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Top Cheap Headphones
Inexpensive headphones that deliver big bang for the buck.

Top iPhone Products
Our favorite products for your favorite phone.

Top iPod Products
Our favorite iPod products for your favorite little player.

Top Cheap Headphones
Inexpensive headphones that deliver big bang for the buck.

Top Picks for Students
Make school life a pleasure and productive with these favorites.

Top Picks for Audiophiles
Our favorite headphones and electronics for the established audiophile.

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Selection Guide: 10 Best Headphones

home >  selection guide > 10 best headphones

HeadRoom's 10 Best Headphones- Under $500

Top Ten Under $500HeadRoom reviews hundreds of headphones every year to find the best in all categories and it's hard to pick only 10. But below is our staff's recent consensus priced under $500*. Our brain-trust of experienced headphone professionals conducts personal listening tests, we measure audio performance in accordance with industry engineering standards, and evaluate build quality, style, and fit.

As result of all this serious in-depth assessment, we regularly find outstanding headphones that we can't quit talking about. Since value is always a key criteria when rating headphones, sometimes they're $50 bucks and sometimes they're $2,000. *Or, visit HeadRoom's  10 Best Audiophile headphones for the ultimate list of ear-boggling cans!

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Sennheiser CX 300 II-Black
our price:
$59.95
sugg. retail price:
$59.95 add to cart more info

Sennheiser CX 300 II-Black

Updated CX300II Precision earphones. Great price, very comfortable fit, rich sound quality

Grado SR 60i
our price:
$79.00
sugg. retail price:
$79.00 add to cart more info

Grado SR 60i

Revered choice for budding audiophiles offers old-school charm and excellent sound at attractive price

Shure SRH440
our price:
$99.00
sugg. retail price:
$125.00 add to cart more info

Shure SRH440

Full-size sealed headphones with quality build and accurate sound. Top portable listening or studio monitoring under $100.

Sennheiser HD 518
our price:
$129.95
sugg. retail price:
$129.95 add to cart more info

Sennheiser HD 518

Very impressive open-back sound and fabulous value from German audiophile headphone kings

Audio-Technica ATH-M50
our price:
$159.00
sugg. retail price:
$199.00 add to cart more info

Audio-Technica ATH-M50

Versatile closed headphones with excellent ambient noise isolation. Masterful performance at reasonable investment

Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro
our price:
$249.00
sugg. retail price:
$299.00 add to cart more info

Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro

Completely customizable 'semi' closed-back headphone from German audiophile researchers. Five star HeadRoom winner! 

Shure SE425
our price:
$299.99
sugg. retail price:
$349.99 add to cart more info

Shure SE425

Audiophile dual-driver monitors with detachable cord and form-fitting flex cabling. Choose Metallic Silver or Clear

Sennheiser Momentum
our price:
$349.95
sugg. retail price:
$349.95 add to cart more info

Sennheiser Momentum

NEW! Luxe full-size sealed headphone designed with precision and taste. Includes iPhone / iPad mic'd cord.

HiFiMAN HE-400
our price:
$399.00
sugg. retail price:
$399.00 add to cart more info

HiFiMAN HE-400

Planar magnetic musical lusciousness and precise detail without hard-to-power difficulties

AKG K 701 White
our price:
$349.00
Stock Status:
1 to 2 Weeks
more info

AKG K 701 White

Highly dynamic and accurate, a top contender for most precise audiophile listening experience under $700

More Headphone Guides

HeadRoom evaluates headphones for all kinds of applications and categories.  Visit our Selection Guide for a complete index of articles.  Below is some of our most popular recommendations.