The Best Audiophile Headphones $1000-$3000
The Best Audiophile Headphones for High-Quality Sound
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 from $1,000-$3,000. 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.
These audiophile headphones are neither entry-level nor the most expensive, but all are phenomenal and any one of them could easily be your end-game headphone.
Best Audiophile Headphones $1000 - $3000
Grado GS1000x Statement Series Headphones
Like our other Grado offerings, the X series uses the newer 50mm drivers, and the GS1000X sports a lovely mahogany and ipe wood ear cups that not only look great but sound great too. They also use Grado’s G cushion, whose distinctive shape also helps the tuning of the headphone itself. The Statement Series is a rich-sounding set of headphones, plenty of detail, but at the same time great bass response. It’s a sonic improvement over the E series, which the X series updates. The GS1000X will be great for rock, metal, alternative, blues and more. We like to pair it also with our Silver Dragon headphone cable for added detail. Overall, it’s a solid choice for a mid-tiered Grado headphone that will perform leaps and bounds better than the ones under this price range.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Silver Dragon Premium headphone cable will add top-end sizzle while enhancing detail retrieval.
Audeze LCD-X Headphones
The LCD-X is the most neutral of all the LCD collection, and is popular among audiophiles, studio engineers, and musicians. It’s clear, accurate, and we’d classify it as forward with some great top end sizzle. It’s gonna be great for Rock, Metal, and anything with a lot of energy. The open back design of the LCD-X has a wonderful soundstage, giving ample space for the performance. Imaging is also great, which is partly why it's so popular with mixing engineers too. The LCD-X will sound great with classical, acoustic music, folk, and even rock will have a nice energy. We recommend pairing the LCD-X with our Black Dragon headphone cable to add some warmth and musicality to the audio. The drivers are incredibly efficient, you can plug them into your phone and they’ll work just fine, but you’ll get much better performance hooking them up to an amp. The LCD-X - if you’re a fan of the analytical audiophile persuasion, then be sure you have them on your list.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Black Dragon headphone cable will tame high-end energy and add warmth to the low end.
HiFiMan HE-R10D Closed-Back Headphones
The R10 series consists of 2 variations, the R10D, which stands for the dynamic driver version here, and the R10P which is the more pricey planar magnetic driver variation. The design itself might be a little polarizing, with the larger ear cups, but there’s one thing you can’t deny, and that’s the amazing sound quality - partly in thanks to the ear cups. The R10D is a fun headphone, it has a lot of energy, top end clarity, and the ear cup design helps the low end feel larger as well as enhance the overall soundstage. Hifiman has even created a Bluetooth module for the R series, allowing you to make the headphones wireless with their single entry headphone jack. The dynamic version is going to sound great with rock, alternative, blues, and metal in particular. We like pairing them with the silver dragon portable headphone cable too for tightening the low end response and adding a touch more detail to the mids and highs. The R10D is an excellent headphone if you’re looking for something with a little more connection or ergonomic variety than some of the other headphones on this list.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Silver Dragon Premium headphone cable will add top-end sizzle while enhancing detail retrieval.
Audeze LCD-XC Closed Headphones
As I’m sure you guessed it, the LCD-XC is the closed-back version of the LCD-X from Audeze. At 1799, the closed drivers retain a lot of that energy from the excellent planar magnetic drivers and have a forward sound signature with plenty of top end resolution. That energy makes it a great fit for EDM and rock, where the instrumentation can be impactful but articulate. Like the LCD-X, we recommend pairing them with a headphone amplifier to get the best performance from the drivers. Our Black Dragon headphone cable makes a great match with the LCD-XC too to bring out more musicality and warmth. If you like a more immediate sound with energy, then you should check out the closed-back version of the LCD-X, the XC, from Audeze.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Black Dragon headphone cable will tame high-end energy and add warmth to the low end.
HiFiMan HE1000 V2 Stealth Magnet Headphones
The HiFiMan HE1000V2 is an open-back planar magnetic headphone with large, oval ear cups with a wood veneer and perforated leather head strap to help with heat dissipation. The patented “Window Shade” grilles help achieve a wider sound with excellent imaging and clarity. The natural, detailed, and dynamic sound is both relaxed and resolving. The top end is prominent, but not fatiguing; mids are slightly forward, and bass is deep and well-controlled. While not a warm headphone per se, it has enough warmth to keep it from sounding more analytical.
Standout genres: Blues, folk, country
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Silver Dragon Premium headphone cable will keep the bass controlled and tight.
Focal Clear MG Headphones
The Clear MG from Focal makes some awesome improvements over the original Clear, making it Focal’s premiere mid-tier headphone for audiophiles. It sounds just as good as it looks too - it’s like they took a bronzer to the original Clear - the browns and coppers with silver accents just look awesome. The big deal here is the new M shaped magnesium dome, it really improves the dynamics and balance. Details are nice, and it's just an overall solid reference signature. It’s gonna be great for blues, country, and folk in particular. We like to pair our Silver Dragon headphone cable as well for added detail and tightening up the low end. The Clear MG is one of our favorite Focal headphones here at Moon Audio and we use it as a staple for many of our testing sessions. It’s tried and true great sound and comfort, and we’d be doing you a disservice by not recommending it for anyone looking for one of the most premium headphones in this price range.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Silver Dragon Premium headphone cable will add top-end sizzle while enhancing detail retrieval.
Sennheiser HD 800S Headphones
One of my favorite headphones on our list here, the HD 800S from Sennheiser, can run double duty as a great music listening headphone as well as one of, if not THE, best high end headphone for gaming. At 1799, Sennheiser’s detail monster delivers some of the best clarity and forward-sounding audio than any other headphone available at Moon Audio. It’s impressive, and the sound signature will appeal to any detail lover and genres like Classical, Jazz, Acoustic music, and more. The comfort is next level, with large oversized ear cups that completely envelop your ears and excellent padding, I can wear these for hours without any fatigue whatsoever. And that's for both music listening and gaming. The open back design is great for imaging and one of the most expansive soundstages on the market, and you’ll be surprised at just how big your music can sound in these things. Classial, Rock and, Jazz are certainly recommended genre pairings. We definitely recommend pairing the HD 800S with a headphone amplifier to get the best performance from these drivers, along with a Black dragon headphone cable for added warmth and musicality. Look, if you want some of the best detail in a headphone for music or gaming then look no further. The Sennheiser HD 800S is for you.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Black Dragon headphone cable will tame high-end energy and add warmth to the low end.
Denon AH-D9200 Headphones
I had the privilege of testing the AH-D9200 when it came out, and boy was I impressed. It’s kind of a sleeper hit, because it’s Denon’s flagship, and to be honest I didn't expect much from a flagship at this price. First of all, I’m a big fan of the vintage yet touch-of-modern look of the black leather, brushed silver, and slick looking wooden ear cups. They use the 50mm FreeEdge drivers like the rest of the AH lineup of headphones, and the ear cups are made from japanese bamboo. So Japanese bamboo has natural vibration dampening properties, and the result is a clean and natural sound to the music. As such, the 9200 is neutral sounding when it comes to the signature. It has a tight bass response and some clarity and detail in the mids and highs. We recommend pairing the 9200 with the Black Dragon headphone cable for some added warmth and body to the music to help fill out some of those mids and low frequencies. It’ll sound great with classical, jazz, and rock in particular. The Denon AH-D9200 is a flagship-level headphone without the flagship-level price, and it’s the only headphone on this list where I can say that.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Black Dragon headphone cable will tame high-end energy and add warmth to the low end.
Sony MDR-Z1R Premium Headphones
Like all things Sony, you can expect one of the best V-shaped headphones on the market. There’s a ton of bass as well as some excellent top end in the MDR-Z1R, making it a great fit for a lot of genres out there, but some of our favorites were rock, pop, EDM, and R&B. They’re on the large side, but don’t make the mistake of thinking they’re uncomfortable or unwieldy to wear. They’re pretty light, all things considered, and I’ve worn these for hours without any issue. Sony likes to put you “in the action” of your music, so the soundstage is a lot smaller than other headphones on our list, but it’s not too small that it sterilizes the music. In fact, it keeps the performances lively and exciting. We like to pair the MDR-Z1R with our Silver Dragon headphone cable for added clarity and definition. At $1999, they’re the best Sony has to offer in sound quality for a headphone. Check them out if you want a headphone under $2000 that can do it all.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Silver Dragon Premium headphone cable will add top-end sizzle while enhancing detail retrieval.
Fostex TH900 mk2 Headphones
The TH900 mk2 is one of Drew’s favorite headphones here, and there are lots of reasons why. It’s a well known and respected headphone in the audiophile industry, and it’s one of the top of the line reference headphones by Fostex. It’s a neutral sounding headphone - it's very linear from top to bottom as Drew likes to say, and that makes it a great headphone for a lot of genres out there. Blues, folk, country and EDM are especially lovely on them. We like pairing the TH900 Mk2 with our Black Dragon headphone cable to add more body and warmth to the music. Being a reference headphone, it’s far from being analytical sounding, and it does a lot of things well for different genres. Comfort is awesome - cushioning and clamping force make it easy to just sit there and listen to the music. So if you want a headphone where you can do that for a lot of different genres of music, be sure to check out the Fostex TH900 MK2 headphones.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Black Dragon headphone cable will tame high-end energy and add warmth to the low end.
Audeze LCD-3 Headphones
Of the LCD lineup of headphones from Audeze, the LCD-3 is the warmest of the bunch. If you like your low end THICC then these might be the headphones for you. Audeze has the same open-back design on the 3’s as their other LCD offerings, similar large ear cups, headband design, grill, etc. It’s a tried and true design from Audeze, but that’s where the similarities end. The LCD-3 has huge bottom end extension, making it great for genres like EDM, electronica, and jazz. At the same time it’s incredibly detailed, with great articulation. If I’m wanting to just get lost in my music, these are one of the first headphones I’ll grab. It just provides an incredibly rich environment for my music to live in. We like to pair the LCD-3 with our Silver Dragon headphone cable for added clarity and detail. Bass heads and electronic music lovers, check out these headphones because I’m sure they won’t disappoint if you’re looking for a new set of cans in this price range.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Silver Dragon Premium headphone cable will add top-end sizzle while enhancing detail retrieval.
Grado GS3000x Statement Series Headphones
At the top of the Grado totem pole is the GS3000X, at $1995, it’s their flagship Statement Series headphone. The GS3000X of course has the new X series drivers that we’ve already discussed a few times, with the 52mm driver and a newer cable and headband design. It also features the larger G cushion ear pads. The biggest difference here is the cocobolo wood paired with a metal chamber, adding some great texture, emotion, and mass to your music. It’s a stunning booking headphone with the wood grain and is certainly fitting design-wise and sound-wise for a flagship headphone. The sound signature can best be described as musical and expansive - not necessarily warm - but the Grado tuning makes it sound excellent for classical, jazz, and blues. We also like to pair the GS3000X with our Black Dragon headphone cable for some added warmth. If you like Grado and want the best they have to offer, be sure to check out the GS3000X headphone.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Black Dragon headphone cable will tame high-end energy and add warmth to the low end.
Audio Technica ATH-ADX5000 Headphones
The Audio Technica ATH-ADX5000 is an open-back dynamic driver headphone. The ear cups are on the larger size, but at just 9.5 ounces, this is a really lightweight and comfortable headphone. The frame is made of strong, lightweight magnesium; the earpads and headband are fashioned from Alcantara, a material known for its durability and comfort. The ADX-5000 has a very detailed and resolute sound, which makes it great for music with lots of instrumentation and/or stringed instruments. The wider soundstage gives a great sense of imaging, so you can imagine the various instruments in your mind’s eye. The ADX-5000 does have a lot of top-end energy, so you’re really going to hear instruments in the treble range.
Standout genres: Classical, bluegrass, strings
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Black Dragon headphone cable will tame high-end energy and add warmth to the low end.
Fostex TH-909 Premium Headphones
The Fostex TH-909 dynamic driver headphone is an eye-catcher with stunning red lacquer ear cups and cool grille design. The housing features a double-layer structure composed of etching metal, diversifying the resonance points and presenting a gorgeous appearance. The open-back design gives the TH-909 a wide and airy sound, so the music feels less concentrated in your head. It's detailed and fast sound with a great bass presence, making it an especially good match for genres like heavy metal, rock, EDM, R&B, classical, and jazz. This is a headphone that favors neutrality and accuracy over warmth and emotion. Mids are neutral and accurate, while highs are on the tamer side.
Standout genres: Jazz, blues
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Silver Dragon Premium headphone cable will add top-end sizzle while enhancing detail retrieval.
HiFiMan HE1000se Headphones
The HiFiMan HE1000SE is an open-back planar magnetic headphone with a very detailed and dynamic sound. It’s on the analytical side, but it’s more natural than clinical. HE1000 series headphones have one of the largest planar diaphragms made. This gives them the ability to provide subharmonic low frequencies better than any other headphone, in our opinion. You’re not going to get big, bloated bass, but you’’ hear subharmonic frequencies that most headphones can't pick up. The HE1000SE has a huge soundstage, making it especially suitable for genres like classical and jazz, and the open-back design is going to suit aggressive genres like rock and metal. It’s a very comfortable headphone, with larger, teardrop shaped ear cups; a wide, perforated leather head strap; and a headband designed for stability and durability. It weighs just under a pound and comes with three cables.
Standout genres: Rock, heavy metal
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Black Dragon Premium headphone cable will warm the middle and low frequencies for a fuller sound.
RAAL CA-1A Headphones
The RAAL CA-1A is a unique headphone in that it uses a ribbon driver. Yes, like ribbon tweeters found in full-size loudspeakers. The sound is analytical, fast, and airy, much like an electrostatic headphone. It’ll really let you hear all of the nuances in your music. We really like the CA-1A with classical, jazz, and blNow, if you have an amplifier or an interface box that supports ribbon headphones, you can purchase just the CA-1A for $2,000. Or, you can get it with the TI-1b transformer interface, which you can connect to a high-powered headphone amp. The CA-1A has a minimalistic, utilitarian design and comes with two sets of ear pads for different sound effects.
Standout genres: Blues, folk, country
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Black Dragon Premium headphone cable will add heft to the bottom end while smoothing the higher frequencies.
Rosson Audio Design RAD-0 Headphones
The Rosson Audio Design RAD-0 is an open-back planar magnetic headphone with a smooth, neutral-warm sound. The gorgeous, handcrafted design is available in a choice of six colors, utilizing such materials as wood, rocks, and gems. This is a heavier headphone, weighing in at 550g to 615g, depending on the materials used in your chosen design. Rosson Audio Design was started by the co-founder of Audeze, so some of the Audeze sound comes through here. The RAD-0 has the warmth and musicality of the LCD-3 and the top-end sizzle of the LCD-X.
Standout genres: Rock, jazz, EDM
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Silver Dragon Premium headphone cable will really bring out detail in the midrange and upper frequencies.
Dan Clark Audio VOCE Electrostatic Headphones
Dan Clark is known for planar magnetic headphones, but the VOCE is actually an electrostatic headphone. Electrostats are known for being fast, detailed, and airy, but Dan Clark put a little of that more relaxed planar sound into the VOCE, so it’s less clinical than your typical electrostat. It’s very crisp and clear, with a little bit of warmth. The bass is clean and tight, mids are on the forward side, and highs are pleasant. The VOCE weighs about 11.5 ounces and feels good on the head. It’s got this spider-web design on the grilles, and a wide, perforated head strap. As with any e-stat headphone, you must use an appropriately powered amplifier or energizer. The VOCE is designed to be compatible with all 580 volt pro bias amps. The VOCE ships in a walnut storage box with clear acrylic doors, a built-in headphone stand, and a slot for the specialized cable, which is included with purchase.
Standout genres: Classical, folk, blues, country
Cable note: No Dragon Cable option. You must use the specialized stock cable.
Focal Stellia Headphones
The Stellia is Focal’s flagship closed-back headphone. The full-grain leather on the headband is soft and cushy, and the sophisticated bronze design gives this headphone a one-of-a-kind look. The Stellia weighs about 15 ounces and is very comfortable. This headphone uses a dynamic driver with beryllium, which lends a more analytical sound. But the Stellia is anything but clinical sounding. It’s detailed and energetic, with a smoother top end. The closed-back design means you’re going to experience more depth and height to the soundstage as opposed to width.
Standout genres: Classical, jazz
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Black Dragon Premium headphone cable will give the Stellia a more musical sound.
Meze Audio Empyrean 2 Headphones
The Meze Empyrean 2 Headphones are the second generation of Meze Audio's popular Empyrean Headphones. The Empyrean 2 is more defined and has better detail separation than the original. The Empyrean II shows us what sonic improvements and technological advancements can do to an already stellar-sounding headphone. It's equipped with Meze Audio's Rinaro Isodynamics Hybrid Array Driver, that reduces the overall weight of the driver design and creates a very accurately reproduced audio. It's got a great reference sound that'll pair well with most genres but sounds especially great with classical since it maintains that awesome, wide soundstage. Meze Audio has hit another home run with the Empyrean 2, and it sounds absolutely amazing.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: The Black Dragon Premium Headphone Cable for a warmer sound while still allowing clarity in the mids and highs to shine through
How to Pick the Perfect Headphone for You
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 headphone" 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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