Closed-Back vs Open-Back Headphones – Which is better?

Here comes a long-requested topic that comes up a number of times within comments, emails, conversations, and more. The difference between closed-back vs open-back headphones, and which is better than the other.

To begin, I’ll quickly cover the difference between the two headphones. An open-back pair of headphones is exactly as it sounds. The back of each muff (usually featuring some form of plastic or metal grill) is open to the world around it. There is nothing blocking the sound from escaping. A closed-back pair of headphones (equally as sounding in name) is closed on the outside of the muff, trapping the sound inside your ear with nowhere else to escape.

Both of these headphone styles have their pros and cons and neither is “better” than the other. Which completely takes the “vs” out of the question when we are looking at an answer. What it comes down to, is what you (the listener) are specifically looking for, and where you will be listening to them.

Closed-Back

This is usually the default style you’ll find in a pair of headphones. Especially, anything considered to be “affordable”. Although there are affordable open-back models out there, typically, you will find better quality in the closed selection for these prices. This is because open-back is mostly reserved for those looking for a bit more out of their headphones.

Closed-back, as mentioned, captures everything into your ear. The sound feels closer, can feature plenty of bass in the audio, and is the best option for when there are people or noises around you. Others around you can’t hear the music you are listening to (normally), and the headphones will help to block out some of the external noise from reaching your ears. Making this the best option for travel or any kind of noisy situations. This is especially true when looking at noise-canceling models.

This is a universal style that can be used just about anywhere, anytime. Including mixing behind a console for live shows or within recording studios. Allowing you to zone into the music and focus on what you are trying to listen to.

Open-Back

This style is less common when you look at the average pair of headphones you’d find on a shelf. They can sometimes be more expensive as well. This is mostly because they are tailored for a specific niche of buyers.

With open-back, you typically experience a much larger sound stage. Which is the perceived space around your ears that the sound (appears) to be coming from. It allows what you are listening to, to sound much grander in scale. Great for orchestras, big bands, and other large-scale sources of recordings. Great for many other things as well (a nice acoustic recording, jazz compilation, etc). It allows for a less claustrophobic experience and sometimes a much larger (fuller) range of sound that can really bring out the best of what you are listening to.

The down-side to this is that everyone else around you will be able to hear what you are listening to. Not as loudly as your ears, but they still can nonetheless. You will also be able to hear everything happening around you as well. This includes people walking around talking, or the ticking of a clock or hum of a fan. So it is ideal to limit yourself to a quiet room where you can distance yourself from external audible distractions.

You will also typically experience less of a bass presence as bass leaks easily. So if you are looking for that deep clubby bass, you’ll be on an adventure looking for a pair of open-backs that can provide this. However, what bass is there, is usually quite well-defined.

Open-back examples: beyerdynamic T1, Heddphones, or beyerdynamic DT 1990

The Answer

Neither one is ultimately better than the other. Each has its purpose and usage strengths. Each has its flaws. Your environment, what you are listening to, and your budget will play a big role in determining which one you will be listening to at any given moment in time. Most audiophiles will have both styles at their beckoning. In fact, they likely have a number of each as not any one specific model of either is best in its overall category. Noise-canceling closed-back headphones, for example, are best for noisy environments. However, they are not the best when it comes to the quality (range) of sound. Then you have wired vs wireless, and other factors to take into consideration.