10 Best headphones under 1000 dollars – Complete Guide

Here, we’ll look at the 10 best headphones under 1000 dollars. At this price range, you may already be familiar with some of the top best headphones you can get. 

But what do they sound like? We’ve done the work and come up with some of the best models available: from big-name companies like Bose and Sony to small businesses like Jbl. 

These are all worthy of consideration, but these days there are just so many options out there. So you’ll need help choosing which ones are the best for your needs. 

That’s why we made this list: to help make your life easier! In this article, you will know the 10 best headphones under 1000 dollars.

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This year’s best headphone under 1000 dollars is Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. It gives you great sound quality and a great noise cancellation feature. It also comes with an in-line remote that lets you control music, calls, volume, and power on your headphones.

The noise canceling feature of this headphone is very effective and can block out even the loudest noises like traffic, wind, or air conditioner noise. You can wear these headphones for hours without getting tired of listening to music because they are so comfortable to wear.

That is why I selected this. If you don’t have much time, you can go with this. If you want more information about it, you can read it below.

Buying Guides

Headphones are a very personal thing. Each person has unique tastes, and different headphones give you a different experience. Here are some things to consider when choosing your next pair of headphones for under 1000 dollars:

1. Price

When choosing headphones, you should consider the price. The price of a headphone is an important factor to consider because it will determine the quality and durability of your headphones. 

You can buy an inexpensive pair of headphones made from cheap materials that will break after a few uses.

A good pair of headphones will last you for many years and be more expensive than cheaper ones. 

For example, a pair of Beats by Dre headphones can cost between $300-$500 depending on the model, but if you want to buy them in bulk, prices start at $400 for a pair.

The best advice I can give is to shop around and try out different models before making your final decision. You might be surprised at what you find!

2. Brand

Brand reputation is important because many people in your household can use your headphones, and you don’t want to find that they are breaking or not staying in place when they shouldn’t be. You also don’t want to replace them after a few weeks of use.

If you are looking for a pair of headphones that will last longer than two years, look for brands like Bose, Sony, Apple, or Sennheiser. 

These brands have a reputation for producing high-quality products and customer service.

If you are looking for a pair of headphones that is cheaper and still provides amazing sound quality, consider buying a pair from Beats, Beyerdynamic, or Audio Technica. 

These brands produce quality products at an affordable price and offer outstanding customer service.

3. Sound quality

The sound quality is one of the most important factors when it comes to choosing a headphone. It should be able to reproduce all the details of your music to give you an optimal listening experience. 

If you’re only interested in bass extension, you might want something that has high-end sound quality but doesn’t have much bass extension or balance between lows and mids. 

Likewise, if you prefer a brighter sound with more treble detail, go for something with less bass extension and more balanced mids and highs.

4. Design and build quality

The design should be ergonomic and comfortable for long periods without getting tired or hurting your ears.

If you don’t want to spend too much on a pair of headphones, you should consider buying one with a carrying case or bag.

This will make it easy for you to transport them from place to place without worrying about damaging them or losing them somewhere.

Other than design, what we need to consider when choosing a headphone is its build quality. You don’t want something that will break easily because then all your hard work would be wasted into pieces!

The best way to ensure that your headphones are sturdy enough is by checking out reviews online before making your purchase decision.

You can also ask other people who had used similar products before what their experience was like with these types of products so that you can get some firsthand information on how they handled it.

5. Comfort and fit

One of the most important features when choosing headphones under 1000 dollars is comfort and fit. Comfort is extremely important because it will determine how long you can listen to your music before you want to change them.

If you want to listen at work, try to avoid having your headphones slip off of your head and causing your ears to hurt. This can result in headaches and tension headaches.

Fit is another important factor in the overall quality of a pair of headphones. However, this cannot be easy to test without trying them on yourself first. 

Fortunately, many different types of headphones are available that should fit most ears comfortably.

6. Features

Another thing to consider when choosing headphones is features. Some headphones have noise canceling, microphones and controls, etc.

Headphones with these features are still nice, but if you’re looking for something basic, don’t worry about it too much.

You want to ensure that your headphones have the features you want. You don’t want to purchase a pair of headphones only to find out that they don’t work for you or are not compatible with your device.

7. Durability

When choosing headphones under 1000 dollars, you should consider durability. The best headphones will be able to last you for years to come and are made with high-quality materials. 

A pair of headphones that is not durable will likely break after a few months or years of use. 

If you’re looking for a pair of headphones under 1000 dollars that will work well for everyday use, then choosing a pair with durable materials like metal and plastic is essential. 

These materials are stronger than rubber and silicone, so they won’t break easily when dropped or hit against something hard enough.

8. Frequency response

The FR is the range of frequencies that the headphones can reproduce accurately. For example, if your headphones have an FR of 20 Hz-20 kHz, they can reproduce sounds from 20 Hz to 20 kHz without distortion or loss in quality. Higher FR headphones are better at reproducing low-frequency sounds such as bass notes.

9. Wired or Wireless

The last thing to consider is wired or wireless. 

Wired headphones can be more comfortable than wireless ones because they don’t rely on Bluetooth or other wireless technologies, which can be less reliable and less secure than wired connections. 

Wired headphones are also better at isolating outside noises, so you can listen at higher volumes without disturbing anyone around you.

Wireless headphones use Bluetooth technology to send audio signals between two devices (typically smartphones or music players). The connection is usually made through the user’s smartphone or other devices, though some headphones also have built-in transmitters. 

Wireless connectivity doesn’t require any physical connection between the transmitter and receiver (unlike wired connections), so there’s no wire getting in the way of your movement while wearing them.

10 Best headphones under 1000 dollars – Glance

#	Product
1	Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700	View on Amazon
2	Sony WH-1000XM3	View on Amazon
3	Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless	View on Amazon
4	Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2	View on Amazon
5	Apple AirPods Max	View on Amazon
6	Shure AONIC 50	View on Amazon
7	Beats Studio3	View on Amazon
8	Beyerdynamic Amiron	View on Amazon
9	Beats Solo3	View on Amazon
10	HiFiMan Sundara	View on Amazon

Let’s see the review of these headphones. I hope this may help you to choose a headphone.

1. Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

The Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 are circumaural headphones with a closed characteristic. They can be operated wirelessly via Bluetooth or wired via USB-C and a jack connection. The weight is around 250 grams, and the dimensions are 203 x 165 x 51 millimeters. 

You only get the best materials and the most beautiful design in expensive models, but leather and aluminum are used even in cheaper alternatives. 

Bose, on the other hand, uses it more sparingly. The outside of the ear cups is made entirely of plastic. The cup is made of stainless steel but covered on one side with silicone that is not very tactile. 

Padded leather would be a nicer choice. The ear pads are non-removable and covered with synthetic leather.

Bose relies on an operating concept consisting of normal buttons and touch control surfaces. An on/off switch includes Bluetooth control and a button for the ANC. 

Especially at high volumes, the headphones seem completely overwhelmed and degenerate into a jingling and booming companion – that’s no fun! 

At medium volumes, I at least like the powerful bass, which works imprecisely at times but is enjoyable, especially with pop and electro. On the other hand, I wouldn’t say I like the high frequencies at all, as details are audibly swallowed up. Sure – not every headphone has to offer analytical hi-fi sound.

Bose promises 20 hours of battery life, and this value is certainly achievable. But then you would have to be on the go at medium volume and without ANC. 

About 14 to 16 hours of runtime remain in a real mix of uses, which is still an excellent value. I rarely spend such a long time without a socket.

It is charged via USB-C within 2.5 hours. A few minutes should be enough for two more hours of music enjoyment. 

At this point, Bose is on par with the competition, although there are models that are significantly more durable in the higher price segments.

Bose is the king of active noise cancellation. The Active noise cancellation beats that of Sennheiser, and almost all ambient noise is filtered out in the competition. 

With this technology, the tuning shifts into dull and bass-heavy areas, but not as much as in older models. Active noise canceling is by far the greatest strength of these headphones. 

I only find it annoying that the highest ANC level is automatically activated every time I switch it on, and I have to switch the feature off manually first.

2. Sony WH-1000XM3

The WH-1000XM3 has become a valid and very positive alternative for long trips since from the comfort of the user, we will appreciate this, and it will become a benefit to enhance the listening experience of all users.

Sony WH1000XM3 has 2 physical buttons, a connection for traditional headphones (3.5mm), a USB Type C port, two LED indicators of operation, and charging, in addition to a series of gestures that will extend the advanced features of this Sony headphone.

The construction of this headphone is solid, comfortable, and of excellent quality, since we will find padded finishes that will improve our comfort with the product and significantly improve the different sounds reproduced in these Bluetooth headphones.

The Sony WH-1000XM3 performs exceptionally in all its operations, mainly due to its features and functions in this active noise canceling headphone.

This headphone is designed to sound good and feel comfortable. It does not seek to be flashy, which is appreciated since Sony WH1000XM3 is aimed at those users who want to listen to music without distractions and have advanced listening at all times.

Added to this is the new advanced processing chip that allows real-time sound calculations to adjust the listening quality to the highest level.

On the other hand, it has a capacitive touch panel that reacts to the user’s touches, which will be appreciated.

It also has a USB Type C connection that will favor the device’s battery, giving the user functions such as fast charging, charging through any phone connector, and battery optimization.

The WH-1000XM3 has advanced and very well-distributed noise cancellation. It has special controls for quick attention that will complement high compatibility with various audio codecs, favoring a high-quality sound experience.

In addition, if a comparison is made with similar products or products of the same price range, these headphones effectively cancel external noise, and it must be said that no one surpasses it in this area.

This headphone has a good distribution of low frequencies. Medium and high frequencies can be seen as something that will be noticed when we travel by public transport such as buses, subways, or trains, areas with higher frequency noises such as the people talking or playing music.

3. Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless

The Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless are high-quality Bluetooth headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC). Sennheiser is thus targeting users looking for powerful sound on the go, combined with practical features.

The headphones present a nice and full sound profile that is fun to use. It convinces with a high level of clarity, which is not noticed negatively. In parts, it could be a bit livelier and more open. The bass is full but a bit too thick. With jazz songs, this leaves a slightly dull impression, which leads to less precision.

The Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless also impresses with extensive equipment. There are three different listening modes: active noise cancellation and transparency. This bypasses the headphones’ isolation and lets you hear your surroundings better.

You can set the listening mode using a switch on the ear cups. Music, call control, and starting the language assistant work via additional buttons. This depends on the connected end device. 

When you take the Momentum 3 out of the solid hard case and unfold it, it automatically switches on and connects to the respective audio source via Bluetooth 5.0 (or an older standard). 

If you fold the headphones back together, they turn off. If the battery is about to run out, you can also listen to your music in analog form using the included 3.5 mm audio cable. A full charge takes under four hours – far too long and leads to deductions in our mobility rating.

The fully charged battery lasts 24.5 hours if ANC is active. However, the battery only provides an additional 45 minutes without active noise cancellation. 

Other manufacturers do a lot more here: the Beyerdynamic Lagoon ANC lasts around 59 hours when noise canceling is off. The Momentum 3 Wireless is unsuitable for (video) calls because the quality is quite poor.

The ear pads feel very robust and high-quality. The headphones look very “airy” because the ears have a lot of space. However, the earcup padding turned out to be a bit too thin for us, which means that the weight of 305 grams exerts more pressure on the head. 

The earcup pads could also be softer. We find the proximity sensor to be a helpful feature. If desired, the music will automatically pause when you remove the headphones and start as soon as you put them back on.

4. Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 headphones are a closed circumaural model with a completely retro look. It is directly derived from the ATH-M50x monitoring model and has ear cups that swivel horizontally and vertically over 180°. 

This particularity makes it possible to listen to the headset with a single headset by holding it with one hand against the head or even to share the second headset with someone. 

The ATH-M50xBT2 is made mainly of PVC but with joints and a steel headband support. It seems particularly solid. The headband is adjustable, suitable for large heads, and padded with soft memory foam. 

It exerts a very well-studied pressure on the head. The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 headphones are very comfortable to wear, despite their 300 grams, even for several hours in a row.

It can be listened to while walking. Moreover, it does not keep too hot, and we gladly keep it on the head at this end of tropical summer.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 headphones have two volume control buttons on the left shell. A long press skips to the next track. 

Between the two is the power button, which also pauses playback and takes voice calls. Finally, a fourth button invokes the smartphone’s voice assistant (Google Assistant, Siri) or Alexa if the app has been installed.

The connection boils down to a USB-C charging port (cable supplied) and an analog input in 3.5 mm mini-jack format (1.2 m cable supplied). The ATH-M50xBT2 also comes with a leatherette carrying pouch.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 headphones are compatible with Google FastPair Bluetooth pairing. As soon as it is powered on, it reports to the nearest Android smartphone and, once paired with it, is automatically configured on all other Android smartphones and tablets connected to the same Google account. 

With an iPhone or a computer, the pairing procedure is conventional. The ATH-M50xBT2 can stay paired with two Bluetooth sources simultaneously.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 headphones have two dynamic transducers 45 mm in diameter, capable of reproducing frequencies from 15 Hz to 28 kHz. 

If you plan to power these headphones with the analog output of a smartphone or music player, the ATH-M50xBT2 is easy to power, with its high sensitivity of 99 dB / mW and its nominal impedance of 38 Ohms. 

In other words, if you decide to use a cable, you will undoubtedly obtain a strong volume and a balanced reproduction.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 headphones are announced with a battery life of up to 50 hours. During this test, the headphones lasted 53 hours at 50% volume. It took just over 3 hours to charge the battery fully. 

Finally, Audio-Technica indicates, which we have not measured, that this charge is progressive: fast at the beginning to offer 3h30 of autonomy after only 10 minutes of charge, then slowly after that to preserve the life of the battery.

5. Apple AirPods Max

The finish of this headphone is objectively outstanding. The machining of the anodized aluminum enclosure offers us the thoroughness that users must demand from headphones that cost more than 600 dollars. 

Interestingly, they seem heavy when you first hold them in your hands. Its 384.8g exceeds the weight of most over-ear headphones I’ve reviewed. If I stick to the latest models I have tested, only the very expensive Susvara from HiFiMan weighs more than the AirPods Max, which could work against Apple headphones. However, it doesn’t. And they owe it to their headband.

The structure of this component is made of stainless steel, so, like the ball joints, it should withstand the mechanical stress derived from frequent use without any problem. 

The entire headband is covered in a soft and slightly rough material halfway between plastic and rubber that offers a very pleasant touch, but it may not be easy to clean, so it is worth treating it with care.

In my opinion, the best decision made by Apple designers has been to solve the upper part of the headband using a braided fabric mesh that minimizes the headband’s contact surface with our skin. 

The pressure exerted by the headphones on our skull due to their weight is distributed over the entire surface of the mesh in contact with our head, so these AirPods Max seem much lighter when you have them on than when you hold them in your hands.

The two H1 chips that these headphones incorporate (one in each enclosure) are largely responsible for the noise cancellation that the AirPods Max offers. 

A battery of eight microphones housed in strategic locations of the headphones is responsible for collecting the ambient sound that will later be inhibited so that it does not mask part of the musical information we are listening to.

The effectiveness with which it manages to attenuate persistent low-frequency sounds, such as traffic noise, is amazing. This quality puts the AirPods Max in the same league as the WH-1000XM4. 

However, Apple’s headphones outperform Sony’s in attenuating high-frequency sounds, which has many merits because the treble is the most difficult to inhibit.

The battery life that Apple promises us is very conclusive: 20 hours of music playback with active noise cancellation enabled; 20 hours of video playback with spatial audio on, or 20 hours of talk time. 

During my tests, they have not reached the promised 20 hours, but they have touched them, so the figures announced by Apple seem realistic to me as long as the volume level is moderate.

6. Shure AONIC 50

The Shure Aonic 40 are foldable Bluetooth headphones with active noise cancellation and a transparency mode. In addition to the dynamic 40 mm driver, the three Bluetooth codecs, AAC, aptX, and aptX HD, are responsible for good music quality. 

With a battery life of 25 hours, it can keep you entertained even on the longest train journey, and thanks to the quick charge function, it is ready for use in no time.

The ear cushions are pleasantly soft and enclose your ear with pleasant pressure. So nothing slips, and even without ANC, many noises can be dampened by the closed structure. 

Unfortunately, the headband is quite narrow, and its padding is not quite as soft as the ear cups. So the Shure Aonic 40 can press a little from time to time.

The Shure Aonic 40 generally makes a rather sharp-edged impression, which suggests its robust construction. The ear cups hanging on the joints are slightly curved, making the headphones appear sporty and light. 

The Aonic 40 seems to be made entirely of plastic. On its matte surface, you can see light scratches very quickly. A plus point, however, is the space-saving case. When folded, the handset and cables find space and are well protected.

A button on the underside of the left earcup turns on the headphones and starts Bluetooth pairing. Four more buttons on the right take care of music playback, calls, and ANC modes. 

In addition to these features, which are almost standard in today’s noise-canceling headphones, the Shure Aonic also offers a function that sets it apart from many headphones. You can not only charge the headphones via the USB-C interface but also supply them with music.

Active Noise Cancelling, or ANC for short, is there to filter out annoying noises in your environment. The microphones of the Shure Aonic 40 pick up the ambient noise. The headphones then use the collected data to create the exact negative. 

These “negative” sound waves eliminate the annoying sound, while your music can pass through your eardrum as undisturbed as possible. ANC naturally works best with deep, steady sounds, like an engine’s rumble or a moving train’s roar. 

And that’s exactly the impression the Shure Aonic 40 gives us. On the train, the ANC cuts a pretty decent figure, especially when you’re playing music; you can relax and fade out your surroundings. 

However, things are different in the office. The air filter running here is a tougher nut for the Bluetooth headphones with its bright noise. Voices or keyboard clatter can also be heard at low music levels and maximum ANC.

In addition to the ANC mode for undisturbed listening to music, the Shure Aonic 40 also has a transparency mode. This should allow you to perceive your environment clearly despite the tight-fitting, closed ear cups. Press the bottom button on the right earcup to hear your conversation.

7. Beats Studio3

The design of this headphone follows the usual line of the house. Soft curved lines that integrate all the headphones as a single element. Its design has no dissonant note, an untimely cable, or an overly cumbersome joint. 

Everything is put together but without being rigid. It is foldable and extendable headphones; that is, we can increase the headband length to adapt to the size of our head.

The headphone pads are finished in a leatherette that covers but does not suffocate the ear too much. 

We must remember that the new owner of Beats, Apple, is incorporating technology that makes these products more compatible with its technology such as iPhones, Macbooks, etc. 

In the case of the Beats Studio 3, the new apple chip W1 makes it very easy to connect Bluetooth in one step or by proximity (such as NFC).

The sound quality has always been what has been criticized the most in general for this brand. It still does not reach other big ones in the sector, but they continue to evolve. 

In general, we can say that they have an excellent sound, although perhaps more bass lovers deep left wanting more. It also has a new DSP (Digital Signal Processing) system that ensures sound reproduction is good and not a pending issue.

But the most crucial point here is the new noise cancellation that Apple has incorporated, called Pure Adaptive Noise Cancelling, or simply Pure ANC. 

This technology constantly monitors your environment and calibrates the appropriate cancellation signal, whether on a plane, the bus, or dining in a restaurant.

Beats ensures that the new W1 chip allows noise cancellation and does not consume so much battery of the Beats Studio 3 Wireless as in other models. However, we can disable cancellation at any time to save battery life.

At this point, we can ask ourselves if these wireless Beats Studio 3 headphones have physical controls. With the multifunction button on the right earphone, we can do several things like answer or hang up a call, skip the sound or go back to the previous one, stop or resume playback and control the volume.

It can offer 22 hours of battery life in continuous playback with noise cancellation activated. If we disconnect this, the battery life is up to 40h.

8. Beyerdynamic Amiron

Beyerdynamic Amiron has a modern design, mainly a matte black color with a few hints of grey. As soon as it is worn, there is a feeling of robustness for those who are passionate about motorcycles, and it seems to be wearing a very comfortable helmet.

The ear cushions have plenty of padding that offers an excellent seal, and even without acting on the electronics, it provides good sound insulation. The padded ear cups give the pleasant feel of microfiber cloth covered with Alcantara. This makes them extremely comfortable and suitable to wear even for longer listening sessions.

I could wear them for up to about 5 hours before I felt the need to take them off. After several hours of use, it gets quite hot due to the abundant padding of the pavilions. The Amiron is a sturdy headphone made primarily of metal with a bit of plastic.

Unfortunately, due to its large size, you’ll have difficulty carrying it with you all the time, as it doesn’t fold and the canopies don’t rotate.

From a control point of view, Beyerdynamic has decided to go for a wide touchpad on the right ear cup. I tend not to favor touch controls because they don’t always work on some headsets, and the various movements are difficult to remember.

In this case, Beyerdynamic did a great job. The Amiron Wireless proves that it is possible to create excellent touch controls. The right-hand pavilion also houses the USB-C charging port, Bluetooth pairing/power button, and 3.5mm headphone and microphone jack.

The touchpad will allow you to skip tracks by swiping left or right, fast forward or rewind by swiping and holding, and control the volume by tapping/swiping up or down. You can also pause or play your favorite music by double tapping on the center of the pad instead of holding it down once you will access your phone’s voice assistant.

The Beyerdynamic Amiron is a Bluetooth headphone with a battery life of about 30 hours. Still, as with all headphones, this can vary depending on the playback volume or the transmission mode chosen.

Beyerdynamic Amiron lasts a long time, but it charges quite quickly thanks to a USB-C port, compared to the usual micro USB. It has a charging time of about 2 hours.

Well, we come to the “real” value of the Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless. After several weeks of listening, I appreciated the details of the sound, the wide soundstage, and the dynamic audio. 

The low frequencies have an excellent impact. The different audio frequencies slightly emphasize them. The mids reproduce well and do an excellent job highlighting vocals and acoustic instruments like guitar, while the highs have great detail, extension, and energize the listener.

Beyerdynamic Amiron never sounds too fatiguing or annoying on playback, even after several hours of listening.

9. Beats Solo3

The Beasts Solo3 headband is a plastic headband over a metal base. The inside of the headbands is made with a rubber-coated material to improve your comfort and prevent them from slipping.

The plastic headband is designed to fit most heads, with a wide range of adjustments so you can find the perfect fit for your individual needs. The headbands are covered in soft foam padding so they won’t hurt your ears after prolonged use, while their flexible design provides good comfort throughout the day.

One cool thing about Beats Solo3 headphones is you can use them wirelessly or wired. That’s right, you can choose whether to listen to music on Bluetooth or through the 3.5mm jack in your device, and it does make a difference.

The wireless connection uses Bluetooth technology to transmit audio between your phone and Beats headphones over a range of up to 10 meters (30 feet). 

The wired option uses a 3.5mm jack that plugs directly into the headphone port on your device, so no matter what case you have, it will work fine with these headphones. The cable is removable, so you can use different cables if one isn’t working for whatever reason.

The Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones use the excellent W1 chip from Apple. The W1 chip is designed for other devices and is great for pairing with your phone, PC, or laptop. It also gives you access to Siri and allows you to use AirPods as a remote control for your music.

You’ll see the Beats logo for the on/off button when it’s on. The same button can also use for pairing to your phone or other devices. The Beats Solo3 also has a hidden mic to use when taking calls. 

A MicroUSB port charges the Beats Solo3 headphones. They can be recharged by plugging them into a computer or other power source for 3 hours, equivalent to 5 minutes of wireless charging. The headphones also have a battery life of 40 hours when they are not being used; this figure is based on continuous music playback at moderate volume levels.

The Beats Solo 3 Wireless doesn’t have as much bass as other Beats products. The bass is still there but not as pronounced as on the Solo2 and Studio3 Wireless. This can be good for some users who prefer a more subtle bass presentation.

The Beats Solo3 Wireless also has a higher treble response than most other headphones in its class. This makes it sound brighter and more detailed, and it is easier to hear things that might be lost in different models.

10. HiFiMan Sundara

At first glance, the Sundara look very aesthetic, thanks to the organic shape of their cups. The minimalist design hits the spot; it’s perhaps a little less special than Audio-Technica’s Air Dynamic series, but it looks relatively good.

The headband alone easily beats previous designs in comfort. It prevents pressure points better than any other headband I’ve tried. Others have mentioned the refusal of the cups to rotate laterally. 

I don’t think it’s a problem, but some people have historically done it. For me, though, these are some of the most comfortable headphones on the market.

The Sundara’s most notable new feature is its ultra-thin diaphragm, 80% thinner than -according to Hifiman- those of its successors HE-400i and HE-400s.

This should allow the drivers to produce tremendously low levels of distortion yet still offer a highly dynamic response. Sundara’s distortion levels are relatively low. They feature the typical low impedance and sensitivity of planar headphones.

Sundara handles many genres that I consider close to home extremely well. Classical, Ambient, and Jazz are some of the genres that are best suited for this model. The Sundaras bring a “nice, cozy softness to the sound” while having the power to play even the busiest orchestral passages.

The Sundara bass is discreet in what can be good or bad. While it’s not as forgiving and textured as some of its flat brethren like the Audeze, it’s relatively well spread, fast, tight and neutral. When performance is demanded, the HiFiMAN Sundara packs a punch.

Some may even think they are too clean. To some extent, I could include myself in those ranges. The lack of any low-mid hump (typical of dynamics) can feel like it robs it of some of the organic warmth needed to deliver an incredibly natural interpretation of acoustic music.

The soundstage of the Sundaras is natural, with relatively sharp imaging and good instrument separation. It doesn’t usually get stuffy, although the highs can get a bit fuzzy on very bright recordings; most sounds seem to hold their particular positions in space, even during fast or loud passages.

The soundstage itself is understated and more or less headphone-like, but very natural. It adds a bit of width, allowing it to maintain a more cohesive spherical shape than others that provide a wide stage that lacks height.

While they may not sound as vertically monumental as some of Hifiman’s other headphones, specifically in the HE-1000 form factor, the Sundara’s easily outperform most dynamic headphones in soundstage height.

FAQs

Conclusion

For the affluent audiophiles out there, the fact that you’re on this page means you’re ready to spend a few bucks on some seriously high-end headphones. 

But if you spend over a grand for a set of cans, you better be sure you’re getting what you deserve: top-of-the-line audio quality, comfort, and long-lasting durability. 

We considered these variables when ranking the 10 best headphones under 1000 dollars. 

We hope our list of the 10 best headphones under 1000 dollars has been helpful in your search for a high-quality pair of headphones. 

We only looked at the top-rated headphones and have used hundreds of hours out of many premium headphones. 

One thing to remember is that not all expensive parts make for a good headphones.

Thanks for reading; if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comment box. We will try to answer quickly as possible.