The best wireless headphones have come on leaps and bounds in terms of delivering outstanding sound quality, but if you want the very best experience, then in most instances you'll want a pair of the best wired headphones we've reviewed instead.
And it doesn't get much better than the Sennheiser HD 820. These five-star beauties are super comfortable and obviously engineered to last. Most importantly, they serve up entertaining sound regardless of source material.
They're currently discounted down to £1239 at Sevenoaks but are unfortunately out of stock online. The next best price is not far off, though, with Richer Sounds selling them for £1299.
That's still a lot of money, but for the performance, you'll be hard pressed to find anything better.
If you are after serious audiophile headphones for home listening, we would normally point you in the direction of open-back models, such as Sennheiser's own HD800S.
But this superb HD 820 model has an eye-catching closed-back design that uses curved gorilla glass to cover the driver.
This design reflects the sound coming out of the back of the driver towards sound-absorbing chambers to combat some of the downsides of a typical closed design.
The result is the HD 820 deliver an impressive sense of scale and dynamic punch, with a sense of roominess that we get in traditional open-back designs.
As we said in our original Sennheiser HD 820 review, the headphones have "a smooth, full-bodied tonal balance that trades the last ounce of transparency and sonic agility for the kind of sound that’s easy to listen to for hours on end despite the quality of the recording".
Voices are delivered with crispness and a natural sense of expression, while the headphones have a tremendous ability to organise even the most complex recordings.
The durable build quality and comfortable earpads help too, and while they may look bulky, the HD 820 are surprisingly lightweight and roomy. If you enjoy long listening sessions, these Sennheisers – partnered with an appropriately talented source and headphone amplifier – will be great company.
These are premium audiophile headphones that are always worth considering if you have the budget at your disposal.
But with this significant £500 saving at Richer Sounds bringing the price down, it could be time to take the plunge.
MORE:
Read the full Sennheiser HD 820 review
Check out our guide to the best audiophile headphones
Open-back vs closed-back headphones: which type is right for you?
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