When it comes to audio, Sennheiser headphones are synonymous with “the best”. Ask any audiophile what their preferred brand is and I guarantee you a majority of them will say “Sennys all day”. With that being said, and considering they’ve been around for almost 70 years, their catalog is pretty big and it’s difficult at times to decipher which pair of headphones to buy. Before we tell you the exact best pair in general, it should be taken note that this answer depends on a few factors depending on your specific needs. Will you be mixing and mastering? Listening to headphones in general to simply enjoy your favorite tunes? Gaming? Exercise? These questions can go on forever, but it is very important because it will help you determine which model you need in terms of design, power, comfort and more. Today we will help you determine which Sennheiser headphones are the best for you.
How to choose your Sennheiser headphones
As we said, there are some factors to keep in mind when narrowing down your preferred pair of Sennys. Here’s brief checklist to use:
- What is your budget? Here’s the most important factor of all. Sennheiser is so specialized when it comes to headphones that their price range can vary from $50 to a couple thousand dollars. What’s your limit?
- Which activity(s) will you be partaking in? There are some tailor-made models for DJ’s, sports, travel, music producers and more. But don’t worry, a lot of these also vary across the board, so grabbing a pair that fits multiple needs is also possible.
- Your preferred wearing style. There are three main styles of wear when it comes to Sennheiser headphones — over-ear, on-ear, and of course, ear buds.
- Wired or wireless? A lot of these are wired, but we found one of the best wireless pairs they have as well.
Our picks for the best Sennheiser headphones
What we’ve decided to sort these by is broad use as well as wearing style. We try to give a few more options in case there are budget concerns as well. Let us know what you think in the comments!
Best studio headphones
Sennheiser HD-280 PRO
These made our top 10 best studio headphones article for a reason. It’s extremely tough to straight up pick the best studio headphones made by Senny considering their HD models span across a huge budget range and design type, but we’ve forced ourselves to choose based on review rating and budget-to-quality ratio. The best Senny studio headphones also depends on if you’re either mixing\mastering or recording tracks (if you’re mixing, you need open-back, if you’re recording, you need closed). The HD are often recommend by Reddit’s audiophile community and those guys know what they’re talking about. They’re closed-back, very lightweight and comfortable (no pain even after long use), padded ears and headband, replaceable cable for even more longevity, and the earpieces are collapsible for easy travel. These can also be said to be great for everyday use since they’re built for transport, so if you plan on using them for a wide variety of activities they are perfect. Just read the reviews and see for yourself how many people love this pair of headphones. If you aren’t using any other studio gear in terms of additional power, you’ll definitely need a headphone amplifier for these — they’re not too expensive though, but keep that in mind when it comes to planning your budget. Oh, and if you want to go for the gold, check out the Sennheiser HD 800 — although that’s only recommend for the Kings and Queens of audio.
Best earbuds
Sennheiser CX 300 II Precision
They say “enhanced bass” in the title but don’t be alarmed — it’s not too overpowering and they sound crystal clear. There’s a reason why these are rated so highly by thousands of people, and to add to the stability factor is that they’ve been around since 2001 so we have some case studies to base our purchase on. They are not outdated whatsoever and have been able to stand the test of time for more than a decade. The only downfall to this I can think of is the lack of control center on the cable, considering they were made before iPhones even existed. Regardless, if you want a solid pair of earbuds by Sennheiser, these are the ones to grab. Engadget’s CX 300 II review rated them very highly as well.
If you want a newer, a little more expensive pair and a step up, check out the Sennheiser MM70i (they have iPhone\Galaxy navigation built-in if that’s what you need).
Best wireless headphones
Sennheiser RS 170
This is the last category of Sennheiser worth diving into and although wireless headphones are a bit more scarce, these are extremely high quality. We’d recommend these over any Beats by Dre model or Skull Candy after-market trash. They are closed-back, dynamic headphones with a very clear sound. It comes with a convenient dock (is also a multi-purpose transmitter) to charge up or merely store your headphones when you’re not using them. What’s cool is the receiver than allow 4 people to listen to the source of sound at once. The range goes up to a whopping 260 feet and can be played for up to 24 hours per charge. They’re comfortable as heck and just do their job. If you want to save some money you can also grab the lower model (RS 60) or even go higher with their RS 80. But we like this model since it’s in the middle, although all models in their wireless category are rated highly.
Best for everyday use
Sennheiser Momentum
These are a bit new but have proven themselves to be the ideal everyday use headphones by Senny. They’re offered in a decent range of essential colors, and although the price is a bit up there, they are worth it due to their overall quality. When I look for an everyday use pair of cans, I’m needing a closed-back design (for some privacy and sound isolation), easy travel use with a case, overall comfort, and nice-looking style. The Momentum’s have just those, not to mention premium leather ear pads and headband, metal cups and stainless build, 18-ohm impedance, and a super convenient control station on the cable. This pair really has it all and is the definition of multi-purpose. The case it comes with is awesome too, making this a very efficient value. Available in black, brown and white, you get some choices for aesthetics, too. One of our favorites. HeadFi loved these in their momentum headphones review, giving it just about 5 out of 5 stars.
