Closed Back Vs Open Back Headphones - Audiophile ON

0 Closed Back vs Open Back Headphones - How to Choose Headphone ReviewsLearnNews Oct 25 Written By Audiophile On

Whether you are looking for closed-back or open-back headphones, there are a lot of differences in how the technologies perform. We, in this article, discuss the pros and cons of each design and make some recommendations on the best models.

There has never been a better time to buy a new set of headphones, but some buyers might want to know a little bit more about the type of headphones before they buy.

The physical differences between open-back and closed-back headphones are pretty simple. Still, a few considerations make significant differences in both the sound quality and how you will use them.

So to make things a little easier, we thought we would put together this quick guide to the main differences between these two headphone styles.

Physical Differences

In case you didn't know, the difference between open-back and closed-back headphones lies in the venting of the drivers. A closed-back headphone has the driver sitting isolated inside a closed-off earcup.

On the other hand, an open-back headphone usually has vents or grills to free air around the dynamic, electrostatic, or planar drivers.

Each of these designs has its unique advantages and disadvantages, so let’s take a look at the key points in favor of each headphone style.

Best Open back Headphones:

Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon

Best Closed headphones:

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Advantages of Open Back Headphones

1. Open-back headphones have better sound quality

It is almost always the case, that users wanting the best sound quality from their headphones should be looking at open-back headphones. This rule has some exceptions, but most audiophile-grade headphones are well-vented.

Headphones like the Focal Utopia, Audeze LCD series, and Sennheiser HD800 are easily some of the best-sounding headphones in the world today. They also all have one thing in common. They are all open-back headphones.

The ability of the driver to breathe without hindrance caused by pressure, combined with a usually more out-of-the-head and open listening experience, seems to get open-back headphones closer to real Hifi speaker systems than their closed-off brethren.

It’s a unique, airy, and expansive sound you can find here, whereas a closed-back headphone traditionally has a boxer sound with a deeper bass response.

As I said, there are some exceptional closed-back headphones, but it’s more likely that a given brand’s flagship headphones will be open-backed than closed.

2. Open Headphones are More Comfortable

Think about it if your ears aren’t enclosed in a tiny box. You will be much more comfortable if they can get nice fresh air circulating through them. By using open-back headphones, you can mitigate a build-up of heat and enjoy longer, more comfortable listening sessions.

The grills on the back of these headphones don’t just vent the drivers; it vents your ears. It allows for the ease of heat dispersal and passive cooling.

Closed-back headphones can get particularly hot, and many must take a break every few hours. If you can identify with this problem, it might be worth checking out open-back headphones as a possible solution.

3. Weight

Pound for a pound, you use fewer materials thanks to the omission of full outer earcup shells.

On a closed-back headphone, you get a lot of excess material on the earcups, but that’s not the complete story. In closed-back headphones, manufacturers also have to mitigate unwanted resonance in the chamber, so in the back of the headphones, you will often find extra material to dampen sound.

In this case, that weight is also distributed further from your ears on the outside of the cups, meaning they can feel heavier than they are due to the concept of leverage. Again, as we explained with the build-up of heat, the weight can also play a big part in comfort over long sessions.

4. More Advanced Driver Options

While it is true that the likes of Audeze now offer planar magnetic drivers inside closed headphones, this technology is far behind the same driver technology in open-back headphones.

Companies have been making both Planar and Electrostatic headphones in open formats for years, and the technology is established and mature. Closed-back designs are advancing, but for the most part, they are still heavily reliant on the dynamic driver format.

By purchasing an open-back headphone, you are opening yourself up to benefitting from more refined designs and technologies that are far more mature than their closed-back counterparts.

Advantages of Closed Headphones

1. Noise Isolation

The best part of closed-back headphones is their ability to isolate users from unwanted external noise. They do this far better than with open headphones.

The user's ears will sit in a closed earcup, thus significantly reducing the noise that will seep in from the outside world. This makes them far more suited to commuting and noisy environments and can help to preserve your bubble and sometimes your sanity.

Some closed-back models, especially those focusing on the DJ market, like the Sennheiser HD-25 and V-Moda Crossfade, can block out the majority of background noise and are the best for users working in noisy environments who don’t want to buy noise-canceling headphones.

2. Better Choice as portable headphones

With the advantage of noise isolation, most headphone companies design their portable headphone offerings to be closed-back.

As such, you get many more closed headphones designed to be taken with you when you leave the house.

Features such as a smaller form factor, foldable headbands, and rugged design elements can play a part in a buyer's decision-making process.

3. They Usually Have More Bass

While open-back headphones can undoubtedly have good bass quantity and very good quality, they usually tend to have less impact in sub-bass extension than closed headphones.

By trapping the air in a confined space, closed headphones have more of an ability to create more of an impact.

While this is not always the most important factor in sound, many people regard deep-pumping bass as a major selling point, and usually, closed headphones are better in this scenario.

In Summary

I use both types of headphones, and both open and closed-back headphones are featured on our best headphone list.

At home, I mainly use my collection of planar magnetic headphones. These are open-back, and they sound fantastic, but when traveling, I will be using the Sony WH-1000xm5 ANC headphones because their combination of closed-back design and noise cancellation works best in that scenario.

Both headphone types have their place, and so before you buy, put a little thought into how and where you will be using them. Open headphones might be the out-and-out sound king, but closed-back can also sound very good.

It just comes down to how and where you will be listening. Think about that, then choose the best option that suits your budget.

Headphone FAQ:

Are closed-back headphones bad for your ears?

Answer: No

Using open or closed-back headphones will have no long-term effect one way or the other on your hearing. What will have an impact will be the listening volume.Open-back headphones may be safer because they block out external noise by design, allowing you to listen to music or movies at lower volumes.

Are Closed back headphones good for mixing?

Answer: Yes

Closed headphones are the default choice for music industry professionals because the noise-isolating properties allow them to focus on the music without environmental distraction.

Do open-back headphones leak noise?

Answer: YesOpen-back headphone drivers are not enclosed, so the sound will leak into your listening environment. The extent of sound leakage will depend on the design and volume levels.

Are open-back headphones good for gaming?

The open-back headphone has unique properties for gaming that give them some advantages in terms of spatial awareness, positioning, and detail retrieval. Many pro gamers currently use open-back headphones, but closed-back designs are still the most popular technology.

Additional Reading related to this article:

Closed Back Headphone Buyers Guide

Best Open Back Headphones - Top 10 List

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