The 6 Best Audiophile Headphones of 2026 (Sennheiser 🇩🇪, Philips 🇳🇱, Meze 🇷🇴, and Focal 🇫🇷)
The best audiophile headphones we've tested are the Sennheiser HD 800 S. These open-back over-ears have an outstanding soundstage that's large, natural, and spacious.
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/best/by-usage/critical-listening-audiophileOpen linkView original on piefed.zip135
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Don’t forget Beyerdynamic. They even manufacture in Germany.
They got bought recently as well IIRC
Holy smokes, you are right! I didn't know that. Time to buy my headphones NOW, not later!
isn't philips just a nameplate nowadays?
I'm not a 100% sure, but i believe audio is part of their personal health division (like shavers and electronic toothbrushes). Home appliances is now Versuni, TV is TP Vision and lighting is now Signify. I could be wrong and then it would be part of one of those companies.
Audio seems to also be part of TP Vision.
https://www.tpvision.com/about-us
It would make sense if headphone were part of the same division as home cinema surround sets and the likes when they sold it.
As of a few years ago, Sennheiser’s consumer line is owned by Sonova, a hearing aid manufacturer (who I think may be American)
It is a Swiss group wich also has facilities in Canada and the USA.
I've been using Sennheiser for a while, a bit lower-grade models though (Accentum Plus). Works great, the only pet peeve is that they changed buttons for a touch-screen on the right headphone, I don't like tapping it that much. But the sound is great and the equipment robust (my previous ones had lasted for 5 years with no battery or sound quality issues before someone stole them on a train...).
Philips isnt European anymore.
Philips Medical is still Dutch.
Phillips Lights is spun of as Signify, and appears to still be dutch Philips everything-else is sold off
i was wondering why marshall is not present, do they only have good amps and speakers?
marshall's headphones are rebranded urbanears products. urbanears are also european but they're budget.
I wish Meze would bring back the copper finnish of the original Empyrians
They are absolutely stunning
I know Sennheisers are german but those are also made in Romania these days. Nice to see Meze here as well
Anecdotally, while I love my sennies because nothing sounds like them, I'm still nursing a pair of older 559s and hoping they last forever because absolutely every single one of the newer ones I bought had or developed issues.
My 800s are made in Ireland
I am super happy with my Sennheiser momentum 3
Same here. Comfy and good clean sound.
I've never tried Focal headphones but can confirm the speakers are the real deal 👌
Wearing Focal Clear - original not MG - and they're fantastic.
I've had my Sennheiser HD650 for 8 years and I bought them used. The best part is you can buy pretty much any part (except the frame itself I think) and are easy to replace. Great sound and very comfortable.
Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro are my professional studio reference hp's for over 30 years.
Isn't Cambridge european?
Did Grado Labs stop making headphones?
No love for Stax?
didn't sennheiser sell some years ago?
Is rtings a good, reliable review site nowadays? I used to trust them, but it's a lot harder to trust any reviews/recommendations nowadays
Best gaming headset I had hands down was from EPOS, Seinheisers gaming branch. Alas ended up having a design flaw that broke it. Still works fine, just doenst stay on my head. Anyway, I digress, I'm here for team Seinheisers, badass audio quality.