I’ve decided to face head-on one of the most common questions that we get asked.
“What are the best bang-for-your-buck headphones?”
The audio industry is expanding at an astonishing rate, with loads of new earphones and headphones launched on the market every other day.
With so much noise around in our daily lives it’s hard to find an earpiece that not only justifies its price but also is a great combination of quality, sound, and plenty of fun features.
Moreover, it’s important that our readers aren’t purchasing a product just based on the brand name. We want you to get the quality you’re paying for! Shopping by brand name is the reason that many consumers get fooled and settle for headphones that underperform for the price paid.
If you don’t want to be that kind of buyer, I’d suggest you read through the article to get a clear idea of what is available and at what price.
Since there’s a plethora of headphones and earbuds on the market, I’ve even listed some alternatives that you can buy at a similar price.
Are you ready?
Let’s get started!
Best Bang for your Buck Headphones under $50-$1000
Product | Sennheiser HD800 | Bose QuietComfort 35 | Audio Technica ATH M50x | Avantree Audition Pro | Monoprice 8323 | |
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Best Headphone under $1000
#1: Sennheiser HD800
People say you have to be crazy to spend such a huge chunk of money on the Sennheiser HD800s.
But I’d like to frame it this way: if you really want to get the best-of-the-best sound from a headphone without compromising anything, the $1000 you spend will be more than worth it.
The Sennheiser HD800s have been a standard-setter when it comes to reference grade headphones since 2009. It’s rare to find headphones that can come close to this product, other than their successors, the Sennheiser HD800S or the 2nd Generation T1 Tesla from Beyerdynamic.
Before I get into discussing the finer details of this beast of a headphone, let’s first check out what’s inside the box.
Inside the cardboard box is a large wooden box that holds the Sennheiser HD800s, which are packaged in satin cloth, creating a unique unboxing experience for purchasers.
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One thing to note is that the Sennheiser HD800s come with a 6.3mm jack rather than the industry standard 3.5mm jack, and Sennheiser recommends using it alongside with a headphone amplifier that is specifically designed to pair with the HD800 to get the best sound possible.
However I'd suggest going with the Creative Sound Blaster X7 - a cheaper option with support for headphones with 600 Ohms.
All HD800s are hand crafted by Sennheiser in Germany and tested as well, with each headphone having a unique identifying number. Using this number customers can contact Sennheiser and get their specific headphone’s frequency graph.
The ear cups on the Sennheiser HD800s are fairly large, and a comfortable fit on your ears with no strain at all. The soft cushion allows them to be worn for longer periods of time and the open back design keeps air flowing throughout the drivers.
The sound quality in these products is unparalleled, and very few headphones can match it.
“Well these are the best audiophile headphones available; that is going to blow your mind and have the best reference sound that cannot be matched by headphones you have right now.”
Best Headphone under $500
#2: Bose QuietComfort 35
In a recent article we had recommended the Bose QC35s, and now it’s back to join another list.
Within a few months of the launch, this flagship headphone from Bose has garnered close to 2000 customer reviews with a solid 4.5 star rating.
These are the most technologically advanced headphones you can buy right now and after looking over all the inclusions as far as quality and sound, the price really isn’t too outrageous.
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Available in black and silver, the Bose QC35s have an understated but classy design, and compared to the all plastic previous generation QC25 this newer model utilizes metal design and premium materials as well, making Bose QuietComfort the best bang-for-your-buck headphones if you’re shelling out close to $500.
The USP of these headphones is their world class noise-cancelling feature. You can listen to audio with pristine quality at only 20-30% volume while the noise-cancelling feature is on, which saves you from partial ear damage and offers a longer listening experience as well.
With the Bluetooth on, QC35 offers a maximum battery life of 20 hours, and while connected via aux, the usage time shoots up to over 40 hours. Unfortunately it does take close to 2 hours to get these fully charged.
For the price, there aren’t many accessories provided. You do get the basics: a 2.5mm-to-3.5mm aux cable, micro USB cable for charging, and a rigid carrying case as well.
As far as quality and construction, this product is both durable and flexible and doesn’t lose shape even when stretched to the limit. The headband features faux leather on top, while the bottom is covered with Alcantara, a material that is used in the manufacture of luxury cars.
They also come with an NFC pairing, and with the Bose Connect app users can control various functions of the headphones via smartphone easily.
“Talking straight, the Bose QuietComfort 35 is the best wireless headphones for the money, and the most technologically advanced headphone from Bose as well. If you travel frequently, and want to cut-off from outside noise, getting the QC35 is a no-brainer.”
Best Headphone under $200
#3: Audio Technica ATH M50x
We highly recommend taking a close look at the Audio Technica ATH M50xs.
Why?
Almost every music producer, be it a beginner or professional, uses the M50x.
Launched back in 2014, this headphone is still a favorite choice among consumers and professional studio artists as well.
M50x literally changed the market when it came to quality products under $200. A 4.6/5 star ratings coming from over 3500+ customers doesn’t lie.
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This is probably why this product is named the best headphones for DJing and mixing as well.
Audio Technica ATH M50xs are available in plethora of colors, ranging from black, blue, white, green and a complete matte finish as well.
Purchasers will receive this professional studio monitor with three different types of detachable cables: a coiled cable, a 1.2m short cable, and a 3m long cable – as well as a draw string faux leather carrying pouch. However to keep the headphones extra safe, I’d recommend you get a hard shell carrying case.
If you want to turn your M50xs wireless, you can get this fairly small Bluetooth adapter. Portability isn’t an issue with the ATH-M50xs as the ear cups can lay flat and swivel 90 degrees. They also fold to allow for easy storage.
Technicality wise, these studio-monitoring headphones are fairly large with 45mm drivers that are capable of producing a frequency response between 15 – 28000 Hz.
The ATH M50xs allow you to enjoy bass heavy songs with balanced beats.
Unlike other studio monitors, the Audio Technica ATH M50xs aren’t heavy, and weigh 285 grams.
“Words can do justice to the performance of Audio Technica ATH M50x, you’d have experience it to know it. This is surely the best bang for your buck headphones, and instead of going for a cheaper model, I’d recommend to save a little and get the M50x as soon as possible.”
Best Headphone under $100
#4: Avantree Audition Pro
There are a plethora of headphones available under $100, ranging from wired to wireless, from close-back to open-back, some with NFC enabled, and plenty of them with excellent sound quality as well.
However it’s a struggle to find all these features in one device, and this is the reason why we’ve listed Avantree Audition Pro as the best headphone priced under $100.
Successor to the already star performer Avantree Audition, the Pro offers low latency aptX that provides lag free audio over Bluetooth.
Available in a fairly decent color, these headphones weigh 190 grams and offer a solid battery life of 40 hours. Customers can also use the provided aux cable and enjoy 0% lag-free audio at an optimum sound quality as well.
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Being light, Avantree Pro makes a great headphone while watching movies and with an additional Bluetooth Adapter, you can wirelessly connect this headphone to your TV and enjoy movies, music, and TV shows.
This already lightweight headphone has a foldable design and can be easily stored in the zippered case included. The box also provides a 1.2m aux cable, USB cable, and a user manual.
To keep things comfortable super soft ear cups offer a nice seal. Thanks to the headrest you won’t feel its weight and it doesn’t loses its shape.
Avantree has also kept things simple by using only 3 buttons: power on, volume up, and volume down. Its overall minimalistic design and a combination brown/black color gives it an understated but classy look.
“Wouldn’t you want a headphone that’s wireless, NFC enabled, lightweight and offers great sound quality? If yes, don’t wait further and get the Avantree Audition Pro ASAP.”
Best Headphone under $50
#5: Monoprice 8323
Monoprice is company that offers headphones at an affordable price with excellent sound quality.
There’s nothing fancy about the Monoprice 8323 – it focuses instead on sound quality.
For the price, you get a fairly big box containing the headphones themselves along with 1.2m and 3m cables, and a 3.5mm to 6.3mm adapter as well.
Design wise, the 8323 resembles most DJ style headphones and the ear cups can swivel and stay flat on the surface as well.
They’re modification-friendly as well, and most people have modified the 8323 by adding a much softer ear pad and a durable aux cable that makes them feel comfortable and worth the $100.
I do admit that there are many other headphones with sound quality as good as Monoprice 8323 and durability in this price range. However they aren’t as mod-friendly as this one, and you can’t tailor them to your own liking as well.
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It comes with 40mm drivers that are capable of producing a wider frequency response available in headphones under $100, and this is why we’ve listed the Monoprice 8323s as the best bang for your buck headphones under $50.
The plastic material does feel tacky and make noises, but while wearing them there is no interference or annoyance at all.
To mod the headphone yourself, you can get these super comfortable red ear pads from Brainwavz and a highly durable aux cable from Anker to change the look completely.
“Under $50, there are plenty of good options available, however I’ve suggested the Monoprice 8323 because of its sound quality, a wide soundstage and tight frequency response.”