Sennheiser HD550

The newest open-back in Sennheiser's 500 line: light on the head, easy across long evenings, and tuned a touch warmer than the studio-leaning HD 560S. Air and width over thump — the open-back trade, done properly at a sane price.

For a lot of people this will be the first serious open-back, and it suits the job: detailed enough to show what your records have been hiding, forgiving enough that you keep listening instead of analysing.

Open means open — it leaks sound both ways, so it is a quiet-room headphone. It runs fine from a laptop jack; a small desk DAC gives it firmer grip but is not the price of entry.