Gallery: Make Your Ears Happy With These High-End Cans
01image
LAS VEGAS -- This year's CES produced a bumper crop of heavenly headphones. We tested a bunch of models on the show floor, and we've gathered up the cream of the crop here. [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/tag/ces-2011)We stayed away from noise-canceling and wireless tech, earbuds and models made for the commuter set. Instead, we sought out audiophile, studio monitor and DJ-style over-the-ear headphones. For test tracks, we used a song each by Radiohead, Quantic and Medeski, Martin and Wood -- anthemic rock, dubby hip-hop and spaced-out jazz. We also pushed some bass-heavy King Tubby through the headphones especially made for low-end aficionados. Here's our round-up.
02wesc-bassoon
WeSC Bassoon ------------ DJ headphones rarely come in such a luxe, stylish packages as these snow-white phones from the Swedish company [We Are the Superlative Conspiracy](http://wesc.com/) (WeSC for short). The Bassoons, which debuted here, are the company's high-end DJ model, and they do all the swiveling tricks and twists you'd expect from club-ready cans. They also have some impressive-sounding 40mm titanium drivers that can handle high volumes really well. With their soft white leather earpads, a cushioned white leather headband and beautiful tooling, they drip with that austere Scandinavian minimalist vibe. $180, shipping this spring.  WeSC is also continuing its tradition of teaming up with urban artists to do some unique signature designs. These headphones sport iconic graphics by French street artist [Invader](http://www.space-invaders.com/artworks.html). 
03house-of-marley-trenchtown-rock
House of Marley Trenchtown Rock ------------------------------- This company, helmed by Bob Marley's family, introduced a [wide range of headphones](http://www.thehouseofmarley.com/goods/headphones) at CES, from cheap earbuds to pricey studio monitors. We'll admit we were skeptical at first, because it seemed like a lame attempt to cash in on Bob's image. But the House of Marley has a hit with these top-of-the-line Trenchtown Rock cans, which they developed in partnership with consumer electronics company HoMedics. Everything sounds great through the 40mm moving-coil drivers, especially bass-heavy stuff like hip hop and reggae, of course. They are also some of the loudest headphones we tested, but they held up without distorting, even when cranking some heavy King Tubby dubs at full volume. Plus, the styling is classy: discreet rasta stripes, a machined aluminum and stainless steel frame, eco-friendly recycled leather and plastic all over. They come with two rasta-colored cotton-wrapped cords: a 10-footer for the studio, and a 4-footer with iPhone controls and a mic built in. Noise-canceling can be toggled on and off by touching the left ear cup. $300, shipping this spring.   
04audio-technica-ath-w1000x
Audio Technica ATH-W1000X ------------------------- At $700, [Audio Technica](http://eu.audio-technica.com/en/products/category.asp?catID=5)'s newest generation of its flagship studio monitor headphones are damned steep. But when you put them on, you instantly realize the difference between headphones in this class and models half their price. Don't tote these on the bus or to your DJ gig -- put them on when you want to sit in a quiet room and listen to a recording reproduced as cleanly and accurately as possible. They're punchy and detailed across the audio spectrum, but not loud, and with no tinniness in the high end. Instead of a band, two "wings" hold them on your head, and the design is remarkably comfortable. Their 53mm drivers are encased in American cherry wood, and they sound as sweet as a slice of warm cherry pie. Available now.   
05sony-mdr-xb1000
Sony MDR-XB1000 ---------------- These things look totally ridiculous -- the oversized earpads are like wearing a pair of monster truck tires on the sides of your face -- but they sound equally ridiculous. And we mean that in a good way. Hidden deep inside these giant cans are enormous, powerful 70mm drivers, the biggest speakers [Sony](http://www.sonystyle.com/) has ever put inside a pair of headphones. They deliver stunning bass all the way down to sub-harmonic frequencies -- 2 Hz, Sony claims, well below the threshold of human hearing. But you'll feel your face bones rattle when you crank the lows, which are tight, punchy and totally untainted by flabbiness or distortion. The rest of the audio spectrum is well-represented, too. These are some kick-ass cans, but they'll appeal especially to bass-heads. They're also surprisingly light and comfortable, given their XXL size. $120, available in the spring. 
06sennheiser-hd-25-1-ii
Sennheiser HD 25-1 II ---------------------- Old-school cool dresses up an old-school workhorse with this partnership between two German powerhouses, [Sennheiser](http://www.sennheiserusa.com/home) and [Adidas](http://www.adidas.com/). The headphone company has taken its HD 25-1 II headphones, popular among European DJs and sports broadcasters the world over, and kitted them out with Adidas' classic blue trefoil branding. The athletic apparel company was a key signifier of hip hop authenticity back in the 1980s, but these headphones deliver more than retro street cred. They sound awesome: They're louder than average with an especially well-defined low end. The top band splits into two halves like a bear trap to keep them snug on your head, and you get the rotating ear cups standard on DJ cans. They're mostly plastic and feel a little fragile, but they're actually quite rugged, and every single component is user-replaceable, all the way down to the screws. $250, shipping this spring. The non-Adidas versions, still killer after 20 years, are $200.     
07monster-t-1-tron-legacy-headphones
Monster T-1 Tron: Legacy Headphones ----------------------------------- He fights for the users! Our test tracks didn't sound particularly great through these Tron-inspired surround-sound headphones from [Monster](http://tronbymonster.com/products/t1/) -- too much mid-range and high end for our tastes, and some faint distortion in the bass. Also, they're mostly plastic and they feel a little fragile. But we're giving them a pass, since they're made primarily for gaming rather than listening to tunes. And besides, how freaking sweet do these things look? A small box on the cable houses volume controls, a microphone, and a set of AAA batteries to power the lights. Slip them on at your next frag party, fire up those blue lights, and you're ready to de-res your opponents in less than a millicycle. $300, shipping at the end of January. There's also a white, limited-edition Daft Punk version with the band's logo on the side, and a special surround-sound mix of their Tron:Legacy score.  
08bowers-wilkins-p5
Bowers & Wilkins P5 ------------------- OK, we know these are old news -- [Bowers & Wilkins](http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/) introduced the P5 headphones at last year's CES -- but we had to include them because they are still the best-sounding, most comfortable and sexiest-looking headphones in their class. Our test tracks sounded amazing in the 40mm Mylar drivers, with clear definition all the way through the audio spectrum. Acoustic sounds like piano and vocals sounded especially natural. The pads are made of form-fitting memory foam and wrapped in New Zealand leather. All of the cables and pads are user-replaceable, so you can swap them out when they start to show their age. B&W knows it has a hit on its hands -- the company hasn't changed the design or the workmanship one bit since these headphones first debuted. $300, out now.
