The most comfortable headphones: How Bose, Sennheiser, Beats, more compare

If you are a true audiophile who spends a lot of time listening to vinyl records, the Sennheiser HD 599 open-back headphones are your ideal solution. They may not be easy to carry and don’t come with many high-tech features, but they’re extremely comfortable and sound better than any pair of headphones we tested for this roundup, including the $449 Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2).

The Sennheiser HD 599 headphones prioritize sound quality and comfort above all else. While the main draw here is the incredible sound quality, comfort is by no means an afterthought. They feature a nice wide frame that’s not too tight on your head, plus soft, plush ear cushions that feel like your favorite blanket (they’re replaceable, too). The faux leather headband is smooth and plush and allows for quick adjustments that never move. We mainly used them for listening to music and we could go through several albums without any discomfort.

Now let’s talk about sound. It’s incredible. The HD 599s have an open design that allows some ambient noise to pass through while listening, giving everything a more natural sound, ideal for deep, critical listening, especially if you plug them into a vinyl record player. If you want your music to be presented in the best possible way, these headphones provide the soundstage needed to achieve that. If you’re wondering, yes, these headphones are wired only, coming with a 3.5mm and a quarter-inch cable. At least you won’t have to worry about battery life or Bluetooth connectivity.

There is a trade-off, however. You can’t really travel with these headphones. Because they are open, they also leak sound. out. Unless you want to be that dude, leave it at home. It’s for the best, though, as they don’t seem to be the most durable headphones, and traveling can damage them over time. And since they’re not designed with portability in mind, we can understand why they don’t come with a carrying case. But still, at this price point, they should come with at least some form of storage. We do, however, like that the cables are removable, so you won’t leave a mess behind when you’re not using them.

HD 599s are relatively affordable these days. So if you’re a die-hard music lover who wants to hear their tracks at their best, they’re worth every penny.