Best On-ear headphones 2017

Product of the year

Best portable on-ear headphones under £150

AKG Y50

“These headphones have an open and spacious soundstage. And they fill it well”

Best buys

Best home on-ear headphones £200-£400

Grado SR325e

"The musical, detailed sound of the Grados makes them a truly top buy"

Best portable on-ear headphones £150+

Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Over-Ear

“A great balance of energy and finesse that keeps you listening”

Best home on-ear headphones £100-£200

AKG K550

“What's profoundly impressive is just how unlike a closed-back pair of headphones they sound”

Best home on-ear headphones under £100

Grado SR80e

"Open-back on-ear headphones are a rarity, but Grado has knocked this one out of the park"

Best home on-ear headphones £400+

Beyerdynamic Amiron

“The level of transparency and range these Amirons provide means if you put high quality sound in, you’ll get high quality sound out”

What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

Read more about how we test

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