Best headphones according to Reddit (2026)
Ask r/headphones what to buy and you get the same handful of answers year after year. That stability is the point: these are headphones people have owned for years, compared against newer releases, and kept recommending anyway.
This guide summarises that consensus. It is not a lab test. Scores reflect how consistently and how enthusiastically each pair is recommended across recent threads, and the pros and cons are the ones Redditors repeat most.
Reddit's top 5
What Reddit says
The HD 650 (and its Massdrop twin, the HD 6XX) is the default recommendation for anyone who listens at home. Redditors describe it as the pair you eventually come back to. The common caveats are that it is open-back, so it is useless on a commute, and that it sounds better with a modest amp.
For a closed-back pair, the DT 770 Pro dominates budget and mid-range threads. People buy it for isolation and durability; the recurring complaint is a treble peak that some ears find sharp. Choose the 32 ohm version for phones and laptops, 80 ohm for most desktop use.
The Koss Porta Pro is the joke that isn't a joke. It costs a fraction of everything else here and r/BudgetAudiophile recommends it constantly. The ATH-M50x is the opposite: hugely popular outside Reddit, respected but frequently called overrated inside it. Sony's WH-1000XM line is the consensus pick when you specifically want noise cancelling.
How to choose
Open-back headphones (HD 650) sound more spacious but leak sound both ways. Closed-back headphones (DT 770 Pro, ATH-M50x, Sony) isolate you from the room. Decide that first, then budget.
If you mainly listen on a phone, a wireless pair with noise cancelling is usually the practical answer even though wired audiophile pairs score higher on sound alone.
Frequently asked
Do I need an amp for the HD 650?
Not strictly, but it is a high-impedance headphone and most Redditors say it sounds noticeably better with a basic desktop amp or DAC/amp combo. Phones and laptops will drive it, just not loudly.
Which DT 770 Pro impedance should I buy?
The 32 ohm version for phones and laptops, the 80 ohm version for most desktop and studio use, and the 250 ohm version only if you have an amp.
Are the ATH-M50x still worth it?
They are a solid, durable closed-back pair, but r/headphones tends to point people at the DT 770 Pro at the same price. If you find the M50x on sale it remains a safe buy.