While many headphones have strong bass, it’s important to find headphones with a balanced sound profile that maintains detail from the rest of the mix so that your music doesn’t sound muddy or muddy.
This includes evaluating not only the bass but also the midrange and treble curve. For example, a frequency response with less emphasis on the treble will result in a more bass-heavy sound.
Top 10 Best Headphones for Bass
1. Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Bose has nailed the basics with the brand’s flagship wireless noise-canceling headphones, the QuietComfort Ultra.
That may sound redundant for a set of cans that retail for around $400, but when you run everything from sound quality to fit and materials, it’s a reminder of why Bose sets the standard in the headphone game.
But first, the bass. It’s especially punchy and punchy when you turn it up via the customizable equalizer in the Bose app.
The cans aren’t necessarily bass-heavy at stock settings, but they’re deep and rich without even messing with the equalizer.
But turning up the bass boosts your favorite tracks, not overpowering them. The bass never gets muddy, and with 10 levels of additional bass, you can choose how much you want to hear to suit your mood.
The QuietComfort Ultra also offers Spatial Audio, a mode you can select in the Bose app that effectively turns on surround sound and lets you hear instruments and vocals coming from all directions.
In addition to its best-in-class sound, the QuietComfort Ultra is a joy to use every day. The headphones weigh just over half a pound and the leather padding on the earpads and headband makes them super comfortable.
(The build quality is high, but there’s no ingress protection rating, so avoid spills in any case.)
Meanwhile, the softness of the earpads creates a seal that blocks out ambient sound without compressing your ears in a way that becomes uncomfortable over time.
In that context, the active noise cancellation is enough to turn an Airbus A330 you’re actively boarding into a subtle noise that barely interferes with your listening experience.
The headphones’ transparency mode isn’t all that great either; unless your surroundings are already pretty quiet, it’s hard to have a conversation with them.
2. Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony makes a lot of bass-heavy headsets, even naming the headset and speakers as a whole “XB,” so it might come as a surprise that the Sony WH-1000XM5 are listed as the best bass-heavy headphones for most listeners.
We still recommend these headphones for their refined, boosted bass response that lets through the higher frequencies.
It’s also a great choice for commuters, thanks to its excellent active noise cancellation (ANC) that’s better than the WH-1000XM4.
With Bluetooth 5.2, you can stream via the SBC, AAC, and LDAC Bluetooth codecs, and you can also connect via an AUX cable for lossless playback (there’s no USB-C audio passthrough here).
Battery life is very good, reaching 31 hours and 53 minutes with ANC turned on (according to standardized testing).
You can quickly charge the WH-1000XM5 with the included USB-C cable. Just three minutes of charging will give you 180 minutes of playback.
There’s a lot to love about the Sony WH-1000XM5, but one thing we don’t love is its price.
If you want a headset that’s comfortable for hours of listening sessions and packed with features that sound just as good, Sony’s flagship headset is a great choice.
3. Sony ULT WEAR Wireless
The Sony ULT WEAR Wireless are the best mid- to upper-range bass headphones we’ve tested.
Out of the box, it delivers a booming, thumping, and booming sound, but if the default profile doesn’t have enough bass, a simple press of the ULT button gives you two more levels of bass.
At maximum bass boost, it’s enough to satisfy even the most ardent EDM fans.
Some may find the default bass levels to be overwhelming, though. If you’d rather tone it down a bit, the companion app includes a graphic EQ and presets for customizing your sound.
That said, the inconsistent treble response can result in pitch-dependent sibilance that can sound harsh or dull, which isn’t the case with the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless.
These solidly built, noise-canceling over-ear headphones block out a surprising amount of ambient noise.
They’re not quite as good at cutting out the hum of a bus engine as our top pick, and they’re not quite as comfortable, but they do a similar job at cutting out high-pitched noises like background chatter.
With ANC turned on, they last for nearly 45 hours, and they support multi-device pairing, so you can connect them to your phone and computer at the same time.
4. Apple Studio Pro Wireless
If you’re someone who wears headphones on your ears or around your neck, check out the Beats Studio Pro for a great-sounding, all-day-comfortable set of cans.
There’s noticeable tension in the band when you spread the earcups open to rest the headphones against your skull, and the soft earpads and headband pad compress to provide a secure fit that won’t budge while you jog or hit the gym.
Beats has discounted the Studio Pro to nearly half their original price, but we’d like to see the next generation include an auto-pause feature similar to Apple’s AirPods, which pauses your music when you take them off.
The button on the left earcup currently does this, but it’s strangely loud when you turn up the volume.
The sound is clean, balanced, and crisp, with a great midrange that lets the vocals shine.
Unfortunately, there’s no customizable equalizer, so there’s no potential to boost the bass (unless your streaming service has one).
However, there’s class-leading noise cancellation and ambient sound modes, as well as clear call quality. If you want a well-tuned audio experience that lasts all day, go with the Beats Studio Pro.
5. Soundcore’s Space Q45
Soundcore’s Space Q45 wireless headphone is loaded with features typically found only in more expensive cans, but that doesn’t mean they lack bass or sound quality.
Our tests found them to be a good fit for electronic tracks, classical music, and podcasts alike. Featuring 40mm audio drivers, the Space Q45 delivers a balanced, clear sound with plenty of bass, treble, and midrange.
If you want more bass, you can customize the equalizer in the companion app and even set one of the buttons on the left earcup to turn up the bass on command.
The Space Q45 packs great sound and adjustable bass into a capable and comfortable set of headphones.
The lightweight construction is comfortable for hours of use, and thanks to a battery life of up to 50 hours with noise-canceling (or 65 hours without noise-canceling), you won’t need to charge them too often.
The noise-canceling itself works well and can be adjusted via the companion app.
6. Sony WH-XB910N
The Terminator bust is wearing the Sony WH-XB910N and is looking straight into the camera. Big headphones amplify the bass significantly.
The XB in Sony’s WH-XB910N stands for “Extra Bass,” and if you’re looking for the biggest bass output possible, the XB910N is a great choice.
Not only do you get a ton of bass response, but you also have the option to easily tweak the sound thanks to Sony’s in-app equalizer.
You can create your own EQ or choose from a few presets.
Within the app, you’ll also have access to 360 Reality Audio optimization and Adaptive Sound, which automatically adjusts the volume of certain frequencies based on environmental noise.
The headphones connect to your device using Bluetooth 5.2, and you can choose between three codecs: SBC, AAC, and Sony’s LDAC.
Whether you have an iPhone or an Android phone, you’ll be able to hear high-quality, stable audio through the XB910N headphones.
And if the battery dies, simply connect the 3.5mm cable to get back to listening. Speaking of battery life, the XB910N lasts over 37 hours and supports fast charging.
Just 10 minutes of USB-C charging will give you 4 hours and 30 minutes of playback.
Noise cancellation is excellent, similar to the previous Sony WH-1000XM3 which was very good when it debuted.
When you wear these bass headphones properly, the low frequencies sound 1/4 to 1/8 louder than when you listen without them. For this price, you’re getting a feature-packed, bass-heavy headset.
7. Anker Soundcore Life Q30
If you want something a little more affordable, consider the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless.
These headphones offer an impressive price-to-performance ratio, and even without the haptic bass slider of the Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless, they still deliver a satisfying boom and thump.
The basic sound can be customized using the companion software’s graphic EQ and presets.
The ANC system helps block out ambient noise, making them great for commuting, and they support multi-device pairing, so you can connect two devices at once.
With ANC turned on, they can last for over 44 hours of continuous use, and there’s an auto-off timer to help preserve battery life when not in use.
They also offer a comfortable fit that’s great for long listening sessions. The build quality is decent, but some users have reported the headband snapping over time, which can be a bit disappointing if durability is important to you.
They do come with a hard case to help protect them when not in use.
8. Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2
Skullcandy’s Crusher ANC 2 has a dial that moves into the subwoofer. The wheel on the left earcup dials in what it calls Crusher Adjustable Sensory Bass, which increases the bass while vibrating the earcup.
Press down on the wheel (which also acts as a button) to cycle through presets of 20%, 50%, and 80%, or turn the wheel to customize your level.
If bass is what you’re after, nothing beats the built-in thump and vibration that Skullcandy’s Crusher ANC 2 delivers.
In reality, Crusher mode is a dull instrument. At over 20%, it hits tracks with a bass punch that can either make already bass-heavy tracks sound more overpowering or muffled.
But that’s the beauty of Crusher’s accessibility. Turn it up when you want it, and turn it down when you don’t. The Skullcandy app also has an equalizer that lets you further customize the bass-heavy sound.
If I have any complaints about the sound, they really come from the earpads.
While the earpads are thick, the foam inside isn’t as soft as other headphones, which makes the cans feel a little unstable at times, and the pads tend to detach from your head when you bend over or look over your shoulder.
This lets in ambient sound and disrupts the otherwise decent noise-cancelling.
For this reason, I wouldn’t pick these as the best headphones and earbuds for bass at the gym unless you’re on a stationary bike, but you won’t notice any of these shortcomings while seated.
9. Pioneer DJ HDJ-CUE1BT
DJs have long enjoyed a convenient way to cue tracks and monitor their mixes without the need for bulky over-ear designs that are hard to put in and take out.
On-ear headphones have been used for a while. As a result, on-ear headphones often provide an exaggerated bass response, allowing DJs to align kick drums and other low-end-heavy transients.
The Pioneer DJ HDJ-CUE1BT Wireless doesn’t skimp on the bass, with a booming bass response that dominates the mix.
It also excels at reproducing the mid-range but can be difficult to notice because of the massive lows.
These on-ear headphones are available wired and Bluetooth, with an impressive 46-hour battery life when using the latter connection type.
These headphones are quite comfortable and well-made, and while the lack of noise isolation makes them unsuitable for commuting or office environments, they’re not a problem when used at home or on the 1s or 2s.
If you’re looking for a dedicated DJ headphone that can only be used wired, the AIAIAI TMA-2 DJ headphones are also worth checking out.
These headphones feature a similarly elevated bass response, with a much more veiled high range that can be useful when you just want the bass.
More consistent audio than the Pioneer, but not as comfortable or well-made.
10. Audio-Technica ATH-M20X
Thanks to expert tuning by Audio-Technica, the sound quality of these $50 wired headphones is surprisingly good.
Using 40mm drivers, the ATH-M20X delivers “great bass, well-articulated midrange, and vibrant highs.”
Tester Vazharov wrote: With their $50 discount, wired headphones that sell for under a dollar shouldn’t sound this good, so kudos to the venerable audio manufacturer for pulling it off.
The excellent passive noise isolation helps block out distractions, allowing the wired headphones to shine through while you’re on the move.
The headphones are also lightweight and feature soft ear pads that keep them comfortable for hours of use.
The ATH-M20X’s affordable price tag is borne out by the lack of a detachable cable and storage pouch, but the included warranty covers the product for the first two years.
FAQ
Is more bass better on headphones?
If you like dynamic music with strong beats, more bass on your headphones is a good option. Many people prefer it over a neutral sound, as it makes modern music sound more alive and rhythmic.
What is high bass on headphones?
High bass on headphones means that the bass frequencies up to 250Hz are boosted compared to the mid and high frequencies (treble).
This means that the listener hears more beats and resonance in the music compared to vocals and highs.
Are headphones with enhanced bass better?
Yes, headphones with enhanced bass are good for those who enjoy booming and powerful lows in their music.
Sound is a personal experience, and whether you are an audiophile or a bass head, there are headphones that will suit your preference.
However, choosing headphones that balance the bass boost without compromising the other frequencies is essential for a non-tiring listening experience.
Also Read: Best Neckband Headphones for Phone Calls