Which headphones do you think are the most expensive headphones?
When it comes to audio equipment, nothing beats high-end headphones. The more expensive the headphone, the better the sound is. But how do you know if it is really worth the investment?
Well, that’s not to say that any of these headphones are bad. But when it comes to the best of the best, they can be more than a bit expensive because they have some unique features with a dedicated headphone amplifier too.
Here I will give you an in-depth review of the most expensive wireless headphones in the world and what makes each one of them special and unique.
So, if you don’t want to compromise with sound and love to buy the most expensive headphones available, then check out our list of 9 of The Most Expensive Headphones In The World.
No more waiting, Let’s Keep Going!
9 of The Most Expensive Headphones In The World
1. Focal by Tournaire
Focal Utopia by Tournaire is a custom-made edition from top-notch French jewelry that feature diamonds and gold. As a result, the price tag of this edition went up and became one of the most expensive headphones in the world.
The focal Utopia uses technologies such as Berylium ‘M’ shape dome drivers and a 40 mm dome driver for each ear.
These drivers provide an incredible range of frequencies and allow the listener to hear all the music they would want to hear while using the Utopia. Various audio signatures allow the listener to choose which sound they want to listen to from 5Hz – 50kHz frequency response and 32 Ohms impedance.
These headphones have a very sleek design that is perfect for anyone looking to be seen sporting some high-quality headphones on the street. The audio quality is also fantastic and impressive as their price tag would imply.
Pros
- This is one of the best headsets in its class.
- It has a big sound signature, so you can hear every nuance.
- The price justifies the value these headphones deliver.
- The design is sleek and stylish – which will help your business look good as well.
Cons
- They are not meant for people with bigger heads.
- They aren’t wireless or water-resistant, so they might not be suitable in some scenarios.
Despite all this, Utopia by Tournaire provides great value for the money spent on them.
All these features combined with its incredible design make the Focal Utopia worth purchasing if you’re looking for a new pair of headphones.
2. Sennheiser HE 1
The Sennheiser HE 1 is a flagship electrostatic headphone designed by the German company.
The HE-1 is the Sennheiser’s successor to the original Sennheiser Orpheus HE-1. It was originally created in 1985 and made of gold and diamonds. These headphones received a lot of hype but also a lot of criticism too for their cost.
The HE-1 improves on the design of the old Sennheiser Orpheus and brings some changes too.
They added ultra-lightweight materials like titanium and magnesium, changing the shape from a circle to an oval, and making improvements in tone quality.
The striking design of the HE 1 marries form to function. Their amplifier sits on a housing crafted from glass and a solid block of Carrara marble. This luxurious natural stone – the type made famous by Michelangelo’s Renaissance sculptures – lends beauty and prevents structure-borne noise.
To create a visually stunning design, control dials are especially painstakingly crafted to the highest quality. Each dial is milled from a single piece of brass before being plated with chrome.
Pros
- Beautiful design.
- Detailed, balanced sound without flaws.
- Natural sound presentation.
- High comfort level.
- Ability to achieve concert-like experience with ease.
- Premium-class build and exceptional quality.
Cons
- High price tag ($59,000).
- Can’t be enjoyed by everyone.
The truth is – the HE-1 is not for everyone. It’s for people who want to own the best of the best, with no compromises at all. The headphone is targeted towards audiophiles who are willing to spend a lot of money, but it is also a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none type of product too.
3. V-Moda Crossfade M-100
The V-Moda Crossfade M-100 headphones are an attractive and highly customizable pair of headphones that provide a comfortable, detailed sound for critical listening.
This headphone is one of the best-sounding over-ear headphones on the market. They’re equipped with technology from the company’s M-Class line, which includes patented 50mm Dual Diaphragm Drivers tuned by over 200 audiophiles.
The sound quality is fantastic, clear, and detailed. It has a deep bass response with crisp mids and highs that enable listeners to hear their music in the best possible way.
Additionally, the CLIQFOLD design allows them to fold up for easy transport and storage. The frequency range is wide, so they can be used with most genres of music without sacrificing clarity or detail.
Pros
- A premium, in-ear headphone with a bold design.
- Crossfade earbuds with 2-stage noise canceling and advanced audio engines.
- Includes a carrying case, a cord lock, and an adapter cable.
- Fast bass response and refined detail
- Sturdy build quality
Cons
- Little expensive in the headphone world.
- The earpads can feel uncomfortable after extended use.
Overall, the V-Moda Crossfade M-100 headphone provides exceptional vocal and tone that should be present in pricey headphones.
4. Abyss AB-1266
The Abyss AB-1266 is a high-end pair of planar magnetic headphones that offers impressive music quality. These AB-1266 models are closed-back headphones that boast a unique design, which has received mixed reviews. However, the AB-1266’s music quality is considered among the best in its class.
The first thing you notice about the AB-1266 is that it is light and comfortable around your ears and head.
With good recordings, you feel like in the room with the band. Actually, no other headphones can come close to listening to your favorite songs with that level of realism.
The sense of “being there” is far ahead of other headphones combined with the fact that the AB-1266 ear cups barely touch your ears and head.
As a result, you never have that cut-off, isolated feel familiar to all full-size and in-ear headphones.
Impedance in this headphone is rated at 46 ohms, but the AB-1266 is a beast to drive.
Plus, this headphone comes with an 8-foot long detachable cable terminated with mini XLR plugs for each earcup (at one end) and regular XLRs on the other end.
Pros
- Deep and impactful bass.
- Sumptuous tonality.
- Impressive Soundstage.
- Good value and comfortable headphone system.
Cons
- Midrange could be more pronounced.
- Little heavy.
Most importantly, the ergonomic design of these headphones ensures comfortable to wear even during extended listening sessions. Also, the sound is what you might expect from a pair of most high-end headphones with a price tag like this.
5. Audeze LCD-4
The Audeze LCD-4 is a high-quality audiophile headphone that’s worth the investment. It offers an incredible listening experience and has the best sound quality available. They are also immensely comfortable for hours on end. However, this headphone has an updated version too named Audeze LCD-4z.
The LCD-4 is Audeze’s flagship open-back headphones, and it does not disappoint. It’s a powerful headphone that features a planar magnetic structure with an extremely low impedance.
As a result, the vocal coming out of these headphones is incredibly rich, detailed, and has a lot of punch to it.
The LCD-4’s driver measures 106mm and features Neodymium magnets designed explicitly for the diaphragm. The diaphragm itself is made from Audeze’s exclusive Nano-scale film that weighs less than the air it displaces, resulting in faster response times.
In addition, the fluxor magnet array focuses magnetic flux to nearly double power driving the diaphragm for near-zero distortion and greater accuracy. The result? Better quality than most closed-back headphone on the market!.
Pros
- Comfortable fit.
- Deep and rich sound.
- Detachable cable.
- Adjustable headband.
- Plush earpads.
Cons
- Single dynamic driver.
- Lcd 4z is the updated version and offers a little more.
The Audeze LCD-4 is a headphone that is the perfect choice for those who are serious about audio. It offers a whole new level of audio experience to users. The Audeze LCD-4z is the latest offering from Audeze’s and is almost the same as LCD-4.
6. Focal Stellia
The Focal Stellia is a closed-back, high-tech headphone featuring a 40mm Pure Beryllium M driver.
The name of the company and the product are both derived from the Greek word for star or planet – Stella. It features a number of unique design cues, such as a pure beryllium dome driver, and its noise-isolating closed-back design.
This headphone is a flagship from Focal’s new lineup, so it should not be surprising to hear how well made they are. The build quality is fantastic, and their use of materials gives them a luxurious feel that stands out in this market segment.
These headphones can be highly resolving when needed and provide lots of detail at high frequencies while still having an excellent dynamic range with no fatigue.
Some minor changes over the Utopia, though, include adding electrodynamic drivers for improved efficiency.
Pros
- Excellent build quality and design.
- Dynamic and full sound, fast, controlled, and tight bass.
- Extraordinary sound stage and excellent detail.
- High-quality case.
- Comfortable for extended periods.
Cons
- Some issues with the cable.
- Pretty expensive.
Noteworthy mention, the Stellia has an engaging sound signature with solid bass that weights without being too impactful. They also have quick transients which give them an energetic sound signature. However, there is still some warmth in their lower end to keep things from sounding too clinical.
7. Audeze LCD-X
Audeze headphones have long been one of the pioneers of planar magnetic headphones. In short, planar magnetic headphones use different ones than traditional drivers.
Typical headphones use what’s known as a “dynamic” driver, which is a cone diaphragm with voice coils.
In contrast, planar magnetic drivers use a conductive diaphragm sheet between magnet arrays. The advantages of planar magnetic drivers are speed and resistance to distortion.
The LCD-X is a refinement of Audeze’s planar magnetic drivers over many years, and it shows incredible tonal quality and refinement in usability.
Pros
- Natural sound.
- Quite comfortable.
- Cables are replaceable.
- Good neutral balance
- Excellent separation of tone and bass.
Cons
- Amp required.
- A bit heavy.
Shortly, the LCD-X is a fantastic pair of headphones with an equal price tag. It’s a fair bit more expensive than other similarly-performing cheap headphones, but you’ll be getting the best out of it because it’s simply better at everything else.
8. Sennheiser HD 800
The HD 800 is a flagship Sennheiser headphone that has been meticulously designed to deliver a natural tone and vocals. It features a reference-level headphone’s high-fidelity sound quality and precision acoustic performance.
For more than 60 years, Sennheiser has been known for its excellent product engineering and innovative technology.
The HD 800 is no exception either. Its most advanced transducer is encased by stainless steel with a precision material made of Japanese Alcantara.
Additionally, they have created an entirely new sonic perspective for this design by using their own uniquely designed open, circum-aural dynamic stereo headphones. As a result, it’s easy to wear for hours on end without discomfort or fatigue.
Pros
- Exceptionally comfortable
- Brilliant design and comfortable
- Sturdy and durable build quality.
- Solid audio reproduction.
Cons
- A bit heavy than usual over-ear models.
- Updated HD 800s are already in the market.
With the utmost care taken in every Sennheiser HD 800 production, you get the ultimate natural listening experience with every listen. So every music lover should get these over-ear headphones to listen to their favorite music.
9. Beyerdynamic T1
The T1 is the Beyerdynamic’s latest flagship headphones, and they are certainly a stunning-looking piece of gear. With a 40mm Neodymium driver, the T1 is designed to be one of the best performing open-back headphones on the market.
The Beyerdynamic T1 is a genuinely versatile headphone. The tesla based technology and the powerful bass make these headphones perfect for listening to music while on the go or simply getting some quality time in with your favorite podcast.
Pros
- Quite extensive frequency range.
- Don’t need an external amplifier.
- Comfortable to wear.
- Fine details and excellent sound stage.
Cons
- Bass seems overwhelming sometimes.
- Mid definition lacks on a warm tone.
When it comes to sound, you’re not just getting what you pay for, actually getting what you need and wow factor.
That’s because the Beyerdynamic T1 is the ultimate headphone for professional audio engineers and music producers. The T1 is an open-back headphone with a class-leading frequency response and superb sound quality.
What is the most expensive brand of headphone?
France-based company Focal has always been in the upper echelon of headphones with their impressive acoustics and cutting-edge design. Founder Georges Eugène Papy was a decorated architect with a passion for sound and music, which led to him creating the company in 1979.
Today, Focal produces some of the best headphones on the market, from entry-level to professional models (the latter, typically priced around USD 4,000), and is known for its exquisite design.
Focal teamed up with jewelry brand Tournaire to produce Utopia by Tournaire headphones which come at a staggering USD 120,000. With precious metals, sparkling stones, and genuine leather details, it’s easy to see why Focal is easily the most expensive headphone brand in the world.
