By use · for music listening
Best headphones for rock and metal
Ranked by how many public comments recommend each pair for rock and metal: 23 comments across 6 headphones.
A comment counts when it names the headphone, recommends or owns it, and mentions rock and metal. Harvested Sep 2026. Quotes are whole sentences of 12 words or fewer, linked to where they were said. How we count.
- 1
HIFIMAN Sundara
#6 overall · 80 recommendopen-back planar wiredPlanar detailHomeAmp helps6comments recommend it for rock and metalBest planar-magnetic sound under $200 for someone who already has, or will buy, a small desktop amp.
- 2
Sennheiser HD 650 (also sold as Drop HD 6XX)
#2 overall · 127 recommendopen-back wiredVocalsJazzRelaxed5comments recommend it for rock and metalThe one headphone almost everyone in the hobby has owned; the safe buy for long, relaxed music sessions.
- 3
Sennheiser HD 600
#3 overall · 116 recommendopen-back wiredNeutralVocalsLong sessions3comments recommend it for rock and metalThe reference headphone for people who care about accurate, fatigue-free music listening.
- 4
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
#4 overall · 102 recommendclosed-back wiredClosed-backPortableBass3comments recommend it for rock and metalA tough, portable closed headphone for people who want bass and will use it on the move.
- 5
Koss Porta Pro
#8 overall · 60 recommendopen-back on-ear wiredBargainHomeNo amp3comments recommend it for rock and metalCheapest genuinely musical headphone you can buy for home listening; a spare-pair favourite.
- 6
HIFIMAN Arya (Stealth Magnet)
#10 overall · 44 recommendopen-back planar wiredPlanar end-gameSpace3comments recommend it for rock and metalThe planar end-game most people can actually afford now that it sells for about $600.
