Open back headphones allow for improved sound quality and listening comfort. Because sound waves reverberate, closed back headphones can cause waves to reflect off the backplate and cause distortion, which can taint the sound. With open back headphones, you get a sound quality that is much closer to the original intentions of the artist. You also get a much wider sound. In this article, I will discuss the features of the best open back headphones under 200 dollars.
That might seem like a lot to spend on a pair of headphones, especially in this day and age. After all, most people can get a pair of earbuds for just a couple bucks, plug them into a smartphone, and listen away. You can even some decent midrange headphones for a much lower price range. Why do you need to spend extra on a special headset?
If you’re mixing and editing music, you can’t beat a pair of high quality headphones to switch back and forth between. The open design is the one used by the pros because it gives the most realistic reference point for their work. When you hear music on these headphones, you get the best frequency range, flat frequency response, clarity, and a wide soundstage––all without sacrificing portability.
So without furtherado, below are the 7 best open back headphones under 200 dollars. But first: some frequently asked questions on the topic.
The Best Open Back Headphones Under 200 Dollars | Frequently Asked Questions
Open back headphones give listeners the opportunity to experience music with a whole new level of quality. There’s a reason that you can feel the beat when you crank up the music in your car or on your stereo. Sound waves are vibrations in the air. To optimize your listening experience, you must take into consideration the physical properties of sound.
- What Are Open Back Headphones?
- What Are the Advantages of Openback Headphones
- What Are Some of the Other Features of Open Back Headphones
- What Are Semi-Open Headphones?
1. What Are Open Back Headphones?
Open back headphones have vents that allow the sound waves to escape rather than bounce around inside the headphones. This creates a unique sound experience that creates the illusion that the artist is there performing with you in your home.
Why They Are Ideal for Music Production
This is sometimes referred to as a soundstage––it’s the illusion that sounds are coming from different places in your physical environment. Concert venues and movie theaters use this approach to great effect. But even home theaters and home music studios can employ this technology.
In music production, this aspect of music has come to be expected by listeners. People don’t just want to hear music that comes from one tiny speaker in one corner of the room… they want music that fills the room and makes it feel like it’s coming from all over.
But of course, you can’t create that effect if you can’t hear it to begin with.
That’s why open-back headphones and other equipment can help so much. They give you a window into an important part of sound design that you wouldn’t be able to experience otherwise. That way, your listeners will get to hear it too.
2. What Are The Advantages Of Open Back Headphones?
Besides better sound quality, open back headphones are often also more comfortable to wear. The vents create a cooling effect, so your ears don’t get sweaty or clammy.
There are multiple aspects to the sound quality, though. In most cases, the big advantage of open back headphones is that many of them are designed with editing in mind. Yes, they leak sound and could easily annoy people who are sitting next to you on a bus or train, but that’s not what they’re built for. They were made with music production in mind.
Headphones that made the “best open back headphones under 200 dollars” list all have one thing in common—they make great reference headphones for music production and mixing.
Closed Back Downsides
No matter how good a pair of studio headphones are, the sound quality is going to suffer if they’re closed-back. That’s because even if the frequency response is practically perfect, the speakers themselves will cause imperfections in the sound. When the sound waves are bouncing off the closed-back ear cups, or even if they’re mostly absorbed, they will still not sound as rich as headphones without closed backs.
With open back, you’ll hear more detail, and be able to use that information to create a better mix. Thanks to their “flat” frequency response, when your tracks are played on different speakers, the mix will still sound right.
3. What Are Some Other Features Of Open Back Headphones?
Open back headphones are compatible with most audio devices. This will depend on the Ohm impedance, but in most cases, the models listed here have wide compatibility.
Look for models with detachable cables that you can replace if the originals get damaged. If you’re spending $200 on these, you don’t want to have to replace the whole unit just because of a bad cable!
In addition to their great sound and comfort, open back headphones are available in a variety of fashionable styles and colors. From my perspective, that’s just an added bonus, though. I rarely go out and about with my open back headphones, so for me, the style is less important than the sound.
4. What Are Semi-Open Headphones?
Semi-open headphones? You may have seen some of these semi-open studio headphones advertised and wondered if they are the same thing, or close enough that it doesn’t make a difference.
In my opinion, no, they are really not the same thing.
So Which Are They More Similar to?
In many ways, a semi-open headset is actually more like closed-back headphones than like an open-back design.
The ear cups are almost closed, but without making a full air seal, so there is some air passing through. As a result, there’s a little bit of sound leakage, just not as much as there would be with a completely open design.
The downside is that semi-open headphones lack the pure sound of the open-back design. But they also don’t have the advantages of the closed-back design, like noise isolation and zero sound leakage.
Semi-open design headphones can be great for relaxed, informal listening, but they are generally not going to give you the same natural sound quality that you’ll find from a pair of real, open-back reference headphones. For home studio use, it’s usually best to go with the regular open design.
We didn’t include any semi-open headphones on our list of the best open back headphones under 200 dollars.
How We Determined The Best Open Back Headphones Under 200 Dollars
I rated our selections on sound quality, appearance, overall comfort, compatibility, and other relevant features.
What Headphones Reviewed
- Audio Technica ATH-AD900X Open-Back Audiophile Headphones
- Sennheiser HD 558 Headphones
- Philips Audio Fidelio X2HR Over-Ear Open-Air Headphone
- AKG Pro Audio K612PRO
- GRADO SR225e Prestige Series Wired Open-Back Stereo Headphone
- Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro
- Philips SHP9500 HiFi Precision Stereo Over-Ear Headphones
Audio Technica ATH-ad900x Open Back Audiophile Headphones
Features
At around $135, the Audio Technica headphones offer excellent sound quality and comfort at a very affordable price. The design focuses more on function than form.
For a good set of headphones at an affordable price, this is the perfect choice.
The build quality is hit-and-miss. The velour earpads themselves are a comfortable material. The ear cups are solidly built out of metal, but that’s where the troubles begin. The rest of these phones are built out of less durable plastic.
Now, there are pros and cons to this. On the one hand, they are light and feel comfortable when you’re wearing them. On the other, I worry that the headband might be slightly easier to break than some of the other phones on this list.
Still, the lightness and the earpads make these pretty easy to wear for longer periods of time. Trust me, when you’re mixing for hours, you are going to notice that comfort is a big factor for headphones—not just for how you feel while you wear them, but for how you feel afterward.
As far as the sound is concerned, these headphones do better with high frequency than with low. They have plenty of room with the treble, but the bass is so-so and lacks the substance of some more heavy-duty pairs.
The soundstage is particularly impressive, however, and if you are looking for a set that focuses on soundstage, comfort, and price, then these are a very good choice.
Pros
- Good price
- Comfortable ear pads
- 3D wing support housing
Cons
- Not very attractive
- No detachable cable
Sennheiser HD 558 Headphones
Features
Sennheiser offers a terrific set of open back headphones for around $175. These headphones offer great sound and have a stylish body.
They aren’t quite as advanced as the highly-touted Sennheiser HD 600, but they’re also half the price. When you take that into account, the value of the Sennheiser HD 558 makes it deserving of extra attention.
I do have to say, the HD 558 is a pair of very comfortable headphones. This design doesn’t pull hair with its headband or get caught in bags when being removed from storage.
With a detachable cable and comfortable ear pads, the Sennheiser offers everything you’d want in a pair of affordable open back headphones.
Pros
- Great sound quality
- Detachable cable
- Sleek, attractive design
Cons
- Tight fit makes it tough to wear glasses while using them
- Won’t work with all cables
Philips Audio Fidelio X2HR Over-Ear Open-Air Headphone
Features
Available at around $145, this is an affordably priced set of open back headphones. Although the sound quality didn’t quite match up to the other models on this list, these headphones still offer good sound. The detachable ear pads make this set of headphones versatile.
These would make a great set of travel headphones when you don’t want to risk damaging your best headphones.
The extended frequency response gives it a good range and a pleasing, balanced sound. Another positive attribute is comfort. While I wouldn’t say the sound quality can compete with the leaders on this list, the comfort is exceptional. The adjustable band allows listeners to find the perfect fit. You really can wear these for hours on end.
Pros
- Adjustable headband
- Sleek design
- Comfortable
Cons
- Lower sound quality than other options on this list
AKG Pro Audio K612PRO
Features
The AKG Pro Audio K612PRO offers lightweight, high-quality sound for around $115. This model does not have a detachable cable, and you cannot change the ear pads.
The overall sound quality is superior to the many headphones on the market: better sound quality, but lower comfort and fewer options in that department.
On the downside, the design is clunky. There are two metal bands connecting the headphones with a flexible band beneath them for comfort and support. This is another example of function over form.
The one thing I will say is that these are a great value. You get a lot of good sound for the cost, and if you don’t really care so much about clunkiness or comfort, then that may not bother you so much. I would seriously consider these if price was a big issue, and I knew I didn’t have any more to spend. This would be especially true if I had a short-term project and wanted to get the best mix possible for it.
For the long haul, if I wanted a pair of headphones I was going to use for a long time, these would be a good pick, but I still might slightly prefer one or two of the others.
Pros
- Affordable price
- Good sound
Cons
- Headphone body is awkward
- No detachable cables or ear pads
GRADO SR225e Prestige Series Wired Open Back Stereo Headphones
Features
If your budget is $200, you can do no better than the GRADO SR225e. These headphones offer almost no distortion and come with a very classic, lightweight style.
These headphones perfectly combine form and functionality. They are comfortable, beautiful to look at, and have tremendous sound quality. You’ll look like an old school radioman with your set of GRADO SR225e headphones.
GRADO has been making great open-back headphones for a long, long time. The design is a throwback retro style. It might not be everyone’s personal aesthetic, but I personally love it. And if I’m in my mixing studio, who cares? I don’t need to impress anyone, except with the music I’m creating. And the GRADOs are pretty fantastic at helping out there, too.
Of course, these are primarily for the home studio. The design will leak sound like crazy. The large ear cups have an enormous surface area on the back. If you wear them in public, you may as well just point a speaker straight at anyone who is sitting next to you. Don’t be that person.
This newest GRADO is a step up from the old GRADO SR80e in that it’s great for rock but also has more momentum on the low end. Now, these can handle more music styles, and provide serious bass as well as the quality midrange that GRADO has always been known for.
Basically, these are fantastic all-around open back headphones. You can use them for mixing OR for listening. Just don’t expect any noise isolation, for you or for anyone near you.
Pros
- Stylish look
- Fantastic sound
- Lightweight
Cons
- No detachable cable
- No removable ear pads
Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro Open Studio Headphones
What is there to say about the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro? These studio headphones are all about sound quality. In my opinion, you’re going to get an absolutely top-notch sound for the money you’re spending.
These headphones are not really remarkable in terms of their design and style. The metal headband is just very average, although the comfortable velour ear pads save the day in terms of comfort.
There are few extras, and on the downside, the Beyerdynamics also don’t have a detachable cable, which I really wish was just a standard feature on all of these. The widespread use of plastic as the main material also made me worry about the overall sturdiness of the headphones.
Still, in most cases, these types of headphones are not going to leave the studio too often. After all, these aren’t your “listen to music on the subway” headphones.
Now, before it makes it sound like I have a negative opinion on these, that is very far from the truth. The strengths of these headphones are fantastic, while their drawbacks are pretty minor. While the build quality isn’t as good as it could be, it also isn’t terrible. If you treat these well, they should last you a while. And despite the mostly plastic build, these are super comfortable to wear.
More to the point, the sound quality is phenomenal. This makes it one of my favorites on this list, because what you get in this department makes up for any other shortcomings.
Sometimes, open back headphones can feel like they’re not up to the challenge of representing musical tracks with strong bass. In this case, the headphones come through, but they simply do it in a way that’s faithful to the original mix––that is to say, they only land that punch when the track is designed that way. But they are responsive and rich, which is exactly what you want when you’re trying to hear everything that’s included in the track.
The high and mid-level frequencies are similarly well developed, and I could listen to these for hours. So a couple of minor weaknesses, but great sound and especially at this price point. You could get some very, very good mixing done with these in your studio.
Pros
- Extremely comfortable
- Great sound quality
- Clear and precise sound quality
- Thinner, light headband
Cons
- Non-removable cable
Philips SHP9500 HiFi Precision Stereo Over-Ear Headphones
What can you get for $75? While many of the headphones on this list fall into the $100-$200 range, the Philips SHP9500 gets a mention because of its extreme value here. I know that many of my readers won’t worry for a second about dropping $200 or more on the right headphones. But I also know that times are tough, and for many of us, we want the best possible product while also having money left over to pay for necessities. So the Philips SHP9500 earns its place here as one of the best bargains you’ll find.
There are plenty of $75 headphones out there, but not all of them are good. If that’s all you have to spend, you don’t want to wind up with a piece of junk. Fortunately, the Philips SHP9500 is perfect if you’re on a budget, but you need reference headphones for critical listening.
You get solid––but not amazing––sound quality. For the price, it’s fantastic. The Philips SHP9500 falls short on the bass, especially if you’ve just tried the Beyerdynamic DT 990 mentioned above. There’s really no comparison there; the Beyerdynamics win hands down.
The Philips headphones fare a bit better with the upper frequency range.
They are also astonishingly comfortable. I was surprised at just how better these do than some of the higher-priced models on this list. Maybe they knew that they needed to excel in at least one category. If the sound quality wasn’t as competitive as the others, they needed to make it comfy. They succeeded.
The ear pads are super spacious. Plenty of room, but without it feeling like you have enormous bowls strapped to your ears. There is a feeling of comfort without flimsiness, which is something I appreciated.
All in all, the bass frequency and the soundstage are going to be somewhat better if you get a different model. But pretty much all of them will cost more. So if you need a good pair of budget studio headphones, these are head and shoulders above many of the others you’ll find in the $70-$80 price range.
Pros
- Fantastic comfort, very easy to wear
- Every affordable option
- Nice “flat” reference headphones at a bargain price
Cons
- Limited soundstage
- Minimal with design
The Verdict: The Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro Headphones
Any of the open back headphones on this list offer superior sound at a very affordable price. But the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pros take the cake. I’m biased—I’ve owned this pair for a long tme—but I love these headphones.
I wear these headphones for hours on end during long mixing sessions. They stay comfortable, yet fit tightly. The wide and clear sound they have to offer is incredible for the price.
I’d recommend these headphones for your home music studio or just for casual listening (or both).
But, whatever pair of open back headphones you select, get ready to experience music on a whole new level.
Deciding on the Perfect Pair of Open Back Headphones
Of course, when it comes to making a purchase, different musicians will want different things. Some may prefer large ear cups, while others may value headphones that are able to deliver high volumes.
Whatever your personal preference is, you want something that will help you make the absolute best mix possible. Once you’ve made a pick, the important thing is to start using it right away. Get mixing and see how it works with different songs and projects.
The best open-back headphones will help you not only in terms of your music, but in terms of your music-making abilities. They will help you hear frequencies that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to. Your listening skills, your intuition, and your instincts will all benefit when you use one of these professional-grade pieces of equipment.
So pick the one that suits your style, and happy mixing!
