What’s the difference between open-back and closed-back headphones?


If you don’t love headphones, then I’m worried about you. Do you like sunsets? Puppies? Food? Anyway, as fantastic as musical earmuffs are, they can also be a little confusing. And that’s why we’re here. Today, we’re going to answer a common question: what’s the difference between open-back and closed-back headphones?

Your response to that might be “who cares?” — and the answer? You. You should care. Whether a pair of headphones is open- or closed-back makes a huge difference to the sound.

Without any further messing around, let’s just jump straight in.

Tell me, what are open-back headphones?

The phrase “open-back” is pretty descriptive and gives you a clue on what to expect. Literally, the headphones‘ enclosure (AKA the bit that goes around your ears) allows sound to travel through it.