whether your current source is enough.

Ranked by score, on the one rubric every review uses: Sound 30%, Technical performance 25%, Build & comfort 15%, System fit 15% and Value 15%. Best Value goes to the pick, other than the winner, with the most score for its price: its score divided by log10(price + 9), on the review's list price. Best Budget goes to the highest-ranked pick not already awarded in the cheapest quarter of the list, which here runs to $299. No placement here is sponsored, paid for, or negotiable.

How a score is built Funding and independence All headphone reviews

Sources

Best Planar Magnetic Headphones

10 picks, led by the HIFIMAN HE1000se (9.3/10). Every one of them is on this list too, so it is a narrower cut of the same field.

Best Budget Headphones

4 picks, led by the Sivga Anser (8.0/10). 3 of them are not on this list, led by the Sivga Robin SV021 (7.8/10).

Best Headphone Amplifiers

4 picks, led by the HIFIMAN Serenade (9.3/10).

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All picks

  1. #1 HIFIMAN HE1000se Best Overall 9.3 $1,700
  2. #2 HIFIMAN Arya Organic 9.2 $1,099
  3. #3 HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled 9.1 $1,299
  4. #4 HIFIMAN Sundara Best Value 9.0 $299
  5. #5 OLLO Audio X1 8.9 $549
  6. #6 HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth 8.8 $359
  7. #7 HIFIMAN Arya Stealth 8.7 $759
  8. #8 Meze 105 Silva 8.7 $499
  9. #9 HIFIMAN Edition XS Best Budget 8.7 $269
  10. #10 HIFIMAN Ananda Nano 8.6 $499
  11. #11 HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth 8.5 $1,119
  12. #12 Sivga Luan 8.1 $299
  13. #13 Verum Audio Verum 1 8.0 $349
  14. #14 Sivga Anser 8.0 $199