Rich, powerful bass is an attractive feature found in many consumer headphones. For certain buyers, particularly those who listen to electronic genres that rely on bass-heavy production, it’s one of the most desirable attributes. A better bass response allows wearers to “feel” the music, making the overall listening experience more fun and engaging. Likewise, a similar effect is achieved while using headphones to listen to movies, shows, and video games. If there’s ample bass response, you’ll hear every boom and every bang in a whole new way.
Keep in mind that while bass is an important factor, a well-rounded audio profile that maintains clarity across the entire frequency spectrum is also essential for a good listening experience. In many cases, the contrast between a crystalline high-end and a thundering low-end serves to enhance the latter’s impact.
Headphone Features for Better Bass
One of the primary features of headphones with a solid bass response is driver size. Driver size directly correlates to a headphone’s ability to reproduce lower frequencies. The same is true of standard loudspeakers, in which a larger speaker is able to reproduce low-end and sub-bass frequencies with more power and less distortion. For headphones, try to find a driver of 40mm or larger if better bass is the ultimate pursuit.
Frequency response is another important factor. You’ll want to find a pair that dips down to around 30 Hz or below. 20 Hz is considered the lowest frequency humans can hear, and anything near and below that mark is felt rather than heard. It’s good to know your headphones’ frequency response to get an idea of what they’re capable of handling. It’s even better to check out a manual or specification sheet that shows the actual frequency plot charted on a graph. Different headphones have entirely different profiles and, for better bass, you’d want to see a boost around 100 Hz or so.
Finally, having a pair of closed-back headphones is great for better bass. The physical space behind the drivers is enclosed, allowing minimal sound to leak out. Low frequencies are able to build up inside the earcups and enhance bass impact.
Best Headphones for Bass
Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless
Why We Chose These Headphones: Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones stand out as a leader in current innovation, including class-leading noise-cancellation and wonderfully balanced sound.
Headphone Details:
- Ultra-wide 4 Hz to 40 kHz frequency response
- Industry-leading active noise cancellation
- Battery life of up to 30 hours
- Sleek, comfortable Sony design with an included carrying case
Despite only having a 30mm driver, the Sony WH-1000XM5s reproduce bass frequencies and complete mixes in stellar clarity and power. The driver itself was newly redesigned in an effort to enhance noise-cancelling properties and specifically create better intelligibility in lower frequency registers. The result is a distraction-free listening experience with plenty of bass.
Another impressive feature of these headphones is digital processing power that’s able to up-res low-quality audio files like MP3s. Internal software intelligently restores lost data from over-compression, so you can hear music the way the original artists, producers, and engineers intended. The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are all-around one of the best wireless options on the market.
Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Noise-Canceling
Why We Chose These Headphones: Sennheiser delivers audiophile-inspired sound quality with their proprietary acoustic system in a comfortable, casual headset ready for everyday wear.
Headphone Details:
- 42mm drivers reproduce the entire frequency spectrum in brilliant detail
- Tailor the sound to individual hearing with built-in EQ and sound personalization
- Adaptive noise cancellation with transparency mode for situational awareness
- 6 Hz to 22 kHz frequency response
Sennheiser is a well-known and trusted name in professional audio, with an impressive line of wireless headphones aimed at the everyday listener. The MOMENTUM 4s combine revolutionary audiophile quality with features that daily wearers have come to expect, such as adaptive noise cancellation, transparency mode, and a nearly unheard-of 60 hours of battery life.
Bass lovers will marvel at the detail and power found in the MOMENTUM’s 42mm drivers. Low-end reproduction is effortlessly rich, and the rest of the frequency spectrum benefits from top-notch clarity for purely authentic sound. There’s also an array of sound customization features, including built-in EQ, sound modes, and a unique sound personalization function that optimizes audio for each individual listener.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2
Why We Chose These Headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headphones have been a professional studio standard for many years running, with an acclaimed sonic signature marked by substantial bass response.
Headphone Details:
- 45mm drivers and closed-back design improve low-end capabilities
- 15 Hz to 28 kHz frequency response represents complete range of human hearing
- Wired or wireless functionality for the studio or on the go
- Built-in microphone for taking calls
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones combine the features of an everyday wireless headphone with the accuracy and frequency response of a professional studio headphone. An outlier in their class, they’re one of the most versatile options for users who want casual functionality as well as the ability to perform critical listening tasks like music production, mixing, and mastering. On top of it all, these A-Ts are an unbeatable value.
Rounding out an impressive set of features is the Audio-Technica Connect app. The app gives users more complete control over the listening experience, offering EQ adjustment, left/right volume balancing, and more. The bass response is already considerable, but users could potentially EQ for more if they’d like.
Sony WH-XB910N EXTRA BASS
Why We Chose These Headphones: Physical design elements serve to enhance the bass response from these Sony headphones for listeners who demand punchy low-end and high-quality performance.
Headphone Details:
- Dedicated bass duct on the headphone housing increases low-end airwave flow
- Seal between drivers and eardrums makes sounds tight and punchy
- Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) restores lost audio quality
- Adaptive Sound Control automatically adjusts noise-cancellation in relation to the environment
With a name like EXTRA BASS, you know what’s in store for you when you strap a pair of Sony WH-XB910N headphones on for the first time. The EXTRA BASS derives from a special bass duct on the outer driver casing that allows low-end frequencies to resonant more freely. They also utilize a closed-back design, 40mm drivers, and a frequency response of 7 Hz to 25 kHz.
EXTRA BASS headphones boast plenty of non-hardware tech as well, like Sony’s proprietary Digital Sound Enhancement Engine found in their higher-end offerings. DSEE intelligently scans and detects lost data in overly compressed audio and restores the sound to some of its former lossless glory. Users may also download the Sony Headphones Connect app to take advantage of further sound refinement and customization.
Beats by Dr. Dre Beats Studio3
Why We Chose These Headphones: Beats’ reputation for booming bass and full-spectrum clarity precedes them, making them a stellar headphone for on-the-go listening.
Headphone Details:
- Pure Active Noise Cancellation and real-time audio calibration maintains sonic integrity in any environment
- Efficient Apple W1 chip integrates seamlessly with Apple devices
- Up to 22 hours of total playback; quick 10-minute charging provides three hours of life
- Soft over-ear cushions conform to any listener for maximum comfort
Beats headphones, founded by hip-hop legend Dr. Dre and music exec Jimmy Lovine, sought to bring some of the excitement back to consumer headphones from the company’s inception in 2006. Through clever branding and genuine quality, Beats are one of the most recognized names in consumer audio, offering premium products like the Studio3 wireless headphones.
In addition to custom, fine-tuned driver acoustics, Beats Studio3 headphones utilize a combination of active noise cancellation and real-time audio adjustment to maintain high-fidelity sound quality in any listening situation. The sensing microphones continuously detect and block out external noise while simultaneously responding to each individual’s unique fit for an exciting, immersive entertainment experience.
Panasonic RB-M500B Deep Bass Wireless Headphones
Why We Chose These Headphones: Unique Panasonic Deep Bass technology uses low frequencies’ own sound waves to further amplify them for thrilling low-end reproduction.
Headphone Details:
- Bass Reactor picks up low-frequency vibration and amplifies it for deep, thundering bass
- Feel sub-bass through headphones as though you’re at a concert
- Over-ear cushions disperse pressure gently and evenly across the ear for a lightweight fit
- Bluetooth or wired connection for multiple systems
The Panasonic RB-M500B Deep Bass headphones serve up unparalleled low-end. While many headphones provide ample bass reproduction, these Panasonics have the ability to make it feel like you’re listening to a massive PA system in a rumbling concert venue. By bolstering bass frequencies down to 20 Hz, the Deep Bass technology thumps your body like a giant speaker would. The sensation is unlike anything you’d find in another pair of headphones.
The Panasonic RB-M500Bs are additionally an excellent value and carry many of the standard features you’d find in a typical wireless headphone: up to 30 hours of battery life, comfortable universal fit, extended frequency response, and easy Bluetooth pairing.
Bose Headphones 700
Why We Chose These Headphones: Bose is the definitive name brand when it comes to hi-fi home audio; their headphones and speakers are classy and of outstanding quality.
Headphone Details:
- 11 levels of noise cancellation for loud or quiet environments
- Active EQ for perpetually balanced, clear sound no matter where you are
- Innovative Bose Augmented Reality casually blends music and entertainment with the real world around you
- Built-in Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa
Having developed the first commercially available active noise-cancelling headsets, it’s safe to say Bose knows their way around the technology found in many of today’s wireless headphones. The Bose 700s generate 11 individual levels of noise cancellation, so you can fine-tune it to your surroundings. Settings range from complete isolation to total transparency.
What’s truly unique about these headphones, though, is the Bose AR experience. The headphones themselves contain various sensors that detect head and body movement. Through a Bose AR-enabled app and location data from your mobile device, the headphones can offer you custom audio content depending on where you are and what you’re doing. The Bose 700 wireless headphones are sci-fi — a luxurious way to enjoy music and content wherever you roam.
Better Bass Headphones: Frequently Asked Questions
Noise-cancelling headphones can certainly enhance one’s perception of bass. By blocking out external sounds entirely, you’re able to focus and more clearly delineate nuance in the low-end. Moreover, though, a headphone’s design is going to have a greater impact on bass response than by being noise-cancelling.
“Deep bass,” or simply “bass,” typically refers to frequencies between 20 and 100 Hz. These frequencies contribute to the powerful “rumbling” or booming sensation you get when you listen to a song with a lot of low-end material. How well a headphone handles these frequencies is an important factor for overall bass perception, but it’s also critical that the rest of the frequency spectrum is handled appropriately. Too much bass can sound muddy and undefined.
Some headphones come with selectable EQ profiles that may include a bass-boosted option, or a companion app containing these settings. Most smart devices also come with some sort of included equalizer, like the presets found under Settings > Music > Audio > EQ on an Apple iPhone. Playing around with different EQ profiles, either on the headphone itself or on your device, can result in increased bass.
Conclusion
Better bass in headphones comes down to a handful of important design elements — most notably, driver size and frequency response. A larger driver can push more air, and thus more low-end, and an extensive frequency response ensures the bass register is translatable. The way the entire frequency range interacts plays a massive part in how bass is perceived, so a headphone with a balanced response will oftentimes sound hefty down low, have a smooth, intelligible midrange, and a touch of air up top for the most pleasant listening experience.
