15 Cool Wired Headphones for New Hi-Fi Fans and Seasoned Audiophiles

We’ve rounded up the latest wired headphone releases from Grado Labs, Audio-Technica, Sony, Audeze, Meze Audio and more. All are new for 2026.

Close-up of Audeze headphone grill with copper mesh, white braided in-ear monitors on a desk, and Grado headphones with wooden ear cups on a brown leather surface.

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By Tucker Bowe

Published 1 hour ago

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Even in this age of wireless audio, traditional wired hi-fi isn’t going anywhere.

Wired headphones are still more reliable and just easier to “plug and play.” There’s no need to worry about running out of battery. And despite advances in Bluetooth codecs, a physical wired connection can still deliver much higher-resolution audio.

Plus, traditional audio brands continue to release new pairs of wired headphones and in-ear monitors, catered to both rising hi-fi enthusiasts and seasoned audiophiles.

Below, we’ve rounded up the most notable wired hi-fi releases so far this year. All models have been announced (or released) in 2026.

The Best New Wired Headphones of 2026 (So Far)

Over-ear Grado headphones with black foam ear pads, wooden ear cups, and black headband with white stitching.

Grado Signature S550

The Signature S550 is the most affordable pair of open-back headphones in Grado’s flagship Signature series. Positioned as more affordable alternatives to the brand’s Signature S750, which are nearly twice as expensive, the S550 has the same 50mm S2 dynamic drivers, but they have been tuned specifically for its all-wood enclosure (instead of wood, the Signature S750 has an all-aluminum housing). According to the brand, they offer “a more relaxed presentation while preserving the speed, detail, and immediacy that have long defined the Grado sound.”

$995 at Grado

Black and copper open-back over-ear headphones with perforated leather headband and braided cables.

Audeze LCD-5s

Audeze has introduced next-generation versions of its flagship planar magnetic headphones, the LCD-5, which were released in 2021. As the “s” in their name suggests, the most notable aspect of the LCD-5s is that they have been integrated with the brand’s Symmetric Linear Acoustic Modulator (SLAM) technology, which promises to help them deliver deeper bass and a wider soundstage than their predecessors. The American headphone maker claims that the LCD-5s “represents the pinnacle of planar magnetic engineering and luxury build.”

$4,500 at Audeze

Over-ear headphones with dark green metal frame, black leather ear cushions, and wooden ear cups.

Meze Strada

Meze’s Strada is a new pair of closed-back headphones with dynamic drivers that are designed to look as good as they sound. Each pair is made of high-end materials, combining a magnesium frame (hand-painted deep green) with Macassar ebony hardwood ear cups — ensuring that no two are alike — and the ear cushions and a headband are both made out of genuine leather. They feature the same 50mm dynamic drivers as the brand’s 109 Pro open-back headphones, which cost $799, but they’ve been tuned for closed-back performance. Meze claims that they “set a new benchmark in closed-back dynamic headphones.”

$799 at Meze Audio

Clear wired in-ear monitors with black ear tips and red and blue left and right indicators.

Sony IER-M500

The Sony IER-M500 is brand’s new entry-level pair of wired in-ear monitors. According to the brand, they’re “the perfect partner for amateur, emerging, and professional musicians, performers, and monitor engineers who require reliable and accurate in-ear monitoring for live performances and practices.” Sony is offering them in three transparent color options. Black and clear are the most straightforward options, while the red/blue option has the two earbuds in different colors.

Black over-ear headphones with open-back design and "DX10000 CL" label on headband.

Final DX10000 CL

The Final DX10000 CL is the company’s new flagship pair of closed-back wired headphones. They’re built around a newly developed 40mm True Diamond diaphragm dynamic driver, designed to combat the resonance and coloration that typically hinder closed-back headphones. According to the brand, the headphones are “designed for listeners who want a private, immersive and physically engaging listening experience, with the clarity, tonal accuracy and resolution expected from a true flagship audiophile product.”

$8,499 at Final Audio

Over-ear headphones with black leather padding and wooden ear cups with a sunburst finish.

Audio-Technica ATH‑WP900SE

The Audio-Technica ATH-WP900SE (or special edition ATH-WP900) is a pair of closed-back wired headphones that is a joint collaboration with Fujigen, the iconic Japanese guitar brand, as their earcups are made of the same maple hardwood that it exclusively uses to build its guitars. These special edition models feature Fujigen’s iconic 3‑tone sunburst lacquer finish and, according to the brand, pay homage to the “timeless beauty of classic instruments.” It marks the first time Audio-Technica has applied the popular lacquer finish to any of its headphones.

$969 at Audio-Technica

Black over-ear headphones with silver metal accents and a textured headband on a black background.

Meze Arta

The Romanian hi-fi company specializes in high-end planar magnetic headphones. And now with the Arta, it has a new flagship. They have a sculptural design, are made of premium materials (including carbon fiber and leather) and feature a Rinaro High Impedance Isodynamic Hybrid Array MZ5 HΩ driver, which Meze Audio claims is the highest-impedance planar magnetic headphone driver to date. According to the brand, the Arta headphones “deliver a rich, speaker-like presentation with lifelike detail, offering the most immersive sonic experience we have ever created.”

$6,000 at Meze Audio

Audeze

Audeze MM-520

The California-based hi-fi specialist has introduced the MM-520, a pair of open-back, over-ear headphones designed for musicians and audio professionals. They’re an updated version of the company’s MM-500 studio headphones, as they have the same general design and feature the same 90mm planar magnetic drivers. The main upgrade with the MM-520 is the integration of Audeze’s SLAM (Symmetric Linear Acoustic Modulator) technology, which the brand says should improve the headphone’s bass accuracy and spatial detail.

$1,699 at Audeze

Pair of black wireless earbuds with geometric silver faceplates and embossed "A" logos.

Astell&Kern Clarus

The Astell&Kern Clarus is the brand’s latest high-end pair of in-ear monitors. They are designed around a 9-driver tribrid architecture, featuring a dynamic driver for low frequencies, balanced armature drivers for mids and highs, and MEMS drivers for ultra-high frequencies. Each earbud is constructed of 6061-T6 aluminum. According to Astell&Kern, the Clarus is designed to deliver transparent and distortion-free audio exactly as the artist intended. At the time of writing, price and availability info have not yet been released.

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Braided copper-colored audio cable with black and gold in-ear monitors and a gold 3.5mm plug.

Campfire Audio Chimera

The Chimera is the Portland-based audio maker’s most high-end and expensive pair of in-ear monitors. Each earbud features a unique nine-driver architecture that combines four distinct driver technologies: dynamic, balanced armature, electrostatic and bone conduction. (In fact, it’s the first time Campfire Audio has incorporated a conduction driver and embedded it directly into its CNC-machined magnesium shell.) The result, according to the brand, “is a listening experience that is both highly detailed and physically engaging.” The Chimera ships with an ALO Audio Valence-6 cable featuring four high-purity copper conductors and two 50/50 copper-silver-plated conductors.

$7,500 at Campfire Audio

Activo

Activo Scoop

The Activo Scoop is an affordable pair of IEMs that come with detachable cables and adapters for USB-C, 3.5mm and 4.4mm (balanced), so you can use them with your smartphone, laptop, portable games console and dedicated hi-fi player. According to the brand, they promise a combination of flexibility and performance rarely seen at this price point.

$99 at Activo

Black over-ear headphones with padded headband and "DX4000 CL" and "final" logos on ear cups.

Final DX4000CL

The Final DX4000CL is the newest addition to the brand’s DX series of closed-back wired headphones, slotting between its $599 DX3000CL and its flagship $1,999 DX6000CL. And like those other headphones, the DX4000CL aims to deliver a more natural, balanced sound than traditional closed-back headphones, which often lean toward bass-heavy sound.

$999 at Final

a close-up of a high-end monitor in an ear

Meze Astru

The Astru is the Romanian hi-fi brand’s most premium pair of in-ear monitors to date. According to the brand, they are meant for “listeners who demand true high-end performance without crossing into flagship pricing territory.” The earbuds feature a 10mm multilayer composite dynamic driver diaphragm, meticulously engineered to balance speed, control, and musical weight. They have a beautiful titanium housing, detachable cables and feature a gold-plated 4.4 mm balanced termination. A 3.5mm adapter is included so you can use it with most traditional sources.

$899 at Meze Audio

Black over-ear Sennheiser headphones with a cable connected, placed on a wooden table near a white coffee cup.

Sennheiser HD 400U

The Sennheiser HD 400U is a pair of closed-back wired headphones with dynamic drivers. They are a new version of the company’s HD 400S, which was released in early 2019. The big update with the 400U is that they feature a USB-C wired connection (instead of traditional 3.5mm jack) and thus are better suited for modern smartphones and laptops. They support lossless audio up to 24-bit/96kHz. Best of all? The cost just $100.

$100 at Sennheiser

Black and silver over-ear headphones with perforated headband and mesh ear cups.

Moondrop Skyland

Moondrop’s Skyland is a wired, open-back headphone with planar magnetic drivers. Each pair features large 100mm planar magnetic drivers with an ultra-thin 500nm diaphragm, which is designed to move quickly and accurately, and ultimately deliver an incredibly detailed sound. They also incorporate Full Drive Technology (FDT), which the brand claims helps them achieve performance levels closer to those of electrostatic headphones.