Why buy Audiophile headphones?

The easy answer as to why you would want to buy any of the best audiophile headphones of 2020 is that you want the best sounding headphone in the world. Simple right? But, the truth is, very few people get into this hobby and buy one of these outstanding high-fidelity headphones right out the gate. In reality, are the best sounding headphones going to best fit your needs?

We have laid out a few things below we think you should consider before purchasing a set of headphones and I hope this article can help you choose the best ones for your particular needs.

The pursuit of high-end audio fidelity usually involves a lot of tinkering as well as making many headphone purchases and upgrades along the way. You might start out with a set of simple budget audiophile headphones like the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro plus a relatively inexpensive DAP but before you know it you're listening to music on a full array of Dacs & tube amplifiers. You own custom cables and multiple sets of multi-thousand dollar headphones such as the gorgeous Focal Stelia. Your pockets are significantly lighter but your music sounds great. There’s something about this hobby that drags you in. Once it does its impossible to go back to using consumer-grade audio equipment.

Much of this obsession comes down to audiophiles (and those that appreciate fidelity in general) having a deeper understanding of how the physical hardware they use affects the reproduction of their music. It is easy to become obsessed with minor annoyances that are often easily overlooked by a layperson. You will soon pick up on barely audible treble spikes, minor bass roll-offs, and much more. This is because when you know what to look for it’s amazing how much an effect these little things can have on your enjoyment of the music. Good music simply sounds better through good audio equipment.

Of course, an extra benefit to purchasing a set of audiophile headphones is that you can have incredible sound and you don't have to step into the ultra-pricey world of high-end HiFi systems. That, or you may just not have the space available to accommodate a full-size setup. By going the headphone route you can still experience extremely high levels of fidelity in a relatively compact package.

Choosing The Best Audiophile Headphones For Your Needs (How to buy headphones?)

Whilst sound quality should be of the utmost importance when buying audiophile headphones don't forget to consider a few other factors when looking for the best solution. This will further your enjoyment of your headphones in the long term.

The best headphones in the world might have the best sound but if they are too impractical for use in the scenarios where you listen to music, it's probably worth buying something better suited to the task. We have highlighted some areas below we think you should consider before making any purchase.

Comfort & Fit

Comfort and fit both play huge roles in determining how good of a match certain headphones are for you. A set of uncomfortable headphones is going to make you want to not use them. Good audiophile headphones will be comfortable for long listening periods. Consider the way the headphones are designed to be worn, the materials, and the weight.

Consider Your Budget

The price is one of the biggest barriers to entry for some of the world's best-sounding headphones. Don't be too disheartened though as there are a number of budget headphone options that produce about 95% of the sound that the multi $1000 versions do. The difference between an entry-level audiophile headphone and an ultra-high-end model is a sonic evolution as opposed to a revolution.

Availability and servicing

Generally speaking, these headphones are not going to be cheap and as with all electronic goods, things can and do go wrong. Given the cost of the outlay, most people will be looking to have some sort of warranty and support system in place in the unfortunate event of getting a bad set of cans. I tend to refer people to Amazon as a first stop shop because they have a very consumer-friendly approach when issues do arise. However, a lot of the companies on this list value their customers and put in the effort in the aftercare. Still, if it is a foreign company and you need to ship them back to the factory then you will most likely be paying the postage and you will also want to have them insured both ways so this can certainly add to the cost and is worth considering.

What headphones do I use?

One of the most common questions I get asked from this site is what headphones do I use personally?

Obviously what works for you might be completely different, there is no right or wrong answer. That's said here are some links to my personal favorite equipment.

What source should I use to get the best sound from my Hi-Res headphones?

Whilst the music is and always will be the star of the show, the headphones you use have a massive effect on sound quality. The same can be said for the source you use, just to a lesser extent. Assuming you are using high-resolution audio files you are going to want to use a good source to make sure the signal is crispy clean and has enough power to drive your headphones to their full potential.

I personally use 2 "sources" (both listed above) for the majority of my listening, One for home and one for on the go. My home setup is driven by an insane all in one Amp and DAC and on the go I will most likely be using my phone with an external DAC or a stand-alone DAP.

However, you don't have to spend that much to get a great sound. Something like the budget-friendly Objective 2 amp will blow your mind with its transparency and detail for home use. If the portable clean sound on a budget is your thing then many frugal audiophiles still swear by the Clip Mp3 Player by Sansa.

The short version of what I am trying to say is, upgrade your files first, then headphones and after that, you can throw any extra at the sources. The differences in sound quality from changing headphones can be night and day whereas, at a certain point, with hi-res sources, it can be very incremental in terms of improvements to sound for your dollar.

If you want to read more about the best source hardware for your music you can check out our lists of the best high res music player and best budget music players.

The 30 Best Audiophile Headphones of 2020