The best retro headphones may be really old school not just in looks but in functionality as well, doing little or nothing more than playing music with a big, warm sound. Or they may have such space-age features and innovations that they are truly at the leading edge in terms of technological advancement – they may just not look like it! In conclusion, if you want headphones that have a retro look and active noise cancelation, then Koss QZ-99 Noise Reduction Stereophone is the one you should buy! These headphones are comfortable and durable. We loved how they isolated ambient noises, even in the busiest surroundings, while providing stellar sound performance and clarity. Their tech – including superior ANC noise reduction, Bluetooth with an exceptionally long range, great battery life and a lot more – makes the MW65 a good choice for pretty much any modern listener, but the sound is perhaps too pure and unprocessed for many – that is one of the highest compliments I can possibly give, but also a bit of a warning.

Made for Years– several of my choices for best retro-style ‘phones have been in production for decades – one for more than 50 years! – and while a lot of tech has been introduced in that time, the basics of high fidelity sound – light, low distortion drivers, solid housing, low diffraction and high phase coherency and more – haven’t changed much at all (although these headphones have often benefited from many years of subtle improvement and refinement). There’s no advanced tech here – they’re just basic wired headphones – but the sound, the build quality and the comfort, among other things, make them one of the best retro headphones you can get. Just for their features and functionality, and their fabulous sound, the JLab Rewind are a pretty obvious choice at this price level, and if you love the retro headphone style they are a no-brainer! As should also be expected of a sealed design, the Panasonic RP-HTX7 had pretty decent noise isolation overall and were better than average in this regard. While they didn’t completely seal out ambient sounds, what did come through was fairly benign in nature. Perhaps more importantly for some users, the Panasonics did good job of keeping the music from leaking out of them, even as we went Insane in the Brain with some old school Cypress Hill turned up to 11. Conclusion I call the Sennheiser Momentum 3, just above, the best sounding retro headphones on my list, but in fact many true audiophiles would choose these astounding Master and Dynamics MW65 over them, and these do have, to be sure, a slightly more accurate sound.

If you want headphones with a classic, retro look and some Marley-Esque touches, the House of Marley Positive Vibration 2: Over-Ear Headphones can be a great alternative. You can’t match the value of these headphones with other similar-range retro headphones, which include a sleek design, high-quality sound, and reliable performance.

The quality of the construction is excellent. We found that these headphones are well made and will last a long time. The plastic and metal components are made to be lightweight and portable. Besides being very convenient, their featherweight construction makes them a delight to wear. These retro headphones last master an excellent balance of a cool design and good price. The battery life lasts up to 22 hours and has a rapid charge feature. And, besides all that, they are pretty cool looking – kind of retro, kind of modern, kind of unnoticeable. Hours of pink noise break-in later, the mid-range honk hadn’t disappeared. And you won’t hear this issue in the price-comparable (if on-ear) AKG Y50BT or Urbanista Seattle. What’s really great about these headphones is that not only are they comfortable, they are remarkably non-fatiguing to listen to. This is especially noteworthy because the 92s have a pretty bright, detailed sound, with so much upper end detail and clarity they seem like they would be harsh.One thing we loved about JLab Rewinds is that it weighed relatively lighter than the other retro headphones on our list, which is why we’ve categorized them as the most portable headphones. The quality of the sound is wonderful straight out of the box. We agree they are quite big and perhaps too heavy for “on-the-go” listening, but they’re completely worth buying because of their sturdiness and construction quality. In fact, they are not built or intended for portable usage. Instead, they are traditional-style headphones useful for frequent usage. Because the best retro headphones really are great choices for anybody – not just fun, but really great products on all levels! With almost every single choice on this list – and among almost all of the most popular and beloved retro headphones among actual users – we see again and again that the sound is not boosted or optimized or made to sound more exciting or bassy or popular or anything else. This, along with their extraordinary strength, durability and wearing comfort, are why the Sennheiser HD 25 are the true choice among the hippest DJs today – and why they make an amazing choice for anybody else.

But the coolness of their ultra-minimal appearance is not the reason I felt I had to include them – the Basic Gumy have become a bit of a legend for their superior sound on the cheap. Bass is strong, fast and sometimes intense – boosted beyond what we might call “neutral,” but so much fun. Vocals and mid frequencies come through with real presence and without distortion or harshness, and high frequencies are surprisingly well extended, fast and almost liquid in sound. The JLab Rewind look startlingly similar to the headphones that suddenly began appearing everywhere – really everywhere, by the thousands and the millions – with the introduction of the Walkman and similar personal portable stereos.Wireless stability is excellent. The latest Bluetooth chipsets not only result in double the battery life we might have expected a few years ago, but they seem to (for the most part) clear up the blips and drop-outs that used to affect even top-quality wireless headphones. No, for a bit under 10 dollars you are not going to get the last word in high fidelity sound, but I am frankly amazed every time I try these little Gumy ‘buds, with their almost startlingly dynamic and clear sound and their super-comfortable and effective fit. According to the company, the wooden housing helps the diaphragm deliver a finer, more accurate sound with more depth. Like many full-size headphones, the Panasonic RP-HTX80B use 40mm dynamic drivers. It’s the default size for a pair such as this. And in this too they’ve succeeded admirably. The K92 are, in fact, one of the lightest, most comfortable big headphones I’ve ever used, and I can wear them for hours and hours with no discomfort whatsoever.