Felix Voon
If your priority of listening to music is audio quality, it’s worth investing in a pair of quality audiophile headphones. These type of headphones are known for crisp and accurate sound reproduction no matter it’s for, say music, mixing or gaming purposes. They typically do not come cheap, even though you can still get some budget-friendly varieties at an affordable price.
So, whether you are looking for the wired or wireless option, we have gathered a list of 8 best headphones for music that audiophiles would like. We also include short reviews for your judgment.
8 Best Headphones for Music and Audiophiles in Malaysia
Table of Contents
Why It’s Our Top Pick:
“The Sony WH-1000XM3 combines great sound quality and noise-cancelling features, with the latter useful for those who want to enjoy music to the fullest minus unwanted background noises”.
Features:
This Sony WH-1000XM3 packs several great features, beginning with its HD Noise-Cancelling Processor QN1 that helps to filter out unnecessary background noises, letting you focus on and enjoy your music better. The headphones also offer the convenience of wireless freedom via Bluetooth connection and support various high-quality audio formats such as aptX HD and LDAC.
Another highlight includes the Adaptive Sound Control; a smart function that automatically determines your physical activity (e.g. walking or sitting) and surrounding by optimising the ambient sound accordingly. You can even customise your headphones by downloading the Headphones Connect app, which allows you to adjust settings like volume control, equaliser adjustments and the level of noise-cancelling function.
The right earcup has functions like Quick Attention which is a handy mode that lets you hear the surrounding without taking off your headphones. All you need to do is place your right hand over the earcup to lower down the volume so you can hear and speak to people in front of you.
Not only that; the earcup allows you to change the music track as well as take or make hands-free calls.
Performance:
Most users who bought the Sony WH-1000XM3 praised its overall superb sound quality, offering crisp bass and nice treble all around. The smart noise-cancelling function works as great as advertised while the battery life can last around 4-5 hours of continuous playback with noise-cancelling switched on. Touch controls around the right earcup are responsive too.
If there are any flaws, some users did find that the headphones’ call quality via the built-in mic lacks clarity and at times, muffled. The earcups may have good padding and fit well for most ears but given their closed-back design, they can get warm and uncomfortable if you are wearing them during hot weather.
While headphones that are build to offer a supreme music-listening experience, they do generally cost a lot more than the general. but that doesn’t mean you can’t own one if you are on a budget. And this brings us to the Audio-Technica ATH-M40X with a reasonable RM 600 price range.
Features:
Despite its price point, the Audio-Technica ATH-M40X offers several top-tier features including large 40 mm drivers with rare earth magnets and copper-clad aluminium wire voice coils and circumaural design for better sound isolation.
The headphones also come with 90° swivelling earcups, making them ideal for one-ear listening/monitoring purposes. Finally, the collapsible design means you can lay the headphones flat for easy storage.
Performances:
The Audio-Technica ATH-M40X is praised for its great sound reproduction, offering clarity in both mid and high. Its build quality is sturdy, as it combines thick plastic and metal frame for its headphones construction. Not to mention; these headphones are well-padded, yet have easy-to-swivel ear cups which make the headphones comfortable to put on.
Audio-Technica makes some of the best audiophile headphones out there and their wireless ATH-M50xBT2 is no exception.
Features:
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 comes equipped with large 45mm aperture drivers and an internal amplifier for studio-level sound quality. It uses a wireless Bluetooth connection, where it supports several codec choices such as LDAC and AAC.
It has dual microphones as well, allowing you to make hands-free calls via the touch-button earcup. It also allows you to control volume and access voice assistant features like Google Assistant or Siri.
Performance:
Thanks to its oversized 45mm driver, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 is largely praised for its well-rounded sound quality. It delivers all the necessary clarity in terms of bass and trebles no matter if you are listening to different genres of music, say rock or jazz.
There’s also a 3.5mm audio input for connecting to a mini-jack cable for stable wired listening. This does come in handy since the headphones lack aptX; the codec known for its better and consistent transfer rates. Finally, the headphones offer great battery life too, lasting around 64 hours or so.
The bass frequencies matter a lot when it comes to listening to certain music genres like funk, jazz or heavy metal. It adds that extra oomph to the audio which can affect your overall music-listening experience. Such a headphone that offers excellent bass is the Sennheiser HD 650.
Features:
The Sennheiser HD 650 sports the design of the open-back headphones for clearer sound quality while offering more comfort since they do not trap as much heat as the ones found in the closed-back varieties. These headphones are also built to last using a top-quality titanium/silver finish and come with durable gold plated 1.4” to 3.5mm stereo jack plug with 3m cable length.
Performances:
Based on most reviews, the Sennheiser HD 650 produces punchy bass and sounds very clearly, thanks to its open-back design. The earcups have sufficient padding and breathability upon being worn but when it comes to portability, the headphones can be bulky as well as cannot be folded for easy storage.
The Audeze LCD-X headphones are renowned for their superb audio reproduction, offering both detailed and 3D-like sound quality upon listening to different kinds of music genres. And the list includes heavy metal.
Features:
This pair of Audeze LCD-X headphones is engineered and handcrafted to the finest details on both externally and internally. Bringing attention to those large planar magnetic drivers, they are combined with 106mm ultra-thin diaphragms and Neodymium magnets for better sound accuracy.
Performances:
According to most users, the Audeze LCD-X sounds both dynamic and visceral when listening to heavy metal music. Comments include everything from the vocals to the sound of instruments like guitar strumming and stomping bass drums. The build quality is just as great, as they feel all sturdy and stable which justifies the high-end price.
Are you a fan of EDM (also known as electronic dance music)? Well, check out our recommended HD 25 headphones from Sennheiser, which offers a combination of premium sound quality and comfortable fit.
Features:
These on-ear Sennheiser headphones boast a lightweight design at approximately 136g, complete with padded earcups and a split headband for the utmost comfort level. Also good to know is that the closed-back headphones design offers more sound isolation, allowing you to enjoy your music better.
Performances:
Most reviews agreed that Sennheiser HD 25 is among the top choices for EDM, thanks to its large 41mm drivers and its vast frequency range from 16Hz to 22kHz. It delivers warm mids as well as dynamic highs and lows for a robust soundscape travelling into your ears.
The on-ear design is comfortable to wear too since they come with sufficient padding, even though they can get warm after a while if you are sitting in a hot or stuffy environment.
Looking for top-of-the-line audiophile headphones for music AND gaming? Here’s one for you, from the reputable German-based Beyerdynamic and its DT 990 Pro model.
Features:
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro boasts an open-back design to provide a wider soundscape, combined with large 45mm drivers to help produce louder audio without sacrificing good sound quality. These headphones are also built with comfort in mind and that includes soft and breathable ear pads as well as a flexible headband made from tough spring-steel material.
Performances:
For the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro, its open-back design is among the major factors that makes it a favourite not only for gaming but also for casual and professional use. It sounds amazing too, being able to provide detailed mids and an overall spacious soundscape.
Not forgetting; the build quality is great and feels lightweight too. Moreover, the velvet-like velour earpads provide optimal comfort even if you are wearing them for hours.
Overview
Looking for a good noise-cancelling pair of headphones? The Sennheiser PXC 550-II is a good choice for a reasonable price. Considered an upgrade of the previous first-generation model, this pair of headphones provides simplicity and delivers performance without all the frills. It also comes supported for personalization via the Smart Control app, allowing users to customize their listening experience.
Features
The Sennheiser PXC 550-II features a micro-USB charger and supports fast charging.
On a full charge, it can last up to 20 hours, allowing for convenient wireless usage. There is also a Voice Assistant Button with this second-generation PXC 550, giving users easy accessibility while on the go.
Performance
As these headphones come with Bluetooth 5.0 connection, it also supports high-quality codecs such as SBC, aptX, aptX Low Latency, and AAC. If wireless isn’t to your taste, you can always opt for wired listening, as Sennheiser provides a 2.5mm cable for lossless audio playback.
How to choose the right pair? - Mixing engineer tips
According to the expert, to look for the best headphone that sound 3D, it’s best to consider these few keys and go with the one that speaks to you the most;
Balanced Bass
- Bass-heavy headphones are for those who love to listen to EDM, techno, and other genres distinguished by their thump factor.
- Some people perceive a prominent low end as loud, and it also makes the output seem warm.
- Too much low end, on the other hand, has a tendency to overpower other frequencies, resulting in a loss of definition and clarity.
Mids
- The magic happens in the mid-section.
- Mids are the frequencies between 250Hz and 2000Hz that are crucial for a genuine sound presentation.
- Vocals may sound "wrong" or "distant" if your headphones have an unnatural midrange. If they are overemphasised, the headphone may sound honky, hollow, and telephone-like.
Treble
- Treble resolution determines how detailed and clear a headset is. Thus using headphones with a high treble resolution is like using a microscope for your ears.
- They'll bring out every nuance of your music, highlighting any flaws in the recording or mastering.
- Because music with mostly high tones can sound ear-piercing and strident, listening to treble-heavy headphones can be taxing and fatiguing.
Hence, it's crucial to discover the perfect balance that’s just right for you. Try multiple pairs within your budget because you don’t lose anything from trying!
What determines the sound quality of headphones?
According to Felix Voon, price definitely determines the sound quality of a headphone. He stresses that more expensive earphones or headphones tend to sound richer, has better bass, clearer mids and smoother or airy treble.
At the very least, in layman terms, expensive headphones have very interesting features and often sound better. Because think about it; whether you're buying headphones with a lot of audio features or passive cans with none, if you want better audio quality, it’s natural that you'll probably have to spend a little more money.
However, understanding which headphones are quality and which ones are rip-off is the key. To avoid this, perhaps, consider reading lots and lots of reviews prior to testing them out.
What other brands or options would a mixing engineer recommend?
For convenience, on-the-go listening, making calls, our expert suggests Sony, Bose or Apple earbuds as alternatives. For wired earphones or headphones, one might want to give Shure, Audio Technica, Beyerdynamic, Sony and Sennheiser a shot too.
But for professionals with flexibility in their budget and those who are looking for devices that are of good investments, Felix Voon suggests consumers check out Audeze, Focal and Sennheiser. However, do note that they’re oftentimes pricier, and probably cost more than RM5000.
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What headphones do mixing engineers use?
Mixing Engineers tend to use all kinds of headphones. Among the usual brands that they use include Beyerdynamic, Sennheiser, Sony Professional, Audio Technica, Focal, Audeze. But for Felix Voon, he uses and favours the Audeze LCD-X with a dedicated headphone amp and Lavry DA11 D/A converter. With this setup, he claims that the music he listens to sounds so musical, detailed and 3D.