Here at Moon Audio, we carry an array of audiophile headphones from many well-respected HiFi brands in the industry. We've gone through our collection and curated a list of the best audiophile headphones under $500. We know that everyone hears differently and depending on your budget, style of listening, the music you like to listen to, and more, there's probably a headphone in here that just might be your perfect fit.
Don't be fooled by the price however, these aren't necessarily entry-level headphones. Many of the headphones on this list are packed with features and deliver an impressive quality of sound for the price point. Let this guide serve as your reminder that you don't have to pay an arm and leg for great sound!
Best Audiophile Headphones Under $500
Grado SR80x Headphones
The SR80X is the OG. The Original. The legendary headphone that started it all. The first pair was built in 1991 and it’s still in production today, being the longest running Grado headphone. The SR80 now uses the X series driver, which is their 4th generation design, and features a more powerful magnetic circuit, more efficient driver, and a number of other improvements. The Grado fit and comfort is classic - they haven’t changed much over the years, because well, they don’t have to. They sound great with just about any genre, especially rock, alternative, jazz and classical. But one thing is for sure: this headphone is known for its energetic and fun sound signature. Grado has great detail in their Prestige Series of headphones, and if you want additional clarity and tightening up of the bottom end we recommend pairing your Grado with a Silver Dragon headphone cable. We can easily hack your headphone for options that have their cables hard-wired in, like Grado. The SR80X delivers great sound at an equally great price.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: No option for Grado headphones
Grado SR225x Headphones
At a fitting $225, we have the SR225X from Grado. Although they might look a lot like the SR80X, don't get them confused. The 225 delivers more texture and better voicing than the 80 thanks to the newly implemented F cushion on the ear cups. I really like this sound, and despite the typical Grado clarity and range, the SR225X absolutely kills it on most of the genres I throw at it. Using the X series driver, each headphone is hand-built at their headquarters in Brooklyn, and there’s something to be said about hand-crafted works of art. And the fact that they’re still making them. Just like they used to back in the day. The SR225X stands apart with redesigned cables and a new headband too, with more cushion and more durable wire. The SR225x is a great headphone if you like a fun and energetic sound signature, putting you up close and personal to the music you love. They sound especially great with rock, , alternative, jazz, and blues.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: No option for Grado headphones
Sennheiser HD 560S Headphones
We like the Sennheiser sound: detailed, analytical, and expansive - the 560 S is a steal. It features an open-back design with angled ear cups allowing the drivers to sit outside your ears pointing down your canals. These things combined create a wonderfully large soundstage and superb imaging, giving your music the breath of fresh air it needs. Sennheiser has incorporated a new 120 ohm transducer, which features a special polymer blend in the membrane. The driver itself is incredibly efficient, allowing it to be compatible with any device without needing external power. The HD560 S has nice bass extension as well, providing some tight and responsive low end for an open back headphone of this price. Great for classical, rock, R&B, specifically. Comfort is a 10 out of 10 as well, with a reasonable clamping force and large earcups that are pretty much fatigue-free as far as we're concerned. We like pairing Sennheiser with our Black Dragon headphone cables for added bass response and to balance out the superb detail with a touch more warmth and musicality. The Sennheiser HD560 S is some of the best Sennheiser sound at one of Sennheiser's best price points.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Black Dragon headphone cable will tame high-end energy and add warmth to the low end.
Grado SR325x Headphones
For the SR325x you’re upgrading to a full metal housing with a lot of the same driver and design influence as the rest of the Prestige series lineup. The metal adds precision to the sound - enhanced imaging and just an overall better soundstage than the previous two Grado headphones mentioned. The added weight from the cups also surprisingly don't diminish the overall comfort either. Grado’s design adds sufficient padding on the top and sides, with enough clamping force that the headphone still sits nice and snug. We think the sonic upgrade is noticeable from the 225 to the 325, and it makes the price difference justified as well between the two. Similarly, the SR series pairs well with rock, alternative, jazz, and blues.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: No option for Grado headphones
Audeze Maxwell Headphones
Now, if you’re a gamer and you want some of the best closed-back planar magnetic sound out there for under $500 bucks, then look no further and just get these. At $299, the Maxwell headphones from Audeze are the little brother to my favorite gaming headphones on the planet: the Mobius, which I’ll talk about in a minute. The Penrose uses Audeze’s superb sounding 90mm planar magnetic drivers, and comes in two configurations: one for PlayStation and one for Xbox. Th great thing is that it's awesome for music listening too: ike it's big bro, it sounds great with everything: rock and classical especially. The Maxwell connects to your console via the USB wireless dongle, which transmits 2.4GHhz low-latency hi res audio wirelessly from your console to the headphones. You could also use Bluetooth 5.3 to connect to PC or mobile devices, or you could even go wired with the single entry 3.5mm headphone jack. The Maxwell comes with a great sounding detachable boom mic and has controls on the ear cup for mute and individual volume and mic levels. Comfort is great, with ample padding and the build quality is top notch for a gaming set. So, gamers,Maxewell. Maxwell: gamers.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Silver Dragon Portable Headphone Cable for more detail, enhanced clarity, and tightened up lower frequencies.
Meze Audio 99 Classics Headphones
The 99 Classics are some of our favorite sub-500 bucks headphones. Meze Audio makes some of the best headphones around, and their sound quality and overall craftsmanship stretches from their highest flagship level cans all the way down to the entry level models too. The 99 Classics are a lot of our daily drivers here at the office, and the $309 price makes it that much sweeter to get this level of fidelity. The styling is sexy, with both metals and woods creating a timeless looking headphone. Fit is great - the headphone is light and the wide headband and moderate clamping force make for an easy adjustment to get the right spot. Simply put them on and the headband automatically adjusts to where it needs to be. The drivers are incredibly efficient on the 99 classics - fun and energetic sounding, putting you in the music with the close - but not too close - soundstage. The curved ear cups actually provide a nice amount of space and help with the imaging. It’ll do justice to all your music, no matter the genre.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: No option for the 99 Classics headphones
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Headphones
The Momentum 4 is the noise canceling headphone for audiophiles. They made some great upgrades from the Momentum 3 that put it much more in line feature-wise and stylistically as the newer Sony XM5. But when it comes to the sound, the Momentum 4 is tuned more more accurately than the XM5 for audiophiles who like a more analytical and detailed sound, with some great bass articulation. These are great for classical, jazz, alternative, synthwave, and more, bringing out some nuanced clarity and expressive midrange. The Black Dragon portable headphone cable is a great match, boosting some low end and retaining that mid and high detail. Bluetooth and hi res codecs sound great, comfort is even better than the last gen (which was phenomenal), and the new gesture and touch controls make navigating your music as simple as swiping a finger. What more could you want?
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Black Dragon Portable headphone cable top-end sizzle while enhancing detail retrieval.
Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones
The SR80X is the OG. The Original. The legendary headphone that started it all. The first pair was built in 1991 and it’s still in production today, being the longest running Grado headphone. The SR80 now uses the X series driver, which is their 4th generation design, and features a more powerful magnetic circuit, more efficient driver, and a number of other improvements. The Grado fit and comfort is classic - they haven’t changed much over the years, because well, they don’t have to. They sound great with just about any genre, especially rock, alternative, jazz and classical. But one thing is for sure: this headphone is known for its energetic and fun sound signature. Grado has great detail in their Prestige Series of headphones, and if you want additional clarity and tightening up of the bottom end we recommend pairing your Grado with a Silver Dragon headphone cable. We can easily hack your headphone for options that have their cables hard-wired in, like Grado. The SR80X delivers great sound at an equally great price.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: No option for Grado headphones
Grado Hemp Headphones
Ok, I'll spare you all the jokes that are rampant in the marketing materials for this headphone, but the Hemp headphone from Grado is a surprisingly MELLOW experience. Grado decided to go with a JOINT effort between hemp and maple into the custom ear cups - each designed with a unique grain pattern and sonically are very enjoyable to listen to. At $469, Grado likes to say this headphone is a SLOW BURN, getting better with each listen, and I’ll be BLUNT with you, I think they’re worth the price. In all honesty, they have a warm tonality to them that fits well with Grateful Dead, Phish, jam bands, and the like. But really, we did like them with rock, blues, and R&B in particular. All in all, you don't have to set HIGH expectations for great sound, and the Grado Hemp headphones just might be of the best sleeper cans on this list.
Dragon Cable recommendation: No option for Grado headphones
HiFiMan Edition XS Headphones
The Edition XS from Hifiman makes some essential upgrades to its predecessor, the Edition X. The Edition XS is the next level up from the Sundara Closed Back that has the excellent stealth magnet technology. You can read more about what the stealth magnets do and sound like in our review of the XS on our blog, but needless to say we're big fans of this design. HiFiman’s ear cups are large and open back, giving the listening some of the best soundstage and transparency in Hifi sound, and this is almost identical to the styling of some of their more expensive offerings. Comfort is key, and the Edition XS does a great job of not providing any pressure over the ears, the headband evens out the weight distribution. I mean, I’m wearing this headphone for hours with no issue. Being a planar driver you’ll find highly detailed sound recreation, bass response is surprisingly good, and the mids are lush - it's a great range of fidelity all around. We recommend pairing the XS with either the Black or Blue Dragon headphone cable for additional depth in the low end and clarity overall. It’ll sound great with folk, Americana, and jazz. The Edition XS from Hifiman is easily a mid-tiered headphone marked at an entry-level price.
Dragon Cable recommendation: The Blue or Black Dragon headphone cable will tame high-end energy and add warmth to the low end.
Dragon Cables
Generally, stock audio cables are manufactured with subpar materials, metals with impurities, poor geometries, and an overabundance of layers to make them look and feel like a fire hose. Inconsistency and lack of quality control in stock cables can lead to poor sound quality and a veiled sound vs what the musician intended for you to hear and feel from the music. Dragon cables are handcrafted to the highest standards made to order according to your specific needs.
Why Dragon Cables?
At Moon Audio, we create a custom cable for you using the highest quality UP-OCC silver or copper conductors that can be manufactured. UP-OCC metals are void of impurities and are optimized for signal transfer and sound quality. We have one of the largest collections of audio and headphone connection options available online and we create limitless audio cable options depending on your specific gear and needs. Dragon Premium Cables feature the same quality construction as standard cables, but with upgraded solder and premium Furutech connectors.
Silver Dragon Sound Signature: The Silver Dragon is the original cable. Silver strands clarify instrument separation, increase the soundstage, and find previously lost high and mid-frequency sounds. Transients appear more cohesive and the bass is tighter for a more controlled sound. The detail and clarity of the Silver Dragon make it a perfect match for classical music and other genres with many nuanced instruments.
Black Dragon Sound Signature: The Black Dragon is warm and smooth with a musical presentation. Copper strands enhance the body, shape, and immediacy of the music. The detail and expansiveness of the Black Dragon make it a flexible fit where a broad range of musical genres are played. It can also improve bass frequencies on bass-light headphones. The smooth, musical quality makes it a perfect fit for headphones that tend to sound a bit edgy or bright. Despite its warmth, the Black Dragon does not have a laid-back, lush sound. It is much closer to neutral, making it a very natural-sounding cable.
How to Pick the Perfect Headphone for You
What are the best headphones? The answer may surprise you that there is no universal consensus on the "best headphones in the world. There is, however, the best headphone for YOU.
When the options are endless finding the best headphones can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. Do you want a wireless headphone? What about a closed or open-back headphone? Luckily, there are some steps you can take to narrow down your search and find that perfect pair of audiophile headphones.
Step One: What type of music do you like to listen to? This is the first question Drew Baird, P.E., Owner and Founder of Moon Audio likes to ask our customers on the phone. The genres you listen to go a long way in helping us figure out what products (headphones, amps, DACs, etc.) will sound good to you. Your music says a lot about you, and some headphones sound better with certain genres than others.
Step Two: Do you like to get lost in your music or listen for every detail? If you like to get lost in the music, we call this the "Warm and Musical" listener. If you like to pick up on every single detail in a song, we call this the "Analytical" listener. Every headphone has a sound signature and pairs well with specific genres of music based on how they sound. A warmer headphone might bring out more emotion and intimacy in a jazz performance, or the feeling of a rumble on an intense EDM track. Analytical headphones are great for classical if you like listening for individual instruments in a large ensemble, the details in a live performance like fret buzz on the guitar, or nuances in a singer's voice.
Step Three: What is your budget? How much are you willing to spend on a pair of headphones? Everyone has to start somewhere, and a reminder to those just starting out on their audiophile journey: You don't have to spend thousands of dollars to get great sound.
The bottom line is that everyone hears differently, so there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the best audiophile headphones out there. The better question to be asked is "what is the best headphone for you?" Hopefully these steps and headphones guide can help you figure out the answer to that question. Happy headphone hunting!
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