The 4 Most Expensive Headphones You Can Buy, According to User Reviews

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Headphones cost a penny. You can buy high-end headphones by the thousands, find affordable headphones aimed at audiophiles that are worth the money, or even buy a low-cost pair of headphones at your local discount retailer. I know, because I’ve experienced both. I recently purchased an $8 pair of headphones from Five Below while on vacation after accidentally leaving my Soundcore Anker Space 2 headphones at home.

And while premium headphones have their perks and fans, you might be surprised to find that many popular headphones are considered overpriced within the audio community. This doesn’t necessarily mean these expensive headphones are bad, just that you might not feel like you’re getting what you pay for, especially if your ears aren’t tuned/trained to really listen.

For this reason, we scoured the internet to find out which headphones users consider overpriced today. From name-brand offerings to brands you’ve probably never heard of, these are the headphones you might want to think twice about before shelling out your next paycheck. We’ve also included more affordable alternatives for those looking to save a few dollars, while still getting great sound.

The Beats brand was popular in the audio industry, especially after Apple bought it in 2014. While Beats became a huge seller for Apple, their status seemingly declined over the years as other brands expanded. This has a lot to do with the fact that people are starting to think that Beats are generally pretty overrated for their price, even their high-end models like the Beats Studio Pro.

The Beats Studio Pro sounds great on paper, and our own review called them the throwback hat we all needed. But some users haven’t been very happy, reporting issues with the overall sound and feeling like the audio is being held up in some way. Some reviews point to poor build quality, emphasis on heavy bass, a tight fit, and, oddly enough, cushions that can’t be replaced.

For those looking for something in the same price range that can compete, many often recommend the Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones. These are solid headphones for music, with excellent color options and a comprehensive feature set.

It might seem strange to see Sony on this list, but here we are. There’s nothing inherently bad about the Sony WH-1000XM5, and there was a lot of hype around it when it launched. The problem many people have is value for money. If you read enough reviews, you’ll quickly see a pattern emerge. The most important feature isn’t the audio; This is noise cancellation technology.

Sony’s noise cancellation technology is among the best on the market. It’s strange that the main argument many people make isn’t about the sound quality of these headphones. Look, I’m a big fan of noise cancellation when traveling or working, but if I buy headphones it will be first for the sound quality and not for the lifestyle features.

If you’re serious about noise cancellation but aren’t looking to spend nearly $300 on the Sonys, Soundcore might have you covered. The Soundcore Anker Space One features four-stage adaptive active noise cancellation and delivers a high-resolution audio experience. Don’t be surprised if these change names in the future, as the Soundcore name will be retired soon.

You may know Raycon as the company that seems to sponsor every YouTuber over the past few years. And what might surprise you is that Raycon doesn’t actually make the worst headphones on the planet. Of course, they’re not aimed at high-end audiophiles, but they get the job done for basic use. The problem often comes from the price, which tends to be too inflated compared to what you get.

An example of this is the Raycon The Essential headphones. These are decent entry-level headphones with active noise cancellation, long battery life, and a clean, simple design. On paper, these are great headphones, but Raycon’s confusing name convention doesn’t help. They just feel a little overpriced at almost $100 compared to competitors in the industry.

When you can buy something competitive like the JLab JBuds Lux for $60 every day, or something that blows them away like the Soundcore Q31i for the same price, it’s hard to recommend the Raycon The Essential headphones. Unless you really like the brand and get sucked into the marketing, there are better options at this price point.

When you start to really get into the audiophile field, chances are you’ll quickly come across Bowers & Wilkins. This makes sense, as the company has a rich history dating back to 1966, so one would expect their headphone offerings to be top-notch, and they usually are. But this brand now comes with a cost that many believe is too high for what you get.

Users have noted that the company’s early days of innovation are long behind it, with its modern headphones banking on that name to attract a luxury, not necessarily audiophile, crowd. The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 are a good example. These are solid headphones with decent sound, but it’s hard to justify spending almost $800 on them.

If you’re itching to spend the price of a PlayStation 5 on your next headset and want a truly high-end audiophile experience, I suggest something like the Focal Bathys. Users note the superior soundstage and the fact that they are simply much more musically fun than the Bowers & Wilkins Px8.

When developing this list of headphones, we consulted users and audio experts, relying on the author’s expertise and experience. From YouTube audiophiles to Amazon reviews and even audio-focused forums, we’ve focused on headphones that many in the audio community think are too expensive for what you get.

This doesn’t mean any of the headphones featured are bad, just that you may be paying for a name and fancy marketing, rather than the audio quality itself. During our research, we also looked at a number of potential alternatives that users might consider if they were considering purchasing any of the headphones featured in this list.