is there anywhere I can find a definitive list of the most popular headphones in terms of sales numbers that is being updated consistently? are there any tools on headfi to search for this? I want to find out what's currently trending and what headphones most casual listeners of music are listening to their music with if possible.
list of most popular headphones
- Thread starter lofiloki
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RONJA MESCO
1000+ Head-Fier
yes and no....all I'd say is find a few of your favorite reviewers you agree with/like the most and see what their top 10 list is for this and other years. Many of them do this, especially with these online tier lists using the 'S thru F' scale. It may take you several reviewers to get a good idea of what stands out among the many.
To have a all-in-one comprehensive list that any one person agrees to is hard, because so many like different things in a headphone (open backed, closed back, planar, dynamic,etc). I learned this the hard way too lol.
To have a all-in-one comprehensive list that any one person agrees to is hard, because so many like different things in a headphone (open backed, closed back, planar, dynamic,etc). I learned this the hard way too lol.
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HBen
500+ Head-Fier
For what you're looking for you'd need data from a consumer sales panel ... that's what market research companies like Nielsen, GFK, etc. are doing but most likely you won't get that data for free.
A free way to get maybe get some info would be to go look at some online shops where you can sort the products by products groups (headphones) and rank them by popularity or "bestsellers" (=sales volume). No way of knowing if you don't get fooled though and the company just ranks the headphones by what they have on stock or have the best margins on ...
I just looked it up on my country's biggest online electronics shop and its quite obvious .... Apple, Bose, and some Sony's take all the top rankings, pretty much all wireless headphones and many with ANC. On the top are the Airpods Pro. Among the top 100 headphones on that list were not more than 3 or 4 headphones that most people on this forum would consider entry or mid-fi audiophile headphones and obviously not a single high end headphone.
If not for work or research what's the point of knowing this anyway. Most consumers just buy the products that do the most and best marketing and are "in" or make them look cool. Gives pretty much no insight about sound quality, value for money, etc. or about what headphones are good to buy for you, me or anybody else.
A free way to get maybe get some info would be to go look at some online shops where you can sort the products by products groups (headphones) and rank them by popularity or "bestsellers" (=sales volume). No way of knowing if you don't get fooled though and the company just ranks the headphones by what they have on stock or have the best margins on ...
I just looked it up on my country's biggest online electronics shop and its quite obvious .... Apple, Bose, and some Sony's take all the top rankings, pretty much all wireless headphones and many with ANC. On the top are the Airpods Pro. Among the top 100 headphones on that list were not more than 3 or 4 headphones that most people on this forum would consider entry or mid-fi audiophile headphones and obviously not a single high end headphone.
If not for work or research what's the point of knowing this anyway. Most consumers just buy the products that do the most and best marketing and are "in" or make them look cool. Gives pretty much no insight about sound quality, value for money, etc. or about what headphones are good to buy for you, me or anybody else.
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Interesting thanks, i'll definitely try that when looking up highest rated headphones.
yea I did this with amazon, and although some of the stuff in the rankings seems quite likely to be true, I do wonder if all those results are entirely honest? they could quite easily say that a certain product is the most popular when it actually isn't. they own the site so they could say whatever they like whether true or not. makes you wonder...
I think I probably didn't explain this well, what I am after is a list of the most popular, not necessarily the best. I make music and I am thinking of building a collection for things to reference my music on. I will probably get some airpods as I hear these are one of the most purchased headphones regardless of their quality. the logic I am taking (which is based on what I have heard a lot of producers do) is that if people will be listening to my music on the most popular headphones then I need to hear how it sounds on those headphones. because my target audience won't necessarily be listening on what's objectively best, just whatever they assume to be best and quite often things like (for example) beats by dre are assumed to be the best and more people buy them as a result.
Mhog55
Headphoneus Supremus
Both YouTube reviewers Joshua Valour and DMS have headphones tier lists. Just keep in mind that any lists you may come across are going to be 100% subjective in favor of the reviewers personal tastes.
A Jedi
500+ Head-Fier
Most popular for average consumer? Beats, Bose and, earbuds.
I'd also agree that other factors and features, such as wireless and streaming capabilities, noise cancellation, price, fit, availability, and general trendiness probably also play a large role in what is popular, and what sells. And would not discount the importance of that. Small electronics consumers (present audiophile company excluded) are gadget freaks. And will be drawn to whatever is the latest and greatest tech to make whatever they are using easier and more convenient.
I think sound quality is important too though. Perhaps moreso than some others here might think. Because given the choice between two similarly-featured, similarly-priced products, I think most intelligent* consumers would choose the one with better sound. And suspect the global trends would probably support that. (*Note the caveat there.)
The general trend amongst all of the major consumer headphone manufacturers at the moment is toward a more neutral to neutral-bassy sound. This includes Apple, Sony, Bose, Samsung, JBL, etc., etc. And also many of their cheaper Chinese competitors. So I'd try to avoid headphones which diverge significantly from this general sound signature.
I don't really follow the sales figures. But I suspect Apple may be one of the biggest trend-setters at the moment. So it may make sense to pay attention to what they are doing on their IEMs. And perhaps also on their over-ear headphones, like the new AirPods Max. Because other manufacturers, including many of the cheaper Chinese clones, may be likely to follow their lead to some extent.
Apple also owns Beats btw, which are still popular. Though probably not to the same level they were several years ago.
Sonys have traditionally been a bit on the bassier side of the spectrum. Beats are more bassy and also U-shaped. Bose is neutral-bassy. Samsung, JBL and others like that are also going for a neutral to neutral-bassy sound.
I think sound quality is important too though. Perhaps moreso than some others here might think. Because given the choice between two similarly-featured, similarly-priced products, I think most intelligent* consumers would choose the one with better sound. And suspect the global trends would probably support that. (*Note the caveat there.)
The general trend amongst all of the major consumer headphone manufacturers at the moment is toward a more neutral to neutral-bassy sound. This includes Apple, Sony, Bose, Samsung, JBL, etc., etc. And also many of their cheaper Chinese competitors. So I'd try to avoid headphones which diverge significantly from this general sound signature.
I don't really follow the sales figures. But I suspect Apple may be one of the biggest trend-setters at the moment. So it may make sense to pay attention to what they are doing on their IEMs. And perhaps also on their over-ear headphones, like the new AirPods Max. Because other manufacturers, including many of the cheaper Chinese clones, may be likely to follow their lead to some extent.
Apple also owns Beats btw, which are still popular. Though probably not to the same level they were several years ago.
Sonys have traditionally been a bit on the bassier side of the spectrum. Beats are more bassy and also U-shaped. Bose is neutral-bassy. Samsung, JBL and others like that are also going for a neutral to neutral-bassy sound.
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