TOP 3 ● Headphones 2017 ● Design & Feature

Sennheiser HD 800 : 

odel changes at the upper end of Sennheiser's headphone line don't happen very often. The previous flagship--the still available HD 650s--were introduced in 2003, and remain in the line. Their predecessor, the HD 600s, came out more than a decade ago, and are still popular with audiophiles. I've reviewed both, and they're both excellent headphones. But the HD 800s are something else again. They feature an all-new design that one-ups previous Sennheiser headphones. But that exclusivity is going to cost you a mint: the HD 800s retail for $1,400.

Features and design

The HD 800s' striking design sets them apart from every other headphone model on the market. But it's not just a styling exercise; the large earcups were designed to place the drivers farther away and slightly to the front of the listeners' ears than was possible in smaller designs. The precision quality of the earcups' plastic, metalwork, and the microfiber ear cushions certainly feels luxurious. The HD 800s perfectly distributed their 330-gram weight on my head, and ear pad pressure felt just right. The headphones are supremely comfortable.

The HD 800s' patented doughnut-shaped transducer measures 56 millimeters across; Sennheiser claims it's the largest used in a modern headphone. It's interesting to note that the vibrating part of the diaphragm is not its circular interior but its outer ring. The design is said to produce less distortion than conventional drivers.

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Beyerdynamic T90 :

Introduced in 2010, the T1 has a closed-back design and features the world's most powerful headphone magnets. Those ubermagnets dramatically improve efficiency and lower distortion. Every subsequent Tesla model has had a closed-back design until the T90 reviewed here was released in June of 2012. It's the first open-back Tesla model.

That's a significant change, because an open-back design allows the user to more easily hear outside sounds and also produces more spacious stereo imaging than closed-back headphones. The end result is impressive. The T90 delivers extraordinary resolution of fine detail, and since it's unusually comfortable, it's a pleasure to wear for hours at a time.

The bad news is that while it may be about half the price of the T1, it's still expensive at around $650 online. The good news: it more than holds its own in comparison with $1,000 audiophile headphones.

Features and design 

If you are going to pay for something, then it better has the aesthetics and design that you love. The T90 comes with a poised and elegant design that gives it an edge over the other models in its category. The flashy and garish cans make it easily distinguishable from some imitations on the market. A couple of colors and finishes have also gone into the making the headphones better and easily stand out as the best.

When it comes to design, you get an open back design. Such a design helps with the private listening indoors. Even though nothing should stop you from using the headphones in different places, the sound that will be bleeding out due to open back design might not be ideal for other people around you.

The shape and size easily compare to the DT990 model. All in all, the shape and size are within the acceptable limits that make the model adorable and easily deliver the best sound that you would always want. They will not feel too big on your head, but just the right size to ensure you enjoy listening to your music anytime.

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Audeze Sine : 

The Audeze Sine is a special headphone. At $450 it's one of the least expensive headphones that use planar magnetic drivers, which tend to sound very coherent and spacious, with low distortion. If "planar magnetic drivers" sounds Greek to you, you're in good company. Ultimately, what matters is that it's a totally different technology than what you find in nearly all other mainstream headphones. If you want the technical details, check out Inner Fidelity.

But what you should know it that what makes this headphone (and the Oppo PM-3) special is that -- in a world where most planar magnetic headphones have open-back designs -- the Sine has a closed-back design. In fact, it's one of the few planar magnetic models that's optimized for mobile use -- it's being marketed as the world's first "on-ear" planar magnetic headphone.

Open-back models generally offer more open, airy sound, but they also leak sound, which makes them less than ideal for use in the presence of other people.

While it doesn't it sound as rich or open as Audeze's higher end open-back over-the-ear models-- some of which cost in the thousands and are audiophile favorites -- it's one of those headphones that sounds so good you want to go back and listen to your music collection to hear the little details that lesser headphones don't reveal. It's just a great-sounding headphone

Features and design

The Sine headphones opt for a slick industrial style direction, and boy, are they are beautiful. The quality is apparent from the moment you pick the headphones up, and when you check out the mechanics of the matt black hinges you’ll soon discover that the movement matches, being both smooth and robust at the same time.

The headband and ear cups feature in soft, pliable black leather, which aren’t only strikingly handsome, but moreover comfortable to wear and clearly durable enough to stand the test of time. Teamed with memory phone ear cups and the Sine headphones are as comfy to wear as they are a style icon in the making .

As there’s no cabling within the headphone unit, the wearer is left to look forward to 180 degree top to bottom swivel movement, and cans that can pivot by 45 degrees. This versatility is coupled with arms that can be adjusted to your ears without restriction, with no set latches into which they must fit.

Unlike others, these headphones get the ergonomics perfectly right – they’re not so tight so as to be uncomfortable after an hour or more wear, whilst they have grip and lightness that could make you forget that they were there at all.