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Sony, Apple, and Bose all make flagship headphones that are considered premium, with each retailing for between $400 and $500. But if you’re the type to filter high-to-low when shopping, there’s a whole world of cans that are much, much more expensive.
One of the most famous is Sennheiser’s HE 1 headphones, which come with a built-in tube amplifier and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) on a block of Carrara marble (good luck bringing them on your commute). Less a pair of headphones and more a mission statement, Sennehiser designed them with the intention of creating a pair of headphones with no compromises.
Sennheiser’s HE 1 headphones, which were listed for $60,000, were something of a sequel to the $16,000 Sennheiser Orpheus HE90, released in 1991. Unsurprisingly, you can’t walk into a Best Buy and buy any of these.
With that in mind, we sought to round up a by-no-means comprehensive list of the most expensive headphones you can actually buy online. Whether you’re Daddy Warbucks or just window-shopping, these are some of the most expensive headphones on the market.
Warwick Acoustics Aperio
$40,000
Buy Now at crutchfield
For a cool 40 grand, you can order Warwick Acoustics’ Aperio headphones. Like Sennheiser’s HE-1 headphones, these wired headphones come with an amplifier and DAC, so you’re getting more than just a pair of headphones. The headphones themselves are open-back, electrostatic headphones with Cabretta sheepskin leather cushions. The whole thing ships in a heavy-duty, hard-sided rolling case, so you could theoretically travel with it. And hey, the shipping is free.
Hermes Headphones
$13,635.49
Buy Now at hermes
You can’t actually buy these in the United States yet, but for anyone with $13,000 and change (price converted from Euros) to spend on headphones, we imagine a plane ticket to Europe isn’t out of the question. They’re Hermes’ first entry into the world of wireless headphones, and they’re constructed from lambskin leather and a satin-finish aluminum that “echoes the equestrian stirrup.” Most of the headphones on this list are wired, open-back headphones for home use, but these are portable, noise-canceling headphones with a 30-hour battery life.
Audeze CRBN2
$5,995.00
Buy Now at crutchfield
Audeze primarily makes open-back headphones, but the Southern California company also makes gaming headsets and closed-back audiophile headphones. The CRBN2 headphones are an open-back, electrostatic design and require a separate headphone amp.
HiFiMan HE-R10 Planar Version
$5,499.00
Buy Now at hifiman
If you can’t swing HiFiMan’s $50,000 Shangri-La headphones, you can instead pick up the much more attainable HE-R10 headphones, which cost $5,499.00. They’re closed-back, planar headphones featuring a pronounced wooden earcup and an ergonomic leather headband. The wired headphones come with 3.5mm, XLR, and 6.35mm cables.
Focal Utopia High-Fidelity Over-Ear Open-Back Headphones
$4,999.00
Buy Now On Amazon
For just under $5,000, you can buy Focal’s Utopia headphones with free Prime shipping. They feature memory foam earpads and a leather headband, while the yoke is constructed from recycled carbon. They’re open-back headphones, so, unsurprisingly, they’re designed for at-home listening. The Utopia headphones feature a Beryllium ‘M’-shaped dome designed for “unrivalled purity, realism and transparency,” according to the brand.
Meze Audio Elite Tungsten
$4,000
Buy Now at meze audio
Meze Audio‘s Elite Tungsten headphones are constructed with a carbon fiber and leather headband, with a chassis constructed from a single piece of aluminum. The open-back headphones are designed for home listening, and they come with two different ear pad types for a comfortable fit. Unlike other high-end headphones, these can be driven by almost any audio source without the need for a separate amplifier.
Beoplay H100 Ultimate over-ear headphones
$2,200
Buy Now at B&O
Buy Now On Amazon
Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay H100 are some of the priciest wireless headphones on the market. The noise-canceling headphones, which retail for $2,200, have up to 32 hours of battery life. They’re optimized for Dolby Atmos and feature head-tracking for an immersive audio experience. The drivers are made from titanium, while the earcups, headband, and carrying case are made from lambskin and cowhide leather.
Sony MDR-Z1R Headphones
$1,999.99
Buy Now at sony
Buy Now at walmart
Sony’s headphones run the gamut, from the $11 ZX Series to the $450 WH-1000XM6. What’s consistent across Sony’s audio offerings is a commitment to quality, as well as an opaque naming scheme. The Sony MDR-Z1R headphones are the brand’s most expensive headphones that you can currently buy. The $2,000 wired headphones feature sheepskin earpads and a magnesium dome with a liquid crystal polymer-edge diaphragm. Of course, they don’t come in a standard zippered case — instead, you get a stylish, cushioned storage box.
