Category
Headphones
20 spec sheets, checked against datasheets Filter and sort the whole list
A good pair of headphones is the cheapest serious upgrade in audio. We check every spec sheet against the manufacturer datasheet and score each model against its class, wired or wireless.
Straight from the spec sheets
Quick answers
Which one runs happily off a phone?
Sennheiser IE 80 S at 16 ohms is the easiest load here; under about 50 ohms a phone or laptop is fine. Sennheiser HD 820 at 300 ohms really wants a proper amp.
Which one is the lightest?
Sennheiser IE 80 S at 45 g, which you feel after an hour. The heaviest we list is Sennheiser HD 559 at 635 g.
Which one plays loudest?
Sennheiser HD 4.30 is rated to 120 dB peak, the highest of the 20 here with a published figure. The quietest, Sennheiser HD 600, tops out at 97 dB.
16 spec sheets
Over-ear headphones
Cups that go around the ear. The most comfortable for long sessions and usually the best sounding at a given price. Closed backs keep sound in, open backs sound bigger but leak.
1 spec sheet
On-ear headphones
Pads that rest on the ear rather than around it. Lighter and more portable than over-ears, at the cost of some isolation and a bit of clamp.
3 spec sheets
In-ear monitors
Tips that seal in the ear canal. Great isolation, tiny, and the serious ones rival full size headphones. Fit is everything, so try a few tip sizes.
