Best Headphones for Bass at a Glance
You might find it interesting that research shows 75% of people who buy headphones do so with the intention of listening to music. A significant portion of these individuals are teenagers who want to enjoy the thrill of listening to bass-heavy music through their headphones. For teenagers and young adults, a great bass is often the most enjoyable part of a song. That’s why choosing headphones capable of delivering excellent bass is so important.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to the best headphones for bass that, based on our tests, produce enjoyable and well-balanced bass—not just excessively loud bass. Many headphones, even very cheap ones, can generate high levels of bass, but this often lacks harmony with the other elements and frequencies of the music, making the bass more harsh than pleasurable.
We hope this article helps you make an informed decision when selecting headphones that deliver the bass experience you’re looking for.
Best Overall Headphone for Bass
Sony WH-1000XM5
We tested over 100 headphones in our headphone studio, all of which claimed to deliver exceptional and powerful bass. We can confidently say that the Sony WH-1000XM5 is the best headphone for bass. This headphone produces outstanding and enjoyable bass that seamlessly integrates with the other frequencies in the music. When you listen to music with these headphones, not only do you enjoy the warm, powerful, and superb bass, but all other frequencies and elements of the music are clearly audible, providing you with an exceptional listening experience.
This headphone features Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which effectively eliminates background noise, greatly enhancing the pleasure of listening to music. Additionally, the headphones can pair with multiple devices simultaneously, a fantastic feature for high-end headphones. In our battery life test, the headphones lasted 36 hours, which decreased to 32 hours with ANC enabled.
The Bluetooth version of this headphone is 5.2, and it uses a professional codec called LDAC. This codec significantly enhances the audio quality transmitted via Bluetooth compared to other codecs. Moreover, if you want even more bass, you can customize the sound using the 5-band equalizer available in the Sony app.
If you are looking for a pair of headphones that allow you to enjoy not only excellent bass but also harmony between the elements of a song while listening to music with the highest quality, Sony WH-1000XM5 will undoubtedly be your best choice.
Frequency Response
Best Powerful Bass Headphone
Sony ULT WEAR
The second headphone we recommend is the Sony ULT Wear, which we’ve dubbed the “Powerful Bass.” We only advise using this headphone if you are comfortable with extremely loud bass sounds and won’t be bothered by them. Otherwise, listening to music with this headphone might not be very enjoyable. On the other hand, it is exceptional for those who genuinely love intense bass, which is why we included it in our list of the best headphones for bass.
This headphone offers three distinct sound modes:
- Default Mode: Even in this mode, the bass emphasis is noticeably above normal levels.
- ULT 1 Mode: In this mode, bass frequencies see a significant boost, making the bass in music incredibly pronounced.
- ULT 2 Mode: This mode places the highest emphasis on increasing bass frequencies, while drastically reducing sub-bass frequencies. ULT 2 is particularly suitable for those who enjoy punchy kick sounds in their music.
While the ANC on this headphone doesn’t quite match that of the Sony WH-1000XM5, it still reduces ambient noise to a satisfactory level. A standout feature of the Sony ULT Wear is its battery life, it lasted an impressive 39 hours with ANC activated during our tests. Additionally, this headphone supports multi-pairing and fast charging, making it a convenient choice for users.
Frequency Response
If you examine the bass section on the frequency response chart of the Sony ULT Wear, you’ll notice a significant emphasis on bass frequencies. For instance, in the 30 Hz range, which falls within the lower bass spectrum, the dB level rises to nearly 15. This indicates the exceptionally high bass output of this headphone.
Best Noise Cancelling Bass Headphone
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
The next headphones we consider among the best for bass are the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. Its most prominent feature is its exceptionally powerful noise cancellation. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) significantly enhances the quality of listening to music with headphones. Imagine you’re on a noisy, crowded bus in New York City, wanting to enjoy your favorite music. Naturally, if your headphones lack effective noise-canceling capabilities, you won’t be able to fully immerse yourself in the music, and the sound quality will suffer due to excessive background noise.
But the Bose QuietComfort Ultra delivers excellent, high-quality bass, and what truly elevates the bass and overall sound quality is its outstanding noise-canceling capability. Through the Bose Music app, you can adjust the noise-canceling modes and customize the sound of the headphones using the built-in EQ. These headphones provide a highly professional wireless listening experience, thanks to aptX and Snapdragon Sound technologies. Additionally, in our battery life test, this headphone lasted an impressive 29 hours of continuous use.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones excel in noise-canceling performance and deliver impressive bass quality. If you’re looking for headphones that can effectively block out distracting ambient sounds while allowing you to enjoy music with deep bass, these headphones could be your best choice.
Frequency Response
If you look at the frequency response chart for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, you’ll notice that in the bass frequencies, these headphones produce sound that is 6 to 7 dB higher than Technowant’s preferred curve.
Best Extra Bass Headphone
Sony WH-XB910N
The next headphone we’ve included in our list of the best for bass is the Sony WH-XB910N. Sony designates some of its headphone models with the letters “XB,” which stand for Extra Bass. This means these headphones are specifically designed for individuals who enjoy deep, powerful bass. However, the features offered by this model have made it appealing to a diverse range of users.
What sets this headphone apart from other Sony models is its extremely powerful and high-quality bass. However, if you find the bass too intense for your liking, you can easily adjust it to your preferred level using the EQ available in the Sony Headphones app. This app also offers a wide range of features and customizations, which we’ve detailed in our comprehensive reviews of Sony headphones.
Our tests showed that the Sony WH-XB910N provides a battery life of approximately 30 hours, which is quite impressive for a headphone in this category. Moreover, it supports the LDAC Bluetooth codec, which, as we’ve explained previously, delivers significantly higher sound quality compared to other codecs. The noise-canceling capability of this headphone is very effective, substantially reducing ambient noise and greatly enhancing the overall listening experience.
Frequency Response
If you examine the line graph of this headphone’s frequency response, it becomes immediately clear that the headphone focuses heavily on boosting the bass in music. As you can see, in the sub bass frequencies, the decibel level even exceeds 20 dB, which highlights its emphasis on delivering powerful bass.
Best Cheap Headphone for Bass
JBL Tune 510BT
Maybe you are among those who prefer not to spend a large amount on a pair of headphones and are simply looking for an affordable option that can still deliver decent bass. We have selected the JBL Tune 510BT Wireless as the best cheap pick on our list of top headphones for bass. Naturally, you shouldn’t expect sound quality comparable to high-end models from a budget headphone, but considering its price, this model provides impressive bass.
One of the most remarkable features of this headphone, especially given its low price, is its multi-pairing capability, a feature typically found in more expensive, high-end models. However, the noise-canceling performance of this headphone is far from satisfactory and can be quite disappointing. In our battery life test, the JBL Tune 510BT Wireless managed to stay powered for over 37 hours, which is quite a long duration for a headphone at this price point.
Frequency Response
Based on the frequency response chart of this headphone, you can see that it performs relatively well in the bass section. The frequencies in the sub-bass range fall below the Technowant preferred curve, but in higher ranges, such as 50 to 100 Hz, it produces bass that is a few decibels above the Technowant preferred curve.
Best Deep Bass Headphone
Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2
The next headphone we want to introduce is the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2, which we have crowned with the title “Best Deep Bass“. This headphone is capable of delivering exceptionally deep yet powerful bass, sure to captivate bass enthusiasts. One of its most fascinating features is that it is specifically designed for bass. On the right earcup, there is a bass volume roller that allows you to adjust the bass level.
The bass level reaches 12 dB in the lowest possible mode (20 percent) between 50 and 70 Hz frequencies.
In the medium mode (50 percent), it reaches 19 dB in the frequency range of 50 to 70 Hz.
In the high bass mode (80 percent), it reaches even 23 dB in the frequency range of 50 to 70 Hz, which can shake your skull.
Additionally, the dedicated app for this headphone provides even more customization options for users.
While the “ANC” letters in its name suggest active noise cancelation, unfortunately, the headphone did not perform exceptionally well in our noise-canceling tests and is not very effective at reducing environmental noise.
These headphones are among the few that allow for a physical increase in bass frequencies using a bass volume roller, making them an attractive option for bass enthusiasts.
Frequency Response
If you look at the frequency response chart of these headphones, the dB level in 20% bass mode is close to 13 dB at frequencies between 50 and 70 Hz.
Best Budget Bass Headphone
Sennheiser HD 450BT
The final headphone on our list of the best bass headphones is an affordable option we’ve nicknamed the “Best Budget”: the Sennheiser HD 450BT. This headphone not only offers a reasonable price but also delivers relatively good bass while featuring a set of practical capabilities. However, don’t expect extremely powerful bass from this model—the bass performance is just slightly better than other budget headphones.
The main strength of this headphone, according to our tests, lies in its noise-canceling capabilities. If you position the headphone correctly on your ears, the noise canceling effectively reduces a significant amount of ambient noise once activated. This feature enhances both the overall sound quality and the bass experience when listening to music.
The headphone uses Bluetooth version 5, which is somewhat outdated, so it doesn’t support newer codecs like LDAC. That said, its battery life is quite decent for its price; our tests show it lasts up to 28 hours, making it a solid choice for its low cost.
Frequency Response
According to the frequency response chart, this headphone’s bass performance is almost on par with Technowant’s preferred curve, and it can be said that its bass performance is good compared to its competitors in this price range.
Why is Technowant trustworthy?
Our team at Technowant is dedicated to helping individuals find the best headphones for their needs. Everyone on our team is an expert in sound and frequencies some are sound engineers, while others are mixman and composers. At Technowant, headphones are tested with state-of-the-art equipment in every aspect. Their frequency response is measured, their build quality and comfort are thoroughly evaluated, and their microphone frequency performance is analyzed. If a headphone features active noise cancellation (ANC), its performance is meticulously measured and assessed. Additionally, many other tests are conducted on each headphone. Afterward, our writers compile the results into detailed headphone review articles on our website.
We also promise and guarantee that we do not accept payment from any headphone manufacturers in exchange for endorsing their products as superior. You can confidently trust the content on our website because all the reviews are based solely on our team’s thorough testing and analysis.
✅Update: This article was updated on 1/14/2025. The Technowant team has reviewed numerous headphones in the bass category and selected seven as the best headphones for bass. These headphones were tested in the headphone review studio, and the results have been compiled into this article for the website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, there are many headphones designed for bass. However, the seven headphones we introduced in this post are the best bass headphones for individuals with different preferences. Other notable bass-friendly headphones include the Skullcandy Crusher Evo, JBL Live 670NC Wireless, and Marshall Major IV.
To put it simply, frequency response refers to a headphone’s or speaker’s ability to reproduce and deliver different sound frequencies, which is typically displayed as a graph. For instance, the headphones introduced in this post excel in reproducing and delivering bass frequencies.
Active Noise Cancelling is an advanced technology in headphones and earbuds that actively reduces background noise by generating a sound wave that counteracts external sounds and noise. This feature provides a serene listening experience. It performs exceptionally well in advanced headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra.
If the headphones you purchase come with a mobile app, you can customize their sound to your liking. Most of these apps provide a 5-band or 7-band equalizer, allowing you to adjust the sound profile. For example, if you need more bass, you can boost the frequencies between 20 Hz and 100 Hz.
Certainly not. Bass-focused headphones are typically ideal for listening to genres like EDM, hip-hop, rock, and deep house. Listening to acoustic or pop music with these headphones may not be as enjoyable.
Yes, listening to music with excessive bass through headphones for extended periods can harm the human auditory system. You may have experienced hearing a brief ringing sound in your ears after listening to loud music for a long time. Therefore, we strongly advise against prolonged exposure to music with high bass levels.
