Closed-Back vs. Open-Back Headphones

When buying headphones, there are many factors to consider. Which brand should I choose? How much should (or can) I spend on a “good” pair of headphones? Should the new headphones be wireless, perhaps with active noise cancellation and a transparency mode? Or would a classic wired pair be better? So many questions – and those aren’t even all of them!

Let’s assume you’ve decided to go for a wired model. Even in 2024, there are still many good reasons for this, one of the most significant being their superior sound quality.

Bluetooth headphones have made great strides in recent years with increasingly high-quality audio codecs. However, they’re still often outperformed by their wired counterparts when it comes to pure sound performance, particularly in the audiophile realm. Wireless models can’t quite match the uncompressed and pristine quality of full-resolution audio sources, and they also tend to lag slightly in terms of latency.

But back to the topic at hand: you’ve decided to treat yourself and invest in the best sound quality possible – let’s assume it’s for home use. Excellent choice! But wait! Even after clearing that hurdle, there’s still an important question to answer in the world of headphones. Should you go for a so-called “closed-back” or “open-back” headphone? What’s the difference, and which is “better” or right for you?

I’d like to explain these two headphone designs in the simplest way possible and hopefully help you make the right purchasing decision for yourself. Let’s dive in!

Closed-back vs. Open-back Headphones – What’s the Difference?

The difference between these two types of headphones is relatively simple and easy to explain. A closed-back headphone is, quite literally, what the name suggests: a headphone whose ear cups are closed to the outside, effectively “sealed.”

As a result, most of the sound stays within the ear cups, and only a minimal amount of what you’re listening to leaks out. This “sound leakage” can be crucial in certain situations, such as when you want to enjoy loud music at home (always mindful of your ears!) without disturbing your surroundings or family members. The same applies to listening on public transport, though today’s discussion will focus primarily on home use. Additionally, closed-back headphones are great for blocking out external noise, whether it’s a crying baby or a neighbor mowing their lawn.

Sounds pretty great, right? So why would you choose anything other than closed-back headphones? The explanation is simple: the sound in closed-back headphones (due to their physical and structural design) tends to feel “closer” to your head. The “soundstage” – the perceived space or stage on which the music plays – is typically much smaller compared to open-back models. The sound hits the closed interior wall and doesn’t travel any further, confined to the limited space that closed-back headphones inherently provide. For sound enthusiasts and purists, this can quickly become a drawback.

However, this varies by individual, and many people aren’t bothered by this “disadvantage.” Still, closed-back headphones often have another drawback, which I’ll briefly touch on for the sake of simplicity: they tend to emphasize bass more heavily and often exhibit a less “balanced” frequency curve.

Sound-Signature of a Closed-Back

In short, most consumer headphones are closed-back models and are often tuned more for “fun” rather than neutral and purist sound reproduction. Frequently, they feature a bass boost, slightly recessed midrange, and elevated treble – a “V-shaped” frequency response, as it’s known in the industry, because the frequency curve resembles a “V.” Such tuning is common in consumer products from brands like Sony, Apple, Sennheiser, and Bose, as well as some closed-back models from Meze Audio, Hifiman, and similar brands.

Of course, sound tuning is largely a matter of personal taste, so this is worth mentioning but not overstating. Additionally, there are open-back headphones with similar tuning, so it’s not an exclusive characteristic of closed-back models.

To summarize:

• Closed-back headphones offer better sound isolation – both from outside noise and from your music leaking out.
• They’re great for home use without disturbing family members, for public transport without bothering others, or for workouts at the gym.
• Their soundstage is generally smaller, the sound feels closer to the head, and they often lack neutrality in sound reproduction.

Open-back headphones: The opposite end of the spectrum

With open-back headphones, the ear cups are designed to be open, with no barrier fully containing the sound. The ear cups allow sound to travel both outwards and inwards, meaning people around you can hear what you’re listening to, and you can hear your environment. This makes open-back headphones ideal for quieter environments, such as a dedicated listening area or a private music room.

You might call this “solo listening.” Alternatively, you can kindly ask others in your home to wear their own (preferably closed-back) headphones during your listening sessions. 😊

Jokes aside, the best audiophile headphones are generally open-back. Legendary models like Sennheiser’s HD 600 or HD 800 series are great examples. Similarly, reference models from brands like Hifiman, Meze Audio, Beyerdynamic, and Focal also fall into this category. The best headphones tend to be open-back. Period. They often provide a more neutral, relaxed sound and simply sound “truer” and more “realistic” than closed-back headphones.

How do open-backs sound?

Open-back headphones also offer a significantly wider and more spacious soundstage. The sense of confinement you get with closed-back headphones is absent here. Listening with open-back headphones often feels more like hearing music through speakers in a room rather than through conventional headphones. This makes them better suited for audiophiles, purists, and those who appreciate “honest” music reproduction. While this may sound abstract, it’s simply true.

Open-back headphones generally have less pronounced bass, as sound naturally escapes through the open design. As a result, there are fewer open-back models in the mainstream market compared to closed-back ones. However, genres like classical, jazz, vocals, live recordings, piano music, and a cappella performances can significantly benefit from open-back headphones, often delivering spine-tingling moments.

Finally, open-back headphones have another advantage: they usually don’t require a perfect “seal” around the ears to sound good, as their design inherently allows sound to escape. Additionally, they provide better ventilation, meaning your ears are less likely to sweat – a significant plus during hot summer months.

So, which is better for home use: closed-back or open-back headphones?

There’s no definitive answer, as much depends on personal preferences and the specific conditions of your home. If you can accommodate open-back headphones (not in terms of cost, but in terms of environment),  you’ll be rewarded with a more neutral, realistic sound, a wider soundstage, and an overall superior listening experience.

However, if a more “intimate” sound doesn’t bother you, if you enjoy more bass, or if open-back headphones simply aren’t practical in your home, there are many excellent closed-back models worth considering. And if you plan to leave the house with your headphones, closed-back models are almost always the better choice—your neighbors will thank you.

At Headphone.Shop, we believe that the best insights come from real experiences. That’s why we’ve invited our community of passionate customers to share their thoughts on their favorite products and topics. These reviews and articles are written by real people, for real people – giving you honest perspectives from those who know and love the world of high-end audio. Read our blog for more Community Insights.

Many thanks to our community-author Fabio De Feo.